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*** UPDATED x2 - Cullerton responds *** Rauner won’t schedule leaders meeting until Dems “are ready”

Wednesday, Dec 7, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* So, apparently, tomorrow’s scheduled meeting is being postponed unless the Dems get back to the governor soonish…

The following is attributable to Lance Trover, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, regarding Democratic leaders’ ongoing discussions with their caucuses on whether or not to propose a budget framework:

“The Governor and Republican leaders remain ready to negotiate on a balanced budget with reforms to grow jobs, lower property taxes, improve schools and implement term limits. However, Democratic leaders continue to discuss internally whether they are prepared to present a budget proposal, so we will schedule the next Four Leaders meeting when we receive confirmation that they are ready.”

…Adding… Sun-Times…

Rauner’s administration said the delay was prompted after reaching Rep. Greg Harris and learning the Democratic leaders were not planning to present their budget proposal. Harris has been attending leaders meetings alongside House Speaker Michael Madigan as his “chief negotiator.” […]

“The Democrats have been working tirelessly to deal with the budget issues. Somehow they had it in their heads that we’re going to take over some executive action. I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

“We’re trying to do what the governor is asking us to do and go forward,” Brown said.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Harris, I’m told, informed the governor’s office that there had been no presentation to his caucus about the budget proposal as of yet (which was discussed at the Tuesday meeting). When asked if there’d be a budget presented at the meeting tomorrow, Harris told them there would not be.

Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown said in response, “We’re going to try to examine and try to understand the governor’s actions.”

*** UPDATE 2 *** From Senate President John Cullerton’s spokesman John Patterson…

“The Senate President is disappointed that the governor cancelled what we hoped would be a robust discussion on a budget framework. President Cullerton has participated in these meetings to keep moving toward a fair and balanced budget. He thought that progress, albeit slow, was finally being made. President Cullerton hopes the governor will reconsider and get everyone to the table so we can keep working.”

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*** UPDATED x1 *** Are we really going to have to wait until 2018?

Wednesday, Dec 7, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From WLDS AM…

A long-time political reporter doubts the state will get a new budget before next summer.

In fact, Chicago Tribune’s Ray Long says there may be no budget until Democrats try to get Governor Bruce Rauner out of office in the 2018 elections.

* You may recall that I asked Gov. Rauner about this almost a year ago, back in January. Oscar the Puppy made the interview slightly difficult, however…

Miller: Do you see [Speaker Madigan] cutting a deal before the primary? Or before the General Election?

Rauner: I don’t know what timing he is going to choose. You know my buddies over in the Democratic caucus, some say that there’s a chance he’ll do it soon, others have said there is no way it’s happening before the primary. And more and more are sayin’ no way until after the general. At some point we got to lead.

Miller: How do you get there? You’ve faced complicated situations in business. You didn’t become who you were by just waiting everyone out.

::Oscar growing increasingly agitated::

Rauner: I haven’t played every card in my hand, I haven’t done everything I can do. I’m just going to keep doing what I can do to try and get a compromise.

Miller: Are you going to wait four years? Before we get a budget? Your entire term?

Rauner: Here’s the thing – I will not sign off on a tax hike that doesn’t have reforms in it.

::Oscar barking madly::

Miller: Oscar please!!

Miller: So, four years? Are you really willing to wait four years?

::Oscar continues barking as if to stop the interview all together::

Miller: Are you really willing to wait four years?

Rauner: I’m not waiting, I’m working my ass off 24/7.

Miller: Ok, are you willing to work your ass off and get nothing 24/7 for four years?

Rauner: We’ve already got a lot in the first year. I’m all about improvin’ the future for the people of Illinois.

Miller: (After a pause) Uh-huh.

Raw audo is here.

*** UPDATE *** That above interview was when the governor promised me economic and fiscal projections for his Turnaround Agenda. When I published them, Rauner promptly disowned his own numbers and then falsely claimed I was a former Madigan employee to distract from his woefully anemic projections of a $500 million revenue increase.

So, along those lines, here’s Wordslinger in comments today…

–We’re two years into Rauner’s term and I continue to be amazed that he thinks he’s going to get what he wants by opting for a 24/7/365 war against Madigan. Is he really any closer to his policy objectives than he was when he was first elected?–

Therein, I think, is a fundamental miscalculation many are making.

If squeeze-the-beast is the real agenda, and I think it is, then everything Rauner is doing makes perfect sense.

By his own (since disowned) calculation, Rauner estimated that his “agenda” would generate $500 million a year in extra state revenue.

So, do you push an FY17 budget with an $8 billion deficit (now estimated at $13 billion), and triple the backlog of bills to an estimated $14 billion by June 30, to hold out for an extra $500 million a year?

That would be the act of a lunatic. And Rauner ain’t crazy. He knows what he’s doing, and he’s accomplishing what he set out to do.

He just didn’t tell anyone what that was, for good reason.

Your thoughts?

…Adding… 47th Ward offers a counter-point…

He’s just so far removed from the carnage that he doesn’t care about the damage he is doing. The damage he is inflicting is in service of his anti-union zeal. He will stop at nothing to eliminate public unions. Period.

He knows he can’t get this done without breaking the whole political system so that’s what he’s doing, and damn the consequences.

I tend to side with 47 on this one.

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IMA says Rauner signature on Exelon bill weakens manufacturing

Wednesday, Dec 7, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The IMA on the Exelon bailout bill…

“Today, Illinois’ ability to compete for middle class manufacturing jobs was weakened by Governor Bruce Rauner’s signature of SB 2814.

“Last week, lawmakers approved a 500-page bill that significantly alters Illinois’ energy policy with very little time for stakeholder review. We hoped that the Administration would take time to review this comprehensive legislation and contemplate the impact that electric rates have on Illinois job creators.

