* Yet another dustup today about who is leaving Illinois and for what reasons. Rep. Guzzardi makes some valid points…
Slight clarification, @ShiaKapos: I said that families making >$100K are moving to New York, LA and the Twin Cities, with much higher top rates. Fact check: https://t.co/HTsWHAJPUW
March 14 was just 6 days before the Democratic primary. Everyone knew that Guzzardi’s candidate Sen. Daniel Biss was going down, but the left was still piling on hard. The Internet is forever.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said she is still on track to begin wiping clean thousands of minor cannabis convictions in the coming months, but acknowledges that her office is still trying to determine how exactly to implement her bold plan.
She also said in an interview with the Sun-Times last week that her office was also taking a look at her office policy toward prosecuting those arrested for the sale of marijuana, but said the review was still in its early stages. […]
Noting the arduous process of cataloguing years of convictions, Foxx told the Sun-Times that her office won’t attempt to expunge them all in one fell swoop. Nevertheless, the state’s attorney’s office hopes to start clearing the first round of convictions in a matter of months, she said.
Foxx said her office is seeking to enlist a nonprofit, Code For America, which has already assisted with expungements in California.
* Speaking of Foxx, here’s Comptroller Mendoza…
I am disappointed that “Quarters” Boyle received no jail time after he recklessly caused a 4-car accident two years ago. I went to every court hearing over the past two years to make sure these charges against Boyle did not get dropped. I would have preferred the Cook County State’s Attorney upgrade the charges from the misdemeanors Boyle essentially chose for himself when he finally turned himself in, cleaned up and sober, three days after he caused the accident and fled the scene. I turned over the video to police which showed Boyle staggering around; driving his car into one of his victims who was trying to keep him at the scene. The video showed Boyle falsely claiming to be a police officer. But even with the video, the State’s Attorney’s office never charged Boyle with DUI, reckless driving, battery or with impersonating a police officer. His conviction today for fleeing the scene is better than nothing. But the innocent drivers in those cars he hit deserved more justice.
* Other stuff…
* How legalized pot can help heal wounds inflicted on black and brown communities: Legal adult cannabis use won’t necessarily lead to fewer arrests of black and brown people for cannabis related offenses — Hailey and Childress are right about that. In Colorado, the first state to legalize adult cannabis use, black folks still are arrested for cannabis-related offenses three times more than whites. But rather than blame cannabis for these disparities, we should look at a deeper cause: Racial bias in the criminal justice system.
* Making the argument for cops on the street, not in schools: The video, obtained by the Sun-Times, flatly contradicts the two officers’ account of what happened during the January incident at Marshall High School. They claim that 16-year-old Dnigma Howard kicked and bit them as they tried to escort her out of the school. They also say they fell down a flight of stairs.
The owner of economically challenged coal-fired power plants in Southern Illinois is supporting legislation that, if passed, would help transform those sites into facilities for utility-scale solar and energy storage projects.
The Texas-based company, Vistra Energy, acquired the region’s fleet of coal plants when it completed its purchase of Dynegy Inc. last year. It says the facilities are beset by tough economic and policy conditions, and favors a bill before the state legislature that would provide funding to phase them out of production and repurpose the sites, instead of just shutting them down abruptly.
But some environmental groups oppose the measure, characterizing it as a potential “$140 million a year coal bailout,” according to J.C. Kibbey, an Illinois clean energy advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council in Chicago. […]
Vistra employs about 1,000 workers total across its eight Illinois coal plants, Cohn said. The proposal would rely on a combination of funding mechanisms, including renewable energy credits and state-awarded grants. “Transitionary assistance” would be capped at $140 million annually from 2020 through 2024, a five-year period during which given coal plants would remain in operation, with solar or energy storage joining the mix at each site in either 2021 or 2022. The legislation would allow the plants to retire if unforeseen capital expenditures of more than $10 million would be needed to satisfy environmental laws or regulations and keep them in operation.
Legislation approved Thursday by the Illinois House would license craft distillers similar to the way craft brewers are regulated, with the aim of giving a boost to the burgeoning community of artisan spirits makers in the state.
