*** RAW AUDIO *** WBEZ has posted the raw audio of the entire Blagojevich press conference.Click here to listen.
*** 1:44 pm *** “Rewrite to Do Right” has begun. The governor kicked off his series of amendatory vetoes by AV-ing a health insurance bill and taking a whack at his favorite target…
…Blagojevich rewrote a House measure originally designed to let college students stay on their parents’ health insurance for a year if they leave school due to medical problems. In his amendatory veto, the governor included new language to allow those aged 19 to 25 to stay on parents’ policies. Military veterans can remain insured through their parents until they turn 30.
Sponsoring Rep. Chuck Jefferson (D-Rockford) said shortly after Blagojevich’s news conference that he would try to override the governor’s changes. If that move failed, the legislation would die.
Jefferson said Blagojevich aides asked him ahead of time if he would be amenable to the changes and he told them no, but the administration went ahead anyway. […]
Reinforcing the political bent of his news conference, the governor attacked Madigan, saying the speaker has gone so far as to be “aggressive in preventing access to healthcare.” The governor also went after House Democrats, saying they are all reading from Madigan’s “music book.”
*** 1:51 pm *** Apparently, Gov. Blagojevich took some swipes at Mayor Daley while he was at it. A reporter friend of mine was at the presser and said the guv quoted Desmond Tutu, and said something like: If you are on the sidelines in a war between justice and evil and you remain neutral, you are evil.
Just when you think things can’t possibly get any weirder, they do. I love this state.
*** 1:59 pm *** Something to think about…
Rep. Jefferson says he will try to override the veto. He’s the sponsor, so it’s his call. If the attempt fails, the AV is dead but the underlying bill also dies.
So, in essence what Blagojevich is doing with this and every other bill he “improves” is to risk killing them. He essentially just killed a decent health insurance bill today. More deaths to come.
Yet, somehow, in his own mind, he’s “doing right.”
What a crock.
*** 2:14 pm *** Another Blagojevich quote…
“They kill jobs. They kill education funding. They try and take away health care from people… There is no excuse for us not doing the right thing.”
*** 2:20 pm *** IIS has posted some raw audio. I doubt they’ll have many of the juicier quotes, but give it a listen [fixed] or download it.
*** 2:36 pm *** Another Blagojevich quote, this one from the IIS audio…
“Here’s another thing that Mr. Madigan keeps killing every year, and that’s fundamental education funding reform. There are several ways to invest millions and millions of new dollars in or schools and solve the school funding issue without raising taxes on people. And we’ve tried for six years to get Mr. Madigan and the House Democrats to properly fund our schools.”
Um, really? Yes, he’s put more money into K-12. But he proposed nothing this year other than a few extra bucks.
This statement is a complete, boldfaced lie. He proposed a hinky gaming expansion plan for schools last year. Other than that, he’s never proposed a fundamental restructuring of education funding. Never.
One more Blagojevich quote…
“The only thing Mr. Madigan and those House Democrats support are tax increases on people.”
Keep in mind, the Illinois Supreme Court has on at least three occasions ruled that governors cannot wholesale rewrite or change legislation via the amendatory veto. Those rulings have been cited over the years by House Speaker Michael Madigan in explaining why certain amendatory vetoes are never considered.
But that’s part of the point here. Blagojevich gets to champion his efforts to expand health care, even if few of them ever result in success. And if his plan is blocked by the House, even for legit reasons, he gets to bang on Madigan, his chief political rival.
All of this misses one important point: because of today’s actions, there’s the very real chance that next year, a college student will be diagnosed with cancer, catastrophically injured in a car crash, or suffer some other ruinous medical condition, have to leave school and, as a result, lose insurance coverage that would have been guaranteed if the state’s Democrats could just get along for five minutes.
Well said.
*** 2:58 pm *** This is a bit odd. As of today, Gov. Blagojevich (or his brother, since the name is “Rob”) is now chairing his own campaign committee, according to the State Board of Elections website.
But if you click the “previous officers” tab you’ll see that Jeanne Arens was named chair of the committee earlier today. Arens is the guv’s campaign advance person. Two chairs in one day? [Hat tip to a commenter]
*** 4:09 pm *** Former Ald. Arenda Troutman pled guilty today. Click here to read the plea. Here’s a brief excerpt…
Defendant used her official position as the Alderman of the 20th Ward to solicit, directly and with and through others, and to obtain, for the benefit of herself and others, including co-defendants Boone and Gilbert, with their knowledge and participation, payments and other things of value from persons who were involved in real estate work, with the implicit and explicit understanding that, without such payments and other things of value, her support for land use requests, zoning changes, alley access, sale of City-owned real estate, and other requests that required local government action would either not be forthcoming or would be delayed.
Defendant and others acting at the direction or with the knowledge of defendant, including Ward Office Worker A, solicited contributions from persons who asked defendant for assistance in her official capacity, such as a letter of support for a specific land use, a zoning change, or alley access.
“I think it’s time for Mayor Daley to start helping to get this done. And when he gets back from China I’m going to seek to talk to him about this…” added Blagojevich, later comparing Daley’s stance with a quote he attributed to Bishop Desmond Tutu about neutrality equating to siding with “the oppressor.”
*** RAW AUDIO *** WBEZ has posted the raw audio of the entire Blagojevich press conference.Click here to listen.
* It’s a pretty tiny buy, but the DCCC is reportedly spending $39,000 or $46,000 on this TV ad for Sen. Debbie Halvorson…
* Martin Ozinga’s campaign unleashed an attack on the ad that probably has all the negative talking points they’ll use in the campaign…
1. As hundreds of longtime civil servants were being laid off, Halvorson got her 23-year-old daughter a $40,000-per-year job with Rod Blagojevich.
2. As working families were struggling, Halvorson voted to raise her salary and Rod Blagojevich’s salary.
3. As electricity bills were set to skyrocket, Halvorson opposed the electric rate freeze after taking $20,000 from the big utility companies.
4. As voters were demanding ethics in government, Halvorson voted to forgive her own campaign finance fines that she had received for violating election law.
5. As taxpayers were being squeezed, Halvorson accepted illegal campaign contributions from a taxpayer-funded park district.
6. As Illinois was reeling from Rod Blagojevich’s failed agenda, Halvorson stood with Blagojevich every single time to curry his favor and climb the political ladder. She voted for his job-killing Gross Receipts Tax, opposed and bottled up the ethics reform bill, sabotaged the recall amendment, and voted with him to raid veterans’ home funds.
It’s only the second ad the DCCC has aired so far this election. The decision to go up so early with a positive spot suggests that Halvorson’s campaign could use a re-branding. She’s been taking her share of hits – fueled by the state GOP – for her connections to ethically-troubled Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
* Notice that the ad never mentions her experience as an Illinois state senator or her Majority Leader job…
“The Middle Class is getting squeezed. Debbie Halvorson knows we’re working harder and getting less, that’s why she led the fight to lower prescription drug costs for Illinois seniors, and Halvorson helped give thousands of children and working families affordable health insurance. Now she wants to take our fight to Congress. She’ll take on George Bush’s Policies. And bring common sense back to our government. Debbie Halvorson, a fighter for us.”
* The very early DCCC spending and the possible “rebranding” could mean some polling weaknesses, particularly against Martin Ozinga. Back to the Politico piece…
Her opponent, GOP concrete magnate, Marty Ozinga has already been up with two television ads of his own defining himself as an independent politician.
* And Ozinga’s campaign is slamming Halvorson for her fundraiser tonight with embattled Congresscritter Charlie Rangel, and mixes in the House GOP “debate” on oil prices…
How can Debbie Halvorson claim – with a straight face – that she’s looking out for the middle class if she’s happily lapping up campaign cash from the same people who have shut down Congress while working families are struggling with high gas prices?
Halvorson has never demonstrated a penchant for standing up to Rod Blagojevich or big-money special interests in the state Senate. But we remain optimistic she’ll do the right thing in this case – an election tends to bring out the best in politicians with guilty consciences.
One thing is certain: If Debbie Halvorson doesn’t find the courage to stand up for working families now, then she needs to find something else – a job other than “Representative.”
* Meanwhile, what does it say about our national political discourse when a woman best known for a leaked porn video releases a mock political ad that’s more statespersonlike than either presidential candidate? [Just kidding… kinda]
* And what does this say about our national reporters?….
After this morning’s campaign event here with Sen. Barack Obama, this state’s junior senator [Sen. Evan Bayh, who has been suggested as a possible running mate for Obama] lingered to shake hands with supporters and graciously took a couple questions from this reporter….
What did you pick up from the body language today?
“I don’t know how to comment on that. I’m not an expert on body language,” he said.
