* The Exelon bill has been retooled yet again to accommodate the governor’s objections. “All prevailing wage requirements have been removed from the bill,” said one source close to the negotiations. That’s been confirmed by others.
That would be a huge thing because Speaker Madigan has so far refused to back away from union-related issues like prevailing wage and his spokesman told Crain’s today that the language had been in the bill “for months”…
“Once again, they’re grasping at straws and they’re not quite getting the grip”
* The immediate effective date has also been removed by Amendment 10, so the bill now only requires 60 in the House and 30 in the Senate. That’s important because legislators are high-tailing it out of town as the afternoon wears on…
Hearing there may not be enough votes in Senate to pass the Chicago pension bill the House acted on today. Lots of people leaving town…
The CEO of Illinois’ second largest power generator is fuming over Rauner’s 11th-hour agreement to support Exelon’s nuclear-plant bailout—calling it a “regressive tax on rural America.”
“Illinois legislators and the governor have decided that nuclear jobs are more important than coal-mining and coal-generation jobs as well as all other industrial jobs in the state by throwing hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies at the feet of Exelon, a multibillion company located in Chicago,” Dynegy CEO Robert Flexon wrote in an email.
Houston-based Dynegy’s coal-fired plants are the primary source of electricity in central and southern Illinois and, like Exelon’s nukes in Clinton and Quad Cities, are at risk of closing due to persistently low wholesale power prices tied to the cheap cost of natural gas. Flexon said in a follow-up interview that Dynegy will spend to defeat any downstate lawmakers who vote for the legislation hiking rates statewide to bail out the two money-losing nukes Exelon has slated for closure.
If the bill becomes law, the company also will sue to overturn it on grounds it interferes with federal control of wholesale power markets. New York State’s program to subsidize Exelon-owned nuclear plants in that state already is the subject of such a lawsuit, and Dynegy is one of the plaintiffs. “I think you can look to New York to see what we’ll do next,” he said, referring to the lawsuit.
“By the state giving corporate welfare to Exelon, it is absolutely going to accelerate retirements of plants in central and Southern Illinois,” Flexon said.
Exelon has refused requests from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to include language in the bill that would provide refunds to ratepayers if a court halts the program.
Many Metro East steelworkers who have been laid off by U.S. Steel could be on the verge of some financial help. A proposal to extend unemployment insurance benefits is expected to be discussed this week on the floor of the Illinois House. […]
Essentially, the proposal extends benefits to 52 weeks. Current law only provides a 26 week period, meaning benefits for many of the roughly 2,000 laid-off steelworkers in Granite City have already expired.
“A lot of the lawmakers said that they felt that this is exactly what unemployment was meant for,” United Steelworkers Local 50 President Jason Chism told St. Louis Public Radio.
“Especially, whenever we’ve lost our jobs through no fault of our own down here. And it was due to trade and a lot of illegal foreign dumping of steel,” he said.
The U.S. Steel Mill in Granite City has idled its operations and laid off approximately 2,000 workers due largely to the illegal flood of cheap foreign steel into the United States.
United Steel Workers Local 1899 Dan Simmons hasn’t heard any good news coming out of the steel industry lately that could indicate a possible re-opening, leaving little immediate hope for workers.
“They’re hurting,” Simmons told the Labor Tribune. “They’re losing houses, they’re selling everything, some are leaving town. It’s bad.
“I’ve had people crying in my office – they can’t pay their bills,” he added. “I’ve handed out more food in the past two weeks than I’d handed out the whole time up until then. I’ve got a food bank that’s almost empty.
“This is the worst time I’ve ever experienced in my 38 years working there.”
* The bill overwhelmingly passed the House today…
House just doubled unemployment benefits for steelworkers only while all other unemployed workers are left out of deal. 3 of us voted No
* The National Association of Social Workers tells me that the group has $400,000 budgeted for direct mail programs through June. As mentioned earlier today, the NASW hotly opposes the Exelon bailout bill. Here are a couple of mockups of planned post-session mailers. Click the pics for larger, clearer images…
* Senate President John Cullerton emerged from the leaders meeting today to deny that the Democrats had ever agreed to do a pension reform deal in exchange for a $215 million appropriation for Chicago Public Schools.
“We haven’t talked about putting those two things together,” Cullerton said, even though it was widely reported that a deal had, in fact, been made back in June.
Cullerton said the governor told the leaders today that he wasn’t going to sign the CPS funding bill.
“The governor indicated that he thought before he would sign that he wanted to have some pension reform,” Cullerton said. “That was the governor’s insistence. We passed the bill and put it on his desk, so I would urge him to sign it. If he’s not going to sign it because he wants something else, he hasn’t told us what that is yet.”
However, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin told reporters that it is “disappointing that they’ve walked away from the deal we had in that room last June regarding the Chicago Public Schools and the $200 million in exchange for a pension reform bill to be completed by the end of this General Assembly. They’ve gone back on it… They’re not interested in pension reform, they’re more interested in stopgap.”
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno agreed with Durkin’s take.
* Meanwhile, Speaker Madigan told reporters that he was available to meet over the weekend with the other leaders, but not on Friday or Monday.
Madigan also shot back at the governor’s claim that he demanded a stopgap budget.
“I did not suggest a stopgap budget,” Madigan said. “The idea of a stopgap budget originated with the governor or his people.”
“The word stopgap was never used,” Madigan said. “I’m suggesting a budget. I’m suggesting a budget. There was very little discussion about budget-making today.” He didn’t specify what those other topics were.
But Leader Radogno said, “It’s all semantics whether you call it an ‘unbalanced budget’ [or] a ’stopgap budget.’ What we need and what we’re committed to continue to work on is a balanced budget that will contain reforms.”
Senate President Cullerton waved off the entire issue. “A stopgap budget is what you would do if you couldn’t pass a balanced budget. I want to focus on passing a full budget,” he said.
Rauner also discovered a provision on prevailing wages that he accused archrival House Speaker Michael Madigan of inserting into the bill, this source said.
Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown said the prevailing wage language has been in the legislation for months. “Once again, they’re grasping at straws and they’re not quite getting the grip,” he said.
* One positive (I suppose) development today, however, was that staff has been assigned to take a look at some reform and budget proposals.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Well, that didn’t take long. The governor has vetoed the CPS funding bill…
Governor Bruce Rauner took action today on the following bill:
Bill No.: SB 2822
An Act Concerning Public Employee Benefits
Action: Vetoed
Veto Message
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois Senate,
99th General Assembly:
Today I return Senate Bill 2822, which would give $215,000,000 to Chicago Public Schools without having reached agreement on comprehensive pension reforms for the State and local governments.
In June we agreed on a six-month funding bridge to a balanced budget with structural and economic reforms. Democrat leaders were clear at that time that an agreement to end the budget impasse was not possible before the election. Although disappointed, we came together to fund schools and critical government operations until legislative leaders were willing to reengage in serious, good faith negotiations.
As a precondition to funding schools statewide, Democrats proposed a $700 million State bailout of CPS. We eventually agreed to provide CPS with $215,000,000 – the estimated amount of its Fiscal Year 2017 employer normal pension cost – but only if we came together to pass comprehensive pension reform. Without reforms to solve our structural problems, taxpayer money would continue to be wasted on bailout after bailout.
The agreement was clear: Republicans supported Senate Bill 2822 only on condition that Democrats reengage in serious, good faith negotiations; and President Cullerton and Leader Radogno filed motions to reconsider the bill, which would keep the bill in the General Assembly until a pension reform agreement was reached.
The election is over. Despite my repeated request for daily negotiations and hope to reach a comprehensive agreement by the end of next week, we are no closer to ending the impasse or enacting pension reform. Still, President Cullerton withdrew his motion to reconsider the bill, ruled that Leader Radogno’s motion was inapplicable, and presented the bill to me for approval or veto – forcing me to take action. Then today, President Cullerton suddenly denied that the leaders had agreed that this bill would depend upon first enacting comprehensive pension reform. Breaking our agreement undermines our effort to end the budget impasse and enact reforms with bipartisan support.
