* I’ll see you tomorrow. Please be nice to each other and keep it Illinois-centric. Thanks. And keep an eye on the live coverage post for any updates.
A bit of news before I go. Background is here if you need it. Mark Maxwell…
At an event in Peoria, @GovPritzker pledges to veto a bill that passed the House unanimously that would forgive $50m in private jet shops’ unpaid sales taxes. A 2010 tax break for the jet repair shops retired in 2014, they never collected it, paid it. He says that money is owed. pic.twitter.com/UDZCBkFtSp
* Back in 2009, after Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed, the Illinois Reform Commission published several recommended legal changes, including…
At this juncture in the State’s history, establishing a well-rounded campaign finance regulatory framework has never been more important. Accordingly, we recommend:
1) requiring year-round, real-time submission of campaign disclosure filings;
2) requiring disclosure of campaign contribution “bundlers;”
3) requiring greater disclosure of those making independent expenditures on behalf of a campaign;
4) imposing limits on contributions to political campaigns from all sources;
5) banning campaign contributions from lobbyists and trusts, and extending bans on contributions from state employees, entities seeking state contracts and entities engaged in regulated industries;
6) holding primary elections in June;
7) enacting a pilot project for public financing of judicial elections in 2010, with an eye toward expanding the program to elections of statewide legislative officials and Constitutional posts;
8) enhancing powers of the Illinois State Board of Elections; and
9) creating more robust discovery and enforcement mechanisms.
Some contribution limits were put in place. More disclosures were required. But not much else.
* The Question: What campaign and government reforms should the state implement? Make sure to explain your response.
Rep. John Shimkus just reaffirmed his intention to retire at the end of his current term. Last week, he said he would reconsider after Rep. Greg Walden announced his own retirement, which could have put Shimkus in place to take the top GOP spot on Energy and Commerce Committee.
Having a pot-related arrest or conviction used to be a liability for Illinoisans seeking employment. Now, a criminal record might lead to a job in the legal industry.
HempStaff, a Miami-based recruitment and training agency, launched a new division last month to help cannabis firms in Illinois and five other states hire employees that meet certain social equity requirements, including those with pot offenses on their records.
A news release from HempStaff said the company hopes to help those folks “find their dream opportunities.” But there’s also benefits for employers.
Under Illinois’ legalization law, budding “ganjapreneurs” vying for licenses to sell and grow recreational weed can get an edge in the application process if most of their employees have been arrested for or convicted of a cannabis offense that’s eligible for expungement, live in an area “disproportionately impacted” by past drug policies or have an affected family member.
Illinois gave two more marijuana facilities approval to grow weed for recreational customers, with just two months to go before sales start next year.
The licenses went to Wellness Group Pharms in Anna and GTI Rock Island, which is run by Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries. Both already grow cannabis for medical patients, and join seven other facilities that got the state’s OK in September to also grow recreational pot.
The state law allows the existing 21 grow facilities to be the first to produce recreational pot, and it was largely expected most would opt to do so. But the companies need state approval. The licenses, which will continue to be issued, will help determine which products customers see on store shelves when recreational sales start next year.
The law does not allow any more large cultivators to supply the Illinois market until 2021 at the earliest, and then only if demand warrants them.
Get ready for some very long lines if you’re planning to buy marijuana in Chicago on Jan. 1, when recreational sales become legal.
Under new rules issued [last week] for a lottery process that will be used for new dispensaries, only the 11 existing medical locations are likely to be available to serve recreational customers on New Year’s Day.
Once it became clear that the city was going to take a go-slow approach to marijuana, including controversial zoning laws that prohibit retail sales from much of downtown, cannabis companies have been quietly speculating that there might not be any new dispensaries open in the city by Jan. 1.
A lottery held Nov. 15 will determine the order in which existing medical license holders can seek new recreational-dispensary locations in seven districts of the city. Winners would then have to submit applications to the Zoning Board of Appeals to receive special-use permits to open a dispensary. Before receiving approval, license seekers would have to hold public meetings to get community input on opening a retail dispensary.
While some towns want state lawmakers to take quick action on a recommendation to combine suburban and downstate police and firefighter pension funds in an effort to boost returns and cut costs, not all municipalities are on board.
Senate President John Cullerton introduced a bill Tuesday to consolidate the 649 suburban and downstate police and fire pensions. Gov. J.B. Pritzker followed with a statement praising Cullerton’s move in the first half of a six-day fall veto session that ended Wednesday. […]
Barrington Hills is asking lawmakers to take their time and not pass the proposal during the veto session. The session’s second three-day leg runs Nov. 12-14.
In part, Barrington Hills’ resolution says the Pension Consolidation Feasibility Task Force’s recommendation would be a complex financial, economic and operational undertaking requiring “proper and comprehensive analysis and review by all stakeholders” and should not be pursued until the regular legislative session starts next year.
Chicago Teachers Union representatives are asking lawmakers for legislation that would force Chicago Public Schools to direct more of its state funding to services aimed at low-income students, English language learners and students with special needs. This comes amid a strike now stretching into its second week.