* So many of today’s posts are bigtime downers, so let’s try something different. The new NFL code of behavior for fans includes these banned activities…
• Behavior that is unruly, disruptive, or illegal.
• Drunkenness and signs of alcohol impairment that result in irresponsible behavior.
• Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures.
• Interference with the progress of the game, including throwing objects onto the field.
• Failing to follow instructions of stadium personnel.
• Verbal or physical harassment of fans from the opposing team
* The Question: How about we come up with an Illinois politics fan code of behavior?
Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero said the governor does not intend for lawmakers to take up the $1.4 billion in state budget cuts he made last month during this session.
“Unless they find the funding, there’s nothing much more to do with the budget,” Guerrero said.
* Perhaps the most controversial of all the governor’s budget vetoes was his slashing of funding for alcohol and drug treatment centers. Today’s SouthtownStar has a wonderful guest column by Hope Larkin Barzowski, a former resident and then employee of A Safe Haven, which is being forced to eject residents because of the cuts…
I came to A Safe Haven on July 28, 2005. I walked in the door of its Damen facility on Chicago’s North Side beat up and broken down. I had only the clothes on my back and nothing more. I was desperate for help with my alcohol and drugs addictions. I had been addicted to crack cocaine for eight years. I had been incarcerated several times on drug-related charges. I had been homeless - literally on the street - for more than seven months. A Safe Haven was the only facility in Chicago willing to take me in without any money in return.
Because of the government-funded program, I was able to stay for six months. I learned how to live without the use of drugs and alcohol. A Safe Haven put a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food in my stomach. It taught me stability, structure and self-discipline. […]
I worked there until August 2007, when I was offered a management position, at a much higher salary, at another company. This company was not in the recovery field, and it was very scary for me to leave A Safe Haven. However, I had the solid foundation I needed to go out into the world and make a new life for myself. […]
Because of A Safe Haven, I am now an upstanding, law-abiding, employed contributor to the community. I pay taxes, I pay rent, I pay bills, I have checking and savings accounts, I pay for everything I take out of the store, I own a car, furniture, clothes, electronics, appliances, etc., all of which stimulate our economy. I vote in every election. I am a trusted and loyal employee, wife, daughter, sister and aunt. People are proud of my accomplishments, and so am I. I still live in the south suburbs because my experience with the Alsip facility was so positive I didn’t want to leave the community.
* A Safe Haven is running a full-court press to try and convince people to pay attention to this issue. If you have any heart whatsoever, you should watch this video produced by the organization. I’d like to see Gov. Rod Blagojevich tell this woman and her children who are being forced into a homeless shelter why he cut that funding…
Under the state’s complicated system, lawmakers are in line to automatically receive a recommended 7.5 percent pay increase unless both the House and Senate reject it. The House did that, but Jones and some fellow senators have sought to avoid a vote on the hot-button issue before the November general election.
Now [Senate President Emil Jones] faces the prospect of the raises taking effect while the Senate is in session, opening him and other Democrats to criticism if they do not act.
Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer said it will be up to the president and his leadership team to decide whether the issue will be addressed next week.
* And check out the second excerpted and highlighted graf from this Sun-Times story…
Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) said she is “willing to do cartwheels and handsprings” to pressure Jones to let the anti-pay increase resolution she is sponsoring be called for a vote.
But Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer wasn’t willing to concede when the increases would kick in, saying no one on Jones’ staff is keeping track of the running clock on the pay raises.
The comptroller will have the final say, I think, but watch for much motion and little movement on this topic. Still, how embarrassing.
Blagojevich is trying to increase pressure on his chief nemesis, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), to support a statewide public works program that has had tentative backing from other legislative leaders. Madigan has been a steadfast opponent of the governor’s plans, blocking a more expensive version the Senate approved in May.
It’s all about the MJM. Watch how this plays out. It’s gonna be a hoot.
House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego said it’s fitting the session comes during the fair because this debate has become like riding the tilt-a-whirl: “You go around and around, going nowhere, but get sick to your stomach.”
State support for public schools in Illinois dropped to an all-time low at 29.6 percent of the overall education budget in 2006, placing a greater burden on property owners to finance the schools.
That’s the first time the state has dropped below 30 percent in decades of recordkeeping. […]
The National Center for Education Statistics says Iowa funds 45.6 percent of the cost of public education, Indiana 49.1 percent, Michigan 57.3 percent and Wisconsin 44.1 percent - compared to Illinois’ paltry 29 percent.
Blagojevich has repeatedly opposed any income tax or sales tax increase to help the schools, claiming he doesn’t want to place another tax burden on working families.
But by failing to change the school funding system in Illinois, he has caused homeowners’ property tax bill to skyrocket. He has forced small-business owners in some of the poorest south suburbs to either close up shop entirely or move to Indiana.
Public schools in Illinois spent $22.3 billion overall in 2006, with $13.8 billion coming from local sources, $6.6 billion from the state and $1.86 billion from the federal government.
* I’m going to excerpt more than I should, and I’ll take it down if the SouthtownStar objects. Kadner gives us a history lesson…
In 1994, Dawn Clark Netsch, a Democrat, ran for governor, calling for an income tax hike to fund public education in Illinois and reduce property taxes.
Incumbent Gov. Jim Edgar, a Republican, denounced Netsch’s plan and said school funding reform wasn’t needed. Edgar trounced Netsch in the election. But two years later, Edgar asked the Legislature for an income tax increase to fund the public schools.
To really appreciate Edgar’s hypocrisy, you have to go back to 1992, when a constitutional amendment was on the state ballot that would have forced the state to adequately fund the schools. The weekend before the election, Edgar announced on a radio show that he would vote “no.” The measure, which needed to get 60 percent of the vote to become law, failed by two percentage points.
When members of the state board of education and the state school superintendent complained about inadequacies and inequities of the school funding system, they were all replaced - first by former state Senate President James “Pate” Philip (R-Wood Dale) and then by Blagojevich, a Democrat.
* Now, today. There’s a couple of good points about next week’s special sessions in the Tribune…
Critics immediately cast doubt on the likelihood of resolving either long-standing issue, but the moves could provide at least short term benefit for the embattled governor by playing to his strongest political supporters—organized labor and African-American voters. […]
Blagojevich’s decision to order a snap, one-day special session on education funding raised questions about his expectations on an issue that has been debated and studied countless times over the decades with little change.
* The Sun-Times also makes some very good points about Tuesday’s education special session, which the official proclamation states will be about “increasing school funding, improving the school funding structure and eliminating any current inequities”…
The effort to focus on a decades-old malady in one day followed a demand earlier Tuesday for a schools-related special session by key African-American lawmakers, including Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago). He is leading a call for Chicago schoolchildren to boycott the first day of classes to protest school-funding disparities. [Emphasis added]
* Besides the Madigan-bashing politics and the capital bill (which I’ll discuss in another post), that threatened boycott by Meeks and other ministers is partly behind this special session call. A bit of recent history…
Reverend Ira Acree is the second Chicago preacher to call for the first-day-of-school boycott… Acree says the more participants, the more attention the school funding issue will get, which could only benefit Chicago’s cash-strapped schools in the long run.
[…]
Acree says he is trying to get 25 additional city pastors to get on board with this protest. So far, another seven have agreed. Acree added there will be a protest on Thursday at noon in downtown Chicago about the funding issue. And after the first day boycott, ministers say they plan to hold classes in the lobbies of downtown buildings to get the business community to pay attention.
* And this is from the governor’s spokesman in today’s SJ-R…
“This is really for them,” Guerrero said of [African-American] lawmakers who pushed for the education focus. “We think it is a good idea.”
Little more than two years ago, Blagojevich dissuaded Meeks from making a third-party run for governor by offering to lease the state lottery to pump money into schools—a proposal that went nowhere. In May, Meeks voted for Blagojevich’s larger public works proposal, which, like the governor’s current plan, counts on money from a lottery lease. Meeks said he won’t vote for a lottery lease again.
* More on the specific policy proposals from Rev. Sen. Meeks…
State Sen. James Meeks said Springfield needs to “strike down the way we currently fund schools and start all over again.” Meeks has called for a boycott of Chicago Public Schools on the first day of classes, saying parents whose kids go to under-funded schools should instead use the day to try to enroll their children at public schools that have more money. […]
It’s unlikely there will be an agreement on whether parents should be allowed to pick any school for their children, NBC5’s Mary Ann Ahern reported.
“Unlikely” is an understatement, to say the least. The idea about dumping the property tax for education funding is more interesting, but it’s probably not going anywhere, either.
We’ll get more into the politics of this special later this morning. Thoughts on all this?
