* I posted this earlier, but let’s take a closer look…
* In the second pic, near the bottom…
“CW” is fed speak for “cooperating witness” (it can also be “confidential witness,” but that still means somebody is talking).
This isn’t surprising. It’s expected. But this is the first time we have an indication that people are cooperating.
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Mansion to close for more renovations
Thursday, Oct 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the governor’s office…
The Governor’s Mansion will be closing for tours until Nov. 23 for renovations. It will reopen in time for the holidays, with an open house for the community on Dec. 7. Throughout the holiday season, the home will feature a 30-foot Christmas tree in the front yard for all of Springfield to enjoy.
Quote from the First Lady
“The people of Springfield have been so welcoming to our family, and we hope that they enjoy the Governor’s mansion this holiday season. The Governor’s mansion has a unique place in our history, and we want to make sure that the holidays reflect the special role of this historic home.”
Background
Renovations include repairing tile on the first floor that had a defective finish, renovating guest bedrooms and bathrooms, and updating existing plumbing.
All work will be done by union workers.
The Governor and First Lady will be paying for the renovations personally.
The Halloween celebration on Oct. 26 for the children of Springfield will continue with treats and the Great Pumpkin display.
I assume the governor will still be hosting after-hours meetings with legislators during the upcoming veto session, but “where” is the question. Recommendations?
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Question of the day
Thursday, Oct 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The one word which immediately springs to mind when you think of the recent federal raids and activities? One word only, please.
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* Buried deep down in Tuesday’s Sun-Times story about the Sandoval-related investigation was this revelation from Cook County Commissioner Jeff Tobolski’s chief of staff Patrick Doherty…
Doherty said he doesn’t know whether Tobolski is a target of investigators, or even how Tobolski is holding up ever since agents descended on McCook’s village hall.
That’s because Doherty said he hasn’t seen him or heard from him in about a week.
Tobolski is the mayor of McCook, which, as noted in the piece, was raided by the feds last week.
*** UPDATE *** Speaking of McCook…
Make sure to click the pic.
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This is why we can’t have nice things
Thursday, Oct 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune reports today that the unfunded liability for Chicago’s pension funds has risen by almost $7 billion since the city raised taxes by over $800 million to pay down the debt. The reason basically boils down to changed investment and payout assumptions, kicking the can and bad investing…
There are three main reasons the gap widened by nearly $7 billion. By far the biggest is that the people who run the four retirement funds changed their economic assumptions. They reduced the amount they expect to earn by investing the money already on hand, and they increased how long they expect retirees will live and collect benefits.
Second, Emanuel’s plan put off the largest increases in pension contributions to get the system back on track until after he left office. […]
And third, pension fund investments didn’t meet their expected rate of return in recent years. … The funds lost between 5.5% and 6.6% of the total investments [last year], according to their year-end accountings.
The changed assumptions part is, as noted, the largest share and was necessary to better align the systems with reality.
Kicking the can is, unfortunately, this state’s most popular sport. It’s like paying the minimum monthly balance on your credit card while continuing to spend more money. But that’s still better than what Mayor Daley did, which was pay pretty much nothing.
And if you want another reason why the other municipalities don’t want to include Chicago in a statewide merger of the hundreds of local first responder pension funds, just look at those investment returns.
* Speaking of those local Downstate and suburban first responder funds, Mark Maxwell went to their annual training conference at a posh Wisconsin venue…
And that $8 million doesn’t include other reimbursable travel expenses and compensated time off work.
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We need a better plan
Thursday, Oct 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We really need to do better on mental health treatment at every level in this country…
The man who drove his SUV through the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg last month had been released from a mental health facility the previous day, still suffering from hallucinations, hearing voices and having suicidal thoughts, relatives say.
Javier Garcia, 22, was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder three years ago and has been in and out of mental health facilities since then, his sister Noemi Garcia told the Sun-Times Wednesday.
“Just in the last two months my brother has been to three different inpatient centers,” she said.
“After a week they would release him, with Javier still coming home to us telling us that he didn’t feel safe, that he still kept hearing voices, that he still had suicidal thoughts and it’s just like an every day battle,” she said. […]
Interruptions to Medicaid coverage also were a hurdle to getting help, she said.
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* Sun-Times…
State regulators need to tighten rules to fend off “faux” competitors if Chicago’s professional sports teams are expected to fork over a whopping $10 million apiece for licenses to open sportsbooks at or near their stadiums.
That’s what a lawyer for the White Sox, Cubs, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks told the Illinois Gaming Board in a letter last week, as the agency sets the framework for newly legalized sports betting across the state.
Among other things, the teams want rules to keep casino-tied sports wagering operations and Illinois Lottery parlay betting kiosks out of their territory once the industry finally launches. […]
Illinois’ new gambling expansion law authorizes sports wagering licenses not only for casinos, racetracks and off-track betting parlors, but also for up to seven sports facilities with a capacity of 17,000 or more — opening the door to betting windows inside or within a five-block radius of Guaranteed Rate Field, Wrigley Field, Soldier Field and the United Center.
