* Tina Sfondeles…
Billionaire Gov. J.B. Pritzker — the richest sitting politician in America — is shelling out another $850,000 from his own pockets to renovate the Illinois Governor’s Mansion in Springfield.
That cranks up the tally of personal funds he has used to cover government expenses — including doubling some salaries and paying for other renovations — to at least $3.45 million, according to a Sun-Times analysis.
* But this post isn’t really about the Pritzker money. It’s about a bot publication called Moose Gazette which lifted Tina’s story in its entirety, but appeared to run it through a translation program…
Billionaire Gov. J.B. Pritzker — the richest sitting politician in The usa — is shelling out an additional $850,000 from his very own pockets to renovate the Illinois Governor’s Mansion in Springfield.
That cranks up the tally of individual funds he has applied to cover federal government expenditures — which includes doubling some salaries and shelling out for other renovations — to at the very least $3.45 million, in accordance to a Solar-Periods investigation.
“Solar-Periods” is apparently bot speak for “Sun-Times.” Also, check out this photo caption…
Democrat J.B. Pritzker hugs his spouse M.K. Pritzker and celebrates at an election night rally at the Marriott Marquis Chicago after beating incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in the Illinois gubernatorial election, Tuesday night time, Nov. six, 2018. |
Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sunshine-Situations
That bot needs to settle on its translations. Sunshine-Situations?
* Another photo caption…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker acknowledges the group soon after being sworn in as the state’s 43rd governor in January. File Image.
Abundant Saal/The Point out Journal-Register by way of AP
Um, that would be Rich Saal at the State Journal-Register.
* And…
* I called the number on the Moose Gazette’s contact page and spoke to a very nice lady who said I was the third or fourth person to call about this. She insisted that she has no idea what the Moose Gazette is or why they’re using her phone number, which she said she’s had for 47 years and doesn’t want to change. I gave her the website address and wished her luck. The address listed on the page didn’t turn up anything, either. I suppose I could go to Boise and knock on some doors, but I kinda have better things to do with my time.
From the “about” page…
All contributors to the website are members of the Idaho News Media Association and the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
Moose Gazette is owned by MG LLC, a registered business in the state of Idaho.
There is no such thing as the Idaho News Media Association, but that link does bring up another site called Slap Coffee, which is currently unavailable.
According to the Idaho Secretary of State’s website, MG LLC is a Foreign Limited Liability Company that cancelled its registration in 2004. I did find the name of a registered agent at the time the company cancelled its registration, looked up his number and left a voicemail.
OK, I think I’ve wasted far too much time on this today.
Any other suggestions?
…Adding… With a hat tip to a commenter…
22 Comments  
|
* Buried deep down in Tuesday’s Sun-Times story about the Sandoval-related investigation was this revelation from Cook County Commissioner Jeff Tobolski’s chief of staff Patrick Doherty…
Doherty said he doesn’t know whether Tobolski is a target of investigators, or even how Tobolski is holding up ever since agents descended on McCook’s village hall.
That’s because Doherty said he hasn’t seen him or heard from him in about a week.
Tobolski is the mayor of McCook, which, as noted in the piece, was raided by the feds last week.
*** UPDATE *** Speaking of McCook…
Make sure to click the pic.
21 Comments
|
* 2011…
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn says he is willing to talk about adding a casino in Chicago, but he stated on Friday that he is opposed to a larger expansion of gambling. […]
When asked what he thinks about the prospect of Danville getting a casino, Quinn said Danville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer should not “hold his breath.” Quinn said he doesn’t want the state to be the “Las Vegas of the Midwest.” […]
Skokie Democrat Lou Lang said he plans to introduce a gaming expansion measure next week in the Illinois House of Representatives that includes Danville.
Lang was the chief sponsor of the gaming bill for years, and he made sure Danville was always in the mix. Lang recused himself from the bill’s sponsorship in 2013 because a law firm he had joined represented a suburban town seeking a casino. He said he did no work for that town, however.
* Lang is now a partner in the new casino operating group chosen by Danville…
Even though the group is new, together they have more than 100 years of gaming experience.
To start. there is Lou Lang, a former state representative from Skokie. He served for 32 years and was a major advocate for gaming expansion.
Another partner is Scott Syplot, a Chicago gaming attorney who works mostly with Indian tribes.
And Bill Bembenek, who came from San Diego as the former CEO of the Pala Casino Spa & Resort.
“This is about not only revenue, but this is about the future of Danville,” Lang said.
Discuss.
*** UPDATE *** Despite the stories referring to him as a partner in the casino project, I just reached out to Lang and he told me that he’s just an adviser. So, I changed the headline.
31 Comments
|
* Kiplinger rates Illinois as the least tax-friendly state, mainly because of our property taxes…
Least Tax-Friendly
Illinois’ economic woes are one reason why the Prairie State tops our list of the least tax-friendly states in the country. The state ranks #50 in the latest ranking of states’ fiscal health by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and residents are paying the price with higher taxes.
The state’s 4.95% flat income tax rate actually isn’t that high when compared to other states, but other taxes are a doozy. For example, property taxes in Illinois are the second-highest in the nation. On a $400,000 home in the state, the average annual property tax bill would be an eye-popping $9,634.
Sales taxes are high, too. In some municipalities, combined state and local sales taxes exceed 10%. Most states exempt food and drugs from their sales tax, but that’s not the case in Illinois.
* Crain’s…
Connecticut, New York and Wisconsin followed Illinois.
