Illinois House Republicans, furious about the lack of a state budget and seemingly empty session calendar thus far this year, challenged House Democrat leadership Thursday to not adjourn as scheduled for the entire month of March.
“It’s egregious that House Democrats would find it acceptable to take a month off during the heart of legislative session, especially given the challenges we face,” said State Representative Tom Demmer (R, Dixon). “My motion to stay in session was legitimate, and was made completely in line with the House rules- the Democrats’ own rules.”
Rep. Demmer went on to explain that at the conclusion of session on Thursday, Republicans made a motion to bring the legislature back the following day. The motion, despite being completely in line with the rules, was ruled out of order with Democrat leadership scurrying quickly from the chamber to prevent debate on the issue.
Dunkin has been preening that Madigan is after him because he has a mind of his own… That contention would be more persuasive if Madigan were trying to oust other Democratic reps with minds of their own, such as Jack Franks, 63rd, of Marengo, and Scott Drury, 58th, of Highwood, both of whom have also cast key votes against Madigan during the standoff with Rauner. He’s not. They’re unopposed in the primary.
Madigan is after Dunkin because Dunkin is an unapologetic defector. In an apparent effort to become a power broker, he became a reliable Republican vote in a district that went 4 to 1 for the Democrats in the 2014 election. […]
Madigan tries hard to keep his caucus in line (as does Rauner, whose allies are also spending big to try to defeat a downstate incumbent Republican lawmaker who dared to cast union-friendly votes), but it’s a myth that Madigan’s unique personality and power is all that keeps his members in line.
If Dunkin wins, rank-and-file Democrats will still oppose Rauner’s pro-business, anti-labor agenda, and the stalemate will go on.
Zorn also thinks that Dunkin might win. I don’t disagree. It’s really difficult to oust an incumbent in a primary, particularly one who is as well-funded as Dunkin is.
…Adding… An informed dissent in comments…
Both Drury and Franks are in Purple Districts. Zorn’s analysis is bunk.
Knocking out Franks in a primary would likely lead to a lost seat. So, that’s true. Drury? Maybe not, but I can most definitely see a backlash in that north suburban district against Madigan’s hand-picked candidate in the general.
So, I’ve altered the lead-in to remove my agreement. Many thanks to the commenter.
* As if the state’s problems aren’t bad enough, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has revised its Fiscal Year 2016 General Funds revenue projections down from $32.139 billion last July to $31.697 billion now. Click here for the full report.
COGFA hasn’t changed its personal income tax projection, but the corporate income tax revenue projection is now $130 million lower, sales taxes are projected to be $230 million lower than first estimated and the public utility tax forecast has been revised downward by $32 million…
Sales tax is forecast to grow only 1.9%, or $153 million. The relatively modest growth reflects lower fuel prices that have not translated into other consumer activity. Also, a modest rate of growth is appropriate given other conditions that may lead to a continued cautious consumer i.e. lack of a state budget and increased possibility of recession.
Emphasis added.
* The newly revised projections are more in line with the governor’s budget office projections, differing now by just $15 million. However…
In terms of the “Big Three”, the Commission is $372 million above levels forecast by GOMB. The estimates of corporate income tax are very similar, while the Commission’s outlook for sales taxes are $90 million less than GOMB as there appears little reason to expect growth over the remaining third of the fiscal year.
It is in the forecast of personal income tax that fairly significant differences can be found. While both agencies anticipate declines in final payments due to what appears to be the surprisingly strong performance earlier in the fiscal year as some taxpayers may have been slow to adjust to the lower rates, the Commission is quite comfortable at this stage in retaining its earlier forecast. Only until final payments are made in the coming months will this uncertainly be removed. If necessary, an adjustment can be made in early May.
U.S. Rep. Robert Dold, a Kenilworth Republican, took to CNN Wednesday to say he wouldn’t support Trump in the general election.
His beefs, which are perhaps the loudest among top Illinois Republicans, are with Trump’s comments about Muslims, women and Sen. John McCain’s military service.
“I think Donald Trump has disqualified himself,” Dold said.
Dold has not endorsed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Ohio Gov. John Kasich or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the meantime.
Dold isn’t the only one being pressured about Trump.
* Press release…
Earlier today, Mitt Romney disavowed Donald Trump, calling on Republicans to rally around anyone but the GOP front-runner. U.S. Senate candidate Andrea Zopp, in response to Trump’s surge to front-runner status, released the following statement:
“Donald Trump has proven himself to be a racist demagogue who has drawn support by manipulating our worst emotions. His campaign has been driven solely by hatred and fear.”
“Illinois voters, particularly African-Americans and Latinos, have seen their needs ignored and dismissed. We cannot afford to see them assaulted full-on by a Donald Trump candidacy.”
“Senator Kirk must make clear his views on Trump’s brand of Republicanism before Illinois goes to the polls on March 15th.”
“My father fought in World War II - a war in which America fought against a leader who won an election with race baiting, extreme nationalism, and vitriol. Trump is a similar kind of dangerous leader and Senator Kirk needs to let the people know what side of history he will be on.”
I would assume that the governor will be asked the same question soon enough.
* The Question: Your thoughts about what Rauner and Kirk should say about this topic?
* Let’s look at two dueling press releases about the bill’s passage (it now goes to the governor). The first is from Sen. Sam McCann’s GOP primary opponent Bryce Benton…
Moments ago, State Senator Sam McCann again voted to force a massive tax hike on working families. McCann voted in favor of HB580, a reincarnation of SB1229. HB580 is a political piece of legislation that removes Governor Rauner from the bargaining table with unions that contract with the State of Illinois and puts in place an unelected, unaccountable arbitrator. In a purely political maneuver, the legislation only lasts for the duration of Governor Rauner’s term.
Some estimates have the cost to taxpayers of HB580 at $3.5 billion over the next four years. In typical fashion of Democrats in the General Assembly, the bill did not provide any revenue to pay for the bill, and yet Sam McCann still joined the ranks of Mike Madigan’s Democrat and special interest allies to force the $3.5 billion tax hike.
