* Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi in Crain’s in February…
The solution? Achieve predictable, fair and transparent assessments by requiring property owners to submit basic rent and real estate operating income information at the start of the assessment process.
This would require a legislative change: the passing of H.B. 2217, a bill sponsored by House Assistant Majority Leader Will Davis and Senate Revenue Chair Toi Hutchinson, with co-sponsors from leaders in both houses of the General Assembly. H.B. 2217 would give the Cook County Assessor’s Office—and other Illinois counties that choose to opt in—the ability to require owners of income-earning properties to disclose basic rent, real estate income, and expense information. Those who do not comply would be subject to a fine.
Many smaller properties are exempted, including commercial properties with a market value under $400,000; and residential properties with six or fewer units, or with a market value under $1 million.
Currently, income and expense information is required at the point of appeal. The Board of Review takes in this data and uses it to determine a property’s value, one appeal at a time.
The Assessor’s Office is in the business of mass appraisal. If we were equipped to require this data up front, at the start of the assessment process, we would be able to determine market-level rents for every part of the County.
The bill has since been amended.
* Today, Assessor Kaegi’s office tweeted out a thread unlike anything I can recall seeing. Instead of posting the tweets, I’ve copied and pasted the thread here…
We’ve received word the @CivicFederation has released a letter stating its opposition to SB 1379, the data modernization bill. Their letter misstates basic facts and lacks the rigor we would normally expect from the organization.
It’s worth noting the property tax appeals lawyers represent a substantial portion of the @CivicFederation’s board. We have learned that they did not recuse themselves from decision-making on SB 1379.
The Civic Federation states “the bills as drafted do not require data to be made anonymous or to be made public.” This is misleading. The bill’s amendments explicitly state the data may be released to the public and anonymized before its release.
Moreover, the @CivicFederation’s insistence that voluntary disclosure is “a viable alternative” simply does not agree with those who have studied similar measures. In a recent study, return rates on voluntary disclosure were shown to be as low as 10% and only as high as 20%
If we do not pass SB 1379 now and begin collecting this data this year, the most impacted communities will be in the South Suburbs, who will not benefit from this legislation until their re-assessment in 2023.
Assessors across Illinois and the U.S., as well as global professionals who operate in our state like Brookfield Properties’ Retail Group and @BMOHarrisBank, support this bill because it is good tax policy. The @CivicFederation should be able to recognize that.
* More info from this excerpt of a letter Kaegi sent to the bill’s sponsor…
The Civic Federation states “the bills as drafted do not require data to be made anonymous or to be made public.” This is misleading. The amendments that were adopted with bipartisan support in the Senate Revenue committee state explicitly that the data may be released to the public and would require that the data is compiled and anonymized before its release. In fact, to emphasize our office’s commitment to the confidentiality of this data, we added language making it a criminal misdemeanor for an Assessor’s Office employee to mishandle this information – language that mirrors a similar provision that applies to the Illinois Department of Revenue.
In conversations about this bill, the Civic Federation continues to suggest our office should follow a process of “voluntary” data collection and cites King County in the state of Washington as a jurisdiction that follows this practice. This suggestion ignores the fact that Washington state law authorizes assessors to require data production at an assessor’s discretion. We have confirmed this, again, with the King County assessor, John Wilson, who we regularly consult with on assessment best practices. It is unclear if the Civic Federation is suggesting we amend the legislation to give assessors the ability to compel data production through subpoena.
Moreover, the Civic Federation’s insistence that voluntary disclosure is “a viable alternative” simply does not agree with those who have studied similar measures. As New Hampshire’s Assessing Standards Board put it, “Without mandatory disclosure, the ability to have a statistically relevant sampling of information is jeopardized.” In its study, return rates on voluntary disclosure were shown to be as low as 10% and only as high as 20%. In short, voluntary disclosure would barely be better than no disclosure at all.
I’ve asked the Civic Federation for a response.
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Our sorry state
Wednesday, Apr 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* You know that feeling when you can’t ever seem to get ahead? That, only it’s a state government…
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State’s Medicaid managed care program slammed
Wednesday, Apr 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Stephanie Goldberg at Crain’s…
Sinai Health System administrators were surprised when a Medicaid managed care insurer refused to reimburse the hospital chain for treating a patient with two broken bones. It’s not uncommon for medical claims to be denied by the private insurers administering Medicaid benefits in Illinois—especially when doctors fail to request prior authorization. But a doctor can’t get approval to operate on someone two weeks before he’s injured in a car accident, as Sinai CEO Karen Teitelbaum points out.
The claim, which has since been paid, is just one example of care being denied due to process and paperwork rather than medical reasons in the government-funded program for low-income patients.
Under HealthChoice Illinois, the state pays private insurers a set amount per patient rather than paying for each medical service provided. The goal is to improve people’s health and control costs by ensuring all care is appropriate and high-quality. However, it has significantly increased administrative costs for some hospitals—many of which are already strapped for cash.
“Hospitals and systems are having to staff up with dozens and dozens of employees to chase down claims,” says A.J. Wilhelmi, CEO of the Illinois Health & Hospital Association. “Depending on the size of the organization, some are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars—and likely millions of dollars—to address the denials and delays in payment. For smaller hospitals, this additional administrative cost isn’t in their budget so they do the best they can with the staff they have.”