* Earlier this week, Carol Marin interviewed Sen. Dick Durbin on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight…
“Is [Gov. Blagojevich] talking to you now, are you talking to him?” Marin asked.
“No,” said Durbin. “We have, maybe, once every two or three months he’ll call about something and I’m there to take the calls, but we have not had a close relationship.”
The two went on to talk about the stalled capital plan, and Durbin bitterly complained about the Springfield gridlock. [Hat tip: PI]
* Last night, Marin had a devastating take-down of Blagojevich’s “pay to play” politics on NBC 5, which isn’t yet online.
*** UPDATE *** Marin’s NBC 5 report is now online….
Marin wanted to take a closer look at who was giving and who was getting, so she looked at just one day in the governor’s fundraising life: June 17, 2008.
That night, at an unpublicized fundraiser, the governor’s campaign took in nearly $167,000. Of that total, $102,000 — about 60 percent — came from companies doing business with the state. On this day, they were mostly engineering firms.
“I think that we’ve seen a lot of trumped up contracts,” Canary said.
That night, 23 companies that have state contracts gave money to the governor.
Remember Dudley Do-Right? The jut-jawed Canadian Mountie cartoon character on “Rocky and His Friends” and later, the subject of a 1999 Sarah Jessica Parker movie?
Dudley Do-Right had lots of hair and always got his man despite the cunning Snidely Whiplash’s efforts to do him in.
Gov. Blagojevich, as a Monday press conference proved, is now close to becoming that cartoon.
Asked by WTTW “Chicago Tonight” reporter Rich Samuels if he was going to sign the ethics bill that’s languishing on his desk, the governor declared he might take his amendatory veto pen to the legislation. With the slash of his mighty amendatory sword and the help of a goofy new slogan, Blago boldly declared he will, “Rewrite to Do Right.”
As state Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) acidly told Samuels, when the General Assembly unanimously passed the measure out of both houses, lawmakers viewed the governor’s desk as a “final destination, not a suggestion box.” […]
But the governor needs to give up the games, abandon the “Rewrite to Do Right” nonsense, and sign the ethics bill before he walks into the special session he’s called for next week.
Say what you will about Dudley Do-Right being just a cartoon. At the end of the day, he got the job done.
And some people think I’m busy.
Discuss.
* Related…
* Tribune: Blagojevich should try a novel approach—stop sloganeering and just sign the ethics bill. That would help to build legislators’ trust in him, and build the public’s trust in the whole bunch in Springfield. Just sign it.
* Illinois ethics bill still awaits governor’s signature: Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, a top House official who was in on the talks, said last week that such a move might soften some opposition to the plan, but she stopped short of agreeing to it. “One of the concerns is whether the governor is looking for a capital plan as a way of rewarding his friends,” she said. “Whether (signing the ethics bill) is enough to solve the problem of trust, I don’t know, but it’s a good first step.”
* Radogno: Blagojevich seems to think he’s ‘king’: Radogno said Blagojevich is egging on lawmakers he has feuded with by changing bills. She said it would be a misuse of authority if Blagojevich makes wholesale changes to bills that lawmakers didn’t intend when they passed them.
* State needs law against ‘pay to play’ now more than ever
* Frank Watson: There’s been some misinterpretation of what I’ve said. There was an editorial in the Champaign News-Gazette saying that I was tying this to the capital bill. That’s not what I said at the meeting at all. I said it’s the ethics concern that [the Senate Republicans] have, and I said [Blagojevich] ought to sign House Bill 824, and that would end some of the ethics concerns that we in the Senate have. I’m not tying ethics to capital. That’s what he said. He said he would sign the ethics bill if the capital bill passed. I said, ‘You ought to sign it now and put that issue behind us.’
Since 1999 the payday loan industry has flooded state lawmakers with campaign contributions in an attempt to fend off efforts to reform predatory lending laws. No state politicians have benefited more from this windfall than those in Illinois, according to a new report (PDF) from the National Institute on Money in State Politics.
In response to the violence, parishes have sponsored anti-violence marches; offered opportunities for young people to get off the streets and into activities, such as playing basketball at a church’s gym; and helped people find employment by holding job training and mentoring programs.
Dubbed Project Exile, the program forms the foundation of a series of local, state and federal law-enforcement partnerships. It focuses on the city’s most violent areas and hands out harsh sentences for any crime involving a firearm, a move that runs counter to traditional city tactics of barring gun stores and crafting onerous licensing requirements.
With concern over crime rising amid budget cuts to local law enforcement, a small but growing number of law-enforcement officials view Project Exile and the cooperative efforts in Richmond as a way to further accelerate the decline. Other cities, including Springfield and Peoria in Illinois have visited to see what Richmond is doing.
Asked whether officers would be willing to take a pay cut or unpaid days off, he said, “If the city can convince my members of the dire necessity of such a move, the membership would be willing to listen.”
Within a few days of my blogging about the coalition’s error, the group’s Web site was changed significantly. The question about Joseph being admitted in his condition was removed and replaced with the statement, “People at the shelter called police after he became verbally abusive to them for being denied entrance.”
According to a 2007 survey by career information Web site Vault.com, 66 percent of workers say their colleagues discuss politics at work, and 46 percent say they’ve seen it turn into an argument.
Worsening congestion is causing commutes in the six-county region to take longer, costing drivers and businesses $7.3 billion a year in wasted fuel and lost time.
* Legislators hear testimony on EJ&E sale Commuter line in danger, no money for crossings
And from the members of The Regional Answer to Canadian National, a group of roughly 40 communities opposed to the deal, legislators heard that the sale will back up traffic, will endanger schoolchildren crossing the tracks, and will delay emergency-response vehicles from getting sick patients to hospitals on time. Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner spoke against the proposal, as he has done for months.
“Two million dollars is not something that the Department of Aviation has to spare right now….Not given the state of the industry and where the city is at right now. Absolutely not,” said Aviation Commissioner Richard Rodriguez.
Governor calls General Assembly into Special Session to address capital plan and education funding - General Assembly can take action on Governor’s new Illinois Works compromise and address enhanced school funding
CHICAGO – Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today called on the General Assembly to return to work on August 12 and August 13 to address increasing Illinois’ education funding and to pass a slimmed down $25 billion Illinois Works capital plan to invest in revitalizing our state’s roads, bridges, classrooms and communities.
After weeks of working with the legislative leaders to negotiate a capital plan that eliminates expanding gaming as a revenue source, last week the Governor announced the new plan with former US Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL).
“Last week former US Speaker Dennis Hastert and I sat with leaders from the four caucuses to present a compromise that addresses many of the concerns that legislators had posed with the previous capital plan. Now that they have had time to review our proposal, I will convene a special session so that they can pass a plan this summer that will repair and rebuild our states infrastructure and put Illinoisans to work,” said Governor Blagojevich.
On August 12, the Governor will convene a special session of the General Assembly to address education funding. The Governor is committed to increasing state funding for education and has invested more money in education than any other administration in history, including millions more in FY09.
Even with this year’s tight budget constraints where he had to make $1.4 billion in reductions, the Governor was able to increase funding for education by $360 million for a total investment of $8.4 billion more since 2003. Since he entered office, he increased per pupil spending by more than 30 percent.
The Governor has said that he would veto any income tax increase and has called on legislators to make their intentions known before the November elections as to whether or not they would support an increase in the income tax.
“When people are paying more at the pump, paying more at the grocery store and paying more in property taxes it would be financially crippling to make them pay more in taxes,” Blagojevich said. “If the House Democrats plan on raising the income tax on working families, they need to make their intentions known now and not wait until after the election.”
On August 13, the Governor will convene a special session of the General Assembly to pass the new $25 billion Illinois Works capital plan which includes the following:
• Investment of more than $14.4 billion in roads projects, $4.1 billion in education facilities, $3.4 billion in public transit and rail, $800 million environment and water, $310 million in state facilities, $100 million in healthcare facilities, $425 million in economic development, and more than $1.4 billion in other critical infrastructure and quality of life needs for the citizens of Illinois.
• Provides a capital improvement plan clearly identifying timelines, priorities and funding sources for projects within each of these investment categories.
• Funds education construction projects and mass transportation investments with $7 billion partial concession of the Illinois Lottery.
• Creates capital and educational trust funds with “lockbox” accountability guarantees for capital investments and continuation of the current level of Lottery proceeds for P-12 education.