The teams are essentially demanding a monopoly for five blocks in every direction around their stadiums. They even want a ban on sports book advertising and marketing in their zones by anyone but themselves.
The letter written by the teams’ attorney also points to this recent development in New Jersey…
A dozen spicy wings and a 12-team parlay? The sports betting experience is coming to a Buffalo Wild Wings near you via one of America’s largest bookmakers.
MGM Resorts International and its sports betting venture Roar Digital announced a multiyear deal with national sports bar Buffalo Wild Wings on Thursday. It’s another visible shift in the American sports betting culture.
In the coming months, odds and point spreads will begin appearing on screens at select Buffalo Wild Wings. On Thursday, the two companies will launch Picks and Props, a free-to-play, mobile-only football game that mimics sports betting with point spreads and prop bets and rewards winners with prizes, including trips to Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
* Meanwhile, this is also from the Sun-Times…
Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) is in the doghouse with Mayor Lori Lightfoot for publicly opposing the mayor’s choice of Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) as Finance Committee chairman.
But Beale is not about to keep quiet while Chicago continues to “hemorrhage” revenue to Indiana casinos.
On Wednesday, Beale sent a letter to the mayor outlining a game plan he believes would expedite a Chicago casino.
It calls for the city to issue a “request-for-proposals” to identify a “responsible” casino operator. The mayor and the chosen operator then would go to Springfield to seek the specific fix needed for the Chicago casino’s tax structure. The structure outlined in the current law is so onerous, a city casino can’t be financed, according to a Gaming Board consultant. […]
Beale claims to have a “shovel-ready” casino site at 103rd and Woodlawn that has attracted interest from two casino operators he refused to name; that site was not among the five Lightfoot asked the Gaming Board to study.
Sigh.
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* WBEZ…
WBEZ filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Illinois Senate, alleging that details from the recent federal anti-corruption raids of a top legislator’s offices are being hidden from public view in violation of the state’s open-records law.
The suit was filed in Sangamon County Circuit Court by lawyer Matt Topic and comes a day after Democratic Senate President John Cullerton’s office gave reporters heavily blacked-out documents from the FBI investigation of powerful state Sen. Martin Sandoval, a high-ranking Cullerton ally. […]
But in this case, Cullerton’s office instead decided to delete dozens of names of individuals and companies who were mentioned in the search warrant from the copies given to WBEZ and other news organizations. […]
The newly filed lawsuit alleges that the state Senate’s deletions were made “in willful violation of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act” and seeks unredacted documents.
* This is what Cullerton’s spokesman said the other day when asked…
Decisions were guided by an Attorney General’s opinion, case law and discussions with the investigative authorities.
So, in other words, they’re blaming part of it on the feds.
The AG’s binding opinion was issued just days ago on September 24th. You can click here to read it.
An Illinois appellate court ruled in 2009 that Gov. Rod Blagojevich had to turn over federal grand jury subpoenas served on the governor. The City of Chicago turned over an unredacted list of items seized during the federal raids of Ald. Ed Burke’s offices.
The extensive redactions made by the Senate Democrats are here.
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* 2011…
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn says he is willing to talk about adding a casino in Chicago, but he stated on Friday that he is opposed to a larger expansion of gambling. […]
When asked what he thinks about the prospect of Danville getting a casino, Quinn said Danville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer should not “hold his breath.” Quinn said he doesn’t want the state to be the “Las Vegas of the Midwest.” […]
Skokie Democrat Lou Lang said he plans to introduce a gaming expansion measure next week in the Illinois House of Representatives that includes Danville.
Lang was the chief sponsor of the gaming bill for years, and he made sure Danville was always in the mix. Lang recused himself from the bill’s sponsorship in 2013 because a law firm he had joined represented a suburban town seeking a casino. He said he did no work for that town, however.
* Lang is now a partner in the new casino operating group chosen by Danville…
Even though the group is new, together they have more than 100 years of gaming experience.
To start. there is Lou Lang, a former state representative from Skokie. He served for 32 years and was a major advocate for gaming expansion.
Another partner is Scott Syplot, a Chicago gaming attorney who works mostly with Indian tribes.
And Bill Bembenek, who came from San Diego as the former CEO of the Pala Casino Spa & Resort.
“This is about not only revenue, but this is about the future of Danville,” Lang said.
Discuss.
*** UPDATE *** Despite the stories referring to him as a partner in the casino project, I just reached out to Lang and he told me that he’s just an adviser. So, I changed the headline.
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* Tribune…
The Museum of Science and Industry will rename itself after Chicago philanthropist Ken Griffin, who is making the largest donation in the institution’s history, the museum announced Thursday.
