Pro-Life/ Pro-Family Forces Meet…Will Oppose Rauner in Primary and General Election
The following Bill of Particulars was unanimously endorsed today by representatives of 20 statewide pro-life and pro-family organizations at a meeting in Chicago.
Bill of Particulars
Whereas the 2016 platforms of both the national and Illinois Republican parties clearly state their opposition to taxpayer-funded abortion.
Whereas the Republican members of the Illinois House and Senate have expressed their united opposition to taxpayer-funded abortion as expressed in House Bill 40.
Whereas the duly-elected Governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner, after making several public promises to veto House Bill 40, shockingly, caved to pressure from radical abortion extremists and signed this dastardly legislation into law on September 27, 2017.
Whereas every Republican member of the Illinois Congressional Delegate called upon Rauner to veto HB 40
Therefore, we the assembled leaders of 20 pro-life, pro-family statewide organizations in Illinois state the following:
We hereby express a vote of “no confidence” in Governor Bruce Rauner.
We hereby state that Governor Bruce Rauner, were he to seek re-election for the office of Governor, will not have our support in either a Republican primary or in the General Election of 2018.
We state that we will support a candidate or candidates for governor who are publically committed to the repeal of House Bill 40 in 2018 Republican primary and, if required, in the 2018 general election.
We further state that we will support only candidates for public office who are publically committed to the repeal of House Bill 40.
We encourage the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, other Christian churches, Jewish people, and other people of Faith throughout Illinois to demand of their local public officials a public commitment to support the repeal of House Bill 40.
We ask people of Faith throughout Illinois to join us in prayer for the souls of the many innocent victims of abortion including the unborn, the women victimized, and their families who will suffer as a result of the pen of Governor Bruce Rauner.
* I asked Paul Caprio for a list of groups…
Rich,
Here are 13 of the groups that were involved. There were some in other groups that endorsed the Bill of Particulars, but preferred not to have their names mentioned publically. Hope this is helpful.
Illinois Family Institute
Illinois Family Action
Family-Pac
Illinois Citizens for Ethics (Catholic Pro-life Pac)
Lake County Right to Life Pac
Lake County Republican Assembly
West Suburban Patriots
Illinois Right to Life
Walsh Forum
One Nation Under God Foundation
Christian Emergency League
Illinois Citizens for Life
Catholic Citizens of Illinois
Today, the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association (IDCCA) and its 102 members met to vote on an endorsement in the Democratic Primary for Governor. With an unprecedented show of support, the IDCCA voted to endorse JB Pritzker for Governor representing nearly 70% of the County Chairmen.
IDCCA President Doug House released the following statement in reaction:
“At the start of the primary campaign I asked the candidates to travel to each of the Counties and meet with our members and the voters. To beat a candidate like Bruce Rauner, Democrats needed to be inspired by their vision for Illinois and their plan to win. I have been impressed with JB Pritzker and his strong, progressive message. JB is connecting with voters who share our core beliefs throughout Illinois and they believe that he can fix the mess that Bruce Rauner has created.”
“Each of the candidates submitted credentials to be considered for endorsement. The County Chairs of the IDCCA have voted, and I wholeheartedly agree, that JB Pritzker is the best candidate to beat Bruce Rauner. We are proud to support him for Governor.”
“The IDCCA is made up of volunteer, grassroots organizers who are committed to getting Democrats elected up and down the ballot. While Bruce Rauner, Donald Trump and Republicans are continuing to hurt our country, County Democratic Parties will be knocking on doors and talking with our neighbors about a positive way forward for our communities. With JB at the top of the ticket, 2018 will be a strong year for Democrats in every county in Illinois.
“We are proud to stand with the next Governor of Illinois and we are ready to get to work,” said IDCCA President Doug House.
* ILGOP…
“The IDCCA has done it again. Their endorsement of Pritzker today is the latest chapter in a years-long pattern of bending to Madigan’s will. The IDCCA has long been an instrument to support Madigan’s vulnerable House members, and now they’re being used by Madigan to coronate Pritzker with the Democratic nomination for governor.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
…Adding… Biss campaign…
In a video shared with supporters this morning, Daniel Biss unveiled “Rewriting the Rules,” a set of policy proposals designed to restore power to the people of Illinois.
