Question of the day
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Rauner is to his “Turnaround Agenda” as Speaker Madigan is to ____?
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
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* The Tribune has more on the proposed Chicago casino…
Within the past 10 days, Emanuel held three meetings at his fifth-floor City Hall office to pitch the idea of a Chicago casino and discuss the city’s government worker pension challenges, a source familiar with the discussions said. The mayor had a joint meeting with House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, a second meeting with Rauner and a third with Republican legislative leaders, the source said.
Under Emanuel’s vision, the city would own the casino and keep all profits beyond paying an operator to run the facility and whatever taxes it might owe the state. All of the state’s current casinos are privately owned and the cities in which they’re located make money from local taxes based on how much the casinos make.
* As usual, reporters up there are all over this thing…
The governor stated he knows that “Chicago would very much like to have a casino within the City boundaries,” and he said he is “Very open to considering it.” And, while noting that he is not a “fan of gaming,” he said for the second time this morning that he is “open to considering gambling expansion, whether it is for the city of Chicago or other places [in the state].” Moreover, the Governor noted, “A casino certainly can be a job creator and a tax revenue generator, so those are both two good things.” […]
And then, prompted by yet another question on the “Media’s topic du jour,” the Governor said essentially for the third time within a few minutes, “I will be very open minded to working closely with the City [of Chicago] and with communities around the state to discuss this gaming issue and try to come to some resolution fairly promptly.” He did, however, duck an invitation to weigh in on whether, if there is a Chicago casino, he supported it being State owned or Chicago owned.
The Governor concluded his discussion of this topic, in response to yet another gaming question, by noting that his team was “Studying strategically the gaming industry and looking at the revenue and volume of activity.” He said, “You know you can’t just expand gaming to the sky and get the same benefit relative to the cost. So, you’ve got to be thoughtful and we should look at what maximizes the benefit to the people of Illinois– and try to come to that as the solution.”
* But…
While Rauner didn’t slam the door shut Monday, he also hinted that gambling legislation could get caught up with his own ambitions to win wide-reaching pro-business changes and scale back union power.
“As part of anything else that we talk about, we want to get our turnaround agenda done,” Rauner said when asked if he would require Emanuel’s support for some portions of his agenda in exchange for a Chicago casino.
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* Sun-Times…
Regional Transportation Authority Chairman Kirk Dillard on Monday made the case for a new tax to help pay for mass transit infrastructure, arguing the agency has a more than $30 billion backlog in projects. […]
“Our gas tax has not been raised in Illinois since 1990. Its buying power today is 60 percent of what it [was], it’s not adjusted for inflation. And our infrastructure in Illinois is crumbling,” Dillard said. “My case on behalf of mass transit is we know for every dollar spent on mass transit, there’s a $4 return.” […]
“I’m open for any place to go for the needed infrastructure money. But if Gov. Rauner and the Legislature broadened the sales tax base in Illinois, sales taxes are a major component of RTA funding and it just makes sense that we be part of the broadening of the sales tax,” Dillard said. “I would gladly trade Springfield’s funding for an ability to have a permanent, stable revenue source either through a sales tax or a service tax.” […]
Asked if Rauner would warm to the idea of a tax to benefit mass transit in Illinois, a spokesperson responded: “Gov. Rauner supports investing in the state’s infrastructure but believes government reform is essential before revenue can be discussed,” spokeswoman Catherine Kelly wrote in an email. “Uncompetitive bidding is costing taxpayers millions of dollars every year, and we need to drive value in our capital projects.”
* Hinz…
Even though RTA is very cost-efficient compared with its peers, the agency will “get out a pencil” to change things further if need be, he said, mentioning the possibility of establishing public-private partnerships and getting venture capital involved. “Whatever the cut, we have to handle it.”
But the capital situation is truly dire, Dillard continued. Illinois’ 19-cents-a-gallon gasoline tax for transportation needs is barely worth half of what it was when it was established in 1990, he noted, and the federal 18.4-cents-a-gallon levy has lost 39 percent of its buying power since 1993.
“More than 20 states have initiatives pending to increase their gas tax or sales tax on gasoline or in some way fund transportation,” he said. “Even the folks in Iowa—Iowa—approved a (10-cent-a-gallon) fuel tax. And Los Angeles passed a referendum to fund mass transit.”
Dillard said ridership and property values along the CTA’s Brown Line have risen far more than citywide figures since it was rebuilt a decade ago.
* Meanwhile…
As Congress struggles to renew the federal transportation law and Illinois considers revenue options for transportation, a new report from the Illinois Public Interest Research Group and Frontier Group finds that drivers currently pay less than half the total cost of roads, and argues that while increasing gas taxes could fill the shortfall, it would leave other problems unaddressed.
The new report, “Who Pays for Roads? How the ‘Users Pays’ Myth Gets in the Way of Solutions to America’s Transportation Problems” exposes the widening gap between how we think we pay for transportation – through gas taxes and other fees – and how we actually do. […]
The new report pulls back the veil on the “users pay” myth, finding that:
· Gas taxes and other fees paid by drivers now cover less than half of road construction and maintenance costs nationally – down from more than 70 percent in the 1960s – with the balance coming chiefly from income, sales and property taxes and other levies on general taxpayers.
· General taxpayers at all levels of government now subsidize highway construction and maintenance to the tune of $69 billion per year – an amount exceeding the expenditure of general tax funds to support transit, bicycling, walking and passenger rail combined.
· Regardless of how much they drive, the average American household bears an annual financial burden of more than $1,100 in taxes and indirect costs from driving – over and above any gas taxes or other fees they pay that are connected with driving.
“The ‘users pay’ myth is deeply ingrained in U.S. transportation policy, shaping how billions of dollars in transportation funds are raised and spent each year,” said Tony Dutzik, co-author of the report and Senior Analyst at Frontier Group, a non-profit think tank. “More and more, though, all of us are bearing the cost of transportation in our tax bills, regardless of how much we drive.”
The full report is here.
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Rauner asks foreign countries for biz input
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Foreign companies considering investment in Illinois are turned off by the state’s high taxes, its aging infrastructure and its lack of vocational training for the next generation of skilled workers, according to a survey of countries released by the state Monday.
The survey focused on 10 nations that are the state’s largest trading partners and was aimed at getting an independent assessment of the state’s competitiveness, according to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office, which conducted the survey. […]
A major concern cited in the survey was the state’s level of corporate and property taxes, and the fear that they could rise given the state’s dire fiscal problems.
“There is persistent budget uncertainty for companies in Illinois,” one nation wrote. “Companies want stability in tax and regulatory framework, especially if they are building a manufacturing site and thus committing to the state for a period of time.”
* From the report…
• “Top Concern: tax issues-too high, property & corporate, worries about further increases due to financial condition of the state”
• “There are large (and growing) perceptions that infrastructure improvements are not keeping up”
• “Foreign firms place a premium on opportunities to “cluster” – to work with concentrations of talent in their sector”
• “The plethora of universities, research institutions & accelerators headquartered in the region constitute a significant positive – firms and entrepreneurs are drawn here by the world-class innovation taking place”
• “Chicago is attractive to college students – which therefore enhances the quality of the workforce pool”
• “Vast difference in perception between Chicago and downstate Illinois. While the former has plenty of positives, the latter is not seen to be competitive with Indiana, Wisconsin, etc.”
• “Costs in particular linked to Unions are high. It’s a problem, especially with Wisconsin and Indiana as neighbors – if there is a legal dispute with workers….Cook County is known for being anti-boss or pro-employee”
• “Right to Work is being used by other states to position them favorably compared to Illinois. This is similar to other labor market regulations and workers compensation, unemployment insurance levels, etc. that put Illinois at a disadvantage compared with other states”
• “The manufacturing workforce is aging and vocational training for the next generation of skilled employees is lacking”
• “Chicago is one of the most expensive trade show locations in the world. Being an expensive/bureaucratic trade show location often carries over to the state being perceived as a high cost/bureaucratic location for investing”
• “Illinois overseas offices are primarily focused on exports not investment attraction, which is two very different tasks”
• “Many states have modernized their structure by founding Economic Development Corporations tasked specifically with pursuing investors”
So, they want a modern, highly educated workforce pool, but think workers are paid too much. Great. They also want better infrastructure, but complain about taxation. Wonderful.