• Uses $150 million in excess motor fuel taxes to support $1.6 billion in additional road projects
• Uses $100 million in excess state sales taxes on motor fuels to support $1.3 billion in additional projects
According to a study by Southern Illinois University, a comprehensive capital plan would have tremendous economic benefits for the state. The study found a $25 billion capital plan would create 443,000 new full-time jobs, lead to $32 billion in economic activity and more than $2.3 billion in state and local tax revenues. [Emphasis added]
*** 4:53 pm *** From the SJ-R, which apparently received a slight advanced warning…
Blagojevich does not intend for lawmakers to take up state budget cuts during the session, Guerrero said.
“Unless they find the funding, there’s nothing much more to do with the budget,” Guerrero said.
Guerrero said the governor decided to call the special session on education funding after being urged to do so by some black lawmakers who have complained about inequities in school funding.
Blagojevich wants lawmakers to consider a plan to significantly increase school funding backed by state Sen. James Meeks, which calls for an income tax increase to provide billions of extra dollars for schools and other needs.
But the governor opposes the income tax increase and wants lawmakers to look at other ways to pay for the increased spending, Guerrero said. He has supported selling or leasing the state Lottery and expanding gambling in the past to accomplish that goal. [Emphasis added]
*** 4:59 pm *** To answer some questions in comments, the legislative and statewide pay raise automatically kicks in during the second day of the scheduled special session.
State Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield, a top House official, questioned the necessity of the session, since there is no agreement on the infrastructure plan and no specific proposal for education funding.
With the Illinois State Fair underway, some members of the Legislature are concerned there will be few hotel rooms available.
Although a quick check of three on-line hotel booking sites found ample rooms as of Tuesday evening, the fair doesn’t get into full swing until this coming weekend. […]
State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, said it is a long shot to think lawmakers will be able to resolve their long-standing differences over a statewide construction plan in just one day.
He said it’s tough to analyze the latest changes to the plan because it remains more a conceptual plan, rather than an actual piece of legislation.
‘’They need to put the proposals on paper,'’ Bradley said.
State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said attempting to address a major issue like school funding reform in one day is foolhardy.
‘’It’s just wishful thinking,'’ Brady said. ‘’Without a plan, we’re not going to get anything accomplished.'’
* If you have an iPhone, do not download the latest 2.0.1 update. It just doesn’t work right. Wait a couple of days, which is what I should’ve done. None of the new apps I’ve installed - several of which I paid for - work since this morning’s update. Wonderful.
Spokesmen for Gov. Rod Blagojevich say it’s not decided yet whether he’ll show up for the twilight parade in downtown Springfield or what his other plans for the fair will be.
The governor has made the fair a staple of his first five years in office. He usually walks the parade route, stopping regularly to talk with onlookers. In 2003, his first year in office, he even decided to run the parade path, winding up near the Grandstand soaked with sweat on a muggy evening.
But that changed last year. Tied up in an ugly budget mess with state lawmakers, Blagojevich skipped the parade and made only a brief appearance at the ribbon-cutting the following day.
He could have good reason to do the same this time.
Blagojevich’s popularity is low, and his feuding with lawmakers continues. Plus, this time he has to face employees and Springfield residents upset with him for trying to move the Department of Transportation’s traffic safety division to southern Illinois.
* The question: If you were Gov. Blagojevich, would you march in this week’s Twilight Parade through Springfield?
Be honest with yourself and with us. Explain fully and do your best to stay on topic. Thanks.
* Get ready for more drama from the state’s Drama Queen in Chief.
This was pretty much ignored or buried in the coverage of Gov. Blagojevich’s press conference yesterday. As I told subscribers, it likely amounts to a new front against House Speaker Michael Madigan…
Blagojevich said he wants to talk to Michael Bischof about strengthening other laws to help domestic violence victims. Blagojevich said he could do that as part of a “Rewrite to Do Right'’ campaign he plans launch later this week.
Blagojevich said he intends to rewrite bills passed by the Legislature “to make them better for the people of our state.'’ Lawmakers would have to approve the changes.
Depending on what bills Blagojevich rewrites, it could further inflame tensions with lawmakers he has feuded with and who are balking at a statewide construction program he wants them to pass.
Blagojevich said one of the bills he is interested in “taking positive action'’ on is a campaign finance reform measure. Lawmakers have voted to impose the state’s first major restriction on money politicians can accept but Blagojevich has yet to sign it. [Emphasis added]
“Rewrite to Do Right.” Catchy slogan. I wonder if this new initiative will have its own website?
* Meanwhile, Eric Zorn thinks he has a “solution” to the budgetary “doomsday”…
Let’s look at a promising quick fix, the so-called funds sweep.
It seems that the state comptroller’s office oversees somewhere around 700 special-purpose accounts—the Industrial Hygiene Regulatory and Enforcement Fund, for example—that are supported by licensing fees and fines. These funds often run a surplus, and it has become common practice for the state to “sweep” that extra money toward unrelated budget items.
Simple solutions are usually neither. And Zorn admits at the bottom of his column that sweeping these funds won’t be as easy as it looks…
[Sen Jeff Schoenberg] is busily hammering out a more detailed and more modest sweep proposal with Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), and both lawmakers hope the General Assembly will hold a special session and consider it this month.
“If we can create greater accountability and transparency concerning these funds, that’ll be a good thing,” Schoenberg said.
Q: So since this is the fastest, least painful way to silence the drumbeats of doom, the Republicans and the governor will go along with it, right?
A: I’ll let Feigenholtz answer: “Please,” she said darkly. “Don’t try to apply logic to this situation.”
Not mentioned is that Senate President Emil Jones dismissed the last attempted funds sweep compromise as a “drop in the bucket.” Also, considering the depth of the stated budget problem (over $2 billion in the red), a $300-500 million sweep won’t solve all problems. Also not mentioned is the legit suspicion that the governor has allowed many of these funds to accumulate artificial surpluses to make it appear that more money is available than there really is.
* SJ-R: Capital bill should include list of projects
*** UPDATE 1 *** It seems, at times, that the governor’s people believe that their troubles with Speaker Madigan are somehow new and unique. As I’ve tried to point out time and time again, this is not new behavior. John Patterson points the Way-Back Machine to the summer of 1988…
Gov. Jim Thompson wants an income tax increase. The media is behind it, as are most interest groups. Everyone thinks higher taxes are a great idea.
Everyone, that is, except Madigan, who refuses to go along and is eviscerated as an obstructionist in daily news stories.
In a June 1988 story, Thompson told the Chicago Tribune that Madigan’s opposition reflects “a narrow little world” in which Madigan lives.
Madigan’s response to the paper was that Thompson “does not live in a neighborhood as I live in a neighborhood,” but spends most of his time in a state-financed mansion in Springfield far away from the mood of the people. [Emphasis in original]
*** UPDATE 2 *** CLTV quotes Blagojevich enemy state Rep. John Fritchey as saying that the governor was using children as “human shields” during yesterday’s press conference. The report also highlights the governor’s “Rewrite to Do Right” plan and it’s probable impact on Fritchey’s ethics bll…
* Thanks to a reader for sending this direct mail piece from Republican congressional hopeful Marty Ozinga. I strongly encourage all readers to do the same.
You can click the pics for larger images…
Thoughts?
* The Illinois Republican Party has a new Internet video bashing Democratic congressional candidate Dan Seals. The Repubs have been attempting for several days to make some hay out of fundraising for Seals done by powerful Congresscritter Charlie Rangel, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. You can find more background on the story here, here, here, here and here. It’s a mostly inside the beltway “scandal” that isn’t exactly earth-shattering. Rangel is accused of using a rent-controlled apartment for his campaign headquarters, in apparent violation of NY law. He’s since closed that office.
Anyway, the IL GOP vid ends with this tag line: “Dan Seals. He’ll do anything to buy your vote.” That’s quite the charge.
And here it is…
* The Rangel thing is also an issue in Democrat Debbie Halvorson’s campaign versus Marty Ozinga…
[Halvorson[ also has set up a joint fundraising committee with Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, for a future fundraising event. The Ozinga campaign has sought to portray the relationship negatively following a story in the New York Times alleging that Rangel, whose home and office in Harlem are in a rent-controlled building, is getting favorable treatment from his landlord. The office is the address listed for the joint fundraising committee with Halvorson.
Rangel responded Friday to the article, telling reporters at a news conference he is paying the maximum rent allowed by law and he is not getting special treatment. […]
Regarding Halvorson’s fundraising, Sere said Halvorson’s affiliation with Rangel shows she has a pattern of “forming close alliances with fellow career politicians who just so happen to have this scandal or that scandal attached to their names,” a reference to efforts by the Ozinga campaign to tie her to unpopular Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Ozinga issued a press release Wednesday calling attention to the committee titled “Halvorson Fundraising Committee Based out of Rangel’s Sweetheart Apartment.” […]
[Halvorson campaign manager Brian Doory] declined to respond to the Ozinga criticism of her joint committee with Rangel.