McCann didn’t arrive at this decision on his own. Since 2015, McCann has received nearly $570,000 in campaign cash from Mike Madigan’s union allies who want to continue the status quo of insider deals and special interest politics. McCann’s Big Labor handlers control his votes, plain and simple. Taxpayers in the 50th Senate district no longer have a voice in the Senate.
“Sam McCann likes to say he has never voted for a tax hike, but when you vote for legislation that increases spending by over $3.5 billion without providing a way to pay for it, you’re forcing a tax hike on working families,” said Aaron DeGroot, spokesman for Bryce Benton. “A conservative Republican wouldn’t break ranks with his party to join forces with Speaker Madigan to force a tax hike. If we needed further proof that Sam McCann is Mike Madigan’s favorite senator, there it is.”
* The second is from Sen. Sam McCann…
Today, for the second time, I voted in support of legislation that does nothing more than provide an alternate means to resolve the various contract disputes between the Governor and state workers so that vital services will not be disrupted and further conflict can be avoided.
Last August when this was previously before the Senate, talks between the Governor and state workers were ongoing. Since then, the Governor’s bargaining team has made the unprecedented move of walking away from negotiations with the largest group of state workers. The threat of a strike or lockout has never been greater. Investigations of child abuse, care for aging veterans, care for senior citizens, access to our state parks, issuing of hunting, fishing and firearm permits are just a few of the vital services that would be in jeopardy should a work stoppage occur.
In addition to the loss of vital services, a state employee strike or lockout would decimate local economies in the 50th Senate District. State workers are members of our communities. They are our neighbors, our friends and our family. Without stable employment, state workers will be unable to spend money in our communities. HB 580 is an insurance policy to ensure that small businesses and our communities continue to strengthen and grow.
Claims that this legislation will lead to tax increases are absurd and unfounded. To be clear, HB 580, like SB 1229 before it, does not amend the tax code or alter Illinois income tax rates in any way. Nor does this bill appropriate or spend a single cent of state money. Simply put, the legislation provides for a neutral third party to settle contract disputes when the parties are unable to reach an agreement avoiding the hardship, disruption and conflict that a strike or lockout can cause. One of the many things that an independent arbitrator, by law, must take into consideration is the State’s fiscal health.
This is the same process used for decades by local police and fire fighters as well as state correctional officers and state troopers.
As a state senator, I believe it is my job to set politics aside and focus on solving the problems facing our state. The last thing that our state needs is yet another crisis to overcome.
Provides for the election of the Chicago Board of Education at the general primary election in 2018 only as a nonpartisan election on a separate ballot. Provides that a member of the Chicago Board of Education shall be elected at each consolidated election thereafter. Makes related changes. Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that a person shall be a U.S. citizen and registered voter and shall have been a resident of the city and the electoral district for at least one year immediately preceding his or her election. Sets forth provisions concerning nominating petitions and ballots. Sets forth provisions providing that the City of Chicago shall be subdivided into 20 electoral districts by the General Assembly for seats on the Chicago Board of Education. Sets forth provisions providing that in the year following each decennial census, the General Assembly shall redistrict the electoral districts to reflect the results of each decennial census.
I’m currently awaiting a response from the Senate President’s office about where he, a staunch Mayor Rahm Emanuel ally, stands…
Senate President John Cullerton is the Senate sponsor of this #ERSB bill - he's friends with #Rahm, Sandack says, so will it stall?
The race for 2nd District Illinois state representative is heating up.
Theresa Mah’s campaign is accusing supporters of opponent Alex Acevedo of bad behavior at a recent event. Congressman Luis Gutierrez and other Latino leaders gathered in Pilsen on Monday to endorse Mah.
In a campaign email, Mah claims an “angry mob… shouted racial slurs and tried to physically intimidate” her supporters.
The Acevedo campaign strongly denies the allegations.
* The video indicates otherwise. Click here. A Google translation of the Hoy article…
Just when Gutierrez arrived, a group of demonstrators carrying approached placards saying: “Shut up chachalaca”, “Cardenas HDO”, “Latinos United,” “The people sold will be defeated,” among others, and planted front the place where the announcement would be made Mah support.
The interruption came to the degree that Gutierrez decided to move the conference across the street, but in the end only made some statements to the newspaper Hoy.
“I have more than six calls Acevedo begging my support. I had to say no. You can see why I said no, I would not associate with people who do not believe in democracy. They do not allow freedom of expression, “said Gutierrez. […]
Then, Gutierrez walked away while he was followed by the group booed Gutierrez said [was in] fear for his life.
A woman who kept shouting “shut up chachalaca” declined to be identified and declined to comment.
A “chachalaca” is defined by SpeakingLatino.com as an “eloquent but dishonest person.”
Republicans insisted the state’s lack of funds means the measure was a false promise, noting various court orders and laws have put Illinois on track to spend billions more than it is taking in this year.
“I have never seen a more tragic case of playing games with young people’s lives,” said Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon. Righter argued Democrats were following Madigan “like lemmings, right off the cliff.”
That prompted a fiery response from Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, who accused Republicans of blindly following Rauner’s orders to repeatedly vote against spending bills.
“All we hear from you is ‘womp, womp, womp, womp,’” Lightford said. “I don’t even know why you come to the Capitol. Why do you even show up?”
Yeah, we’re getting so close to a resolution. If only Madigan would just step aside.
Right.
* Related…
* Charlie Wheeler: Budget Fix Needs Statesmanship, Not Magic Tricks: No one should expect Democrats would abandon organized labor and not just because they fear retaliation from House Speaker Michael Madigan, as Rauner and his PR minions like to suggest. Anyone could be the speaker, and most Democrats would continue to believe that working men and women should be able to organize to safeguard their workplace interests. It’s in their DNA. In fact, plenty of Republicans share that belief, including the three GOP chief executives who preceded Rauner.