The bill, which still faces a vote in the Senate, would create a license that allows small distillers to self-distribute some product, removing a major hurdle for unknown brands trying get on store shelves, and another license that allows distillers to open up to three satellite locations where they can serve their house-made spirits as well as other alcohol in a pub environment.
The changes would allow craft distillers to build brand awareness and new revenue streams, helping them grow and encouraging new distillers to set up shop in the state, said Noelle DiPrizio, who co-owns Chicago Distilling in Logan Square.
“Based on our surrounding states it would make us one of the more favorable states to start a business,” said DiPrizio, president of the Illinois Craft Distillers Association, which pushed for the bill.
There are 34 businesses federally licensed as craft distillers in Illinois, up from two in 2010, DiPrizio said. If the bill becomes law, “it could double very quickly,” she said.
* CUB: Breaking news: SCOTUS will NOT review appellate court decisions that upheld states’ right to advance decarbonization goals through zero-emission credit programs in Illinois and NY. Important victory for cost-effective clean energy
* MisterJayEm: You will never find a more wretched hive of hacks and half-wits.
If a school district — or any local government, for that matter — overtly promoted a bond issue that required voter approval, it would be drawn and quartered.
That’s against the law, and so when Barrington Unit District 220 recently held a referendum for one, school officials were careful to ensure that any publicity that was underwritten by the government was strictly informational, in tone as well as word.
Contrast that with the messaging you and we are financing through Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office. As one example: a “Fair Tax Calculator” on the Illinois government website that begins with the message, “Governor Pritzker is making good on his promise to protect working families and make our system more fair. With a fair tax, 97 percent of taxpayers will see some tax relief.”
Sounds more than a little promotional, wouldn’t you agree? […]
There’s only one reason for Pritzker to brand his proposal as a “fair tax:” to subliminally promote voter support. Who, after all, would want to consider themselves unfair?
At first I just figured this was a typical editorial from opponents demanding that the other side fight with both hands tied behind their back. But I checked the statutes and here’s one of the definitions for prohibited political activities on state time…
Campaigning for any elective office or for or against any referendum question.
Of course, the referendum hasn’t qualified for the ballot as of yet. But whatevs.
* The Question: Is the governor campaigning on state time? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
Speaking before more than a hundred journalists at the Illinois News Broadcasters Association’s annual spring conference in Normal, Pritzker said he’s committed to helping Illinois media tell the stories that matter.
Pritzker said mutual respect between journalists and elected officials is critical in the era of “fake news.”
“If we want our democracy to thrive, we must have a first amendment that thrives,” Pritzker said. “Those with political power must be extremely careful that when we disagree with what’s being said, we nevertheless fight for your right to get the information out.”
Illinois Public Media reporters questioned Pritzker about the lack of cooperation from some state departments, namely the Illinois Department of Corrections and Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
Apparently, some reporters at WILL have been working on stories about education in prisons and mental health care for children, but haven’t been getting cooperation from the directors.
“Now more than ever it’s important that elected office holders remind the public how important journalism is in a healthy democracy,” he said.
Pritzker drew applause from the conference room full of journalists representing news organizations from across the state, and later he invited them to ask questions, calling it “the biggest press conference I ever had.”
The questions posed included a call for more transparency and access to state departments and agencies, to which Pritzker asked for “one more minute, so to speak” as his administration works through the process of bringing in new people and making adjustments.
Pritzker said he’s still hiring new staff after the Rauner administration — and that he’ll step in when government officials are unresponsive.
That time to “step in” may be now.
Pritzker has been in office three full months. He doesn’t yet have his own Corrections director. Rauner appointed an IDOC Director in March of 2015, but the guy resigned two months later and the department didn’t have a full-time director until August.
At a news conference in his office Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker said it’s time to “let the people vote” on whether they would like to see the [income] tax structure overhauled.
“We have a constitutional amendment process that ultimately puts this decision to the voters,” Pritzker said. “It’s time to let the people of Illinois – our taxpayers – decide.”
We never guessed that, like spring introducing crocuses to wide-eyed baby bunnies, Gov. J.B. Pritzker would introduce a novel concept called democracy to his fellow Democrats. As in, letting the people of Illinois vote their wishes.