* Meanwhile, Bobby Rush announced yesterday that he’s cancer free…
Rush returned to Congress last Wednesday. His doctors said they are not discouraging him from jumping back into politics as he continues his recovery.
“I don’t know that asking Congressman Rush to sit down and relax would be good for him,” said Dr. Elizabeth Blair, the surgeon who removed a tumor the size of a large plum from his jaw earlier this year.
* Congressional hearing today on CN, EJ&E purchase
* For lawyers who choose public service over private enrichment, new financial hope - Legislation to unburden some of up to $60,000 in law school debt is awaiting president’s signature
One part of the Illinois Constitution is clearly broken (even Dawn Clark Netsch agrees) and that’s the provision that governs redistricting.
The General Assembly gets to draw the map. And if they can’t, then a Commission is set up to do the job, 4 Dems and 4 Republicans. And if they can’t do the job, then guess how the ninth member of the Commission is chosen, pursuant to the Illinois Constitution?
That leaves a state Constitutional Convention. Truly, I’d be glad if we didn’t have to resort to opening up the entire constitution to alteration as the price of straightening out this state. But what else is there?
So, to the well-funded special interests that oppose a Con Con, as the convention is informally known, I again ask this question: What is your solution?
In the past three decades, Chicago has undergone changes that are routinely described as gentrification, but are in fact more complicated and more profound than the process that term suggests. A better description would be “demographic inversion.” Chicago is gradually coming to resemble a traditional European city–Vienna or Paris in the nineteenth century, or, for that matter, Paris today. The poor and the newcomers are living on the outskirts. The people who live near the center–some of them black or Hispanic but most of them white–are those who can afford to do so.
White, who fancies himself an amateur historian and idolizes Lincoln, said he’s been trying to think of a way to send a message to Blagojevich and state lawmakers.
“What better way than to send pennies down to Springfield?” White said. “Lincolns for Lincoln.
Faced with a gaping budget deficit, Mayor Daley is making it clear he wants union workers to share some of the pain.
Last week, he set the tone with non-union city employees. He ordered them to take two or three unpaid furlough days and canceled the next two rounds of pay raises. He also offered buyouts.
The state’s main evidence against Dugan is his DNA that was allegedly found on the victim. Dugan’s team of attorneys contend that the case against Dugan is based primarily on DNA evidence, and that they want to leave no stone unturned in the 25-year-old case.
There’s a good but depressing article in the Wall Street Journal about how newspapers are continuing to fall behind in the local online advertising derby–even as their print ad revenues are ebbing away. According to Borrell statistics cited in the story, newspaper share of the local online ad market has fallen to 27.4 percent from 35.9 percent two years ago. Things aren’t going in the right direction. That’s not good–especially when the overall local online advertising market is growing, ahem, at a 57 percent annual clip.
* The Web of Wanton Cruelty As ‘Trolling’ Turns More Vicious, What, If Anything, Can Stop It?
* Photo appears to show McCartney at Clear Lake Circle K
* The one revelation that has always stuck with me from that statewide gubernatorial bus trip I took last year was my respect for First Lady Patti Blagojevich. She’s smart and down to earth, which is a pleasant contrast with her husband’s personality. She’s also a very good mother to their two daughters, who, by the way, are a couple of great kids. (The biggest fear I had about that trip was spending three days on a bus with a couple of brats. It turned out they were one of the highlights of my little adventure.)
Mrs. Blagojevich was interviewed today by the Southern Illinoisan and the audio is posted here. The first half is mostly about the DuQuoin State Fair, but the second half is more about her own thoughts on the current imbroglio.
Robert Novak has announced his immediate retirement following the diagnosis of a brain tumor, a prognosis the Sun-Times’ political columnist describes as “dire.”
“The details are being worked out with the doctors this week, but the tentative plan is for radiation and chemotherapy,” Novak said.
Whatever you feel about Novak (and there’s a lot of negativity about the guy out there), you have to admit that he has driven the news for decades. I don’t know if he knows this or not, but years ago I modeled the Capitol Fax off of the Evans & Novak Report, without the overt partisanship, of course.
In many ways, Bob Novak has been a hero of mine, even though we’ve never met, or even communicated. I certainly hope I get the opportunity to visit with him and tell him what he’s meant to me over the years.
* This may sound counter-intuitive, but I’m also a fan of Sam Zell. Hey, I don’t like a lot of his ideas and I dumped all over that goofy plan to have the state buy Wrigley Field, but it is indisputable that he is bringing an energy and innovation to Mother Tribune that hasn’t been seen there in decades, if ever. So, I mostly agree with this post over at Recovering Journalist…
Tribune’s employees would be a lot better off trying to understand what’s really happening to their industry and papers and redirecting their energy toward improving their newspapers and Web sites to make them more interesting and attractive to readers and advertisers. That’s how to save jobs. Whining–and worse–about Sam Zell isn’t going to change a… thing. It’s just childish behavior.
* And in the spirit of good feelings and personal revelations, here’s a photo of three of my nieces with my grandma…
…Adding… It turns out that Paul McCartney is a pretty cool guy.
* The “revolt” by congressional Republicans over energy prices is getting some media play…
Continuing with their guerilla tactics from last week, House Republicans will be back on the floor Monday to talk gas prices, even though Congress is in recess, and they may stay there all week. […]
“In an urgent memo sent to GOP Members and staff Saturday (“A Call to Action on American Energy”), Republican Leader John Boehner (R-) and Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) hailed Friday’s action, and encouraged House Republicans to return to the Capitol beginning Monday morning to help keep the historic effort going,” said a press release just released by Minority Leader Boehner’s office. […]
Republicans felt they got a lot of good press out of Friday’s “revolt,” so they will be back at it again, and younger GOP lawmakers were clearly energized by the tactic, something not evident among Republicans for most of the 110th Congress
* And, right on schedule, here’s a recent news release from Congresscritter Peter Roskam…
Congressman Peter J. Roskam (R-IL) will return to the floor of the United States House of Representatives today to seek an emergency session of Congress to address the impact rising gas prices have on American families. Congress adjourned Friday for five weeks without a vote on solutions to lower gas prices. […]
The unscheduled Monday return to Congress comes on the heels of more than 48 Members of Congress staying past adjournment on Friday. […]
More than 30 Illinois 6th District constituents will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit on the House floor and witness Congress in action.
Roskam will then host a round table discussion with his constituents to discuss how rising energy prices have impacted their family.
A record 1.6 million barrels a day in U.S. refined petroleum products were exported during the first four months of this year, up 33 percent from 1.2 million barrels a day over the same period in 2007. Shipments this February topped 1.8 million barrels a day for the first time during any month, according to final numbers from the Energy Department. […]
The 1.6 million barrels a day in record petroleum exports represented 9 percent of total U.S. refining capacity of 17.6 million barrels a day.
However, with refiners operating at 85 percent of capacity during the January-April period, the shipments represented a much a larger share of total U.S. oil products produced.
The exports were also equal to half the 3.2 million barrels of gasoline, diesel fuel and other petroleum products the United States imported each day over the 4-month period. […]
U.S. gasoline shipments in April averaged 202,000 barrels a day, the most for the month since 1945, when America was sending fuel overseas to ease supply shortages in other countries during World War II. Gasoline exports in April 2007 were almost half at 116,000 barrels per day.
According to the article, the largest share of our exports went to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Singapore and Brazil.
In the last four years, the Bureau of Land Management has issued 28,776 permits to drill on public land; yet, in that same time, 18,954 wells were actually drilled. That means that companies have stockpiled nearly 10,000 extra permits to drill that they are not using to increase domestic production.
Further, despite the federal government=s willingness to make public lands and waters available to energy developers, of the 47.5 million acres of on-shore federal lands that are currently being leased by oil and gas companies, only about 13 million acres are actually “in production,” or producing oil and gas. Similar trends are evident offshore as well, where only 10.5 million of the 44 million leased acres are currently producing oil or gas.
Combined, oil and gas companies hold leases to nearly 68 million acres of federal land and waters that they are not producing oil and gas. Oil and gas companies would not buy leases to this land without believing oil and gas can be produced there, yet these same companies are not producing oil or gas from these areas already under their control. […]
Proponents of opening additional lands to oil and gas leasing assert that vast quantities of oil and gas are closed to energy development. In fact, according to the Minerals Management Service, of all the oil and gas believed to exist on the Outer Continental Shelf, 82% of the natural gas and 79% of the oil is located in areas that are currently open for leasing.
None of this stuff is being debated in the media or by the Republicans. Just the “Drill here, drill now” slogan.