But it is interesting that our overseas offices are too focused on exports and not on attracting investments.
Any other thoughts?
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Medicaid - Know The Facts
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Oppose $810 million in proposed FY 2016 hospital Medicaid cuts because:
• Hospitals did take a $27 million hit to address the FY2015 budget gap by paying an additional $27 million in assessments to the State – effectively the same as a cut.
• Hospitals are targeted for MORE THAN HALF – $810 million – of the Governor’s proposed overall Medicaid cut of $1.5 billion – even though they are only about ONE THIRD of the Medicaid budget.
• Drastic hospital cuts will mean:
o The loss of critical health care services like pediatrics, obstetrics, and mental health for everyone, not just Medicaid patients.
o Working families and businesses will have to pay more for health care.
o The loss of more than 12,800 jobs and $1.8 billion in economic activity statewide.
• $1 billion in Illinois hospital Medicaid cuts have been imposed since 2011.
• $1.9 billion in Illinois hospital Medicare cuts have been imposed since 2010.
• As a result, 40% of hospitals across Illinois are operating in the red.
Cutting Medicaid in the FY2016 budget is shortsighted and will result in real harm to people and communities.
For more information, go to www.TransformingIllinoisHealthCare.org.
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Giving back to its members – A Credit Union Difference
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
As financial cooperatives, credit unions function as economic democracies. Because of their cooperative structure, earnings are returned to members in the form of lower loan rates, higher interest on deposits, and lower fees. When credit unions – both large and small — exceed expectations, their members share even more in those benefits.
Hershey Robinson, $2.8 million, 500-member employee-based credit union, is one of many that provide extra value. Most recently, the credit union delivered more than $12,000 in gift cards to members as an International Credit Union Week “Thank You”. This was a first-of-its-kind giveaway for this credit union and very well-received by its members – as well as its volunteer board of directors which unanimously approved the initiative.
In Illinois, by most recent estimates credit unions annually provide nearly $205 million in direct financial benefits to almost three million members. Credit unions like Hershey Robinson ECU exemplify how these crucial institutions play a vital role in delivering that value.
Credit unions remain true to one principle - people before profits - and represent a highly valued resource by consumers.
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Revenue options detailed
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
A new report by the Fiscal Policy Center at Voices for Illinois Children shows that lawmakers can avoid cutting services for families and communities by choosing to raise revenue.
By allowing income tax rates to roll back in January, lawmakers created an over $6 billion hole in the state budget for next fiscal year. So far, Governor Rauner has maintained deep cuts that hurt children, families, and communities are necessary to balance the budget.
But the Fiscal Policy Center report highlights a broad range of available revenue options, and shows that Governor Rauner and lawmakers have many choices they can make to avoid cutting services for children with epilepsy and autism, police and fire protection, and in-home services for seniors and people with disabilities that help keep them out of expensive nursing homes.
Choosing to invest in children, families, and communities is the best thing we can do to propel our state toward economic prosperity. That’s why lawmakers and the Governor must choose to develop new revenue instead of cutting the services that make Illinois families and communities strong.
* The full report is here. Revenue options…
Which ones do you like/hate the most?
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The hazards of outsourcing
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WSIU…
After spending nearly 65 million dollars… Governor Bruce Rauner’s campaign has been assessed a penalty by the State Board of Elections.
Director Steve Sandvoss confirms it’s because of a late report filing … but says he can’t give details.
“In light of fairness to the respondent and due fairness principles, we don’t comment publicly on the nature of an ongoing proceeding. But rather, we’ll let the process bear itself out.”
A spokesman for the governor says there was a “snafu.” He says a firm hired to file contributions paperwork prepared a report … but failed to upload it. The mistake was corrected eight hours later.
Hilarious.
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Talking past each other
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Finke…
Senate President John Cullerton said Monday it’s time for Gov. Bruce Rauner to focus on budget talks and spend less time promoting his “turnaround agenda.”
Speaking to The State Journal-Register editorial board, Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, repeated his belief that the spending plan the Republican governor submitted to lawmakers is wildly out of balance and could result in significant cuts to education and human services unless he opens a discussion for bringing in additional state revenue. […]
“It seems ever since the governor proposed his budget, there was an assumption he actually had a budget that was balanced,” Cullerton said. “That’s not even close. There’s his take-it-or-leave it turnaround agenda, which has nothing to do with the state budget. Let’s refocus on the budget.”
* But the governor believes the Turnaround Agenda is an integral part of balancing the budget…
“The governor is committed to reforming the broken structure of state government so taxpayers get value for their money,” Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf said Monday. “Absent reform, the governor is prepared to implement a balanced budget without new revenue. Major reforms are essential or whatever balanced budget we craft this year will be undone by special interests and insider deals. The structural reforms outlined in the Turnaround Agenda are absolutely necessary.”
Reneging on the $26 million “Good Friday Massacre” cuts probably undercut the governor’s threat to “implement a balanced budget without new revenue.” If he can’t stand the heat from $26 million, how’s he gonna deal with the massive meltdown caused by a $6 billion cut?
I get a bunch of press releases every day about the governor’s proposed FY 16 budget, which, as Cullerton rightly points out, is full of gimmicks and holes. But, even so, there are some astonishing programmatic slashes…
Advocates and state lawmakers will hold a press conference on Wednesday, May 6, to call on the full legislature to reject Governor Bruce Rauner’s FY 2016 budget plan to eliminate pre-school, medical care, and other specialized services at the Chicago-based Children’s Place Association.
The pre-school, located in Humboldt Park, serves 73 Chicago-area toddlers struggling with HIV/AIDS, epilepsy, autism, spina bifida, and other medical conditions.
Yeah, let’s kick autistic HIV-positive toddlers off the public dole. Why don’t they just “Get a job”?
* Then again, one reason he backed off those cuts is because it was obvious that legislators believed he had broken a deal. He’d damaged his ability to negotiate a FY 16 deal, so it was walked back.
* But, back to the problem described in the headline. Rauner is right that addressing the state’s budget problems involves more than just working out appropriation line items. The state absolutely needs some structural changes. The state and the City of Chicago spend a fortune on workers’ comp, for instance. Some reforms there could most definitely ease their fiscal burdens.
And growth is another issue where Rauner is right. If we want revenues to grow, the state’s economy has to grow at a much faster rate. Again, let’s look at workers’ comp…
In all, the [2011 workers’ comp reform law] saved Illinois employers $315 million during the first few years they were in effect, according to the state workers’ compensation commission. Employers say that’s nowhere close to the minimum $500 million a year in savings billed by then-Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn when he signed the measure into law.
That’s $315 million in total savings versus a promised $2 billion.
* I’ve made no bones about the fact that the governor’s “right to work” idea is stupid and harmful and I told that to the governor’s face (using as many f-bombs as I could muster, btw). And while he may go too far with some of his workers’ comp ideas, he’s not wrong about everything. Our workers’ comp system is a disaster.
From the governor’s office…
Illinois currently has the 7th highest workers’ compensation costs in the country, more than double neighboring Indiana:
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Your daily “right to work” update
Tuesday, May 5, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Nothing yet from the governor’s office, but the Edwardsville City Council voted down Gov. Rauner’s “right to work” resolution last night. I didn’t see any news coverage, but this is from a local resident, who is also a commenter here…
About a hundred union members showed up. (The pic was taken about 6:45 and it got so crowded that people filled the hall outside the chamber). Five people were allowed to speak (of which I was one and all five were local people).
At first the Mayor explained that they would discuss the measure then table it. Several of the council members during their discussion advocated voting immediately. They made a motion to table the agenda, but the council voted that down! They then called for a vote with brief discussion (the conservative members grousing about not getting to table the issue. Obviously this was not the plan) They then proceeded to vote the Agenda down. All was civil but you could tell the Mayor Patton was [upset] and embarrassed.
I can honestly say all the union folks I saw there were local and many if not most I recognized. Not a Rauner person in sight, although the three conservatives all mentioned that they had just spoken to the Rauner folks.
The pic…
* From the Illinois AFL-CIO…
Evanston unanimously rejects Rauner anti-worker resolution tonight.
Girard City Council votes down Rauner anti-worker resolution 4-1 tonight.
* From Evanston Now…
Jason Hays, of 712 Dobson St., a member of Evanston Firefighters Local 742, said the governor cried for shared sacrifice, “but left it to workers to do the heavy lifting.”
