Mautino to sign subpoenas
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I could see his point, but this was a needless diversion, so getting it over with is a good thing…
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*** UPDATE *** Read the new plan by clicking here.
Very little new here. This stuff has been floating around Springfield for years, even decades. That doesn’t mean these are not good ideas. It does mean, however, that he’s not truly thinking outside the box. Then again, there’s only so much anybody can do. Maybe he’s finding that out already.
[ *** End Of Update 1 *** ]
* Natasha Korecki has the scoop on Rauner’s “Step 3″ proposal…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner unveiled a plan today that he says aims to reform “corporate welfare,” offering up taxes on racehorses, private jets and yachts as well as ending a tax break on newsprint. […]
Rauner said he would overhaul the so-called EDGE program, Economic Development for a Growing Economy, as a starting point to broader changes to make Illinois more attractive to business. Rauner said the state has negotiated deals in the past – including for Sears – that allowed tax breaks even if the company is laying off workers. […]
His plan mentions cutting tax breaks for a private jet and yacht inheritances as well as ending an exemption for newsprint and ink from sales taxes, which he said cost the state $32 million a year. […]
Other parts of Rauner’s plan includes many elements that have been attempted in the past in the Illinois Legislature to no avail. That includes Rauner’s proposal to end an incentive the “big oil loophole” that allows oil companies with an Illinois presence to drill off shore without paying state income taxes. […]
Rauner did not specifically say whether he would support a private jet depreciation tax break that’s been discussed nationally as costing an estimated $3 billion nationwide. Instead, he said he would look at the whole tax code in Illinois.
Big props for going after newsprint. But that’ll hurt him with the newspaper industry for sure.
Even so, these are not new ideas. They are regularly rolled out whenever somebody (usually the governor) wants to fund a new program that the state can’t pay for. Just the word “loopholes” has become a bit of a Statehouse joke.
And there were attempts to reform the EDGE credit this year, by Speaker Madigan, and it went nowhere.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The response…
Chicken Budget #2: Billionaire Bruce Directly Lifts Governor Quinn’s Policies
Corporate Welfare King Denounces Corporate Welfare in Latest Illustrated Pamphlet
CHICAGO - Following is the statement of Quinn for Illinois Communications Director Brooke Anderson in response to the latest Billionaire Bruce Rauner illustrated pamphlet - half the size of the original, if you can believe it - revealed today.
“Maybe it was the embarrassment of his chicken budget from two weeks ago. Or maybe it was because he didn’t think anyone was paying attention.
“In any case, the illustrated pamphlet Billionaire Bruce issued today lifts several policies directly from Governor Quinn who has been fighting for tax fairness for years, including repealing the non-combination rule, the oil derrick loophole and EDGE reform, which the Governor worked on and supported this year.
“Billionaire Bruce Rauner - and his chief patron Ken Griffin - both have benefited directly from hundreds of millions of dollars in bank bailout money. Now Rauner wants to pretend he’s a Quinn-like reformer by renouncing the ‘corporate welfare’ and loopholes that he and his friends have benefited from all these years with their yachts and private jets, including the Griffin jet that carts Rauner around the state.
“After two weeks of hiding and more than a year of stonewalling, Rauner has yet to remotely explain how he plans to make up for $6 billion in revenue that will be required to balance the budget next year.
“Instead of giving us a real plan to tackle the massive structural challenges facing Illinois, Billionaire Bruce has given us two chicken budgets, with today’s version including nothing but warmed-over window dressing, stolen Quinn proposals, and hypocritical ideas.
“A corporate welfare king like him hardly has a shred of credibility when it comes to reforming a system that has made him a member of the .01 percent.”
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Rauner says he’ll unveil “Step three”
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a blast e-mail…
Dear Friends:
As Evelyn and I continue to roll out our plans to shake up Springfield, we want to make sure you know about our next big step.
Step One in our “Bring Back Blueprint” is putting term limits on career politicians. Step Two is cutting wasteful spending and reforming state government. And now we’re getting ready to unveil Step Three.
Since you are a key part of our team, we want you to be the first to see what’s next when we roll it out later today. With so many people around Illinois using social media to communicate, we are going to release our next step on Twitter and Facebook. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to click here to like our Facebook page and to follow us on Twitter, click here.
And be sure to invite your friends to follow us on social media too so they don’t miss out.
Together, we are going to bring back Illinois!
Bruce
Considering how poorly conceived and executed his “chicken budget” presser was, I’m not exactly holding my breath.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mayor Rahm Emanuel on the decision to construct the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Chicago…
“George Lucas has revolutionized the art of storytelling over the last four decades and we are honored to be the recipient of this incredible legacy investment that will allow everyone to learn about and experience narrative arts. Like Marshall Field, John G. Shedd and Max Adler before him, George’s philanthropy will inspire and educate for generations. No other museum like this exists in the world, making it a tremendous educational, cultural and job creation asset for all Chicagoans, as well as an unparalleled draw for international tourists.”
* The Question: Can you come up with a more appropriately Chicagoesque name than the “Lucas Museum of Narrative Art”?
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TRS move creates huge state budget hole
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Public Radio…
The Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System says it expects a lower return on its pension investments in the next year. That means the state will have to cover more of the cost of teacher pensions.
TRS says it’s still a good assumed rate of investment return at 7.5 percent. That falls in line with similar pension systems nationwide. But it’s not as profitable as 8-percent, which TRS had been using for the previous few years.
Before they were using 8 percent, they were using 8.5 percent.
* More context from the SJ-R…
Reducing the estimated rate of return brings TRS more in line with other major state and municipal pension systems. The National Association of State Retirement Administrators found 37 of 126 systems set a rate of return of 7 percent to 7.5 percent. Another 45 had a rate of 8 percent. The average return of those systems was 7.72 percent.
The average was 7.72 percent.
* Crain’s drills down…
To give a sense of TRS’ bigger obligations, it helps to consider that if the new 7.5 percent rate had been used to calculate the liability for fiscal 2013, it would have been $99.9 billion, not $93.9 billion, under the 8 percent rate. As a result, the pension’s unfunded liability would have been 60 percent, as opposed to 57.5 percent.
Lowering the rate also automatically increases the amount the state must contribute to the TRS fund, Mr. Urbanek noted. If the 2015 fiscal year contribution had been calculated using the new 7.5 percent rate, the budgeted $3.4 billion contribution would have had to be $500 million higher, he said.
That’s a huge budgetary hit. Huge.
This problem never ends.
* Speaking of the budget…
No state historic sites will close for now because of budget cuts, but many could see reduced hours after the Labor Day holiday.
“The governor’s office has given us some direction in how we will move forward with budget implementation,” said Amy Martin, director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. “We will be looking to maintain services as best possible through the rest of this calendar year and hope the budget for IHPA will be restored in November or January.” […]
In addition to reducing hours, the agency will postpone filling vacancies until it sees if its budget will be restored. That will have an immediate effect on the Vachel Lindsay Home Historic Site in Springfield. The site superintendent is scheduled to retire July 1. After that, the home may be open by appointment only or for special events.