Kurt Hilgendorf, a lobbyist for the union, told a legislative committee Monday Illinois’ new Evidence Based Funding formula is designed, in part, to direct more state resources to the neediest districts. But, he said, there is no requirement that districts — Chicago Public Schools in particular — direct resources to the neediest schools in those districts.
“There is no equity provision for funding CPS students in a student-based budgeting model,” he told an elementary and secondary education appropriations panel. “Each student is assigned a base funding regardless of the need of that student.”
House Bill 3917 would require that the funds CPS receives for those high-needs students be distributed among all the schools in the district in proportion to the number of high-needs students they serve. It would apply to only the Chicago district.
* Press release…
State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) introduced a bill [last] week that redefines felony murder charges in Illinois.
The language of current state law allows prosecutors to charge someone with first-degree murder if a death occurs during the commission of another offense when acting alone, or if a third-party individual causes a death when acting within a group. The new legislation would ban prosecutors from being able to do so.
“Incarceration rates are disturbingly high as it is,” Peters said. “These laws do nothing to improve safety in our community and are not an effective way to combat the unforgivable crowding of our jails and prisons. They are quite simply not a reflection of any sort of justice we should strive for as a society.”
The bill is an initiative of Restore Justice and was filed in response to an incident in Lake County where five teens were charged with first-degree murder after a failed home burglary in which the homeowner shot and killed a sixth teen.
Senate Bill 2292 was filed with the secretary of the Senate on Monday. It is currently awaiting assignment to a committee, which likely will not occur until full session resumes in January.
Illinois lawmakers approved a bill Tuesday that would eliminate driver’s license suspensions for unpaid parking tickets, putting an end to a decades-old practice that has hurt tens of thousands of motorists across the state.
The bill now awaits Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signature. A spokeswoman for the governor said he looks forward to reviewing “this meaningful legislation.” Rep. Carol Ammons, a Democrat from Urbana-Champaign who co-sponsored the measure, said that the governor has told her he supports the bill’s intent and that she expects him to sign it.
* You really should read beyond the excerpts posted here because there’s a lot more to all of them. From WBEZ…
Commonwealth Edison cut ties with a lobbying firm co-owned by a top Chicago alderman a month ago, just as a federal criminal investigation into the power company’s state lobbying activities intensified.
ComEd ended its Springfield lobbying contract with Elgin-based Stratagem Consulting Group on Oct. 3, WBEZ has learned. The firm is co-owned by 36th Ward Ald. Gilbert Villegas, Jr., who is Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s floor leader, trusted with guiding major legislative initiatives through the City Council. […]
But on Friday, [Villegas] also told WBEZ that he did not do any work for ComEd personally under that deal. Villegas was not a registered lobbyist for the company in Springfield. Stratagem’s lobbyists for ComEd were Villegas’ business partner, Elgin City Council member Baldemar Lopez, and another man. […]
Stratagem signed a one-year lobbying contract that was to pay $60,000, Lopez said. The deal with ComEd ended early, Lopez said, because, “They were doing some restructuring of their lobbying activities.”
Asked if those changes were prompted by the federal probe, Lopez replied, “I would assume.”
State Rep. Luis Arroyo’s foray into the shady world of sweepstakes machines is at the center of the federal bribery case alleging he agreed to pay off a state senator in exchange for support on legislation that would benefit the largely unregulated industry.
Now other players linked to the alleged scheme are emerging, including businessman James Weiss, the son-in-law of former Cook County assessor and county Democratic Party boss Joseph Berrios, and an ex-Chicago cop who was fired for consorting with a drug trafficker, the Chicago Tribune has confirmed through state records and a source with knowledge of the probe.
The FBI raided Weiss’ business offices Friday after the charges were filed against Arroyo under seal, the source told the Tribune.
State business records show Weiss is connected to the former cop, John Adreani, through a complex web of corporations, many of which list the same address in a south suburban strip mall as their headquarters.
A businessman whose lobbying efforts to legalize sweepstakes machines are part of the federal criminal case against state Rep. Luis Arroyo also runs a political action committee with close ties to Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan.
James T. Weiss — a son-in-law of Joseph Berrios, the former Cook County Democratic Party chairman and county assessor — owns and operates sweepstakes machines. Weiss also runs the Alliance of Illinois Taxpayers, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, largely from personal injury law firms allied with Madigan. Other donors include individuals with ties to Madigan’s political organization.
Weiss is chairman and treasurer of the PAC. His mother Mary Murray is president. The secretary is John Hynes, a Chicago firefighter who is part of Madigan’s political organization and a friend of the speaker’s son Andrew Madigan. […]
The PAC has raised $630,000 since it was created seven years ago and has given money to help elect candidates including Cicero Town President Larry Dominick. The PAC also spent nearly $20,000 on fliers in 2016 to defeat state Rep. Kenneth Dunkin after the Chicago Democrat broke ranks with Madigan and sided with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on key votes. […]
Weiss and his mother also run two Bridgeport charities, aided by powerful political allies including Cook County Commissioner John Daley and his nephew Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th), Andrew Madigan and former state Rep. Dan Burke, D-Chicago, brother of Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th). One of the charities, Benton House, is a former settlement house that operates an emergency food pantry. The other is a scholarship fund.