“With a billionaire businessman in the White House, another in the Governor’s Mansion, and two more of the super rich running for governor, it’s time for us to ask some serious questions about what kind of democracy we want to have,” said Daniel Biss. “Do we want to have elections, or do we want auctions?
“The wealthy and well-connected have built a system that keeps them in charge while the rest of us fall further and further behind. From the way we fund our campaigns to how the district maps get drawn to the basic way you get on the ballot, the system is designed to push us out. Insiders will tell us it’s too complicated and that we should let them make all the decisions. Really, it’s quite simple: the system is rigged against us and it’s time to rewrite the rules.”
“Rewriting the Rules” includes the following policy proposals:
Grassroots selection of the party chair: If we want a Democratic Party that’s accountable to Democratic voters, we can’t rely on a closed door coronation. To bring in new faces and new ideas, we need a new process for electing party leaders that starts with local activists.
Small donor matching: With a system of public financing through matching small donations, grassroots candidates can run for office based on their ideas, not their bank accounts.
Ballot access: Measures to expand access to the ballot will create more competitive elections and ensure that political machines can’t limit third party access or throw ordinary people off the ballot based on technicalities.
Fair maps: Illinois needs an independent redistricting commission to draw fair maps while protecting the voting rights and representation of diverse communities in the General Assembly—because voters should pick their elected officials, not the other way around.
Ranked-choice voting: Implementing ranked-choice voting will give voters more opportunities to select independent and third party candidates who share their values and ensure that the candidate who gets elected is the candidate with the most support.
Term limits for leadership: Rather than allowing the Senate President, Speaker of the House, and minority party leaders to consolidate power over years and even decades, we must implement term limits to encourage the flow of new ideas and restore power to rank-and-file legislators.
More on “Rewriting the Rules” can be found at DanielBiss.com/Rewriting-The-Rules.
…Adding… Pritzker campaign…
Today, the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association (IDCCA) endorsed JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton for governor and lieutenant governor after 70 percent of chairs across the state voted for them. The IDCCA is made up of the elected Democratic party chairs from all 102 counties in Illinois.
“Juliana and I are humbled to receive the endorsement of the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association as we build our statewide, grassroots campaign,” said JB Pritzker. “We need to elect Democrats up and down the ticket in 2018, and no one knows that more than the 102 Democratic chairs of the IDCCA. I’m so excited to partner with local leaders to beat Bruce Rauner and get fellow Democrats elected in towns, cities, and counties across the state.”
“JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton are building a campaign that’s ready to take on Bruce Rauner, and we’re going to need that kind of leadership and commitment to win in 2018,” said IDCCA President Doug House. “JB has the background and the vision to get big things done for the people of Illinois. He’s spent his life fighting for what’s right, and he has real plans for our state’s future. We need a strong leader with an unwavering commitment to turn our state around after Bruce Rauner has spent the last few years damaging it, and I know that JB Pritzker is the best choice for the job.”
“I’m going back into the private sector to lead a new initiative that will leverage one of his other greatest victories, that of the Janus v. AFSCME fair share case that was just picked up by the United States Supreme Court,” Rasmussen said during the call. “So whether we are inside of government or outside of government there’s so much opportunity for us to change policy and change lives for the better. ”
Rasmussen said she had “two key responsibilities” during her tenure: to “refresh the staff” and to deal with the school funding crisis. […]
Heaton said he knows that there can be “anxiety and uncertainty that comes with change.”
“I just want to encourage everybody to take a deep breath. I’m not coming in with some kind of vision that I need to bring in my own separate, new group of people,” Heaton said.
I have the same source material, but since I was out of the office and Tina got it, too, you can just click here and read the rest of her story. Saves me some work.
* I have a doctor’s appointment (nothing life-threatening) and will be back later this afternoon. Discuss any breaking news or whatever, as long as it’s Illinois-centric. And please do your utmost to be kind to each other. Thanks!
* Back in the days when smart phones didn’t exist and texting was fairly rare, AOL Instant Messenger was all the rage. The company eventually developed a small mobile device which could send AIMs to other AOL users. Several campaigns used the very edgy technology.
But after 20 years, it’s shutting down. From a message I received this morning…
Hi there! We wanted to let you know that AIM will be going away on December 15, 2017. Until then, you can continue to use AIM normally, but as of December 15, AIM will be discontinued and you will no longer have access. Thank you for being an AIM user - we loved working on this product for you.
Only a handful of people I know still use it, but I still get occasional messages from folks on the system.