How startling, then, to see this lead story in Wednesday’s Chicago Tribune: “ ‘Let the people vote’ on taxes — Pritzker pushes critics for their plan, says taxpayers can decide.” Boldface ours, with pleasure. […]
Yes, Illinoisans do have an amendment process, and Pritzker’s fellow Democrats have done a splendid job of making sure voters couldn’t make it work for them. For years citizens have tried — by amendment or statute — to enshrine pension reform, and term limits on lawmakers, and a redistricting process that lets voters choose their legislators rather than the other way around. […]
So how about a package deal, Governor, of amendments or statutory changes: Let the people vote not just on taking more billions of dollars a year from wallets — an amount sure to grow and grow as tax rates rise and rise. Let the people also vote on rewriting the rigid pension clause of the constitution. Let the people vote on term limits. Let the people vote on creating a fair remap scheme.
The result is his feverish interest in allowing voters to address an issue he cares about — generating more tax revenue — declines dramatically when it comes to other issues that would upset the status quo and the permanent political class.
Pritzker, of course, is no different from other politicians when it comes to issuing bogus cries to “let the people” vote. It’s a common refrain from intellectually dishonest pols who know a good line when they steal one.
But, like so much of the rhetoric from our public servants, its inherent insincerity is exceeded only by its grotesque selectivity.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed into law a bill that bars local governments from establishing so-called right-to-work zones, another rebuke to his Republican predecessor, who blocked similar legislation as he battled with Democratic lawmakers over his pro-business, union-weakening agenda.
The new law, which was passed with strong bipartisan support in the House and Senate and takes effect immediately, “makes it abundantly clear that we have turned the page here in Illinois,” the Democratic governor said during a bill-signing event at the Capitol, where he was joined by legislators and labor leaders.
Former Gov. Bruce Rauner was a major proponent of laws prohibiting employers and labor organizations from signing contracts that require workers to join unions or pay dues. In 2017, Rauner vetoed a previous version of the bill banning local governments from creating such laws, and the House fell one vote short of overriding him. This time, the measure passed the House on a 101-8 vote and was approved unanimously in the Senate.
“From the start, right-to-work was an idea cooked up to lower wages, slash benefits and hurt our working families,” Pritzker said. “ ‘Right-to-work’ has always meant, ‘right to work for less money,’ and it’s wrong for Illinois.”
But Liberty Justice Center Senior Attorney Jeffrey Schwab, who represents Lincolnshire in a case they’ve requested the nation’s high court take up, says right to work doesn’t ban collective bargaining.
“It just makes unions have to get voluntary consent from employees, rather than forcing them to join and pay them,” Schwab said. “It’s disappointing that even though Illinois doesn’t want to pass a statewide right to work that it’s prohibiting its local units of government from doing so.”
Schwab has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Lincolnshire’s case on appeal. Pritzker said he doubts that will change anything now that local right to work is banned in Illinois.
“This bill actually just establishes what is the law today, so I believe that that would be moot essentially at the [U.S.] Supreme Court,” Pritzker said.
Schwab said they’re still waiting to see how the new law will impact the lawsuit.
Marc Dixon, a sociologist at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, said during an August 2018 interview that different arguments have been used over the years to campaign for the laws.
The first states to adopt them were primarily in the South, he said, where the laws were used to weaken labor unions, especially the Congress of International Organizations, or CIO, which were actively supporting civil rights legislation for African-Americans.
Later, in the 1950s, he said, they were supported by people who claimed certain labor unions embraced communist sympathies or had ties to organized crime.
More recently, supporters have argued for right-to-work laws on the basis of free speech. As more and more blue-collar workers aligned with the Republican Party, supporters have argued that workers should not be forced to join unions that, broadly speaking, tend to support Democrats.
Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake, spent more than a year holding hearings and overseeing negotiations which eventually produced SB 1829, a massive omnibus bill on sexual harassment.
The proposal would do everything from limiting non-disclosure agreements that could prohibit disclosure of sexual harassment, to preventing unions from representing both an accuser and an alleged harasser in disciplinary proceedings, to protecting contract employees from sexual harassment for the first time in state history, to forcing employers to allow victims of sexual harassment to take leaves of absence from work to “seek medical help, legal assistance, counseling, safety planning and other assistance.”
