I'm hearing that ISBE, Gov's office, and Dept of Rev just agreed to accommodate 30+ pvt schools in the "recognition" pipeline so their donors can get in on tax credit deal.
Poof. Just like that. Rauner admin proves his veto of school funding bill was totally unnecessary.
Private schools will sleep well tonight. Underfunded public schools wonât; they are used to sleepless nights. Too many kids continue to wait for the equity we promised them. https://t.co/QvYTs5tMRN
*** UPDATE *** Looks like I should’ve waited another half an hour. Press release…
A compromise negotiated this week has paved the way for more Illinois schools to participate in the Invest in Kids scholarship tax-credit program, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner announced today. The move leaves the General Assembly clear to act swiftly to fully implement the requested cleanups to the stateâs historic funding law.
âWe have worked with schools, advocates, legislators from both parties, the Illinois Department of Revenue and the Illinois State Board of Education to ensure that more schools will be able to participate in the Invest in Kids Program,â Rauner said.
The compromise announced today allows ISBE to notify IDOR in real time as new schools become recognized, eliminating the lag time that prevented schools from participating in this program.
Earlier this month, the governor used his amendatory veto power to address an issue that prevented a number of schools from participating in invest in kids; they had not achieved ârecognitionâ status by the Illinois State Board of Education in time.
âWe encourage swift passage in the General Assembly of legislative language necessary to correct the other unintended consequences so the historic school funding law can be fully implemented,â Rauner said.
Invest in Kids is a scholarship tax-credit program that gives low- to middle-income students the opportunity to attend nonpublic schools that best meet their needs.
âI applaud Governor Rauner for taking action, and working with us in a bipartisan way, to ensure that even more schools, students and families in Illinois have the opportunity to participate in Invest in Kids,â said State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago. âI look forward to continuing to work with the governor to support schools across Illinois.â
Going forward, ISBE has committed to accepting applications for initial nonpublic school recognition on a rolling basis throughout this school year. An updated list of schools that are recognized has been posted on the ISBE website. That list will continue to be updated as new schools reach this status.
Advocates including Robert Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, director of Government Affairs for Agudath Israel of Illinois, Nakisha Hobbs, principal and co-founder of the Village Leadership Academy, and Myles Mendoza, executive director of Empower Illinois, lauded the bipartisan, collaborative compromise that gives Illinois families more choices when it comes to educating their children.
âOnce again, bipartisan leadership worked together to benefit the education of all Illinois children,â said Gilligan. âThe Catholic Conference of Illinois, on behalf of the stateâs Catholic schools, is grateful for this latest effort by the governor and legislators, along with the Illinois State Board of Education, to find a solution that allows more families to apply for a tax-credit scholarship so their children can attend a recognized school of their choice.â
âFollowing discussions with stakeholders, a solution ensuring the participation of all schools that become recognized was achieved,â said Rabbi Soroka. âAgudath Israel of Illinois thanks the Rauner Administration, the bipartisan group of legislators, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Department of Revenue and advocates who worked together to provide quality educational options to more students.â
âOver the past few weeks Iâve worked closely with State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, the Governorâs Office, African-American school leaders and other education advocates from across the state to ensure that all high-quality schools had a path to participation in the inaugural year of the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Program,â said Hobbs. âI am grateful to Governor Raunerâs administration for its demonstrated commitment to inclusion, and to Representative Ford for his unwavering and effective leadership.â
Empower Illinois also praised the collaboration. âThis was a bipartisan effort by lawmakers, schools and advocates to expand quality education options for students across Illinois,â said Mendoza. âThere is clear unity on the value of this program, as the demand for scholarships by families continues to grow. Today is a victory for Illinois kids.â
âThanks to this collaborative, bipartisan effort,â Rauner said, âfamilies in Illinois will have more choices when it comes to the education of their children.â
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* I seriously doubt this will ever see the light of day beyond the hearing…
Lawmakers in Illinois are so desperate to shore up the stateâs massively underfunded retirement system that theyâre willing to entertain an eye-popping wager: Borrowing $107 billion and letting it ride in the financial markets.
The legislatureâs personnel and pensions committee plans to meet on Jan. 30 to hear more about a proposal advanced by the State Universities Annuitants Association, according to Representative Robert Martwick. The group wants Illinois to issue the bonds this year to get its retirement system nearly fully funded, assuming that the state can make more on its investments than it will pay in interest.