For 13 years, the Internal Revenue Service hounded a politically connected Bridgeport charity to pay back taxes, slapping it with a series of liens totaling $109,000, records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show.
At the same time, the charity, Benton House, let its buildings fall into disrepair, resulting in repeated citations from City Hall inspectors for building code violations.
It got so bad that Benton House’s then-board president, Chicago police Officer Anthony Skokal, and executive director Mark Lennon borrowed $120,000 from another Bridgeport institution, Washington Federal Bank for Savings, to pay the back taxes and make repairs, personally guaranteeing to repay the money. […]
Now, the Murrays run both charities, relying on powerful political backers to support them including Cook County Commissioner John Daley and his nephew Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th), Andrew Madigan, son of Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, and state Rep. Dan Burke, D-Chicago, brother of Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th).
An Illinois state trooper posted a passionate plea online, urging drivers to pay attention.
It comes after two troopers were taken to the hospital after a crash during a traffic stop along Interstate 57 early Sunday.
ISP say troopers were working a traffic stop on I-57 near 115th early Sunday morning when a red car slammed into one of their squad cars.
The crash sent the trooper’s vehicle into a second squad car. Two state troopers and two other people were all taken to the hospital. The troopers have been released and the other people have minor injuries.
* This is getting way out of hand…
3 Illinois Troopers struck in 4 days. 🚓🚓🚓
That’s #24, #25, and #26 in 2019.
That’s 26 ISP squad cars hit this year as a direct result of drivers not moving over and slowing down when approaching the stopped squad car with their emergency lights activated. #MOVEOVER
Premature birth rates and other factors related to maternal and infant health remain “alarming” in the United States, according to the March of Dimes, a nonprofit that supports research, education and advocacy related to those issues. The group Monday released its annual report card, which assigns letter grades to states, counties and large cities, using data from the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Illinois received a D+, as did Chicago, where 10.7% and 10.6% of all births in 2018 were premature, or occurred earlier than 37 weeks gestation. The letter grades are assigned based on the organization’s determination of how far rates are from a goal of 8.1% or less. The national average is about 10%, according to the CDC, a rate that after declining from 2007 to 2014 has increased for the last four years.
The March of Dimes report shows that while rates slightly improved over the previous year in Chicago, as well as in some of the collar counties (where they ranged from 9.4% to 10.4%), Illinois’ statewide rate increased from 10.4% in 2017 to 10.7% last year — the highest premature birth rate in 10 years, according to the report. The state is ranked 39th out of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. […]
(P)premature birth rates among African American women in Illinois were 52% higher than all other women in the state.
The first day of the 2019 veto session on Monday was unlike any other that most people have ever seen.
First, we learned that Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, had been arrested on public corruption charges. About an hour later, federal prosecutors claimed that Arroyo had attempted to bribe a state senator, who has been cooperating with the feds since 2016.
An alleged venal criminal in the House and a government mole in the Senate. That can tend to disrupt your day.
Even so, the House Democratic caucus meeting early that afternoon was almost completely routine. House Speaker Michael Madigan went over several mundane topics with members and then finally wound up an hour later by reading a statement to his members about Arroyo.
Madigan’s central message was that Arroyo must resign from the House or face a potential expulsion. One member of his caucus thanked him for the statement. Other than that, the meeting was routine. Members talked incessantly amongst themselves about Arroyo but were mainly mum in caucus.
Things were a little different in the Senate Democratic caucus meeting. Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake, angrily demanded that corrupt members should be forced out if they don’t leave. Sitting in that room was Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, who was indicted on over 40 federal counts during the summer. Tom Cullerton was re-elected just last year, so he can continue attending session unless he’s eventually convicted of a felony or is also expelled.
Also in that caucus meeting was Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan. The Sun-Times and the Tribune both reported that Link was the one who helped the feds sting Arroyo. Link, 72, the most prominent gaming expansion supporter in the Senate, repeatedly denied being the mole, and each of the newspapers relied on a single source for their stories. But the unnamed senator said on a government recording that he was in the “twilight” of his career, his first meeting with Arroyo was in Lake County and they talked about a gaming-related bill. If it’s not Link, the government sure seemed to go out of its way to draw a map to his house.
Regardless, this might put a damper on Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s gaming bill if Sen. Link is still involved. People may be hesitant to enter a negotiating room believing that someone in the venue might be manipulating them into saying something that the FBI could interpret as a potential criminal offense.
And then there are the lazy criminals who think the only way to get things done is by bribing people. That’s apparently the category that Arroyo falls into, if the government transcript of his conversation with the cooperating witness is accurate and in context.
”This is, this is the jackpot,” Rep. Arroyo said to that unnamed senator as he handed over the first of what he thought would be 12 $2,500 monthly checks.
Seriously? The jackpot? $2,500? That’s only 30 grand over the life of the one-year bribe. Either Arroyo figured the unnamed senator was desperate for cash or that the senator was recklessly corrupt. And “recklessly corrupt” is definitely what I would call someone who threw away their future by handing over a $2,500 check to an FBI informant.