Despite all this, the historically conservative Illinois Chamber Employment Law Council supported the bill and it passed the Senate last week without opposition. A Chamber representative even attended a press conference with Sen. Bush to tout the bill’s success.
Almost immediately, however, House Majority Leader Greg Harris, Assistant Majority Leader Natalie Manley and Majority Conference Chair Kathleen Willis released a joint statement that basically said Bush’s measure would be placed under review in the chamber and stuck in a special study policy panel that’s charged with coming up with the House’s own omnibus bill.
The statement didn’t contain so much as a thank you to the sponsor or a hint of praise for the massive bill. Indeed, the language used in the release made it seem as though the legislation was inadequate to the task at hand and was no big deal.
“Senator Bush’s legislation contains many elements which will be reviewed and evaluated alongside ethics and human rights issues proposed by members of the House in our effort to develop the most comprehensive legislation possible,” the statement read in part.
Sen. Bush served on the Democratic Party of Illinois’ Anti-Harassment, Equality and Access Panel (and intervened to have Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough kicked off the panel because she was too closely aligned with House Speaker Michael Madigan, who is also the state party chairman). She also co-chaired the Senate’s bipartisan Task Force on Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Awareness and Prevention. This is a life mission for her.
Bush has personally poured hundreds of hours into her bill, so to watch the House Democrats blithely shrug while tossing it on a pile with a bunch of other, lesser bills was simply too much to take. She was also furious that Rep. Willis had snatched up sponsorship of her proposal in the House without her consent and then refused to relinquish control.
House members say Bush confronted Leader Harris and others on the House floor last week to strenuously object to their press release and to question their intentions. She reportedly pledged to hold a press conference to angrily call them all out if they allowed her proposal to die.
It didn’t work. The chamber’s top Democrats stood by their decision.
Some House members have also complained about their bills being dumped into the informal sexual harassment and ethics study panel and have also been rebuffed by Harris, Manley and Willis every time they’ve asked to move their bills separately from the rest. But the senior Democrats are determined to put their own bill together and that’s that.
The legislative process is often compared to sausage-making for good reason. But Speaker Madigan and the House Democrats have had some, um, issues with this particular topic for the past couple of years, leaving some folks suspicious about his actual intent.
Madigan’s own chief of staff had to resign after he was accused of sexual harassment. Madigan’s political operation is being sued for retaliation after a former worker complained of sexual harassment by the brother of Madigan’s alderman. A former staffer lost his lobbying job after allegations of misconduct while on staff. Another former staffer was accused of misconduct while running some Madigan campaigns.
“We haven’t done enough. I take responsibility for that,” Madigan wrote to his members in February of last year after one incident.
“I didn’t do enough,” Madigan then wrote in September of last year. “I have made it a personal mission to take this issue head-on and correct past mistakes,” he added in his Chicago Tribune op-ed.
So, maybe the House will craft a tough new law. Maybe they just figured that since the Chamber enthusiastically supported it, Bush’s bill wasn’t strict enough. I guess we’ll find out by May 31, which is the scheduled end of the spring legislative session.
But that final product had better be pretty strong and comprehensive or there will be heck to pay. Sen. Bush will make sure of that.
Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, to extend protections to DCFS and Adult Protective Services workers in honor of slain-DCFS worker Pam Knight has received the unanimous approval of the Illinois House of Representatives.
HB 1482 adds protections to DCFS and Adult Protective Service employees concerning assault, the same protections applied to teachers, police/fire, and other emergency responders who protect those in harm’s way.
“This is a public safety bill that closes a loophole to protect DCFS and Adult Protective Service workers. The loophole was discovered when DCFS worker Pam Knight was brutally beaten, and ultimately succumbed to her injuries,” said McCombie.
Kyle Hillman, an official with the National Association of Social Workers Illinois Chapter, does not believe this bill will better protect DCFS employees. Instead, he believes it could land foster kids who are already struggling with trauma, in jail for years.