He said the governor’s proposal for “right to work” legislation would create a “‘right to work’ — for less — less representation, less safety, less protection and less equity.”
Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, calling the governor’s proposal “wrongheaded,” moved that the Rules Committee reject the endorsement resolution and send a copy of the video of public comment at the meeting to the governor.
“We should stand by the people in the audience tonight,” Rainey added.
Her motion was approved on a unanimous roll-call vote.
* Meanwhile, in Rockford…
Union workers rallied Monday outside City Hall to protest the City Council’s support of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda.”
A divided council endorsed Rauner’s plan April 20 in an 8-5 vote on a nonbinding resolution. Workers at the rally want aldermen to reconsider their support of the plan, which includes reforming pensions, eliminating unfunded mandates, creating right-to-work zones and eliminating statewide prevailing wages on government contracts.
It’s the proposed right-to-work zones that earned the ire of ralliers. They say right-to-work laws are bad for the economy because they drive down wages for all workers. Nearly 300 people from several local labor groups attended the rally.
A pic from the protest…
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Report: LaHood raised $500K in five weeks
Monday, May 4, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Roll Call…
Illinois state Sen. Darin LaHood raised more than $500,000 in five weeks since entering the special election to replace Republican Aaron Schock, according to figures provided first to CQ Roll Call.
LaHood, the son of former Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood, faces a Republican primary against Mike Flynn, an editor of the conservative website Breitbart News. LaHood touted the haul in an early show of strength, with the pre-primary fundraising reporting deadline still seven weeks away.
“I’m deeply humbled by the outpouring of support from conservative leaders and families throughout Central Illinois,” LaHood said in a statement. “We’re ready to fight for term limits, less debt, repealing ObamaCare, and ethics reform.”
The Peoria-based 18th District is heavily Republican territory. GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney carried it with 61 percent in 2012.
* Meanwhile, Mike Flynn sat for a recent interview…
Flynn said conservatism to him is having a humility about what government can accomplish.
“The government should be there to enforce contracts and the roads and the common things we can’t do individually and then just get out of the way,” Flynn said. “and let people live their lives, raise their family, grow their business, live their lives as they see fit.”
Policywise, Flynn said Congress should overhaul Obamacare, enforce U.S. borders and reform the prison system by keeping more non-violent offenders out of prison and providing more treatment for substance abuse.
He added the GOP has time and again overlooked public sentiment in giving the Obama administration a mandate to get what it wants, including Obamacare.
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State Fair has new director
Monday, May 4, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* SJ-R…
A Fulton County farmer with longtime ties to the Illinois State Fair has been named manager of state fairs in Springfield and Du Quoin.
An announcement Monday from the Illinois Department of Agriculture indicated Patrick Buchen, 63, would start work immediately. Buchen succeeds Amy Bliefnick. Bliefnick, who was named Springfield fair manager during the Blagojevich administration in 2005, was among agency heads and managers let go in January by the Rauner administration. […]
Buchen also has served as executive director of the Indiana State Fair, executive director of the Texas Longhorn Cattle Breeders Association and president of HSI Show Productions.
No word yet on his musical tastes. We’ll probably get an idea, though, when he announces Meat Loaf’s replacement.
Maybe we should give him some concert suggestions?…
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Question of the day
Monday, May 4, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Wordslinger on White Sox manager Robin Ventura…
I think these [defeats] by the Twins are it for Robin. He was a weird choice by Jerry to begin with. He never wanted the job, He certainly doesn’t seem to want it now.
Managers ain’t all that, but he’s bringing absolutely nothing to the club.
Robin’s been asleep since he took over, and the Sox have been one of the worst fundamental teams in baseball during that time. Four more errors today, terrible at bats, terrible base running.
The Sox have the makings of a contender, but they’re all underachieving.
Somebody needs to light a fire under this team and give fans a reason to come to the ballpark now that it’s getting warmer, Sox fans don’t show up when they’re this bad, and that costs Jerry money.
Kenny and Ozzie had had a long, long, friendly talk on the field before the game a couple of weeks ago.
I think it will happen.
Ozzie in the dugout by June 1. Makes too much sense for a lot of reasons not to happen.
More background here.
* The Question: Should the Sox dump Robin? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
surveys
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Crime and punishment
Monday, May 4, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Kinda hard to rehabilitate inmates if they’re sharing living spaces with rodents…
Despite promises by the state Department of Corrections to fix the problems, poor living conditions continue to plague the Vienna Correctional Center in southern Illinois, according to a watchdog group.
The John Howard Association released a report last week documenting first-hand observations and complaints from prisoners of poor conditions, including urine-stained mattresses, mold, rodents, broken windows and spiders, the Southern Illinoisan newspaper reported.
The complaints were compiled by the association during an October 2014 visit to the prison. They were similar to those uncovered in 2011 and outlined in a 2012 federal class-action lawsuit filed against the Corrections Department over conditions and crowding at the prison, which houses 48,000 inmates in space designed for 33,000. Most of the complaints were about one dormitory in the prison complex, Building 19.
* This can’t be easy, but good for DoC for making it happen…
Decatur Correctional Center’s E-wing is a place of stark juxtapositions, where the crackle of guards’ radios mix with the happy cries of a toddler learning to take his first steps. Colorful murals of Bert and Ernie from “Sesame Street” decorate the otherwise drab walls. And outside, swing sets and a plastic playhouse nestle into a corner of the prison yard, which is surrounded by a tall chain-link fence and razor wire.
For the past eight years, nonviolent offenders who give birth while in custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections have been able to keep their newborns with them as they serve time in the state’s only prison nursery.
“I’m very grateful to be here,” said Cayesha Shivers, 25, who held her 3-month-old baby boy, Kori, as she sat in her cell on a recent spring day. “Every mom here can agree with me. There’s nothing like being able to be there, hands on. Not watching your child grow up through pictures and through letters and just phone calls.”
She is among the lucky few who qualify to live on this unit, where eight private cells — each furnished with a bunk, a changing table and a crib — offer women the space to diaper, swaddle and soothe their babies. Parenting classes, required by the prison, cover everything from tummy time to nursery rhymes.
* Meanwhile…
An Illinois advisory board has voted against recommending that anxiety and diabetes be added to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana.
The vote at a public hearing in Chicago is one of several votes expected Monday on various conditions submitted by public petition. Board members said anxiety was too broad, but left open the possibility of adding severe anxiety to the list in the future.
The board approved the use of medical marijuana for the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome by a vote of 10-0 and the treatment of migraines by a vote of 8-2.
* In other news…
The Midwest Truckers Association recently penned a letter to the Illinois DOT, accusing officers of unfairly targeting truckers in Will County, Illinois.
The letter claims that over $2.5 million was made from overweight tickets on the Manhattan-Monee Road between U.S. Route 52 and U.S. 45.
The MTA says DOT officers camp out at the location and take advantage of confusing signage in order to issue thousands of citations. “County police have figured out if they just sit at that road, they can make some money,” said the MTA’s associate director, Matt Wells.
According to The Herald News, “Truck drivers often use the road to access U.S. 45, but fewer than 1,500 feet west of U.S. 45 lies a culvert with a 15-ton weight limit. When trucks turn onto the road to gain access to U.S. 45, the first sign they see points out a 15-ton weight limit 5 miles ahead.”
“Who in the world would [limit] a structure to 15 tons on a road that has a sign that says truck route? So everyone has logically assumed that the culvert 5 miles ahead is just past [U.S. 45] because the sign says it’s a truck route and they can access U.S. 45 this way.” Wells added.
* Related…
* Marijuana advocates rally for legalization in Peoria
* Exemplary Police Work #8
* Motorcycle safety & the helmet debate in Illinois
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It’s just a bill…
Monday, May 4, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* House Bill 1531 is basically much-needed cleanup language…
Three decades after it was enacted, the state’s parentage law is on track for an overhaul by Illinois lawmakers.
A new version of the Parentage Act that would incorporate provisions to account for same-sex marriage and unmarried parents is poised for a Senate vote after passing the House last week.
The rewrite is authored by the Illinois State Bar Association Family Law Study Committee.
Generally, it would modernize the law, remove gender-specific language and make room for “non-traditional relationships” in the context of who is presumed to be a legal parent — and thus given the right to live with a child and make decisions about his or her life.