* Joe Cahill at Crain’s…
Illinois’ reboot of Medicaid managed care has delivered a kick in the teeth to hospitals that serve the state’s most vulnerable patients.
Launched early last year, HealthChoice Illinois expanded Medicaid managed care from just 30 counties to the entire state. Under managed care, Illinois pays private insurers a fixed fee to cover medical care for patients who rely on Medicaid, a joint federal-state health insurance program for people of modest means. The state explained the move as a way to provide “enhanced health coordination and quality services at sustainable costs.”
But the costs of HealthChoice quickly became unsustainable for hospitals with large numbers of Medicaid patients. As my colleague Stephanie Goldberg reported in Crain’s this week, those hospitals are now spending more to collect the same amount of money—and in some cases less—from Medicaid managed care insurers. […]
Yet the state of Illinois, facing its own fiscal crisis, has increased financial pressure on institutions that play an essential role in public health. Hospitals say onerous HealthChoice paperwork requirements have forced them to hire more administrative staffers to wrangle payments from managed care companies. They also say HealthChoice insurers are rejecting 26 percent of claims, depriving hospitals of payment for hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of services. A state report says the most recent data available shows a denial rate just under 11 percent during the first quarter of 2018.
A program that drives up hospitals’ administrative costs isn’t making health care more efficient, effective or affordable. The state might be saving money, but only by shifting costs onto hospitals.
* Meanwhile, in Iowa…
One of the three insurance companies providing services for the Iowa Medicaid program is quitting. […]
Gov. Kim Reynolds says she ended negotiations with UnitedHealthcare on Friday when the company dictated contract terms she believed unreasonable.
Foxhoven says the company wanted full payment without meeting all required performance requirements in its contract.
UnitedHealthcare says persistent funding and program design challenges made it impossible for them to provide the quality care and service they believe people deserve.
Former Gov. Terry Branstad hired private companies to manage the Medicaid program previously run by the state in 2016 and it has been the target of criticism since for cuts in services, reported slow payment of bills and doubts about its promised savings to taxpayers.
* In other news…
The Galesburg Cottage Hospital has announced the suspension of all inpatient labor, delivery, and urology services.
The Hospital group announced on April 2, that it will suspend inpatient labor and delivery and urology services effective May 2.
“The decision was impacted by declining market demand for these services and the significant negative impact of the Medicaid Supplemental Payment Program.” –Eileen Inness, Director, PR […]
“In 2018, the hospital experienced a significant loss of funding as a result of the state’s redesigned Hospital Assessment Program that impacted the amount of Medicaid Supplemental Payment the hospital received,” said Jim Flynn, CEO. “While many hospitals in our state received additional funding as a result of the redesigned program, Galesburg Cottage Hospital experienced decreased funding of more than $5 million.”
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Apr 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois News Network…
No local government in Illinois would be able to restrict collective bargaining issues for public or private unions under a measure that is now set to be sent to the governor’s office.
State Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, sponsored Senate Bill 1474 in the House. He said the U.S. Congress didn’t include political subdivisions in the National Labor Relations Act that regulates collective bargaining agreements.
“And doing so, Congress decided to avoid the confusion of having 7,000 units of local government in Illinois with thousands of different laws it would create,” Yednock said. “The [Seventh Circuit appeals] court referred to this situation as an impossible position and a nightmare.”
Supporters of SB1474 have argued that it would only allow the state to set such policy and prohibit right-to-work zones. Supporters also said it would codify federal labor law by prohibiting local government from limiting collective bargaining.
The bill passed with an overwhelming 101-8 margin after Democrats agreed to remove criminal penalties.
“Eastern Bloc” Reps. Bailey, Caulkins, Halbrook, Miller (no relation) and Wilhour, plus Reps. Reick, Sillicorn and Sosnowski were the only “No” votes.
Five of those members voted “No” on Rep. Aaron M. Ortiz’s (D-Chicago) first bill yesterday, which is generally considered bad form. Members of that clique were also the only votes against a bill today sponsored by Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-Naperville). There could’ve been other instances, but I didn’t watch every roll call.
Either way, it appears they’re becoming a “bloc” in more than name only.
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* WICS TV looked at the past five years of DCFS inspector general reports…
We found 35 employees had actions taken against them for either falsifying information or falsely testifying in court.
After digging through the Inspector General reports from the last five years, this is what I found.
In fiscal year (FY) 2018, the inspector general found 6 employees had either falsified case notes or provided false testimony in court.
In FY 2017, there were 6 employees.
In FY 2016, there were 10 employees.
In FY 2015, there were 6 employees.
In FY 2014, There were 7 employees.
The employees included DCFS investigators and caseworkers and private agency caseworkers.
The article goes on to quote some folks who say the extreme pressures from under-staffing is so intense that it may have something to do with the falsifications.
I don’t know whether or not that’s true, but the governor was in Decatur today and said the agency is in the process of vetting potential new caseworkers before the new budget is even in place so they can start right away when the new fiscal year begins. The governor has proposed hiring 126 new DCFS caseworkers in FY20.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Apr 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* After Rep. David Olsen (R-Downers Grove) unexpectedly lost to Naperville Democrat Anne Stava-Murray last November, he ended 2018 with over $100,000 in his campaign account.
Olsen decided to run for Downers Grove mayor and opened a new campaign committee account and reported raising $13,000 late last month. His opponent, Bob Barnett, started the year with no money and reported raising just $4,500 back in February.