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Poultry pranksters proliferate
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* You gotta be kidding me…
The symbolism may have been lost for anyone traveling down 153rd Street Monday. However, two people dressed up as poultry and a guy in a Pinocchio costume were all part of the current campaign for governor of Illinois.
It started when Governor Pat Quinn’s campaign sent a man to put on a chicken suit outside an Orland Park country club. As nearby lawn signs indicated, inside Republican Bruce Rauner was raising campaign cash from about 100 supporters.
Suddenly, a van dispatched by the Rauner campaign raced to the scene. First out, the costumed character they call ‘Quinn-ochio,’ soon joined by another chicken. […]
The governor’s campaign finally got in the game Monday, debuting its own poultry prank. A campaign press release claimed Rauner’s been too chicken for over a year now to offer voters a plan for a truly balanced budget.
Give Rauner’s team tons of credit for its rapid chicken response effort, but this campaign season has already jumped the shark… to mix a metaphor.
…Adding… Quinn’s chicken was delivered by a Floridian.
* Meanwhile, could yet another underpaid “actor” in a silly fowl suit appear on the campaign trail? From a press release…
Tax Hike Mike Frerichs Ducks Debate
Refuses to Defend his Tax Hike Votes and New Service Tax Plans
PLAINFIELD…Democrat Senator Mike Frerichs ducked out of the first scheduled debate between himself and Republican Tom Cross. Frerichs had agreed to participate in the debate, hosted by Bill Cameron of WLS, but then ducked out.
* And, yes, you can buy goofy duck costumes…
…Adding… Speaking of costumes, does an $18 watch clash with a white tuxedo?…
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* So, I take it, then, that he’s a “No” vote this November?…
GOP gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner says he has no problem with a November ballot measure that will ask Illinois voters whether the state should increase the minimum wage.
“The voters are going to be allowed to make their voices heard on a nonbinding referendum. I’m supportive of that,” he said Tuesday.
Rauner, a wealthy venture capitalist from Winnetka, also said he’d support raising the minimum wage under two scenarios: If it were increased nationwide; and/or if it were tied to pro-business reforms in Illinois.
He made the remarks while taking questions from the media during a campaign stop he and running mate Evelyn Sanguinetti made in Roanoke.
He has also yet to specify what those “pro-business reforms” actually would be. Would his proposed local option “right to work” law be part of that? We don’t know.
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Why did they get the money in the first place?
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The whole idea of having “lead agencies” in the governor’s anti-violence initiative oversee grants was because these established, local not-for-profits knew the area well, knew the terrain, knew the needs and knew the providers. So, what the heck happened here?…
Thousands of state anti-violence grant dollars from Gov. Pat Quinn’s scandal-tainted Neighborhood Recovery Initiative went to a south suburban nonprofit to help re-integrate freed teen and young adult prison inmates back into society.
It was a noble idea except for one thing.
The nonprofit that the state paid with anti-violence grant money to handle re-entry services in Thornton Township actually was operating out of a day care center in south suburban Dixmoor.
On top of that, it was later learned, there was really no re-entry program at all — nor any proof that the organization, Project Hope, Inc., did anything for the $15,770 it received from Quinn’s administration to perform re-entry services, state records show.
It took three months for the Healthcare Consortium of Illinois, the larger nonprofit that the Quinn administration put in charge of NRI spending in Thornton Township, to figure out the scheme and to begin the process of turning off the spigot of taxpayer dollars, state records show.
Sheesh.
They never should’ve received that grant in the first place. A daycare center? Are you kidding me?
It appears from the story that one person at the local lead agency, Jaclin Davis, raised numerous red flags. Good for her. But Davis’ higher-ups at HCI really, truly messed up by handing out the grant in the first place.
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Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WalletHub compared “the 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of three key metrics: 1) Return on Taxes Paid to the Federal Government; 2) Federal Funding as a Percentage of State Revenue; and 3) Number of Federal Employees Per Capita”…
* Overall, Illinois ranked “second least dependent” of all states, behind only Delaware. Here are the categories, the actual numbers for the categories and our individual ranking within those categories…
Return on Taxpayer Investment - $0.56 - 3
Funding as % of Revenue - 26.23% - 8
Federal Employees Per Capita 6.45 - 11
* They weighted the results…
1. Return on Taxes Paid to the Federal Government – Weight: 1
(Federal Funding in $ / Federal Income Taxes in $) This metric illustrates how many dollars in federal funding state taxpayers receive for every one dollar in federal income taxes they pay. We have excluded from the Federal Funding the Loans/Guarantees component because it does not represent permanent transfers from the Federal Government to a state.
2.Federal Funding as a Percentage of State Revenue – Weight: 1
(Federal Funding in $ / State Revenue in $) * 100 This metric shows how much of a state’s annual revenue, and theoretically its spending, is provided by the federal government. Without this money, revenue would have to be found elsewhere – perhaps via tax hikes – or else key state services would suffer.
3. Number of Federal Employees Per Capita – Weight: 0.5
(No. Federal Workers / No. State Residents) This metric speaks to the federal government’s role as a nationwide employer, indicating the percentage of a state’s workforce that owes its very livelihood to Washington.
* They also used some items to put the numbers in context, such as “Direct Payments,” which “reflects the return on taxpayer investment in terms of federal entitlement payouts“…
And…
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* Well, at least this rumor appears to have been quashed once and for all. Michelle Obama isn’t running for US Senate, or anything else..
[ABC’s Robin Roberts] asked Mrs. Obama, “There are many people that are wondering what’s your next act? Will it be political?”
To that Mrs. Obama replied, “Me?”
Roberts said, “Yes, you.”
Laughing Mrs. Obama said, “No, it will not be political.”
“No?” said Roberts.
Offering some rare information about what’s next, Mrs. Obama added, “Yes, no, it definitely will not be. It will be mission-based, it will be service-focused.”
* Other stuff…
* Oberweis wants special prosecutor for IRS
* Durbin dangles tax credit to keep HQs in America
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Greg Hinz…
Barring a last-minute development overnight, RTA sources say that retiring state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Wheaton, will have the votes he needs to be elected chair at the RTA board meeting tomorrow.
The action is likely to occur despite repeated chatter that Illinois’ GOP gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner — or at least members of Mr. Rauner’s staff — prefer someone else; Mr. Rauner and Mr. Dillard clashed repeatedly during last winter’s GOP gubernatorial primary campaign. But the only other major competitor for the RTA post, former DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, has folded his campaign, and sources who know how to count tell me that Mr. Dillard has backing from a combination of Chicago and collar-county members of the RTA board.
After reading the entire story, I think Dillard would probably do a decent job, so good luck to him.
* But, for our question’s purposes, I wanted to highlight a particular Dillard quote from Greg’s piece…
Mr. Dillard said the two GOP leaders have not yet held a post-primary peace meeting, but he expects to see Mr. Rauner at an event later in the week.