Thursday, Mar 3, 2016 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Exelon announced that its profits for 2015 were $2,270,000,000 and that it is increasing dividends to shareholders 2.5% per year for the next three years.
So you’re thinking – “The company is healthy, shareholders are getting more $$$, the power auctions provided them $1.7 billion for their nuclear plants in Illinois so they must be done asking struggling Illinois ratepayers for a bailout, right?” Nope - it’s never enough for Exelon.
“Groundhog Day was yesterday, but Exelon appears to want to keep celebrating. The Chicago-based nuclear giant is back to threatening to close nuclear plants in Illinois without financial help from the state.” – “Exelon’s Crane beats the drum again for nuke subsidies” Crain’s, February 3, 2016
To review:
Exelon made more than TWO BILLION DOLLARS ($2,270,000,000) last year
Exelon is INCREASING DIVIDENDS FOR SHAREHOLDERS
Exelon received a $1.7 BILLION WINDFALL through new capacity charges
Illinois still has no budget, the state’s finances and services are in shambles, the social safety net is being decimated but Exelon STILL wants the Legislature to pass a huge BAILOUT.
BEST Coalition is a 501C4 nonprofit group of dozens of business, consumer and government groups, as well as large and small businesses. Visit www.noexelonbailout.com.
* And no bad-mouthing Illinois, either. We need this investment…
U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., is scheduled to host a briefing Friday afternoon at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah with fellow U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Gov. Bruce Rauner concerning plans to bring the $1.6 billion headquarters for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to St. Clair County.
The featured guest of honor: Robert Cardillo, the director of NGA and the man who, in less than month, is set to decide the fate of the new NGA headquarters: a patch of pasture and cornfields in St. Clair County, adjacent to Scott Air Force Base, or a site in North St. Louis, on the footprint of the old Pruitt-Igoe housing complex.
Friday’s briefing is set to begin at 2 p.m., according to a Kirk spokesman. […]
If it comes to St. Clair County, the NGA project will be one of the biggest projects in metro-east history. Construction of the 800,000-square-foot building will create 15,000 temporary construction jobs in addition to 3,100 permanent jobs.
Experts predict NGA West could be the first of other intelligence and defense agencies drawn to St. Clair County, bringing potentially thousands more jobs to the region in the years ahead.
But, hey, if nothing else, somebody finally found a good use for MidAmerica Airport.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool opened a new front in the city’s battle with Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday, lambasting a state board’s “shameful decision” to overturn the district’s plan to close three charter schools at the end of the school year.
Claypool said CPS will challenge the vote by the Illinois State Charter School Commission to allow the South Side charter schools to remain open and to operate outside district supervision. Claypool asked state lawmakers to rein in a “rogue” commission.
“Once again, Gov. Rauner is relegating poor minority children to a second-class education,” Claypool told reporters during a brief appearance at a Pilsen neighborhood school. “An unaccountable commission appointed by the governor should not assert local control and should not allow quality standards to measure the academic performance of our children to be thrown aside.”
After abruptly taking the helm at CPS last year following a contracting scandal, Claypool moved quickly to beef up district policy monitoring the quality at the district’s 130 charter schools. Within a month of policy changes, CPS notified several charters that they were on a closing list.
State commissioners — even two who typically vote against charters — accused CPS of moving too quickly to give Betty Shabazz’s Sizemore campus, Amandla Charter High School and Bronzeville Lighthouse Charter School a fair shake and then voted 6-0 Tuesday to approve the schools’ appeals to stay open. The commissioners even agreed that the schools had serious academic problems to overcome. […]
“The actions of CPS shows why you need a commission to provide a safeguard against random actions by a school district,” said Greg Richmond, president of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers and a former commissioner. “I think CPS really kind of caused this problem by changing the [closing] criteria at the last minute and put the schools the families and the commission in a very bad spot.”
The 12th Ward Democratic Committeemen campaign got hotter today, as the Muñoz and Cardenas campaigns lobbed charges of vote buying at one another while allies of one campaign launched an attack website.
Incumbent 12th Ward Democratic Committeeman and State Senator Tony Muñoz’s campaign released a letter to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office alleging vote buying by the campaign of challenger and 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas. The letter was accompanied by a video showing what seems to be a Cardenas campaign worker handing out books and Cardenas’ palm cards to voters outside the 12th Ward early voting polling place. The book, Red Rising by Pierce Brown, is part of a post-apocalyptic trilogy in the same genre as the Hunger Games.
“If donating a book constitutes voter fraud, then the Senator is guilty of the same thing for handing out tax rebates at the polling place,” responded Cardenas campaign manager and 15th Ward Ald. Raymond Lopez. “I don’t think of what he’s alleging as voter fraud.”
Lopez’ comments referred to a flyer distributed by Muñoz’ 12th Ward Democratic Organization promoting a property tax rebate seminar scheduled for this Saturday at the McKinley Park Field House, the same location as the 12th Ward’s early voting polls.
…Adding… From Tom Shaer, Deputy Assessor for Communications at the Cook County Assessor’s Office…
This seminar is one of over 125 standard Taxpayer Outreach events which the Cook County Assessor’s Office annually does for many community organizations and elected officials in all townships.
All aspects of property valuation, assessment, the appeal process and exemptions will be covered. No ‘rebates’ are being offered and qualifications for all exemptions are subject to State of Illinois statutes governing such exemptions.
* The letter to the state’s attorney is here. And here’s the video…
* The alleged inducement is kinda bizarre. From Amazon…
A lot happens in this first installment of a projected trilogy. Darrow, living in a mining colony on Mars, sees his wife executed by the government, nearly dies himself, is rescued by the underground revolutionary group known as Sons of Ares, learns his government has been lying to him (and to everybody else), and is recruited to infiltrate the inner circle of society and help to bring it down from within—and that’s all inside the first 100 pages. This is a very ambitious novel, with a fully realized society (class structure is organized by color: Darrow is a Red, a worker, a member of the lower class) and a cast of well-drawn characters. Although it should appeal to all age groups, there is a definite YA hook: despite being a veteran miner and a married man, Darrow is 16 when the novel begins. If told well, stories of oppression and rebellion have a built-in audience, and this one is told very well indeed. A natural for Hunger Games fans of all ages.