“You have an 18-year-old that acts out that, let’s say kicks a social worker in a fit of rage. This individual could be hit with a Class One felony under this bill,” Hillman said.
He believes there are other ways to better protect DCFS employees.
“If we did a little bit better training, if we had more social workers go into those dangerous situations so they aren’t going at it alone, those would be much more effective at protecting our members than adding higher penalties to existing crimes,” Hillman said.
* Whether you’re going somewhere fun or are stuck in an “In-district work period,” try to have a good time while the General Assembly is adjourned for two weeks. Blogging will probably be light next week. We’ll see.
* The House and Senate have both adjourned, so spring break (or, as Sen. Don Harmon called it today, “In-district work period”) has begun.
I know several folks plan to kick off their break by stopping by the retirement party being thrown for Lisa Guinan today at DH Browns. The party starts at 3.
If you don’t know Lisa, click here for the House Resolution congratulating her for her many years of dedicated service to the Illinois House of Representatives, particularly her time spent as the House GOP’s Floor Manager.
I’m not sure yet what I’m doing for spring break. I will be taking some time off, but I haven’t yet been able to make up my mind.
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* Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) was not pleased when Gov. Pritzker did not appoint a single Lake County resident to the Tollway board. So, she introduced SB764…
Increases the number of directors of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority appointed by the Governor from 9 to 11. Provides that, of the 11 directors of the Authority appointed by the Governor, at least one shall be from Cook County, at least one shall be from Lake County, at least one shall be from DuPage County, at least one shall be from Will County, at least one shall be from Winnebago, Boone, or McHenry County, and at least one shall be from Kane, DeKalb, Ogle, or Lee County. Provides that no more than 6 (rather than 5) directors shall be from the same political party. Provides that, within 30 days of the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Governor shall appoint one director from Lake County and one director from Winnebago, Boone, or McHenry County. Effective immediately.
Provides that a public university or community college may not inquire about or consider an applicant’s criminal history information at any time during the admission decision-making process, except as required by federal law or specified provisions of the Department of State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois or the Medical School Matriculant Criminal History Records Check Act, if applicable.
Aaron Woodruff, chief of police at Illinois State University, told us they’re not against second chances and notes that most who admit to a conviction on their college application still get admitted. But they want exceptions carved out in the law that would require applicants to disclose convictions for sex crimes and other violent offenses.
“The universities and police recognize that education can be a key component in rehabilitation, but we have to do it with some common sense,” he said, adding the campus law enforcement community hopes to negotiate a compromise with the bill’s proponents in the legislature.
Woodruff said police have found allies on this issue among women’s and LGTBQ organizations.
“They’re asking, ‘Why are we more concerned about someone convicted of a sex crime than other students on campus?’” he said.
The House will soon take up a measure to allow high school students old enough to vote to take time out of class to vote.
State Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, said his Senate Bill 1970 will help get young people to vote.
“We are trying to make sure that we encourage our young people to participate and exercise our civic duty,” Sims said.
Under state law, high school students who are 18 years old at the time of a general election can vote in the primary when they’re 17.
State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said there should be some way to ensure students leaving school to vote are actually casting a ballot.
* Other bills…
* Proposed parking fee for Starved Rock State Park rejected by Illinois Senate: Opponents questioned a provision that would have exempted residents of LaSalle County, where the park is located, from paying the fee. The vote on the bill was 29-8, but 30 votes are required to pass any legislation in the Senate.
A real estate developer has been indicted on federal charges alleging he steered legal work to powerful Ald. Edward Burke in exchange for help at City Hall with a permit and $2 million in tax-increment financing for a Northwest Side development.
The charges against Charles Cui, of Lake Forest, were the first to be brought in connection with the ongoing City Hall corruption investigation since Burke himself was accused more than three months ago of attempting to shake down two businessmen seeking to renovate a fast-food restaurant in the 14th Ward.
Cui, 48, was charged in an four-count indictment made public Friday with federal program bribery, using interstate commerce to facilitate bribery and official misconduct.
Burke was not named or charged in the indictment against Cui, but the charges make clear he was the alderman who was allegedly bribed.