It would be by far the biggest debt sale in the history of the municipal market, and in one fell swoop would be more than Puerto Rico amassed in the run up to its record-setting bankruptcy.
An effort is underway in Illinois that would let the terminally ill choose to end their life.
Oregon approved the option back in the mid 90’s. A few more states and Canada have followed with similar laws. They allow a terminally ill and mentally sound individual to choose to end their life.
âWe all die and unfortunately as we approach death, as we get sicker and sicker, often a lot of pain and suffering comes with it. And when death is imminent, when suffering is intolerable, it should be your choice,â said Ed Gogol of Final Options Illinois. […]
Gogol wants an Illinois law that would have the patient being prescribed medication they would self-administer. It’s not “physician-assisted suicide” or “euthanasia” because the doctor would only make sure the person qualified.
Sen. Ira Silverstein today gave this statement about sexual harassment allegations against him: âI am very grateful that we have an independent Inspector General who saw the facts for what they were. My priorities are now my family and my reelection.â
* So I reached out to Denise Rotheimer, who has accused Sen. Ira Silverstein of sexual harassment. Rotheimer told me this today about the Legislative Inspector General…
The LIG said she has concluded her investigation and is taking no action at this time.
More when I know more.
…Adding… The Legislative Ethics Commission now has the option to order the LIG to reopen the investigation or it could go out and hire another special inspector general to pursue the claims. Neither seems likely.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From Ms. Rotheimer…
I have been informed by Julie Porter that I have no rights. None that she can think of.
When I told her I have a constitutional right under the 1st Amendment to speech that I am entitled to be heard in this process. She said I am confused because that is not how this process works and explained when I filed the complaint it was nothing more than making a tip to the government.
On Friday I asked her the status on my complaint because I am having nightmares. She said she concluded her investigation but will not take action at this time. I asked her in an email to take action on a finding sooner than later and not wait until the March primary. If however Silverstein who does have rights in this process and was privy to the LEC meeting today that I didn’t know about until being contacted by a reporter- knows something I don’t because I “am not a person ” in this process then it’s possible the LIG did take action.
This process is rigged in his favor so I know he is happy with it. But I have not been informed with any action by the LIG of her finding or recommendation other than what she said in Friday that her investigation is complete but she is not taking action at this time.
Ultimately, I conclude that although Silverstein did not engage in sexual harassment in violation of the State Officials and Employee Ethics Act, or other unlawful conduct, he did behave in a manner unbecoming of a legislator in violation of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, 5 ILCS 420/3-107.
In the communications available to me, there are dozens of instances where Rotheimer initiates, prolongs and deepens the intimacy of the discussions. She repeatedly compiments and flirts with Silverstein. […]
I do not suggest that she is lying about how she felt, and I do not conclude that that she subjectively welcomed the communications. Again, my interviews with the State’s Attorney and Rotheimer’s friend corroborate Rotheimer’s assertions that - at the time - she was uncomfortable… My objective assessment is that even if Rotheimer was internally cringing at the messages Silverstein sent her and did not welcome them, she gave no outward sign of that at all, and no one - including Silverstein - would have any way of knowing that she was not a fully willing participant in the discussions.
âIâm not a person in this case. He gets all the rights,â she said of Silverstein, adding she planned to put out further evidence publicly.
âIf she wants to make a no finding, I will show everybody with this evidence that I have that she has but doesnât know I have,â Rotheimer said. âIâll make it public and sheâll have to answer to that.â
*** UPDATE 5 *** Press release…
Today, Democratic Candidate for State Senate Ram Villivalam (IL-8) made the following statement regarding the Inspector Generalâs report summarizing her investigation into the sexual harassment charges against State Senator Ira Silverstein (IL-8):
âThe Inspector General’s report makes it clear that Illinois State Senator Ira Silverstein ‘did behave in a manner unbecoming of a legislator in violation of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.’ It is ALSO clear that we need to have a Legislative Ethics Act with real consequences. If and when a legislator violates the Legislative Ethics Act, there need to be specific statutory punishments up to and including expulsion from the Legislature. Women need to be believed. And men need to be held accountable.
The people of the 8th State Senate District - and ALL of Illinois - deserve better.â
*** UPDATE 6 *** From another primary opponent, Caroline McAteer-Fournier…
Legislators are not above the law just because they write the laws. The general assembly needs to be held to the same level of accountability as any other citizen.
