Reporters – Attached are the state and federal tax return summaries for JB Pritzker from 2014 to 2016.
In 2014, JB Pritzker paid federal taxes at a rate of 37.3%, in 2015 he paid federal taxes at a rate of 24.3% and in 2016 he paid federal taxes at a rate of 27.7%.
Between 2014 and 2016, trusts benefitting JB Pritzker paid an additional $24.95 million in Illinois taxes and $128.97 million in federal taxes.
JB Pritzker has made $15.3 million in personal charitable donations and his Foundation has made charitable donations of $53.8 million over the same period of time.
Pritzker reported an adjusted gross income last year of $14.95 million. He spent that on his campaign in just a few months this year. You’ll recall that Sen. Daniel Biss had demanded that Pritzker release his full returns. That obviously didn’t happen today and he didn’t disclose much of anything related to his trust income. Considering that Pritzker’s income was so low compared to his alleged net worth of $3.4 billion, you can probably expect an uproar in 3… 2…
* Meanwhile, from the Chris Kennedy campaign…
After filing his petitions and statement of financial disclosure today, Chris Kennedy, Democratic candidate for Governor, took the additional step of public disclosure by releasing federal and state tax return information.
His spokeswoman, Rebecca O’Halloran Evans, released the following statement:
“As promised, Chris Kennedy has gone above and beyond the disclosure requirements in this race for governor by providing his state and federal tax return information for review. The people of Illinois deserve openness and integrity in their government.”
Click here and here. Kennedy also just released the top pages and, unlike Pritzker, he only disclosed his 2016 return. Kennedy reported an adjusted gross income of $1.2 million. He paid $174K in federal taxes on that, giving him an effective federal tax rate of 15 percent because Kennedy took $809K in itemized deductions. He didn’t disclose what those deductions were, however.
*** UPDATE *** Biss campaign…
Today, Daniel Biss released the following statement in response to JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy’s failure to fulfill their pledge to fully release their tax returns:
“Nearly eight months ago, JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy pledged to release their tax returns, acknowledging that voters have a right to know how candidates make their money, what financial entanglements they may have, and how much they pay in taxes. After months of hiding their releases, using the same excuses we hear from Donald Trump, today both failed to live up to their promise. A short summary from only a year or two doesn’t give a full picture - it only raises more questions. Voters deserve an explanation of why it took so long to release so little, and what Pritzker and Kennedy are hiding from the people whose trust they are asking for.”
…Adding… One other thing to note is Kennedy’s family has a trust fund, but Kennedy’s disclosures don’t say if he received any money from them or paid any taxes on that cash.
Today, the Illinois Republican Party released a new digital ad, Tax Hike. The ad highlights the undeniable link between J.B. Pritzker and Mike Madigan and their support for even more tax hikes in Illinois.
In a recent interview, Pritzker made his view on taxes clear: “Illinois may need another tax hike to balance the books and pay for needed public investments, even if the progressive income tax eventually comes about. That was the fiscal bottom line from Democratic gubernatorial hopeful J.B. Pritzker…”
Pritzker and Madigan have long been advocates for increased taxes. When asked by a reporter if his plan is “just for tax increases,” Madigan laughs and dodges the question, while J.B. Pritzker refuses to admit that people are leaving Illinois because of Madigan’s track record of tax hikes.
Despite a 32% tax hike earlier this year with no reforms to state government, Pritzker and Madigan continue to push for higher taxes on Illinois families. Our state cannot afford more taxes on our citizens.
Now is the time to stop Pritzker and Madigan. No more tax hikes.
Illinoisans are already reeling from a 32% across-the-board tax hike forced on them by the Democratic majority. Now, one of their leading candidates for governor – billionaire J.B. Pritzker – is reportedly preparing another damaging tax hike if elected.
Over the weekend, The News-Gazette broke down Pritzker’s confusing, contradictory statements at a Crain’s Chicago Business editorial board interview in which he “raised the possibility” of hiking Illinois’ flat income tax yet again.
The News-Gazette writes that Pritzker is “leaving the door open” for the tax hike, and that Pritzker’s big-spending campaign promises mean that Illinoisans will have to pay higher taxes.
“So if a Pritzker administration wants more revenue to spend in 2019 and thereafter, it’s almost a political necessity to use a one-two punch — flat tax hike immediately and progressive income tax constitutional amendment later.”
The News-Gazette is even warning that Illinois Democrats are waiting for a Democrat Governor to sign the tax hike they hope to pass.
“Gov. Rauner certainly isn’t going to suppose an income tax increase. So the Democratic legislature won’t raise the state income tax until a Democratic governor assumes office in January 2019.”
J.B. Pritzker is offering Illinois more of the broken policies that caused it’s fiscal mess – reckless spending and tax hikes that drive families and businesses out of the state.
*** UPDATE *** Galia Slayen at the Pritzker campaign…
The RGA and the ILGOP are going to need to do a little better than recycled lies to save the most vulnerable governor in the country. As we made clear last week, JB does not want to raise taxes on middle class families. What remains unclear is where Bruce Rauner stands on Donald Trump’s devastating tax plan. Does Rauner support Donald Trump’s attack on middle class families?
* This post will be updated as new press releases are received. Pritzker campaign…
Today, after collecting almost 35,000 signatures from voters in 90 counties across the state, JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton formally filed petitions to run for governor and lieutenant governor of Illinois.