I’m figuring somebody had a bunch of free copies laying around.
* Meanwhile, from a blast e-mail by state Senate candidate Angelica Alfaro, who claims to be taking the high road…
We’re now less than two weeks from primary Election Day here in the Second Senate District. Normally this would be a time for optimism for the future of our neighborhood and state.
But, wouldn’t you know it, the other side in this race has nothing but negativity to offer. No optimism in sight, just personal attacks on me and my campaign, with no vision or ideas to fix our state’s problems. For a race as serious as this one, I am disappointed that the other side has nothing positive to offer.
We need to ensure the Second District has a Senator in Springfield who will fight for all of us, not simply call people names. Can I count on your vote before Early Voting closes?
My opponent – Omar “Machine-O” Aquino – will do anything to get elected, including his endless attacks on me. He even gave a campaign job to a convicted felon. His godfather, Political Machine Boss Joe Berrios, was fined for ethics violations – for putting his family on the government payroll.
But Machine-O’s desperation doesn’t end there. He even supported tax hikes on hardworking families in our district, all while his own family got a 50% property tax break (even though an identical building across the street didn’t). All thanks to his godfather, Political Machine Boss Joe Berrios. The rest of play by the rules. Machine-O gets political favors from his godfather Political Machine Boss.
His desperation sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the honest, hardworking families of the Second Senate District.
My neighborhood-focused campaign needs your vote. I voted early already, but join me and Vote Early today.
The choice in this election is crystal clear. Don’t get stuck with a political hack like Machine-O, doing the bidding of his Political Machine Boss godfather.
* Bruce Rauner had this to say to a crowd of millennials back in 2014…
“You guys, your generation, young voters are going to suffer the most, from the failures in Springfield. You’re going to get stuck with high taxes. You’re going to get massive deficits. You’re going to get stuck with de-funded, deteriorated schools,” Rauner said.
* Mayor Rahm Emanuel was almost speechless when he was asked about a comparison of Gov. Bruce Rauner to presidential candidate Donald Trump…
The mayor was reacting to a question from a public radio reporter who said an Illinois delegate for Trump to the Republican National Convention told her there are similarities between the two men. “A Trump delegate said that? He clearly didn’t get the talking points,” Emanuel said.
“This is the first time at a press conference I’d like to say I’d like to go off the record,” Emanuel said with a laugh as a dozen media members surrounded him on a stage after an expansion announcement at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. […]
“Let me say, let me answer that question with a non-answer but a bigger point. Let me, here’s what I will say: If you think Donald Trump — I don’t think Bruce Rauner, I’m not going to speak for him, would see that as a compliment,” Emanuel said. […]
“The reason I’m opposed to Donald Trump’s candidacy, there’s a lot of reasons. One particular is because he is not only dividing the Republican Party, it’s exactly how his presidency will be in dividing the United States,” the mayor said. “And I won’t say but you know, Illinois right now, while it had its divisions before, they have been exacerbated of late. And I would hope that we come together and move forward, and what I say by that, particularly as it relates to education of our children.”
Thursday, Mar 3, 2016 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
As Police Chief in Clinton, I know firsthand of the significant impact the Clinton Power Station has on my community. It employs nearly 700 of our friends and neighbors and funds local government services including schools, fire and emergency response through the $12.6 million it pays in taxes every year.
Outdated energy policies are forcing nuclear energy plants nationwide to close down and Clinton could be next. These closures devastate local communities. Jobs are lost. Services are cut. In 2014, a Vermont town eliminated its entire police department after its local plant closed down.
A State of Illinois report found that if some of the plants in Illinois close, it could cost us $1.8 billion in lost economic activity and 8,000 jobs. Clinton cannot afford this and neither can Illinois.
I encourage our state legislators to adopt energy policy reform legislation the would help preserve our state’s nuclear plants. Taking action is necessary for our state’s economic health and would help prevent plants like Clinton Power Station from closing.
Learn the facts about Illinois’ nuclear plants at www.NuclearPowersIllinois.com
Could Cupich become an arbiter in the state budget battle between House Speaker Michael Madigan, and Gov. Bruce Rauner — a third-party whisperer in the ear of two hardheaded men used to getting their own way?
“I’ve heard the archbishop’s name being discussed in that way,” a top Sneed source said.
“It’s being discussed by people who feel everything is getting out of hand; that a voice of the common good is desperately needed,” the source added.
“Think about it. A whole range of programs for the suffering and the underprivileged are hanging on by their fingernails. Someone has to be the voice of moral authority.
“Cupich could be the voice for the voiceless,” the source said. “Catholic Charities. Lutheran Services, Misericordia are suffering. Catholic Charities isn’t about Catholics. . . . It’s about the poor.”
“I would think the archbishop might be the person these guys might want to invite to tea,” the source said. “Or the other way around.”
Thoughts?
…Adding… Wordslinger in comments…
Now if the archbishop can flip about a half dozen GOP House members, that’s a different story.
* As we discussed yesterday, Gov. Bruce Rauner unveiled a bipartisan criminal justice reform package. Rauner, however, refused to take any questions on “unrelated” matters, even when a reporter brought up the fact that cops and other law enforcement officials were in Springfield yesterday to say the budget impasse is causing real pain.
Law enforcement officials also spoke out against the budget stalemate on Wednesday. They said the nine-month standoff is hurting public safety.
Adams County State’s Attorney Jon Barnard said lack of funds for the State Police is a serious issue.
“They are literally running on fumes. They’re running out of money for vehicle maintenance or radar equipment,” Barnard said. […]
Other law enforcement advocates said youth crime-diversion programs are serving fewer teens because they haven’t gotten state funding since last summer. More than half of the state’s counties that participate in Redeploy Illinois, which provides counseling to teens at risk of incarceration, have left the program, affecting almost 300 youths who would have been served, according to a survey by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. The survey also found that about 1,800 youths no longer have access to after-school programs and that community-based centers that help runaways have cut staff.