For instance, the bill states that “a person” is presumed to be the parent when entering “into a marriage, civil union, or substantially similar legal relationship, and the child is born to the mother” during such a relationship — unless there’s a valid surrogacy contract already in place.
The law also says that if a child is born to a couple right before their relationship begins or soon after it is legally terminated, they’re still presumed to be the legal parents.
* Historically interesting…
A lawmaker’s bill to recognize the Shawnee Indian tribe has cleared the Illinois House of Representatives.
State Rep. Brandon Phelps D-Harrisburg passed a bill out of the Illinois House of Representatives recognizing southern Illinois’ Shawnee Indian tribe that would make them able to receive state and federal resources that are offered to other Native American groups.
“As a resident of Southern Illinois, I am proud to sponsor this legislation because not only does the Shawnee Tribe deserve the recognition and resources allowed to other Native American groups, but it will also lead to more resources for our region,” Phelps said.
Could a casino be in the future?
* Seems like a good idea…
As quantities of electronic waste continue to increase, state Rep. Michelle Mussman recently passed legislation that will help facilitate increased recycling of electronic products by manufacturers.
“Electronic waste can be extremely harmful to our natural spaces and the amount of discarded devices grows every day,” Mussman said. “Beyond the environmental impact, the expense of responsibly disposing of e-waste is putting an unneeded extra burden on taxpayers”
Illinois law requires electronics manufacturers to reuse or recycle a percentage of the total weight of devices sold in Illinois, subject to fines. To avoid a penalty, manufacturers generally pay third-party recyclers, which accept waste collected by other entities, including local governments, to satisfy this obligation. With growing amounts of electronic waste, the manufacturers’ payments are not fully recuperating recycling and hauling costs, forcing local governments to make up the difference.
* Zero tolerance policies are stupid, so I hope this works as intended…
Public schools in Illinois would have to reform their discipline policies under legislation being considered in the Illinois General Assembly.
The bill aims to limit how long students are removed from the classroom, and it comes as schools and lawmakers examine the effects of suspensions and expulsions on a student’s educational performance. However, many of the ideas in the bill are already being enacted in Springfield schools.
Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Chicago, sponsors Senate Bill 100, which would do away with “zero-tolerance” discipline and limit how Illinois public schools use suspensions and expulsions. Lightford’s bill passed the Senate on April 23 with a 38-16 vote and awaits a vote in the House. The vote among senators representing parts of Springfield was split, with Sen. Sam McCann, R-Carlinville, and Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, supporting the bill. Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, opposed it.
The bill would limit suspensions and expulsions to three days or shorter, unless the student poses a threat to safety or interferes with the school’s operation, and only after all other interventions have been tried. Zero-tolerance policies – in which a school administrator must suspend or expel a student for a certain offense – would be banned statewide unless mandated by federal law. School boards that vote to suspend or expel a student would have to provide a written explanation for their decision and for the length of the punishment. Administrators would be banned from encouraging students to drop out of school due to behavioral or academic problems.
* A very tough issue…
Mindy Swank of Chicago grew up in a conservative household – both religiously and politically – so when her pregnancy went wrong, it was a difficult decision to have an abortion.
She and her husband, Adam, were excited to have their second child, she told an Illinois Senate legislative panel at the Capitol in March, but their doctors informed them the child likely wouldn’t survive. Having the child, they were told, could hurt Mindy’s ability to have future children and possibly endanger her life. Instead of receiving the abortion, however, Mindy endured a dangerous, weeks-long miscarriage.
Mindy told her story to the Illinois Senate Judiciary Committee on March 17, testifying about a bill that could have prevented her ordeal. The bill passed the full Senate on April 23 and awaits a vote in the House.
The Swanks’ hospital, one of several Catholic-run hospitals around the state, refused to terminate Mindy’s pregnancy due to the Roman Catholic Church’s religious restrictions on abortion. When the Swanks tried to have the procedure done at a secular hospital, their insurance wouldn’t cover it because the Catholic hospital hadn’t documented it as “medically necessary.”
* Related…
* Bikes ‘N’ Roses Plans 3-Day Ride to Springfield in Bid To Restore Funding
* Policyholder Rights Under Seige in Illinois
* Illinois Senate Approves Bill on Student Concussions
* Crespo Supports Legislation to Combat Sexual Assault on College Campuses
* Illinois Senate advances Silver Alert legislation
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* I did not know this…
[Mary Todd Lincoln] had requested that her husband be buried in [the new Oak Ridge Cemetery], a few miles from town, and a monument to him be built there. But Springfield leaders had another idea. They had already chosen a more prominent, central location very near the city’s commercial downtown. “I think they wanted the monument, where people could pay tribute to Lincoln, to be conveniently located,” Burlingame says.
“This was a civic gesture as well as maybe, if you want to think of this, a business opportunity to bring more people into town and drive up the value of land,” says Cornelius. Springfield’s leaders “wanted to do the right thing for Springfield and weren’t necessarily thinking in the emotional, personal way that Mary and her son, Robert, were thinking.”
Those men, who included Lincoln’s friends and peers, had spent around $50,000 to buy land for his burial and monument on a hill just blocks from the train station, Cornelius says. Even after Mary requested that Lincoln be buried in Oak Ridge, Springfield’s newly formed National Lincoln Monument Association had a temporary tomb constructed for his body on the downtown lot. It’s still there, beneath the ground, on the northeast corner of the current Statehouse lawn, according to Mal Hildebrand, former director of the Office of the Capitol Architect. He saw the tomb’s remains in the 1970s during construction work.
Go read the whole thing. An excellent piece.
* I went to Saturday’s event downtown, but it was at times so horrible that I decided to skip Sunday’s events. I regret that now…
A quartet sang a passionate version of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” at noon Sunday, just before the re-created version of Abraham Lincoln’s casket was loaded into the hearse outside the Old State Capitol at the corner of Sixth and Washington streets.
As the pallbearers placed the black coffin inside the replica horse-drawn hearse that would carry it to Oak Ridge Cemetery, a quiet fell over the crowd, aside from the occasional camera click.
At 12:15 p.m., the large procession began making its way southeast through downtown Springfield to the Lincoln Home. Most of the onlookers chose spots near the Old State Capitol or the home to watch hundreds of civilian and military re-enactors in period clothing move past, while some followed the procession through the city’s downtown streets.
I would’ve liked to have seen that.
* The reason Saturday was so horrible is purely on the back of Lincoln Funeral Coalition Board Chair Katie Spindell.
Ms. Spindell managed to make the entire event about herself. She worked so very hard for six long years to put this together, she told us over and over again. She even stopped watching TV. Boy, was she ever going to sleep late on Monday, so don’t call her!
Every time she opened her mouth (she emceed, so it was often), everything was all about her.
Oh, and after SIX YEARS of alleged planning, much of what happened on stage was done at the very last second.
Not to mention that only one African-American spoke, and only for a brief moment. The ambassador from San Marino was given far more time. Yes, San Marino. I didn’t care, either.
It was a complete, utter embarrassment.
* But, again, I’m regretting my decision to skip Sunday…
William Polston learned more about history retracing his ancestors’ steps than he ever could have from a book.
The 11-year-old from Minneapolis was the youngest among the Lincoln Funeral Re-enactment pallbearers on Saturday. History shows Abraham Lincoln had 14 pallbearers at his funeral in 1865, and generations later, six of their descendants returned for the re-enactment.
Cool.
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Your daily “right to work” roundup
Monday, May 4, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Nothing yet from the governor’s office, but could Gov. Rauner lose yet another town?…
The members of the Litchfield City Council met on Thursday, April 30, at Corwin Hall for the city’s monthly committee meetings.
Among the items on the agenda were two motions to rescind the previous votes on resolutions to urge Governor Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly to protect full funding of Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) reserves and to support Governor Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” for local Government Empowerment and Reform.
Both motions to rescind would pass by a 5-2 margin with Alderman Tim Hancock absent. Final vote on the two rescinded motions will come on Tuesday at the full council meeting. During the discussion of the “Turnaround Agenda” resolution, Mayor Steve Dougherty asked the council to consider supporting the agenda, saying that he would rather have the governor think positively of the city than negatively.
* From the Illinois AFL-CIO…
Evanston to consider Rauner anti-worker resolution tonight.