The campaign enters its next phase with a grassroots, statewide operation that includes opening 15 field offices and counting, endorsements from the statewide AFL-CIO, over 20 individual unions, and statewide leaders like Secretary of State Jesse White, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, and Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs.
“I am proud to file my petitions to be the next governor of Illinois and humbled that we collected nearly 35,000 signatures from every region across the state,” said JB Pritzker. “Since announcing in April, our campaign has built a grassroots movement, earned support from leaders and working families across the state, and released detailed policy plans to get this state back on track. After three years of Bruce Rauner creating crisis after crisis, it’s clear that his damage is done. Working families are ready for a governor who listens and fights every day to put Springfield back on their side. That’s exactly the type of leader I will be and I’m excited as we take this next step together.”
“I am honored to join JB Pritzker in filing petitions to be the next lieutenant governor of Illinois,” said State Representative Juliana Stratton. “Since joining the campaign in August, I’ve been humbled by the outpouring of support from working families throughout the state as we build our grassroots movement. Together, I’m confident JB and I can beat Bruce Rauner and put this state back on track by expanding healthcare, investing in quality education, and creating jobs. I am thrilled to take the next step as we work to put Springfield back on the side of working families.”
* Excerpt…
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering officially filed in Springfield, IL as a candidate for Attorney General with 10,000 petition signatures circulated by nearly 200 volunteers from across the state. Candidates for this office may file a minimum of 5,000 and a maximum of 10,000 signatures to be placed on the ballot for the March 2018 primary election. Today is the first day to file petitions.
* Erika Harold excerpt…
Erika Harold filed the maximum 10,000 petition signatures to qualify for the Republican nomination for Attorney General. However, volunteers from across the state gathered more than 16,000 signatures for her candidacy. Candidates need to submit a minimum of 5,000 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
* Hmm…
Progressive Democrat Fritz Kaegi, an Oak Park resident challenging incumbent Assessor Joe Berrios, delivered more than 22,000 petition signatures on the first day of submissions, far surpassing the nearly 8,000 needed to secure a spot on the ballot for the March 2018 primary. The number of petitions submitted, a strong showing for a first time candidate, comes on the heels of a steady increase in public support for Kaegi and his quest to unseat Berrios, who has held the Assessor’s role since 2010.
Flanked by his family, well wishers and campaign staffers, Kaegi stood proud of the progress made in his campaign since tossing his hat in the ring back in May.
“Today is a tremendous day for truth, honesty and transparency for the residents of Cook County,” remarked Kaegi as he greeted supporters after submitting the petition documentation for verification. “We have made great strides since starting our campaign in the spring. We have a great team and we’ve worked hard to get to this point, but we have a long road ahead of us. We need to make sure that the residents of Cook County know that there is someone fighting for them, someone who is not beholden to deep pockets and conflicts of interest.”
* Kennedy…
Democrats Chris Kennedy and Ra Joy took a big step today in the race for governor today by filing nominating petitions to get on the ballot for the March 20, 2018 primary.
About 200 volunteers collected more than 10,000 signatures from all 102 counties in Illinois to secure a spot on the ballot for Kennedy-Joy.
“Today, we take a big step forward in our campaign to change the status quo in Illinois,” Kennedy said. “Ra Joy and I are running to restore opportunity and fairness in our state.”
Joy, Kennedy’s lieutenant governor running mate, traveled to Springfield today to help file the petitions.
“Our state government is rigged for political insiders at the expense of everyone else,” Joy said. “This election is about change or more of the same. We’re the ticket for change.”
* Biss…
Today, Daniel Biss’ campaign submitted the maximum number of verified signatures allowed to the State Board of Elections.
“I’m grateful for the hundreds of volunteers across our state who made today possible,” said Daniel Biss. “Every day for the last three months, our volunteers have inspired me with their dedication to organizing their communities, rain or shine, to get Litesa and me, two middle-class candidates with strong progressive records in government on the ballot.”
* Raoul…
Over 10 thousand signatures were filed in support of IL Sen. Kwame Raoul’s candidacy for attorney general at the IL State Board of Elections today.
Despite a narrow window, Raoul’s campaign collected the petitions from areas across the state in support of his candidacy.
“The petition process allowed our campaign to directly engage voters about their vision for the attorney general’s office. I’m proud to have the support of so many voters who want an attorney general to not just advocate to improve their lives but fight for them against Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump. We’ve been able to build this movement because of my history of getting things done, and I’ll be telling that record to more and more Illinoisans in the months ahead.”
Does that Paterakis dude even have a running mate?
* Sen. Ira Silverstein’s primary…
Alison Leipsiger, Democratic candidate for the 8th State Senate district, announces today that she will not file her petitions to run in the 2018 primary election. Leipsiger, a social worker and the executive director of a new nonprofit, Reimagine Illinois, decided to run for the legislature in early November. Leipsiger endorses Caroline McAteer-Fournier, a progressive health care advocate.
“Today I am proud to step aside and unite behind another strong woman,” Leipsiger said. “If we want to change the culture in Springfield, we need to put more smart women in office. Caroline has been a tireless, progressive advocate for women and families, fighting for affordable health care, access to social services and high-quality schools. I know she will work to create a culture that supports and empowers all women in Springfield.”
* We now have a complete list…
It appears the @illinoissbe has finished logging all the 8am filers, the latest filed report now lists the first filer after 8am. It appears 469 candidates filed at 8am. Busy morning.https://t.co/qHkuTwSV65
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today filed for re-election to represent Illinois’ 13th Congressional District and his campaign launched its first web ad for the 2018 election cycle.