One member of the panel, St. Clair County State Attorney Brendan Kelly, commended Rauner’s goal during the news conference with other law enforcement officials, but said it’s undermined by the budget crisis.
“Criminal justice reform, it’s not just the right thing to do, it’s a smart thing to do and we all understand that,” he said. “It reduces crime. But we need to move forward — we need to move forward with that criminal justice reform and this budget impasse. We’re not moving forward; we’re moving the exact opposite direction.”
Rauner said it’s “a tragedy” that the state still lacks a budget but added that the criminal justice system “has been broken in Illinois for decades.” He said the failure to pass balanced budgets and polices that grow the economy are partly to blame.
Because we haven’t had balanced budgets, businesses leave, we lose jobs, people become unemployed, crime goes up, human service needs go up because we’re not growing our economy,” he said.
And he’s merely an innocent bystander to the “tragedy.”
* The law enforcement officials handed out this info yesterday…
Hours after the Illinois House failed to override Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a higher education funding bill, the chamber’s Democratic leader announced a new plan to fund universities, community colleges and grants to low-income students — along with several human services programs.
The House will be asked Thursday to consider a bill that would fund the programs at the same levels as the General Assembly approved in May, said Steve Brown, a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago. That funding is tied to another measure that would do away with a requirement that the state repay within 18 months about $450 million that was borrowed from special funds to plug holes in last year’s budget.
Funding for higher education and some human services has been caught up in a deadlock between Rauner and Democratic leaders in the Legislature, now in its ninth month.
Brown called the plan announced Wednesday evening “a new compromise effort that contains an agreed funding source.”
Still, the roll call has some political benefits for Madigan, who also is chairman of the state Democratic Party, because he once again got Republicans on the record as voting against higher education funding. That allows his Democratic candidates to send out election-year mailers highlighting their support. […]
But the matter is far from over, as a Madigan spokesman said late Wednesday that the House would consider an alternative proposal to fund higher education Thursday. It relies in part on dollars from special funds, as well as a provision in Rauner’s most recent budget proposal that would allow the state to forgo repaying more than $450 million it borrowed from similar funds to plug a deficit last year.
The measure also funds various programs outside of higher education, including millions for drug and alcohol treatment, autism therapy and homeless prevention programs. Madigan spokesman Steve Brown painted it as a “compromise,” but Rauner’s office dismissed it as “more phony budgeting” by Democrats.
* Voices for Illinois Children’s Emily Miller is not exactly happy about this “compromise” development…
Hi Rich,
Voices’ Fiscal Policy Center has been taking a look at HB2990, amendment 1. While it appropriates about $3 billion out of general funds to vital areas such as universities, MAP grants, and a range of unfunded human services, it does not appear to be backed by new revenue (or a plan to raise new revenue) needed to pay for these services now and going forward.
An amendment to HB648 allows the state not to repay $454 million borrowed from other funds at the end of FY15—the so-called “patch.” Obviously, that dollar amount is significantly short of the proposed appropriated amount. But more importantly, deciding not to repay money it borrowed doesn’t mean the state has suddenly found resources to use on a long-term basis.
Until lawmakers and the governor are also willing to say they want to reform and modernize the tax code, which must include (insert gasp) raising income taxes, the reality is that the state will continue to increase its debt. Promising to pay for things we don’t have money for means the backlog increases.
Problem Identified: We want to pay for things but we don’t have the money to pay for them.
Solution: Create, vote for, and sign a plan to responsibly generate revenue to pay for things.
* According to this poll, the governor’s disapproval rating is higher than his approval rating in every region of the state…
Illinois voters have become more polarized about the performance of Gov. Bruce Rauner in the past year, according to the latest poll by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University.
There are 50 percent who disapprove of the job the Republican chief executive is doing while 41 percent approve. The rest were undecided.
That is a marked change of opinion in a year. After only a few months in office in 2015, there were 37 percent who approved and 31 percent who disapproved while 32 percent still didn’t know.
In other words, both his approval rating and his disapproval ratings have increased because fewer people have no opinion.
The latest poll of 1,000 registered voters was taken Feb. 15-20 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Rauner’s worst ratings come from Chicago, where 34 percent approve and 58 percent disapprove. Opinion is more evenly divided in the suburbs, where 43 percent approve and 47 percent disapprove. Downstate, the numbers are similar: 43 percent approve and 49 percent disapprove.
“Public opinion in Illinois is deeply divided over the Governor’s job performance and deeply divided on a variety of issues that are challenging the state and state government to meet the needs and expectations of the public,” observed John S. Jackson, a visiting professor at the Institute and one of the designers of the poll.
The poll also found:
* Illinois voters - an overwhelming 84 percent - say the state is on the “wrong track.” Only 9 percent say things are headed in the right direction.
* Illinois voters felt only slightly better about the direction of the country: 63 percent said the nation was going in the wrong direction and 29 percent chose “right direction.”
* Voters are much more positive about their city or local area. Half (50 percent) said things were moving in the right direction and only 42 percent chose wrong direction for their local city or area.
* Asked about the overall quality of life in their local area, 51 percent rated their quality of life as “excellent” or “good.” Only 16 percent rated it as “not so good” or “poor” and 32 percent chose “average.”
Since last July, Illinois has been caught in a budget stalemate between the governor and the Democratic majority controlling the General Assembly. There are few signs of the impasse breaking soon.
The poll found that about a third, 32 percent, said they or “someone in [their] immediate family has been affected by the Illinois budget stalemate,” while 62 percent of voters didn’t feel they had been affected.
“One reason this stalemate goes on is many simply don’t feel it is effecting their lives,” said David Yepsen, director of the Institute. “Those people aren’t likely to be pressuring policy-makers to do something to break the logjam.”