Charles Cui, 48, allegedly steered the business to Burke after the city denied a permit for a sign for a retailer at the project site in the 4900 block of West Irving Park Road in the Portage Park neighborhood. The project includes a Binny’s Beverage Depot and a Culver’s restaurant, public records show.
That permit was critical to Cui, who was the managing partner of the company that owned the property. The company stood to have it tenant either cancel the lease or lose as much as $750,000 if it was unable to obtain the permit because the retailer could pay that much less in rent if it didn’t get the sign. […]
Burke motioned to approve the redevelopment project and voted for it at a City Council meeting in March 2016. The tax increment financing deal was worth $2 million for the project.
After the city denied the permit for the sign, Cui allegedly emailed Burke, asking him “to look into the matter.”
Cui’s email said the retailer “really needs it, otherwise they will cancel the lease, or ask for significant rent reduction,” according to the indictment.
*** UPDATE *** Mayor-elect Lightfoot…
Today’s charges add more definition to the utterly corrupt way in which Alderman Ed Burke has exploited his position and power. This is exactly the kind of conduct that the voters mandated must change. My commitment is that we will be vigilant in cleaning up corruption throughout all of City government. I was elected ten days ago to build a government where you don’t have to give to get—where Chicagoans can receive basic City services, and where being business owners can get signs and permits without bribes and delays.
We’re going to build a transparent and accountable City government that Chicagoans can trust to put their needs first. That’s why I’ve consistently called for critical ethics reforms, including banning profiting from public service. The public gave us a mandate for change, and we intend to deliver.
A former state senator was the subject of a grand jury subpoena in January that sought his emails and mileage reimbursement records as part of an apparent federal investigation, according to documents obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.
The subpoena issued to the state Senate out of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois sought emails, tax documents, mileage-reimbursement records and any payments made to William Sam McCann during his time in office from 2011 to 2018, records show.
The reimbursements in question would have come from taxpayer dollars. […]
The subpoena, sent on Jan. 3, came at the behest of U.S. Assistant State’s Attorney Timothy Bass, who was the one-time lead prosecutor in former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock corruption case.
McCann, who has not been accused of wrongdoing, told WBEZ Thursday in a text message that he had not been made aware of the subpoena until learning of it through WBEZ. He declined further comment.
McCann expensed $26,061.74 in travel reimbursements during his tenure in the Senate, according to records from the Illinois Comptroller. McCann, a Republican from downstate Plainview, served from 2011 until January 2019.
Campaign finance records show he also received more than $36,000 in mileage reimbursements from his campaign fund in 2017 and 2018. That would translate to nearly 68,000 miles of driving, based on IRS approved mileage reimbursement rates at the time.
Before his successful 2016 legislative re-election bid, McCann’s mileage reimbursements arose as an issue and led to a complaint filed with the State Board of Elections. That complaint was later withdrawn.
* The Chicago Tribune has finally published a story on the House Republican secessionists. We’ve covered this a lot, so let’s just focus on Sen. Manar’s advice…
State Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from the southern Illinois community of Bunker Hill, had the regionalism game played against him as a lead architect of a historic change in school funding. Critics claimed it was a bailout of the Chicago Public Schools.
Manar said some of the problems his district faces are akin to what Chicago sees in some of its neighborhoods. Manar said understanding the similar nature of problems is needed to overcome the regional fissure.
“Lack of pharmacies, lack of doctors, lack of specialists, underfunded schools, vacant classrooms, unemployment, child abuse rates going up. Those things are happening in rural communities and urban communities alike,” Manar said. “Too often, when policymakers get into this building, it’s very easy to use geography to explain deep challenges that our state faces. That’s an easy explanation that plays to the cheers of the crowd.”
In the end, Manar said, the answer is to tone down the rhetoric, find common ground and get things done.
“Look, I could show up here every day and beat the crap out of the city of Chicago and get re-elected every four years. That would be easy to do, right? It would guarantee re-election,” Manar said. “But when you’re done as an elected official in the Senate, you probably wouldn’t be able to point to one single accomplishment for the people who sent you here to get things done.”
And, of course, he spoke about the graduated income tax. But he tries not to call it that.