“I don’t need to eat up Bruce’s time,” Mr. Dillard said. “We text back and forth all the time.”
* The Question: What do you think they’re chatting about via text?
Keep it clean, people.
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Proft refuses to appear with Walsh
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If Joe Walsh was hoping to gin up a right-wing backlash at WIND radio for kicking him off the air, it ain’t working…
Tomorrow’s Plainfield Township GOP Fundraiser that was to feature radio talk show hosts Dan Proft and Joe Walsh will now be featuring Proft only.
Sources tell Illinois Review the change came after Proft informed the organizers that he would not share the stage with Walsh.
When asked, Proft told IR:
“It is very simple. I am not going to participate in events with individuals who think it is okay to purposely and repeatedly use the N-word and other racial epithets as part of what they believe is appropriate public (or, for that matter, private) discourse.
People can and should think freely, speak freely and freely associate as they like. I choose to reject the thinking and the language Joe Walsh unapologetically evinced and freely not associate with it.”
In response, Walsh told IR that he would continue to “combat political correctness.”
Walsh’s 15 minutes are just about up, methinks.
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The “old” Pat Quinn
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn ordered a cut in the number of state paid parking spots in Chicago. From a press release…
Governor Quinn has directed department heads to cut back on spots for employees in positions that do not require frequent fieldwork or involve public safety. While taxpayer-financed parking spots are appropriate for state employees whose posts require them to travel frequently to state prisons, juvenile detention centers or social service offices, they are not necessary for employees who spend the majority of their time in the office.
Unless their job involves frequent fieldwork or public safety, most agency directors, chiefs of staff and other high-level officials will now lose their free parking spots.
Today’s announcement also includes a reduction in the number of shared “pool” cars that are stationed in downtown Chicago garages and available to state employees.
That’s a taste of the old populist, highlight-the-little-things Pat Quinn. As subscribers already know, we can expect more of this stuff.
* Back to the press release…
Yesterday Governor Quinn announced that the state of Illinois had again cut property leases. The state will save an additional $55 million by continuing to downsize the space it leases in the upcoming fiscal year. Since taking office the Governor has saved taxpayers more than $220 million by consolidating or eliminating more than 2.5 million square feet – roughly equivalent to emptying out Chicago’s Trump Tower.
Since taking office and inheriting decades of mismanagement, Governor Quinn has enacted major reforms that are saving taxpayers billions of dollars. The Governor has saved taxpayers more than $3 billion by overhauling Illinois’ Medicaid system, cutting Medicaid spending and rooting out waste, fraud and abuse. He also passed comprehensive pension reform that will save taxpayers more than $140 billion over the next 30 years.
Additionally, the Governor negotiated a historic contract with Illinois’ employee unions that includes $900 million in savings for Illinois taxpayers. The Governor also enacted comprehensive worker’s compensation reform that has saved state taxpayers more than $40 million to date. The state workforce is the smallest it has been in decades, with 4,000 fewer state employees than we had five years ago. All things included, over the last five years, Governor Quinn has cut state spending by more than $5.7 billion.
“Roughly equivalent to emptying out Chicago’s Trump Tower.” Heh.
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* Tribune…
A day after approving subpoenas for seven former aides to Gov. Pat Quinn in a probe of a troubled $55 million anti-violence program, Democrats today opted to drop two from the list.
Rep. Frank Mautino, the Democratic co-chair of the panel looking Quinn’s Neighborhood Recovery, said he chose not to sign off on subpoenas seeking testimony of Warren Ribley, the former head of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and Andrew Ross, Quinn’s former chief operating officer. Mautino said their involvement in the program is outside the scope of a blistering audit lawmakers are examining, one that found the anti-violence program was hastily implemented and had inadequate oversight.
Ribley and Ross were involved with a portion of the anti-violence program that distributed loans to small businesses. The audit primarily focused on grants given to neighborhood groups.
Mautino did approve subpoenas for Barbara Shaw, the former head of the NRI program, as well as Jack Lavin, Quinn’s former chief of staff; Toni Irving, former deputy chief of staff; Malcolm Weems, former head of the Department of Central Management Services; and Billy Ocasio, a former senior advisor.
* The Sun-Times has Rep. Mautino’s explanation…
Mautino said neither Ribley nor Ross factored heavily in the rollout of the $54.5 million program that is now under separate federal and Cook County investigations.
“In talking with the auditor general, he and his auditors unanimously determined they are outside the scope of the Violence Prevention Authority and Criminal Justice Information Authority,” Mautino told the Chicago Sun-Times, alluding to the two agencies that were involved in the implementation of the anti-violence program.
Ribley and Ross “are on two documents of the 55,000” gathered by Auditor General William Holland in connection with the NRI audit, Mautino said in justifying their elimination from the list of those to be subpoenaed.
The Cook County State’s Attorney had earlier subpoenaed DCEO’s files, but that subpoena was eventually withdrawn.
*** UPDATE *** Co-chairman Barickman’s response…
Sen. Jason Barickman: “It’s unfortunate that Democrats would obstruct our efforts to find out what happened,” Barickman said. “We worked diligently with the Democrats yesterday to find cooperation and it’s unfortunate that not even 24 hours later some are changing their tune.”
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On cars, Adlai and Bruce
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bloomberg has a somewhat strange story about politicians and their cars…
The key to Paul Revere’s fame was his horse. Country singer Hank Williams’ death would have been less memorable had it happened somewhere besides the back of a 1952 Cadillac. When politicians need to communicate, cars speak a uniquely American language.
The recent craze for modest wheels began after Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown piloted a GMC Canyon truck to victory in a Massachusetts special election in 2010. After losing his 2012 re-election bid, he’s driven it to neighboring New Hampshire, where he’s seeking the nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. He features the vehicle in television ads.
In Illinois, Republican venture capitalist Bruce Rauner, who owns nine homes and earned $53 million in 2012, “still drives a 20-year-old camper van, wears an $18 watch and stays in the cheapest hotel rooms he can find,” according to the website of his gubernatorial campaign. He also drives a 2012 Ford Edge and a 2008 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic motorcycle, said Mike Schrimpf, a spokesman. […]
“The first rule is ‘Buy American,’” said Olga Vicari, general sales manager at Bob Rohrman Schaumburg Ford, in a western Chicago suburb.
The next rule:
“Nothing fancy-schmancy.”
OK, first of all, Paul Revere? And Hank Williams is a country music god. To say his death would’ve been “less memorable” because he died in a Caddy is just weird, man.
* Also, I checked with the secretary of state’s office. Here are all the vehicles registered at Rauner’s Winnetka home address…
2008 Harley Davidson
2012 Ford Edge
1995 BMW motorcycle
1993 VW van
2003 Jeep Liberty
2009 trailer
His rich neighbors must be endlessly amused at that motley collection.
I haven’t seen pictures of him riding his Beemer, so maybe that qualifies as a “scandal” somehow (”The first rule is ‘Buy American’”) but I doubt it.