Line 2 of the “List of Items to be Seized” in the September federal search warrant of Sen. Martin Sandoval’s Statehouse office read: “Items related to CW1, Lobbyist A, and/or Lobbyist B.” CW is fed-speak for “cooperating witness.”
The unnamed senator is described in the Arroyo criminal complaint as “CW-1.” The cooperating witness “became a source for the FBI” in 2016. The feds must have let that person off the hook for something else because the complaint says the person had to be “admonished multiple times” to report his/her involvement in any “unauthorized” illegal activity. And then the witness allegedly filed false income tax returns and the FBI “closed” him as a source. They apparently gave the senator an opportunity at redemption, or at least a sentence reduction, with the Arroyo sting.
The herd mentality requires a rejection of informants. This particular informant, mole or whatever else you want to call it, was obviously no angel. But he did help nab someone who apparently thought he could bribe a state senator into carrying legislation to legalize sweepstakes games. There is a strong positive to what the cooperating witness accomplished here.
By the end of the week, Arroyo had resigned. In his resignation letter, he practically begged his colleagues to let his district keep the pork projects he had inserted into the infrastructure program. Maybe somebody should take a look at those.
We’ll get to several other stories on this topic soon.
Does Chicago-based Exelon even want to be in the energy production business in Illinois anymore? If you just listen to what the company’s CEO says, you might wonder.
A few years ago, Exelon threatened to close two of its six active nuclear power plants and eventually persuaded the General Assembly and Gov. Bruce Rauner to hand it a $200 million-per-year ratepayer bailout.
And then this year on Halloween, Exelon CEO Chris Crane said the company could shut down its other four nuke plants if the Legislature doesn’t give it lots more ratepayer money next year.
For years now, Exelon and its subsidiary ComEd have held sway over Springfield. The companies accomplished this with what seemed at the time to be brilliant lobbying strategies. Its last bailout, for example, was enmeshed with a proposal strongly supported by environmental groups and green energy companies. It was one of only a handful of truly bipartisan bills passed during Rauner’s sharply divisive term.
But this year, some of the companies’ top lobbyists and consultants found themselves on the wrong end of federal search warrants, and Exelon itself was hit with two subpoenas related to its lobbying operation and its dealings with Sen. Martin Sandoval, a Chicago Democrat whose house, district office and Capitol office were raided in September.
A group of children and adults celebrating a birthday at a Naperville restaurant last weekend were asked to move to different tables because of the color of their skin, two men who were part of the group said.
Justin Vahl and Marcus Riley said they visited the Buffalo Wild Wings on 75th Street east of Route 59 to celebrate a child’s birthday about 8:30 p.m. Oct. 26.
As employees set up the tables to seat the group, a host asked Vahl about his ethnicity, and later a manager asked the group to move to another location because a nearby customer didn’t want to sit near black people, the men said.
A manager at the restaurant Friday directed any questions to Buffalo Wild Wings’ corporate communications team.
Justin Vahl says he was at a Naperville restaurant Oct. 26 with children and adults when a host asked him about his ethnicity. Later, a manager asked the group to move because a regular customer didn’t want to sit near black people.
Vahl, of nearby Montgomery, says he’s multiracial. His wife, Mary, first shared the story on social media. After several managers tried to move the group, they left for another restaurant.
* React from a Republican Naperville House member…
Completely unacceptable. BWW should have thrown the “offended” right out the door. This is just so wrong.
On Sunday, Buffalo Wild Wings issued a statement saying it fired the employees.
“We take this incident very seriously and after conducting a thorough, internal investigation have terminated the employees involved,” it said. “Buffalo Wild Wings values an inclusive environment and has zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind.” White said he had been told the same about the managers on duty Oct. 26.
Another manager at the Naperville location on Sunday also said the customers who didn’t want to sit near the multiracial group no longer are welcome there.
* You may remember that our late commenter Wordslinger wrote a story here about when he and his family met Sen. Bob Dole…
Late in his much-too-short life, my old man developed a highly unlikely and completely accidental friendship with Bob Dole.
If you haven’t read it yet, you really should. It was a touching tale and one of his best comments ever on this blog, which is really saying something.
* Two readers, Elizabeth Austin and John Patterson, independently sent the story to Sen. Dole after Wordslinger passed away. Dole then wrote a letter to his widow…
What a nice thing to do.
Karl never told his family about commenting here. They were all absolutely stunned by the outpouring of grief and tributes after he passed. And they were so very grateful to Elizabeth and John for contacting Sen. Dole.
* I told you Wednesday I was having lunch that day with Karl’s brother. He later texted me a copy of Dole’s letter. He also asked me to thank all of you from the family for the kind words and for donating to a college fund for Wordslinger’s daughter Emma Oxnevad, a journalism student at DePaul who did an internship with the Sun-Times last summer. I emailed Emma a couple of days ago to tell her about meeting her Uncle Bing and this is some of what she wrote back…
I hope you’re doing well and the blog hasn’t suffered too much from his loss. The last thing he would’ve wanted was for people to have gotten less sharp in his absence.
