Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Friday, Jan 11, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* HB 4637 was reportedly sent to Gov. Rauner by mistake. It was supposed to be held until JB Pritzker took over. Oops…

Today, I return House Bill 4637 of the 100th General Assembly with specific recommendations for change.

This legislation amends the process by which townships in McHenry County may be dissolved in an effort to consolidate and reduce Illinois’ excessive layers of local government.

While I applaud the effort to create a clear process that aligns with the Illinois Constitution’s vision that townships may be dissolved if approved by referendum, this is a process that should be available with equal clarity across the state.

This legislation also mandates the abolition of certain road districts in Lake and McHenry County. This question of consolidating services should also go to the voters through a referendum, a process that Lake and McHenry County—and all other counties—can already pursue under state law.

Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(e) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 4637, entitled “AN ACT concerning local government,” with the following specific recommendations for change:

He goes out the way he came in: Refusing to accept incremental change.

* From the bill’s sponsor, Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills)…

Failed Governor and hypocrite Bruce Rauner showed his true colors again by vetoing my bill that would consolidate unnecessary levels of government and cut property taxes. The people of Illinois rejected phony, incompetent Raunerism in a landslide. Bruce Rauner leaves office with zero accomplishments and is widely regarded as the worst Governor in the history of Illinois. Good riddance to Rauner and his endless stream of lies! I look forward to passing my bill again during this General Assembly.

* This bill passed both chambers without a single “No” vote…

Today, I veto House Bill 982 from the 100th General Assembly, which would amend the process for filling a vacancy in the office of the President of the Cook County Board.

The legislation creates and amends a special set of conditions if the office of Cook County Board President is vacated, specifically during or after the period for filing nomination papers for the primary election. This process differs from that in place for any other elective county offices in the rest of the state. This is another example of special rules being legislated for certain parts of the state without compelling justification, while not applying those same rules to the rest of the state. We should seek more consistency in how state law regulates local governments, and less special legislation that addresses local concerns on an ad hoc, case-by-case basis.

Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 982, entitled “AN ACT concerning government,” with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.

He also vetoed HB200, HB5769 and SB938, which all passed both chambers on unanimous rollcalls. SB426 passed the Senate unanimously and just four House members voted against it, but he vetoed it.

All these vetoed bills are now dead because the 101st GA can’t override vetoes of bills passed by the 100th GA.

…Adding… In an apparent last-minute resume sweetener, the governor just appointed DCEO’s Chief Operating Office Travis March to be Acting Director of the agency.

…Adding… He also just appointed Jessica Baer, Director of the Division of Professional Regulation, to Acting Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Her appointment is official come Monday, just before Pritzker is sworn in. She replaces Secretary Bryan Schneider.

14 Comments

*** UPDATED x2 *** #MuteRKelly and cancel his state fairgrounds show

Friday, Jan 11, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I watched the first two episodes of this series and it was a nauseating, shocking experience. Sun-Times editorial…

If there’s a radio station in Chicago still playing R. Kelly’s music, shame on them.

If there’s a concert venue still willing to book him, shame on them, too.

They are turning a blind eye to the abundant evidence of Kelly’s sexual pursuit and abuse of underage girls.

“Surviving R. Kelly,” the 3-part documentary seen last week by an estimated 1.9 million viewers, laid it all out in explicit, harrowing details recounted by some of the survivors of Kelly’s abuse, including his ex-wife.

* Today…

Chicago’s 95.1 FM Clubsteppin station will no longer play any music by R.Kelly because of the controversy that resurfaced after Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly” documentary series.

* Other stories if you’re not up to speed…

* Eye-opening R. Kelly documentary on Lifetime an ‘uneasy’ must-watch: “I want my story to be heard so people can take the situation seriously,” says Lisa Van Allen, one of Kelly’s former love interests, who first hooked up with him when she was 17. The series does just that, presenting credible, firsthand accounts of years of alleged abuse against young girls and women by Kelly, a Chicago native. According to several subjects, the singer and his entourage purposefully scoped out Kenwood Academy High School girls at a Hyde Park McDonald’s.

* The timeline of the R. Kelly child pornography case

* At least 2 women contact Cook County prosecutors with new R. Kelly allegations: One woman, who’s originally from Georgia, said that Kelly engaged in inappropriate conduct with her at his rented warehouse/studio space in 2002. She said she ran away from home in Georgia, met Kelly in Florida and eventually came back to Chicago with him.