* Illinois is a major auto manufacturing state, so that “Buy American” advice is spot on. Heck, some labor guys used to constantly rib me for owning a BMW Z-3, even though it was assembled in America. My two current autos (a car and a truck, and, admittedly, both way nicer than Rauner’s) are American-made.
But this story reminded me of something from the distant past, so I fired up the Google and found a June 25, 1986 Tribune article…
Gubernatorial candidate Adlai Stevenson was jeered Tuesday at a United Auto Workers convention in Springfield when he acknowledged that he owns a Toyota pick-up truck that he uses on his farm near Hanover, Ill. […]
“I bought a Toyota truck because General Motors couldn’t compete,” Stevenson said […]
“If I had known I was running then I wouldn’t have done it. I regret it now.”
The UAW and the AFL-CIO ended up endorsing Jim Thompson.
Sheesh. Adlai was such a disaster that year. Click here for a full rundown. It was worse than I remembered.
Adlai wasn’t alone, either. The Democrats ran one hapless joke of a gubernatorial campaign after another from 1976 to 1998.
* So, let that be a lesson to all Illinois Republicans. Never lose hope.
1982 was a huge Democratic year due to the recession and the unpopularity of Ronald Reagan’s policies here, but Stevenson narrowly lost to Thompson. Adlai didn’t spend any of his own money that year (and probably would’ve won if he had), but he had no choice but to spend a bundle of personal cash four years later when the LaRouchies forced him off his own ticket and he became radioactive to contributors. 1998 was also a big Democratic year here, but Glenn Poshard tied his own hands behind his back by limiting his campaign contributions and then bowing to pressure from the Tribune to drop a very effective TV ad that tied George Ryan to the deaths of the Willis children.
Rod Blagojevich ran a very good campaign in 2002, no question about it.
* And that’s the other lesson: Careful what you wish for, kids.
/ramble
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Manufactured controversy
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Via the twitters…
Hey, what’s this about? Replacing parents? Huh?
* Read on…
Deborah Teixeira is in danger of literally being fired by the state of Illinois from her job as Juliet’s mother. The Peoria resident has been warned that if there are more infractions, the state will send a replacement into her home to take care of her daughter instead.
Teixeira is not alone. Across the state, mothers like her and other people taking care of their family members have been told via threatening official phone calls and letters that they could be replaced if they don’t shape up.
Her predicament comes from the fact that she takes care of an adult daughter with brain damage. She provides Juliet with round-the-clock care at her home thanks to subsidies from Illinois’ Home Services Program.
That’s common: Most of HSP’s estimated 20,000 “caregivers” are just people like Teixeira watching over severely disabled family members.
The program also comes with strings attached, including a new billing system that requires caregivers to call a phone number twice daily to literally clock in and clock out.
Forget to clock out and you are technically overbilling the state. Repeat offenders can be replaced as caregiver — even if they are taking care of their own children in their home.
In other words, she’s getting money from the government so she can take care of her child, and she’s complaining that she has to clock in and out every day. Previously, caregivers just filled out timesheets. But that can be done retroactively, so this is more “real time,” and there was apparently some training involved.
* And what about those “threatening” letters? One was posted online…
Dear Customer:
As a Customer of the Home Services Program (HSP), it is your responsibility to manage your individual Provider(s) so you do not go over the number of hours that are authorized on your HSP Service Plan.
Your current Service Plan authorizes [redacted] hours of services per month. However, our records indicate that you have approved [redacted] hours in May 2014.
If, within the next six months. you continue to approve hours that are over the number authorized on your Service Plan without prior approval from your HSP Counselor, the Division of Rehabilitation Services will have to amend your Service Plan to remove your Individual Provider(s) and replace them with a Homemaker Agency. If this occurs, your Counselor will contact you to provide you with the amended Service Plan and notify you of your right to request an appeal.
If you are having difficulty managing your Individual Provider(s), please feel free to contact your Counselor or your local Center for Independent Living (CIL) for assistance.
If you would like to change to a Homemaker Agency. please contact your Counselor to make that change is in your Service Plan. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions, please contact your HSP Counselor or Coordinator.
Sincerely,
Home Services Program
I don’t see a “threatening” tone there. At all.
* So, what’s this really about?…
It is the latest example of how the state bureaucracy has created headaches for the caregivers. The [Home Services Program] is also the center of a major Supreme Court case, Harris v. Quinn, set to be decided this month. It involves whether the state can force the caregivers to join a union.
OK, now I get it.
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It sure looks like a cover-up
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Public Radio…
A just-released investigation by Illinois’ Inspector General’s office found that the former head of the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) abused public resources and wasted state funds, among other findings.
The IBHE announced in 2012 that Dr. George Reid was stepping down for “personal reasons” as its director after only 18 months, according to a news release. Reid supposedly wanted to spend more time with his family.
The Office of Executive Inspector General found that he had, in fact, been forced to resign or face getting fired after consistent reports that he was “combative,” the IBHE forced him to resign, or he’d be fired. But then it paid Reid $48,000 – three months’ salary — that investigators say wasn’t required by his contract.
* Sun-Times…
The board had hired Reid for $193,000 a year, knowing he’d had his contract voided from Kentucky State University after he used university money there to pay for personal items, including a trailer hitch for his boat and a cat scratching post. He later reimbursed the university $1,600.
In Illinois, Reid had used his state-owned car for personal use, making IBHE pay more than $6,500 in extra car rental fees, according to the inspector general.
In his settlement agreement, the IBHE Board added a clause at the last minute on their lawyer’s advice requiring Reid to consult during the transition to find a new executive director “to make sure there are no press issues that he is being paid for services not performed.”
Emphasis added for obvious reasons.
The full report can be seen by clicking here.
According to the report, Reid also submitted his initial job application after the due date. This was apparently board’s chairperson Carrie Hightman’s decision. Hightman told investigators that other board members pointed to problems in Reid’s past, particularly in Kentucky.
* Eventually, Hightman ordered a staff review of Reid’s tenure. The results weren’t pretty…
* Drove talented staff away “[r]unning”
* Was “combative” and “rude” to IBHE staff
* Did not maintain positive relationships with leadership of other State agencies
* Did not demonstrate an understanding of important IBHE programs and initiatives
Oof.
* So, what did the IBHE do next? According to the report, the board voted to destroy the audio recording of a private. 2010 meeting when they discussed Reid’s hiring.
Unreal.
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Yet another minimum wage attack
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Quinn campaign has a new YouTube video that whacks Bruce Rauner on the minimum wage. Rate it…
* This is part of a new online effort to attack an “out of touch” wealthy Rauner. From a press release…
Billionaire Bruce Rauner “adamantly” opposes raising the minimum wage, even though he takes in a yearly salary for someone who lives in wage poverty in less than an hour. Really.
See for yourself at a new web page - RaunersWage.com - introduced by Quinn for Illinois today to allow everyday people to experience what it means to take in $25,672 IN A SINGLE HOUR.
