He’d have to call a special session to do this
Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the road builders…
The Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA) is pleased and honored that Governor Bruce Rauner gave the keynote presentation at today’s Planning & Design Conference. […]
Governor Rauner addressed this year’s conference theme, “Project Delivery Innovations,” along with a panel of presenters who explored a variety of project delivery methods and included profiles of national, state, and local projects that showcased project delivery alternatives and private investment opportunities.
“There’s going to be a lot of transportation related technology - autonomous vehicles and drones. Given where we are in the country, the ability to do innovative partnerships with tech companies, and doing these transportation related innovations, bring them here […] I think there’s a big opportunity,” Governor Rauner said in his speech.
Rauner concluded his presentation to the transportation industry stating, “The next few months are going to be critical. I really think we can get a capital bill done without having to drag 18 months. We’ve got the road fund money. We’ve stopped the diversions that have been going on throughout the state. Let’s use the money to get it into infrastructure and get these projects moving.”
A capital bill in the next few months? Has anyone shown him the legislative calendar lately? Not to mention that he just vetoed a budget which had some capital projects.
…Adding… Very good point from the Bond Buyer’s reporter…
* The governor also said told the road builders this today…
And we just need to get our friends and get our neighbors and our allies to stand up together and message on this issue. Workers’ comp, the I-55 lane — everything we’re fighting for is a win for the people of Illinois, and we’ve got to message that together.
As an acquaintance asked me today, who talks like that?
Well, Rauner, for one.
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* Umm…
* I checked in with Dan Kovats at the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association. Here’s his response…
Representative Drury has only contacted the IDCCA once since he announced his candidacy for Governor and that was to ask to speak at our event. IDCCA President Doug House did speak with him last night and President House attempted to contact him again this morning. Representative Drury has not returned President House’s call. If he had returned his call he would have already found out that we will offer him a slot to speak at our Chairmen’s Brunch.
Now Representative Drury puts out a press release calling the IDCCA a machine. That couldn’t be further from the truth and if Representative Drury had been in touch with the IDCCA he would know his statement is ridiculous.
I followed up with Kovats and he explained that the first time Drury called the group was to ask about the event last night. The IDCCA had already set its program, so he was turned down. But then House decided to change his mind this morning and Drury hasn’t called him back.
The annual brunch is traditionally held the morning of the Illinois State Fair’s Democrat Day.
…Adding… Here is Drury’s press release from earlier today…
Illinois Democratic Party bosses are refusing to allow Democratic Candidate for Governor Scott Drury to speak at a major gathering of Democrats in August, prompting Drury to refer to the primary process as “rigged.” “The decision to ban a Democrat from speaking to Democrats is a symptom of an out-of-touch Democratic Party more interested in preserving its leaders’ power than building the party of the future,” said Drury. “If we are to beat Bruce Rauner, the Democratic Party must embrace fresh ideas, not suppress them.”
Drury is a three-time elected Democratic State Representative, and the only Democrat in thirty years who did not vote for Michael J. Madigan to be the Speaker of the House. According to Drury’s campaign, Drury was informed yesterday that he has been barred from speaking at the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association’s Annual Chairmen’s Brunch, which takes place the morning of Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair. Drury was not provided any explanation for the decision and was told the decision is not appealable.
“To the extent there was any doubt that party bosses only want candidates who have kissed their rings and professed loyalty to them, our exclusion from this event puts that to rest,” said Drury. “Any candidate who appears at this event should wear a big sign stating ‘Approved by the Machine,’” said Drury.
Drury’s campaign is pleased that the strength and grassroots appeal of his message is so strong that entrenched politicians are scrambling to try to stop it. “Our message of honest change and returning ownership of Illinois government to the public has clearly scared those whose existence is dependent on the status quo,” said Tony Coppola, Drury’s campaign manager. “Scott is the only candidate in the race with a record of successfully taking on the machine to solve Illinois’ biggest problems and with a plan to restore Illinois to fiscal health so we can return hope and opportunity to every community in the state. Scott’s message will not be impeded by decisions made in a smoke-filled backroom.”
Before running for office, Drury was a federal prosecutor who fought on the front lines of Illinois’ battle against public corruption and gun violence. As a State Representative, Drury has been committed to rebuilding Illinois’ economy through responsible fiscal and ethical reforms. Drury has also led the charge to reform Illinois’ broken criminal justice system and worked successfully to keep our communities safe by defeating the NRA’s attempt to allow assault weapons in every community throughout the state.
