Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Report: Average IDOT infrastructure spending for each House Republican district will be more than double spent in HDem districts

Thursday, Oct 24, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Greg Bishop at the Center Square spent some time crunching numbers…

Despite being in the minority party, Illinois House Republicans are getting more infrastructure money for roads and bridges than majority Democrats, according to an analysis of the newly released multi-year $23.5 billion plan.

The district of Elwood Democratic state Rep. Larry Walsh Jr. is set to get the most capital money of all House members, at $1.52 billion. The second most, $1.1 billion, is headed for the district of Morris Republican state Rep. David Welter.

House Democrats will get $9.9 billion combined while House Republicans, who are in the super minority, will get a combined $12.1 billion.

Welter said a likely reason was that Republicans have larger districts with more miles of road. He said the spending breakdown was a good sign the spending plan was fair.

“I think when you have a large capital bill like this there are going to be things in it that were probably put in it due to political influence, obviously, but I think that’s a good sign at least that hopefully it’s been diverted to where the largest needs were,” Welter said.

The House has 74 Democrats, but one isn’t getting any new IDOT spending…

The one district not getting any money is represented by Naperville Democratic state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray. The page for her district spending doesn’t have any breakdown. Instead, it says: “No projects were planned for this legislative district for the current Proposed Six Year Highway Improvement Program.”

Stava-Murray didn’t return messages seeking comment. IDOT said road construction projects in that district were already underway.

“The only interstates are under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Tollway, which is separate from IDOT and not part of our agency’s multi-year planning process,” Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman Guy Tridgell said. “There are just two IDOT routes in House District 81 and pretty small stretches at that: Illinois 53 and U.S. 34. Both of these are currently under construction. U.S. 34 from Ivanhoe Avenue to Kingery Avenue is being resurfaced this year and next. Illinois 53 from south of I-88 to 59th Street also is being resurfaced, with work wrapping up later this fall.”

* OK, so the House Democrats are receiving $9.9 billion, which works out to an average of $133.7 million per district (including Stava-Murray’s district, which actually receives nothing). Republicans are receiving $12.1 billion for 44 districts, which is an average of $275 million per district.

Discuss.

…Adding… From comments…

I’d really like to hear from Eastern bloc members to get their take on this.

Greg quoted him the other day…

To those who criticize lawmakers who voted against the tax increases to pay for infrastructure with their districts set to get more than a billion dollars, state Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said even those who vote “no” have to pay increased taxes.

“The bill passed, I voted no, but we still have citizens that are paying the gas tax,” Hallbrooke said. “They should be the recipients of these improvement projects.”

Halbrook’s legislative districts gets $208.7 million, according to an individual district breakout for House Dist. 102.

35 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 *** Pressure intensifies on both sides as legislators stand with CTU

Thursday, Oct 24, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The union is preparing for civil disobedience…

CTU in its latest statement on the strike: "We will learn from the tactics that ended Jim Crow and stopped the Vietnam War." pic.twitter.com/Vi9PLnxIyw

— Zoe Galland (@zoegalland) October 24, 2019

* Matt Masterson at WTTW…

The Chicago Teachers Union and city negotiators have reached more than 80 tentative agreements on various issues as of Wednesday night, according to CPS Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade. But the district is still waiting on counter proposals from the union on “top priorities” like class sizes, staffing and prep time. […]

Already the school district has postponed PSAT and SAT assessments until next week. If students aren’t able to take the PSAT before Nov. 1, they may miss out on applying for National Merit Scholarships, McDade said. […]

Speaking at a separate event Thursday morning, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she’s concerned about students planning to apply for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before the end of this month. […]

But the union says the two sides have gotten “nowhere” on enforcement language for capping class sizes or setting staffing levels.”

* Sun-Times…

[CPS Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade] said the district is waiting for counterproposals from the CTU team on class size and staffing levels — two major sticking points. If those are favorable, McDade said, “We can get some real strong movement.”

* Mitch Dudek and Matthew Hendrickson at the Sun-Times…

As the days without pay add up for striking teachers, security guards and other school workers, many say they are starting to feel the pinch in their pocketbooks. […]

What’s more, Chicago Public Schools could stop contributing to teachers’ health insurance premiums as early as next week when the month ends.

* The CTU and SEIU represent more than 30,000 CPS employees, so 400 crossing the picket lines would be 1.3 percent…

CPS CEO says nearly 400 CTU and SEIU members have crossed picket lines and reported to work, frustrations high #CTUstrike https://t.co/JPRSFp3YGr

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) October 24, 2019

Not much.