* Related…
* ‘Major discovery’ from MIT primed to unleash solar revolution - Scientists mimic essence of plants’ energy storage system
Most states have some form of law when it comes to helmets and motorcycles. For example, although Wisconsin does not have a mandatory helmet law for all riders, it does when it comes to motorcycle riders 17 and younger. The only two states in the country with absolutely no helmet laws are Illinois and Iowa.
We realize that the subject of helmet laws is a touchy one. Motorcycle enthusiasts have in the past vehemently opposed mandatory helmet laws. However, we believe that juvenile passengers on motorcycles should be required to wear helmets. Adults can make their own decisions and deal with the consequences. But juveniles are another matter entirely.
The facts support the notion that helmets do help prevent serious injury and death in motorcycle crashes. According to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, helmets saved the lives of 1,658 motorcyclists nationally in 2006. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 752 lives could have been saved. Motorcycle helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries.
Juvenile passengers on motorcycles should be required to wear helmets. We would urge the Illinois Legislature to address this issue.
* The question: Should Illinois law require all motorcycle riders and passengers under 18 to wear helmets? Explain.
* Rev. Sen. James Meeks is tired of waiting for “some day” to come…
State Sen. James Meeks took to the pulpit Sunday to reiterate his plea for Chicago Public Schools parents to keep their children out of city schools the first day of class and instead go to the New Trier district.
Meeks, pastor of Salem Baptist Church, and other minority clergy are seeking to highlight the inequalities between rich, white and poor, minority school districts in the state. On WLS-Channel 7, Meeks said if the state can draw the Olympics here, it can also come up with a fair funding solution.
* Without a doubt, if you are poor and a minority in Chicago, the school your child attends just plain sucks…
Some parents support the boycott, as they witness first-hand the disparities in school funding.
“I grew up in the CPS system, and as a father, it’s really disgusting to send a child to a school that doesn’t even have toilet paper [or has] 20-year-old books. It’s despicable,” parent Lewis Roy said.
* Kadner doesn’t think Meeks’ boycott plan goes far enough…
Some people will accuse Meeks of grandstanding.
I don’t think he’s going far enough.
In order to launch a protest that would really have an impact, children from every poor school district would probably have to block the entrances to the school houses in every wealthy school district in the state - not for a day but for weeks.
I believe the education crisis in this nation is worse than the terrorist threat.
Money won’t solve the problem, but it’s the only way to start.
The current system works for children who come from good communities and have good parents.
It does not work for those who don’t.
You can keep on punishing them for their misfortune, generation after generation, or improve the schools in an effort to make life better for everyone.
Reduce class sizes. Make the schools safe. Update technology. Invest in the future.
Declare war on ignorance.
You don’t need to fly an airplane loaded with explosive into a tower to destroy thousands of lives.
We’ve been doing it here in Illinois for 20 years.
Read the whole thing. Kadner destroys a whole lot of arguments against doing something to address this crisis.
This week, Meeks says a major organization will file a federal civil rights lawsuit against the State of Illinois regarding the funding issue.
And this week, members of the Illinois Black Caucus will introduce legislation stating Illinois students should be able to attend the schools of their choice.
An analysis of audit reports covering the last three Illinois governors shows that Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration has been plagued by substantially more reports of mismanagement and waste than his two predecessors.
A comparison of audits for 22 major state agencies dating to 1997 found Blagojevich has had nearly as many problems running state government as former governors George Ryan and Jim Edgar combined.
The survey looked at yearly audit findings for agencies that are under the governor’s control at similar points in each of their administrations.
For Blagojevich, the survey determined that auditors raised questions about the proper use of taxpayer dollars in 326 instances. Ryan’s administration had 137 findings in the second half of his one term, while auditors found 203 problems within agencies overseen by Edgar during the second half of his second term.
Analysts say the problems uncovered by Auditor General William Holland’s office may indicate how serious a governor is about managing the state’s resources.
That’s an understatement.
* Meanwhile, the SJ-R looks at the governor’s touted job creation numbers for his capital construction package, which the governor has claimed would create hundreds of thousands of jobs….
“There would be an increase of manhours in construction, no doubt,” Illinois Manufacturers’ Association President Greg Baise said. “I’m not buying that all of a sudden we’re going to have full employment.”
Baise opposes the current capital bill, which isn’t mentioned in the piece. But he did make a good point.
* Drill down further in the piece and you get this…
If a $35 billion capital plan would create 611,000 jobs, only about 254,000 of them would be direct jobs. Another 68,000 would be indirect. The remaining 289,000 would be induced.
* “Induced” jobs are those allegedly created by construction workers and company owners spending the money they make…
[Southern Illinois University economics professor Subhash Sharma] agreed that “induced” jobs are tied to people’s spending habits, which can change depending on the economy. Right now, for example, people are spending more on gasoline, less on other things. Others may be inclined to save money instead of spend it.
* And then there’s this…
The numbers also measure jobs created, not people working. A person could work on a road project in Peoria, move to Rockford when the Peoria job is completed and get a job in Rockford working on a new project. That is two jobs created by the capital plan, but only one person employed. [emphasis added]
That’s an important thing to note.
In other words, don’t be like so many editorial writers in this state. Take all the capital numbers with a grain of salt.
Want to buy a newspaper company? No? You’re in good company.
The Chicago Sun-Times is the kind of trophy that once appealed to deep-pocketed buyers. It has a big audience in a big market, a storied name, and stars like Roger Ebert and Robert Novak. The Sun-Times Media Group, owner of the flagship paper and dozens of smaller suburban papers, said in February that it wanted to sell assets or maybe the entire company. The chief executive, Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr., said May 8 that “a large number of parties” had asked to see the books, and that the company expected to field offers by the end of that month.
Since then, silence.
This is no isolated case. While all publicly traded newspaper companies have seen their share prices fall in the last year — drops of 50 to 70 percent are commonplace — some have tumbled so far that any number of bargain hunters could snap up a controlling interest, despite the credit squeeze. But they haven’t.
* Remember a few years back when Yusef Jackson put together a group that offered to pay $850 million for the Sun-Times? Back then, the paper and its properties were only worth about $440 million. Now, the company is worth less than ten percent of that. The stock has been de-listed from the NYSE, it has closed several papers, laid off a ton of employees and the flagship paper is a bit on the, um, thin side.
GateHouse Media is likely to default under its credit agreement unless it can negotiate an amendment to its covenants or get a cash injection from its largest stakeholder, Moody’s Investor Service says in a report downgrading the community newspaper publisher’s credit and probability of default ratings.
* Billy Dennis notes that one of the ways out is for the conglomerate to sell off papers. But as the top story here shows, nobody wants to buy newspapers right now. This was reinforced by an interview BD did of former Merrill Lynch analyst Lauren Rich Fine…
There are no named buyers for papers right now. Landmark properties have been on the block since the beginning of the year. Big papers like Newsday attract big money buyers who can afford to lose a few bucks. If there are wealthy philanthropic people in Peoria or some corporation with a heart or passion for democracy, they are the likely buyers. No way to value the paper due both to lack of data and no sense of how close we are to the buyer. Being unionized isn’t necessarily an issue as a buyer can buy the assets, close the doors, de-unionize and tell folks to reapply for their job.
* GateHouse is likely on the verge of being delisted from the NYSE, but you’d never know it by reading one of the company’s papers. It’s a virtual blackout, which is one reason why so many people are so worried about the negative impact of media consolidation. If you rely solely on a GateHouse paper for your news, you have no idea that the company is in the toilet. Thank goodness for people like Dennis.
Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. would accept an appointment to the Senate if Barack Obama wins the presidency and leaves Gov. Rod Blagojevich with a vacancy to fill.
“I wouldn’t say no if asked,” said the Illinois Democrat, who serves as a national co-chairman for Obama’s campaign. In the past, he has declined to speculate on Obama Senate succession scenarios.
Gov. Blagojevich is not a huge fan of the congressman, so I’m not sure if this’ll happen.
* Stu Rothenberg reports on a new poll. Republican freshman incumbent Peter Roskam is way ahead of Jill Morgenthaler in the 6th District race….
According to a July 20-22 survey by Public Opinion Strategies for the congressman’s campaign, Roskam leads Democrat Jill Morgenthaler 59 percent to 29 percent in a general election match up. Roskam also appears to be well-liked, enjoying 59 percent favorable to 20 percent unfavorable personal ratings in the survey.
Obama is expected to do very well in the 6th District at the top of the ticket, and is winning it by 8 points, 49 percent to 41 percent, over Sen. John McCain (R). In 2004, President Bush won the district with 53 percent over Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry.