A political friend was at one time the most prodigious AIM user I’ve ever known. I walked into her office one day and mentioned I had been trying over and over to send instant messages to her and wasn’t getting a response. She looked and said she had 200 active AIM conversations on her desktop computer and, apparently, that was the company’s limit. It had happened before, she said, which is why she knew.
* The Question: What are the various ways you electronically communicate with others? Explain if necessary.
Gov. Bruce Rauner announced today that Rodger Heaton will become his chief of staff effective Monday, Oct. 9. Heaton, a former U.S. Attorney and most recently the director of Public Safety and chairman of the Statewide Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform, succeeds Kristina Rasmussen, who will remain on staff until Friday, Oct. 13, to help ensure a smooth transition.
Heaton has served as public safety director and the governor’s Homeland Security adviser since January 2015. In these roles, he has worked extensively with members from all three branches of Illinois state government and is familiar with the workings of the Office of the Governor and the priorities that the governor has established.
“I’m excited to promote Rodger to be our team leader,” Rauner said. “His combination of legal, legislative and policy experience will help us build on the significant improvements that Kristina accomplished in a very compressed and challenging time.”
Heaton has had a 30-year career in law, litigation, law enforcement and policy. From 2005 to 2009, he served as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, the chief federal law enforcement official for 46 counties. He also served on the U.S. Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, a body that advises the Attorney General on all policy matters related to the justice system.
The governor lauded the work of outgoing Chief of Staff Kristina Rasmussen, who is leaving the administration to pursue other interests.
“I brought Kristina on last summer because of her reputation as a foremost policy leader and organizational innovator,” the governor said. “I asked her to reinvigorate our staff and advance our goals in improving education, growing jobs, and protecting taxpayers … and she delivered on all fronts.
“Kristina built and organized a team that is enhancing our executive operations, making them more focused, more effective and better prepared to win a growth agenda for Illinois,” Rauner said. “I know she will be a great success in any endeavor she chooses in the future.”
* I asked all the Democratic gubernatorial candidates and Gov. Rauner’s campaign this question the other day…
What specific legislation would you propose to lessen the risk of a mass shooting in Illinois?
Their deadline was noon today. The Rauner campaign did not respond. The answers in the order they were received:
* Tio Hardiman…
“As Governor, I would make sure that we enforce all of the Gun Laws on the books in Illinois to the highest level because having strict gun laws without enforcement is like turning your back on the law abiding citizens of Illinois. Additionally, I would work with members of the Illinois General Assembly and Members of Congress/Senate on Banning Assault Weapons period. This is necessary to help the state of Illinois remain safe from incidents like what just took place in Las Vegas.”
* Bob Daiber…
“The effort to stop mass shootings in Illinois begins with passing and signing into law SB1657 “The Gun Dealer Licensing Act.” This legislation gets to the root of the problem as to whom sells weapons and the process by which individuals can obtain rapid-fire devices. I support a ban on such weapons for further sale to the general public. To address the long-term issue of manufacturing assault weapons, we must enforce restrictive patents on the development of any such weapons so they may not be marketed beyond the initial intent. As a state, we must also address this issue by reinstating mental health services to serve citizens who have a diagnosis that may present a risk to society. “
* Chris Kennedy…
We have the ability to limit illegal, unlawful use of guns, without violating responsible gun owners’ second amendment rights. We should immediately take steps to:
* Pass the Illinois Gun Dealer Licensing Act, which would mandate state licensing for all Illinois firearms dealers who are currently only required to be licensed at the federal level. This would reduce a major source of illegal guns from entering our communities.
* Crack down on the gun train problem by putting the railroads on notice. Guns that are being shipped across the country sit in unprotected rail yards, making it possible for thieves to steal and resell illegal weapons throughout the state.
* Pass a Lethal Violence Order of Protection (LVOP) to empower immediate family members who are concerned about a loved one hurting themselves or others.
* Create a gun tracing program like they have in New York City so we can trace the ownership of all guns that were used in a crime and cooperate with other states that are creating similar programs so that our data collection and reporting techniques are compatible.
* Ban anyone on the terrorist watch list from receiving a FOID card in Illinois and call on President Trump to share the terrorist watch list with the state police immediately, or to explain why he refuses to do so.
* Pass an assault weapons ban in the state.
* Implement universal background checks to determine whether the prospective buyer has been convicted of a felony.