We have an Inspector General report finding that Sen. Silverstein engaged in conduct “unbecoming of a legislator,” in violation of the Ethics Act. Furthermore, the report says Silverstein “correctly acknowledges” that very fact. The public trust in the senator has evaporated. We need a senator who doesn’t require “ethics counseling.” Women all over the country are putting a stop to this nonsense, and we can do it here in the 8th District too. Sen. Silverstein, Times Up!
* The AP story really doesn’t do justice to yesterday’s Tribune editorial board meeting with the Dem AG candidates…
Several candidates took jabs at Raoul, who leads in fundraising and high-profile endorsements.
They questioned his campaign contributions from big tobacco and the gaming industry, focusing on possible conflicts of interest. Ruiz, a former Chicago education official, said he’s abstained from votes to avoid complications and questioned Raoul’s impartiality. At one point, Raoul shot back, calling Ruiz “a serial liar.”
“It hasn’t compromised me in the past,” Raoul said. “I’m not for sale.” […]
“How can people expect that things are going to be different if we keep electing the same people?” [Renato Mariotti ] asked Quinn. “If you can’t defeat Bruce Rauner, why we would trust you take on Donald Trump?”
Two of the Democratic candidates â state Sen. Kwame Raoul and former Chicago Board of Education head Jesse Ruiz â clashed loudly over political contributions.
When asked if Raoulâs campaign funds from tobacco companies would compromise his ability to litigate against them as Illinoisâs attorney general, Ruiz upped the ante by insisting Raoul was contradicting his comments to the Chicago Sun-Times from another forum earlier this month.
âJesse, you cannot tell me what I said,â Raoul yelled across the table. âYou are a serial liar.â The exchange was broken up by tabletop bell wielded by the Tribune.
* The entire Tribune story, however, is a must-read…
âYou cannot tell me what I said,â Raoul shouted at one point.
âI heard you,â said Ruiz.
âYou are a serial liar,â Raoul replied. […]
âI think one of the big problems that we have in this room is that we have people that are beholden to powers that be that donât want to change anything,â Drury said. He called Quinn âthe patronage pal of Mike Madigan.â
Rotering accused Drury of âthe height of hypocrisy,â noting that he had âtaken money from people who are funding Rauner.â Drury countered that one of Roteringâs biggest donors was also a contributor to Rauner. […]
âYou know, we keep hearing about laws that you passed when you had all these different roles in state government, and weâre left with a corrupt government that is corrupt and a government that people donât have trust in here in Illinois,â Mariotti said to Quinn. âAnd I guess the question is: How can the people of Illinois expect that things are going to be different when we keep electing the same people whoâve been in charge, when these laws are passed that are supposedly enough to deal with corruption in Illinois and it hasnât been done?â
* Let’s try this again because people seem to be getting way too far into the weeds. Gov. Rauner was asked in October about a lawsuit filed against him by Kip Kirkpatrick. Media outlets had reported that Rauner had demanded the case be sealed. So, a reporter asked him âWhy are you fighting to keep that sealed?ââŠ
Gov. Rauner: I am not. So, to be clear, my assets, all my investments are in a trust that I donât control. I did that when I became governor. I canât comment on any business disputes. That gets settled in its own process.
Reporter: Is that the reason why itâs sealed because itâs through a blind trust?
Gov. Rauner: I canât even tell you, I mean, I donât really have much to do with that.
Today, the Democratic Governors Association filed a public records request with Governor Bruce Raunerâs office, seeking visitor logs for the Governorâs Mansion and his temporary residence at the State Fairgrounds.
The DGA submitted the request following the revelation in a lawsuit unsealed this week that Governor Rauner held a meeting related to his business interests on the back porch of the Governorâs Mansion. Rauner netted a $15 million profit from the settlement of the investment, which he discussed on the back porch.
âBruce Rauner asked the public to trust him, and he broke that trust,â said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. âRauner promised the public he would wall himself off from his business interests. Now, Rauner must come clean and turn over any information about other business meetings he had while in office.â
Rauner has fought attempts to bring transparency in the operation of his office. The Illinois Times tried to obtain Raunerâs office calendar which quickly lead to a long lawsuit. Rauner maintains he does not use an email address, but his office fought the release of his wifeâs emails even though the Chicago Sun-Times showed they pertained to state business.
Specifically, the DGA is requesting:
copies of all visitor logs of the Governorâs mansion in Springfield from January 12, 2015 to January 23, 2018; and
copies of all visitor logs of the Governorâs temporary residence located on (or near) the Illinois State Fairgrounds from March 1, 2017 to January 23, 2018.
