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*** UPDATED x1 *** A curious little e-mail survey

Monday, Mar 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller

* A subscriber sent me this e-mail today. My mom also received one of these in mid February…

From: DanRutherford@danrutherford.org
Date: March 2, 2015 at 11:36:15 AM CST
To: xxxxxxxxx
Subject: Rutherford Asks You to Weigh in on Taxes some want to raise

Xxxx,

The financial health of our state is my top priority and was as State Treasurer. People have expressed concern that no one asks their opinion or takes it into consideration, especially when it comes to taxes. I am going to change that.

There are those in Springfield who are looking to raise taxes and fees, again. I am NOT a supporter of tax increases or creating new ones. I am posting a survey on my website for you to express your position on this matter.

I am NOT advocating these raises. I am providing this survey as an outlet for you to express yourself. I appreciate you taking time to participate. The link to it is http://danrutherford.org/survey/income-tax/

All information provided is confidential. Results will be posted as a cumulative of those who respond.

If you participate in the survey, you will receive an email letting you know when the results are posted. The cumulative results will be known to the media and public policy makers.

Thank you for your participation.

Sincerely,
Dan Rutherford
Illinois State Treasurer
(2011-2015)

The results are here.

I called Rutherford today and left a message. I’ll let you know if he responds and tell you what he says.

*** UPDATE *** Rutheford just called me back and said, “I’ve been doing this for years.” I asked whether this was any indication of any future political plans and he said, “No, my gosh, no.”

“I’ve only been out of office two months,” said. “I’m taking some time, I’m relaxing, I’m doing some travel… By no means should anyone read into this any future plans.”

He said he has an “extensive database” and this was just a way to use it to test some issues for those who are still in touch.

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*** UPDATED x1 *** Cancer screening cuts decried

Monday, Mar 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Expect more stories like this one as the news media moves through the governor’s proposed budget…

Without the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, Janna Sullivan says she almost certainly would have delayed or avoided getting the screening X-ray that found cancer in her right breast and led to successful treatment nearly five years ago. […]

Sullivan joined other women’s health care advocates in criticizing Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed 71 percent cut in state funding for the program in the fiscal year that begins July 1. They called on the General Assembly to turn down or soften the proposed $9.8 million reduction.

If put into effect, they said, the new Republican governor’s proposal would lead to almost 50 percent fewer low-income women being screened by the program and longer waiting lists, all resulting in delayed diagnosis of cancer and earlier deaths. […]

The State Journal-Register requested an interview with a member of the Rauner administration. Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly instead responded with an emailed statement: “With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, women who may have used the program have now migrated to expanded Medicaid or to the Illinois Marketplace where they can find comprehensive health care and not just a stopgap measure.” […]

Despite the Affordable Care Act, the cancer society says more than 192,600 women in Illinois lacked access to cervical cancer screenings in 2014, and more than 80,000 women lacked access to breast cancer screenings — all because of lack of insurance or high out-of-pocket costs in insurance plans.

*** UPDATE *** From this past December…

Chicago designer Barbara Bates will design the gown for Illinois’ new first lady, Diana Rauner.

In October, Bates held her annual fundraiser fashion show in which the models are breast cancer survivors. It was also during the closely-contested race for governor.

When Rauner took the microphone it wasn’t for politics. She shared her mother’s battle with breast cancer and promised to call Bates if her husband won the governor’s seat. […]

Bates has been raising money for breast cancer awareness since she was diagnosed in 2006.

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