* Study the gun violence epidemic. If the federal government won’t reinstate research from the CDC to study this public health crisis, then we need to do it right here in Illinois, where we have sophisticated public universities like the University of Illinois-Chicago to take the lead.
* Sen. Daniel Biss…
“We are in desperate need of common sense measures to prevent gun violence and mass shootings, and we can’t wait for the federal government to take action. That’s why I’m co-sponsoring the Gun Dealers Licensing Act, and introducing a Senate companion to the newly-filed HB4107 to ban bump stocks, high capacity magazines, and assault weapons. These are all important steps we can take today to better protect our communities.
“But crucially, we also must expand access to mental health care, and de-stigmatize those with mental health issues. To do that we must fight for Medicare for All, and for a sustainable budget that fully funds our state’s social service providers.”
* Ald. Ameya Pawar…
As Governor, Ald. Pawar would:
-Sign SB 1675, the Gun Dealers Licensing Act which would:
1. Require background checks on all gun dealer employees
2. Require video surveillance on the outside of gun shops, and
3. Train employees to help identify straw purchasers.
-Propose a ban on the sale of bump stock.
-Propose a ban on the sale of automatic weapons.
-Propose a ban on the sale of high capacity magazines.
And as Ald. Pawar wrote in a 2013 Tribune Op-Ed (link here) he would propose a gun liability law to prevent straw purchases because if we can insure guns we can ensure we can save lives.
A gun liability law would include:
1. Tying a firearm owners identification card to proof of gun liability insurance.
2. Requiring gun sellers and dealers to verify proof of insurance prior to any gun transaction.
3. Requiring every purchased gun be listed on an insurance policy.
We also must attack the root of the problem and recognize that mass shootings and gun violence are a result of a lack of economic opportunity and ready access to mental health services. As Governor, Ald. Pawar would invest in communities by passing a New Deal era capital bill and invest in mental health services destroyed under Governor Rauner.
* JB Pritzker…
The mass shooting in Las Vegas was the worst in U.S. history and this is the third time in ten years we’ve said that. Enough is enough. Gun violence is a public health epidemic, destroying families and communities, and taking the lives of 675 people in Chicago last year alone. We can’t just send hopes and prayers, we have to take action.
There are several measures we can take to address gun violence. First, I support a ban on assault weapons, high capacity magazines, and bump stocks to make it harder for people to do so much harm, so quickly. Second, I believe we need to put in place universal background checks, pass a gun dealer licensing bill, and close the gun show loophole. Third, we need to work with neighboring states to stop guns from flowing across our borders. Finally, I support lethal violence protection orders so that families can step in to protect loved ones from harming themselves and others.
These are steps we can take to help keep our families and communities safe, but they are only part of the equation. Social service funding and mental health services in Illinois have been decimated by Bruce Rauner’s budget crisis. As governor, I will work to restore funding for these services and create economic opportunity across our state so that we can bring opportunity and hope back to every community in Illinois.
Having recently gained the national spotlight, Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon confirmed his interest Thursday in a statewide run to become the next Illinois attorney general.
But his final decision will hinge on his ability to do justice to the heavy workload on his docket.
McMahon, a Republican, became state’s attorney in 2010, but it was just this past summer that his name came onto the national media scene for his appointment as a special prosecutor in the Laquan McDonald murder case. McMahon is still knee-deep in that prosecution.
He’s also juggling several pending lawsuits in Kane County, including a potential $60 million judgment involving a drug-treatment center application rejected by the county board.
* I asked the Republican Attorneys General Association for comment. RAGA has been backing Erika Harold’s bid and RAGA spokesman Zack Roday sent me this…
“We’re incredibly excited about the momentum Erika Harold is already showing and the wide range of support she is gathering from Republicans and Democrats alike – all across the state.”
You’ll recall that Peter Roskam was the only Republican Congressman to not endorse Erika Harold this week. He told the Tribune he was waiting to see what McMahon did.
Van Dyke was indicted by a grand jury earlier this month on 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm—one count, apparently, for each bullet he fired at McDonald. Van Dyke had previously been indicted on charges of first-degree murder and misconduct in office. Special prosecutor Joseph McMahon filed the new indictment—which included the original charges—to replace the first one. […]
(E)ven if jurors find Van Dyke not guilty of murder and not guilty of the battery charges attached to the first few bullets, they could still potentially convict him on battery charges for the later bullets. The prosecutor’s strategy seems tailored to counter the special consideration a police office usually receives in shooting cases: “He’s covering his bases. Doing what a good prosecutor would do.” […]
Milan won’t speculate on how a jury might rule, but he agrees that if the prosecutor’s strategy succeeds, it could easily spread to police shooting cases in other places.