“Many programs that are funded are being paid for with loans or one-time money and that can’t go on forever,” Yepsen said.
Those who said they or their families had been directly affected were asked in what specific way they had been impacted:
* 27 percent said they had lost a job or their job had been threatened by the budget impasse.
* 27 percent said they had been impacted by cuts in social services.
* Another 15 percent said they had been affected by cuts to higher education or cuts to the MAP grant program for low income students.
* 10 percent said they had been hit by child care costs or loss of services and another 10 percent said the local economy had been negatively impacted by Illinois’ budget problems.
* And we appear to be at a record low “right direction” for the state…
Oof.
* One more. Of the 32 percent who said that they or a member of their immediate family had been affected by the stalemate, here are their self-supplied answers for how…
Do you have the letter that blames Madigan if K-12 schools are held up over the budget impasse that Rauner is sending to superintendents? If not, I can send it to you
Already had it, but it doesn’t blame Madigan by name…
* The Senate just overrode Gov. Rauner’s veto of the MAP grant funding bill. Responses are rolling in ahead of an anticipated House vote today. From Catherine Kelly, Press Secretary for Governor Rauner…
“SB 2043 can only become law if Representative Franks or Representative Drury succumb to pressure from Speaker Madigan and flip their votes to force a massive tax hike on the people of Illinois. These members sided with taxpayers the first time around because this is a sham bill and an empty promise to students. We believe these members will do the right thing to ensure taxpayers are not left holding the bag. All of us want to fund higher education and MAP, and we stand ready to work with the General Assembly to find ways to do so without adding to the deficit or forcing a massive tax increase.”
* Senate President John Cullerton…
“The governor has repeatedly let these students down, students who were promised financial aid by his administration. Today’s vote is an attempt to give the governor the opportunity to honor his administration’s commitments and prove that education is the priority he says it is.”
* Sen. Gary Forby…
As John A. Logan College sends out letters to faculty announcing they will be laying off roughly 55 employees due to the budget impasse, the Illinois Senate voted to override Governor Bruce Rauner’s veto of a measure that would free up funds to help prevent this from happening.
State Senator Gary Forby (D-Benton) who represents the part of Southern Illinois where the college is located, said he is glad to see that his colleagues in the Senate took a stand on Wednesday to show Gov. Rauner that he can’t get in the way of Illinois students.
“Today we had a win,” said Forby. “We showed the governor that we will not allow him to take away important opportunities for Southern Illinois college students. If we want our citizens to be prepared to enter the workforce, one important step is making sure they have access to education.”
Senate Bill 2043 would give the governor the spending authority to honor his administration’s commitments to the student financial aid program known as the Monetary Award Program.
The Senate overrode the veto on Wednesday and it will now go to the House for a vote.
* Sen. Jacqueline Collins…
At the heart of competitiveness is opportunity. When Illinois provides qualified, motivated students with genuine opportunities, our entire state reaps the benefits.
It is infuriatingly unnecessary that in order to improve their prospects and make the most of their talents, many of our state’s young people find they must leave Illinois – if they have the resources to do so. Too many do not. They live with the disappointment of a dream deferred, and meanwhile, our economic vitality, our quest for equality and our struggle for stronger communities wither on the vine.
The House and Senate have repeatedly voted to release funds for MAP grants so that qualified, low-income students can continue to receive a college education. Yet the governor has ignored the pleas of countless students who want nothing more than to better themselves and our state. He has vetoed this legislation, jeopardizing not only the prospects of MAP grant recipients, but the continued survival of one of Illinois’ greatest assets – its public institutions of higher learning. Already, more than a thousand MAP grant recipients have been forced to stop going to class. They simply cannot afford to foot the bill while the state fails them.
I was proud to vote with my colleagues today to override the governor’s irresponsible veto, which has the effect of consigning to poverty and underemployment a generation of young people who hold the future of Illinois in their hands. I urge the House to follow the Senate’s lead as soon as possible.
* IFT…
Today, in response to the Illinois Senate’s override of Governor Rauner’s veto of SB 2043 — a bill that would fund Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants for low-income students and provide funding for community colleges — Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery issued the following statement:
“We applaud the leadership shown by Senators who voted to reverse the Governor’s irresponsible veto and provide a lifeline to low-income students and community colleges who are suffering at the hand of Rauner’s misplaced priorities. More than 100,000 Illinois students are now one step closer to receiving the tuition assistance they need to fulfill their college dreams and prepare for a career.
The Governor blames others for his own failure to lead, but it was Governor Rauner alone who vetoed this bill. It was Governor Rauner alone who claimed education was his priority yet proposed a 25% across-the-board cut to our colleges and universities. And it is Governor Rauner alone who is starving our schools and social services to the brink of collapse before he would ask the very wealthy to pay a dime more. We commend the State Senate for doing the right thing, and urge House Republicans to choose students over partisan politics.”
Wednesday, Mar 2, 2016 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Scott Credit Union, headquartered in Edwardsville, was recently recognized for its partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA) to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in area schools.
“The American Heart Association designed the CPR training program for schools that include scientifically advanced CPR kits,” said SCU Community Relations Supervisor Jennifer Hess. Scott Credit Union signed on with the AHA to fully fund 15 CPR kits for 12 schools in the Illinois counties of Madison, Monroe and St. Clair. The local credit union funded the initiative, which started in January of 2015, at a cost of $35,000 over 3 years, Hess noted.
“An Illinois bill passed in May of 2014 mandates that students receive CPR education before they graduate high school,” Hess said. “With funding becoming increasingly scarce for Illinois schools, this was an excellent opportunity for Scott Credit Union to step in to help fulfill the mission of a community partner while also benefitting local students and schools.”
Scott Credit Union has made giving back to its communities a major priority, contributing significant funding and over 2,400 volunteer hours to a variety of local civic efforts throughout the region in 2015.
Tribune Publishing’s transformation under new Chairman Michael Ferro picked up pace Wednesday with the announcement of sweeping leadership changes across the Chicago-based media company.