6 p.m., Council Chambers, 2100 Ridge Avenue […]
Alert for upcoming meetings concerning the Rauner anti-worker resolution;
Kane County Board Executive Committee, Wednesday, May 6, 9 a.m in County Board Room, 719 S Batavia Ave, Geneva. Bldg A
Village of Cambridge (Henry County), May 11, 6 p.m., Committee of the Whole, Village Administrative Offices located at 124 West Exchange Street
Iroquois County Board, May 12, 9 a.m., 1001 East Grant Street, Watseka
* In other news, Bernie wrote yesterday about this letter to the governor…
Dear Governor Rauner,
It seems that we, the Canaryville Veterans Riders Association, should have provided you with a little history about the members of this organization.
The majority of us come from immigrant parents, grandparents, or great grandparents, who settled in the area just east of the Chicago stock yards. Our ancestor’s had a tough row to hoe. They mostly worked in the meat industry. They had horrific working and living conditions because the meat barons used them as slave labor until they had had enough and took a stand.
With the help of father Dourney they negotiated a work contract that helped a little with working conditions. Ever since that time we have fought to make sure that workers have rights. That being said, it saddens us that you would pick a fight and blame the state woes on the good working class citizens of our state.
It seems big businesses can spend millions of dollars to buy politicians and their votes so they can skirt rules and regulations while working class people, Union or not, only have one voice in the political arena and that is organized labor.
You may or may not know this but most of our troops and Veteran are working class people. Kids from wealthy families don’t join the military and they don’t go to war. During the draft children of the wealthy had ways to avoid going to war, during your campaign it seemed you understood that. Apparently we fell for more political rhetoric.
You say people should have a right to choose if they want to be Union or not they already have that choice. If you don’t want to be a Union member don’t apply for that job. If you are in a Union shop there is a process you can take if you are not satisfied. First you can elect new officers, second you can vote to decertify. When you say that you’re giving people a choice they already have its a democratic choice.
When we as Veterans signed our name and raised our right hand we swore to uphold and protect our constitution not to uphold executive orders and that goes for both sides of the aisle. There is a Democratic system in place. When we took the oath we did not swear to protect a dictatorship and again that goes for both sides of the aisle.
With that being said it is a consensus amongst the Canaryville Veterans Riders Association that we request the return of our patches that we honorably bestowed upon you. This is an open letter that will be posted in an open forum that will be sent out to other Veterans groups and like minded associations.
You can contact me and I will give you an address or if you like I can send a self address postage paid package to you.
Thank you ,
Tom Russ
President
Canaryville Veterans Riders Association
* Bernie’s piece…
Catherine Kelly, spokeswoman for Rauner, said via email that the governor wanted to meet with the group after the letter was posted and did so in March.
“And while they agreed they don’t see eye-to-eye on some issues, the group was honored the governor took the time to speak with their members and they came to a mutual agreement on the vest,” Kelly wrote. “They have plans to ride together in the future.”
Via the Canaryville group’s website, I sought response from Russ. I received a response from a Michael Tracy, who said the group had no comment at this time.
* Related…
* Smiddy, Rauner debate on Turnaround Agenda won’t happen: Smiddy answered that the debate wasn’t his idea, but since he’d been called out, the two men might as well air it out in public. “I didn’t go looking for this. I was invited and asked to give my views, and I did,” he said.
* Tribune Editorial: The union ties that bind: Rauner will have a significant say in negotiations on the AFSCME contract, which expires this year. This state can’t afford a status quo in which a supervisor can’t pitch in on a problem. It can’t afford to tell well-intentioned volunteers to go away. It can’t afford to waste one dollar on outdated work rules. Not when it faces a $100 billion pension liability. Not when scores of people fear the impact of state spending cuts on services.
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Here we go again…
Monday, May 4, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Emanuel has personally discussed a proposed city casino with all four legislative leaders, as well as with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and his staff, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times. The talks have come as two legislative hearings on gambling expansion are scheduled in downtown Chicago over the next two weeks, with the first set for 10 a.m. Monday at the Bilandic Building. […]
So far, two bills that include a city casino have surfaced in the Capitol, each introduced by Rep. Robert Rita, D-Blue Island, whose district includes parts of the city’s South Side. Both call for the state to own and operate the Chicago casino. Emanuel, though, wants the city to own the casino.
Sen. Terry Link, D-Vernon Hills, and Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, have been discussing a third bill with Emanuel’s office that Link says would create a large, city-owned casino in Chicago, as well as add new casinos in the south suburbs and in Rockford, Danville and Lake County, Link’s home turf. The plan also would allow year-round video gambling at Arlington Park and Illinois’ four other horse tracks.
“We’ve just received another proposal from the city. We’re reviewing that now,” Link says. “We’re trying to see how it looks compared to what we had. It’s a pyramid. If you pull one brick out, the whole thing could fall apart.” […]
“They may not be proponents of gambling, but they realize this is something that would benefit a lot of people,” Link says. “I’ve met with [Rauner]. I know the mayor’s met with him. It’s a thing we’re moving along.”
* CBS2…
Now that Emanuel has begun a new push for a Chicago casino, Rauner said “I’m open to considering gambling expansion; and whether it’s for the city of Chicago, or other places.” […]
“I’m not a fan of gaming,” he said. “I think it causes some negatives in our communities, as well as positives. It certainly can be a job creator, and a tax revenue generator, so those are both two good things.”
The governor would not say what he has discussed with Emanuel and legislative leaders, as the mayor has begun lobbying the General Assembly for a new city-owned casino to boost tax revenues at a time the city is facing a $430 million operating deficit, $550 million in increased payments to police and fire pensions, and $1.1 billion in deficits at the Chicago Public Schools.
If history is any guide, the only way this survives is if all four leaders and the governor and the mayor are pulling in the same direction.
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* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…
Everyone who has ever taken any sales training knows that even if your potential customers see the need for your product, they won’t write the check until they’re convinced they actually want it.
You may realize you need a new car, for instance, but it’s the salesman’s job to convince you that you want a fancier, pricier auto.
The act of legislating operates on much the same principle. Legislators first have to be convinced of the need for a particular bill or appropriation, but they still might be reluctant to vote for it.
Maybe it costs too much, or maybe the lobbyist on the other side is an old pal. Maybe there are some technical problems.
So they have to be convinced that they want the bill to pass. Costs could be lowered, some common ground could be found with the lobbyist pal. Details almost always are negotiable.
Gov. Bruce Rauner often has said he was primarily a salesman when he ran private-equity group GTCR. He most certainly knows about need and want.
Go read the whole thing before commenting, please.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Crash and burn?
Monday, May 4, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
The new legislative “working groups” designed to hammer out compromises on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” finally began meeting in secret last week. At least one of them got a bit heated.
A working group tasked with writing ethics legislation hit a brick wall right off the bat when it came time to discuss Rauner term limits constitutional amendment. Two Democrats on the committee reportedly said there was plenty of time to deal with the amendment next year, since it couldn’t be placed onto the ballot until November of 2016.
Nope, said the administration representative, according to sources. The governor wants that amendment passed by the end of the spring legislative session. When he was met with stiff resistance, the administration official reportedly became agitated and more than implied that if the constitutional amendment isn’t passed by May 31st, then the governor would not support any revenue increases to patch next fiscal year’s massive $6 billion hole.
The Democrats were shocked. Would the governor really threaten to crash the entire government over a term limits bill?
Yep.
And that message was apparently sent to pretty much all of the working groups last week. Pass this stuff or deal with the horrific consequences of allowing the temporary income tax hike to partially expire.
The governor has repeatedly said that he fully intends to take advantage of the budget crisis in order to push his agenda through the General Assembly. And he has made no bones about what he wants. Term limits have been on his agenda since Day One of his campaign. So, the threat shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. Still, there were some thunderstruck Democrats last week.
Every poll has shown that the public is wildly enthusiastic about term limits. But legislators? Not so much. There are sound policy arguments against the simplistic solution, including the danger that it would empower experienced lobbyists and staff even more than they already are. Still, the idea’s popularity means that if it’s put on the floor for a final vote, legislators will be placed in a highly uncomfortable position and many will have to vote for the thing - so they absolutely don’t want to be backed into that corner.