Rasmussen's departure will be announced today. Her exit was delayed by the search for her replacement, solidified over HB40 signing. https://t.co/hMHQmDf1lg
I started hearing it on Wednesday night and by last night I was getting flooded with texts and calls.
Heaton is a former US Attorney for Central Illinois. He’s been the governor’s top public safety guy. He’s also in the Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Intern Hall of Fame, which I didn’t know until a little bit ago.
* But I didn’t mention this one, partly because Patty wouldn’t even come close to confirming it…
Source also says Patty Schuh to be named new Comms chief for @GovRauner#twill
I still think it’s likely happening in the near future, however. She would definitely be an improvement.
* We may know more about Rasmussen/Heaton when this staff meeting gets underway, or maybe not. I’m hearing some don’t believe it will be announced that soon…
There's now a 1 p.m. all-staff call for Rauner staff, seemingly to discuss new chief of staff, other changes. #twill
…Adding… The Sun-Times needs to restore their old stories. This is from a blog post I did in 2006…
* You gotta wonder what the heck Rodger Heaton was thinking when he made these dinner reservations. From Mark Brown:
If I were a gossip columnist, I could give you the entire substance of today’s column in just a sentence, then let the insiders make of it what they will.
It would read something like this:
Seen breaking bread recently in the Grill Room of Springfield’s Sangamo Club were Rodger Heaton, the new U.S. attorney for the Central District of Illinois, and his dinner companions, Republican power brokers William Cellini and Robert Kjellander. […]
But from the outside looking in, this seems exactly the kind of too-friendly relationship between federal prosecutors and Illinois political figures that caused former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald to insist on going outside the state for his U.S. attorney selections
In a Nod to Madigan, Longtime Madigan Front Group Expected to Endorse Pritzker
IL Dem County Chairs Assoc. has funneled campaign cash to Madigan’s allies and vulnerable House Democrats for years
“ILDCCA President Doug House is taking orders from Madigan - that’s why tomorrow’s expected endorsement of J.B. Pritzker comes as no surprise. For years, Madigan has used the ILDCCA to funnel campaign cash to his allies and vulnerable House Democrats. Now, Madigan is using the ILDCCA to bestow Pritzker with the Democratic nomination for governor.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
Tomorrow, the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association will be conducting a vote to endorse a gubernatorial candidate for the upcoming Democratic primary. In a nod to Speaker Mike Madigan, the ILDCCA is expected to endorse J.B. Pritzker, Madigan’s candidate for governor.
ILDCCA President and Madigan front man Doug House has already stated he will be casting his endorsement vote for J.B. Pritzker. House’s endorsement comes as no surprise - he’s already urged his fellow Democrats to “play nice” and not upset Madigan, as Madigan continues to steer support to Pritzker.
House and his predecessors have long done Madigan’s bidding and used the ILDCCA to funnel campaign cash to Madigan’s allies and vulnerable House Democrats.
After taking big campaign checks from special interest groups associated with Madigan and allies of Madigan in the General Assembly, the ILDCCA turned around and funneled that campaign cash to former House Democrats and Madigan-enablers like Kate Cloonen, John Bradley, and Mike Smiddy.
It’s clear the ILDCCA is one of many Madigan front groups.
Now, Madigan is using the ILDCCA to bestow Pritzker with the Democratic nomination for governor. The fact that Madigan will do anything to ensure Pritzker wins the nomination should worry Illinois voters, particularly Democrats.
I count 19 mentions of the word “Madigan” in that release. And it’s 21 if you include the subject line of the e-mail.
*** UPDATE *** From the ILDCCA…
Rich,
I wanted to respond to the ILGOP press release that you posted on the blog. This is the typical ILGOP response to everything. Blame someone eles for their constant failures. This response is also hysterical given the ILGOP has been bought and paid for by Bruce Rauner.
The IDCCA is made up of 102 independent County Chairs who will meet tomorrow and decide for themselves who will be the best candidate to defeat Bruce Rauner.