Yesterday Gov. Pat Quinn signed a ballot measure that will guarantee that the people of Illinois have a say in whether the Illinois minimum wage is raised. The Governor is fighting to raise the minimum wage to at least $10 per hour.
By contrast, Rauner has said he is “adamantly, adamantly against raising the minimum wage,” and at one point advocated cutting the state minimum wage from $8.25 per hour to $7.25. He also funds a right-wing organization that is working to eliminate Illinois’ minimum wage.
In 2012, Rauner took in $53.4 million.
Assuming a 40-hour work week for all 52 weeks in a year, this would mean Rauner’s hourly income is $25,673. A full-time minimum wage worker makes $17,160 a year.
The Web page provides a variety of examples putting Rauner’s extreme wealth into the context of your everyday to-do list, including:
In the time it takes you to shower, Rauner pockets $5,135.
On your drive to work, he takes in $12,836.
When you walk the dog, he takes in $6,418.
When you mow the lawn, he rakes in $25,673.
* Meanwhile, Bernie wrote Sunday about a recent appearance by Bruce Rauner on tea party activist Fritz Pfister’s radio talk show. Pfister has a history of rather odd statements, as Schoenburg notes…
One example was when Pfister posted condolences on Facebook to families of the Newtown massacre victims — including 20 children — but added the day of the shootings: “For the liberals, and left wing anti-gun politicians calling for gun control at this time you are the scum of the earth politicizing your socialist anti-American views while families and America grieves. You are scumbags.” […]
Just Tuesday, three days after the Rauner appearance on Pfister’s real estate show, Pfister had a Facebook conversation about a White House ceremony for young people who came to this country illegally but got temporary legal status under a program of President Barack Obama’s administration. Responding to a commenter who said it could be time for “a citizens arrest of the lawless” president, Pfister responded: “Impeachment would have been completed had Obama not been the first black president. The lesson here is, if you’re a black president you can break the law, rewrite the law, enforce the ones you like, ignore the ones you don’t. Let’s pray for a wave election and the defeat of these radical Democrats, and Establishment Republican enablers.”
* Rauner won’t be making a return appearance…
Mike Schrimpf, spokesman for Rauner, said Friday that “Bruce was not aware of these past statements and certainly doesn’t agree with them. If we were aware of them, Bruce would not have done the show.”
“In contrast,” Schrimpf added, “Gov. Quinn stood by and said nothing as one of his endorsers compared Republicans to the KKK.”
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* Tribune…
A panel of lawmakers reviewing Gov. Pat Quinn’s botched $55 million anti-violence program delivered yet another political blow to the re-election seeking Democrat, voting Monday to subpoena seven former state officials who helped create and run the now-defunct Neighborhood Recovery Initiative.
The move initially was aimed at forcing Barbara Shaw, the former director of the program, to testify before the Legislative Audit Commission next month. But Democrats seeking to prevent a summer-long embarrassment for Quinn pushed to expand the scope of the subpoenas, arguing lawmakers should hear from those involved at once instead of over the course of several months.
Republicans eventually agreed to go along, though Sen. Jason Barickman of Bloomington argued Democrats were trying to orchestrate a “rush job.”
Lawmakers are peeling apart a stinging February report by Auditor General William Holland that said Quinn’s anti-violence program was hastily implemented and had inadequate oversight. The program also has attracted the attention of Cook County and federal authorities.
* The iist besides Shaw…
Also on the subpoena list: former Chief of Staff Jack Lavin, who is now a lobbyist; Toni Irving, former deputy chief of staff; Malcolm Weems, head of the Central Management Systems under Quinn; Warren Ribley, former director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; Andy Ross, top aide to Ribley; and senior adviser Bill Ocasio.
* But as the Sun-Times reports, there may be precious little said at the hearings…
Shaw’s attorney, John Theis, said late Monday he had not yet seen the subpoena.
“We’re certainly going to review the subpoena,” he said, adding that her testimony is “the likely result, that’s still true.”
Theis, however, was cautious.
“We’ve got these other investigations going on out there. I have to make sure that whatever happens is the right thing not only for the audit commission but for my client,” he said. “We know that there is an investigation going on because of actions they have taken.” Theis would not comment on whether Shaw had been subpoenaed or had spoken to authorities.
* The political angle, from WLS Radio…
Democrats on the commission are pushing to get it all over sooner than later, what with the election coming.
But downstate Republican David Reis countered with this. “Some are saying we’re being political here. It’s just as political saying we don’t want to get all the answers. We’re not gonna sweep this under the rug. This is almost Blagojevich-esque.”
So now we have the name of the imprisoned former Governor Rod Blagojevich being tossed around in this scandal. Don’t look for it all to end before the election.
* AP…
The rare move — the Legislative Audit Commission last issued subpoenas in the early 1980s — would mean that the former state officials would be compelled to turn in documents and testify next month over two days about the 2010 Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, which was blasted in a state audit earlier this year for mismanagement and misspending. The subpoenas still required a sign off from state Rep. Frank Mautino, a Democratic co-chair of the commission that reviews state audits.
The subcommittee was initially going to take up one subpoena for Barbara Shaw, former director of an agency that was responsible for running the $55 million anti-violence program. But Democrats said they wanted a more complete list to speed up the process.
“It’s about trying to put closure to this,” said state Rep. Bob Rita, a Blue Island Democrat. “What we could do is end these two day hearings, not drag this out.”
* Mark Brown has more…
The truth is Republicans don’t like any anti-violence program that doesn’t involve having more police arresting more people and putting them in prison. They particularly don’t like programs that involve hiring young minorities in Chicago to do busywork to keep them from selling drugs and killing each other. They don’t see the point.
That’s why it was particularly foolish for Quinn to sloppily rush out his Neighborhood Recovery Initiative in the fall of 2010 in the guts of his election campaign. These programs serve a useful purpose, which is why it’s important to do them right.
Quinn insists the big rush was solely for the purpose of addressing the violence that had alarmed Chicagoans that summer.
Republicans don’t believe him, and neither do I. While I’m sure the governor was concerned by the violence, I also think he saw it as a good way to make some friends at election time.
Even at the press conference announcing the program, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush stood with Quinn and a group of ministers and said he didn’t know about the rest of them, but that he was going to “Stand pat with Pat” in the election. Sounds political to me.
And Quinn might have even gotten away with it if Illinois Auditor General William Holland hadn’t issued a scathing audit earlier this year about what a mess the program was.
Your thoughts?
* Chicago TV clips helpfully compiled by the Rauner campaign…
* WBBM (CBS) - 6.23.14 - 7 people subpoenaed in connection to Quinn’s troubled Anti-Violence Program
* WMAQ (NBC) - Lawmakers vote to subpoena anti-violence director & former Quinn chief of staff
* WGN - 6.23.14 - Lawmakers vote to subpoena Illinois anti-violence director and others
* WLS (ABC) - 6.23.14. - Lawmakers vote to subpoena Illinois anti-violence director and others
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“Freaky fast” Libertarians
Monday, Jun 23, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* An overwhelming majority of y’all voted to make me go to today’s Libertarian Party press conference.