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* Tribune…
With questions swirling around his record as Cook County assessor, Joseph Berrios will take the unprecedented step Tuesday of defending his office before the Cook County Board after a Chicago Tribune investigation exposed widespread inequities in the county’s property tax system.
Published in June, “The Tax Divide” showed the assessor’s office overvalued low-priced homes while undervaluing high-priced ones. These disparities in assessments — known as regressivity — led to inequities in property tax bills, giving the wealthy unsanctioned tax breaks while penalizing low-income residents.
In the weeks since, mounting pressure has put the assessor on the defensive. The county’s independent inspector general opened an investigation; lawmakers at the state and local levels proposed legislation to limit the assessor’s ability to raise campaign contributions from tax attorneys; and a bill has been introduced in the General Assembly that would require greater transparency.
Among the questions Berrios is likely to face at Tuesday’s hearing: Why did his office tout and then quietly abandon a new residential valuation model funded by the MacArthur Foundation designed to reduce regressivity?
Go read the whole thing. Whew.
* From a letter sent to the Cook County Board by County Clerk David Orr…
I am very concerned that the problems with the assessment process have not been corrected. In 2015, Assessor Berrios, while announcing a new assessment model, stated that the assessment system was regressive. Regressivity hurts low and middle income residents the most—putting them on the hook for a larger property tax bill than they should be paying. We have now learned that the new model, which was created to address regressivity, was never—or only partially—implemented.
The Cook County Clerk’s Office is an integral part of the property tax system and we rely on accurate and fair assessments from the County Assessor’s Office to determine property tax rates.
I am aware that Assessor Berrios and President Preckwinkle are looking for experts to bring solutions and transparency to the assessment process. Still, two question must be asked: (1) why is the Assessor’s Office not using the model that, in 2015, they publicly touted would significantly alleviate this problem and, (2) what assessment model is the office currently using?
Three substantive studies have already been conducted: a 2011 study by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy; a University of Chicago analysis commissioned by the Assessor in 2014 and funded by the MacArthur Foundation; and the Chicago Tribune investigation. Clearly, there is a crisis to solve and we must begin—as you are today—by speaking with the experts that have already spent countless hours studying the assessment process and developing stronger models.
If the choice is to move forward with an expert to offer solutions to the assessment system, then the selection process cannot be conducted behind closed doors. My office, and the other Cook County offices that administer the property tax system, must be involved. We need all hands on deck to assure the public that the property tax system is fair and transparent. Finally, any study of the crisis we face must be conducted with all deliberate speed.
The assessment process is complex. However, there has been a lack of transparency from the Assessor’s Office. The public cannot afford any delay in implementing real solutions.
*** UPDATE *** Chris Kennedy…
Joe Berrios today tried to defend the rigged property tax system in Illinois. All today’s testimony speaks to is the need to overhaul a property tax system that discriminates, preys on our most vulnerable communities and leads to inequities in access to education.
While reputable academic institutions are laying out concrete evidence about the broken system, elected officials are keeping quiet about the need to implement policy changes for fear of not getting political insider support for their next election. I have laid out real reforms that need to be adopted, including banning elected officials from serving as property tax attorneys and ending campaign contributions from property tax lawyers to the assessors’ office.
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* It’s a good thing that the governor and his new team are so focused on retooling his messaging program…
* From the story…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “body man” — a hand-picked assistant chosen to travel with the governor on a daily basis — was fired Monday on his first day of the job after a series of homophobic and racially insensitive comments were found on his Twitter page.
The exit is one of at least 20 since last week — when Rauner began a rash of firings, with others resigning in protest.
Ben Tracy was chosen by the administration to replace Kyle Haevers as the governor’s “body man.” Haevers on Sunday was told his services were no longer needed but that he could choose to work for another state department.
A “body man” serves as the governor’s assistant — traveling with him, taking pictures, collecting business cards and helping people connect with the governor. In some cases, the role requires work seven days a week, depending on the governor’s schedule.
* More…
We asked the governor’s office additional questions about vetting and to what extent the governor was involved in picking Ben Tracy as his personal aide (as was practice in the past) — the office hasn’t responded.
Tracy did intern with the conservative Illinois Opportunity Project from 2015-2016.