The ad titled “Solutions” focuses on Davis’ work to cut through the political rhetoric and noise in Washington and instead, fight for solutions to the issues working families in Central and Southwest Illinois care about. The ad highlights Davis’ work to deliver solutions on tax reform, government overreach, health care, VA reform, and more.
Now, check out the roll call on the ISBE motion yesterday to leave the highly controversial Crosscheck program…
4:4 vote from IL State Board of Elections on motion to withdraw from #Crosscheck:
Andrew K. Carruthers: N Ian K. Linnabary: N William M. McGuffage: Y Katherine S. O’Brien: N Charles W. Scholz : Y Casandra B. Watson: Y John R. Keith: Y William J. Cadigan: N https://t.co/VRJEHCDpKb
William McGuffage, a Democrat from Chicago who has served on the board for 18 years, called Crosscheck “suspect for a lot of reasons.” He contended there was a “symbiotic relationship” between Kobach’s role in Kansas overseeing the multistate database and his role on “what I called the bogus Trump commission.”
Republican Board Chairman William Cadigan of Winnetka called it “a shame that this whole issue of voting list maintenance has gotten entangled” with Washington politics. But he said Illinois is required by federal law to have accurate voter registration lists and noted the state has received notice expressing concerns from the U.S. Department of Justice that could lead to litigation.
Republican board member Ian Linnabary of Rockford told board members he had spoken with Kansas election officials and had “good news” that a meeting of all member Crosscheck states about security concerns would be held within the next two weeks.
While Linnabary said that no board members feel “voter fraud is rampant,” he urged the panel to “take a step back” and not withdraw from Crosscheck while efforts are made to secure the system.
* Pritzker campaign…
Bruce Rauner’s handpicked members of the State Board of Elections voted yesterday to keep Illinois in the Crosscheck program, a key priority of Donald Trump in the “GOP’s stealth war against voters.”
While there’s no evidence of voter fraud in Illinois, the Trump administration is still pushing states to opt into the program that needlessly exposes personal information and could disenfranchise voters. Instead of standing up to protect Illinoisans, Rauner’s appointees sided with Donald Trump.
“All four members that Bruce Rauner appointed to the State Board of Elections chose fear over facts and stood firmly by Donald Trump’s side,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Illinois needs a governor who will protect voting rights and stand up to Trump’s relentless attacks on this state.”
…Adding… Press release…
In response to the Illinois State Board of Elections’ decision to continue to participate in the discriminatory, deeply flawed Interstate Voter Registration Data Crosscheck Program (Crosscheck), U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement:
“No American voter should ever be improperly disenfranchised because of inaccurate information, which makes the decision by the Illinois State Board of Elections to continue its use of Kris Kobach’s secretive Crosscheck system so disheartening,” said Senators Duckworth and Durbin. “This system could purge as many as 300 legitimate voter registrations for each registration it eliminates—it has no place in our state or our nation’s electoral system. Illinois can and must withdraw from Crosscheck to restore the integrity of our state’s elections and ensure all eligible voters are able to exercise their fundamental Constitutional rights at the ballot box.”
Duckworth and Durbin wrote to IL SBE last month asking the board to stop using the program to help maintain the accuracy of its voter registration system and to instead participate in a far more precise alternative, the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) multistate partnership, which has resulted in higher voter registration rates and increased voter turnout.
…Adding More… Press release…
State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago 13th) and State Senator Bill Cunningham plan to introduce legislation ending Illinois’ participation in the controversial Interstate Crosscheck system.
Despite calls from state and national legislators to withdraw from the program, the State Board of Elections voted Monday to remain in the national voter registration database.
“If the Board of Elections will not act to protect Illinois voters, then it is our duty as legislators to do so,” Raoul said. “The right to vote is sacred, and citizens in our state should know that their information is secure when they cast their ballot.”
At a joint hearing of the House Elections Committee and the Senate Telecommunications and Information Technology Committee last week, legislators heard testimony on security concerns with the system.
Shawn Davis, a faculty member at the Illinois Institute of Technology Center for Cyber Security and Forensics Education testified that the Crosscheck system uses an unsecured network system. Most websites handling sensitive information use secure file transmission networks called SFTPs.
“The risk of exposing the personal information of millions of Illinois voters to an Equifax-style data breach is not worth the small benefit of remaining in the Crosscheck system,” Cunningham said. “This should not be a partisan issue — it is a data protection issue and it must be addressed immediately.”
Additionally, many voting rights activists say that Crosscheck is a vehicle for discrimination at the voting booth. This is because Crosscheck compares first and last names of state voter databases, ignoring middle names and designations like Jr. or Sr. This is viewed as problematic by experts because communities of color are more likely to share last names, making them easy targets for voter suppression.
The Illinois Board of Elections currently subscribes to two national voter database systems designed to help election authorities identify voters who may be registered in more than one state: Crosscheck and the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). This legislation will remove Illinois from the Crosscheck system but allow the state to remain in ERIC, widely viewed as the better system.
When a small nonprofit called the Judicial Crisis Network poured millions into a campaign to stop the Senate from confirming Barack Obama’s Supreme Court pick last year, and then spent millions more supporting President Donald Trump’s choice for the same seat, political observers assumed conservatives from around the country were showering the group with donations.