Olsen lost again…
Voters have named Bob Barnett as the new mayor of Downers Grove. Throughout the evening, Barnett, a 10-year village commissioner, had a slight hold over challenger David Olsen in the mayoral race.
With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Barnett has garnered 4,223 of the votes, while Olsen collected 3,670, according to the unofficial results. Mayoral hopeful Marge Earl, a commissioner since 2016, trails far behind the two, earning 850 votes.
Barnett, 50, is a longtime resident of Downers Grove and has served as a commissioner for a decade. Throughout the years, he served on various committees, including the Stormwater and Flood Plain Oversight Committee, Downers Grove Park District Outdoor Pool Advisory Committee and took a lead role in amending the village’s liquor ordinance.
Meanwhile, Olsen, 30, was a former Downers Grove commissioner, a board of trustee for the College of DuPage and most recently an Illinois state representative.
* Meanwhile, here are some of Politico’s biggest losers of the Chicago election…
SEIU and Jerry Morrison, assistant to the president of SEIU Local 1, for leading Preckwinkle’s unfocused campaign.
Chicago Teachers Union, which along with losing the big mayoral prize, lost 6 of 8 aldermanic races to charter school supporters.
Chance the Rapper endorsed Preckwinkle in the runoff, and his dad, Ken Bennett, served as her campaign co-chairman.
Team Obama’s Tina Tchen and Valerie Jarrett, who backed Preckwinkle.
* The Question: Any other big Tuesday losers you’d like to add? Make sure to tell us why.
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Republican lawmakers asked where they’d cut
Wednesday, Apr 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Several House Republicans held a press conference yesterday to once again rail against the proposed graduated income tax…
And when asked Tuesday to name three cuts to state government that Republicans would support, Rep. Jeff Keicher, a Sycamore Republican, said the conversation has to “go beyond cuts.”
He cited former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ handling of his state’s agency expenditures in a “programmatic approach of looking at each agency on a scale of individualized metrics so that they could not only refine what they do in alignment with the mission created for them, but that they could do it in a more effective and efficient manner.”
The group mentioned a bill from state Rep. Steve Reick, a Woodstock Republican, which would create private-sector commission mirroring Daniels’ approach to examine the spending habits and management practices of state agencies.
That commission would give recommendations to lawmakers to spend more efficiently, but would be a 501(c)4 organization which would not have to release any information about its donors. The bill remains in committee.
Other specific reform legislation mentioned Tuesday includes a Batinick bill to consolidate pensions, and legislation from Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville), who has a bill to create a discretionary spending freeze for fiscal years 2020 and 2021. The group also touted workman’s compensation reforms and said Illinois needs to work on making it easier to do business in the state.
* Related…
* Pritzker’s proposed cut to Invest in Kids conflicts with rhetoric: Pritzker has since modified his goal to abolish Invest in Kids. Now, as a money-saving measure, he wants to cut the potential $100 million program to $50 million in the budget that takes effect on July 1. It would be further reduced in the three remaining years of the five-year pilot program. … Meanwhile, Republicans, who are a superminority in the legislature, defend Invest in Kids both as a program that is working as intended and the product of a bipartisan compromise.
* Illinois Policy group launches TV ads against graduated tax
* State lawmakers begin budget talks as progressive tax debate continues: State Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, on Monday rattled off a list of quotes from leading Democrats from over the years saying that tax increases would help stabilize budgets. “The is a comprehensive package that will move us a long way toward driving down our spending, paying our past due bills, and achieving fiscal stability,” Batnick quoted former state Rep. Elaine Nekritz saying in 2011. “We are in desperate need to improve our bond ratings. We will do that by raising this…” Batinick quoted Senate President John Cullerton from 2011.
* Sponsor of measure looks to amend bill opponent dubbed ‘rain tax’: DeLuca plans to amend his bill so it does not include tax-exempt properties such as churches, and to specify that money local governments could raise from such fees could only be used for storm sewer systems. He said because the state has cut money for local governments, the authority to levy the fee is important to make sure local governments aren’t diverting resources away from public safety services such as police and fire to fund storm sewer repairs. DeLuca said it’s not a rain tax, That’s how state Rep. Allen Skillicorn characterized the bill last month after it passed committee. “Then what is it?” said Skillicorn, R-East Dundee. “It’s exactly what it is. It is water falling on your property, you’re being taxed on it.”
* Briefly, taxpayers were part of the conversation: “So far, we’ve had about $4.5 billion in new taxes that have been put forward, including income tax, bag tax, gas tax, marijuana tax, a vaping tax, expand [the] sales tax to include services, sports betting, and I think I’m probably missing one or two,” McConchie said at the news conference surrounded by other Republican state senators. For the record, McConchie did miss a few. Lawmakers have also proposed tax increases on tobacco products, financial transactions and more.
* Sen. Jason Plummer: In Illinois, we have a ‘spending’ problem, not a ‘deficit’ problem: The next time you hear a news report about the state’s “deficit” sob story, ask yourself this question: Do we have a “deficit” problem in Illinois, or a “spending” problem? Do not let politicians continue to play word games in order to avoid the real issues we face in Illinois. Enough is enough.
* Study: Most states’ sports betting revenue misses estimates
* Editorial: Time is right to develop a strong plan for sports betting
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* Interesting move…
A few months ago, the Illinois State Board of Education voted to ask lawmakers for $15.6 billion to fund public schools. Now, a newly appointed board wants to change that request, to ask for just under $9 billion.