* State representative from Chicago…

This breaks my heart. As a Chicago Public League student who was only able to attain a college degree based on getting an athletic scholarship, it sucks to see these student-athletes lose these once in a lifetime opportunities https://t.co/PgKpBEzVhT

— Kam Buckner (@RepKamBuckner) October 23, 2019

* Several Chicago legislators including House Majority Leader Greg Harris are openly supporting the striking workers, which could be problematic for CPS and the city if this strike lasts until veto session…

Proud to wear #RedforEd this morning with the folks outside Courtenay School. Amazing support from passersby for #CTUSEIUstrike . pic.twitter.com/2oq7t9s8ul

— Rep. Greg Harris (@repgregharris) October 24, 2019

* At least three state legislators spoke at this rally yesterday. Sen. Ram Villivalam, Sen. Robert Peters and Rep. Delia Ramirez…

“I just came from city hall where I heard the mayor say that budgets are moral documents. So are collective bargaining agreements!” Former SEIU organizer, state senator @senvillivalam #CTUSEIUstrike #PutItInWriting @CTULocal1 @SEIU73 pic.twitter.com/aWjeMYcOP6

— Arise Chicago (@AriseChicago) October 23, 2019

Click here for a longish thread on the contract negotiations by Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago).

*** UPDATE *** Hmm…

NOW: Law firm files emergency injunction on behalf of CPS student-athletes against @IHSA_IL for not letting them play state games during @CTULocal1 strike. CPS says IHSA rule is to blame. Student-athletes gathering NOW speak to us. IHSA statement response below: @nbcchicago pic.twitter.com/Upak2Mp2dU

— Chris Hush (@ChrisHushNBC) October 24, 2019

103 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 - “I will not vote for a bill that is solely set up on helping just Chicago” *** Will the Statehouse back Lightfoot’s plans?

Thursday, Oct 24, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sun-Times on the Lightfoot budget, specifically the $163 million “emergency services reimbursement” line…

Civic Federation President Laurence Msall said $30 million of that amount is expected to come from increasing ambulance fees for patients with private health insurance.

The remaining $133 million will come from reimbursements administered by the state for ambulance transports for low-income patients on Medicaid, Msall said.

According to the city, Chicago now provides about 260,000 ambulance rides a year for low-income patients, but gets only about 8% to 36% of those costs reimbursed. Going forward, that amount is expected to grow to about 50%.

“It sounds like they have an agreement with the state to get $133 million for previously un-reimbursed ambulance service for Medicaid patients taken to hospitals,” Msall said.

“It doesn’t sound risky. They’re saying they have an agreement. The risk is whether or not the state will approve the graduated real estate transfer tax and the casino [gambling] fix.”

* A.D. Quig on the real estate transfer tax portion…

“There isn’t a great appetite for (the real estate transfer tax) during the fall veto session,” said downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, but he added, “The mayor’s team hasn’t really gone down there and started advocating in force. It’s not too late, but time is running out.”

“I just don’t know if there’s the political will heading into primary season to ‘do Chicago a favor,’” Reilly continued. “If the transfer tax is rejected by Springfield, that leaves another $50 million hole in the mayor’s budget that would need to be filled. . . .If the Legislature doesn’t allow it in the next year, that does the city a great disservice in years two, three and four of the budget,” when the city would miss out on $100 million in annual revenue. […]

Northwest Side Ald. Nick Sposato, 38th, was more optimistic. “All the Chicago state reps and senators are on board,” he said, “but those aren’t the people we need to talk to.” The trick will be convincing downstaters. Lightfoot expects aldermen to lobby their local Springfield representatives in the days leading up to the veto session, which begins Oct. 28.

Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, who has become one of the mayor’s chief antagonists, said he’s hearing a different story: that legislators on the city’s South Side “haven’t had any communication whatsoever” from the mayor’s team. “I do not have a high confidence level in Springfield,” he said, rating the mayor’s chances of success at 30 percent.

* Team coverage in the Tribune…

“I think that’s an unknown right now,” [Ald. Roderick Sawyer] said. “I want to make sure we can balance a budget on our own accord and not have to rely too much on Springfield because I’m not sure that’s going to come, especially in the form of a transfer tax or the casino assist.” […]

“We have not received any contact or any information from the mayor’s office, but we would look at whatever they send,” said Jason Gerwig, a spokesman for Senate GOP leader Bill Brady of Bloomington. […]

[House Republican leader Jim Durkin’s] spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis said it’s unlikely the transfer tax will have support from House Republicans.

Amanda Kass, associate director of the Government Finance Research Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said one of the budget’s risks is that it requires action from Springfield to balance.

*** UPDATE *** Text from Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin)…

Mayor Lightfoot needs to understand that there are 59 members of the Senate plus 118 in the House. We all DO NOT live in Chicago and some of us have casinos and others are about to get one. They had a chance to negotiate during session, they could have asked for what they needed. If they open the bill for Chicago, there should be a discussion on other parts of the bill as well. I will not vote for a bill that is solely set up on helping just Chicago.

Elgin’s Grand Victoria Casino is one of her city’s largest employers.

…Adding… More ahistorical nonsense from the Tribune editorial board…

Emanuel during his two terms experienced uneven success at getting the legislature to approve his initiatives. Lawmakers reluctantly approved his speed camera program in 2011, for example, but he struggled to get help with pension relief and Chicago Public Schools funding.

Why? State lawmakers think big city mayors should figure out how to solve their own problems.

Lawmakers do often believe that Chicago should solve its own problems, but that wasn’t the case for the police and fire pension “relief” plan (basically just helping him kick the can into the future which is now) and CPS funding. The pushback there was mainly from Gov. Bruce Rauner. Remember all those vetoes and his claims of a “Chicago bailout”? The Trib apparently does not.