Not so.
Newly obtained tax documents show that JCN’s money came almost entirely from yet another secretive nonprofit, the Wellspring Committee, which flooded JCN with nearly $23.5 million in 2016.
Most of Wellspring’s funds, in turn, came from a single mysterious donor who gave the organization almost $28.5 million — nearly 90 percent of its $32.2 million in revenues.
Like JCN, Wellspring — at one time tied to the donor network spearheaded by conservative industrialists Charles and David Koch — is a nonprofit that is supposed to be dedicated to social welfare functions and doesn’t have to disclose the names of its benefactors. Since the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision loosened certain constraints on political spending, these and other 501(c)(4) groups have become increasingly politically active while providing anonymity to their donors. Often one group, like Wellspring, will act as a conduit, giving most of its funds to other, similar groups with political agendas.
“It sounds like Wellspring Committee acted as a dark money conduit to provide an extra layer of secrecy to whomever was bankrolling the Judicial Crisis Network ads,” Brendan Fischer of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center in Washington said in an email interview. “This has the effect of layering secrecy on top of secrecy, and almost entirely insulating donors from any form of public accountability.” […]
Illinois Policy Action was another organization that benefited from Wellspring’s grants in 2016, receiving $2.5 million; it’s the lobbying arm of the Illinois Policy Institute, a conservative Chicago think tank in Chicago that has ties to the state’s billionaire governor, Republican Bruce Rauner, according to the Chicago Tribune. In 2016, the institute released a documentary critical of Rauner’s political opponent, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, a Democrat.
* All emphasis added. From the Rauner administration’s presentation to potential buyers of its $750 million bond offering…
INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE STATE
Budget Passage
The State operated without fully enacted General Funds Budgets for Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017. The Fiscal Year 2018 General Funds Budget was vetoed by the Governor, and was enacted by the General Assembly after overriding the Governor’s vetoes of the Fiscal Year 2018 budget package. There can be no assurance that a budget will be enacted in future fiscal years.
The Fiscal Year 2018 General Funds Budget was balanced after the inclusion of several items including the budgetary impact of the issuance of the Section 7.6 Bonds and authorized fund reallocations and interfund borrowing. The Fiscal Year 2018 General Funds budget has an estimated underlying structural deficit of $1.5 billion… To avoid future structural deficits, the Governor and the General Assembly would, among other potential solutions, need to reduce expenditures, adjust revenue collections or approve a combination of revenue adjustments and reductions in expenditures. The State can provide no assurances as to how, when or in what form this might be addressed.
*Sigh*
* Remember the governor’s 2013 campaign vow: “They won’t stop me if I want to dramatically spend less. You need the legislature if you want to spend more. If you want to spend less, they can’t stop me”? Well…
The State estimates that the General Funds financial commitment in Fiscal Year 2017, beyond the amounts sent to the Comptroller in Fiscal Year 2017 described under “Fiscal Year 2017 Spending in the Absence of a Budget,” totaled $1.6 billion for State employee health insurance providers and $1.2 billion for other State operational costs and grants. […]
Total General Funds expenditures with the revised definition of funds for Fiscal Year 2018 are estimated to be $37.4 billion, an increase of $1.7 billion or 4.8 percent from estimated Fiscal Year 2017 results for the revised definition of General Funds. This reflects approximately $150 million in deficit reduction actions directed by the Governor.
So, instead of “dramatically” spending less, the governor spent $1.2 billion without an appropriation last fiscal year and has identified just $150 million in cuts this fiscal year.
*** UPDATE *** Comptroller Mendoza…
The Governor has now signaled that he plans to head into yet another budget cycle without talking, negotiating or compromising with legislators – leaving the state once again without a budget. That demonstrates the height of irresponsibility and the failed leadership that has come to define Governor Rauner. The good news is that legislators of both parties proved this year they are up to the task of working around an obstructionist, out-of-touch, and frankly, irrelevant governor to pass a budget for the good of Illinois.
The message that I continue to send investors, because it is true, is that Illinois is a sound investment and will continue to meet its debt service obligations under my watch. I implore the Governor to learn from his past mistakes and to follow through on his Constitutional responsibility to submit a balanced and responsible budget. He should do his job and begin good-faith negotiations with legislators.
Jim Durkin and Mike Madigan like Illinois state government just as it is.
Madigan makes millions as a property tax appeals attorney. Your property taxes go up to finance the relief Madigan gets his friends.
Durkin gets rich as a municipal attorney by getting local governments to borrow money. Your property taxes go up to finance the debt Durkin gets local governments to pile up.
Madigan and Durkin play the same game so they’re financed by the same insiders.
They work together against you.
Madigan and Durkin get rich. You get gamed.
It isn’t a pretty picture.
If you’re tired of looking at it, Vote no on Jim Durkin.
Illinois may need another tax hike to balance the books and pay for needed public investments, even if the progressive income tax eventually comes about. […]
“If you want to add revenue, the first focus is on accelerating growth and not raising taxes,” he said. […]
However, even if waste is cut, some new money will be needed to pay bills and meet tomorrow’s needs, Pritzker said.
Some will come from amending the Illinois Constitution to allow a progressive income tax, something that would require a referendum vote, likely in 2020. Pritzker said he could not estimate how much that would pull in, but he projected the state would net another $300 million to $700 million by legalizing and taxing marijuana.
Would that be enough to meet all the needs while growth accelerates?