Not everything went horribly. The ethics working group, for instance, eventually decided to skip over term limits for now in order to prevent a meltdown. They plan to take up a proposal to codify one of the governor’s executive orders on state employee ethics, which is viewed as pretty much a no-brainer.
The working group will also tackle the governor’s “conflict of interest” legislation, which would, in part, ban direct campaign contributions to members of the executive branch from public employee unions that negotiate employment contracts. The proposal would also ban contributions from hospitals and nursing homes which receive Medicaid funds.
Surprisingly enough, legislative Democrats are open to those ideas. One reason is a bit on the crass side. The less money that unions like AFSCME can give to gubernatorial and other statewide candidates, the more money the unions will be able to contribute to legislative candidates. Plus, as we’ve seen time and time again, money pretty much always finds a way around statutory barricades. AFSCME, for instance, could simply give money to the Democratic Governors Association or the Democratic Party of Illinois or start its own “dark money” independent expenditure PAC.
And there’s apparently even room for compromise on the term limits amendment, insiders say. One reported Rauner fallback position is to apply the limits only to newly elected legislators, perhaps sometime down the road.
But even if they can reach an accord on all of the governor’s proposal, they will still have to deal with the horrendous budget deficit. One of the smartest people I know at the Statehouse took me aside the other day and confided he was alarmed about the coming problem.
The budget hole is estimated to be at least $6 billion. But, this person said, let’s just say that Rauner agrees to $3 billion in tax hikes along with $3 billion in cuts. How the heck does he get that turkey passed? The GA spent weeks fighting over a mere $26 million in cuts to this fiscal year’s budget. Who will vote to cut $3 billion? And what Democrat will vote to raise taxes by $3 billion when that means another $3 billion will have to be cut?
Tough times ahead.
Subscribers have a complete list of working group membership along with meeting times and places.
*** UPDATE *** The Tribune makes reference to the working groups in a story we’ll discuss later today. Mike Flannery brought up the “Vegas” working group that we discussed Friday during an interview with Rep. Jack Franks on Fox Chicago Sunday. And GOP Rep. Dave McSweeney talked about the secret groups in a Sunday op-ed.
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Loaf cancels on us
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
MEAT LOAF ANNOUNCES CANCELLATION OF 2015 ILLINOIS STATE FAIR APPEARANCE
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.- Meat Loaf, who was slated to perform on Wednesday, August 19, with Styx and Tesla, has cancelled his upcoming appearance at the Illinois State Fair.
The Illinois State Fair will name a replacement act(s) for the Meat Loaf/Styx/Tesla concert in the near future.
Tickets for this show were scheduled to go on sale through Ticketmaster on Saturday, May 2; however, some Fan Club pre-sale tickets were sold via Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster will be issuing a refund back to those customers, and the refund will go back on the credit card used to make the purchase.
No other explanation was given, but this saves me from possibly being dragged to his show, so I thank him.
…Adding… Heh…
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* The Speaker talked about doing this a couple of weeks ago, but then held off…
Madigan Sets Full House Hearing on Compensation for Injured Workers
CHICAGO – House Speaker Michael J. Madigan on Friday announced the House of Representatives will convene in a committee of the whole at noon on Tuesday to discuss the compensation received by workers injured while on the job through no fault of their own.
“Proposals to change the compensation received by men and women injured at their workplaces will have a significant impact on the financial security of middle-class families throughout Illinois,” Madigan said. “Changes that limit workers’ ability to provide for their families if they are hurt on the job will have an adverse ripple effect throughout our economy. The committee of the whole offers us an opportunity to discuss how proposals would impact individuals who have been hurt and their ability to be fairly compensated for their injuries and lost wages.”
The committee of the whole will include discussion on topics such as the effects of workers’ compensation systems on injured workers, a 2011 reform law pushed by Madigan to reduce employer costs, and differences between Illinois’ workers’ compensation system and the systems in other states. Legislators will also hear from workers who have been injured in the workplace and how that has impacted their families.
Since Madigan’s 2011 reform law, workers’ compensation rates in Illinois have fallen, leading to an overall reduction in insurance premiums paid by businesses. Some have argued Illinois workers’ compensation rates must be reduced even further for businesses to be competitive, but Madigan believes there needs to be a balance between the financial security of Illinois’ middle-class families, who are the backbone of any strong business, and the insurance premiums paid by businesses.
“Numbers on paper alone can’t tell the full story of men and women who are hurt at work through no fault of their own and whose families must cope with lost wages and massive medical bills,” Madigan said. “These workers and their families are the reason we have an injured workers’ compensation system, and they deserve to have their voices heard.”
Madigan noted that the committee of the whole format will allow all members of the House to participate in the discussion.
*** UPDATE *** Jim Durkin, House Republican Leader…,
“Workers’ compensation reform is a serious issue that needs a fair debate and House Republicans are glad to participate in the Committee of the Whole. The high rate Illinois employers must pay for workers’ compensation coverage is costing us jobs. We believe changes are needed to bring rates down so that Illinois employers can better compete with other states while still protecting workers who are injured on the job. Certainly, there are two sides to every story, and we respectfully ask the majority party to allow Illinois employers and job creators to testify at Tuesday’s hearing.”
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Friday afternoon document dump
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
Governor Rauner Submits Statements of Economic Interest
SPRINGFIELD – Governor Bruce Rauner today submitted his statutorily-required Statement of Economic Interests as well as the Supplemental Statement of Economic Interests required by the governor’s Executive Order 15-09.
When filling out his Statements of Economic Interests, the governor used a broad definition of “doing business in Illinois” to determine what to include. For example, the governor lists “Pittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc.” even though he owns a minority stake in the organization and the Steelers did not play a game in Illinois during the calendar year.
The statements INCLUDE the holdings of the Rauner Family Foundation.
The Statement of Economic Interests is here. The Supplemental Statement of Economic Interests is here.
Go take a look.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Gov. Rauner’s Facebook page…
* The Question: Caption?
*** UPDATE *** From IUOE Local 150…
Good afternoon Rich,
On your caption photo today, if you look on the governor’s left side, next to the “sheriff’s badge” pin, you can see that he is wearing a Local 150 pin.
Hilarious.
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What a coinkydink
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ComEd lobsters always say there’s a “firewall” between parent company Exelon and their company. But their paychecks say “Exelon” on them and now we find out via Crain’s that ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore’s pay is partially tied to Exelon’s performance…
In 2014, 25 percent of Pramaggiore’s cash bonus was tied to Exelon’s operating earnings per share, with the remainder dependent on operational achievements at ComEd, according to an April 28 Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Last year, Pramaggiore’s total compensation just exceeded $2 million. Nearly half that amount—$974,888, including a salary of $585,271—was in cash. But Pramaggiore’s annual cash incentive payment dropped 22 percent to $371,064 from $473,280 the year before. […]
Beginning in 2013, her cash bonus began to be based in part on Exelon’s earnings at an unspecified percentage, according to a filing.
Coincidentally or not, in recent years ComEd has been less shy about lobbying for or against changes to state law that would help or hurt Exelon’s power plants but would have little bearing on ComEd’s operations.
The most obvious example is Exelon’s pending bill to slap a surcharge on electric bills statewide in order to funnel up to $300 million in additional revenue to its six Illinois nukes, three of which are losing money. ComEd’s potent lobbying army is working on lawmakers in Springfield to approve the measure, along with a separate ComEd initiative on green energy that environmentalists say is aimed at helping the nukes by thwarting greater energy-efficiency gains proposed by a coalition of greens, clean energy companies and consumer advocates, along with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
* Meanwhile…
With Illinois lawmakers discussing a major overhaul of state energy policies this spring, a group of downstate representatives and senators said Thursday they want to make sure the coal industry has a seat at the negotiating table.
In an announcement Thursday, a coalition of Republican and Democratic lawmakers from south of Interstate 80 said they plan to introduce legislation that would jump-start the Illinois coal industry, create 8,000 new jobs, save electric ratepayers as much as $700 million per year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. […]
The proposal outlined Thursday seeks to make it cheaper for Illinois power plants to burn Illinois coal by removing regulations that allow electric companies to shift the cost of importing Western states’ coal to electric customers.
The proposal also would establish a revenue stream that could pay for scrubbers that would reduce environmentally harmful emissions. […]
Standing with the lawmakers at Thursday’s Statehouse press conference was Roger Dennison, the lead lobbyist for Foresight Energy, a St. Louis-based coal mine company.