While the ILGOP continues to become unhinged in the midst of their own civil war, at least they could come up with something better than the same old response.
If you need anything else, please let me know. Thanks
Dan Kovats
Executive Director
Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association
* Republican Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison says he’s filing a new ordinance to repeal the county’s pop tax and has more than enough votes to override a veto from Board President Toni Preckwinkle if they all stand firm.
Morrison’s original ordinance would’ve repealed the tax immediately, which would be next Tuesday. The new ordinance would allow the tax to expire at the end of the fiscal year, which would be December 1st.
Commissioner Morrison says he has 12 co-sponsors on the measure, with perhaps more soon because some commissioners couldn’t sign on before he filed it. It takes 11 votes to override a veto. Commissioner John Daley is a co-sponsor, Morrison said. Daley said yesterday that he had switched positions and now wanted to repeal the tax.
So, that could be the end of the much-hated pop tax.
…Adding… The Tribune has the names of the other flippers…
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, a Preckwinkle’s floor leader; Stanley Moore; and Dennis Deer. All are Chicago Democrats. Garcia and Moore voted for the tax last November. Deer was recently appointed and this will be his first major vote. All are expected to seek reelection next year.
…Adding… From a Chris Kennedy fundraising e-mail yesterday that I didn’t see…
Food can be medicine and it can also be poison. In a food swamp, almost all the food is poison. Discouraging unhealthy foods is important but so is an investment in healthcare and access to healthy foods.
That’s not what we’re doing with this soda tax in Cook County. What we’re actually doing is hurting working families in Illinois.
It’s time to stop with these regressive taxes that hurt our working families. Chip in $5 to our campaign so that we can make sure that we reform to our tax code to help our working families, not hurt them.
Cook Country thinks it can clean up its finances with a patchwork of regressive fixes like a soda tax. Illinois needs a wholesale reform of our tax code, starting with ending our reliance on a broken property tax system to fund local schools.
Saying we’re helping kids when we’re simply imposing another tax on their families, is playing pretend.
* The Illinois Policy Institute’s news service is staying focused on HB40…
With the fall veto session weeks away, Gov. Bruce Rauner says he hopes the Republican caucus “stays strong,” allowing his vetoes to withstand attempts by Democrats to override. Angry over Rauner’s signing of a controversial abortion bill, a retiring GOP lawmaker responded to Rauner’s hopes, saying, “We’re all free agents now.” […]
Retiring state Rep. Barb Wheeler, R-Crystal Lake, said Rauner’s signing of a bill expanding public funds to pay for abortions after pledging a veto was enough for her and many others to write off the freshman governor completely.
“Quite frankly, it makes us all free agents in regards to what happens in the veto session,” she said. “This veto session is going to be very different than what he probably could have expected had he stayed with us when we asked him to.”
Wheeler thinks Republicans should take little stock in Rauner’s wishes in respect to the coming veto overrides.
“They should represent their district, not taking into consideration what the will or want is of the governor,” she said.
“They should represent their district.” That is always good advice, and it would’ve been great advice starting in January of 2015.
Subscribers know a bit more about what to expect in the upcoming veto session. But you gotta figure that the governor’s veto of the comptroller’s Debt Transparency Act will be overridden. The roll call was one vote shy, but some people were absent and some may flip to “Yes” after HB40. The legislation had strong support from editorial boards across the state and, in what I think may have been an overlooked turning point for the governor, those edit boards lashed out at Rauner in August after he vetoed it.
While Cook County commissioners and Board President Toni Preckwinkle battle over the controversial sweetened beverage tax, city taxpayers may be seeing some relief on that front.
In an interview for “Chicago Tonight,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel refused to take sides on the county tax debate, but indicated he would take action at the city level.
“I’m going to focus on my budget, and in my budget, there’s going to be some tax reduction in that area,” Emanuel said.
The mayor will release the city’s 2018 budget on Wednesday, Oct. 18. He was not specific about how much taxes would be reduced, or which tax would go down. Not including alcoholic drinks, there are three retail beverage oriented taxes: a 9 percent syrup tax paid by the distributor, a 3 percent soda tax paid by the consumer, and a 5 cent bottled water tax.
* However, one of the mayor’s spokesmen said to me this morning that reducing the city’s beverage taxes (some of which I didn’t even know existed) was “Not what [the mayor] meant and not happening.”