“No. But it depends on how you prioritize,” Pritzker replied.
Would boosted income from a progressive income tax suffice?
“I don’t know,” he replied. “I haven’t proposed a budget. . . .(But) it’s clear that we are underfunding schools.”
Pritzker later suggested that some spending cuts would be on the table, but did not get specific.
Illinois Democrat gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker openly admitted in an editorial board interview with Crain’s Chicago Business yesterday that he would seek massive tax hikes if elected Governor – even more than previously disclosed by his campaign.
Pritzker’s openness about raising taxes if elected poses challenges for his nascent campaign, since Illinois voters already face some of the highest tax burdens in the nation. Pritzker’s position in favor of tax increases is in stark contrast to that of Governor Bruce Rauner, who has consistently advocated for structural reforms and lower taxes as the solution to Illinois’ fiscal challenges.
This is not the first time Pritzker has detailed his openness to tax hikes. He began his campaign amidst audio recordings documenting that he favored a large increase in the state income tax, and has opposed a property tax freeze.
Pritzker has also come under fire for not paying his fair share of taxes on his second gold-coast Chicago mansion, getting hundreds of thousands of dollars in politically connected tax breaks. Now, he’s running on raising taxes for others.
* Greg updated his piece with this statement from the Pritzker campaign…
“J.B. does not believe we should raise taxes on middle class families, period. As J.B. has said since he entered the race, passing a progressive income tax will be his top priority as governor and he is committed to finding budget solutions, like legalizing and taxing marijuana, to help address the damage Bruce Rauner has done.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** ILGOP…
“Illinois may need another tax hike to balance the books and pay for needed public investments, even if the progressive income tax eventually comes about.
“That was the fiscal bottom line from Democratic gubernatorial hopeful J.B. Pritzker today as the Chicago entrepreneur and investor, who’s moved ahead in some recent polls, met with Crain’s Editorial Board for a wide-ranging interview.”
That is how Greg Hinz’s Monday column on J.B. Pritzker column begins. Pritzker continues to mirror his patron Mike Madigan when it comes to taxes, promoting even higher taxes despite Madigan’s 32% tax hike on Illinois families earlier this year.
Madigan muscled through the increase this summer, and if he has his way, will continue to raise taxes.
This comes as no surprise, as Madigan has stated a tax increase to 5% is a “good place to begin.”
This all while Pritzker continues to dodge releasing his own tax returns. It has been 221 days since Pritzker pledged to release his taxes, but he continues to hide behind empty promises of ’soon.’
When it comes to raising taxes, Pritzker is lock step with Madigan: more taxes, no reform.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Rauner campaign…
Yesterday, JB Pritzker stated his support for yet another tax increase on working families all across Illinois. This would mean even more tax hikes after Pritzker’s ally, Speaker Mike Madigan, rammed through a 32% tax hike earlier this year. Governor Bruce Rauner knows that more tax hikes will only force more jobs to leave the state. That’s why he’s fighting to reform Madigan’s corrupt system in Springfield.
From Greg Hinz’s Monday column: “Illinois may need another tax hike to balance the books and pay for needed public investments, even if the progressive income tax eventually comes about. That was the fiscal bottom line from Democratic gubernatorial hopeful J.B. Pritzker today as the Chicago entrepreneur and investor, who’s moved ahead in some recent polls, met with Crain’s Editorial Board for a wide-ranging interview.”
Following Pritzker’s comments, Rauner spokesman Justin Giorgio issued the following statement:
“The contrast is clear in Illinois. Governor Rauner is fighting for every single Illinoisian by working to fix a broken and corrupt system. He wants everyone to be able to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks. But JB Pritzker doesn’t want to do the difficult work of making real reforms. JB Pritzker just wants to raise taxes to avoid showing any leadership and staying in the good graces of Mike Madigan.”
*** UPDATE 3 *** Pritzker campaign…
“The idea that Bruce Rauner is fighting for every Illinoisan is as laughable as his team’s spelling and tired talking points. Bruce Rauner decimated schools, social services, and working families across this state and refuses to take a stand on Donald Trump’s tax plan that will raise taxes on many middle-class families. The truth is, the best thing Rauner can do for every Illinoisan is hop back on his motorcycle and ride off before destroying anything else in this state.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** ILGOP…
So J.B. Pritzker does not deny his plan to raise income taxes on every Illinoisan. Our suspicions have been confirmed. Illinois, hold onto your wallets. Pritzker and Madigan are coming.
Um, didn’t he say he didn’t want to raise taxes on the middle class at all?
*** UPDATE 5 *** Pritzker campaign…
A. Please refer to previous statement: “J.B. does not believe we should raise taxes on middle class families, period.”
B. Does Rauner support Donald Trump’s destructive tax plan? Yes or no?
Illinois election officials have decided the state will remain in a multi-state voter registration database that critics claim is inaccurate and could lead to security breaches.
The motion to withdraw from the Kansas-run Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program failed on Monday after the State Board of Elections voted 4-4. Five votes were needed for it to pass.
However, the issue could come before the Illinois board again or through the Legislature, as some advocates have promised.
Groups including the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights have raised concerns about the program run by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who’s also a vice chairman of President Donald Trump’s election fraud commission.