…Adding… Pritzker campaign…
On the heels of a now unsealed lawsuit against Bruce Rauner, a new report confirms that Rauner held a private business meeting at the Peopleâs House, aiming to maximize his personal profit while driving state finances into the ground.
Despite pledging to remove himself from business dealings when he took office, Rauner reneged on that promise and had his state-paid secretary schedule a meeting with Kip Kirkpatrick at the Governorâs Mansion. The 300% profit on the business deal was âapparently not enough for Rauner.â The Associated Press filed Freedom of Information Act requests in 2015 to pry Raunerâs official calendar from the administration to confirm the meeting took place.
âIt is now clear that Bruce Rauner conducted private business while in office, despite repeatedly vowing to remove himself from the potentially conflicting deals,â said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. âThis failed governor spent years trying to cover up his unethical behavior and blatant lies to the public, undoubtedly breaking the trust of the people of this state.â
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s official calendar shows he scheduled a May 2015 meeting at the Executive Mansion with a former business partner who claims in a lawsuit they discussed a personal business deal.
Harreld “Kip” Kirkpatrick’s lawsuit is over a disagreement with Rauner about how to divide a $67.5 million settlement from an investment they made before Rauner became governor.
He says one meeting was May 11, 2015 at the governor’s mansion in Springfield.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of Rauner’s calendar under the Freedom of Information Act. It shows Rauner’s state-paid secretary scheduled a meeting at the mansion with Kirkpatrick for 5 p.m. that day.
…Adding… To be clear, the executive mansion is treated as a residence in state campaign finance laws, so doing a business deal on the porch is fine. The problem is that Gov. Rauner said he was handing over control of his business dealings and told reporters he didn’t know why he was being sued by Kirkpatrick when pressed last fall.
Trump and Rauner. Two rich guys who scammed the system to avoid taxes. Now these Democrats got caught copying them with tax scams of their own.
Daniel Biss is the only Democrat for governor who will make billionaires pay their fair share in taxes to fully fund public schools and level the playing field. And only Biss has a progressive record money can’t buy. Daniel Biss, the middle class governor.
After Trump and Rauner refused to release their tax returns, these Democrats for governor are copying them, refusing to come clean.
Only Daniel Biss released his full returns. And only Biss has a progressive record money can’t buy.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
Daniel Biss today released a series of television ads, with a substantial open-ended buy, pointing out that JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy are not so different from Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump; each scammed tax systems while refusing to release their full tax returns. The ads contrast the four inexperienced wealthy businessmen with Daniel Biss, a middle-class progressive who has never taken advantage of the tax system. And unlike his opponents, he is the only candidate in the race with the experience to fix a system that allows the wealthy and well-connected to profit while middle-class and working people fall further behind.
âTrump and Rauner. Two rich guys who scammed the system to avoid taxes,â says the narrator. âNow these Democrats got caught copying them, with tax scams of their own.â
âDaniel Biss is the only Democrat for governor who will make billionaires pay their fair share in taxes,â says the narrator, âto fully fund public schools, and level the playing field. And only Biss has a progressive record money canât buy.â
âThere are striking similarities between Donald Trump, Bruce Rauner, Chris Kennedy and JB Pritzker,â said Biss campaign manager Abby Witt. âUsing the same language to avoid releasing their full tax returns to the public. Scamming the tax system to line their own pockets, leaving the rest of us to make up the difference. Asking voters to trust them to fix the broken systems theyâve all benefited from. Sometimes itâs hard to tell these guys apart.â
A second spot in the series, âReturns,â reminds viewers that Pritzker and Kennedy are also refusing to release their full tax returns, copying Trump and Raunerâs lack of transparency.
âWeâve seen what happens when an inexperienced billionaire businessman who hides their financial entanglements is elected governor, or even president,â continued Witt. âThe choice in this election is whether weâre going to keep copying Rauner and Trump, or if weâre going to elect a middle-class progressive champion. The voters will choose Daniel.â
âClue,â the third ad in the series, compares experience in office between Trump, Rauner, Pritzker and Kennedy. A 15 second spot, âScam,â further highlights the tax scams that all four have engaged in.
* To make this easier than watching the videos posted on NBC 5, here are the ads in YouTube format. “Clue” is the only one not posted above…
*** UPDATE 3 *** Pritzker campaign manager Anne Caprara…
Dan must not be very thrilled with his performance last night if he decided to be the first Democratic candidate to go negative on TV in this campaign.