More recently, he was employed by the Senate Republican campaign operation. He also did a stint with the House GOP.
*** UPDATE *** I had been saving this little tidbit for subscribers tomorrow, but I’m sure there will be plenty of other stuff to tell them. Rauner did, indeed, personally interview Tracy according to my own sources…
There’s also a funny and revealing story about the governor to go along with this, but I’ll keep that to myself for today, unless somebody else gets it.
…Adding… Sen. Jil Tracy just called to say that while she has a son named Ben, it’s not the same guy. She’s not related to the jettisoned body man.
* Related…
* Rauner ‘body man’ fired first day on job after racially insensitive, homophobic tweets surface
* Rauner Staffer Fired On 1st Day After Homophobic, Other Offensive Tweets Surface
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* From the Chicago Public Schools…
Rich:
Here is some information on why Governor Rauner can’t legally issue an amendatory veto of SB1.
· Under the Constitution, Governor’s power to issue amendatory veto is limited to making “specific recommendation for change.”
· The Supreme Court has previously stated that an amendatory veto cannot either change the “fundamental purpose/intent of the legislation” or make “substantial or expansive” changes to it.
· The purpose and intent of SB1 is to establish a new and more equitable statewide school funding formula – a new formula that holds all school districts harmless.
· One important and essential element of this new funding formula is to remedy the long-standing unfairness in having the Chicago Public Schools be the only school district in Illinois that is solely responsible for paying all of its required pension contribution from local property taxes—as opposed to all other school districts, whose pension contributions are funded from general state revenues.
· In the coming year, the State of Illinois is projected to spend an additional $600 million on downstate and suburban teacher pensions, for a total of $4.6 billion.
· SB1 specifically addresses this inequity by including in the new school funding formula annual state funding to pay for Chicago’s required contribution for its teachers’ pensions. Further to this point, the floor debates on SB1 are clear that a fundamental intent of the legislation is to make teacher pension funding more equitable throughout the State.
· By using an amendatory veto to remove funding of Chicago teacher pensions from SB1, the Governor is changing a fundamental purpose of the legislation – and he would be making a substantial change to the legislation.
· As a result, this amendatory veto exceeds the power of the Governor under the State Constitution.
Your own thoughts?
…Adding… I’m not sure if CPS realizes this, but their argument is essentially that an AV would be ruled out of compliance by the Senate or the House. If such a ruling is made, however, the bill would die and the GA would have to start all over again.
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* Here we go…
* Perhaps unsurprisingly, this tracks closely with a recent Chicago Tribune editorial entitled “Will Illinois schools open this fall? Stop stalling, lawmakers”…
Enough stalling, legislators. Cullerton should send the bill to Rauner. And the legislature should prepare to return to Springfield, soon, to address his possible veto. […]
What we have recommended, and what we hope Rauner will consider, is vetoing one portion of the bill that gives CPS pension relief. Yes, the state already pays for pensions of every other district statewide, and it’s not unreasonable that CPS should get help too. But not until lawmakers go a step further and curb pension costs for taxpayers statewide: Pass the separate Cullerton pension bill that is sitting in the House Rules Committee, or a strong version of it. The bill would give employees in the pension systems an option to switch up their plans. Create a 401(k)-style plan for new workers. End pensions for legislators. The more reforms, the better.
Do that quickly, and also give CPS its pension relief. That was the deal struck last year between Rauner and Democratic leaders. Stick to it.
The only difference is, the Tribune maintains the bill isn’t a CPS “bailout.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** From an earlier AP story…
Illinois gives governors constitutional authority to use an amendatory veto to make “specific recommendations for change.” But it’s unclear whether lawmakers left language specific enough to alter.
I’ll try to have more on that angle in a bit. Meanwhile, here’s react from Sen. Andy Manar…
“Gov. Rauner should be building bridges with lawmakers so that he can become the governor who finally signs education funding reform into law. But instead of seizing the chance to cement his legacy as a reformer, he’s making demands in front of TV cameras.
“Gov. Rauner promised to overhaul the worst school funding formula in the country to the benefit of all Illinois schoolchildren. He promised to be the education governor. Unfortunately, he is more interested in spouting divisive soundbites than in solving the real problems that grip Illinois.
“Given his repeated pledges to veto this historic and vitally important legislation – despite his reported support of 90 percent of what’s in the bill – of course we are doing everything we can to protect it from his poor judgement.