* It looks like the vote was along party lines…
4:4 vote from IL State Board of Elections on motion to withdraw from #Crosscheck:
Andrew K. Carruthers: N Ian K. Linnabary: N William M. McGuffage: Y Katherine S. O’Brien: N Charles W. Scholz : Y Casandra B. Watson: Y John R. Keith: Y William J. Cadigan: N https://t.co/VRJEHCDpKb
State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) is disappointed in the Illinois Board of Elections’ decision to continue participating in the intrusive and controversial Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program.
The Board of Elections voted 4-4 this morning against a motion to withdraw from Crosscheck, meaning that Illinois will continue participating in the program despite substantial security and disenfranchisement risks.
“Voting is a fundamental component of our nation’s democratic values,” Hastings said. “Illinois residents deserve to have the peace of mind that the Illinois State Board of Elections is taking every necessary precaution to protect their sensitive personal information.”
The state of Illinois is also a member of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), which is considered to be more reliable in determining the accuracy of voter registration.
“I’m disappointed the Illinois State Board of Elections refuses to learn from the mistakes of the past,” Hastings said.
Last week, Hastings raised some security concerns and urged the State Board of Elections to abandon Crosscheck, during a joint House and Senate hearing.
Since 2010, approximately 8.6 million Illinois voter registration records have been submitted to the Arkansas and Kansas Secretaries of State, including names, birth dates and partial social security numbers.
During the hearing, members heard from advocates and experts that Crosscheck does not use secure networks and that passwords used to access information on the database have been sent through unsecure emails.
“We live in an online world,” Hastings said. “We have already seen the effects of using unsecure voter systems with the cybersecurity breaches during the 2016 presidential election. However, it seems like the lessons of the last election are lost on some members of the Illinois State Board of Elections board.”
Critics also argue the unsecure Crosscheck system is designed to suppress minority voters. Communities of color are more likely to have the same last names, which the program flags as a potential double voter. Additionally, the program does not check middle names or suffixes such as Junior or Senior.
The result is that voters with similar names can often be mistaken by the program as double-registered voters, which could have them potentially thrown off the voter rolls.
“I refuse to sit by and watch policies that promote voter suppression persist,” Hastings said. “Our nation’s heroes have gone to war and too many have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our democratic values. Taking away qualified voters’ ability to participate in the democratic process is an extreme injustice and disservice to the men and women who have fought to protect our freedoms.”
Hastings has continued to advocate and call for stronger cybersecurity protocols at the state and local levels to prevent further attacks on Illinois’ voter registration databases. He will explore additional action to secure the sensitive voter information.
* Meanwhile…
The Illinois State Board of Elections (SBE) held a hearing Monday - to a full room - to receive public comments on the implementation of the new automatic voter registration law (Public Act 100-46).
Illinois will be the 10th state (plus Washington, D.C.) to implement automatic voter registration (AVR) into law, and is the first midwestern state to do so.
The law modernizes and reforms current registration laws so that whenever an eligible Illinois citizen applies for, updates, or renews a driver’s license or state ID, they will be automatically registered to vote at their new address, unless they choose to opt out. AVR creates a similar program for other social service and public assistance agencies, making Illinois’ law the farthest reaching AVR law in the country.
Members of the Just Democracy Illinois coalition testified in Springfield and in Chicago this morning to offer assistance and expertise in urging the SBE to work with other state agencies to implement the AVR law on time. Several coalition members expressed specific community needs to ensure the new process would maximize efforts to register voters of color, non-native English speakers, and young voters encouraging the Board to get additional community input throughout their implementation planning. “There’s value in a broad stakeholder process,” said Abraham Scarr, Director of Illinois PIRG.
“Illinois lags behind the country when it comes to voter participation by young people and voters of color,” said Ami Gandhi of Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. “If we implement AVR correctly, we have the potential to close these disparities and reach communities that have historically been excluded from our elections.”
Jay Young, the Political Director of Common Cause Illinois, encouraged the SBE to “think of the enthusiastic support for Automatic Voter Registration as a resource” to be called upon to overcome obstacles in the implementation process.
In submitted written testimony, Just Democracy Illinois reinforced with the SBE the goals of the new law:
For Illinois to have a more complete and accurate voter list,
To keep our elections secure by preventing the potential for the inadvertent registration of non-citizens,
To lower barriers for young voters, communities of color, and other under-registered demographics to register to vote and expand ballot access to encourage more participation at the polls,
And to maximize new voter registrations and voter registration updates.
The law has a mandatory implementation date of July 1, 2018 for the Secretary of State’s Department of Drivers’ Services. Other state agencies responsible for implementing AVR, including the Departments of Employment Security, Natural Resources, Financial & Professional Regulation, and Human Services, have an additional year (July 1, 2019) to comply with implementation.
“The 2018 elections will be a huge motivation for new voter registrations and registration updates,” said Andy Kang, Legal Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Chicago and Chair of the Just Democracy Illinois coalition. “It is imperative that the State Board uses every tool in its toolbox — including assistance from the Just Democracy Illinois coalition — to obtain the necessary resources to implement this law on-time and not keep voters from voting in November because of a preventable delay.”
AVR has a major positive impact on under-registered communities. After instituting AVR, Oregon saw a six percent increase in turnout among young voters and had registration rates among voters of color increase by 26 points, from 53 percent in 2012 to 79 percent in 2016, according to the Alliance for Youth Action.
