Supreme Court remap plan unveiled
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Click here for background if you need it. Press release…
The Senate and House Redistricting Committees today released a proposed map of new Illinois Supreme Court boundaries to bring them into compliance with the Illinois Constitution by reflecting population shifts over the nearly 60 years since the map was last drawn in 1963.
“This map is about equal representation in the state’s most important court,” said Rep. Lisa Hernandez, Chair of the House Redistricting Committee. “As we strive for all to be equal before the law, we must ensure we all have an equal voice in choosing those who uphold it.”
Under this proposal, the number of residents in the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Supreme Court districts will be substantially equalized to better reflect the population and demographic shifts that have occurred in the state of Illinois over the course of the last sixty years. Currently, population fluctuates greatly between districts. For instance, the Second District contains 3.2 million people, while the Fourth and Fifth Districts contain under 1.3 million people.
“The boundaries for Illinois Supreme Court districts have not been updated for several decades, it’s time we make changes in recognition of the population changes and demographic shifts that have taken place since the 1960s,” said Sen. Omar Aquino, Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee. “Illinois is a very different state than it was sixty years ago, and the voters of Illinois deserve to elect members to our state’s highest court that reflect their values.”
This new map will not impact the tenure of the current Appellate and Supreme Court justices. All justices running for retention will have the right to do so in their current districts. Further, this map avoids disruption to the Judicial Branch by ensuring that the Appellate Courts can remain where they currently reside and avoid changing the compositions or boundaries of the Judicial Circuits.
Consistent with the proposed legislative maps, this proposed map was drafted using population information from the American Community Survey’s (ACS) 5-year estimate for 2019. The ACS estimate varies by just 0.3 percent from the state’s official population count released by the U.S. Census Bureau in April.
The public has the opportunity to provide input on this proposed map at four scheduled redistricting committee hearings between the House and the Senate this week. To view the proposed map, visit www.ilsenateredistricting.com or www.ilhousedems.com/redistricting.
* Click here to see the Google Map version…
Current map…
…Adding… Either they have a typo, or this was written last Friday and not sent…
Tonight, following the legislature’s release of a new map for the Illinois Supreme Court, the first time this has happened in 50 years, Chairman of Citizens for Judicial Fairness Jim Nowlan released the following statement:
“Forget Congress. Forget the legislature. The one issue that sends shivers up the spines of Cook County Democrats is loss of their unbroken, six-decade long control of the partisan Illinois Supreme Court. Not even Mike Madigan can claim that record.
And now that their control is threatened, Democrats in Springfield displayed a breathtakingly cynical effort to retain that control, when they unveiled a new gerrymandering of Illinois Supreme Court districts days before the end of the legislative session with no public hearings or input to date.
If this thus-far secret map, long rumored in the back alleys of Springfield Democratic circles, goes through this coming week, indeed this year, it will strongly suggest the new Democratic regime in the state capitol may be even worse than the old one.”
…Adding… ILGOP…
Moments ago and just a couple hours before sham redistricting hearings are set to begin in Springfield, Democrats have released their new district map for the Illinois Supreme Court. Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Joe Hackler released the following statement in response:
“Today’s announcement of the redrawing of the Illinois Supreme Court map is the latest example of the extraordinary lengths the corrupt political class will go to keep control of power. For the first time in the state’s history, a Supreme Court justice was removed from the Court because of his ties to the Democrat machine. Now, in an effort to maintain their stranglehold on the Supreme Court and thwart much needed reform, that same corrupt political class is rigging the maps to stay in power, redrawing the map for the first time in fifty years. This is a brazen abuse of our judicial system and nothing more than political gamesmanship with what should be an independent court, free of corrupt influence.”
* Greg Hinz…
The most significant changes are in the two districts coving the Chicago metropolitan area outside of Cook County.
One of the new districts covers the northern and western suburbs and a bit of rural territory, running north to the Wisconsin state line and west past DeKalb. Excluded is GOP territory further west that is in the current district.
The other, largely remade district covers the southern suburbs and the Joliet area, but extends to largely rural and lightly populated areas south of Kankakee and west to central Illinois. Democrats presumably think that can win that area, too.
…Adding… Press release…
Statement from John Pastuovic, President of the Illinois Civil Justice League, on Judicial Remap Proposal
“It is clear to me that the Democrats have initiated this first in 50-year judicial remap in reaction to their third district retention loss in 2020 and concern that they could lose that seat to the Republicans in 2022. For example, when looking a party identification voting data, the current third district gives Republicans about a 55 to 45 percent advantage while the new map gives the Republicans a slight 51 to 49 percent advantage.
Additionally, the new second district is a 50-50 toss-up using the same voting data. Since the Democrats only have to win one of those seats to maintain their majority on the court, Las Vegas would probably like their odds.
Calling for a new Supreme Court maps because of a population disparity is a convenient narrative. It is also disingenuous.”
Additional Observations:
The population changes in the new map bring the judicial districts within the threshold of substantially equal, with a total average deviation from the mean of 4.425 percent.
The map drawers paid particular attention to the historic nature of the Mt. Vernon, Springfield, and Ottawa appellate court locations, as well as keeping the original circuit breakdowns from the 1897 reapportionment whole, with just the divisions in circuits over the 125-history of the circuit map.
Newly appointed Second District Justice Michael Burke will likely run in the Third District in 2022, his home is in DuPage County and makes up roughly 48 percent of the new Third District. Will County is now 35 percent of the Third District, whereas before it represented almost 39 percent.
The tough job politically is managing the retentions in 2022, where longtime Third District Justices Tom Lytton (D-Rock Island) and Daniel Schmidt (R-Peoria) are up and live a long way from their district.