“Illinois manufacturers have lost nearly 10,000 good, high-paying jobs in the past year while our neighboring states are growing. Building a guaranteed electric rate hike into state law and reversing twenty years of deregulation is not the answer to get our economy booming again.”

…Adding… The governor obviously disagrees with the IMA…

Nothing more important than protecting jobs, Gov. Rauner says @wqad pic.twitter.com/QPRNsSicxF

— John David (@JohnDavidWQAD) December 7, 2016

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Kennedy may file candidate papers “in short order,” while Bustos moves up DC ladder

Wednesday, Dec 7, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Just stay away from elevators, Chris, and you’ll be fine…

Businessman Chris Kennedy is interviewing potential pollsters and consultants as he moves toward a possible 2018 gubernatorial run, sources close to Kennedy told POLITICO Illinois.

Kennedy, son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, has increased his public profile since the spring and has publicly discussed the possibility of running for governor — without making commitments.

Top Illinois Democrats who have met with Kennedy say they would welcome his candidacy but were not sure if he’ll actually make the run, given his flirtations with higher office in the past.

But a top aide to Kennedy told POLITICO Illinois on Tuesday that he is preparing to file papers with the state board of elections “in short order … some time in the next month.”

Kennedy doesn’t have the cash of someone like Bruce Rauner or JB Pritzker. He’s got money, but he’s not OMG rich. Case in point was his backing of Innovation Illinois, which was supposed to be a counter to the Illinois Policy Institute. But Kennedy never put nearly enough money into it or raised enough outside funds and it fizzled.

So, we’ll see how he does on his first fundraising report.

We’ll also have to wait and see if he decides to venture out to experience how large this state really is. We’re essentially Boston, MA to Richmond, VA in length (and in politics). And Quincy to Danville (our widest point) is about 230 miles. He’s been to Springfield and the Quad Cities, but there’s a whole lot of Illinois beyond that.

The guy has floated his name so many times for so many offices that it’s difficult to believe he’ll actually follow through. And, of course, he failed bigtime when confronted by an aggressive reporter during the Democratic National Convention. Does he have what it takes to endure a statewide bid? Maybe we’ll find out.

* Meanwhile…

After being elected to a leadership role in the House Democratic Caucus Monday, Rep. Cheri Bustos is primed to shape outreach and communications efforts for a party that suffered a series of pivotal losses in November’s election.

Bustos was tapped to co-chair the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee after winning every county in her downstate swing district last month. […]

During Tuesday’s interview, the congresswoman also looked ahead to the 2018 Congressional elections.

“We have a lot of opportunities in two years to hopefully win back some seats and spread what we think is important to working families,” the congresswoman said. “Spread that at a deeper and broader level throughout the country, and that will be part of what I hope to play a part in.”

Bustos dropped by some state lobbying associations lately to let them know she’s interested in running for governor. But she doesn’t yet have an active state campaign account and that new DC role could mean she’ll be otherwise occupied.

…Adding… Good point from a commenter on the new Bustos gig…

It could also just be one of those “everyone gets a title” things that caucuses, especially minority caucuses, do nowadays.

Agreed.

40 Comments

Emanuel meeting with Trump this morning

Wednesday, Dec 7, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the city…

Good morning-

I wanted to make sure you are aware of a meeting on the Mayor’s schedule this morning.

Mayor Emanuel will meet with the president-elect this morning when he is in New York for a series of other meetings. When they spoke a few weeks ago the President-elect asked for a meeting with the Mayor, as he has done with others who have significant experience in the White House and several other big city mayors. The meeting will take place at 10 AM eastern, 9 AM central.

According to the pool report, Emanuel didn’t use the main entrance at Trump’s building.

…Adding… From the mayor’s office…

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and mayors from across the country today sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump urging him to continue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program until Congress modernizes the immigration system and provides a more permanent form of relief for the close to one million young people who were brought to the United States before they were 16.

“Ensuring DREAMers can continue to live and work in their communities without fear of deportation is the foundation of sound, responsible immigration policy. Ending DACA would disrupt the lives of close to one million young people, and it would disrupt the American economy, as well as our national security and public safety,” said Mayor Emanuel in the letter to Trump. “We encourage your Administration to demonstrate your commitment to the American economy and our security by continuing DACA until Congress modernizes our immigration system and provides a more permanent form of relief for these individuals.”

The DACA program helps ensure that qualified undocumented youth can seek higher education, work and engage in military service without fear of deportation. Youth who were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012; came to the U.S. before reaching their 16th birthday; have lived in the US continuously for five years; and are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; who have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor, or more than three misdemeanors of any kind; and do not pose a threat to national security or public safety; may apply through the program for temporary deferred action and work authorization.

Nearly 742,000 youth have participated in DACA since the program began in 2012. In addition to citing the disruption to countless lives of youth across the country, the Mayors also cautioned the incoming Administration about the economic impact that would come with the eliminating DACA.

According to the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), eliminating the program would lead to the loss of $9.9 billion in tax contributions over the next four years and would wipe away at least $433.4 billion from the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) over the next decade.

Mayors signing the letter included: Mayor Megan Barry of Nashville, TN; Mayor Bill di Blasio of New York City, NY; Mayor Jorge Elorza of Providence, RI; Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, CA; Mayor Michael Hancock of Denver, CO; Mayor Betsy Hodges of Minneapolis, MN; Mayor Jim Kenney of Philadelphia, PA; Mayor Ed Lee of San Francisco, CA; Isiah Leggett County Executive, Montgomery County, MD; Mayor Sam Liccardo of San Jose, CA; Mayor Ed Murray of Seattle, WA; Former Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore, MD; Mayor Fran

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