Ferro, a technology entrepreneur who became the largest shareholder and chairman of Tribune Publishing last month, also announced he was donating his ownership stake in the Chicago Sun-Times to a charitable trust to avoid perceived conflicts of interest.
The core organizational changes at Tribune Publishing combine the roles of publisher and editor-in-chief, leaving one less name atop the mastheads of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and the chain’s other major daily newspapers.
Bruce Dold, who succeeded Gerould Kern as editor-in-chief of the Chicago Tribune two weeks ago, also will serve as publisher. Tony Hunter, publisher of the Chicago Tribune since 2008, was promoted to president of national revenue and strategic initiatives at Tribune Publishing, a new position.
I wrote a few days ago to share my opposition to a proposed bailout of the Chicago public schools.
On Thursday morning, I read a response by state Rep. Ron Sandack, who defended his bailout legislation. I will again repeat my opposition to bailing out Chicago Public Schools and putting at risk taxpayer dollars. These attempts to draw attention and resources away from the classrooms in our area are simply wrong. We send millions of our tax dollars to Chicago schools every year, and I believe less of our money needs to be going to Chicago, not more.
Rep. Sandack has never spoken to the taxpayers I represent, so I can excuse him for not realizing that when we hear politicians promise that their proposals “won’t cost taxpayers a dime,” we instinctively guard our wallets.
The truth is, the approach Rauner and his allies are proposing would put state officials in charge of the Chicago Public Schools while offering no legal assurance that taxpayers in our area will not be on the hook for the Chicago Public Schools’ billion dollar deficit. We cannot afford to bail out Chicago, and I am going to make our voices heard.
Since Rep. Sandack says he shares my belief that local taxpayers should not be forced to bail out Chicago, I invite him to join me and the people I represent by signing my petition at www.nochicagobailout.com/Cloonen.
John Adams once said “facts are stubborn things.” And so they are with state Rep. Kate Cloonen who is entitled to her own opinions … but not her own facts.
Fact: Representative Cloonen voted to put House Speaker Mike Madigan in charge – and now he and Democratic Senate President John Cullerton are publicly rejecting the governor’s call to protect taxpayers from a Chicago bailout.
Fact: Cloonen’s leaders – Madigan and Cullerton – are actually demanding a bailout for Chicago, to the tune of about $500 million, while Governor Rauner and Republican leaders refuse to support one.
Fact: Cullerton has threatened to hold up money for your local school districts until Springfield changes the school funding formula to take money away from suburban schools and give it to Chicago.
Those are the inconvenient facts; the very facts Rep. Cloonen has been silent about it while her political bosses demand a $500 million Chicago bailout, oppose giving CPS the ability to go bankrupt and threaten to hijack funding for your local schools.
So I would ask Rep. Cloonen to answer two simple questions if she truly stands with Governor Rauner and Republican leaders in opposing a Chicago bailout:
1) Will you support legislation to give Chicago Public Schools the authority to declare bankruptcy and restructure its finances, to ensure no one outside Chicago pays for Chicago’s mistakes?
2) Will you support and urge your leaders to swiftly approve Governor Rauner’s K-12 school funding proposal with no strings attached, ensuring we keep schools open in the fall and don’t hold them hostage to Chicago’s financial schemes?
If Rep. Cloonen answers yes to both questions, we look forward to joining in her in a bipartisan effort to prevent a Chicago bailout. If she dodges either of these questions, we will know what she’s really up to.
Ron Sandack
R-Downers Grove, state representative, 81st District
Governor Rauner and members of the General Assembly today discussed bipartisan legislation to reform Illinois’ criminal justice system. The three bills came from recommendations by the Governor’s Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform Commission.
“Today we are taking action to reform the criminal justice system in Illinois,” Governor Rauner said. “This package of bills takes the first steps to break the cycle of recidivism, by aiming to reduce both prison admissions and the length of someone’s prison stay. I thank the legislative sponsors for their work on these important pieces of legislation.”
The three bills deal with judicial sentencing, electronic monitoring and providing offenders ID cards when leaving prison. The proposed legislation includes:
· SB 3164 requires review of a pre-sentencing report, as well as an explanation of why incarceration is appropriate for offenders with no prior probation sentences or prison convictions prior to sentencing. Last year, nearly 60 percent of new prison admissions for Class 3 or 4 felonies had no prior convictions for violent crimes. Sending low-level offenders with no prior probation or other convictions inefficiently uses prison resources and potentially makes low-level offenders more susceptible to reoffending. This legislation is sponsored by Sen. Michael Connelly and Rep. Brian Stewart.
· SB 3294 expands the use of electronic monitoring to help transition offenders back into society. This will increase public safety by more effectively focusing IDOC’s supervision and programming resources to reduce recidivism. This legislation is sponsored by Sen. Kwame Raoul and Rep. Elgie Sims.
· SB 3368 requires the Secretary of State and the Illinois Department of Corrections work together to provide state identification so offenders can transition into society more easily. This legislation is sponsored by Sen. Karen McConnaughay and Rep. John Cabello.
“Criminal justice reform is an essential step towards reducing the number of people incarcerated in the Illinois,” State Sen. Michael Connelly (R-Wheaton) said. “Governor Rauner’s administration is following the lead that has been put into place by several southern Republican governors; including Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina and former Governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Rick Perry of Texas were the leaders of this movement, who reformed their criminal justice systems.”
“I am committed to reforming Illinois’ criminal justice system and applaud Governor Rauner for his support in this historic endeavor,” State Rep Brian W. Stewart (R-Freeport) said. “As a former law enforcement officer I have witnessed many needed changes to the current system. The bipartisan bills we have developed will hopefully set the standard for other states to follow as we work towards meaningful reform.”
“The work of the Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform Commission is furthering shared goals of reducing recidivism, strengthening communities ravaged by both crime and the effects of excessive incarceration, using resources efficiently and expanding best practices backed by solid data,” State Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) said. “The legislative package we are putting on the table today is another encouraging step forward, but there is much work left to be done, and these collaborative efforts must continue.”