* Wordslinger regularly sent me late-night emails with YouTube links to songs he loved and which he figured I’d love, too. Here’s his last such email to me…
He intentionally left an incredibly key element of this story (Cal and the person who asked for the “no stalking” order are getting sued by McClellan) out.
Fake blood, a beheaded duck and a looming defamation lawsuit are at the center of a peculiar spat between a McHenry County judicial candidate and a group of anonymous blog commenters.
In a petition for an order of protection filed Friday, McHenry County Risk Management Coordinator Lisa Shamhart lodged a pair of bizarre accusations against former McHenry County Clerk Mary McClellan. Shamhart said that McClellan and her husband, Ed Gil, are responsible for throwing fake blood at Shamhart’s door and leaving a beheaded duck on the woman’s doorstep.
* In this Sun-Times story about how Mayor Lightfoot’s security team barred CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates from participating in the final negotiations over a return to work agreement is this from CTU President Jesse Sharkey…
“One thing we learned is that Lori Lightfoot is prone to saying sort of unwise, provocative things in public, which then put her in a corner in negotiations she’s subsequently required to back out of,” Sharkey said.
“She said that class size and staffing didn’t belong in a labor contract. Class size and staffing are in a labor contract. She said that she wouldn’t put any more money into the labor contract. Well, she put a lot more money into the labor contract. She said she wouldn’t make up any school days. This is a pattern.”
And what exactly is that pattern?
“She approaches policy debates the way a prosecutor would. She makes a very strong advocacy argument. She states it in absolutist terms. And doesn’t leave herself … room to maneuver. … Experienced politicians or deal-landers don’t talk like that.”
I believe those public statements are what prompted Tribune editorial board members and their followers to swoon like teenage fans at a Taylor Swift concert. She was saying all the “right” things, but then she eventually had to cut a deal. There comes a time when strikes have to end. And she’s the mayor of Chicago, not Effingham. What might go over well there, wouldn’t go over so well in the big city.
Even before she agreed to provide five paid make-up days for striking Chicago teachers, Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared her proposed contract with the Chicago Teachers Union was “the best ever.”
Now that financial details of the pact are starting to trickle out, it’s clear that the mayor was telling the truth—that is, for the teachers. And that truth raises a very significant question of whether the unprecedented, potentially $1.5 billion mayoral bet will be worth the cost to already struggling Chicago taxpayers.
That $1.5 billion figure comes from the Chicago Public Schools’ budget office. It’s at the high-range of what officials say the new CTU deal will cost over the next five years cumulatively.
Adding up salary hikes and staff additions, a slight reduction in employee contributions to their health insurance as a percentage of salary, new services to aid the homeless, a pay bump for veteran teachers and other items, the promises in the contract collectively amount to $1.5 billion, according to CPS.
Man, the Tribsters’ heads are gonna explode at that $1.5 billion number over 5 years.
Amends the Illinois Identification Card Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State shall not provide facial recognition search services or photographs obtained in the process of issuing an identification card or a driver’s license or permit to any federal, State, or local law enforcement agency or other governmental entity for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws. Effective immediately.
The Senate does not post bill introductions until the chamber has a perfunctory session or a regular session day. So, the bill could’ve been put in the hopper months ago.
Still, do you have any suggestions for future Sandoval legislation?
As thousands of Illinoisans continue to exit the state in an exodus of biblical proportions, one of the reasons cited for leaving, usually after high taxes, is corruption.
The latest effort to root out that corruption, an ongoing federal probe, allegedly involves Lake County’s longtime state senator, Terry Link.
With Democrat Link identified as a friendly asset for federal investigators, according to Chicago Tribune stories earlier this week, it is disheartening, to say the least. It also adds to the state’s continuing reputation as a hornet’s nest of corrupt pols. […]
And why might Link wear the FBI “wire” to record state Rep. Luis Arroyo of Chicago, one of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s assistant majority leaders? Allegedly, according to the Tribune, because he had hopes of getting a reduced sentence after he filed false income tax returns.
In an effort to begin restoring public confidence, Senator Terry Link needs to step down immediately from his position on the Legislative Ethics Commission while this widespread federal investigation continues.
Link has denied being the mole. Then again, federal informants generally have to swear never to reveal that they’re informants.
It seems strange that the GOP would want someone removed from the Ethics Committee because they are allegedly helping the FBI.
* The Question: Should Sen. Link resign from the Senate, step down from the Legislative Ethics Commission or stay right where he is? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier, 79, who was first elected to his seat on the state’s high court in 2004, will retire next December, according to the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts.
His notice means that candidates interested in filling the open seat may begin circulating nomination papers to appear on the March 17 primary ballot, with winners going on to the general election on Nov. 3, 2020.
Voters from the Fifth Judicial District - comprised of the state’s 37 southernmost counties - elected Karmeier, a Republican, over Gordon Maag, a Democrat who was a sitting Fifth District appellate court justice at the time, by a 10 point margin, 55-45 percent.
That election, essentially pitting business interests against the trial bar, was the nation’s costliest at the time, topping $9 million. A major issue in the election that resonated with voters was the high cost of medical malpractice insurance that providers said was driving doctors away from the Metro-East.