In response to Just Democracy Illinois’ oral comments and testimony, Chairman William J. Cadigan called for a round of applause for the AVR’s unanimous, bipartisan passage in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly (passing the House 115-0 and the Senate 55-0). Chairman Cadigan also noted that they would hold another public hearing after the March 20th primary elections next year. To close out the topic, Cadigan stated that the SBE was currently working to submit a supplemental appropriations request to the General Assembly to ensure the effective implementation of AVR. Lance Gough, Executive Director of Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners, also urged the State Board of Elections to advocate for proper funding for AVR.
In recent years, Illinois has passed additional laws to improve registration rates and increase ballot access by extending early voting time periods, as well as implementing online and same-day registration. AVR is just the latest step Illinois has taken to be a national leader on voting rights.
For social service and public assistance agencies implementation, the Just Democracy Illinois gave the following recommendations in submitted written testimony in preparation for today’s hearing:
Regularly soliciting and incorporating input from community members who interface with these agencies, including communities of color, about topics such as service applications, interactions with agency personnel, and other issues critical to the success of successful AVR implementation at agencies;
Assigning a voter registration coordinator for each agency and a coordinator for each local office;
Ensuring that proper training is taking place; and
Requiring a comprehensive oversight system for compliance.
* I just received this press release from Local 150 of the Operating Engineers Union…
Updated Release: Democrat Lance Redneck Announces Run Against Jerry Long for State Representative
Lance Redneck? What an interesting name for a Downstate candidate.
Trouble is, the candidate’s name is actually Lance Yednock.
Now, I normally don’t make a deal out of auto-correct typos, but that one was just too hilarious to pass up.
* Here’s the release…
Lifelong Ottawa resident Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, announced his candidacy for the Illinois House of Representatives in the 76th District today. Yednock, 45, a business representative with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, felt compelled to run after Jerry Long lied to union families and failed to support a measure that would have protected middle-class workers from Bruce Rauner’s dangerous agenda.
“I have spent my adult life building and cultivating relationships across our communities,” said Yednock. “I was driven to run for office by my passion to serve the working people of the Illinois Valley. I want to ensure that working families get a fair shake, something Jerry Long has failed to do since he took office.”
Before being hired on as a business representative by Local 150 in 2012, Yednock was an equipment operator for nearly 20 years. He also previously served on Local 150’s Executive Board for 7 years before being brought on staff. Yednock has a degree in political science and he lives in Ottawa with his wife.
“Lance is a hard worker, a committed husband and a trusted member of this community,” said Local 150 President-Business Manager James M. Sweeney. “Jerry Long sent working families up the creek without a paddle when he stood with Bruce Rauner and his anti-worker agenda. A line in the sand has been drawn, and I know Lance will fight every day in Springfield to ensure our voices are being heard.”
Long is a life-long member of the Teamsters, and has often used his union credentials as a way to curry favor in the district with voters. Leading up to a vote in Springfield earlier this month that would have protected middle-class families from Rauner’s anti-worker agenda, Long promised local community members he would stand up to the governor and vote for the measure. On the day of the vote, Long caved to Rauner’s demands and broke his promise to his union brothers and sisters.
Teamsters Joint Council 25 has also stepped up to support Yednock’s race against Long. After Long voted in favor of allowing local “right to work” laws, the Teamsters Joint Council 25 President Terrence J. Hancock embraced Yednock as a candidate who will represent working families in the Illinois Valley.
“After the disappointment Long has personally delivered to working people by breaking campaign promises and supporting Governor Rauner, Long should turn in his union membership card and stop touting himself as a friend of labor,” Hancock said. “We will be supporting every effort to secure Lance Yednock’s place on the ballot in the upcoming primary election, and we will work hard to ensure that he is successful in November.”
“Jerry Long turned his back on working families when he chose to support Governor Rauner’s reckless agenda instead of standing up for the rights of middle-class workers,” said Laborers International Union of North America Vice President John Penn. “Jerry Long cannot be trusted and the families in the 76th district deserve better. That is why we are fully supporting Lance Yednock, a labor representative who has a proven record of standing up for working men and women.”
The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150 is a labor union representing 23,000 working men and women in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. Local 150 represents workers in various industries, including construction, construction material development, public works, concrete pumping, steel mill service, slag processing and others.
Suggested campaign slogans?
…Adding… That’s Redneck… um, I mean Yednock wearing the yellow vest…
* Fritz Kaegi isn’t getting anywhere near the publicity he ought to be receiving, but that may change soon…
Politicians are stepping up to buck Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios, who is under heightened scrutiny for his business and campaign practices.
Today, Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and the 22nd Ward organization are expected to endorse Fritz Kaegi for assessor. Already, state Sen. Heather Steans and clerk David Orr have backed Kaegi.
This summer, Garcia said Berrios’ relationship with attorneys and law firms was problematic because he accepts campaign donations from those who file property tax assessment appeals. Garcia moved to ban the practice. Berrios has been under fire for years, but scrutiny intensified after the Chicago Tribune this summer exposed rampant inequality with how properties are assessed with poor and minority property owners bearing the biggest burden, and wealthy owners winning “unsanctioned tax breaks.” Will others follow? Stay tuned.
…Adding… ILGOP…
“J.B. Pritzker’s silence on Joe Berrios is stunning, but not surprising. The Berrios-led Cook County Democrats were one of Pritzker’s early backers. Even worse, Pritzker received a $230,000 property tax break from Berrios on his Chicago mansion after ripping out the toilets. It’s clear - J.B. Pritzker will do anything to line his pockets and win an election, even if it means supporting corrupt politicians like Joe Berrios.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia is the latest Cook County Democrat to oppose Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios’ re-election.