In the Fourth District, Justice Rita Garman’s home is now in the new Fifth District and she will need to move west to qualify for her 2022 retention. Fourth District Appellate Justice John Turner lives in his revised district and is eligible for a third term on the retention ballot.
There is now an open Supreme Court seat in the new Second District, which was 50-50 in the Attorney General’s race in 2018, and now gives Democrats an opportunity to elect a Democrat from the north and west suburbs. Remapped out of the Second District are Appellate Justices Joe Birkett, who is up for retention, and newly appointed Justice Liam Brennan, who are both from DuPage.
Additionally, several assigned circuit judges, who sit on the appellate courts by assignment, find themselves from circuits outside of the districts, including Winnebago County judge Kathryn Zenoff (Second) and Vermilion County judge Craig DeArmond (Fourth).
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*** UPDATED x1 *** It’s just a bill
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’ve been telling subscribers about this bill for a couple weeks or so…
A bill passed the House that would amend the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act to allow Chicago Public Schools principals to unionize.
House Bill 3496 passed through the [Senate] Executive Committee by way of a 9 to 5 vote and has been scheduled for a second reading. […]
The bill would amend a state labor law that prohibits any person in a managerial position from joining a union. President of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association Troy LaRaviere said passage of the bill was important because policymakers usually miss things principals will see at the bargaining table.
“When school district officials create policies they often can not see unintended negative consequences that Principals could see if they were at the table. In Chicago however, Principals are not at that table,” LaRaviere said.
Mayor Lightfoot isn’t having a great session so far.
* Excerpt from tweet thread…
I asked about the recalcitrant stakeholder and the group claims it’s the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.
* Almost a law…
Today, the Illinois Senate voted to approve House Bill 1063, which would end criminal penalties against people living with HIV (PLWH). Under current law, PLWH face the threat of arrest, prosecution, and incarceration even if they do not transmit HIV to another person. Additionally, PLWH may face longer sentences simply because of their HIV status.
“We are thrilled the Illinois Senate took decisive action and voted to end criminal penalties against people living with HIV in Illinois. Thank you to lead sponsor Senator Robert Peters for his steadfast dedication and leadership to this important issue.
HB 1063 has now passed both chambers with bipartisan support, and now it is time for Governor Pritzker to sign this bill and repeal this outdated and dangerous law. The truth is HIV criminalization never improved safety or public health in Illinois - instead, it has only caused suffering to people living with HIV, their families, and their communities. It has promoted stigma and discrimination, and it has discouraged testing, treatment, and disclosure for decades.
We urge Governor Pritzker to sign HB 1063 into law as soon as he can.”
* Wirepoints on the proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting “right to work” laws and ordinances…
State lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are preparing to enshrine the extensive power of Illinois unions into the state constitution.
The Illinois Senate has passed, and the House is preparing to vote on, a resolution for a constitutional amendment creating a new “fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively” for matters that include workers’ “economic welfare.” The resolution further prohibits the state and local governments from passing any law that “interferes with, negates, or diminishes the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively.” The recent Senate vote was bipartisan, with 11 of the Senate’s 18 Republicans voting for the resolution. No Senate Democrats opposed the measure.
If the House passes the resolution – and voters approve the amendment in November 2022 – essential labor reforms Illinois needs will be blocked. With both pensions and labor union powers protected by the state constitution, it’s unlikely the state can be turned around without falling into some form of chaos first.
I see they haven’t lost their deft touch for understatement. /s
…Adding… Press release…
As Asian American History Month comes to a close, the Illinois State Senate unanimously passed the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History Act (TEAACH Act), which will require K-12 public schools across the state to include Asian American history in all curriculum. The bill, which passed the Illinois State House in April, will now go to Governor Pritzker to be signed into law, paving the way for Illinois to become the first state in the nation to prioritize Asian American history in such a way.
“Illinois is making Asian American history by recognizing Asian American history,” said Asian American Caucus Co-Chair and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Josina Morita. “Over the last year, we’ve seen a startling rise in anti-Asian hate, making the importance of learning Asian American history even more crucial. With the passage of this legislation, our next generation of Illinoisans will have a better understanding of the Asian American community, helping us become a more equitable and inclusive state where all students can thrive.”
Introduced by State Senator Ram Villivalam and State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, the TEAACH Act will paint a more complete picture of the state’s shared history by amending Illinois School Code to include an Asian American History Curriculum in every public school in Illinois.
“In unanimously passing the TEAACH Act today, the State Senate sent a strong message across this state that Asian American history is valued in Illinois,” said State Senator Ram Villivalam. “Future generations will learn about our Asian American history, and Illinois will be a better, safer state because of it.”
The TEAACH Act will ensure that crucial stories and lessons are elevated, and also pairs the five-hour PBS film series and K-12 curricula, compliant with Common Core and National Standards, designed to be easily adopted into lesson plans and curricula.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Illinois’ retail cannabis industry would diversify under a bill passed today by state Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago, that aims to correct a flawed license lottery system that has prevented minority residents from being able to open businesses.
“Like the War on Drugs, the rollout of cannabis licenses has disproportionately impacted communities of color,” Ford said. “We now have an opportunity to correct the missteps of the original lottery process by refocusing on the intent of the legalization bill. Instead of allowing the wealthy few to maintain control of this new industry, let’s give people in areas that have been left behind a real opportunity to start a local business that is owned and operated by members of the community.”
“Today’s vote puts us on a more equitable path forward, and I want to thank Representative Ford and everyone involved for their hard work to implement a fair process open to every community,” said Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “It’s important that the legislature monitors the progress of this industry in Illinois, and continue to be prepared to act as necessary.”