The district has since become even more Republican. I just don’t see it flipping back to the Democrats.
Four out of seven Supreme Court districts will be in play next year. In addition to Karmeier, appointed Justice P. Scott Neville of Chicago is up against numerous opponents, and Justices Bob Thomas and Tom Kilbride are both facing retention.
Trick or treat? Luxury private jet facilities didn't pay their taxes for four years, so the Illinois House voted to forgive that debt, and to give them tax breaks through 2024.
West Star Aviation in East Alton employs 507 employees in Bristow’s district, and the company benefits directly from this handout. According to Bristow, the company has used a portion of its tax savings to invest $32 million into its facilities, increase payroll by 400 percent, and pay workers a median income of $82,000 per year.
State lawmakers carved out the tax break specifically for West Star and 13 other private jet facilities in Illinois. It does not apply to commercial airliners.
In 2010, lawmakers approved a tax incentive for the private jet makers and repair shops. In 2014, while the state was entering a period of record fiscal pressure, a separate law automatically ended all permanent tax breaks that did not sunset or expire on their own.
The private jet facilities did not collect or pay any sales tax from 2015 through 2019, even though the law required them to. During the Rauner administration, the Department of Revenue conducted audits at some of the private luxury jet shops but failed to identify the missing tax revenue. The Illinois Aviation Trades Association tallied up the total estimated cost of the outstanding tax bill as roughly $50 million.
Private jets fly into Illinois for special repairs, Bristow says, sometimes from other countries. Without the tax break, she argues those customers would land their plane and take their business to any one of the 35 other states who have similar tax breaks.
Indeed, a lobbyist for one such Champaign company wrote a letter to the Senate President saying the company could lose up to half its business if the tax break isn’t restored because so many other states have this same tax break.
If Congress and the White House were responsible and functional, I’d say they ought to ban these state and local tax breaks designed to poach businesses from elsewhere. But they’re obviously neither responsible nor functional so I won’t.
* I told subscribers to expect this earlier today and the reasons for it…
Hearing from House sources that Rep Luis Arroyo has now officially resigned, and this afternoon’s Special Investigating Committee hearing to expel him from the chamber is officially cancelled.
House Speaker Michael J. Madigan released the following statement Friday:
“Representative Arroyo’s resignation shouldn’t distract from the fact that the allegations contained in this criminal complaint go beyond anything that could be considered a lapse of judgment or minor indiscretion. These allegations are beyond extraordinary, which is why it called for the creation of the Special Investigative Committee and possible disciplinary action. While every circumstance will not require this process, the egregiousness of these particular allegations and the evidence demanded that every effort be taken to restore the public’s trust. Although the disciplinary process will no longer proceed, there is still a focus on strengthening our laws to prevent this unacceptable conduct. I look forward to working with the governor and other legislative leaders to look for ways in which we can continue to improve the safeguards we have today.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Here’s the resignation letter. Click the pic for a better version if need be…
Man, is that ever self-serving. I’m betting lots of his colleagues would have loved to vote to expel him as they gear up for reelection.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Press release…
State Representative Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) released the following statement in response to the resignation of State Rep. Luis Arroyo:
“The criminal complaint against Rep. Arroyo has shaken any trust the public had left in the General Assembly. In an effort to begin restoring public confidence, Senator Terry Link needs to step down immediately from his position on the Legislative Ethics Commission while this widespread federal investigation continues.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** Press release…
The Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus released the following statement responding to state Rep. Luis Arroyo’s resignation:
“The Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus holds at our core the values of integrity, transparency, and ethics. We condemn any lawmaker who goes against those values and violates the public trust. As a caucus, we’ll continue to champion those values and ensure the necessary changes are implemented to safeguard the legislative process and restore public trust.”
State Rep. Luis Arroyo’s foray into the shady world of sweepstakes machines is at the center of the federal bribery case alleging he agreed to pay off a state senator in exchange for support on legislation that would benefit the largely unregulated industry.
Now other players linked to the alleged scheme are emerging, including businessman James Weiss, the son-in-law of former Cook County assessor and county Democratic Party boss Joseph Berrios, and an ex-Chicago cop who was fired for consorting with a drug trafficker, the Chicago Tribune has confirmed through state records and a source with knowledge of the probe.
The FBI raided Weiss’ business offices Friday after the charges were filed against Arroyo under seal, the source told the Tribune.
State business records show Weiss is connected to the former cop, John Adreani, through a complex web of corporations, many of which list the same address in a south suburban strip mall as their headquarters.
Alexander S. Pissios, president of Chicago’s largest movie studio, had gone bankrupt but was still more than $1 million in debt when federal agents showed up three years ago.
They gave him a choice: He could go to prison for bankruptcy fraud, or he could help bring down one of the city’s top labor bosses, John Coli Sr. of the Teamsters union. Pissios, the head of Cinespace Chicago Film Studio, grabbed the deal.
Nearly five years after his 2011 bankruptcy, Pissios began giving authorities a rundown of the $1 million-plus he owed to a mortgage company, a scrap-metal dealer and a trucking magnate — debts that somehow have been erased now that he has become a cooperating witness, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
Pissios hadn’t made any payments on his mortgage for eight years while fighting Citibank’s lawsuit to foreclose on his family’s palatial home in Hawthorn Woods to collect more than $850,000.
