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Thursday, Feb 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Crazy town…

Breaking: on the third day of trial and before prosecutors could rest their case against McCann, he has decided to plead guilty on all counts.
While McCann would like home confinement awaiting sentencing, Govt is opposing that. AUSA Tim Bass pointed to this video as one factor⬇️ https://t.co/HRNiGbvhft

— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) February 15, 2024

…Adding… Sen. McClure…

State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) released the following statement after former State Senator State Senator Sam McCann pled guilty:

“I got into politics because I was concerned that my senator at the time, Sam McCann, was corrupt. Justice was served today as McCann finally took responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s office for their outstanding work. We have to root out corruption in this state at all levels because Illinois deserves better.”

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GOP property tax proposal shows how pension costs are declining as percent of state budget (Updated)

Thursday, Feb 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a Rep. Tim Ozinga (R-Mokena) press release…

“There is a great injustice occurring in the state of Illinois that we have the power to fix,” said Rep. Ozinga. “The high property tax burden is suffocating families, communities, and businesses, especially in areas that are already struggling. But the extremes of property tax rates vary greatly across our state, sometimes even between towns in the same county. It’s time we ask - why are some struggling communities across our state paying four times the effective tax rate than more affluent communities?

“This crisis is why I, along with my colleague State Representative Dan Ugaste, have introduced House Bill 4866. This legislation would create the Education Property Tax Relief Fund, which would award property tax relief grants to school districts. While all areas of the state would see significant property tax relief, the hardest hit areas would see up to a 50% reduction in school district property tax rates.”

* I asked how the tax relief program would be funded. Response…

This would be funded through the Fixed Pension Payment Property Tax Relief Plan which would tie pension costs and property tax relief into a certain percentage of each year’s budget.

I attached a graph that demonstrates how much money would be allocated to the grant program if we freeze the pension spending at 25% of each year’s budget. With pension costs decreasing each year, the gap between the actual pension costs and the 25% budget allocation would be the funding used for this program.

* Here’s the chart. Click the pic for a larger image if you need it…

Zoom in…

You can clearly see the problem with this idea. The percentage of state spending on pensions is currently way below 25 percent and is expected to continue that decline. A rough calculation shows that this plan would cost taxpayers an extra $2 billion or so in the coming fiscal year, and more in future years if Ozinga’s chart is accurate.

* But the chart does dramatically show why you’re not hearing so much about the state pension “crisis” any longer. Again, if the projections hold up, pension costs become much more manageable as a percentage of total state spending.

Perhaps Rep. Ozinga could lock in his plan at 21 percent instead and use that extra money for property tax relief going forward. Then again, the best local property tax relief is probably the state spending more on K-12, which takes the burden off local taxpayers. This is Gov. Pritzker’s explanation earlier in the week…

When I came into office we were funding education from the state level at only 24 percent. So all the rest of it was coming, most of the rest of it coming from local property taxes. We vowed to do something about that, so evidence-based funding and funding education K-12 in general, allows us to do what I’m about to tell you which is we move from 24 percent funding to 30 percent funding. The average state is 46% funding. You can see how far behind we are, but we’re making tremendous progress. And as we move up the scale of state funding, we can lower local property taxes because this will fall more to the state than it will to local residents.

I dunno about “tremendous” progress, but the arrow is slowly pointing in the right direction for a change. And that started under Bruce Rauner, who signed evidence-based funding into law.

…Adding… From Rep. Ozinga…

“I’m fine locking in at 21% because at the end of the day, some relief is better than none. I am willing to work across the aisle for a solution to this problem, but the more relief the better. We are spending hundreds of millions, potentially billions, on new programs for non-citizens due to the crisis at the border. I think that eventually needs to go to relief as well.”

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*** UPDATED x9 *** State, county announce more money for asylum-seekers, but city conspicuously missing

Thursday, Feb 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Notice any entity missing from this press release?…

Governor JB Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced their commitment to a joint funding plan to ensure shelter, wraparound services and healthcare remain available for asylum seekers sent to Chicago from the Texas border. Following a long-term planning exercise, State, County and City teams concluded that an additional estimated $321 million is needed to maintain shelter and services this calendar year, on top of previously committed funding. The Governor and President are pledging a combined investment of over $250 million to help close this gap.

In November, the State of Illinois committed an additional $160 million to the asylum seeker response to invest in three critical areas: welcome, shelter, and independence. That commitment was in addition to the $478 million the State has spent since the start of the response. As part of the joint funding plan, the State is pledging an additional $182 million, which will be part of the Governor’s upcoming Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal to the General Assembly.

“With thousands of asylum seekers continuing to come to Chicago in desperate need of support and with Congress continuing to refuse to act—it is clear the state, county, and city will have to do more to keep people safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m thankful to President Preckwinkle for working with us to help close this budget gap and maintain critical services in the year ahead.”

Cook County has already committed more than $100 million in its current FY24 budget for new arrival related costs, primarily for healthcare, and the President will work with Cook County commissioners to commit up to $70 million more for this joint funding plan.