Under Ford’s House Bill 1443, 110 new cannabis licenses would be awarded through two lotteries targeted toward Black, Hispanic and other minority residents of disproportionately impacted areas. As part of the qualifying criteria, one of the lotteries would prioritize those previously arrested or convicted of previous cannabis-related offenses. The new licenses would be in addition to a batch of 75 licenses intended to have been released in 2020 that have been delayed due to litigation and issues with the selection process’ scoring system.
Along with guiding the new selection process, Ford’s bill helps to clean up the state’s cannabis legalization law by expanding diversity on the state’s Restore, Reinvest and Renew (R3) oversight board and increasing medical cannabis purchase access for patients, among other fixes to rollout concerns.
“As expected, the cannabis industry has been and will continue to be very lucrative,” Ford said. “It’s important as we continue to distribute licenses that we keep track of ownership data and ensure nobody is left behind. I’m hopeful that this proposal will put us on a more equitable path this year.”
House Bill 1443 now heads to the Senate for consideration.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Caption contest!
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sen. Darren Bailey and Dr. Willie Wilson…
Zooming in…
…Adding… From a reader…
Interesting that Bailey opposed House and Senate remote legislating rules he’s now abusing. I think the Senate contemplated remote voting because of the pandemic, not so a Senator can be in another part of the state campaigning for a different office.
Click here for his House vote and click here for his Senate vote.
*** UPDATE *** It’s kinda tough to see, but here is Sen. Bailey voting remotely during floor action yesterday. If you go to the 1:00:40 mark of the BlueRoomstream video, you can hear what sounds like helicopter noise in the background…
The Senate definitely needs a rules change. No way was remote voting intended to be used this way.
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Question of the day
Monday, May 24, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* And away we go…
* The Question: Your one-word description of the Democrats’ new remap proposal? One real word only, please.
[Tweet has been corrected]
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* Getting a bit heated out there…
ICYMI: Speaker Welch stabs 2016 Rep. Welch in the back
Last Friday at 7:30 PM, Illinois Democrats unveiled the Microsoft Paint version of their proposed remake of our state legislative maps. Late Sunday, they released a Google Map version with more detail. Still missing is any shred of data that could help the public understand why the maps look as ridiculous as they do.
The idea of an independent map commission determining new redistricting lines - a proposal previously championed by dozens of Democrat legislators - has been abandoned. Instead, this wholly partisan process conducted behind locked doors in the Stratton Building has been led by a former independent map commission supporter, new Speaker Chris Welch.
Specifically, Welch wrote an op-ed in support of such a commission and stated the following:
1. An independent map commission would “protect minority representation.” And that it would “ensure that Illinois meets federal requirements under the Voting Rights Act to protect minority representation.”
2. “[T]his measure will make the redistricting process more transparent and take the process out of the hands of elected officials, which many of my constituents and residents across Illinois strongly support.”
At any point since becoming Speaker of the House, Chris Welch could have followed through on what is clear were hollow words of politician-speak.
ILGOP Spokesman Joe Hackler responded, saying, “When given the opportunity to protect minority representation and take the mapmaking process out of the hands of partisan politicians, Speaker Welch crumbled. His word meant nothing in 2016 and it certainly means nothing now. The only Democrat left who has the opportunity to live up to their promises, is Governor JB Pritzker. The people of Illinois demand that the Governor follow through on his pledge to veto any new map drawn by politicians.”
I asked Speaker Welch’s campaign spokesperson for comment.
*** UPDATE *** Alexandra Sims…
We don’t need to take advice from a party that knows nothing about diversity. Let’s compare the Speaker’s leadership team versus Leader Durkin’s leadership team and Candace Owens doesn’t count.
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Could Illinois be headed for an upgrade?
Monday, May 24, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
If I had told you during the brief legislative session last May, while the state was still under a stay at home order and everything appeared to be collapsing, that Illinois would have an extra $2 billion laying around to pay off the remainder of a $3.2 billion federal loan, you might have thought I was insane.
But here we are.
A couple of weeks ago, the federal government declared that states could not use any of the billions of dollars they’re receiving from the American Rescue Plan to pay off loans. That caused severe consternation in Illinois, which had planned to use part of its $8 billion federal aid package to eliminate what was left of the loans it received from the Federal Reserve’s Municipal Liquidity Facility.
However, the General Assembly’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability revised its revenue estimate for the current fiscal year the same week. The new forecast moved COGFA’s March projections upward by about $2 billion. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget revised its own forecast upward by about $1.5 billion the same day.
And then last week, the governor, the Democratic legislative leaders and the comptroller announced the state will use its own revenues to pay back the federal government instead of relying on American Rescue Plan money.
The loan repayment will save the state about $100 million in interest, but it also frees up $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2023 that otherwise would’ve had to go to the federal government if the state had remained on the original repayment timeline. “This sets us up for the future,” a legislative budgeteer explained.
The repayment move was also deemed prudent by some because the newly “found” money was prompting a horde of spending requests from members, even though COGFA and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget both stressed that most of this revenue spike was one-time and would not recur in Fiscal Year 2022, which begins July 1.
Using the increased revenue to repay the federal loan, therefore, has the effect of short-circuiting that flood of new spending demands. It’s a fiscally smart move, which is not something that one can usually say about Illinois.
But it’s not a done deal yet because quite a few Democratic legislators will be upset that they can’t tap into the new revenues to fund what they consider to be crucial programs.
Some are worried that immediate spending pressures will win out in the end and cause Democratic leadership to cave. House Higher Education Appropriations Committee Chair La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, was pretty firm last week, however, when asked his opinion about using state revenues to pay off federal debt.
Ford warned about both the state’s projected $1.3 billion deficit in the coming fiscal year and the absolute requirement to pay off the federal debt. He said both of those need to be addressed while also finding a way to “protect human services, public safety, education, and general services,” adding, “There is a path to fulfill all our obligations before the end of session.”