“We’re looking at tax relief,” the spokesman said, “but not the specific area of taxes on sugary/sweetened beverages.” It was, the spokesman said, a “reasonable misunderstanding, but a misunderstanding all the same.”
Aurora may get a Small Business Development Center to help fledgling businesses succeed, according to Gov. Bruce Rauner. […]
He told an audience in the Arthur N. Bonifas Conference Center next to Alarm Detection Systems that there is money in the current budget proposal for a small business center in Aurora. While that budget is still in flux — he said the current projected $1.7 billion deficit is too much and must be cut — he said officials are looking for an Aurora location for the facility.
The SBDC, as it is called, would help small businesses develop a network of relationships, assisting them to find resources they might need to be succeed, Rauner said.
“The key to sustaining successful business is being in a network,” Rauner said. “You need a network of relationships.”
Springfield’s fiscal mess continues to rack up victims: small-business development centers on college campuses around the state, which are shutting their doors or retrenching because of funding shortfalls.
About a quarter have closed, the latest at Governors State University in south suburban University Park, which is going the way of abandoned locations at Joliet Junior College, Illinois State University in Normal and Waubonsee Community College in Aurora.
For three decades, the centers have been a free resource for fledgling entrepreneurs starting companies or trying to keep them going. Juicy Luzy Sangria owner Luz Cavazos is opening a 1,500-square-foot plant in Oak Lawn with $20,000 from small-business lender Accion and said it wouldn’t have happened had Governors State’s SBDC not helped draft a business plan.
Once numbering 36 statewide, the centers typically serve a few hundred clients each and cost in the neighborhood of $200,000 annually to operate. They’re jointly funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and matching state funds; some directors said schools chip in an amount equal to three-quarters of the state match through employee salaries and in-kind contributions.
…Adding… I missed this DGA press release yesterday…
Today, Governor Bruce Rauner visits Aurora to speak to announce the opening of a new Small Business Development Center, but perhaps he should explain why the previous center closed under his watch. Or why the state’s economy lags under his failed leadership.
Illinois Small Business Development Centers were hit hard in the two-year budget impasse. Crain’s Chicago estimated that a quarter of all SBDC’s on college campuses closed in Illinois including one located on Waubonsee Community College campus. The Aurora Beacon-News reported that the center closed in 2016 due to the budget impasse, and had served 400 businesses the year before.
WCC is about 20 minutes from Aurora.
* Pritzker campaign today…
Yesterday, Bruce Rauner announced an expansion of the Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity’s Small Business Development Center Network (SBDCs) – the same program he’s decimated as governor.
Under Rauner’s failed leadership and manufactured crisis SBDCs in Illinois were decimated, forcing almost one quarter to close and slashing the number of jobs created and retained by them.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and Bruce Rauner destroyed many of the small business development centers needed to help them grow and thrive,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “With jobs leaving this state and businesses shutting their doors, Bruce Rauner’s damage is done.”
…Adding… Heh…
Getting press for opening offices that you closed is kinda like using quotes about other people in your TV ads. https://t.co/NyBMPkmhrN
Biss for Illinois announced today that, for the second quarter in a row, Daniel Biss has raised more than JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy, both of whom have written personal checks to their own campaigns to reach their quarterly totals.
The campaign raised over $825,000 in the third quarter and now sits with more than $2.6 million cash on hand. Donations came from more than 2,650 donors representing over 270 cities and towns across Illinois. Seventy-five percent of these donations were for under $100, and ninety-six percent came from in-state.
Biss Campaign Manager Abby Witt issued the following statement in response to third quarter fundraising results:
“JB Pritzker is spending over $120,000 of his own money every day. That’s more than Daniel and his wife’s combined income in an entire year. Chris Kennedy has written his campaign two checks, totaling $500,000. That’s more than Daniel’s house is worth.
“There’s a reason a math teacher and state legislator can out-raise ultra-wealthy political insiders: Illinoisans are tired of the rich and powerful holding the reigns of power in this state. Instead of resigning themselves to a broken system, voters are taking politics into their own hands by electing a middle-class governor they can trust to fight for them.”
Yes, he did raise more money than Kennedy. Again.
But Sen. Biss’ fundraising pace has slowed since the second quarter, when he raised just over a million bucks. That’s not a good sign. The lieutenant governor debacle may have hurt him. It didn’t kill him off, but it surely didn’t help.