These board members were appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, so it’s no surprise that the $8.9 billion request they’re proposing aligns almost perfectly with Pritzker’s budget.
At a hearing today, State Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan), questioned the board’s new math.
“I know the governor has his budget,” Mayfield said, “but as an agency, you have a responsibility for the children of Illinois. So you don’t have to necessarily agree with him, but you do have to do what’s best for the children. And I did not see that in your budget.”
Thoughts?
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is already underwater in some Democratic House districts. But what about his plan to scrap Illinois’ constitutional flat income tax protection? Polling of likely voters conducted by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates shows Pritzker’s tax plan is even more disliked in those districts.
Notably, respondents who said they were aware of Pritzker’s tax plan were more likely to oppose a constitutional amendment allowing for a graduated income tax.
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By the numbers
Wednesday, Apr 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hmm…
* Lots of newbies…
* More numbers…
* Lori Lightfoot wins historic mayoral race: ‘This is amazing’: Lightfoot’s landslide rivals former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s 2003 re-election bid, when the 14-year incumbent beat the Rev. Paul Jakes Jr., 78.46 percent to 14.02 percent. Patricia McAllister drew 5.9 in that contest and Joseph McAfee 1.62 percent.
* To the new mayor: Congratulations — now, get to work: Lightfoot must find $276 million immediately and $1.2 billion by 2023 to bankroll the four pension funds for city employees. On top of that, the city’s corporate fund has shortfalls of $251.7 million next year and $362.2 million in 2021. And that’s even before factoring in the cost of new contracts and back pay for police officers and firefighters.
* City Council poised to have most Hispanic, fewest white aldermen ever: Following the aldermanic runoffs on Tuesday, Hispanics have picked up at least one seat, for a total of 11.
* Dynasty dustups on Northwest Side: Gutierrez loses Council bid, Mell could, too: A fall for Deb Mell would mean that a member of the Mell political dynasty wouldn’t be running the ward for the first time in 44 years.
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Fahner?
Wednesday, Apr 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Greg Hinz looks at Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot’s inner circle and who she might bring with her to city hall…
Politics being politics, an eclectic mix of names has begun to leak out. Included: a former candidate for lieutenant governor, Ra Joy; municipal consultant Lisa Schneider Fabes; longtime government colleague Maurice Classen; and Tyrone Fahner, a former Illinois attorney general and previous chairman of law firm Mayer Brown. […]
Lightfoot’s transition team will be run by Fabes, who reportedly knows Lightfoot from a stint when Fabes was an executive with the Chicago Housing Authority and, perhaps, a second post as a project manager with Chicago Public Schools. Fabes is married to Brian Fabes, CEO of the Civic Consulting Alliance. But while transition officials often end up in government, Fabes just two years ago ran for a school board seat in Wilmette, which might limit her potential Chicago role. […]
I’m told Lightfoot talks with some frequency to Joy, who, with her, is a veteran of the Chris Kennedy gubernatorial campaign and Change Illinois, a reform group. Ditto U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, who certainly can share some advice about how to succeed in the business of politics as a black woman, and reform Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd, who could now find himself with a bigger role in the new City Council.
One other name that may strike some as unlikely to be in her kitchen cabinet: Fahner. He’s a leading Republican, a former president of the big-business Civic Committee of the Commercial Club. But it’s Fahner who took Lightfoot under his wing as a young associate at Mayer Brown a couple of decades ago and has served as her mentor through the years.
Ra Joy was on stage with Lightfoot last night and was part of her campaign kickoff event. But Fahner? Hoo-boy. I suppose having Mr. Pension Reform around will placate the Tribune editorial board.
* Speaking of Fahner and his ilk, here’s an excerpt from a joint statement issued last night by the CTU and SEIU Local 73 entitled “Our militancy is not dictated by who sits on the fifth floor of City Hall”…
Rahm and Rauner are gone. Their policies must go as well. We hope Mayor-elect Lightfoot separates herself from the dubious interests that funded her campaign, and governs like the progressive she claims to be by ending the funding of #NoCopAcademy and the Lincoln Yard TIF. We expect her to fight for an immediate $15/hr minimum wage in the city, for real and meaningful criminal justice reform, and for equitable investment in all of Chicago’s communities—especially those that have been habitually overlooked and underfunded.
We will also demand that Mayor-elect Lightfoot use her authority to make sure that Chicago is a city of unions for all, and that everyone has the opportunity to join a union no matter where they work.
If not, she will face immediate pushback. Elections are moments. We are a movement. See you at City Hall on April 9.
The CTU is planning a rally on April 9. Click here for more info.
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DSA crows about city council gains
Wednesday, Apr 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Chicago DSA…
Three aldermanic candidates endorsed and supported by Chicago Democratic Socialists of America won seats on city council last night in the Chicago municipal runoff elections. In the 20th Ward, Jeanette Taylor won with 59.64% of the vote and will be taking the seat formerly held by indicted Willie Cochran. Similarly in the 25th ward, Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who won with 54.31% of the vote, will be succeeding Danny Solis, formerly the powerful chair of the Zoning committee. In the 40th ward, Andre Vasquez defeated the nine-term incumbent Pat O’Connor with 53.93% of the vote.