As far as next fiscal year goes, the House’s top budget negotiator, Majority Leader Greg Harris, declared last week that new revenues were needed to prevent “severe” cuts to pretty much everything. Nothing, he said, will be left unscathed unless that projected $1.3 billion deficit is closed.
The governor has proposed closing almost a billion dollars in “corporate loopholes” to prevent severe cost reductions, and there is supreme reluctance to using one-time federal aid to patch holes in recurring state spending. Doing that would simply kick the can down the road and not allow the state to finally get its fiscal house on a path to a semblance of stability.
The chair of the Senate’s lone appropriations committee, Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, has been telling me for several days that he hopes the budget produced this spring will result in an actual credit upgrade for the state.
Illinois has hovered just a tiny click or two above junk bond status for a very long time, so an upgrade would be a highly unusual and much-welcomed occurrence.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza has already argued for such an upgrade, but you gotta figure the New York raters will wait to see how the final week of session plays out before venturing into that territory.
…Adding… Tribune editorial board does its thing…
The motto on the Illinois state flag is “State Sovereignty, National Union.” But these days, a more relevant one might be in order: “Fiscal Wreckage, State and Local.”
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Dems pack tons of Republicans together
Monday, May 24, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Lots of scrambling ahead…
* But not all Republicans were on the losing end. Politico…
Stephens gains ground: Republican Rep. Brad Stephens (20th) was an exception among GOP House lawmakers. His seat gained ground in Chicago (from the 41st and 38th Wards) and Rosemont, where he is mayor.
Relief for McConchie: The redraw of Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie puts primary competitor Casey Urlacher in a different district.
…Adding… More on the packing…
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*** UPDATED x1 *** New maps released
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Click here for the new Illinois House maps.
…Adding… Click here to see the slightly more detailed Senate maps.
If you want to compare them to the existing maps, click here.
Hopefully, we’ll get some more detailed maps soon because these ain’t great.
*** UPDATE *** Clickit…
…Adding… House GOP…
Below are statements from Republican members of Illinois House Redistricting Committee on the Democrats’ continued effort to gerrymander legislative redistricting maps:
“Tonight’s drop of partisan maps is yet another attempt to mislead voters in an effort to block fair elections,” said State Representative Tim Butler (R-Springfield), “after so many promises made by Democrats to have an open and transparent process involving the public. We continue our call upon Governor Pritzker to live up to his pledge to the people of Illinois and veto a map that was drawn by politicians like what we see here today.”
“Releasing new partisan maps late on a Friday night proves that the Mike Madigan playbook continues in the Illinois House,” said State Representative Ryan Spain (R-Peoria). “In a further attempt to skirt any transparency, Democrats dropped partisan maps drawn in a locked room by politicians who hand selected their voters.”
“The Democrats did not listen to the dozens of advocacy groups who have demanded transparency, accurate data, and an open process that takes politicians out of the map making,” said State Representative Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville). “This should not be a partisan process. We have long advocated for an independent commission, but the Democrats have turned their back on that idea.”
“I am, to say the least, dubious of the process and product of the legislative maps presented after 7 p.m. on a Friday night by the supermajority Democratic party,” said State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton). “When Speaker Welch assumed his perch after 50 years of Madigan’s reign, he promised a “New Day” in Illinois. Unfortunately, we’re stuck in Groundhog’s Day with a partisan map, drawn by partisan politicians to protect their partisan advantage. Governor Pritzker has to keep his pledge to VETO this partisan map. This is step one in dealing with inherent, generational corruption that plagues our state, and will continue to unless JB Pritzker keeps his promise to VETO a map drawn by politicians FOR politicians.”
…Adding… House and Senate Democrats…
The Senate and House Redistricting Committees have released a proposed map of new legislative boundaries designed to comply with federal and state law and ensure the broad racial and geographic diversity of Illinois is reflected in the General Assembly.
The proposed map incorporates suggestions gathered during more than 45 public hearings held across the state as legislators sought input on how to best ensure communities across Illinois receive fair and equal representation. The proposal can be viewed at www.ilsenateredistricting.com and www.ilhousedems.com/redistricting. The public is encouraged to provide feedback during additional hearings that will take place next week before a map is voted on by the General Assembly.
“Redistricting is about making sure all voices are heard, and that’s exactly what this map accomplishes. This is a fair map that reflects the great diversity of our state and ensures every person receives equal representation in the General Assembly,” said Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee. “I’m grateful to all of the community groups and organizations who engaged in this process in a meaningful way and look forward to continuing those conversations in the coming days.”
“This proposed map amplifies the diverse voices of the people of Illinois, allows communities to be represented by people of their choice and ensures that every person in our state has a say in their government,” said Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez, D-Cicero, Chairperson of the House Redistricting Committee. “This fair map reflects input from grassroots individuals and community organizations across our state and I’m thankful for every person who took the time to make their voices heard. I look forward to continued engagement as Illinoisans provide feedback to this proposal in additional public hearings.”
Next week, there will be four hearings on the proposed map:
· Tuesday, May 25 at 4:00 PM – Joint House and Senate Hearing
· Tuesday, May 25 at 6:00 PM – House Hearing
· Wednesday, May 26 at 4:00 PM – Joint House and Senate Hearing
· Wednesday, May 26 at 6:00 PM – Senate Hearing
These will be hybrid hearings with the opportunity for in-person and virtual testimony. Details can be found online at www.ilga.gov.
Redistricting occurs every ten years as each state is required to draw new boundaries for legislative districts in response to shifts in population. While the Illinois Constitution does not require the use of U.S. Census data to draft a map, the Constitution does contain a June 30 deadline for the General Assembly to craft a map.