* R. Kelly ordered to allow inspectors inside rented warehouse

* After ‘Surviving R Kelly,’ the #MuteRKelly movement gains momentum

* Lady Gaga apologizes for ‘poor judgment’ over R. Kelly song; stands with victims

* Chance the Rapper apologizes for ‘taking this long to speak out’ about R. Kelly

* Georgia prosecutor seeking info about R. Kelly, lawyer says

* Instagram post linked to R. Kelly’s daughter blasts performer: In the IG post, Buku Abi says she is “devastated” over “everything that is going on right now” and offered support to alleged victims. “I pray for all the families … that have been affected by my father’s actions.”

* ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ leads to spike in sales, streams for the singer

* And now this from WICS TV…

An organizer is selling tickets for Springfield Spring Break Jam, hosted by R. Kelly at the expo center on April 6, 2019.

But after allegations have come up against the R&B singer R. Kelly, it is unclear if the concert will go on as planned.

The Department of Agriculture confirmed organizers submitted an application for the Springfield Spring Break Jam, but said the application is still under review.

Officials said there are 13 factors they consider when reviewing an application for a concert.

That is the same State Fair Exposition Center where JB Pritzker’s inaugural ball will be held.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture needs to find a way to cancel this show. Period.

*** UPDATE 1 *** The person who runs Kity Promotions, which is putting on the show just told me via Facebook messenger that R Kelly “will not be performing,” at the concert.

*** UPDATE 2 *** From the Department of Ag…

Hey Rich! Just want to make a couple clarifications on the R. Kelly story – the event organizers submitted an application to lease space on the Illinois State Fairgrounds to host a concert featuring R. Kelly. However, that application was under review until yesterday, at which point IDOA staff contacted the organizer to let them know their application would not be approved. IDOA’s Administrative Code outlines 13 criteria that applicants must meet to lease space (ftp://www.ilga.gov/JCAR/AdminCode/008/008002700J04950R.html) and in this case, the event did not meet criteria C, E, and G.

Unfortunately, we cannot control when organizers start promoting an event – in this case, there was never a signed agreement to host the event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, only an application.

17 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 *** Pritzker to double top staff pay out of his own pocket

Friday, Jan 11, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I told subscribers about this earlier today. Tribune…

Billionaire Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker, who pumped more than $171 million of his own wealth into his campaign to defeat Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in November, now will use his own money to bolster his top government aides’ salaries, his transition team reported Friday.

Pritzker’s incoming Chief of Staff Anne Caprara will be paid a salary of $298,000 — $148,000 in state money and $150,000 more from East Jackson Street LLC, an organization Pritzker set up to “enable the governor-elect to personally compensate some staff in addition to their government salary,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.

Rauner’s chief, by comparison, made $180,000 in 2018, according to state records. […]

Pritzker’s transition pointed to former New York City mayor and fellow billionaire Michael Bloomberg supplementing his staff’s pay with his own money. The transition says Pritzker’s move means some aides will have lower taxpayer-funded salaries than Rauner’s, and they’ll have to report the supplemental income on ethics forms.

* Sun-Times…

The double salary will be apply to Pritzker’s chief of staff Anne Caprara, his three deputy governors Dan Hynes, Christian Mitchell and Jesse Ruiz and their special assistants, deputy chiefs of staff and other high-level employees. It will apply to 20 positions, including some that have not been filled. […]

The deputy governors will make $278,000: $139,000 each from the state and the LLC. Senior adviser Nikki Budzinski will make the same.

His deputy chiefs of staff, including Emily Bittner, who will run his communications staff, will make $174,000 and Abudayyeh, his press secretary, will have her state salary of $75,000 doubled to $150,000. […]

Staff who receive the additional pay will be required to publicly report it in line with other public disclosures.

* Press release…

The Governor-Elect is committed to recruiting top talent to state government to best address the challenges Illinois faces. As a result, an LLC has been created that will enable the Governor-Elect to personally compensate some staff in addition to their government salary, reducing the cost to taxpayers. This process will take place in a transparent manner with requirements that information be reported publicly.

Subscribers know more, but the Pritzker transition claims he will not take any tax deductions on the supplemental payments.

* Two former Raunerites told me the same thing earlier today…

As @JBPritzker doubles salaries (by paying for increase himself) of key staffers, a former @GovRauner aide tells me “I worked for the wrong billionaire” #PritzkerInauguration #RichestPolinAmerica

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) January 11, 2019

*** UPDATE *** AFSCME…

Reaction from @AFSCME31 spokesman: “Obviously the incoming administration believes its employees should be paid fairly. So making certain that frontline workers are paid fairly and Rauner’s illegal four-year freeze on step progression is ended must be among its first priorities.” https://t.co/LyYCxDhWGr

— Mark Maxwell (@WCIA3Mark) January 11, 2019