The taxpayers of Illinois want a balanced budget. That can only be done if we address the structural imbalances that have bankrupted the State and CPS alike and drain resources that should be spent on other priorities, like improving schools and funding social services. The taxpayers of Illinois do not want just another bailout. Let’s get back to work to end the budget impasse and put Illinois on the right track once and for all.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 2822 entitled “AN ACT concerning public employee benefits”, with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.
The house to which a bill is returned shall immediately enter the Governor’s objections upon its journal. If within 15 calendar days after such entry that house by a record vote of three-fifths of the members elected passes the bill, it shall be delivered immediately to the second house. If within 15 calendar days after such delivery the second house by a record vote of three-fifths of the members elected passes the bill, it shall become law.
The Senate has just journalized the veto. The clock now starts ticking, but today is the final scheduled day of veto session and scheduling another day during the holidays would be nearly impossible. So, the Senate and the House may have to vote on this today and there are attendance issues in both chambers. Plus, how do they put their targets on this thing, particularly since it likely can’t pass the House anyway? Stay tuned.
*** UPDATE 3 *** From Senate President Cullerton…
“Just this week I presented a pension reform model to the governor. I’m shocked and disappointed by his actions today. Chicago had taken steps to increase local responsibility and reform pensions. Two more pension system reforms are pending in the General Assembly. From where I stand, we were moving forward.
“The legislation that contained funding for Chicago schools was sent to the governor on Nov. 7. He had another month before he faced a deadline to act on it.
“By acting in such haste, the governor has unfortunately set back negotiations that I believed were advancing. Even worse, he has potentially forced the layoff of thousands of Chicago teachers and district employees.
“I don’t understand and am thoroughly disappointed in his short-sighted move.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** From the ILGOP…
Will Democrats Back the Chicago Bailout?
Time for House and Senate Democrats to Choose
“Democratic leaders today broke their promise to enact statewide pension reform, and instead want to force a taxpayer funded bailout of Chicago Public Schools. House and Senate Democrats will have a clear choice to make – will they support the schools and taxpayers in their districts, or send a $215 million check to Chicago?” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe
After Madigan and Cullerton reneged on their promise to pass pension reform, an agreement that would have freed up resources for Chicago schools, House and Senate Democrats will face their first big test.
Will they choose to recklessly bail out Chicago Public Schools, or will they stand with taxpayers who demand Springfield and the City of Chicago exercise fiscal sanity?
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said she wasn’t surprised by Rauner’s veto.
“He was never going to give us any money,” said Lewis, who has regularly slammed the Republican governor.
“He just lied about it. He’s a liar, he always has been,” she said Thursday. “He’s trying to starve CPS, that’s his goal.”
Rauner’s veto comes less than a week before the Chicago Board of Education is expected to take another vote on an annual operating budget that now exceeds $5.5 billion. The spending plan has to go through another vote to include tens of millions of dollars of new expenses related to the contract deal reached with CTU in October.
A union representing state workers filed suit Wednesday in St. Clair County, seeking to prevent Gov. Bruce Rauner from imposing his final contract terms.
Rauner ended talks last winter with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees state council. A state labor board sided with Rauner this month that talks were at “impasse.” That means the governor can impose his terms.
He did that a second time Wednesday in announcing an employee drug and alcohol testing plan.
Rauner’s office said the governor’s final offer includes $1,000 merit pay for employees, overtime after 40 hours, bereavement leave, workplace safety task forces, the use of volunteers, and drug and alcohol testing of those reasonably suspected of use on the job.
* From the Rauner administration…
The American Federation of State County Municipal Employees yesterday filed suit in St. Clair County to block the administration from implementing its last, best, and final offer including $1,000 merit pay for employees, overtime after forty hours, bereavement leave, workplace safety task forces, the use of volunteers, and drug and alcohol testing of those reasonably suspected of use on the job.
“Overtime after 40 hours of work, workplace safety task forces, drug and alcohol testing for those reasonably suspected of use on the job, and bereavement leave are not unreasonable and simply make sense,” Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said. “We ask that AFSCME work with us on implementing these common sense changes and ensure that employees’ bonuses are not delayed because of needless, meritless litigation.”
On November 15 the neutral Illinois Labor Relations Board ruled unanimously that the parties are at impasse and the Rauner administration can implement its last, best, and final offer to AFSCME.
* From AFSCME…
AFSCME has asked a circuit court to halt the Rauner administration’s unilateral imposition of its demands on state employees, including a 100% increase in health premiums, a four-year pay freeze and a blank check for the governor to outsource public services for private profit.
Governor Rauner entered a binding legal agreement clearly stating that no changes can be implemented unless the Labor Board finds the parties are at impasse. Under Illinois law, there is no such finding until the Labor Board issues a written decision, which it has not yet done.
The Rauner administration walked out on bargaining in January and has refused to negotiate ever since. In contrast, AFSCME has repeatedly said we are prepared to consider any of the governor’s proposals and to modify our own, but that requires both parties to be at the bargaining table.
Governor Rauner should negotiate, not dictate. By forcing confrontation instead of seeking compromise, the governor bears responsibility for this litigation and the threat of a disruptive strike.
* From the Illinois Policy Institute’s news service…
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner wants to literally one-up President-elect Donald Trump when it comes to repealing regulations.
Regulation repeal is one of the priorities Trump has laid out for his first 100 days.
“I will formulate a rule which says that for every one new regulation, two old regulations must be eliminated, so important,” Trump said.
Rauner was asked last week about Trump’s proposal. He said he likes that idea, but that he’s been wanting to go a step further for a while.
“I think what I said two years ago is that it should be three-to-one.”
Rauner said Illinois has too many regulations.
“We always rank in the bottom five from regulatory burden,” Rauner said. “We license almost everything.”
But Rauner said he doesn’t want to go too far.
“Regulations are necessary to keep people safe and to protect health…but there’s a balance,” Rauner said. “There’s got to be a balance. We’re at one extreme end. We need to come to the center and have some pragmatic regulations.”
That’s nice and all, but has he actually proposed eliminating three regulations to every new one created during the last two years? I must’ve missed that press release.
* Another attempt to soften his image, apparently…
Send us your questions! Ask about our fav things, what we like to do to relax & what it’s like living in the Exec. Mansion. #RaunerLivepic.twitter.com/sRaeqTs2GD
WHAT: In anticipation of Governor Rauner’s Facebook Live event, to be held at 7:30 p.m. on December 1, advocates to create affordable housing and end homelessness call on Governor Rauner to tell us why he continues to hold up passage of a fully funded budget with adequate revenue based on his non-budget “turnaround agenda” demands. This is much more important question than what Governor Rauner’s Facebook page suggests he will discuss during his online chat with First Lady Diana Rauner, including “our favorite things, what we like to do to relax and what it’s like living in the Executive Mansion.”
In anticipation of Governor Rauner’s Facebook Live event, to be held at 7:30 p.m. on December 1, advocates to create affordable housing and end homelessness are asking Governor Rauner to tell us why he continues to hold up passage of a fully funded budget with adequate revenue, especially for programs that serve people experiencing homelessness, based on his non-budget “turnaround agenda” demands.
“We are asking Governor Rauner to explain why people who are homeless have to suffer because of the state budget impasse and inadequate funding for basic human needs, such as housing,” said Bob Palmer, Policy Director for Housing Action Illinois. “It isn’t fair that our elected officials, including Governor Rauner, are able to celebrate the holidays from the warmth of their homes and not address the needs of those who have no home at all.”
With the stopgap budget expiring on December 31, 2016, we think this is a more important question for Governor Rauner than hearing about the topics his Facebook page suggests he plans to discuss during the online chat with First Lady Diana Rauner, including “our favorite things, what we like to do to relax and what it’s like living in the Executive Mansion.”