He also owed $75,000 to a South Side scrap dealer who had put up $400,000 to convert the former Ryerson Steel plant into Cinespace.
On top of that, the movie mogul had a $70,000 gambling tab — a debt he said he’d been unable to cut into even after making monthly payments for more than four years to the owner of a trucking company who was on the board of directors of Evergreen Bank in Oak Brook.
President Donald Trump has again broached the idea of freeing former Illinois governor and one-time “Celebrity Apprentice” contestant Rod Blagojevich from a Colorado federal prison, where he is in his seventh year of a 14-year prison term for political corruption.
Trump asked for a show of hands at a fundraiser at Chicago’s Trump International Hotel of those who supported clemency for the 62-year-old Democrat. Most of the 200 to 300 attendees raised their hands, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing several people at Monday’s event.
On the same day, Trump told Chicago’s WLS-TV that — despite bringing up the possibility of freeing Blagojevich in August and then appearing to back away from the idea — Blagojevich shouldn’t abandon hope of an early release.
“No, he should not at all give up hope, at all,” Trump said. “We are looking at it.”
A trio of Republican congressmen at the back of the room was firmly opposed, the people said. […]
“He made the statement, and I looked at him and went, ‘No,’” Rep. Mike Bost said in an interview Wednesday. “And then he asked the crowd, ‘Well, who thinks we should?’” Mr. Bost said, prompting the show of hands. […]
At the Chicago event, however, nearly all of the 200 to 300 people present raised their hands in support of clemency, said Michael Alfaro, a Trump fundraiser who sold tickets to and attended the event. About 15 hands went up in opposition, he said, mainly from lawmakers and their aides.
Within a week of his arrest on bribery charges and subsequent not guilty plea, state Rep. Luis Arroyo’s colleagues in the Illinois House will meet to discuss if he should be removed from office.
Members of an Illinois House Special Investigating Committee will meet for the first time Friday in Chicago to review Arroyo’s federal bribery charges.
Arroyo, D-Chicago, was arrested last week and has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors allege Arroyo bribed an unnamed state senator who was wearing a wire for federal investigators. After Arroyo’s indictment, House leaders from both parties called on him to resign. Because he hasn’t resigned, they launched a special investigating committee.
University of Illinois at Springfield politics professor Kent Redfield said he expected lawmakers to act swiftly. […]
Redfield said Arroyo could resign, which would make the committee moot. If that doesn’t happen, Redfield said he expected lawmakers to move quickly to expel Arroyo with a resolution that could be voted on by the full House.
Former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos told a joint congressional task force last year the FBI asked him in January 2017 to wear a wire to secretly record Joseph Mifsud, the man who told Papadopoulos the Russians had “dirt” on former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. […]
His first meeting was on Jan. 27, 2017, with FBI agent Curtis Heide. It was during this meeting that the special counsel would later accuse him of lying to the FBI. He was convicted of providing false statements later that year.
A federal measure that would allow marijuana business access to banks could mean a boom in investment, but it could put a dent in Illinois’ budding cannabis revenue projections.
For years, the business of medical and recreational cannabis has been “cash-only” due to federal banking laws forbidding access to banks. The SAFE Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives last Wednesday using a parliamentary procedure but with bipartisan support nonetheless. It would remove the federal prohibition on FDIC-insured banking institutions doing business with a company that sells medical or recreational cannabis.
The nonprofit Tax Foundation said the purveyors of pot are likely jumping for joy over the prospect, but states who charge an excise tax on the monetary value of the product could see tax revenues fall short.
“With the access to financial services, greater competition could occur because a lot more startups who can then get access to startup loans to finance can get into the market to make it more competitive and drive down prices,” said Ulrik Boesen, senior policy analyst.
But, because the state maintains the ability to constrict the market by only releasing a number of recreational cannabis licenses to locations, the effect could be stifled.
Could be stifled? No. Will be. Illinois law strictly limits the total number of dispensaries. Boesen should stop commenting on Illinois until he does some actual research and Illinois media outlets should not use that uninformed commentary for click-bait headlines that are refuted near the end of the stories.
The thought about somebody wearing a wire saddens me to no length because for so long as a legislator, I’ve been in office for 14 years, my effort, my strong effort has always to build trust among the public. And, um, when you hear of this this is what kind of takes us back. Because for those who try and work in such a way to build that trust among the public, the unfortunate actions of a few really impact all.
Labor provisions in the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act highlight our state’s belief that organized labor can and should represent workers within the industry, if they so choose.
Illinois Cannabis Unions is a coalition of some of the largest and most forward-thinking labor unions in Illinois who already represent workers in the cannabis industry or will seek to represent new employees.
Local 881 UFCW, SEIU Local 1, Local 399 IUOE, and Teamsters Joint Council 25 will help grow this new industry, advocate for its success, and support the thousands of workers across all racial lines and backgrounds throughout our state who will help staff and service legal cannabis. No matter the background or where we they come from, all workers deserve a better future for their families, and that starts with joining in union.