Thanks so much, by the way.
Ya’ goofs.
* The Libertarians used the presser to complain about ballot access. They were forced to collect over 40,000 signatures, while established parties only have to collect 5,000. They filed a lawsuit a couple of years ago to overturn the signature requirements, but the folks at today’s presser were unclear whether it was a state lawsuit or a federal lawsuit or which judge currently has the case and where it even is.
They also talked a bit about their plans if elected. The party’s gubernatorial candidate said he favors no government regulation of heroin and wants to abolish all state aid to schools, among other things. If you want to watch the whole thing, click here for the BlueRoomStream.com video.
* The policy “hook” was the party’s solidarity with the Jimmy John’s CEO, who said he’s leaving the state because of high taxes. The pitch…
Party leaders said they contacted Jimmy John’s but couldn’t get the company to cooperate.
They had a box of sandwiches, but I didn’t take one. I’m doing Atkins. No bread for me and I didn’t bother to look to see if they had a lettuce-wrapped sub.
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Cool new political tech
Monday, Jun 23, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This looks very big. From a press release…
Targeted Victory, a leader in online advertising and integrated data management for political candidates, today announced a new partnership with The Data Trust, the premier right-of-center voter file and data management company, to offer easier access and sharing capabilities for The Data Trust’s warehouse of data on more than 260 million Americans. The partnership is the first of its kind for The Data Trust, which has the exclusive list exchange agreement with the Republican National Committee. […]
Through this partnership, Targeted Victory will incorporate The Data Trust’s political data inventory into its Audience Exchange, a powerful block of consumer and political data. The new segments will enable Targeted Victory’s clients to place their message in front of their most important audiences. This partnership is the first of many anticipated by The Data Trust to place its data in the marketplace to be used across all methods of contact.
* I asked specifically how this would be done and Abe Adams, Senior Director of Client Strategy & Fundraising at Targeted Victory, sent over some dot points…
· We’re building the biggest data marketplace in politics. Audience Exchange has a powerful block of consumer and political data from world-class providers like i360, Datalogix, Lotame, and now The Data Trust.
· The Data Trust has compiled records and information on about 260 million Americans. Until now, their data was only used for mail and phone outreach. By onboarding their data into Audience Exchange, we now have additional medium to touch these potential voters - online.
· This new data segment is available to Targeted Victory clients, but also available to self-service Targeted Engagement users. Targeted Engagement is the first self-service advertising product built exclusively for politics, and offers the voter data used by presidential campaigns to campaigns of ALL SIZES on the right.
· Our partnership with The Data Trust gives campaigns of all sizes access to a powerful new block of data, and will enable campaigns to target and segment audiences with more reach and versatility than ever before.
Looks pretty extensive.
* And that’s not the only move Targeted Victory is making. From Campaigns and Elections…
How can campaigns reach voters who are consuming media on multiple screens? The Republican digital firm Targeted Victory has rolled out a new partnership with Rentrak aimed at helping campaigns do just that.
Targeted Victory plans on layering Rentrak’s TV viewing data into Audience Exchange, a catalogue that uses consumer-based data from providers i360, Datalogix, and Lotame. The partnership is notable given the role Rentrak data played in 2012—the Obama campaign contracted with the data provider to better target persuadable voters based on their TV viewing habits.
* From the Q&A…
C&E: How do you expect the trend of straying away from traditional television viewing habits to continue in 2014?
Beach: I think both the broadcast and the digital mediums are growing, but I think that a larger share of this development is going digital. It’s always been that there are two groups of people: live TV watchers, who compose 17% of viewers, and “off the grid” viewers, meaning people who watch all of their content through streaming or DVR, who compose 30% of viewers. But what we’ve seen in the last year’s research is a third middle group which we’re calling “screen agnostic.” These people are trending away from only live TV, but are consuming on numerous devices. These people compose the largest group of the three, as they compose 54% of viewers. They are who we hope to target with this product.
* Meanwhile, a reader turned me on to Greenhouse…
A free browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari that exposes the role money plays in Congress. Displays on any web page detailed campaign contribution data for every Senator and Representative, including total amount received and breakdown by industry and by size of donation. Puts vital data where it’s most relevant so you can discover the real impact of money on our political system.
I installed the app for my Safari browser. This is what happens when you hover over an incumbent’s name…
Very, very cool. Now, if only they’d expand the app to include challengers.
* From a MapLight press release…
MapLight, a nonpartisan research organization that tracks the influence of money in politics, announces the launch of an extensive mapping project examining the geographic origin of contributions to legislators by state; contributions from companies to legislators by state; and roll call votes by state and district on key bills in Congress. For the first time, it will be possible to instantly see and understand the role money from outside sources plays in local races and the geographic alignment of support and opposition to key legislative initiatives.
Have you run across any cool political apps/tech lately?
* Related…
* NGP VAN and Catalist partner for NEA’s ‘Activist Continuum’: Catalist is providing statistical algorithms and NGP VAN is taking their calculations and plugging them into their “Continuum” interface, which “give end-users dynamically updated information about member activities – and better tailor communication to match the topics and types of activities that members are most interested in,” according to Stu Trevelyan, NGP VAN’s CEO.
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Question of the day
Monday, Jun 23, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Congressman Aaron Schock and Bruce Rauner have apparently buried the hatchet. Greg Hinz…
Schock and Rauner had what I’m told was a productive peace-making session over several cups of coffee a few days ago.
* Greg is right, as usual. From Schock’s Twitter feed…
* The Question: Caption?
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A sign of the times
Monday, Jun 23, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP…
Private schools in Illinois will now have to conduct annual drills to prepare for potential school shootings and review their security preparations.
Legislation signed into law Saturday brings the state’s 1,800 private schools in line with requirements already in place for public schools.
* CNN, by the way, has a useful take on school shootings…
After Tuesday’s shooting at an Oregon high school, many media outlets, including CNN, reported that there have been 74 school shootings in the past 18 months.
That’s the time period since the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six adults were shot to death.
The statistic came from a group called Everytown for Gun Safety, an umbrella group started by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a passionate and public advocate of gun control. […]
CNN took a closer look at the list, delving into the circumstances of each incident Everytown included. Everytown says on its web site that it gleans its information from media reports and that its list includes school shootings involving a firearm discharged inside or on school grounds, including assaults, homicides, suicides and accidental shootings.
CNN determined that 15 of the incidents Everytown included were situations similar to the violence in Newtown or Oregon — a minor or adult actively shooting inside or near a school. That works out to about one such shooting every five weeks, a startling figure in its own right.
Some of the other incidents on Everytown’s list included personal arguments, accidents and alleged gang activities and drug deals.
CNN also has a list and brief descriptions of the 15 shootings.
Just because a shooting isn’t a massacre doesn’t mean schools shouldn’t be prepared to deal with smaller incidents.