State-funded homeless service providers, who operate homelessness prevention programs, services for unaccompanied youth, emergency shelters, transitional living programs and supportive housing, have been struggling throughout the state budget impasse, now entering its 16th month. Agencies have laid off staff, reduced and eliminated services, denied shelter to people experiencing homelessness and taken other actions to deal with the impasse.
Supportive housing providers serving people who were formerly homeless or at risk of becoming homeless have particularly struggled during the state budget impasse. The stopgap budget passed earlier this year only provides $8 million in funding through the Supportive Housing Services line item and no funding will be available after December 31, 2016. To adequately fund this line item would actually take $16.1 million in order to pay for services, such as case management and job training, in all the permanent supportive housing projects throughout the state that need it.
During the fiscal year prior to the start of the state budget impasse, Fiscal Year 2015, the Supportive Housing Services Program, provided services to 12,274 people who were formerly homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, including single adults and families with children.
Supportive housing is a wise investment, as it is vastly more affordable than housing an individual in a state mental hospital, state prison or nursing home. In addition to the supportive housing services specifically for people who were formerly homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, other State of Illinois supportive housing resources serve people with a serious mental illness. These providers will also stop receiving funding after December 31.
Supportive housing provides affordable rental homes with essential social and human services closely attached. It ends homelessness and unnecessary institutionalization for children and adults who have special needs such as a mental illness, an intellectual or developmental disability and/or chronic, debilitating physical illnesses like multiple sclerosis or HIV/AIDS.
This Facebook Live event is being presented by Housing Action Illinois, a statewide coalition formed to protect and expand the availability of quality, affordable housing throughout Illinois. Housing Action Illinois is a member of the Responsible Budget Coalition, a large, diverse non-partisan coalition of more than 300 organizations unified in support of a fully funded, yearlong state budget with adequate revenue to serve our people and empower our communities.
* As we discussed yesterday, Gov. Rauner says he won’t agree to any stopgap budget for the last six months of this fiscal year unless the General Assembly approves a permanent property tax freeze and term limits. Early this morning, Rauner posted a video to his Facebook page explaining himself. Here’s my copy…
“These reforms would let job creators know it is a new day in Illinois, and that long term we’ll be a better place to invest,” Rauner said. “We are at a key turning point in Illinois’ history.”
Madigan has said the governor should drop demands that are not directly related to the budget, and the veteran speaker, first elected in 1970, has long said the state already has term limits in the form of elections.
The Rauner Facebook gambit is a way to try to frame up the final day of the General Assembly’s fall session at a time when both sides have been trying to pin blame on the other for a lack of a full state budget since July 2015 and are doing so again with a stopgap plan about to run out.
While both sides have long said a combination of tax increases and budget cuts will be needed to help balance the books, Madigan tried to flip the script Wednesday. The long-serving speaker suggested the first-term governor’s push for a deal in the coming weeks is an effort to muscle though a tax increase during the lame-duck session — the couple of weeks in January when lawmakers who did not win re-election could take tough votes on their way out the door.
In the 2-minute video, Rauner called Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s refusal to talk about reforms and push for another stopgap budget “unacceptable.” Rauner also brought up Madigan’s comment last December that the state income tax rate should be raised back to at least 5 percent to help balance the state’s finances. Rauner has said he’ll support a tax hike only if it comes alongside reforms.
“More deficit spending would be a failure for the people of Illinois. It would force more job creators out of the state and force an even bigger tax hike in the future,” Rauner said in the video. “I’ve informed the speaker that the only way that I could possibly accept another stopgap spending plan is if we include two powerful bipartisan reforms with it: term limits and a permanent property tax freeze. These two reforms would let job creators know that it it is a new day in Illinois, and that long term, it will be a better place to invest.”
The Rauner-backed bill would freeze property tax levies for all units of government and give communities local control of their property taxes through referendum. More local control of bargaining is one of the governor’s sought-after goals. Under the bill, local communities would be able to control their property taxes directly, the governor’s office said.
The term limits resolution would allow voters to decide in the 2018 election whether to adopt term limits. Legislators would be limited to 10 years of service in the Illinois General Assembly, and Rauner and other constitutional officers would be limited to eight years of service. There are two proposed resolutions, one in the House and one in the Senate.
[Subscriber protection removed because this story is getting out there.]
* As I mentioned at the bottom of the Capitol Fax today, the governor’s folks have found some “hidden surprises” in the Exelon bill. This was provided on background a few minutes ago…
Caucus staff and our staff are finding multiple concerns of items not agreed to and potential poison pills including loose cap language and expansion of prevailing wage.
While the governor agreed to a specific framework, it appears the speaker may be trying to play politics and put the bill in jeopardy.
The administration reserves its [amendatory veto] prerogative if a bill with poison pills for job creators reaches our desk — but it stands by the agreed framework.
*** UPDATE 1 *** It’s having an impact…
New confusion in Sen. comm. over Exelon bill. Committee chair reads aloud tweet about gov's office saying there are 'poison pills' in bill
Exelon agreed to impose hard rate caps on all customers, but with more than $835 million in spending each year according to Exelon’s House testimony, making the math work was difficult. Pages 21 and 42 of HA4 make clear how they’re gaming schools, hospitals and all commercial and industrial (C&I) customers:
Comparing Apples to Oranges: Using “electric service” as the baseline against which Exelon applies its 1.3% rate cap for commercial and industrial customers including hospitals and schools almost doubles the potential rate increase. “Electric service” includes not just energy but many other energy products. A ZEC, by comparison, is simply priced as a megawatt hour (MWh) of energy. By comparing “electric service” apples to ZEC oranges, Exelon is ensuring far more $$$$ is available than the 1.3% suggests.
For the 106 largest industrial customers (>10MW), HA4 specifies $59.80/MWh for “electric service” (page 21, lines 18-23), despite $30- 35 being the market price for large C&I customers in IL. Exelon max increase of $0.78/MWh instead of market-based $0.39 - .46/MWh.
For all other C&I customers like hospitals, schools and retailers, HA4 baseline is $89.00 (page 42, lines 8-14) instead of the market price $35- 40. Exelon max capped increase of $1.16/MWh instead of $0.50/MWh.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the NASW…
National Association of Social Workers- Illinois Calls For Bailout for Human Services
In light of the fact that it appears the Illinois General Assembly is poised to pass a last minute rate hike bailout for the Exelon Corporation, we are calling on legislators to pass a bailout for the thousands of jobs lost (and that are about to be lost in the human service sector) due to a lack of funding.
We commend the hard work put into the bailout for a corporation who posted a 2.27 billion profit last year, but humbly ask where is the bailout for the human service sector providers who are running up large amounts of debt to cover the state’s commitments?
We applaud the environmental groups who are getting entirely new spending on green initiatives through a ComEd rate increase, but inquire from the general assembly where is the bailout to pay for the spending for contracts that human service providers have already delivered on?
We have lost far more jobs than will be saved by the Exelon bailout, and we are positioned to lose even more in the coming months, however unbelievably it appears the priorities of the general assembly are to the shareholders of a utility company over our homeless, our mentally ill, our child care providers and our students.
The State of Illinois has limited dollars in which to pull from their citizens to service our human service needs before the burden becomes too high. Rather than using those dollars for general fund commitments, the general assembly appears to have chosen to pull some of those funds to save a disproportionate number of jobs and increase a utility company’s bottom line. We would prefer our tax dollars were used to bailout the Illinois social service providers rather then Exelon (via a rate increase).
We are also having a hard time reconciling the justification that a lame duck tax increase (that would finally help fund our human services) should not be done until the newly elected officials are sworn in, however an Exelon bailout in the final days is perfectly fine. Absent a human services bailout bill passing in one day, we request the general assembly follow their same logic and kick the Exelon bailout can to the next general assembly. Which hopefully will be an assembly who will prioritize the jobs of our human service providers with the same urgency the current assembly appears to be placing on bailing out Exelon/ComEd.