“Gov. Rauner has never contacted me directly regarding his alleged problems with Senate Bill 1. It is clear to me today that he intends to use the children of Illinois as leverage for his political agenda when he could be working out a compromise to accomplish a much-needed and long-awaited reform. I am saddened and discouraged by his display today.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
Today, Governor Bruce Rauner called on members of the Illinois Senate to send him Senate Bill 1, the education funding bill. Democrats in the Illinois Senate are using a procedural quirk to keep the bill from advancing. If the bill is not sent to Governor Rauner’s desk soon, public schools throughout the state may not open in time for the new school year.
In squatting on this bill, Democrats are taking away critical resources from school districts across the state. When the bill does reach his desk, Governor Rauner plans to issue an amendatory veto that will result in higher state funding for almost every school district in Illinois. The bill includes a bailout of Chicago’s broken teacher pension system, so Governor Rauner plans to amend SB 1 to remove this from the bill and instead provide adequate and equitable funding for students in Illinois no matter their zip code.
The governor’s amendatory veto also will adjust the bill so that it is more closely aligned with the to the original ideals proposed by the governor’s School Funding Reform Commission – which has bipartisan support. These reforms include mandating that the majority of all money in SB 1 will go to statewide school districts serving a majority of students from families with low income. This marks a historic change that will, over time, fix education inequity in Illinois.
“We have a chance to make history and adopt a new school funding plan that, for the first time, ensures all school districts in Illinois are equitably and adequately funded. Unfortunately, Democrats want to turn this historic opportunity into a bailout for the CPS pension system,” said Governor Rauner. “The point of this school reform bill is to help low income students across the state, including those in Chicago, get the education they deserve – not to bailout CPS’s mismanaged teacher pension system.”
As written, SB 1 is a bailout for the decades of financial mismanagement at CPS. The bill directs millions of dollars to CPS and away from other deserving districts. Under SB 1, as compared to the Governor’s plan, the other 851 school districts in Illinois will receive less of the FY18 budget money while CPS receives credit for a $506 million historical pension payment. The CPS hold harmless includes both the $250 million block grant credit and $221 million for normal pension costs and retiree health care credit.
“The General Assembly under Speaker Madigan have failed to adequately or equitably fund our schools for decades. It has hurt generations of Illinois children who live in low income communities,” said Governor Rauner. “It’s not right to give CPS more than its equitable share at the expense of other struggling school districts. That’s not reform. It is the same old rigged politics that created this disgraceful system we are trying to fix. ”
A new webpage launched by the governor shows how much more money each school district will receive after the governor issues his amendatory veto: https://www.illinois.gov/gov/SitePages/SchoolDistrictFunding.aspx
Video footage from today’s tour will be available here.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Senate President Cullerton’s spokesman…
There are ongoing discussions about when to send it to the governor’s desk.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Pritzker campaign…
“After holding this state hostage to force his special interest agenda on Illinois for the last two and a half years, Bruce Rauner has reached a new low as he tries to pit school-children and communities against each other to further divide this state,” said JB Pritzker. “Instead of press stunts and shortsighted attacks, Bruce Rauner should stop treating children and families like political pawns and sign SB1.
“Rauner agrees with 90 percent of the bill, but still refuses to do what’s right for our students. It’s another broken promise from a governor who talks about reform, but can’t deliver and has now surrounded himself with a team of radicals who will do further damage to this state. Students in Illinois deserve a quality education and Rauner won’t let that happen because it’s not politically expedient for him.”
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* Press release…
Attorneys for Illinois residents with developmental disabilities have pleaded with the federal court to force the State to raise rates to service providers, contending that the existence of the state’s group homes is “precarious” under current funding levels.
The argument came Friday in a brief (attached) in support of a motion the lawyers filed in April, asking U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman to enforce the Ligas Consent Decree. The court-appointed monitor has declared the State out of compliance with the decree for the past two years, and the attorneys said in May that the service system “is on the brink of disaster.”
The attorneys rejected the State’s contention that the court lacks authority to order a rate increase, citing a decision by Judge Joan Lefkow June 30 to enforce another consent decree by ordering the State to pay $586 million a month in Medicaid payments to physicians and $2 billion worth of back bills. They said Lefkow’s order “requires funding to enforce the provisions of the consent decree, as (we) have requested here.”