To fulfill this constitutional obligation and prevent the redistricting process from being turned over to a committee of partisan, political appointees, the proposed map was drafted using population information from the American Community Survey’s (ACS) 5-year estimate for 2019, in addition to robust public input. The ACS estimate varies by just 0.3 percent from the state’s official population count released by the U.S. Census Bureau in April.
Top of mind for the Redistricting Committee is conforming to several constitutional and statutory standards, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Voting Rights Act prohibits the drawing of redistricting plans that results in the denial or abridgment of the right to vote based on race, color, or membership in a language minority. Building on that federal law, Illinois Democrats spearheaded the passage and implementation of the Illinois Voting Rights Act in 2011, which also ensures redistricting plans are crafted in a way that preserves clusters of minority voters if they are of size or cohesion to exert collective electoral power.
In Illinois, legislative redistricting maps must also meet three requirements: districts must be substantially equal in population, compact and contiguous.
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* Headline…
Powerful State Senator Got Caribbean Trips, Campaign Donations And Cash Through Loretto Hospital
* Trips…
Loretto’s tax reports do not state who paid for Lightford’s trips.
Carroll said wholly owned insurance companies are not uncommon in the health care industry, and Loretto was forced to create its own firm several years ago “because there was not a single provider in the United States that would provide the insurance required for it to operate.”
“Members of boards who create captives also often serve on those boards, and this is no different in the case of Loretto,” Carroll said. “Board members of captives are required by Cayman Islands’ law to travel at least once a year to the island to attend one of their two annual board meetings. […]
In 2008 and 2012, Lightford used her campaign fund to reimburse Westside for bills totaling $1,833 related to Westside board meetings or other functions in the Cayman Islands, where Westside is registered.
So, at least in those two years, the hospital didn’t pay for her trips.
* Campaign contributions…
Loretto’s former hospital management firm and top contractor, Renaissance Hospital Management Inc., gave $38,350 to Lightford’s political fund between 2002 and 2014, records show.
Lightford reported raising $1.1 million during that timeframe, so that was about 3.5 percent of her total haul.
* “Cash”…
But she has been paid through the hospital’s wholly owned insurance company, Westside Insurance Co. Lightford’s state ethics disclosures list her connection to Westside but do not divulge what she was paid or even her title with the firm.
Illinois lawmakers are required to disclose the name of organizations they received more than $1,200 from in a year but do not have to detail how much money they made or what work they did.
We need a better disclosure law.
*** UPDATE *** Leader Lightford…
Rich, the insinuation that I am somehow “financially benefiting” from the hospital’s captive insurance company is beyond ridiculous. I receive less than the $5,000 a year that’s required to be reported. I report it anyway in an effort to be transparent only to turnaround and now have it used against me. I have followed what are standard business practices, and I am proud of the work I have done for this vital health care resource in a tragically underserved community.
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It’s just a bill
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* SJ-R…
An Illinois House committee Thursday unanimously approved a bill designed to create more racial, ethnic and gender diversity in the ownership of marijuana dispensaries.
“There is an entire ecosystem that needs to start to grow,” Toi Hutchinson, senior adviser to Gov. JB Pritzker on cannabis policy, said before the House Executive Committee voted 15-0 to send House Bill 1443 to the full House for a vote as soon as Friday.
Sponsored by state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, the bill would make the first major changes to the state’s recreational marijuana industry since Illinois lawmakers first allowed the cultivation, sale and use of cannabis to people 21 and older in Illinois in January 2020.
* Sun-Times…
Two of the state Senate’s newest members — the chamber’s first LGTBQ senator and a Republican farmer from southern Illinois — clashed Thursday over legislation meant to standardize sex education curriculums in the state.
State Sen. Darren Bailey, a downstate Republican running for governor, accused the bill’s Democratic sponsors of “pushing perversion in our schools.”
North Side state Sen. Mike Simmons, who is gay, called Bailey’s remark “deeply offensive” and asked that it be stricken from the record. […]
The Senate bill on sex education seeks to standardize the curriculum in Illinois schools, ensuring each grade “has the opportunity to be safe and … have access to age- and developmentally appropriate and medically accurate information,” according to the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago.
* People get all upset at the littlest things…
A bill that would require schools to provide free menstrual hygiene products in all bathrooms for grades 4 through 12 passed the Illinois House and will now be up for consideration in the Senate. […]
Rep. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said he was mostly concerned about the language requiring the products to be available in all bathrooms, which would include male bathrooms.
“There have been male and female bathrooms a hundred years plus in this country and nobody has had a problem taking care of the sensitive nature of being a certain gender,” Chesney said.
“But to perhaps put female products in male bathrooms is not only confusing to a sixth grader, but completely inapplicable. I would really appreciate it if the sponsor would stay the hell out of my bathrooms,” he added.
Hernandez said this is necessary so that male friends can help out their classmates in emergency situations. Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Addison, added that this is also a more inclusive approach to protect transgender youth.
* I’ve been telling subscribers about this development for several days…
Measures in the Illinois House and Senate cued up for possible passage before the end of the month could ask voters to enshrine union protections in the state constitution.
State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, has Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 11 making its way through the Senate.
“It proposes to amend the Illinois Constitution to provide that no law passes on or after the amendment’s enactment may prohibit the ability of workers to collectively bargain over wages, hours, terms and conditions,” Villivalam said during committee Wednesday.
The measure advanced out of committee without any debate.
If passed by the Senate, it would need to pass the House. A similar bill has been filed in the house. Voters would have the ultimate say in the 2022 statewide election.
…Adding… Overwhelming majority…
…Adding… “No” votes were Bailey, Barickman, Leader McConchie, Plummer, Stewart, Tracy and Sally Turner.