Foresight has contributed more than $185,600 to Illinois politicians since Jan. 1.
* And…
A coalition of business groups and one of the largest phone providers in the state are trying to move away from mandatory investment in old landlines.
The Illinois Telecommunications Act requires phone companies to offer landline phone service. The law expires this spring, and AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza said in a Statehouse news conference Thursday that the law needs to go by the wayside. […]
“The phone industry rakes in billions of dollars a year,” [CUB spokesman Jim Chilsen] said. “It can afford to support a healthy phone market for consumers, whether they like high-tech options like smartphones or whether they want their landlines.” […]
Chilsen said old landlines are the primary and most dependable option for many, especially people living in rural areas or on fixed incomes. AARP Illinois associate state director Julie Vahling said the elderly are another vulnerable group.
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Lincoln Funeral Reenactment events calendar
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Illnois Times has a comprehensive list of the weekend’s activities. Click here. Unless you are very young, this is a once in a lifetime thing. Events I’m considering…
Civil War Military Encampment
May 1-3, dawn until dusk. Fri-Sun. Infantry, artillery, mixed military and civilian camps illustrate 1860s life. Lincolnfuneralcoalition.org. Lincoln Park, 1501 N. Fifth St
Viewing of Replica Coffin and Hearse
May 2, 9am. Part of the Lincoln Funeral Reenactment. Free to public. lincolnfuneraltrain.org. Amtrak Station, 100 N. Third St., 872-7245.
Procession from train station to Old State Capitol
May 2, 10am-4pm. Procession includes the recreation of the original Lincoln hearse, horse-drawn carriages, military and civilian Civil War reenactors, plus other period groups. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration Event. Free to public. lincolnfuneraltrain.org. Amtrak Station, 100 N. Third St., 872-7245.
Opening Commemorative Ceremony
May 2, 11am. Conducted by dignitaries, color guard and Civil War reenactors. Seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. lincolnfuneraltrain.org. Near Old State Capitol at Washington and Sixth Streets.
All Night Vigil
May 2-3, 12pm-6am Sat-Sun. All night vigil featuring hearse and coffin to begin following opening ceremony. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration event. Near Old State Capitol at Washington and Sixth streets.
Civil War Refreshments
May 3, 10am-1pm. Enjoy Civil War-style refreshments on the lawn. Proceeds support Edwards Place restoration fund. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration event. $10 admission. Edwards Place, Springfield Art Association, 700 N. Fourth St., 523-2631.
Procession to Oak Ridge Cemetery
May 3, 12pm. Procession leaves from Sixth and Washington, follows much of historic route to Oak Ridge Cemetery. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration event. No reserved seating, no parking available inside cemetery. Free to public. Old State Capitol, 1 Old State Capitol Plaza, 785-9363.
Oak Ridge Cemetery Ceremony and Cannon Salute
May 3, 3-4:30pm. Clergy members, Civil War reenactors present the eulogy, speeches, salutes at Old Public Receiving Vault. Music by special choir and Civil war era-style musicians perform music from original ceremony. Ceremony concludes at 4:30pm with 36 cannon salute. No parking, no reserved seating. Free to public. Oak Ridge Cemetery, 1441 Monument Ave., 789-2340.
…Adding… Reposting yesterday’s ScribbleLive feed…
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* Erickson…
In a scathing report issued Thursday, Illinois Auditor General William Holland, said state prison workers may have been engaging in “shift swapping,” in which workers used sick time or personal time for their regular shift, but then worked another shift at the overtime rate of pay later that same day.
“While there may be instances where this would be a needed solution to a difficult staff coverage scenario, it could be a sign of abuse of overtime and may be against department policy,” Holland noted in his audit of the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The financial effect on taxpayers is that not only does the state pay the employee at the overtime rate for the shift worked in addition to the regular rate for the leave time taken, but the state also pays another employee overtime to cover the shift for which the leave time was used, Holland said.
Anders Lindall, spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, said there is no solid evidence that “shift swapping” occurred. And, he said there may have been good reason for workers to have skipped their scheduled shift.
“It’s not hard to envision a situation where a dad takes an earned vacation day to be sure he can make his daughter’s teachers conference and then receives a call asking if he can work a shift,” Lindall said.
* But before Rauner folks blame this on the union, they should check out the audit…
We requested any union agreements that allow overtime pay on the same day that leave time is taken; however, the Department could not provide any.
Some of these cases might be reasonable, but the unreasonable overtime situation is most definitely a management problem.
* And this…
The Department of Corrections (Department) did not always maintain documentation to support overtime paid to employees. In addition, we identified errors in the overtime pay. […]
At Stateville Correctional Center there is a lack of personnel in key timekeeping and payroll positions. The Timekeeping Supervisor is a security employee (a shift supervisor) that has been temporarily assigned to this position. According to officials another employee in payroll was reassigned from the Warden’s Office. There was no full time Business Manager and a new Business Administrator started the first day we were on site (January 5, 2015). […]
Logan Correctional Center overpaid employees for overtime and compensatory time. A standard work shift is 7.5 hours not including a half hour unpaid lunch and a roll-call period of 15 minutes. If an employee stands roll-call or works through their lunch, these are paid separately from the employee’s regular pay. Compensatory time and overtime at Logan Correctional Center were being accrued and paid at 8 or 8.25 hours per shift instead of 7.5 hours as is required by union contract (RC-6 Agreement Article XII, Sec. 1 d) and CU-500 Agreement Article XII Sec. 1 b)). Therefore, for each overtime shift worked and for every shift worked for compensatory time, employees were being compensated an extra .5 to .75 hours. For the 10 Logan Correctional Center employees we tested for the months of July 2013 and May 2014, we identified 79.5 hours of overpayment for overtime. […]
For one Logan Correctional Center employee, an overtime slip requesting that they receive a half hour paid lunch was denied twice for the same shift; however, when reviewing the payroll report for that time period, it appears they were paid for both denied slips. […]
An employee at Stateville Correctional Center was underpaid 16 hours of overtime. During the following pay period, only an additional two hours of overtime from the previous pay period shortage was paid, leaving the employee 14 hours of unpaid overtime. Additionally, this employee’s annual timesheet showed 12 more hours of overtime than the overtime slips documented.
Sheesh.
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Your daily “right to work” roundup
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Nothing yet from the governor’s office or the Illinois AFL-CIO. But…
The Iroquois County Board will consider adopting “The Turnaround Agenda — Local Government Empowerment and Reform” resolution when it meets May 12.
The county’s policy and procedure committee, after hearing opposition yesterday morning from several people with regard to the resolution, voted unanimously to pass the measure on to the full county board.
* And…
Despite requests from Governor Bruce Rauner, the Sangamon County Board has no immediate plans to vote on a resolution supporting Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda.” […]
In Sangamon County, the issue has not been introduced, and county executive Brian McFadden doesn’t know when, or if, it will be.
* Meanwhile…
Mundelein Village Trustee Ed Sullivan forcefully took a stand supporting Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” during an April 27 meeting, even though the topic had been removed from consideration days before.
At least one union activist was on hand and interrupted Sullivan several minutes into his remarks. Police became involved when the man ignored Mayor Steve Lentz and continued to confront Sullivan.
The governor asked municipalities throughout the state to approve a prewritten statement pledging support for a number of controversial economic reform ideas. Mundelein trustees considered the resolution April 13 and planned to revise the proclamation and reconsider it at a future meeting. When it became clear trustees were deadlocked on the matter, the item was pulled from the April 27 agenda.
“Two weeks ago we listened to about 34 individuals who were union members or union officials,” Sullivan said. “They seemed concerned that their life as they know it was going to end if changes were made in Illinois law. They told us those changes were illegal. They’re not illegal, because the legislature hasn’t made the changes yet.”
* Now, on to Wisconsin, where AFSCME no longer has payroll deductions of union dues…
Wisconsin’s three AFSCME councils are merging four years after the state rolled back public-sector union rights, prompting two out of three dues-paying members to drop out. […]
The three Wisconsin AFSCME councils claimed nearly 63,000 members in 2010. That number is likely less than 20,000 now.