Berrios has been under fire for running what is essentially a property tax racket and Democrats like “Chuy” Garcia, Heather Steans, David Orr, and Chris Kennedy want nothing to do with him.
But there’s been one notable Democrat who has been silent on Joe Berrios - J.B. Pritzker - and it’s no surprise. Pritzker owes a lot to Berrios.
The Cook County Democratic Party, an organization chaired by Berrios, endorsed J.B. Pritzker’s campaign for governor in what some Democrats called a” backroom deal”.
Even worse, Pritzker was embroiled in a property tax scandal of his own where he ripped the toilets out of his multi-million dollar Chicago mansion to get a $230,000 property tax break from Berrios. Pritzker’s property tax appeals attorneys have given over $100,000 in campaign cash to Joe Berrios’ various political organizations.
J.B. Pritzker will do anything to line his pockets and win the Democratic nomination for governor, even if it means getting in bed with Madigan’s Chicago Machine and turning a blind eye to corrupt politicians like Joe Berrios.
* Meanwhile, Chris Kennedy has never been comfortable talking about the death of his father. For instance…
Chicago Magazine: You were 4 when your father, Bobby Kennedy, was killed. Do you have memories of him?
CK: Let’s keep moving.
* But he seems to be moving past that…
My father, Robert Kennedy, gave his life to civil rights. He was taken away from us but he gave a gift to our country. I used to find comfort in that. But that's no longer the case as we watch civil rights being rolled back. I won’t stop fighting for justice and equality. #twillpic.twitter.com/2jNMIW0X1Q
Republican attorney general candidate Erika Harold was at a forum in California last week where she was asked about being a woman running as a Republican in a party headed by President Donald Trump.
Harold gave a lengthy response at the Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit. But that response didn’t include a mention of Trump’s name. Instead, she also appeared to take a shot at the Democrats running for attorney general who have made attacking the president a top priority.
“As attorney general, my job is neither to support nor oppose whoever is the president because my job is to enforce the rule of law. And I take that very seriously. So, I’m not running for attorney general as a platform to denounce whoever may be in office, whether it’s a person of my party or not. It’s to stay focused on what my state’s interests are, to stay focused on what it is that the law says and to make sure I champion the interests of my state,” she said. […]
Apparently reminded by the questioner of the original question, Harold responded: “As attorney general, it’s my job to stay focused on what are the interests of the people of my state. It’s not my job to support or oppose any person who’s in power.”
State Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, who has been critical of Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, is backing a primary challenger in the gubernatorial race.
McCarter has endorsed state Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, as the two have criticized Rauner’s decisions to sign legislation that allows state health insurance and Medicaid money to go towards abortions, sign an education funding bill that included extra money for Chicago Public Schools, and sign legislation that protects people who are in the country illegally from being detained solely because of their immigration status. […]
“We have a real choice in Jeanne Ives. Someone who can lead Illinois in the right direction,” McCarter said. “We need someone who will stand up for us and fight for us; not just tell us he supports us, throws around a lot of money and says ‘Be my friend because I have a lot of money.’ This election is about morals not millions. It’s about telling the truth and standing up for the people of this state.”
* Press release…
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-4), a national leader on issues of crucial importance to Latino and immigrant communities, on Monday endorsed Jesse Ruiz in the Democratic race for Illinois Attorney General.
“For decades, Jesse has been a leader in the fight to improve public education, to protect immigrants, and to promote civil rights,” Gutierrez, the senior member of the Illinois Congressional delegation, told a crowd of supporters at a news conference held in the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. “As Illinois Attorney General, I know that Jesse will stand tough when Donald Trump attacks our fundamental rights.”
Todd Stroger — the former Cook County board president who was easily unseated by Toni Preckwinkle amid furor over a county sales-tax increase — told WFLD-Channel 32 on Monday morning that he plans to run against Preckwinkle in the next county board president’s race.
Stroger cited the outcry over the since-repealed penny-an-ounce soda tax that Preckwinkle pushed as a primary reason for his political comeback attempt.
“I felt vindicated when they had to bring the whole tax back,” Stroger said of the soda tax. “There’s a lot of people who are not happy with the current administration, and I think there’s a lot of people who had felt I did a good job.”
Stroger said Preckwinkle’s decision to raise sales taxes in 2015 proves he was right when he did so in 2008.
“I believe what that showed was that tax was needed. What we’ve seen in the last seven years is the budget has gone from $3.2 billion to $4.8 billion. The question is where is all that money going? Why do we need such a large increase?” he said. “I won’t be able to tell you that until I’m able to get in the books.”
Stroger also said he opposed the idea of a sweetened beverage tax when he was county board president.
“I thought it was a bad idea back then. So we’re not looking at the same race that was happening in 2010,” he said. “This isn’t 2010. This is 2017. So this is a different age.”
“After inheriting a broken system as Cook County Board President, Toni Preckwinkle closed budget deficits of more than two billion dollars, cut wasteful spending, and improved the County’s bond ratings. She remains focused on protecting essential services, reforming our criminal justice system, and strengthening access to medical care for Cook County families.”
“Cook County voters know what Toni Preckwinkle has accomplished and we are confident that she will be successful in both the Democratic primary and general election in 2018,” said Preckwinkle for President’s Political Director Scott Kastrup.