Three More Added To BossMadigan.com
- Time for Dan Beiser, Stephanie Kifowit, and Katie Stuart to Prove Their Independence -
The Illinois Republican Party this morning made three new additions to BossMadigan.com. Rep. Dan Beiser, Rep. Stephanie Kifowit and newly elected Katie Stuart are now highlighted on the website.
“Mike Madigan is blocking votes on term limits and a property tax freeze in order to force an income tax hike with no reforms on the people of Illinois after the New Year,” said Illinois Republican Party spokesman Steven Yaffe. “If Dan Beiser, Stephanie Kifowit and Katie Stuart are at all serious about improving Illinois, they should oppose Mike Madigan as Speaker until he allows votes on these popular, bi-partisan reforms.”
Dan Beiser
Dan Beiser’s backed Mike Madigan for Speaker six times and received over $700,000 from Madigan’s campaign funds this year. Beiser was Madigan’s sidekick in supporting Rod Blagojevich’s pension scheme that added up to $22 billion in new debt to the pension system. More recently, Beiser backed Madigan’s $8 billion unfunded budget that aimed to force a massive tax hike on Illinois families without reforms. Perhaps worst of all, Beiser voted to make sure he gets paid a taxpayer-funded salary even if a budget isn’t passed.
Katie Stuart
Mike Madigan spent nearly $1 million this year helping elect Katie Stuart. Already, Stuart’s backed Madigan’s plan to take $10 million from Metro East schools to help bail out Chicago Public Schools. Soon, she’ll face her first real test when it comes time to vote for Mike Madigan as Speaker, and she’s already signaling that she will put Madigan ahead of the people.
“Stuart is already playing a deceitful games with the voters. Asked if she intended to vote to re-elect House Speaker Michael Madigan, Stuart pretended to be flummoxed by the question.
‘I don’t know what the options will be,’ Stuart said. ‘You’re asking me a hypothetical question just like I wouldn’t tell you how I would vote on any piece of legislation until I actually read the legislation.’
She asserts that a Madigan bid for the speakership, a position he has held for much of his 40-plus year tenure, is purely ‘hypothetical’?
That’s not even close to being credible. If there’s anything that’s a certainty, it’s that Madigan already has, is now or will be asking members of his Democratic caucus to support his bid for another two-year term as their boss.”
Stephanie Kifowit
Stephanie Kifowit likes to act independent of Mike Madigan, but the truth is she’s taken over half a million dollars from him and twice voted to make him Speaker. Last year, she supported Madigan’s plan to double the income tax on many families without any reforms while making sure she gets paid no matter what. Stephanie Kifowit needs to walk the walk and oppose Madigan as Speaker to help deliver real reforms for the people of Illinois.
“…Repeatedly putting the thumb of government on the scale to determine which energy industries win and lose is no way to run an economy… Rushing to pass this very complex legislation, with its additional government distortion of the robust energy supply market, is the wrong way for Springfield to expend energy.”
“A massive energy policy overhaul that affects every resident and business should not be rushed through the handful of days dedicated to the fall Veto Session..”
“…one troubling fact remains: Exelon is getting a bailout… In any other business, owners themselves would have to deal with a money-losing operation. Exelon thinks it’s exceptional, however. Why should Illinoisans absorb the cost of keeping these unneeded plants open?”
“This is no way to encourage manufacturers and residents to choose Illinois… this bill fails to put the customer first.”
Stop the $13 billion Exelon bailout. Vote NO on SB 2814
BEST Coalition is a 501C4 nonprofit group of dozens of business, consumer and government groups, as well as large and small businesses. Visit www.noexelonbailout.com.
Documents recently provided to AFSCME by an anonymous whistleblower inside state government reveal that Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has established a new division dedicated to restricting employees’ rights inside his Department of Central Management Services.
Dubbed the Labor and Employment Advisory Division (LEAD), the group is intended to “gain and maintain control over the workforce”, documents show.
Among the group’s stated goals are to “mitigate external interference with employer-employee relationship” (a bit of management jargon that’s usually code for union-busting) and “implement systems that reward and recognize high performers” (a euphemism for so-called “merit pay” schemes that open the door to favoritism and political influence).
Its listed “tactical objectives” include to “invigorate management’s ability to discipline … employees” and “reduce unionization among managers and supervisors”. The administration has already begun a systematic effort to strip union representation from employees who years ago were found not to be managerial and thus have the legal right to join a union.
On a list of supposed “tools for building a better workforce”, first is “Reinvigorated employee discipline”. Also noted are so-called “merit pay” and “managed competition” (aka privatization) schemes.
Five subsequent pages dated Nov. 2, 2016 list “LEAD lawyers” assigned to each agency of state government.
“These documents reveal Bruce Rauner’s adversarial attitude toward the tens of thousands of state employees who provide vital services to Illinois residents,” AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said. “He won’t work toward a budget for priorities like schools and human services, but he’s diverting public resources to intimidate workers and undermine their union rights.
“State workers do difficult jobs, often without adequate resources. They protect kids, respond to emergencies, care for the vulnerable and keep us safe,” Lynch said. “Added to his attempts to freeze their pay and double their health care, the governor’s campaign to silence their voices threatens to create a hostile work environment and drive morale to an all-time low.
“Maybe as a billionaire CEO, Bruce Rauner used bullying tactics to get his way,” Lynch added, “but public service workers are not property to be ‘controlled’, workplace democracy is not ‘external interference’, and threats of ‘invigorated discipline’ are the worst possible way to motivate a workforce.”
This is a misleading distraction from AFSCME’s refusal to work with the administration on implementing our last best and final offer. LEAD is part of the State’s employee relations efforts.
Like most employers in the country, the state recognizes that good legal advice on the front end helps reduce litigation risks and goes a long way to restoring an ethical working environment free of unlawful discrimination or employee misconduct.
Rather than misleading and protesting overtime after 40 hours, merit pay, bereavement leave and testing employees if they’re suspected of being drunk or using drugs on the job, it’s time to work together on implementing the state’s fair and reasonable contract that is similar to the same contracts ratified by 18 other unions.
* According to the governor’s office, during today’s leaders meeting, after Speaker Madigan made clear he would not negotiate on reforms and would only negotiate a stopgap spending bill, Gov. Rauner declared he would only consider a stopgap spending bill if the General Assembly first passes term limits and a “permanent property tax freeze.”
I’m told he also made clear his preference remains a balanced budget with reforms where no one reform had to be included.
Is a final showdown coming early next year when the state’s checkbook runs dry? If people stick to their guns, it sure looks like it.
* House Speaker Michael Madigan emerged from the leaders’ meeting after about 90 minutes to say, “The House will vote today on the question of whether there should be a Rauner lame duck tax increase.”
That means they’ll vote on at least one of the resolutions moved out of committee today that would put members on record as being opposed to a tax increase during January’s lame duck session.
* Madigan also shot back at those who criticized him for not attending yesterday’s meeting. “I am available,” he said. “I was available when Gov. Rauner was in Rome. I was available when Sen. Radogno was not available before Thanksgiving.” He refused to answer questions about this week’s Republican Party attacks.
Rep. Greg Harris said the governor’s budget director gave a “very good review” of the work that was done during the working groups earlier this year. House Democrats, Harris said, sent a letter to the other three caucuses to suggest that the working groups be reconstituted and their recommendations updated.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Leader Durkin emerged from the leaders meeting and said “Unfortunately, the Speaker isn’t interested” in negotiating with the Republicans on the governor’s reforms. He did say, however, that Senate President Cullerton was engaged on the topic.
Durkin said it was Madigan who had been demanding a tax hike, not the Republicans, pointing to Madigan’s 2015 City Club address. But, he said the Republicans want a “true balanced budget.”
But asked whether a budget could truly be balanced without a tax hike, Leader Radogno said, “I think the governor’s said repeatedly that… it’s an option” along with reforms. “The reforms are integral to the budget,” Radogno said.
Asked whether term limits were integral to the budget, Leader Radogno said it had to do with the “perception of the state” by business owners in their decision to expand or locate here.