It’s a “fair tax” — a more digestible term that no doubt helps to market his plan. But it’s not so easy. Pritzker has a swear jar of sorts in his office. He has to put in money every time he doesn’t use the preferred “fair tax” name.
“Someone else in my office suggested something like that, and I thought it was a good idea. It turns out I’m the guilty party for the most part because people ask me questions that have the words ‘graduated income tax’ in or ‘progressive,’ and then I sometimes will parrot it back, and then I catch myself,” Pritzker said. “So yes, but it’s really my own swear jar.”
* Ideas Illinois had a little fun with the swear jar…
This week Governor Pritzker acknowledged to the Chicago Sun-Times that his office has created a swear jar to train him and his staff to use the term “fair tax” when describing his Jobs Tax™ on middle class families.
“It is telling that Governor Pritzker is the biggest offender of his own swear jar while trying to convince himself that his jobs tax on middle class families is fair. His Jobs Tax™ swear jar is offensive to every small business owner and middle class family in Illinois,” said Executive Director of Ideas Illinois Jason Heffley.
“[Republicans] could have come to talk about any of those things [proposed individual and corporate rates],” Pritzker said. “I’m here. I sit in the governor’s office. My door is open. … The most important part, I think, is that I’m open to conversations about it. I have risen the subject where I could with Republicans. But coming with proposals and having real conversations and negotiations, that’s something that I welcome. But you can’t sit on your hands and say no to everything. That’s what Bruce Rauner did for four years and that clearly didn’t work.”
“What I’ve heard from both leadership and individual members of both the House and the Senate is that they appreciate me being here. It seems like they haven’t seen a lot from a mayor of Chicago, and Springfield is incredibly important to the entire state,” Lightfoot said. “I have a feeling I’ll be here with some frequency.”
Asked by reporters how the city will unwind from a pension disaster and bring in new revenue to support itself, Lightfoot tiptoed around specifics. Of a state gas tax that is being considered as part of a state capital plan, Lightfoot noted she is “following” developments.
“We are following it and will continue to follow it really closely. Both to make sure that we’ve got a realistic and sustainable funding source, but also the projects are really important,” Lightfoot said. “Chicago stands to benefit significantly, as does the rest of the state, from having a capital bill which hasn’t been in play, I think for 10 years. We’re going to look at what the options are and weigh in as appropriate as the legislation moves through the General Assembly.”
Lightfoot’s Springfield agenda includes a push for expanded gambling to provide more revenue for the city, and that includes a Chicago casino. The mayor-elect said it’s time to have “serious conversations” about it.
“The sad reality is if we don’t do something about this, we’re going to continue to lose tens of millions of dollars every single year to Indiana and Wisconsin. And that makes no sense to me,” Lightfoot said. “We’ve got to have serious conversations about a casino in the city of Chicago and elsewhere.”
State lawmakers, however, are scheduled to finish their legislative session May 31, just 11 days after Lightfoot takes office May 20. That leaves little time to make specific financial proposals, let alone win approval from the House, the Senate and Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Lightfoot, however, said her initial trip this week was not the time to start making a specific pitch.
“What I have done is been very direct with them about the magnitude of the challenge that we have seen, and we’ll be talking more specifically about that in the coming days,” Lightfoot told reporters under the Capitol dome Thursday. “This is kind of the first couple dates, right? So, we’re getting to know each other, but I’m pressing on the issues that we have to address in this term.”
* Chicago Mayor-Elect Praises Illinois Move Toward ‘Fair Tax’: “You have taken the initial steps to move forward with the governor’s plan to institute a fair tax that ensures everyone pays their fair share but frees the more modest earners from aggressive taxation that has kept them from getting ahead,’’ Lightfoot said.
* To Help Chicago, Lightfoot Looks To Springfield — But Not On Violence: “The violence is something that we’ve got to take on and own as a city,” Lightfoot said. “I don’t think we need to — in the short term — look to Springfield to solve that problem. We’ve just got to do better in the City of Chicago.” Lightfoot says that will take the form of greater investment in communities and better practices by police. In the past, Chicago has been a driving force behind gun control legislation in the General Assembly.