* Effingham Daily News editorial…
We’re all for a a bill that passed out of an Illinois Senate committee this week that would require high schools to offer instruction about understanding and evaluating news and social media as part of their computer literacy courses.
Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, questioned how objective schools could be in teaching students how to evaluate news stories by separating factual news from “fake news.”
She was told that teachers would be trained in how to instruct students in media usage and that the difference between fake news and real news is the same as the difference between fiction and nonfiction.
“So the teachers themselves would be deciding what’s fake news, by their own opinion,” Bryant said, according to Capitol News Illinois.
It sounds to us like Bryant could use that course herself.
Teaching critical thinking should always be central to the mission of our schools. That doesn’t mean the teacher decides whether a particular news story or social media post is factual. The teacher would help students learn for themselves how to separate facts from fiction and separate opinions from facts.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Remap roundup
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As I told subscribers earlier this week, releasing the new maps on a Friday and holding redistricting hearings over the subsequent weekend while most members of both chambers are back in their districts makes sense and is a tried and true tactic. So, we’ll see…
* More Maxwell…
While Republicans have called for an independent process, spending records and vouchers filed with the Illinois Comptroller’s office show they are also actively working on a backup plan.
The House and Senate combined to spend more than $1.4 million so far to re-draw the maps. In the Senate, Democrats reported spending $557,594.80 so far, dwarfing the $173.731.44 in Senate Republican map-making expenses. Meanwhile, House Republicans reported spending $427,165.77 compared to $260,627.05 for House Democrats. […]
Expense reports show House Republicans are hiring attorneys, redistricting experts, data consultants, and purchasing software and IT equipment — all the tools they would need to draw the maps themselves.
Eleni Demertzis, a spokesperson for House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), said, “the majority of the fees are for attorneys/counsel which are necessary to explore all different avenues during the redistricting process.”
There’s no guarantee, though, that the Democrats have actually submitted all their vouchers for payment. So, the numbers may not mean that much.
*** UPDATE *** Daily Southtown…
Tinley Park officials gathered in the center of town Thursday afternoon to give updates and express concern regarding the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center property, where it was recently discovered that 2.1 million gallons of water spilled out of the property’s buildings and into Tinley Park’s storm sewers due to a water main break. […]
“The Village has been pleading with the state to do something about this for years,” [Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz] said. “I cannot for the life of me understand why those with the power in State Government to effectuate a transfer of this property to the Village continue to stonewall Tinley Park.” […]
Glotz said he has sent over 13 emails to Sen. Michael Hastings, who represents the 19th District. Hastings never directly responded to Glotz, but the mayor alleged that in an indirect response, Hastings “threatened” to “cut Tinley Park into five different districts, so Tinley Park never gets anything done.” The mayor added that Hastings said “a couple of other despicable comments” that he didn’t want to repeat.
Hastings told the Southtown that the allegations were “baseless.”
* Related…
* Illinois’ Supreme Court elections could lead to a decade of GOP minority rule unless Democrats act
* Civil Justice League raises concerns about Illinois Supreme Court redistricting
* How the Remap Could Impact Chicago’s Three Black Congressional Districts
* Metro East Could Lose Congressional Seat After Census Redistricting
* User’s guide to the 2020 census: What’s done, what’s next and what it means to you
* Debate Over Champaign County Board Redistricting Falls Along Party Lines
* Metro East county board rejects plan to decrease the number of seats on the board
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TFW you can’t just give it up already
Thursday, May 20, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Last December, Census estimates claimed Illinois had lost about a quarter of a million people. When the official count came out, however, those estimates were off by about a quarter of a million people. But here comes the Illinois Policy Institute, flogging the estimates again…
Illinois’ population decline is hitting all metropolitan areas of the state.
All metropolitan areas in Illinois shrank from July 2019-July 2020, new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show. The statewide population decline is driven entirely by people leaving Illinois, but it is also the primary reason individual metro areas are shrinking.
* And check this out…
While the estimates released May 4 by the Census Bureau offer insights into where population decline is occurring the most, there are discrepancies between the Census Bureau’s estimates of the population and their official decennial Census count, which showed a much smaller statewide population loss that hasn’t yet been addressed by the Census Bureau.
Questions over the accuracy of the official count have been raised on numerous occasions in recent years. One of the primary ways the Census Bureau checks the official count is to compare it with their previous estimates.
It is also unclear what effect Illinois’ increased census outreach spending, which was second highest in the nation, had on the official results. It is possible increased spending resulted in a more accurate count in 2020 than in 2010, which could explain the difference between the official count and estimates. The 2020 estimates are based on the 2010 official count.
That implies the official count may be wrong and the estimates may be right.
Hilarious.
…Adding… “This is the Illinois version of the ‘Big Lie,’” said a pal just now.
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* House Majority Leader Greg Harris during a news media briefing today…
We were hoping that some of the federal [ARP] funds could be used to pay back the borrowing in the Municipal Liquidity Fund and clearly the current interim guidance says that’s not a permissible use. So we’ve been working very hard with the governor and the Senate to devise a plan to make our full repayments using state resources.
More in a bit, I think. The unpaid amount is about $2 billion.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker, Senate President Don Harmon, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza announced today that they have agreed on a plan to pay off $2 billion in emergency borrowing thanks, in part, to the state’s strong economic rebound.
The State borrowed $3.2 billion dollars from the federal Municipal Liquidity Facility, of which $2 billion remains outstanding, for cash management and to pay for essential state operations at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to a number of factors, including the state’s investments in key economic sectors like small businesses and childcare providers, Illinois’ revenues have come in stronger than expected. This overperformance, in tandem with effective cash management by the Illinois Office of Comptroller, will be instrumental in paying down the outstanding federal debt.