“Grow up,” Leader Radogno said to a question about whether Madigan ought to be upset considering this week’s Republican Party attacks.
Radogno said the leaders will meet again tomorrow and Friday.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The governor’s office has told Republican legislators that if they want to vote for the anti-lame duck tax hike resolutions they should feel free to do so.
Meanwhile, some Democrats contend this memo from the governor’s chief of staff means that Rauner has been plotting a lame duck tax hike in January, even though it basically just says the same thing that Rauner has been saying for two years…
By the way, a top Rauner administration called the contention that this is evidence of some plot, “truly pathetic.” The Democrats are, he said “devoid of new ideas. They can’t get over the fact that they got their clocks cleaned in November.”
Yeah, we’re making tons o’ progress here, campers.
* Illinois peaked at 27 US House seats after the 1910 census and has been losing seats after every census since the 1940s. So, this is no surprise, but is still quite depressing…
TX on track to receive 3 more US House seats after 2020 Census for a total of 39 while CA remains flat at 53. Declines in Rust Belt #txlegepic.twitter.com/mQ7SlaukU2
Rauner Administration to Implement Reasonable Suspicion of Alcohol and Drug Testing
Governor Bruce Rauner’s Administration today announced that the state will begin testing employees who exhibit behaviors that create a reasonable suspicion that they are under the influence of a banned substance or alcohol.
“Employees who are under the influence of a banned substance or alcohol while on the job present a risk to their co-workers and to the taxpayers they serve,” said Dennis Murashko, the Governor’s General Counsel. “Being impaired also prevents employees from being able to perform their job duties effectively. By implementing this commonsense proposal, we are taking the necessary steps to further protect the health and safety of our employees and those they serve.”
The proposal, which was part of the state’s last, best and final offer during contract negotiations, does not allow for random drug and alcohol testing. Rather, it only allows the state to test employees if “specific objective facts and circumstances warrant rational inferences that a person may be under the influence of alcohol or a banned substance.”
Those “facts and circumstances” include:
· Observable phenomena such as direct observation of use or the physical symptoms of using or being under the influence of controlled substances such as, but not limited to: slurred speech, direct involvement in a serious accident, or disorientation;
· A pattern of abnormal conduct or erratic behavior; and,
· Information provided either by reliable and credible sources or which is independently corroborated.
Guidance will be provided to supervisors on what types of behavior create a reasonable suspicion that an employee is under the influence of alcohol or a banned substance. Generally, employees that test positively for intoxication will be suspended for 30 days and will be enrolled in a confidential Employee Assistance Program for substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation. All records concerning tests would remain confidential.
* Meanwhile…
Thirty-five legislators from both parties are at press conference asking governor to come back to the table to avoid a strike. pic.twitter.com/s93iD3BxL7
“They’re trying to distract from their refusal to negotiate. They’re trying to distract from their attempt to force working people to pay 100 percent more for health care. They’re trying to distract from their attempt to cut the pay of public service workers,” AFSCME Council 31 spokesman Anders Lindall said.
Lindall said AFSCME – which represents 38,000 state workers – would challenge in court any attempt to carry out the drug and alcohol testing policy.
“The Rauner administration broke off negotiations and walked away from the bargaining table back in January, and has wasted more than 10 months in refusing to even meet with our union bargaining committee. If they want to address this issue or any other issue, they should renew negotiations,” he said.
* I’m told by a source very close to the negotiations that Gov. Rauner’s administration has agreed “in principle” to support a new deal on the bill to prevent the closure of two of Exelon’s nuclear power plants and expand alternative energy sources.
I’m also told there are “hard” caps on rate increases for residential ratepayers and commercial users, and the proposed microgrids and some other items have been dropped from the measure to save money.
There have been plenty of doubts around the rail that the Rauner administration could actually get something done here. But they negotiated well into the night last night (when things just about fell apart) and then restarted bright and early this morning (6 o’clock) and got it done.
Waiting on react and more details. Stay tuned.
…Adding… Exelon folks have confirmed this as well.
Illinois Speaker Mike Madigan, acting as the petulant Czar of the state, has once again not shown up to a meeting of Illinois leaders. A post-election get-together to discuss budget issues that plague this state. (Madigan lost his super majority in the Illinois House of Representatives due largely to money spent by Governor Bruce Rauner). If this dysfunctional mess of a state government is ever going to be righted, the Speaker has to man-up and put the concerns of the people of Illinois ahead of his own fragile ego. A feat Madigan has yet to do in his decades long domination of state government.
Madigan’s spokesman told me yesterday his boss will show up for the leaders meeting at 10 o’clock today. As of 10:05, though, nobody was there yet. You can follow the progress on our live coverage post.
* Apparently, Illinois government isn’t competent enough to take care of anybody. Severely disabled adults are horrifically mistreated, female prisoners are abused, and kids in the state’s custody are urged by guards to fight each other…
The American Civil Liberties Union is applauding indictments announced this week against four guards at the Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles, where law enforcement officials say detainees were encouraged to attack others as a form of discipline.
The civil rights group also is pointing to the allegations as evidence that an ongoing consent decree involving the two organizations is still necessary.
“We are pleased to see the state is moving forward to investigate these incidents of abuse and to hold the staff accountable,” ACLU spokesman Edwin Yohnka said. “Because nobody in (Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice facilities) should ever be subjected to the kind of horrific mistreatment that is described in these indictments.” […]
Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon alleges the guards, led by Klimek, encouraged juvenile residents to physically attack other residents, according to court records. The four are accused of facilitating attacks and standing by while they happened, he said.
The ACLU filed a lawsuit in 2012 challenging conditions and services at six state-run juvenile justice facilities around Illinois. The suit led to a consent decree jointly filed in federal court by the ACLU and the Department of Juvenile Justice in 2014. The pact outlined improvements to schooling, mental health treatment plans, protections for LGBT youths, an end to solitary confinement as a form of discipline and stricter limitations on when and how employees of the department may restrain youths’ freedom of movement, according to the ACLU.
“They’re kind of in disarray because they’ve schemed to have the lame duck tax increase, and it’s blowing up,” Brown said, referencing the introduction of a House resolution and constitutional amendment to prevent lame duck tax increases. “The lame duck tax increase has been the Rauner strategy all along. He could have a bump in the road. All of his allies would be unable to vote, unless they want to violate their pledge.”
State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, and Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, introduced a series of bills to try to fight off a last-minute tax hike vote. It’s an effort to try to make sure the 16 “lame ducks” don’t pass controversial bills, including a tax hike.
“The actions of unaccountable legislators have been allowed to go unchecked for too long,” Franks said.
McSweeney called “grand bargain” and “grand compromise” the scariest words in Springfield.
“That’s just a simple code phrase for a massive income tax increase,” McSweeney said. “We need to stand up for our constituents, for the working people of the state, the families of the state and oppose raising the income tax.”
The Illinois Human Rights Commission has declined review and adopted the report and recommendation of an administrative law judge, ruling against a Paxton Bed & Breakfast after its owners denied a downstate couple – Mark and Todd Wathen – access to the facility to celebrate their civil union in 2011. Today’s action comes after an administrative law judge found that the denial of the use of the facility was because the Wathens are gay – a violation of Illinois law. The judge also previously ordered the Bed & Breakfast to pay $30,000 to the Wathens for their emotional distress, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs. Most importantly, the owners of the Bed & Breakfast were ordered to cease discriminating against same-sex couples by denying them use of the facilities for marriage and civil union ceremonies.
The Illinois Human Rights Commission refused the Bed & Breakfast’s request to review the administrative law judge’s recommended orders, which makes them the final orders of the Commission.
The following can be attributed to John Knight of the ACLU of Illinois, who along with Betty Tsamis of the Tsamis Law Office and Clay Tillack and Robert A. H. Middleton of Schiff Hardin served as counsel to the Wathens:
The Commission’s decision once again sends a clear message that denying couples the use of a public wedding venue in Illinois because they are gay or lesbian is simply not permitted. Business owners cannot pick-and-choose to follow laws simply because they personally disagree with same-sex couples’ decision to marry.