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A complete waste of time and money
Monday, Jun 23, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m pretty sure I’ve covered this angle already because it’s so maddening…
The state spent almost half a million dollars on a flawed study of Gov. Pat Quinn’s now-defunct anti-violence program — the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative — after officials rejected a more rigorous evaluation that would have been free, auditors say.
The $498,351 study by the University of Illinois at Chicago didn’t even examine whether the program helped reduce violence, according to Auditor General William Holland’s office. […]
The University of Chicago offered to conduct a controlled “outcome evaluation” of the program on a pro bono basis, Roseanna Ander, executive director of the crime lab, said.
That kind of study would have measured the program’s impact on violence, she said. “Crime and violence are such important social problems that it is important to take every opportunity to learn as much as possible about what works.”
But Shaw decided to award a no-bid contract to UIC to do a less rigorous “process evaluation” at a cost of nearly $500,000, auditors said.
* This was buried deep down in the story, but it’s an important point…
Other documents from the auditor general’s office reveal that Shaw selected the University of Illinois at Chicago for the contract even though the governor’s office preferred the University of Chicago.
Oy.
* Ms. Shaw will be the focus of a hearing today…
A panel of lawmakers looking into reports of financial irregularities in Gov. Pat Quinn’s $55-million anti-violence grant program will meet today to decide whether to subpoena the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative’s former director to testify.
Barbara Shaw has already turned down an invitation to testify before the Legislative Audit Commission. The bipartisan group of lawmakers is digging into the stinging audit done by Auditor General William Holland that uncovered widespread abuse of funds in a program he maintained was hastily rolled out without adequate oversight.
The Legislative Audit Commission will meet at 1 p.m. at the Bilandic Building, where the panel is scheduled to vote on whether to subpoena Shaw, 66, of Chicago.
* From last week…
The subcommittee that will decide Monday whether to compel Shaw to testify includes Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Champaign; Sen. John Mulroe, D-Chicago; Rep. Robert Rita, D-Blue Island; and Rep. David Reis, R-Willow Hill.
At this point, it’s not clear whether three votes exist to force the issue with Shaw. It also isn’t clear what ability, if any, the commission has to enforce a subpoena should Shaw or anyone else that may be subpoenaed not agree to testify.
“I’m not sure at this point,” Rita told the Sun-Times by email when asked if he intended to vote to subpoena Shaw. “(I’d) like to review more information.”
I reached out to Rep. Rita, but haven’t heard back.
* Meanwhile…
House Speaker Michael Madigan intends to sign off on a subpoena of the former state administrator Gov. Pat Quinn put in charge of launching his scandal-tainted Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, an aide to the speaker confirmed Friday.
“As far as I know, the speaker is prepared to sign off on subpoenas and, I think, move this process along,” Madigan spokesman Steve Brown told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Early & Often political portal.
That assurance came after Republican members of the Legislature Audit Commission delivered a letter to Madigan, D-Chicago, and Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, protesting their role in personally signing off on the issuance of any subpoenas tied to the ongoing NRI legislative probe. […]
Republicans contended in their letter Friday that subpoenas should be signed off on by the co-chairs of the Legislative Audit Commission and not Madigan and Cullerton. They pointed to two earlier instances in which subpoenas were issued by the audit panel without signatures from the House speaker and Senate president personally.
But Brown countered that having the leaders involved strengthened the process.
I’m told by his spokesperson that Senate President Cullerton believes “the Commission has the authority to issue subpoenas without the leaders.” She added, “It’s our understanding that subpoenas are going to be issued.”
* You can watch a live video stream of this afternoon’s hearing by clicking here.
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Today’s must-read: Exelon’s free-fall
Monday, Jun 23, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Exelon’s stock price has plummeted 60 percent since its 2008 peak. Last year, the company cut its dividend by 41 percent. Crain’s has a very good story about what has happened to the former titan. It basically boils down to a toxic combination of a quickly changing industry model, natural gas prices and its unregulated price market…
As its nuclear plants increasingly look like an albatross rather than a boon, Exelon is at a crossroads. The future of power generation and distribution is uncertain, but demand for electricity is slack and likely to remain so because of improvements in energy efficiency. Many predict that the industry gradually will move away from behemoth central power stations like Exelon’s nukes. Instead, it would feature smaller plants that can cycle on and off with fluctuations in demand coupled with on-site power sources in homes and businesses such as solar panels or even small-scale natural gas generators.
Mr. Rowe’s successor, CEO Christopher Crane, faces a series of difficult options, none of them obvious winners. Exelon could try to buy more regulated businesses, hedging risks in the power markets with predictable returns. It could attempt to catch up to rivals that have aggressively pursued renewable energy, although it’s late to the party and would have to pay top dollar. Or it could split into two companies: a regulated, supersized electric utility and an unregulated power generator.
The decisions Mr. Crane and his board make in the next several years could determine whether Exelon remains one of the country’s leading forces in the power business or cedes that position to companies that have moved in different directions.
“What does (Exelon) want to be when it grows up?” says Julien Dumoulin-Smith, an analyst at UBS Securities LLC in New York.
The company’s fate matters greatly to Chicago. The parent of Commonwealth Edison Co., Exelon has 26,000 employees, 12,500 of whom work in Illinois, including 6,700 in the Chicago area.
Go read the whole thing. Interesting stuff. And why should you read it? Exelon is a hugely powerful company and it’s not afraid to pull levers and strings when it needs something. I get the feeling it needs something.
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Perils of privatization
Monday, Jun 23, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As this Sun-Times story shows, privatization often means less sunlight…
Chicago’s Navy Pier — touted as the biggest tourist attraction in Illinois — has long been a patronage haven where political insiders turned for jobs and lucrative deals to sell everything from expensive meals to gumballs.
Who was cashing in used to be a matter of public record. It no longer is, since the state of Illinois and City Hall turned over operation of the government-owned pier to a private, not-for-profit group three years ago for $1-a-year rent.
Navy Pier Inc. doesn’t have to explain how it’s spending $115 million in government bonds that were sold to pay for a face-lift for the 98-year-old pier, either. […]
(F)ormer Mayor Richard M. Daley’s handprints are all over Navy Pier Inc. Five months before Daley left office in May 2011, his former chief of staff John Schmidt incorporated Navy Pier Inc. The deal for NPI to take over control and governance of the pier was signed a month before Daley departed City Hall, taking effect in July 2011. Also, NPI’s board includes Daley’s daughter, his former campaign manager, two of his former chiefs of staff, his onetime top City Hall lawyer and civic leaders who were longtime Daley supporters. […]
Beside a roster of pier employees and salaries, Brodsky also declined to make public contracts that Navy Pier Inc. has signed with restaurants and other vendors — all public information before his group took over in July 2011. […]
On Friday, the Better Government Association, which also was denied Navy Pier Inc. records, filed suit against McPier and NPI in Cook County circuit court to get them. The watchdog group argues the not-for-profit agency was created to shield pier operations from public view.