* Lightfoot says budget shortfall more ‘dire’ than she thought, but how much more?: Budget Director Samantha Fields was asked what she told the mayor-elect that made Lightfoot believe the financial mess was worse than anticipated. “We highlighted a list of things we knew were outstanding — like Local 2 [firefighters contract], possible FOP contract and a number of other items that we’re projecting for 2020’s budget. And I think her team has done some of their own background and determined the range of those expenses,” Fields told the Sun-Times. Fields was asked to project the final shortfall with the cost of police and fire contracts, retroactive pay and debt service costs.
Illinois State Police (ISP) officials announce the arrest of Craig W. Dittmar (M/55) for his involvement in the March 28th, 2019, fatal crash which resulted in the death of Trooper Brooke Jones-Story.
On March 28th, 2019, at approximately 11:24 a.m., Trooper Brooke Jones-Story, #5966, was inspecting a commercial motor vehicle on United States Route 20 westbound, just west of Illinois Route 75 in Stephenson County. At approximately 12:20 p.m., Trooper Jones-Story was outside her squad car when she was struck and fatally wounded when a truck tractor semi-trailer combination struck her squad car and the semi Trooper Jones-Story was inspecting. The semi-trailer combination that struck and killed Trooper Jones-Story was being driven by Craig W. Dittmar of Stockton, Illinois.
On April 11th, 2019, the Stephenson County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charging Dittmar with two counts of Reckless Homicide (both Class 2 Felonies), and one count of Operating A Commercial Motor Vehicle While Fatigued - Causing Death (Class 3 Felony). An arrest warrant was issued for Dittmar and the bond for the warrant was set by the judge at $250,000 (10% applies). Dittmar was later taken into custody and lodged in the Stephenson County Jail where he is being held in lieu of that bond.
The ISP would like to remind the public of Scott’s Law, which requires vehicles to slow down, move over, and change lanes if possible, when they are approaching an emergency vehicle, or any vehicle with its hazard lights activated. The ISP urges the public to help save lives by making responsible driving choices and following the law.
Sixteen state troopers have been hit by vehicles, three of them fatally, since Jan. 1 of this year and continues an unexplained spike in crashes. State police said the crashes were related to violations of Scott’s Law.
Trooper Gerald Ellis was killed on March 30 when a wrong-way driver crashed into his squad car in north suburban Green Oaks. The wrong-way driver, identified as Dan Davies, was also killed in the crash.
On Jan. 12, Trooper Christopher Lambert was struck and killed on I-294 when he stopped to help at a three-car crash in the north suburbs of Chicago. Scott Larsen, 61, of Wisconsin, was charged with a count of reckless homicide of an officer and two counts of reckless homicide involving Scott’s Law.
About 500 violations of Scott’s Law have been logged this year, compared to nearly 200 during the same time period last year, according to state police. The law is named after Chicago Fire Department Lt. Scott Gillen, who was killed on an expressway in 2000.
* Gov. Pritzker sat down with Tina Sfondeles yesterday for a wide-ranging interview. One topic they discussed was legalizing cannabis. Pritzker predicted the final proposal will be a “very, very, strong good bill” and will pass. Here’s some of what he said on the topic..
“I have teenagers, and I was very concerned, just not knowing. I asked a lot of questions about how does this affect teen use,” Gov. Pritzker said. “And in Washington state — where that was the governor’s big concern there too — they did a very good job of showing there was no increase in teen use.”
As for the concerns of police associations across the state over how law enforcement will be able to determine whether a driver is impaired, he acknowledged there’s no current technology to measure impairment when it comes to cannabis.
“Necessity is the mother of invention, and it’s now clear that with 11 states already with legalized adult use cannabis, there are entrepreneurs out there that recognize that every police department is going to want something,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker said he has spent a “reasonable” amount of time studying other states that have legalized recreational marijuana, specifically Washington state. And he acknowledged there will likely be follow-up bills to the legalization measure. But he said legalization is crucial as a criminal justice reform element, to ensure the safety of cannabis in the state and to create jobs.
“This happened in medical cannabis. You start out and then you figure out this isn’t working out quite as well and you make tweaks along the way,” Pritzker said. “With legislation, nothing is perfect and so yes, along the way, it’ll improve.”