Fortunately, we have not seen many examples of this type of blatant discrimination since the same-sex couples have had the freedom to marry in Illinois.
Section 5-102(A) of the Human Rights Act states that it is a civil rights violation to deny “the full and equal enjoyment of the facilities, goods, and services” on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation and other categories at a “public place of accommodation” — defined as restaurants, theaters, parks and a broad collection of other types of businesses aimed at convenience and enjoyment.
Robinson found that, because the inn really only declined services to others if, for instance, they couldn’t afford them, that the inn qualified as a public place of accommodation under the law.
He also said the inn owners did not factually back up their defense under the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act — which says that “the government may not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion” unless it proves a narrowly tailored, compelling interest for doing so.
That defense should be resolved by an appellate court, Robinson wrote. But he added that Timber Creek did not explain how allowing a same-sex ceremony on its premises, especially when its employees were not required to be present at such an event, was “somehow a sub silencio endorsement of anything goes on during that event.”
That logic was spelled out in Robinson’s initial decision in the case on Sept. 15, 2015. His rationale on damages was spelled out in his March order, in which he also briefly contemplated the notion that the Wathens might be “testers” — activists less interested in justice for themselves than in creating legal precedents.
Jason Craddock, an attorney for the bed and breakfast owners, said he plans to fight the decision. The owners have been ordered to pay about $80,000 in damages and legal fees and allow same-sex couples access to their facilities. Timber Creek’s website still notes that they do “not host civil union or gay marriage ceremonies and/or receptions.”
Craddock said he wasn’t surprised by the panel’s move and was prepared to ask the whole commission to consider the case and, if necessary, take it beyond the agency to an Illinois appellate court.
[The B&B’s co-owner, Jim Walder] called the panel’s decision “disappointing,” but he added that “it will not change our policy.” Walder was referring to a policy that remains explicitly stated on the TimberCreek B&B’s website, saying the business “cannot host civil unions or gay marriages” because “we cannot be part of what God condemns.”
“For thousands of years homosexuality has been considered sodomy and gay marriage an abomination — civilly and Biblically,” Walder said Tuesday. “We choose to remain consistent in obeying long-held civil understanding and biblical teaching on both.”
Extra! Extra! Democrats To Get Morning News Delivery
Madigan’s Property Tax Scheme Tops the Headlines; Democrats can’t hide behind ignorance and misdirection
This morning, Democrat legislators will receive copies of two noteworthy articles they should consider before supporting Speaker Mike Madigan to be their leader.
The first is an op-ed drafted by Rep. Margo McDermed, outlining how their Speaker, Mike Madigan, makes millions under a conflict of interest property tax scheme.
The second is a recent editorial by The News-Gazette exposing Democrats’ long-standing tradition of deploying “deceitful games” and “disingenuous tactics” to mislead their constituents about their support of Madigan’s leadership.
Today’s delivery is part of the Illinois Republican Party’s ongoing effort to educate stakeholders and the public about why Madigan desperately wants to protect the status quo, and how Democrats empower him to do so.
Now, Democrats have no excuse for being in the dark about Madigan’s rigged property tax appeals practice, and Democrats can no longer run from their support of Madigan as their undisputed leader.
Knowing that Madigan makes millions from controlling the status quo, will House Democrats continue to support the most corrupt and longest reigning Speaker in American politics?
McDermed’s op-ed is from August, so it’s hardly new info.
The situation for women housed at the Logan Correctional Center in downstate Lincoln has become “untenable,” according to a new study funded by the Department of Justice that found overcrowded conditions, problems with handling mentally ill inmates and the overuse of harsh punishments.
The problems, according to the study, are rooted in part in a 2013 decision by the Illinois Department of Corrections to consolidate the populations of its two largest women’s prisons at Logan, an aging facility that had been used to house about 1,500 men. IDOC now houses about 2,000 women there, according to the review, including hundreds of inmates with mental health problems.
The state’s prison system made the transition “with limited planning, staff training and efforts to take into account the unique nature and needs of such a large, complex women’s prison population of all security levels,” the report states, outlining how women are often treated too harshly and their stays behind bars are extended unnecessarily. […]
“Our staff is our greatest asset. They work hard every day to maintain order in our facilities and protect public safety across this state,” IDOC Director John Baldwin said in an email. “But it is clear they did not receive critical and necessary training on how to work with female offenders in 2013, when Logan transitioned from a male to female facility.”
Trevor Gervais with the government watchdog group Common Cause Illinois noted that the Republican version has no timeline for the policy’s implementation.
“What we anticipate happening is that it would be delayed until after the governor’s reelection in 2018,” he said. “It’s very clear what his motives are for that.”
As the president-elect considers an Attorney General with a checkered record on voting rights, and Republicans take control of more state legislatures and governor’s mansions across the country, Gervais lamented the Illinois did not opt Tuesday to make voting more accessible.
“We’re stepping into four years of direct attacks on voting rights,” he said. “Here in Illinois we actually had an opportunity to expand voting rights before the attacks began, but instead we’re going to do nothing because of our billionaire governor.”
* Bob Reed on Donald Trump’s $1 trillion capital plan and the Illinois Safe Roads Amendment and what that all means…
There is even some cautious, if overly hopeful, talk that sometime next year Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan could put aside their differences and craft a multiyear capital spending bill.
Don’t laugh.
Yes, that’s a pretty tall order since both men have failed to reach a budget deal for over two years. Still, others say a rapprochement is possible.
Jim Reilly, an experienced political hand who’s now a senior fellow at the Metropolitan Planning Council, envisions a capital bill emerging if and when a state budget accord is reached.
That’s particularly true if the budget deal calls for higher taxes and lawmakers are scrambling to explain a rate hike to their tax-averse constituents, he adds.
“Historically, the legislature has also done a capital bill so legislators can say they voted for an increase but, ‘look, I also got you a new highway or a bus route or whatever,’” said Reilly.
Unless there’s a truce, and a real honest to goodness truce at that, I wouldn’t hold my breath. Capital bills give governors enormous leverage. They can dangle projects over members’ heads to get them to vote the way they want. Anyone think that Speaker Madigan is ready to hand those powers over to Gov. Rauner? Yeah, maybe - maybe - he could somehow draft legislation to lock in spending, but Rauner would still have to sign it.
“The governor has spoken at length about a lame duck tax increase. I think it’s very interesting. I think that we ought to listen to the governor and work with the governor and that’s what I plan to do.”
“That’s a little goofy. I mean, the speaker came out a year ago in December and said ‘Hey, let’s start with putting the income tax back up to 5 [percent] and go up from there.’ I mean that was a quote. I mean, I’ve never been an advocate for higher taxes. I’ve always fought against them. I’m trying to get more efficient government. So, for the speaker to [laughs] it’s a little, a little humorous.
“But, anyway, and at this point he seems to have backed off of pushing for a tax hike right now and has kinda said ‘Let’s just do stopgap budgets, like we’ve done seven stopgaps in the last two years. Let’s do more of those going forward.’ That’s not solving our problems. That’s going to push more employers out. That’s going to raise more taxes in our future, ’cause it’s more deficits today, more borrowing today. We need balanced budgets and reforms to grow our economy.”
So, the logical follow-up question would be: Doesn’t that make you in favor of a lame duck tax increase just like Madigan said you are? And if Madigan has, as you say, “backed off pushing for a tax hike right now,” doesn’t that erode your position?
Concerned over a possible post-election tax increase, state Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would require three-fifths House and Senate supermajorities to raise taxes until the new General Assembly is seated after the election. Lawmakers in past sessions have used the post-election lame-duck session, and its lower threshold to pass bills, as a way to enact significant legislation while avoiding voter wrath.
Franks, who will be sworn in next month as McHenry County Board chairman, said getting it onto the House floor for a vote, at the very least, will put House members on the spot regarding their willingness to raise taxes if a much-discussed “grand compromise” state budget package comes to fruition.