Publicly available tax records for the state workers union show that Council 24 revenue dropped from over $5 million in 2010 to $1.5 million in 2013. Like the other councils it reduced staff to cut costs, but from 2011 through 2013 it spent $1.8 million more than it took in. […]
Some public-sector bargaining units have won recertification through annual membership votes under provisions of Act 10. They can bargain for small raises only, not for benefits or working conditions, and they have no recourse to arbitration if employers simply say no to their demands.
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Dold, Bost on “most vulnerable” list
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Politico’s “Campaign Pro”…
… Democrats won over 1.4 million more votes for Congress than Republicans in 2012, yet Republicans comfortably kept control of the House. And that’s why even a decisive Democratic victory at the national level in 2016 is unlikely to produce a change in which party controls the chamber.
Predictably, the races at the top of our list tend to be the most volatile districts. Seven of the top 10 flipped last cycle, including seats represented by freshman Republican Reps. Rod Blum and Cresent Hardy, and Democratic Reps. Brad Ashford and Gwen Graham — all of whom hold seats that voted for the other party’s candidate for president in 2012. In two of the remaining three top-10 districts, vulnerable incumbents aren’t running again.
Here’s Campaign Pro’s top 30 House races of 2016, ranked in order of likelihood of a party switch: […]
3. Illinois-10 (R — Dold): This seat in Chicago’s northern suburbs is the most Democratic district in the country represented by a Republican. GOP Rep. Bob Dold won the seat in 2010 after Mark Kirk chose to run for the Senate, but lost it to Democrat Brad Schneider two years later. Last fall, Dold won the rematch with 51 percent of the vote. He’s likely to face tougher odds in a presidential year — Obama won 58 percent of the vote in the district in 2012, and Schneider’s already announced that he’s running again. But Dold has a moderate voting record, and he raised an impressive $605,000 in the first quarter. Schneider first faces Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering in the primary. […]
14. Illinois-12 (R — Bost): GOP Rep. Mike Bost beat Democratic Rep. Bill Enyart by a solid margin last November, winning 52 percent of the vote in this southern Illinois district. Enyart doesn’t seem to be running again — he terminated his campaign committee last month — and Bost pulled in a respectable $418,000 in the first quarter. But the district went for Obama by a thin margin in 2012, and the right Democrat might be able to defeat Bost in a presidential year.
I don’t totally disagree with the Dold ranking. That district flips with the top of the ticket, but Dold might be able to hold on. If a Democrat does win it next year and Hillary wins the presidency, the district could flip back GOP again in 2018. A Republican president, however, could transform the district into a somewhat safer Dem seat.
But the Illinois Dems put Bost at the top of their target list after he won his first Illinois House race in a Democratic district during a big Republican year. Bost held onto that seat for 20 more years. He cannot be underestimated.
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* Sun-Times…
As first reported in the Chicago Sun-Times, the Obama library, museum and presidential center will be located on Chicago’s South Side, with the University of Chicago bid beating out the competition for the massive project.
The Sun-Times has reported in several stories since April 14 that the Obama development was coming to the city. The official announcement will be made in Chicago by the Chicago-based Barack Obama Foundation in about two weeks, the Sun-Times has confirmed with several sources with direct knowledge of the rollout.
Though the decision to ratify the foundation recommendation was made by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle, the president is not expected to attend the announcement, for which planning has already begun, the Sun-Times was told by a source.
As the Sun-Times reported on April 14, the foundation, led by Obama friend Marty Nesbitt, will not announce until later this year whether the Obama complex will be located in Washington Park or Jackson Park. The parks are near the University of Chicago’s main Hyde Park campus.
* Meanwhile…
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday afternoon will sign the bill making it harder to legally challenge the construction of the Obama presidential library complex and the Lucas Museum.
“I am very excited about it. I look forward to signing it,” Rauner told the Sun-Times.
“I plan to sign it this afternoon as soon as I get back to Springfield,” he added. “The bill obviously makes it easier to get the Obama Library in Chicago. And I think the president’s library will be a very benefit to the state of Illinois and to the city of Chicago and I am very supportive of that.”
Likewise, he said, “I also think the Lucas museum will be a big benefit to the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago and I am supportive of that.”
*** UPDATE *** The governor issued a “video statement”...
Click to view
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Governor backs out of “debate”
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I told subscribers recently that Gov. Bruce Rauner suggested that he and Democratic state Rep. Mike Smiddy have a public debate about public employee unions. Smiddy was first elected with strong support from AFSCME and the two had a spirited discussion during a meeting between Rauner and Downstate legislators. Smiddy wrote a letter to Gov. Rauner this week accepting the governor’s debate challenge…
* But the governor is reneging…
Hi, Rich:
There will be no debate, but Gov. Rauner looks forward to continuing to have spirited interchanges with Rep. Smiddy and other legislators in small and large groups about how to make Illinois more competitive and compassionate and get the most value for taxpayers. We appreciate Rep. Smiddy’s hunt for publicity and headlines. Hopefully, he will soon begin to show as much enthusiasm for saving taxpayer’s money and getting Illinois out of the worst fiscal crisis in the country.
Thanks!
ck
Discuss.
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Today’s quotable
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The importance of a strong infrastructure…
[Mitsubishi Motors North America general manager of corporate communications Dan Irvin] said Mitsubishi wouldn’t be located in McLean County if it weren’t for the transportation infrastructure in place.
“The three interstate highways and availability of rail and the ability when we need it for air travel all continue to be extremely important to us,” Irvin said. “The highways of Illinois are actually our warehouse, because the parts that are going to be used this afternoon and tomorrow are on the roads of Illinois this morning.”
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Rauner, legislators create “Star Chambers”
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Erickson…
During his campaign for governor, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said he wanted to oversee the most transparent administration in history.
But three months into his term, Rauner’s team won’t reveal who is involved in a series of high-level talks about some of the governor’s most prized pet issues, ranging from his controversial plan to allow local right-to-work laws to an overhaul of state spending.
“They are private meetings,” Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said Thursday. “They are private discussions that we’re keeping confidential to protect the process.” […]
Kelly also wouldn’t answer questions about who is involved in each group, when they are meeting and what subjects are being discussed.
“We’re only saying what the governor has said. That’s all I can give you right now,” Kelly said. “We’re just not talking about them right now. We’re just not commenting on them.”
I was told by the House Speaker’s office yesterday that all info was being kept secret at the behest of the governor’s office.
Look, private negotiations are held all the time at the Statehouse. But this goes well beyond that. This is, instead, a huge, all-encompassing shadow legislative committee structure, with a top secret membership list, meeting in undisclosed places at undisclosed times and with participants who must pledge to keep all proceedings confidential. They even reportedly have a code name for the super-top secret working group charged with examining new revenue options: “Vegas.”
That means people impacted by any potential changes won’t have any input. While some would say it keeps lobbyists out of the process, I would say it means politicians are writing new laws in a vacuum. That’s not only a dangerous precedent, it’s also stupid. They’re not all-knowing gods.
60 Comments
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“Democratic” group raises millions more
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rick Pearson…
A billionaire Houston couple heavily involved nationwide in pension and education changes opposed by unions — issues shared by Gov. Bruce Rauner and Mayor Rahm Emanuel — has contributed $5 million to a state political action committee, campaign finance records showed Thursday.
The donation from John and Laura Arnold to IllinoisGO, short for Illinoisans for Growth and Opportunity, is the third-largest individual political donation ever recorded by the Illinois State Board of Elections in more than two decades of electronic record keeping. […]
IllinoisGO also said Chicago businessman Matt Hulsizer has made a multimillion dollar contribution to the PAC, though it has not yet been recorded by the State Board of Elections. Hulsizer is co-founder and CEO of Peak6 Investments L.P. and a minority owner of the Minnesota Wild, which plays the Blackhawks in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning Friday.
Hulsizer has given Stand for Children Illinois $474,000 since 2010. He also gave Emanuel $100,000 for the mayor’s 2011 election, $5,300 for Emanuel’s re-election and $5,300 for Rauner’s 2014 campaign for governor.
Not including the Hulsizer contribution, IllinoisGO has reported $6.5 million in campaign contributions so far. It’s widely believed that the group is merely guarding Gov. Rauner’s left flank.
Gov. Rauner, by the way, just contributed $250,000 to his own campaign fund. However, he did not trigger the self-funding limit because that only applies to contributions within twelve months before his next election. Rauner also contributed $250,000 to his Turnaround Illinois PAC, which will get involved in legislative races.
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