“Repaying the federal government is an important step in our efforts to ensure the state remains on sound fiscal footing,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The General Assembly has been a critical partner in utilizing the federal dollars to help the most vulnerable get through the pandemic. I also credit the Comptroller in strategically managing cash flow in these trying times.”
“The federal loan was a lifeline to keep our state and our economy afloat. That our economy has rebounded so strongly that we can now pay it off early is a testament to the resilience of the people and businesses of the great state of Illinois,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park).
“The financial health of our state is incredibly important and I am grateful for Leader Greg Harris and our budget negotiators for all of their hard work in ensuring our debt is paid off early,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Westchester). “The General Assembly will continue to work closely with the governor to establish a targeted spending plan for the ARPA funds that will address underlying disparities revealed by the pandemic. We will continue to prioritize helping those communities recover by establishing high-quality affordable housing, community-based mental health and substance abuse services, and upgrades to area hospitals serving disproportionately impacted areas throughout the state.”
“Since taking office in the middle of a financial crisis, followed by the COVID-19 crisis, I’ve championed the need to be fiscally responsible and pay down our debts while prioritizing vulnerable populations,” said Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza. “I am pleased that the state’s leadership is also committed to aggressively paying down debt and engaging in responsible fiscal practices.”
The loan was scheduled to be repaid in three installments by December 2023. Instead, the Comptroller will utilize the state’s revenue overperformance and effective cash management to pay off the debt in its entirety within the next budget year. Early repayment of the borrowing will save taxpayers up to $100 million in interest costs.
Last week, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget revised upward its General Funds revenue estimates by $1.469 billion for fiscal year 2021, compared to estimates published with the Governor’s introduced budget in February 2021. The state’s improved revenue outlook will help ensure that the state will have a balanced budget for fiscal year 2021.
Final income tax payments received earlier this week, along with stronger year-to-date receipts in the state’s main revenue sources (individual and corporate income tax and sales tax) will allow the remainder of the repayment to occur beginning in the next several months.
Illinois and its local governments are expected to receive more than $26 billion in allocations through ARPA, including $8.1 billion to the state for fiscal recovery funds that can be used through calendar year 2024 to help the state respond to and recover from the pandemic and invest in critical water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.
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* The Liberty Justice Center outlined the civil case against the campaign committee of former state Rep. and current Auditor General Frank Mautino…
1) Mautino’s campaign committee made more than $225,000 in payments to Happy’s Super Service Station in Spring Valley, Ill. between 1999 and 2015. These payments were for gas and repairs of vehicles privately owned by Mautino’s family and friends. Direct payments for gas and repairs of privately owned vehicles by campaign committees are illegal under Illinois law. Individuals who use privately owned vehicles for campaign purposes may only be reimbursed based on actual mileage.
2) Mautino’s campaign committee reported that it also made nearly $200,000 in “expenditures” to Spring Valley City Bank, but the committee’s former treasurer has admitted these actually were cash withdrawals from the committee’s checking account that were spent elsewhere. The campaign committee never reported which vendors or individuals actually received the money.
The Center has been involved in the case (Cooke v. Illinois State Board of Elections) since 2016. Mautino’s campaign committee appealed an adverse appellate court ruling and the Illinois Supreme Court ruled on it today.
* The Court limited its ruling to decreeing that campaign committees must only reimburse for mileage…
By its plain language, section 9-8.10(a)(9) does not permit committees to make expenditures for gas and repairs to vehicles that are not owned or leased by the committee. For such vehicles, a committee may only make expenditures for actual mileage reimbursement. Because the Committee made expenditures for gas and repairs for vehicles it neither owned nor leased, the Committee violated section 9- 8.10(a)(9), and the Board’s finding to the contrary was clearly erroneous and is reversed. … In light of our conclusion that the Committee violated section 9-8.10(a)(9), we remand the cause to the Board for a determination of whether the Committee’s violation thereof was knowing pursuant to section 9-8.10(b).
However, the campaign says it has a letter from the Illinois State Board of Elections informing it that the gas and repair payments were permissible. It would be tough for the Board to now say the committee knowingly violated the law.
* Section 9-8.10(a)(2) of the state elections law prohibits a political committee from making any expenditures “Clearly in excess of the fair market value of the services, materials, facilities, or other things of value received in exchange.” But the Supremes ruled today that Mautino’s accusers could not provide any facts or documentation to prove their allegations about the gas station and the bank…
Section 9-8.10(a)(2) regulates only the amount or price of an expenditure. Based on insufficient evidence, Cooke did not demonstrate that the Committee violated section 9-8.10(a)(2). Therefore, we affirm the Board’s decision declining to find a violation of section 9-8.10(a)(2).
They also dismissed the specific fair market value argument, so click here to read the rest.
Anyway, this looks like a win for Mautino.
…Adding… From Mautino…
“We are pleased with the decision today by the Illinois Supreme Court and look forward to finalizing the matter.”
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* Folks…
The House passed a measure Wednesday to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol with the support of 35 Republicans, including Adam Kinzinger and Rodney Davis of Illinois.
While the measure to create a 10-member bipartisan commission passed because of the Democratic votes, it does show some movement among Republicans.
Only 10 Republicans, including Kinzinger, voted to impeach former President Donald Trump for his role in instigating the insurrection. While Trump and House GOP leaders were against the commission, it still gained 35 Republican votes.
…Adding… From Aaron DeGroot…
Hey, Rich.
Hope you’re well and ready for a semi-normal summer. Saw your post about Rodney’s vote from yesterday. Wanted to point out that Rodney was the first member of Congress to propose 1/6 commission legislation, which he did six days after the attack on the Capitol (on 1/12). Rodney’s bill, H.R. 275, is substantively similar to what passed the House yesterday. Rodney’s proposal was styled after the 9/11 commission. Figured I’d flag because this issue since it’s relevant to his work at the Committee on House Administration, where he serves as the lead Republican.