* And as this AP story shows, sometimes it doesn’t work as originally advertised…
Illinois’ private lottery contract has never reached the lofty sales promises it used to win a bid four years ago and is expected to fall more than $200 million short of what it owes the state when the budget year ends June 30.
But Northstar Lottery Group says it’s been hamstrung by state officials, with whom they have an already frosty relationship and accuse of throwing up road blocks — from canceling games it wanted to launch to prohibiting the sponsorship of Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival in 2013 because of headliner R.Kelly.
Regardless, Northstar’s 10-year contract with the state details that falling short of its goals by 10 percent two years in a row is grounds for ending the partnership, no questions asked. It missed targets by almost 20 percent last year, and is on track to do the same this year. […]
When Northstar took over the 40-year-old program, it promised contributions of $1 billion to the state in the fifth year of its contract. But it has been about $400 million short since in its first three years — money that is supposed to go toward schools, charitable organizations and a $31 billion capital construction program launched in 2009.
* So, what could possibly go wrong?…
Last year North Riverside officials received a letter from a state agency ordering the village to start paying more into its underfunded pension accounts or face a financial reckoning.
The ultimatum and a shortage of cash prompted the village to consider an unusual solution — privatizing its fire department. […]
The letters, obtained by the Tribune, detail an enforcement mechanism that will allow the department to divert sales taxes and other revenue from a town’s coffers to local police and fire pension funds starting in 2016.
The mechanism was included in a 2010 law that requires local governments to pay enough toward their police and fire pensions each year to make the pensions 90 percent funded by 2040. Currently, the state requires municipalities to make annual payments but does not have the same enforcement tool.
North Riverside officials are publicizing the fire department privatization plan in advance of a Department of Insurance hearing Thursday, during which they plan to pitch the idea.
Discuss.
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Not a surprise at all
Monday, Jun 23, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Governing Magazine took a look at state legislative contests throughout the country and then rated each state chamber’s likelihood of parties holding onto control…
ILLINOIS
Senate: Projected Safe D; Current 40-19 D
House: Projected Safe D; Current 71-47 D
The gubernatorial race — a slugfest between unpopular Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn and deep-pocketed GOP businessman Bruce Rauner — could have a trickle-down effect on state legislative contests if one of the candidates gets a strong upper hand. But the Democrats have big leads in both chambers, so the party would have to experience a major wipeout to lose its majorities. A likelier outcome is for the House Democratic supermajority to fall
.
Hard to disagree there.
The Senate has just two contested races and the Republicans need to pick up five seats to escape from their super-minority status. Not gonna happen. The HGOPs only need to pick up one net seat to emerge from the super-minority dungeon.
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Today’s quotable: “Do or die”
Monday, Jun 23, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Sun-Times’ Natasha Korecki on billionaire Ken Griffin’s $2.5 million contribution to Bruce Rauner…
A Republican operative who has had conversations with Griffin but was not authorized to talk publicly about them said, “This is do or die for the state of Illinois, that’s how he feels,” and insisted Griffin had no interest “other than the solvency of the state.”
A Citadel spokeswoman had a simple reason for Griffin’s support:
“This contribution was given in the hopes that it would help Rauner get his message out to the people of Illinois,” Citadel spokeswoman Katie Spring said. […]
Taking it all together, there’s one conclusion: $2.5 million isn’t the last check Griffin writes in this governor’s race.
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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
The group attempting to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot to change Illinois’ indisputably hyperpartisan legislative redistricting process is running into some well-publicized petition problems.
Here’s what’s behind the difficulties.
Almost 90 percent of the “Yes for Independent Maps” petition entries tossed as invalid by the Illinois State Board of Elections this month were for people who were either not registered to vote or weren’t registered to vote at the address shown on the petitions, official documents show.
Yet, the state’s media, led by the Chicago Tribune editorial page, has almost solely focused on problems with signatures that don’t match up to voter registration cards. It’s either a gross misunderstanding of the situation or a deliberate deception.
The state board used a computer program to choose 25,000 petition entries at random out of the 500,000 or so entries turned in by the remap reform group. Board employees then examined the entries and struck 13,807 as invalid, for a failure rate of about 55 percent.
Of those, 7,535 entries (55 percent of the total rejected) were from people who were not registered to vote, according to Board of Elections Director Rupert Borgsmiller. Another 4,565 (33 percent) were signers who weren’t registered to vote at the address shown on the petition. The Yes for Independent Maps folks say they believe they can “rehabilitate” 4,130 of those, but that would be highly unusual. They need to restore somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 petition entries.
But despite the fact that the remap reform group mainly lost petition challenges based on voter registration, the news media has stubbornly continued to focus on the relatively tiny fight over whether petition signatures matched up to signatures on voter registration cards.
The reality is that just 937 petition entries (7 percent of the total rejected) were tossed because the signatures didn’t match up to voter registration files. Another 721 (5 percent) were tossed because the Board’s staff examiners couldn’t read the signatures and/or the address to figure out who the person actually was.
Yet, a Chicago Associated Press story published last week focused solely on “signatures,” as did a Tribune news story, as did two Tribune editorials, as did pretty much everyone else.
Obviously, if the problem is merely matching up signatures, that’s a subjective exercise and ripe for potential abuse. But the real problem with the remap petitions is unregistered or improperly registered voters. These things simply are not subjective.
“It’s because of a backroom process, an uneven, rushed process, that it had gotten to this point,” remap reformer Michael Kolenc told reporters last week. The “uneven” process has also been highlighted three times by the Tribune editorial board and it’s yet another grotesque distortion of the facts.
A June 5th Tribune editorial claimed “Individual examiners’ invalidation rates ranged from 17 percent to 86 percent.” In one of two editorials last week, the Tribune finally admitted that they were talking about just two Board staffers. “Should we take the word of the elections board examiners as gospel? One examiner disqualified 86 percent of the signatures he or she checked. Another examiner disqualified only 17 percent.”
So, what about those two examiners? Well, if you look at the actual data you’ll see that the two staffers in question examined only a handful of entries. A tiny sample of a 5 percent total sample can mathematically explain any wild individual variations.
The Board assigned 38 staffers to the examination task. One staffer looked at just a single entry, so let’s toss him out. Of the rest, the number of signatures examined ranged from 1,714 down to 91, for an average of 676 examined and a median of 711.
The staffer who “disqualified only 17 percent” examined just 92 petition entries. The staffer who “disqualified 86 percent” looked at just 183 entries. The overwhelming majority of the examiners had pretty close to the final rate of 55 percent invalid.
Director Borgsmiller also noted that in the last two days of the examination process, his staff’s validation rate jumped to over 60 percent. Borgsmiller said that most of the petitions looked at during that period were from Downstate. The Yes for Independent Maps group had several solid Downstate volunteers, particularly in central Illinois.
The bottom line here is that this state’s media has fallen for spin that’s made the Board of Elections look like some evil entity. If that’s so, then why did the Board certify Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner’s widely hated by insiders term limits constitutional amendment last week? The most likely answer is almost always the simplest. Rauner obviously ran a tight ship. The remap folks apparently did not.
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