“My goal is to get a majority of the House of Representatives to support my measure, and once I do that, we’re on record as not wanting to increase taxes during the lame-duck [session],” Franks said.
Under the Illinois Constitution, the threshold required to pass legislation that takes effect immediately increases from a simple majority to a three-fifths supermajority – or 71 House members and 36 senators – with the end of the spring session May 31. But it decreases back to a simple majority – or 60 House members and 30 senators – on Jan. 1. That gives lawmakers after each November election a window to pass controversial legislation until the new General Assembly is sworn in on the second Wednesday in January, which this time around falls on Jan. 11.
* This is obviously a huge difference in estimates: Less than 25 cents a month vs. $4.20…
A week after ComEd and Exelon dropped some of the most contentious provisions of a controversial energy bill making its way through the Illinois legislature, the power companies say they are paring the bill even further.
The most recent changes would trim below 25 cents the average monthly increase customers would see on their bills if the legislation passes, Tom O’Neill, senior vice president of regulatory and energy policy and general counsel at ComEd, said Monday during a meeting with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board.
A third amendment to the bill was filed Monday. ComEd previously estimated the entire proposal, presented earlier this month, would cost consumers an extra 25 cents a month.
“It’s going to be substantially less” with this newest amendment, O’Neill said, although ComEd does not know exactly how much less.
Opponents, however, still disagree with ComEd’s math.
Better Energy Solutions for Tomorrow, or the BEST Coalition, a nonprofit organization made up of business and consumer groups who oppose the legislation, estimated the original legislation would cost ComEd ratepayers $6.23 more per month on average. That number drops only to $4.20 per month with the changes. “This enterprise began as a nuclear bailout and it will end as a nuclear bailout,” said coalition director Dave Lundy.
Illinois businesses, as well as consumers, will without a doubt see their electric bills rise as a result of the closure of the Clinton and Quad Cities nuclear plants. These plants contribute $1.2 billion to Illinois’ GDP and provide for 4,200 jobs, but of equal concern, their loss would drive up electric rates by a minimum of $364 million per year and have an environmental impact of $1.1 billion annually. This is a major concern for businesses that depend on the competitive electric rates that are one of the few clear competitive advantages Illinois enjoys over neighboring states.
Average wholesale electricity prices have dropped 15% this year to $29.70 a megawatt-hour, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of power market data from the Energy Department. That is 43% below the 2014 average. […]
“It’s an adverse environment because of the low gas prices, and it’s aggravated by the growth of renewables,” said Hugh Wynne, an analyst at investment research firm SSR LLC in Stamford, Conn.
Natural gas is becoming a dominant fuel for U.S. power plants, and with its price at historic lows, operators of commercial nuclear and coal plants are taking a hit. Also, power demand across much of the U.S. is flat, which weighs on electricity prices and power-plant margins.
U.S. electricity sales this year through August totaled 2.5 billion megawatt-hours, down nearly 1% compared to the same period a year ago, according to data from the Department of Energy.
Competitive Power Ventures announced Thursday its intention to open a state-of-the-art electric generating facility in the Three Rivers area of unincorporated Grundy County.
The CPV Three Rivers Energy Center is a nearly $1 billion privately funded project designed to meet the future electricity demands of Illinois. The 1,100-megawatt natural gas-powered 2-by-1 combined cycle facility will provide enough electricity to power about 1.1 million homes.
* The Illinois Republican Party has a new website called BossMadigan.com. The party is making no bones about its three top targets for next cycle and is warning them about their vote for House Speaker in January…
Brandon Phelps has taken over $200,000 from Mike Madigan’s political machine and has voted to make Madigan the Speaker seven times. Phelps voted for Madigan’s plan to hold funding for his school district hostage to try to bail out Chicago Public Schools. Phelps also voted for Madigan’s $8 billion unbalanced budget that would force at least $1,000 tax hike on middle-class families. Phelps even voted for the Madigan-Blagojevich pension scheme that increased pension debt by up to $22 billion.
Despite these actions, Phelps can show he’s ready to begin repairing Illinois by opposing Mike Madigan for Speaker in 2017.
Mike Madigan’s funneled over $1.6 million to Sam Yingling’s campaigns, and in return, Yingling has twice voted to make Mike Madigan the Speaker of the House. Yingling sided with Madigan to hold school funding hostage in an effort to bail out Chicago schools. He also voted for the broken Madigan budget that would have increased state debt by $8 billion and forced a massive tax hike without reforms on hard-working families.
In the weeks ahead, Yingling can show he’s ready to put Illinois families ahead of his political patron by opposing Madigan for Speaker in 2017.
Mike Madigan’s given Jerry Costello nearly $200,000, so it’s no surprise that Costello has twice supported Mike Madigan as Illinois Speaker. Like the rest of Madigan’s members, Costello followed orders and held his own school districts hostage to bail out Chicago. And Costello tried to force a $1,000 tax hike on families in his district by voting for Madigan’s phony budget that was nearly $8 billion in the hole.
In January, Jerry Costello can show he’s willing to start fixing Illinois by voting against Mike Madigan as Speaker.
Discuss.
…Adding… I’m told these are just the “first three” targets. “Long time until the vote for speaker to add more.”
…Adding More… From the twitters…
Rep. Phelps, a Dem targeted by new ILGOP site, says attack shows "they want to play more politics more than they want to govern."
Legislators overhauled workers compensation in 2011. Jay Shattuck with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce says that made a dent, but Illinois’ system is still too expensive.
“From the business community standpoint, 2011 was a good start. We have, um, had, some savings. Which we are glad to have,” Shattuck said. “But we’re not in a static environment. Other states have been aggressively looking at workers’ compensation reforms and have passed legislation and enacted laws that have helped their businesses in their communities also to have lower workers’ comp costs.”
So, apparently, as long as other states continue to “aggressively” cut workers’ compensation benefits, Illinois will have to go along.
As he has stated for weeks, Madigan said a deal would be reached only if Rauner followed the “framework” for other temporary spending agreements. That’s code meaning Rauner should set aside his economic agenda, as he has done in the past facing other funding emergencies.
Asked why he participates in these meetings if he’s opposed to Rauner’s ideas, Madigan said he attends “at the request of the governor.”
Republicans, meanwhile, said they were unclear with whom they were negotiating, suggesting either a game of “good cop, bad cop” between Cullerton and Madigan or a divide between the Democratic leaders.
“It’s hard to know what’s going on here,” said Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno, of Lemont. “So we’ll see who shows up tomorrow.”
* Today…
Speaker Madigan did not show up to today's meeting. Sources say he tried to change the time yesterday
*** UPDATE *** Senate President John Cullerton just told reporters that “hopefully” the leaders can reschedule for this afternoon. “If we can get back today we will. If not we have a time scheduled for tomorrow.” Cullerton met with the other leaders for more than half an hour before he talked to reporters.
The head of the Illinois Department of Transportation said driverless cars are here, and Illinois needs to welcome them. […]
State Transportation Secretary Randall Blankenhorn told the City Club of Chicago, his agency is already talking to companies that want to use autonomous vehicles to deliver goods. But he admits there are some hurdles to overcome.
Blankenhorn said that autonomous vehicles are here, and the Rauner Administration and lawmakers must work on safety regulations and standards for them. He opposes any ban on self-driving cars, despite a resolution passed by the Chicago City Council.
There has been much-fevered talk about the imminence of self-driving cars, leaving the impression with the public that it won’t be very long before the automobiles we buy don’t even have steering wheels or pedals.
This has been fuelled by the car manufacturers themselves as they swap overblown rhetoric about the progress being made thanks to their engineer’s ingenuity and the massive sums committed to these projects.
Britain’s BMI Research hosted a seminar recently where it tried to get the hype and bluster and provide some insight into the prospects of computerized/robot/autonomous vehicles. Perhaps job one should be to decide which of these terms makes the most sense.