A fourth CDSA endorsed candidate, Rossana Rodríguez-Sanchez, is in a tight race with Deb Mell in the 33rd Ward. After bringing Mell to the first runoff in the ward since the 1930s, Rodríguez-Sanchez was up by 64 votes with all precincts reporting. The winner of that race will be determined after absentee ballots are accounted for and a recount is completed.
The new aldermen will join Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, a democratic socialist incumbent in the 35th Ward, and newcomer 1st Ward alderman Daniel La Spata, another CDSA member. Both Ramirez-Rosa and La Spata won their races outright during the first round of voting on February 26. That means that, in a 50 seat city council, at least 10% will be members of Chicago Democratic Socialists of America.
“As democratic socialists, we’re ready to build a Chicago for all of us, not just a wealthy few,” said Lucie Macías, one of two Chicago DSA co-chairs. “Our Chicago for All platform is based on three main planks: Housing for all, Sanctuary for all and Education for all. We’re excited to build a socialist caucus in city hall to carry out this agenda and fight for Chicago’s working class.”
Over the last six months, CDSA endorsed the four aforementioned candidates and supported them with canvasses and other volunteer work. CDSA’s Chicago For All platform represented issues the chapter organized around before the elections, like lifting the ban on rent control in Illinois, stopping the construction of a new $95 million cop academy, and creating a democratically elected school board for Chicago.
These victories are part of a nationwide wave of electoral wins by Democratic Socialists of America members over the last year, the most prominent being current Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York. DSA recently endorsed Bernie Sanders for President, who carried the 1st, 25th, 33rd, 35th, and 40th wards back in the 2016 Democratic Primary in Chicago.
They scored some impressive wins. Now they have to govern.
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Late afternoon, evening precinct reports
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Things can be different in the Metro East…
Madison County Associate Judge Clarence Harrison declined to order the City of Wood River to remove “vote Yes” signs positioned on city-owned property and inside City Hall that promote a sales tax increase referendum on the ballot in Tuesday’s election.
At a hearing challenging the city on Monday morning, Harrison indicated that if opponents of the signs want a remedy they can vote the public officials responsible out of office, according to a courtroom observer.
The controversy involves what critics say is a violation of the city’s own ordinance regarding political signs on city property, as well as the city’s position not to allow “vote No” signs on city property.
Last week, a spokesperson for the Illinois State Board of Elections said that if the city paid for the signs and/or used workers to place them on city property would be considered election interference.
* I’m not planning to do any coverage tonight so you can also use this post to discuss results.
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* When Indiana passed legislation in 2015 allowing businesses to refuse services to gay people, then-Gov. Bruce Rauner said he wouldn’t use the neighboring state’s law to try to poach businesses. Rauner said it was a mere “headline opportunity” and not a real one.
New governor, different state, different topic, but an approach focused on a particular industry…
Mixing business with politics, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. J.B. Pritzker are moving to poach some TV and film business from Georgia as that state prepares to sign a rigorous anti-abortion bill that has set off a backlash in Hollywood.
In a letter to studio moguls and others in the entertainment industry, the two local officials joined with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to suggest that Georgia has fallen prey to “reactionary, extremist forces” and that their business would better fit in “hospitable places” like Chicago, Illinois and Jersey.
“We agree the industry should align your values with where you spend your money and boycott states not aligned with your progressive ideals,” the trio wrote. “Our cities and states are home to some of America’s most creative, hard-working and innovative production professionals. While we stand together in defense of the rights of our residents, we respectfully invite you to consider our locations for your future productions.” […]
The measure specifically would ban any abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, something that generally occurs about six weeks into a pregnancy and which, according to pro-abortion-rights groups, would come close to banning all abortions, since women often don’t know for a few weeks that they’re pregnant.
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* Tribune…
A man with several weapons was taken into custody Monday in a block of Franklin Park that includes a school and a church, according to officials.
The incident began about 5 a.m., when the man was making statements on Facebook that prompted a police response, according to Franklin Park Director of Police Michael Witz. […]
“This would have hit national news had he carried out what he was going to do,” Witz said.
* This was just released by the Franklin Park Police Department…
On Monday April 1, 2019, at approximately 5 a.m. Franklin Park Officers were dispatched to St. Gertrude Church, 9613 Schiller, to check for a subject who had been communicating with a family member through texting and social media, making the family member concerned for his well-being.
Upon arriving at the Church officers located a door that was forced open and began searching the church.
Officers came upon a male subject hiding in a closet in the basement of the church, who was visibly scene possessing multiple firearms in his waist band. Officers gave the male subject several commands to not move and show his hands. The male subject then made a movement toward his waist, which resulted in officers deploying their taser, striking the male subject and knocking him to the ground. Officers then removed three handguns from his person.
While this was taking place three females had entered the church to clean and place flowers.
The male subject was transported to the police station for additional interviewing, at which time it was learned that he traveled from South Dakota where he resides, to Hoffman Estates, Illinois where he left his pickup truck and traveled to Franklin Park. Officers located two additional weapons in his pickup truck in Hoffman Estates.
The male white subject has been identified as James Orwick 28 years of age of Newell, South Dakota. It is not clear exactly what Orwick’s plans were on this day, but we believe from his text messages and social media messaging Mr. Orwick may have been a danger to our community and himself.