Thanks!
Aaron
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* Background is here, here, here and here if you need it. From the Illinois Supreme Court…
Petitioner John Tillman filed a petition for leave to file a taxpayer action under section 11-303 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Code) (735 ILCS 5/11-303 (West 2018)) in the circuit court of Sangamon County. In his attached complaint, petitioner alleged that certain general obligation bonds issued by the State of Illinois in 2003 and 2017 were unconstitutional. The circuit court denied the petition to file the proposed complaint, finding that there was no reasonable ground for the filing of such action. The appellate court reversed the circuit court’s judgment and remanded for further proceedings. 2020 IL App (4th) 190611. For the following reasons, we reverse the judgment of the appellate court and affirm the judgment of the circuit court.
* More…
The State issued and sold the 2003 bonds, applied the proceeds as specified in the law, and made payments on the bonds for years while petitioner did nothing. More than 16 years later, petitioner requested that the court declare the bonds invalid and enjoin the State from making future payments on them. The same is true for the 2017 bonds, which were authorized by the General Assembly and issued and sold by the State. The proceeds from the sale were then used to pay billions of dollars in unpaid state vouchers, all while petitioner did nothing to stop any of these actions. It is patently obvious that the State will suffer some prejudice if relief is granted at this extremely late stage. Respondents maintain that granting relief to petitioner would amount to a de facto default on outstanding bonds that are backed by the full faith and credit of the State. We agree. Enjoining the State from meeting its obligation to make payments on general obligation bonds will, at the very least, have a detrimental effect on the State’s credit rating.
Nevertheless, petitioner argues that the State has not suffered prejudice from his delay because his complaint does not seek to undo past payments made by the State on the bonds but, rather, seeks to enjoin only future payments. Thus, according to petitioner, an individual can wait years, or even decades, after bonds are authorized and issued by the State to challenge the issuance of the bonds in court. We reject this argument. The fact that a petitioner requests only prospective relief does not preclude the application of laches where he had constructive notice of his legal claims years before filing his action. See, e.g., Solomon, 48 Ill. 2d at 322 (holding that laches barred a taxpayer action to enjoin the future issuance of bonds and expenditure of bond proceeds); Schnell v. City of Rock Island, 232 Ill. 89, 93, 96 (1907) (holding that laches barred an action to enjoin future municipal bond payments).
We hold that the necessary elements for laches have been met in this case. There is no reasonable ground under section 11-303 of the Code for filing petitioner’s proposed complaint. We therefore affirm the circuit’s order denying the instant petition, although on different grounds than those relied upon by that court.
I’ll update with responses as they come in.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Comptroller Susana Mendoza…
“The Supreme Court of Illinois got it right: The taxpayers of Illinois should not have to suffer financial Armageddon just so rich people who bet against Illinois can profit. Never bet against Illinois.
“The original judge on this case was right to throw out this irresponsible lawsuit brought by former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s No. 1 advisor and Illinois Policy Institute CEO John Tillman. His ridiculous lawsuit was aimed at tanking Illinois’ finances – for the profit of named or unnamed hedge funds.
“As today’s ruling noted, bond counsel and the state Attorney General signed off on all these bonds. They were constitutional. While the fiscally responsible 2017 bond offering that I championed saved taxpayers $4 to $6 billion in late payment interest penalties and served as a lifeline to businesses across Illinois, it hurt the profit margins of those who chose to bet against Illinois. They gambled and lost. Their irresponsible game is over.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Illinois Attorney General’s office…
We are pleased that the court upheld the legality of the general obligation bonds approved by the General Assembly in 2003 and 2017 and rejected the plaintiff’s belated attempt to create unnecessary havoc in Illinois’ fiscal standing. The fact is that the plaintiff filed a lawsuit opposing the state’s issuance of bonds not days, not months, but years after the bonds were issued – in fact, after the money had been spent. Our position has been that, given the delay in filing the lawsuit, the plaintiff lacked a legal basis for filing at all, and we are pleased the court agreed.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Emily Bittner at the governor’s office…
The administration is pleased that the Supreme Court sided with hardworking taxpayers over a frivolous lawsuit designed to grab headlines.
*** UPDATE 4 *** John Tillman…
“I am of course disappointed in the Illinois Supreme Court’s ruling. We are evaluating our options as to how to proceed from here. In the interim, I continue to be profoundly concerned about Illinois’ reckless debt accumulation. All Illinoisans should care about this. If the state doesn’t tackle pension reform now, it will slide into a fiscal crisis beyond repair that will threaten not only taxpayers and the people who depend on government services, but also people who are counting on their public-sector pension in retirement.”
*** UPDATE 5 *** Bloomberg…
Illinois bonds rose in active trading after the ruling, driving the average yield on some sold in 2017 to 1.12% from 1.4% and the price jumped to more than $1.20 from about $1.19 a day earlier. The case has been closely watched by investors in the $3.9 trillion municipal bond-market, where it was seen as a potential harbinger of potential lawsuits elsewhere if it prevailed.
“Even though the probability was low that the challenge was going to be successful, it wasn’t zero,” said Dan Solender, director of tax-free fixed income for Lord, Abbett & Co., which holds $34 billion in muni assets. “The expectation was this was not going to be a problem but still the bonds are moving up because there is now some definite resolution to the situation.” […]
With the outcome of the case now behind the state, it “can move forward in addressing the more pertinent fiscal issues,” said Dennis Derby, a portfolio manager for Wells Fargo Asset Management, which owns Illinois debt that was challenged as well as other bonds issued by the state as part of a $40 billion municipal-bond portfolio.
* Related…
* National Review: John Tillman Shows How Conservative Activism Can Work
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