The brief was filed by Equip for Equality, an advocacy group, and the ACLU, representing the Ligas plaintiffs, and two lawyers representing residents of intermediate care facilities.
Illinois is the wealthiest of the Midwest states, the attorneys said, “yet only contributes a third of the average Midwest per-person rate for developmental disability services. The lower overall funding of these services in Illinois—at rates substantially less that the actual operation costs—places Illinois’ (group homes) in a precarious existence.”
The plaintiffs only seek “what was promised to them” by the State, the attorneys said. They said the State “ignores the fact that plaintiffs bargained for—and, more importantly, obtained—an express commitment that class members would not simply be moved out of institutions, but would receive the person-centered services necessary for true community integration. . . . The State cannot enter into a consent decree agreeing to provide certain services and then excuse itself from compliance by claiming that providing the very services it agreed to would be too expensive.”
The new state budget provides for a 75-cent-an-hour wage increase for disability workers, far below what the lawyers say is needed.
Disability consultant Ed McManus said the State is clearly shirking its duty to Illinois’ residents with developmental disabilities. McManus operates a Wilmette-based consulting firm representing 30 provider agencies around the state.
“Equip for Equality sued the State in 2005 for its failure to provide adequate services, and the State settled the litigation and avoided trial by agreeing to the consent decree,” he said. “Now it’s claiming all it had to do was provide services to more people, with no regard for quality. That’s preposterous! Providers are experiencing an unprecedented staff shortage due to low wages, and the quality of services has plummeted as a result. Hopefully, Judge Coleman will recognize this and not let the State off the hook.”
The filing is here.
…Adding… Kerry Lester has more on this general topic today. Click here.
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* Mike Mahoney, the governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Legislative Affairs, resigned this morning. I’m told the parting was amicable.
* Here’s Sneed from last week…
The big question: Will Mike Mahoney, the governor’s policy chief, be told to leave?
“Mike was the guy who kept the troops together, but the expectation is that there is a lot more to come in the cleaning house department,” a Rauner source said.”
It almost goes without saying that this is yet another big loss for the administration. Mahoney was a key player and both House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady reportedly asked the governor to do what he could to keep Mahoney on the payroll. In the end, however, he really had no choice but to leave.
I’m told that more resignations are expected as early as today, so stay tuned.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Sources close to the governor’s office confirm that the governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Engagement Phil Rodriguez has also resigned. Rodriguez worked for Comptrollers Topinka and Munger and ran both of their campaigns. He’s moving over to the Tollway.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The govenor’s body man, Kyle Haevers, has been told his services were no longer needed and was asked to find an agency to move to. His replacement is Ben Tracy, who has already begun traveling with the governor. Kyle was a loyal Raunerite and has been part of Rauner World since 2014 and helped on the Rep. McAuliffe race last fall.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Digital Director Bridget Davidson and Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Munson also resigned today. Davidson came on board last October from a TV station in Milwaukee. I’m told that under Davidson’s direction “Facebook followers grew organically (no paid or sponsored posts) by 300 percent” in seven months.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Kathy Lydon, who runs the state’s Washington, DC office, has left. I’m told her deputy left as well. Lydon previously worked for Judy Biggert and goes all the way back to the Chuck Percy days.
*** UPDATE 5 *** Bob Stefanski, Director of House and Senate Operations, has departed. The House and Senate Republican leaders both wanted the governor to keep him around.
*** UPDATE 6 *** Whew…
*** UPDATE 7 *** Anyone paying half attention to the RadicalCandorIL Twitter account today could’ve guessed this was coming…
*** UPDATE 8 *** Like I said, anyone following “Radical Candor” would already know this…
Illinois GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner’s new “body man” — the government staffer who spends long days with governor — has a history of writing racially-charged, homophobic and sexually explicit tweets.
“I’d f— her teeth straight,” said one. “To the Indian people in the library: SHUT THE F— UP!,” said another.
The Twitter account belongs to Ben Tracy, who was just hired as Rauner’s new body man, the person who travels with the governor, handles scheduling and other duties.
After another social media account started flagging the tweets, Tracy’s account was put into a private, protected mode.
*** UPDATE 9 *** Sun-Times confirmed…
The administration on Monday confirmed Tracy’s termination.
“These tweets are unacceptable. The individual in question is no longer an employee of our Administration,” Rauner’s Director of Communications Laurel Patrick said in an email.
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