Because of our officers quick and decisive actions, we believe that a major tragedy was prevented.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges against James Orwick with three counts of Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapon which is a class 4 felony years, two counts of Felony Resisting a Peace Officer which is a class 4 Felony and one count Felony Criminal Damage to Property a class 4 felony.
All charges are punishable by 1 to 3 years per count.
Orwick will be transported to the Cook County Maybrook Court House where he will go before a judge for his bond to be set.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Zorn…
It’s time to end the tradition of conducting made-for-TV debates in front of human props — people instructed to sit mute between opening and closing rounds of polite applause. Their only purpose is to provide a visual background that recalls the prebroadcast era when auditorium settings were the only places to take the measure of candidates.
Such audiences create security concerns, and when they’re well-behaved they add nothing to the event except when they’re called on to ask questions (another tradition that should end; more about that in a moment).
So kudos to WFLD-Ch. 32 for being the only station to use a closed studio setting, as it did for its March 26 Lightfoot-Preckwinkle debate. The energy in the room — a factor sometimes cited as a reason to bring in scores of citizen witnesses — was evidently just fine. […]
Moderating is hard. Ponce, Flannery and, earlier in the cycle, WTTW and WMAQ-Ch. 5’s Carol Marin were among those broadcasters who proved equal to the task of doing enough homework to not allow their debates to turn into adjacent news conferences.
But formatting ought to be easy. Next time, every station should throw out the old rules as well as the audience.
* The Question: Agree or disagree? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
web polls
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* As you may recall, Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) said this last week during debate on a bill sponsored by Rep. Chris Welch (D-Hillside)…
I don’t care whether you are offended or not by the fact that we are against this bill. The fact remains that you’re not gonna get anything in this country in the way of being treated equally if you’re gonna take offense at every damned thing that comes up.
* Rep. Reick rose today to offer this apology…
Ladies and gentleman, last Friday, to not put too fine a point on it, I made a total ass out of myself on this floor.
I’m rising today to make several apologies. The first one is to Rep. Welch because the bill that we were arguing should have been the focus of what our conversation was. I allowed it to become secondary to the kind of nonsense that I was a participant in. And to him, who deserved a better conversation on this bill, which frankly I did not support, he didn’t get it. And it was my fault. And I apologize for that. To the members of the rest of the House here and anyone who heard it, I also offer an apology.
As I said earlier on our first day of session this past year, we’re a diverse state. We’re a huge state. We all want to end up in the same place, but we have many ways of getting there. And the challenge we have is making sure that we don’t let the differences that separate us… keep us from doing that.
We’re gonna be in for a hard next two months, folks. And I, for one, regret that I allowed this body to become rancorous and saying the things that I said. They were not meant personally. My wife calls this ‘the invocation of my inner Reynolds.’ And if any of you know know what that means, you know it’s a dark place.
I hope that in the next two months I can keep that inner Reynolds at bay while appealing to the higher angels of my nature and ask that we all do the same.
Therefore, I stand and offer my sincere apology. I’m not going to say I’m apologizing to those who were offended because if you weren’t offended, you’ve got a problem. I was offensive to everybody, including myself, and I’m sorry. Thank you.
I have no idea what an “inner Reynolds” is, but, otherwise, that was one outstanding apology.
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Illinois Is Facing A Clean Energy Cliff
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Thousands of Illinoisans working in wind and solar energy are facing a critical deadline that needs a legislative fix.
Statewide demand for renewable energy is surging, with more than 1,300 new wind and solar jobs added last year in Illinois. But the state’s renewable energy program will not be able to support new wind and solar projects after 2020. SB 1781 / HB 2966 will fix the cliff.
Without an expansion of the Renewable Portfolio Standard, wind and solar businesses will be forced to lay off employees and move on to states with more stable markets. SB 1781 / HB 2966, the Path to 100 Act sponsored by Rep. Will Davis and Sen. Bill Cunningham, will allow wind and solar jobs to continue growing in Illinois.
Vote Yes on SB 1781 (Cunningham) and HB 2966 (Davis)
Learn more at www.pathto100.net
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* SB86…
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. In the Section prohibiting the use of video devices, provides that “video device” includes cellular telephones, tablets, laptops, two-way messaging devices, and electronic games, but does not include two-way radios, citizens’ band radios, or amateur radio equipment. Provides that “using an electronic communication device” includes: (1) holding a personal electronic device in either hand or both hands; (2) using a hand or finger to compose, send, read, view, access, browse, transmit, save or retrieve email, text messages, instant messages, photographs, or other electronic data; and (3) watching video on a personal electronic device. Provides that “using an electronic communication device” does not include the minimal use of a finger to activate, deactivate, or initiate a function of the device.
Provides that the definition of “electronic communication device” does not include a global positioning system or navigation system or a device that is physically or electronically integrated into the motor vehicle.
* Illinois Public Radio…
Current law forbids “using an electronic communications device,” which it defines as a mobile phone, personal digital assistant, or computer. But it‘s silent on what “using” consists of. […]
A separate law already prohibits driving if a television or video screen is operating where the driver can see it. Stadelman’s legislation would expand that list to include “video devices” such as cell phones, laptops and electonic games. It makes exceptions for GPS systems, radios, and devices that are physically or electronically integrated into vehicles.
“It’s a dangerous situation, so whatever we can do as far as the state of Illinois to discourage that and explicitly state that watching videos is not allowed, that’s what this legislation’s all about,” Stadelman says.