But the most important “fact” to emerge from the meeting was that fully-autonomous cars won’t be available for up to 15 to 20 years , according to BMI Research analyst Anna-Marie Baisden.
If it’s 15 years minimum, any regs the state devises today will be hopelessly out of date by then.
Urges the United States Congress to immediately adopt an “American Recovery” program by restoring the provisions of the Glass Steagall Act; returning to a national banking and a federal credit system, modeled on the principles of Alexander Hamilton’s First Bank of the United States; using the federal credit system to build a modern network of high speed rail, power generating systems, and water projects; and creating programs to rebuild our space program to put a permanent manned colony on the Moon, explore the solar system, and create nuclear fusion.
Members of an Illinois House committee on Monday spent a portion of their hearing on a proposed workers compensation overhaul debating whether the hearing should have been held at all.
Following a meeting earlier this month among Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the four top leaders of the General Assembly, the House Labor and Commerce Committee scheduled a hearing on a long-dormant bill from House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs. […]
But Republicans on the committee, including Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said the bill doesn’t reflect progress made last spring in negotiations among a bipartisan group of rank-and-file lawmakers.
“I don’t know what we’re going to accomplish today,” Brady said, noting that Republicans did not ask for the hearing and that Durkin was in a meeting with Rauner and the other legislative leaders at the same time.
Democrats persisted anyway, and used the chance to criticize Rauner’s plan as unfair to workers.
But Chicago Rep. Luis Arroyo evidently didn’t get the memo. He seemed to take a page from Republicans’ playbook instead.
“We shouldn’t have this dog and pony show to stand here and talk to everybody all day on something that ain’t going to matter anyway,” he said. “Let’s not play no games. I drove three and a half hours today in the rain, for three and a half hours, thinking that something was going to happen on this bill. And now you guys are telling me that nothing’s happening …. I didn’t come here to waste my time today.”
Republicans balked at the outrage, noting they don’t control the House and can’t schedule hearings. That duty falls to Democrats under long-serving Speaker Michael Madigan.
“We did not schedule this meeting,” said Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington.
And so the dysfunction continued as lawmakers return to Springfield for the final scheduled week of the fall session, with the pressure on to cut a budget deal as a temporary stopgap plan expires at the end of the year.
Democrats also complained that Gov. Rauner was tweeting workers’ comp reform stuff during the hearing even though nobody from his office bothered to show up.
Democrats say a 2011 reform bill made workers’ compensation much less expensive for insurers, but those insurers have not passed savings along through lower premiums. But the insurance industry says 332 companies write workers’ comp policies in Illinois, making it the most competitive state in the country. Profits for those companies are 2.68 percent, said Steve Schneider, the American Insurance Association’s vice president for state affairs, Midwest region. “It has not been tremendously profitable,” Schneider told the committee.
Health care providers spoke out against the bill’s proposed 30 percent reduction in several parts of the workers’ compensation medical fee schedule, noting that the 2011 reforms imposed a 30 percent across-the-board cut. “An additional 30 percent would force many medical providers to stop seeing injured workers,” said David Spaccarellie of Deerfield-based Surgical Care Affiliates.
While an enhanced “causation” standard that would require the workplace to be the major cause of an injury is the top goal of Rauner’s workers’ compensation reform plan, Illinois’ current standard is not an outlier. “The causation standard in Indiana is exactly the same as it is in Illinois,” said David Menchetti of the Chicago law firm Cullen Haskins Nicholson Menchetti. Indiana’s insurance rates, rated second lowest in the country in a recent study, are low because employers control medical choices for injured workers and because it pays “poverty level” workers’ compensation benefits, Menchetti said.
We fear not having a budget has become the norm, and because the vast majority of people haven’t been personally touched by the lack of one, they feel no need to urge action.
That is unacceptable.
We need outrage. We need phone calls made and letters written and protests organized. And we need it from all corners of the state, and from people not directly affected by the budget woes. We see it from the social service agencies, small businesses and higher education institutions that rely on state funding. They are pleading for a resolution, because they don’t want to go back to the year of no budget (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016) and all the horrors that included, such as layoffs, serving fewer clients, or in some extreme cases, shutting down. We need it from everyone now.
It’s not too late for either Rauner or Madigan to do the right thing. Absent that, the rank-and-file legislators need to raise hell and get more involved. They need to be willing to sacrifice the monetary security Madigan and Rauner provide during campaigns to those they consider allies in favor of the greater good. They need to demand to be part of the budget process. It should no longer be solely hammered out by the leaders in private conversations with the governor. Not when we’re again on the edge of not having a fiscal blueprint for a significant amount of time. This is the public’s business, and it’s time it is done in the light.
When the election for House speaker takes place, minority Republicans should not do the same thing they’ve done for years – fruitlessly vote for their party caucus leader for speaker.
Instead, after some behind-the-scenes negotiations, they should announce the following:
“We are prepared to vote en masse for a compromise Democratic candidate for House speaker.”
That’s right, 51 Republicans voting for a DEMOCRATIC candidate who is not named Madigan.
Republicans could continue:
“We, in fact, will nominate such a person. We will then supply 51 votes, out of the minimum 60 that are required for election. That’s 85 percent of the total.”
Democrats disaffected by Madigan’s leadership would thus have an opportunity and a choice to bravely chart a new course.
It would take a coalition of only 9 Democrats to join 51 Republican colleagues to unseat Madigan as House speaker.
Nine Democrats who want Illinois to have fresh leadership.
Chicago Ald. Ameya Pawar, who five years ago pulled off a historic upset with his against-the-grain aldermanic campaign to defeat a machine candidate, is now looking to do the same on a bigger platform. […]
With $58,000 in his campaign account, Pawar, who would run as a Democrat, said he doesn’t fear taking on incumbent Republican millionaire Gov. Bruce Rauner, who reported $188 million in income last year.
“In 2011, I ran for office and people laughed at me. I took on the machine and I beat it,” Pawar said. […]
“We’ve had a set of politics pitting one group of people against another. I don’t think that’s productive,” he said. “I think it’s time we have a progressive campaign for governor.” […]
“When I won in 2011, four weeks before the election I had $2,000 left from the $7,000 to 8,000 we started with,” Pawar said. “We ran the most shoestring campaign you’ve ever seen. Since then, I’ve raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. I feel I can raise money to be competitive. … There’s a tendency to throw a bunch of money at the problem, throw money at the airwaves and crucify one another. There isn’t a lot of going out and talking to one another.”
Pawar did beat a machine candidate, but he did that with lots of door-knocking. A statewide bid is an entirely different level of campaigning, however. You can’t just go out and talk to people one-on-one and expect that to work. You have to raise big bucks, like it or not. Statewide is about wholesale, not retail.
Mayor Emanuel lives in Pawar’s district, so it’s almost assured Pawar will be tagged with the “Rahm’s alderman” moniker. It goes without saying that Emanuel is one of the least popular politicians in this state.
He readily admits that he’s fundraising and that he’s interested in replacing Rahm Emanuel—should the mayor decide not to seek a third term. If Rahm does run again, Pawar, born in Evanston to immigrants from India, says he won’t challenge him. He credits Rahm, his constituent, for helping him on many of his legislative accomplishments.
Again: “Rahm’s alderman.” As if being an alderman in a city that has huge financial and crime problems isn’t bad enough.
* Pawar has limited himself to two terms, so that’s why he’s looking around for something else to do. But he already seems to be breaking a promise he made in August...
“What I’m not going to do is spend the next three years scheming for a higher office, any higher office. I think the problem with that is that you’re rooting for someone else’s failure so you can take their job. I’ve never run a negative campaign. I find it odd that the principle campaigns are run on is to destroy the other person; to make yourself look better by making the other person look bad.”
In his five years in City Council, Pawar counts among his successes the towing bill of rights, directing $40 million in TIF funds to schools and libraries in his ward, the licensing debt collectors ordinance, anti wage theft ordinance, and more.