The sprawling science, tech and business museum on the city’s South Side will become the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry after the museum’s board voted to accept Griffin’s $125 million donation and the name change Thursday morning.
It’s a major change in the Chicago cultural landscape, prompted by one of the largest cash donations ever to a local cultural institution. Ken Griffin, founder of the hedge fund Citadel, has been one of the most prominent and active donors to cultural and educational organizations through his Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund, with giving that now totals over $1 billion. […]
The museum says the gift pushes its current capital campaign past the $300 million mark in funds raised. The money will mostly go into the museum’s endowment, which will more than double as a result, MSI board chair Chris Crane said. In coming years, the museum intends to work on creating new exhibitions, renovating museum galleries and modernizing its building, which has 14 acres of indoor space and is the last holdover from the 1893 World’s Fair.
Thoughts?
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* 2017…
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton announced on Wednesday that Illinois State Senator Ira Silverstein has resigned from the Senate Democratic Leadership team after being accused of sexual harassment.
Legislative activist Denise Rotheimer testified Tuesday in front of a senate panel that Ira Silverstein made inappropriate comments to her while the two worked together on legislation. […]
The dramatic revelation came out Tuesday at a hearing in front of the House Personnel and Pensions Committee.
* August of this year…
State Sen. Tom Cullerton was replaced as chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, a move that comes four days after he was indicted on federal charges of embezzling money from a labor union.
According to a spokesman for the senate president’s office, the shakeup among committee chairs involves three Senate committees. Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, was named to replace Cullerton on the Labor Committee; Cullerton was named as the new chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee; and Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, former chair of Veterans Affairs, has been named fill Aquino’s former post as chair of the Government Accountability and Pensions Committee.
* Yesterday…
Pritzker reacted quickly to the news of Sandoval’s raid — to get ahead of worries that the investigation would taint the governor’s massive capital plan, which Sandoval helped put together.
“We must assure the public that this work [the capital plan] is on the up and up,” Pritzker told reporters. “Corruption and self-dealing will not be tolerated.”
Cullerton was just as quick to resist any attempt to be pushed to take action.
“This remains an active investigation, and the Senate President wants to make informed decisions,” Cullerton spokesman John Patterson said.
Something often lost in the shuffle about Sen. Sandoval is he is also the Majority Caucus Whip. Not only has Senate President Cullerton refused to move him off the Transportation Committee, but Sandoval still has his leadership gig. The post is unpaid, but that’s beside the point.
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* Kiplinger rates Illinois as the least tax-friendly state, mainly because of our property taxes…
Least Tax-Friendly
Illinois’ economic woes are one reason why the Prairie State tops our list of the least tax-friendly states in the country. The state ranks #50 in the latest ranking of states’ fiscal health by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and residents are paying the price with higher taxes.
The state’s 4.95% flat income tax rate actually isn’t that high when compared to other states, but other taxes are a doozy. For example, property taxes in Illinois are the second-highest in the nation. On a $400,000 home in the state, the average annual property tax bill would be an eye-popping $9,634.
Sales taxes are high, too. In some municipalities, combined state and local sales taxes exceed 10%. Most states exempt food and drugs from their sales tax, but that’s not the case in Illinois.
* Crain’s…
Connecticut, New York and Wisconsin followed Illinois.
Wyoming was the most tax-friendly on the Kiplinger list, followed by Nevada and Tennessee. Wyoming and Nevada do not have an income tax, while Tennessee’s income tax applies only to interest and dividends, according to MarketWatch.
California did not make the top 10 least tax-friendly states. Although California has one of the highest state income tax rates, it has a progressive income tax with varying rates.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Today, Think Big Illinois Executive Director Quentin Fulks released the following statement in response to a new Kiplinger report that ranked Illinois as the least-tax friendly state in the country:
“Illinois’ current tax system is fundamentally unfair, letting millionaires and billionaires avoid paying their share while working families are forced to shoulder the burden. That’s why Think Big Illinois is committed to bringing tax fairness to our state and ensuring our tax system works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.
“During his first legislative session, Governor Pritzker signed a bipartisan balanced budget bringing $8.9 billion in funding to our education system, including nearly half a billion dollars in new funding. This additional funding, along with the revenue generated from the fair tax, will help the state meet its obligation to fund our schools, a critical step toward alleviating the property tax burden on our residents and bringing tax fairness to our state.
“Those who our current tax system benefits are so desperate to avoid paying their share that they’d rather go back to the Rauner years of gutting critical social services, watching our roads and bridges crumble, and forcing local communities to raise property taxes because they refuse to properly fund our schools.
“Illinois’ hardworking families deserve better than that. Think Big Illinois is committed to fighting with Governor Pritzker to ensure our children are getting the quality education they deserve, to lessen the tax burden on our middle and lower-income families, and to bring tax fairness to our state.”
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