* This bill was sent to subcommittee over two weeks ago, where it died after missing the deadline. It’s now stuck in Rules…
Lawmakers in the Illinois House are weighing a bill that would tax streaming and satellite service users “for the privilege to witness, view, or otherwise enjoy the entertainment.”
Illinoisans who stream movies on Netflix, watch satellite TV or listen to music on smart speakers may need to pay a state tax to enjoy them.
House Bill 3359 would create the “Video Service Tax Modernization Act” and “Entertainment Tax Fairness Act,” which would impose new taxes on satellite and video streaming service providers and subscribers. Users of those services would pay a 1 percent tax “for the privilege to witness, view, or otherwise enjoy the entertainment,” while companies would pay a 5 percent tax on their gross revenues.
* Other bills…
* Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs law creating parole review for young offenders with lengthy sentences: The law, effective June 1, will allow people who commit a crime before turning 21 to petition the Illinois Prisoner Review Board for parole, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Victims, witnesses and others will have the opportunity to present testimony to the board. People convicted of first-degree murder or aggravated criminal sexual assault will be eligible for review after 20 years, and those convicted of predatory criminal assault of a child or given a life sentence will not be eligible. The measure marks the first time the state will be allowed to grant discretionary parole since the practice was abolished in 1978.
* Illinois Home Care Aides Pushing For Higher Wages: Workers say home care agencies under the state’s Community Care Program (CCP) should receive a higher pay rate from the state. Lawmakers in Springfield are considering a proposal that would increase the home care rate to support a $13 minimum wage by this summer. … The CCP home care rate is $18.29 while caregivers earn a minimum of $10.67. If the General Assembly approves the proposal, that CCP rate would increase to $21.64 by July 1, 2019, which would be used to cover a raise for home aides.
* Illinois Nurses, Hospital CEOs At Odds Over Patient Limits: [A.J. Wilhelmi, with the Illinois Hospital Association] said not every hospital has the same resources, and the legislation does not include funding to hire more nurses. “About 42 percent of our hospitals are currently operating at a negative or very thin margin of less than two percent,” he said. Wilhelmi said the plan would drive up healthcare costs by more than $2 billion a year — which would be especially burdensome for safety-net and critical-access hospitals, like Touchette Regional Hospital in Centreville, where Sulbrena Day is the CEO.
* More Grad Students Could Get Right To Strike: Graduate students who work as teachers assistants are classified as university employees, and already have the right to join a union. No college or university has registered any opposition to the bill. A similar measure was approved by the General Assembly last year, but vetoed by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner. The bill now heads to the Senate.
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* First up, some shenanigans. From Hannah Alani…
Aldermanic candidate Jessica Gutierrez filed a police report on Monday after a supporter of her opponent — incumbent Ald. Ariel Reboyras (3oth) — filmed the inside of her apartment and posted the video, and her address, on Facebook.
Gutierrez said she has lived in her home for nearly two years and was “completely distressed” by the incident.
“I’m really shaken up,” she said.
In an effort to question whether or not Gutierrez actually lives in the 30th Ward, a man named Esteban Burgoa filmed a 19-minute Facebook Live video in which he filmed himself walking up to the window of the 31-year-old’s garden apartment, saying he “happened to find” himself in the area. […]
To add insult to injury, she said, Reboyras condoned Burgoa’s behavior by sharing the video.
About four hours after Burgoa started broadcasting the Facebook Live, the official Citizens for Ariel E. Reboyras Facebook page shared the video in a post, referring to Burgoa as “one of our supporters.”
* Nice-looking truck, though…
* What are you seeing out there?
* Related…
* Ald. Mell Staffer Caught Using Fake Account to Pose as Undecided Voter, Mislead and Attack Constituents: Deb Mell’s Streets and Sanitation Superintendent has been using a fake alternative Facebook account to influence debates in local neighborhood groups and attack Mell’s critics.
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* This issue has been ignored at the Statehouse for years. I have no idea how to craft a politically palatable solution, and neither does anybody else, which is why it’s probably gonna be up to the federal judiciary to figure it out…
A federal judge in Chicago has found the Illinois Department of Corrections is violating the constitutional rights of prisoners convicted of certain sex crimes by making the restrictions on where they can live so stringent that inmates are often locked up long beyond their sentences.
In a ruling issued Sunday, Judge Virginia Kendall wrote that hundreds of offenders in the state’s prison system successfully complete their entire court-ordered sentences yet remain behind bars indefinitely. Kendall found the corrections department is depriving them of fundamental rights, and if they had money and support, they’d be able to leave and begin serving out what’s called “mandatory supervised release.”
Mark Weinberg, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the decision could mean relief for hundreds of people who have been in prison even though they’ve served their time. […]
In 2017, WBEZ visited and spoke with J.D. Lindenmeier, one of the plaintiffs in the case. At that time, Lindenmeier had been behind bars six years past his court-ordered release date. But he’s still in prison today, a total of eight years beyond his sentence because he can’t find a place to live that complies with the state’s requirements. […]
In the 2017 interview, Lindenmeier said he couldn’t afford his own apartment, so he turned to his family for help. But their living situations disqualified them under state law. He said his father lived too close to a park, his mother had a computer and smartphone with internet access, his sister had small children, and his dad’s girlfriend’s home was too close to a day care center — all violations of the state’s housing rules for offenders like Lindenmeier.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
New polling conducted by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates shows some Democratic House members could regret a vote to put Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive income tax on their ballot.