Last cycle, Roskam won the open seat 51 percent to 49 percent over Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth, in one of the most competitive and most expensive House races in the country. Roskam was an obvious target this cycle because of the closeness of his 2006 race. But Morgenthaler’s candidacy has disappointed. She finished June with $278,000 in the bank, compared to $1.2 million for Roskam.
Very little advertising has been done there, so this isn’t hugely surprising. Roskam’s 59 percent, however, is somewhat surprising considering how tight the race was in ‘06.
And the money is less of a problem if the national Dems jump in with both feet. The lack of any apparent Obama coattails right now also isn’t hugely surprising. If that happens, we’ll see it later.
But, obviously, the best time to win this seat for the Democrats was two years ago, when it was open.
“He just has this confidence that—I don’t know where it comes from or how he maintains it—goes beyond confidence, just outright knowledge that he can make a difference,” says his daughter Trish Oberweis, an associate professor of criminal justice at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
“I don’t believe I would be a normal, average individual legislator,” says Oberweis, who is tall and lumbering, with a slight paunch and a tendency to rap his hand against the table when making a point. “I have a history of making some things happen where people said it was impossible.” […]
It’s unclear whether Oberweis gets discouraged. Patrick Joyce, the executive vice president of Oberweis’s investment firm since 1994, who referred to his former boss as a “visionary,” says, “Maybe a lesser person would’ve stopped . . . but I think his inner desire is so strong that he continues to move forward.” Each of Oberweis’s five children spoke of their father’s unshakable faith in himself, and Oberweis often referenced his entrepreneur’s resilience in bouncing back from blows personal and professional. “Every human being has their breaking point, and I don’t know where that would be for my dad,” Trish Oberweis tells me. “He’s human, so I’m sure it’s out there, but I don’t see it at this point.”
Oberweis resists saying where his breaking point is. The mounting losses and the public sneers do hurt him, Trish Oberweis says, but he seems to view them less as signs than as additional obstacles on his path to inevitable political office. “There was a guy about 130 or 150 years ago who had several losses before he won,” he says. “I can’t quite remember his name, but he went on to become the president of the United States. His first name was Abraham. What was his last name again?”
That’s a bit much.
* I’m really not sure why the Steve Sauerberg US Senate campaign decided to put this video online, but you should definitely take a look anyway, just for snicks…
* Manzullo, GOP Friends, to Keep Talking to Themselves?
* LA Times: In study, evidence of liberal-bias bias - Cable talking heads accuse broadcast networks of liberal bias — but a think tank finds that ABC, NBC and CBS were tougher on Barack Obama than on John McCain in recent weeks.
* DCCC Money Could Tip the Balance in Races at the Wire
As I write this, Governor Rod Blagojevich is contemplating yet another special legislative session to take up a newly revised $25 billion infrastructure repair proposal for transportation, schools and economic development.
Whatever happens, it certainly appears that any special session would be an exercise in futility. House Speaker Michael Madigan is not budging off his opposition to the governor’s capital construction plan, even in its newly revised and scaled-back form.
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, who attended last week’s legislative leaders meeting on Madigan’s behalf, dumped all over the proposal’s remaining funding stream - leasing the Illinois Lottery to a private company. She wasn’t impressed with the fact that the governor had taken gaming expansion off the table as a funding mechanism, and she said Blagojevich ought to sign the “pay to play” bill to ban contractor contributions before anyone should even consider talking about a capital bill that will award tens of billions of dollars to many of those same contractors.
The governor, for his part, kept up his public attacks on Madigan for refusing to cooperate. After the leaders meeting, the governor’s staff leaked a harsh letter that Madigan allegedly sent to a Teamsters Union official: “I regret that you bought into the bull____ of the Blagojevich people.”
Yep. Another banner day in Illinois government.
The only conceivable reason for bringing legislators back to town would be to continue the Madigan bashing festivities, because it doesn’t look like he’s ready to cave any time soon.
Lots of people wonder why Madigan is refusing to cooperate on a concept that just about everyone agrees is vital to the state’s interests. They also wonder when, or even if, he’ll get off the dime and advance a proposal of his own.
I’ve pointed this out before, but it’s worth repeating. Last year, Madigan slow-walked several big legislative proposals, refusing to close any deal until it was done his way, on his timeline and was completely unconnected to other issues.
The mass transit bailout is a case in point.
Madigan stubbornly pushed the bailout plan, which was hammered out by the Chicago-area transit systems and their unions, when others wanted big changes. He refused demands to connect it to the governor’s health care dreams, or the capital bill and whatever else was brought up. The speaker persevered through a couple of dramatic “doomsday” shutdown deadlines and waited until the last possible moment before finally advancing his proposal. The governor used his amendatory veto powers on the bill to allow seniors to ride free, but other than that Madigan got his way.
Expect the same on the capital projects bill. When Madigan decides it’s time, he’ll do something. The trouble is, nobody knows when he’ll make that decision.
Meanwhile, Madigan is way out on a limb with this thing. He’s more isolated now than he’s ever been on any issue in his entire career. All the other legislative leaders, most of his political allies, and quite a few of his members oppose his current posture. That letter released by the governor’s office is a good example of just how rough he can be on anyone who takes a side other than his, and a whole lot of people have taken sides against him on this capital plan.
Yet, nothing seems to move Madigan. The governor’s evisceration of his daughter Lisa’s attorney general budget provoked ‘nary a peep. Traditional allies are pushed aside, the dire needs of a state slipping into recession are downplayed, editorials are ripped up, critics are scorned, and the end result is always the same: No movement.
Madigan has his reasons for refusing to work with Blagojevich and Jones. Many, many, many of them are sound. He’s been burned repeatedly by both men, and he simply doesn’t trust their word on anything.
“I got taken to school last year,” Madigan told Senate Republican Leader Watson about 2007’s disastrous, record-breaking overtime session. “So I figured while I was at school I might as well learn something.”
That “something” appears to be to refuse to cooperate until he’s ready to push his own plan.
But the bottom line is nobody really has a clue about what he’ll do and when he’ll do it. Madigan likes it that way, of course, but it can drive an observer absolutely crazy.
Illinois voters have a right to expect proactive enforcement of campaign disclosure laws, but the Board of Elections functions more like a repository for whatever bogus paperwork the candidates choose to submit. That’s inexcusable.
The proposal was drafted by members of the Illinois congressional delegation, in response to the potential purchase by the Canadian National Railway of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern rail line.
With gas around $4 a gallon, fair officials hope the $3 daily admission and a list of free activities draw visitors from across the state to the fair, which begins Thursday night in Springfield.
According to a study by the Pew Center on the States, one out of every 100 adults in the U.S. is in prison or jail. And because of the racism of the American “justice” system, the numbers are much higher for people of color–if you are an African American man between the ages of 20 and 34, your likelihood of being behind bars today is one in nine.
* The county that does not learn from history is doomed to repeat it, and taxpayers are doomed to repeat payment
So let’s review: The courts find a strip-search policy unconstitutional, the county pays a settlement, then keeps right on strip searching, imagining — hoping — that the finding only applied to female inmates
Cook County State’s Attorney Dick Devine has reached an agreement with Bryan Cave LLP to head up the litigation department of its Chicago office when Devine leaves office in December, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
Budget deficits are not described on the weekend. You don’t make a decision on the weekend on a budget deficit. You really believe that? On the weekend you’re going to solve the budget crisis? You’re going to solve it in two days or a week or a month? No.
* 3:20 pm - Mayor Daley was asked today about the recent lack of communication between himself and Gov. Blagojevich, and countered with a long laundry list of budgetary hypocrisy from the same governor who had offered National Guard troops to quell the city’s “out of control” violence problem…
Mayor Daley ridiculed Gov. Blagojevich today for offering state troopers and National Guard equipment to combat Chicago crime the governor called “out of control” at the same time the governor is cutting the state’s law enforcement budget. […]
“The last call I got was [after] his press conference, where he said he wanted to help us in regard to law enforcement. Then, I read that he cut: $4.8 million in the Ill. Department of Corrections community-based re-entry program for ex-offenders; almost $3 million from the Ill. State Police; $100,000 out of the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force; $7 million [out] of the Department of Juvenile Justice; $600,000 out of the Ill. Violence Prevention Authority and $1.2 million out of a diversion program for non-violent offenders,” Daley said.
“What help can he give me? What help is he talking about? Fine, he has a budget crisis. But, don’t make a statement and have a press conference, then try to call everybody and say, ‘Oh, we want to work with you.’ State Police have no money. They’re being cut. … This has nothing to do with politics. But, let’s get the facts straight.” […]
But, the mayor added, “He’s not pressuring me. He’s hurting people. … Everybody has a tough budget. [But], you have to set priorities. Okay, then he set his priority. But, he can’t help anyone. This whole idea of sending the State Police up here—what was it for? They were telling us their budgets were being cut.”