“As critical funding for this ongoing humanitarian crisis stalls in Congress, Cook County stands committed to the well-being of the region,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “We cannot wait for additional resources and Cook County is proud to stand alongside Governor Pritzker in this joint funding plan, ensuring that shelter capacity, healthcare and wraparound services remain accessible to those in need.”

The County, through its Health and Hospital system, has been the primary health care provider for new arrivals and have served more than 25,000 patients and provided for nearly 70,000 visits across the health system. Cook County Health (CCH) provides comprehensive medical exams and care – including physical exams, testing, lab services, standard vaccinations, complete school physicals and pediatric vaccines, as well as behavioral health screenings and counseling, care coordination and prescription medications - and provides follow up care as needed.

This joint funding plan will maintain shelter capacity as well as the continuation of wraparound and healthcare services. More than 35,000 asylum seekers have been inhumanely dropped off in the City of Chicago and surrounding suburbs over the last year and a half.

The city’s deliberately under-funded appropriation runs out in April, but the mayor isn’t announcing any attempt to convince the city council to appropriate more?

I’ve asked the state, county and city for an explanation. So, watch for possible updates.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Jordan Abudayyeh…

We put together these cost projections in collaboration with the county and city. The Governor agreed to step up and cover more than half of this cost at $182 million. The County President also stepped up to cover an additional $70 million. You will have to ask the city what their plans are for the remaining $70 million that all parties have agreed is needed to fund this humanitarian response.

*** UPDATE 2 *** Tina Sfondeles…

According to a source briefed on the discussions, Johnson initially agreed to ask the City Council for more funds, but ultimately backed off.

*** UPDATE 3 *** I’m told the mayor agreed to ask the city council for an additional $70 million during a February 5th meeting with the governor and county board president. And then the mayor apparently changed his mind.

*** UPDATE 4 *** Stay tuned…

*** UPDATE 5 *** Senate President Don Harmon…

“I applaud Governor Pritzker for initiating this needed team approach. Solving this problem is going to require engaged partnership among all government stakeholders. I’m eager to hear more about the governor’s proposed budget and look forward to continued discussions on pairing expenditures on this crisis with investments in longstanding issues facing our communities like homelessness, food insecurity and job opportunities.”

Harmon has said before that he cannot support more migrant funding without more spending on other issues, like the ones he mentioned above.

*** UPDATE 6 *** Mayor Johnson was pressed by Mary Ann Ahern on his flip-flop and he seemed to obliquely deny he changed position…

Mayor Johnson: Were you at that meeting? So you’re making an assertion that I made a promise. Were you at that meeting? … So, whatever conclusion you’re coming to, maybe I shouldn’t speak to whatever conclusion you’re coming to. All I’m saying is, is that no one in this city, let’s make it broader. No one in the state of Illinois, in this country is questioning Mayor Brandon Johnson’s commitment to this mission.

*** UPDATE 7 *** Mayor Johnson continued to resist answering the question…

Q: Are you saying the governor’s staff is lying when they say you committed to $70 million? … Why are those numbers not jiving with what you’re saying? 70 million. Were you in the meeting, was somebody else in the meeting? What’s the disconnect?

Mayor: There is no disconnect. And yes, I was in the meeting. There are a number of matters that need to be worked through. It’s not just about financial resources, as I’ve said before. […]

Q: Did they jump the gun by issuing this press release?

Mayor: [Deflected, blamed the federal government, Texas etc.]

A reporter then tried three times to get a straight yes or no answer about whether Johnson would commit to the new funding. He didn’t get a direct response.

The bottom line is the mayor gave his word ten days ago to ask for an additional $70 million and has now apparently reneged.

*** UPDATE 8 *** Mayor Johnson said he is “not aware” of the details a reporter referenced about the supposed deal. When pressed by multiple reporters to answer the question and then complained that questioning was becoming “quite hostile.”

Here’s the exchange…

Q: Your staff and the staff from the county and the governor’s office had been meeting for weeks and months. And you guys had that meeting last week with Governor Pritzker and President Preckwinkle. They walked out of that meeting believing that you had a deal in place for $321 million in extra funding, the state would provide 50% of that and the county and city would provide 25%. Are you at all concerned that they walked out of a meeting believing there was a deal that you now say you never made a commitment to?

Mayor Johnson: I’m not aware of what you are asserting. I’m not aware of that. So whatever understanding that you all might have about what was discussed in that meeting, because none of you were in that meeting, none of you were, so all I could, let’s keep a little let’s keep a little decorum. Okay.

*** UPDATE 9 *** From Chief Budgeteer Jehan Gordon-Booth and Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, leader of the New Arrivals Working Group…

“We look forward to reviewing the full details of the plan and hearing the governor outline his full budget priorities next week. We will remain focused on continuing to bring stakeholders together to continue making smart and compassionate decisions for our state and all of our communities.”

The House Speaker has said he’s basically in the same position as Harmon. Their respective caucuses want more spending on other priorities in exchange for voting for this appropriation.

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