Just three months into his term, Pritzker is already disliked in districts he won in November.
You can find the topline results for each district here: 48, 49, 51, 57, 96, 111, 112. Check back tomorrow for full crosstabs and in-district polling on Pritzker’s progressive income tax proposal.
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What is a “jobs tax” anyway?
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Remember this Ideas Illinois ad?…
Pritzker and Madigan want to change the constitution to allow a permanent jobs tax on middle class families… They’re putting a constitutional amendment on your 2020 ballot, paving the way for their jobs tax on the middle class.
* BGA’s Politifact…
While there’s no official definition for a “jobs tax,” it is clear Pritzker’s plan doesn’t contain one.
Experts we spoke with noted the term gets used colloquially to describe so-called head taxes like one Chicago once levied on larger employers. But that in no way resembles what Pritzker is proposing.
Richard Auxier, a research associate with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, said it is “completely incorrect” to use the term “jobs tax” to refer to a graduated income tax proposal.
“The income tax is not on people, it is on your income,” he said.
The income tax… is not on… people? The tax is officially known in Illinois as the “Individual Income Tax.” That’s just as weird as making up some phrase like “jobs tax.” I mean, who pays income taxes? Income?
I used the Google and the only definition of a “jobs tax” I could find is by a Seattle columnist in reference to a proposed local head tax. So, yeah, it can be used “colloquially” by one guy in the state of Washington, but other than that, it doesn’t appear to be a thing. So, I guess they’re right that it’s not in there because it’s not a thing. But maybe that’s a matter of opinion because Baise’s group could’ve just made up a new definition for an advertisement, which does happen. Ideas Illinois wouldn’t respond to Politifact, so I sent the group the Think Big Illinois press release about the Politifact piece and asked what the heck a jobs tax is anyway.
* This is all I could get…
It is quite fitting that this ‘fact check’ along with the Pritzker Team’s reaction comes on April Fool’s Day. The proposal being put forward by Governor Pritzker is clearly a middle class jobs tax and until Speaker Madigan and the Governor lock the actual rates into the constitutional amendment, no one can ensure middle class families otherwise. Illinois has been hemorrhaging good, middle-class jobs for years and this proposal would only make that worse.
So, Baise wants to lock rates into the constitution? Careful what you wish for.
* Meanwhile…
Ideas Illinois today released a second round of bi-partisan advertising thanking Republican Representative Terri Bryant and Democratic Representative Jerry Costello for standing with middle class families while calling for opposition to the Pritzker/Madigan Jobs Tax.
“The Pritzker/Madigan Jobs Tax is a blank check handed to Springfield insiders,” Ideas Illinois Chairman Greg Baise said. “We want to ensure middle class families know when their elected officials are standing up for them and opposing this massive tax which will drive more jobs out of our state.”
The Costello ad is here, the Bryant ad is here.
…Adding… Press release…
Think Big Illinois Executive Director Quentin Fulks released the following statement in response to Ideas Illinois’ latest ads:
“Just a day after their misleading attacks were called out as ‘false,’ Ideas Illinois is at it again in their latest attempt to use ‘classic fear-mongering techniques’ to ensure the wealthiest Illinoisans avoid paying their fair share. The fact is, under Governor Pritzker’s fair tax plan, 97% of Illinoisans will not see an income tax increase, with only those making more than $250,000 a year paying more.
“As PolitiFact recently explained, ‘While there’s no official definition for a “jobs tax,” it is clear Pritzker’s plan doesn’t contain one.’ That clearly won’t stop Ideas Illinois from continuing with their dishonest claims, but Think Big Illinois will continue to stand up for working families in the fight to implement a fair tax.”
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More DCFS problems
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ABC 7…
About a dozen young children, including a 2-year-old, and an elderly woman were found Monday afternoon living in squalor in a house in south suburban Dixmoor, Illinois, police said.
Police removed the children and woman from the house. The elderly woman’s daughter and another woman were in custody late Monday with charges pending, police said. Four of the children were released to their parents. […]
Investigators said they called the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) as soon as they arrived Monday afternoon
However, [Dixmoor Police Chief Ron Burge] said DCFS did not respond. After waiting for three hours, police removed the children themselves.
“I’m a little upset we’ve been here three hours. DCFS has not responded properly,” Burge said.
Ugh.
* Meanwhile…
Workers with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had contact with the family of Byron Casanova, and the child himself, numerous times in the months leading up to his suicide on March 23, 2019.
According to the report, DCFS investigators actually had interaction with the family years ago.The department first opened an investigation on February 3rd, 2016.
A concerned person reported the mother was taking the child’s ADHD medication and had slapped him in the face saying that she hated him. DCFS looked into the claims and ultimately came to the conclusion that there was no wrong doing. […]
Throughout February and March, DCFS workers conducted 11 home visits, and several visits to the children at school and doctor’s appointments. During that time, they found no signs of abuse or neglect toward Casanova or his brothers, but did note additional school absences and a messy home.
The very last home visit by DCFS took place on March 19, 2019, just four days before Casanova passed away.
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Never tweet
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the 25th House District primary last year…
* As I’ve already told you, Rep. Tarver voted against a bill to get rid of the state’s rent control ban. A tweeter called him out on it…
* The snippy response…
* Ouch…
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