* The response…
The governor’s spokesman Lucio Guerrero acknowledged that the mayor’s list of law enforcement cuts was accurate. But, he insisted that there is still plenty of wiggle room in the budget to follow through on the governor’s offer to help fight crime in Chicago.
“The cuts we made were to create a balanced budget. But, it doesn’t mean we’re not able to find creative ways to help out,” Guerrero said.
* The battle rages on between suburban members of Congress and Canadian National Railway.
In a letter to U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, CN President and CEO E. Hunter Harrison declined the invitation to appear at the public hearing in Chicago because he said the lawmakers are unwilling to consider the deal’s benefits.
Harrison said CN has met with Bean and her staff multiple times to explain its stance, and that they don’t want to attend the hearing because Bean refuses to recognize the benefits that CN will bring to her constituents.
Bean has been an ardent critic of the acquisition, and yesterday the Barrington Congresswoman, along with Reps. Judy Biggert of Hinsdale, Bill Foster of Geneva, Don Manzullo of Ogle County and Peter Roskam of Wheaton proposed legislation to try to block the bill by giving more consideration to the impacts of railroad transactions on local communities:
“The current process puts the interests of industry over those of American families and taxpayers,” Bean said in a prepared statement. “This legislation provides balance and better reflects American values by protecting the rights of our constituents and communities.”
The bill would require the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to reject an acquisition if its adverse effects on safety outweigh its benefits.
Senator Dick Durbin led a group of lawmakers who met Thursday with U.S. Surface Transportation Board vice chairman Frank Mulvey. The lawmakers said they wanted to reiterate their concern that the agency has not adequately considered problems the sale would cause.
The Joliet City Council land-use committee voted this week for an agreement that would spell out Canadian National’s obligations to help ease the impact on Joliet. The full council still must vote on the agreement, and that could happen in mid-August or September.
[…]
“We (Joliet) are one of a few that have been meeting with Canadian National,” Thanas said. “From our perspective, we don’t see a need to wait any longer.”
* Expect the Illinois delegation to keep fighting this one tooth and nail though. Many of their constituents are up in arms over the deal.
* With all the pessimism surrounding Illinois politics, I think it’s fitting to do a Question of the Day that’s more cheery.
Say something nice about any Illinois politician, whether it’s your state Representative/Senator, a Constitutional officer, or someone that you just think is doing a good job.
[Note] Keep it clean and as well-intentioned as possible for this website. I’ll be monitoring this one especially close.
* The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability met last night for a hearing at the Capitol in front of a large crowd of which many a future hangs in the balance.
The commission has until September 11th to make a recommendation, and most on the panel seemed apprehensive about the move:
“All we’re doing is shuffling the cards,” said Rep. Rich Brauer, R-Petersburg, of relocating the jobs to Harrisburg. “That’s not right.”
[…]
“It wasn’t an economic decision then. It was a political decision,” Syverson said as onlookers in the Capitol rotunda exploded into cheers and applause.
* Tracy Wyatt, the Southeastern Illinois College Foundation Director, tried to downplay the notion that the building in Harrisburg is sitting in a floodplain.
Wyatt claimed that after a day the flood, the water subsided enough at the front of the building so that people could get in and out.
We posted the picture a couple of weeks ago and as the saying goes it’s worth a thousand words…
* Bethany Jaegar has it right:
They’re both victims, one set to lose either way. The motivation behind the move is the most contentious point, particularly whether the idea is rooted in economics or in politics.
GOP legislators representing the Springfield area allege the governor’s proposal was retribution for supporting a measure that would allow voters to recall elected officials, a measure perceived to be directed at the governor.
They list various state-owned facilities that have space and could house the division. “We can move them a block or two and not 200 miles,” said Rep. Raymond Poe, a Springfield Republican, during the hearing.
The administration refutes the allegation and says the move is intended to give a boost to an economically depressed area of the state.
* Over the past few months the Governor has been sounding the alarm that Speaker Madigan wants to raise income taxes.
In fact, there was one press conference I remember where Blagojevich actually challenged Madigan to sign a written pledge that he will not do so after the November elections.
“I think it’s unethical to stand in the way of creating jobs and putting people back to work,” he said. “It’s unethical to raise taxes on people.”
* I wasn’t exactly sure where he was going with that, or his intentions for tying ethics legislation to his capital plan, but anyways….
The Speaker’s spokesman, as well as numerous election wary House Dems, have emphatically denied that Madigan wants to raise the income tax after the election.
However, there have been several comments by the Speaker, and those close to him, that have added fuel to the fire. After the last special session the Speaker gave a press conference and was pelted with questions about his intentions on the issue.
He said that he didn’t think that it would come up in the fall legislative session, but when asked about the spring he grinned, “Spring is spring. It’s a long time away.”
Not exactly comforting for those aforementioned House Democrats.
*That’s why I was surprised to hear Rep. Currie go off on this tangent after the Leaders’ meeting yesterday:
Currie said a “modest” tax rate hike, coupled with a constitutional amendment allowing the state to apply a higher tax rate to the highest earners, enjoys substantial support among House members. Madigan has said in recent weeks he will not push a tax increase this year, but he has not categorically ruled out such an effort in 2009.
Why even go there? If I were on the Gov’s press team I would be going after that one, not leaking a 20-day old memo to the press where Madigan uses an *gasp* expletive.
* Yesterday’s leaders’ meeting was quite the exercise in relentless finger pointing and political futility that is our sad state of Illinois politics.
The Governor and his allies on the capital bill continued to hammer Mike Madigan, and Madigan’s surrogates railed about their caucus’ distrust for the Governor. My favorite line by far was this though:
“He sends minions who admittedly say they have no authority to negotiate or make any decisions,” Blagojevich said. The governor said he would try to pass a law requiring Madigan to come to meetings if he could.
classic.
* Shortly after the meeting a memo from the Speaker to John Coli, president of the Teamsters Joint Council 25, was leaked to the press.
The Governor’s spokesman, Lucio Guerrero, said the letter reveals Madigan as “angry and isolated.” He’s partially right. The short, blunt letter doesn’t reflect well on the Speaker, and he’s definitely “out on a limb” as Rich wrote in the Cap Fax today.
However, Madigan still holds Mayor Daley as the ace up his sleeve in this fight, and judging by the Governor’s own admission yesterday that he hasn’t talked to the Mayor since officer Francis’ July 7th funeral, he still holds that ace pretty tightly.
* The Governor’s people claim that Madigan is being stubborn and downright obstructionist in his war against the capital bill. In many ways they are correct.
According to an inside source at the meeting, Representative Currie had told the Governor’s office beforehand that she wanted to personally see the individual reductions in the compromise capital bill. When presented with a box of over 600 line item reductions at the meeting, she quickly dismissed them.
Clearly the Speaker wants to do capital his way, but the pressure tactics employed by the administration seem childish at best.
The Governor has been on a PR blitz against the Speaker, but even that has come to backfire. The person he desperately needs to win over is Mayor Daley, and he all but severed that chance with his brash suggestion of using the Illinois National Guard to curb violence in Chicago.
And this letter? It was sent over 20 days ago. If that’s the best that they can do to turn the heat up on Speaker Madigan, than their chance for a compromise capital plan looks truly bleak.
“If, indeed, somebody [who] testifies before a City Council committee is demoted or disciplined because of what he or she said, that goes to the very heart of the legislative process,” Burke said.
“Fair Factor” was teased to reporters as “the grossest contest you’ve ever seen” and is likely to feature pigs feet, night crawlers and “disgusting” milkshakes.
“It really will be disgusting,” said Rachael Atchison, a downstate Fox TV representative sponsoring the attraction.
Agency spokesman David Blanchette said no decisions have been made on what will happen at sites like Black Hawk Historic Site in Rock Island, the David Davis Mansion in Bloomington or the Lincoln Log Cabin in Lerna.
Foster, who was elected from the district of former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), was given the bill that resolved the issue. Foster’s bill inserted language into the housing bill barring anyone convicted of a sex offense, mortgage fraud, or drug-dealing in the last five years, from repurchasing government-bought foreclosed homes.
trip I took last year was my respect for First Lady Patti Blagojevich. She’s smart and down to earth, which is a pleasant contrast with her husband’s personality. She’s also a very good mother to their two daughters, who, by the way, are a couple of great kids. (The biggest fear I had about that trip was spending three days on a bus with a couple of brats. It turned out they were one of the highlights of my little adventure.)