The law awards up to five points, out of a possible 250, for applicants entering into a “labor peace agreement” with a labor organization recognized under the National Labor Relations act.
If you plan to apply for a license, are a current operator or investor, or are generally interested in learning more, boost your application by partnering with us today.
We are pleased to have reached a deal with the Chicago Teachers Union to resolve the strike, and enable our students to return to school tomorrow. This five-year overall agreement is historic. It provides significant benefits to our teachers, our school support staff, our families, and most importantly, to our students. The entire city will ultimately benefit.
That’s because it reflects the values of this administration and CPS, and is rooted in our shared vision for equity. It delivers tangible gains where they are most needed, and where they will have the greatest impact.
It includes a commitment to increase staffing for wraparound services - a nurse and a social worker in every school within five years, beginning with the highest-need schools. It includes investments in additional support staff and smaller class sizes for the schools where the need is greatest. And it includes new supports for students experiencing homelessness - something I’ve long advocated for. All of this is in the contract, in writing. It will get done.
The key objectives for Dr. Jackson and I were accomplished in reaching this agreement. And more importantly, our students and families will reap great benefits from it. The agreement has a five-year term. It is financially responsible. It honors our teachers and school staff - all of whom will see a 16 percent raise over the course of the contract. And it is true to our values.
CTU has also accomplished a great deal for their membership with this agreement. They raised a number of important issues that impact our students and families – from increased funding for sports and athletics, better supports for our diverse learners, highlighting the importance of restorative justice, and more. And on these and many others, I am confident in saying that our teams were able to come to agreement in a way that will deliver tangible improvements, and make a real difference for our students.
These past 11 days have not been easy on our CPS family. To all those who stepped up to ensure our students and families had the support and resources they needed during this strike, we as a city thank you.
I would be remiss if I did not address what has been lost over the course of this strike. Seniors’ efforts at early college admissions were compromised; athletes missed out on competitions; students were not able to take the PSAT; and more. We will do everything in our power to mitigate the harms and keep our students moving forward to fulfill their destinies. Now is the time to come back together, and get back to school. I am confident that we will heal together–as a city and a school community.
Bottom line, we are proud of this agreement. And we are excited about what CPS students will accomplish for the remainder of this school year, and in the years to come. Let’s keep moving forward together, in the best interest of our students.
In five years, that 16% pay raise will result in an average teacher’s salary of almost $98,000. Nobody should begrudge a good paycheck for a good teacher. But we believe the mayor’s negotiating team agreed to that 16% far too early, losing leverage. Teachers were free to push harder on more extraneous demands.
Teachers will pay only 0.75% more for their health insurance, though the city initially asked for an increase of 1.5% over five years. Again, our sense is that the mayor’s team caved early.
The contract includes $35 million per year for lower class sizes. The money will be distributed via a new CPS-CTU council that will assess overcrowding issues on a case-by-case basis. That’s a smart approach, given that overcrowding is spread unevenly among schools and the best research shows that smaller classes matter most in the primary grades. But this was an expensive concession.
The city agreed to hire a full-time nurse and social worker for every school by July 2023. The district will also hire more librarians and other staff. These are undeniable wins for schools and kids — but again, expensive for taxpayers.
* For some odd reason, the folks on the Chicago Tribune editorial board expected Lightfoot to be the second coming of Bruce Rauner…
The Chicago teachers strike of 2019 was rough on Mayor Lori Lightfoot. She drew lines in the sand, tried to enforce them and got trampled. […]
Our advice to Lightfoot is to protect and enhance her credibility by learning from the CTU strike: When you say something, stick to it. That didn’t happen during these negotiations. Lightfoot said there’d be no reason for teachers to strike, yet Chicago’s children missed two weeks of school. The mayor spent October insisting there was no money to be found in CPS’ budget to sweeten the teachers contract, then she found more money. She said she’d never offer pay to strikers for days out of the classroom, but she did.
* But the World Socialist Website, which is published by the International Committee of the Fourth International, calls it a “sellout contract”…
In coordination with the administration of Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the CTU orchestrated a cynical ploy Thursday morning over make-up days for those lost due to the strike. Lightfoot announced at a press conference that there will be five additional school days added to the end of the year.
Since teachers were strung out on the picket lines without any strike pay, this will mean that most will lose more than $2,000 in pay this year, entirely swallowing up the meager pay raise included in the contract for next year. In fact, not only will teachers have to work the additional days, but this will only compensate for less than half of the lost pay during the strike.
CTU is now launching a media campaign to portray its betrayal as a “victory” in order to justify the shutdown of the strike and compel teachers to believe the propaganda and not their own eyes.
In light of Monday’s retirement announcement of Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Greg Walden, I have been asked to reconsider my own retirement plans.
I have heard from fellow House members in Washington, as well as from constituents in my district and supporters throughout Illinois, who believe I can make a real difference if I get the opportunity to be a committee leader. I am currently weighing the pros and cons of the situation. I know that time is of the essence, so I expect to discuss the matter with my family when I return to the district this weekend and announce my decision immediately thereafter.