Wyoming was the most tax-friendly on the Kiplinger list, followed by Nevada and Tennessee. Wyoming and Nevada do not have an income tax, while Tennessee’s income tax applies only to interest and dividends, according to MarketWatch.
California did not make the top 10 least tax-friendly states. Although California has one of the highest state income tax rates, it has a progressive income tax with varying rates.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Today, Think Big Illinois Executive Director Quentin Fulks released the following statement in response to a new Kiplinger report that ranked Illinois as the least-tax friendly state in the country:
“Illinois’ current tax system is fundamentally unfair, letting millionaires and billionaires avoid paying their share while working families are forced to shoulder the burden. That’s why Think Big Illinois is committed to bringing tax fairness to our state and ensuring our tax system works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.
“During his first legislative session, Governor Pritzker signed a bipartisan balanced budget bringing $8.9 billion in funding to our education system, including nearly half a billion dollars in new funding. This additional funding, along with the revenue generated from the fair tax, will help the state meet its obligation to fund our schools, a critical step toward alleviating the property tax burden on our residents and bringing tax fairness to our state.
“Those who our current tax system benefits are so desperate to avoid paying their share that they’d rather go back to the Rauner years of gutting critical social services, watching our roads and bridges crumble, and forcing local communities to raise property taxes because they refuse to properly fund our schools.
“Illinois’ hardworking families deserve better than that. Think Big Illinois is committed to fighting with Governor Pritzker to ensure our children are getting the quality education they deserve, to lessen the tax burden on our middle and lower-income families, and to bring tax fairness to our state.”
75 Comments
|
* Your move, Mr. Senate President…
…Adding… The governor apparently told Cullerton this himself and not just blindside him with a media announcement…
*** UPDATE *** The answer is apparently “No”…
21 Comments
|
* Sun-Times…
A long-awaited legislative inspector general’s report requested by former political consultant turned #MeToo whistleblower Alaina Hampton concludes Kevin Quinn — a former top political aide to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan — violated sexual harassment provisions now in place.
But the harassment in question happened before those provisions were added to state law as part of a revamped ethics act. That revamp was part of a cleanup effort after a swath of #MeToo allegations last year. […]
But since Quinn no longer is a state employee, he can’t even be disciplined for that violation. Current Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope — who adopted Porter’s findings — recommended that a memo from the speaker be placed in his official personnel file; the memo would state that he violated that provision and that “he never be rehired as a State employee or contractor.”
A separate legislative inspector general’s report about former Madigan chief of staff Tim Mapes was also released on Wednesday. Pope, too, found that Mapes “violated the Ethics Act by engaging in conduct of a sexual nature with the purpose and effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, and offensive working environment.” Pope wrote that Mapes also refused to cooperate with the investigation. He, too, will get a memo in his file and can never be rehired as a state employee.
* Tribune…
Pope said her predecessor referred the matter to the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul to consider criminal charges against Quinn, but Raoul declined to prosecute Quinn over the Hampton allegations.
Well, that’s new.
* More…
[Pope] cited Mapes for “conduct of a sexual nature with the purpose and effect of creating an intimidating, hostile and offensive working environment.” […]
In response, Mapes’ attorney called the allegations “baseless and untrue.” […]
The accounts from Garrett, whom Pope “found … to be entirely credible,” were corroborated by three other employees in the speaker’s office, including two witnesses who “worked closely with Mapes and generally had good relationships with him,” according to the report.
The letter from Mapes’ attorney is quite something. No apology, defiant to the end.
* Kevin Quinn documentation…
* LIG summary report
* Speaker Madigan response
* Alaina Hampton response
* Kevin Quinn response
* Tim Mapes documentation…
* LIG summary report
* Speaker Madigan response
* Tim Mapes response
*** UPDATE *** Speaker Madigan…
The former Legislative Inspector General reviewed my actions and determined Ms. Hampton’s allegations against me were unfounded. She advised me that my office took the investigation seriously and made a reasoned decision as to how to impose consequences for Kevin Quinn’s misconduct.
I have strengthened and improved protections for victims of harassment in both my office and across my political organizations. These changes include instituting mandatory training on sexual harassment, intimidation, and other important workplace protections, and creating strong reporting mechanisms to report workplace complaints. I am committed to ensuring that anyone who reports a complaint is protected, they are treated fairly and that everyone has a safe and welcoming work environment.
* And this is from Ald. Marty Quinn…
The Legislative Inspector General’s report reiterates the statement I made in February 2018 and confirms my handling of this situation. When Ms. Hampton notified me of inappropriate text messages from my brother, I took immediate action. I also did exactly what she asked me to do. I understood Ms. Hampton wanted the text messages to stop and I made sure she was never contacted by my brother again. I have never wavered from creating a safe and productive workplace and I never will.
34 Comments
|
* From the capital bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Martin Sandoval…
The sum of $250,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to the Village of McCook for costs associated with upgrades to the municipal building.
McCook, of course, was one of the towns visited by the feds last week two days after Sen. Sandoval’s offices and house were raided.
* The Question: Your top ideas for how McCook should spend its municipal building upgrade money?
*** UPDATE *** The governor was actually asked today about this appropriation. Pritzker said all projects will be reviewed, “so that any projects that are approved are approved with the utmost confidence that these are done in the best interest of taxpayers and nothing of the sort of corruption or self-dealing that has been alleged.”
41 Comments
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
   
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|