“The introduction of these first few measures mark the beginning of our long journey to reform our failing criminal justice system,” State Rep. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) said. “These are excellent ideas that we’ve worked on in a bipartisan way to correct the problem of an out-of-date justice system in Illinois. I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to install even more recommendations from the Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform Commission in order to move Illinois closer to a more fair and responsible system.”
“Ensuring public safety remains a top legislative priority for me, which is why I am supporting Gov. Rauner’s criminal justice reform proposal that will help keep violent offenders off the streets, reduce recidivism, and assist offenders in successful re-entry,” said State Sen. Karen McConnaughay (R-St. Charles). “As a sponsor of Senate Bill 3368, I believe it is extremely important that former offenders are issued a state identification card that will help them successfully transition back into society.”
Really good stuff in there and I’m glad to see the governor is finally trumpeting these proposals.
“Here’s what I see,” Dunkin said recently at a Chicago campaign event, “after we’re successful March 15, you’re going to see other Democratic members standing up for their constituents by doing what’s right for citizens across the state and in their district. They’re going to say, ‘Oh, wow, Dunkin survived the Mike Madigan wrath.’”
Or, I suppose, they could say, “Oh, wow, did you see how they roughed up Dunkin?”
* The Question: Assuming, for a moment, that Rep. Dunkin wins, do you think that will cause a significant number of Democrats to break with Speaker Madigan? a href=”http://www.easypolls.net/poll.html?p=56d72bb7e4b04a434be4fd16″>Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
The lowest state jobless rate for black workers in the country matches the highest rate for white workers in a new analysis.
At 6.7%, Virginia’s black unemployment rate was the lowest in the nation in the fourth quarter. That rate happens to be the same as the jobless rate for white workers in West Virginia, the worst in the country, according to a report from the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute. […]
In January, black workers faced a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 8.8%, compared with 4.3% for whites and 4.9% overall.
The worst state for black Americans looking for work? That was Illinois, where the jobless rate was 13.1% in the fourth quarter.
Predominantly African-American neighborhoods in Chicago have seen poverty rise and services diminish even as the nation’s third largest city has become less racially segregated, according to a study released on Wednesday.
While Chicago has become more racially balanced over the decades with more neighborhoods showing no majority populations, black areas are seeing economic stagnation or decline, according to the study by the Chicago Urban League, which promotes progress for blacks.
“This is not a situation that’s getting better. This is a situation that’s getting worse,” said Stephanie Bechteler, director of research and evaluation for the Chicago Urban League. “We must put forth time and effort to make a change.”
Despite the progress on racial integration, Bechteler said the city has a long way to go. She noted that the Brookings Institution late last year found that Chicago remained the third most segregated city in the United States behind Milwaukee and New York City.
At the 2016 Illinois Pork Expo in Springfield Feb. 16, Gov. Bruce Rauner praised the state’s pork producers for being “business builders.”
* And, of course, he has said time and time again that education funding was his highest priority, even without the money to pay for it. From yesterday…
Rauner told reporters that other parts of the state’s budget are important, but none more so than schools.
“No matter what, we should make sure our schools open and they have more money. No matter what else,” he said.
Zero. That’s the funding amount Governor Bruce Rauner has proposed for agriculture education.
More than 1,000 FFA members were at the statehouse Tuesday meeting with legislators and fighting for funding. Without that funding, Ag education leaders say, important programs will be eliminated.
Some of our state’s future farmers, engineers, biologists, and more have been put on a path towards agriculture by what they’ve learned in school. [..]
In recent years, state funding has been whittled down to just $1.8 million from the board of education’s recommended $3 million.
Now Governor Rauner wants to eliminate funding altogether.
This is the second year in a row that Rauner has proposed killing off that program.
The video is worth a look, even though the reverend’s statement is nonsense. It ends with the governor’s office asking Jackson to come to the table and discuss the budget in detail. “Dollar, dime detail,” a spokesman said.
* Speaker Madigan is this year’s grand marshal for the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade. From his parade committee bio…
Speaker Michael J. Madigan has throughout his time in the Legislature pursued a mandate to implement policies that benefit the working people of Illinois. A Democrat, Madigan is the longest serving speaker in state history, having held the position continuously since 1983, except for the years 1995-1996.
Madigan has worked to build bipartisan consensus on difficult issues and is keenly conscious of his responsibility to ensure equitable treatment for all regions of the state. During his time leading the House, he has worked with governors and legislators to shape policies that have fundamentally altered the state’s course for the better. Madigan has been a driving force behind laws to: expand health care access, improve education funding and standards, increase wages and benefits, strengthen civil rights, reduce crime, preserve the environment, strengthen the state’s economy, build critical transportation infrastructure, reform government ethics and election campaign practices, and protect consumers. Above all, he has endeavored to make government’s daily workings and the legislative process more transparent and accountable to the citizens of the state.
* From Emily Miller at Voices for Illinois Children…
Hi Rich-
With Illinois’ higher ed system on the brink of collapse due to the lack of a budget, it’s natural that a higher ed fix is at top of mind for the governor, lawmakers and the media. But it’s worth remembering that for every high profile budget hostage (like MAP grant recipients and higher ed institutions) there are thousands of individual untold stories of lives impacted, and in some cases ruined, by the lack of a fully funded state budget.
Today, Voices for Illinois Children released an update to our September report outlining the devastating human impact the budget impasse continues to have on children, families and communities. It provides a useful closer look at some of the pain the ongoing budget stand-off is causing in relation to 60 line items across the state, particularly for seniors, children and underserved families.
By all accounts (that I’ve heard, anyway) it seems likely that this year’s budget stand-off will creep well in to the next fiscal year, leaving these programs, and the families they serve, unfunded for an indefinite amount of time. That’s unconscionable.
The crisis of the day is the destruction of our higher education system, but we shouldn’t forget the other foreseeable and preventable results of not having a fully-funded budget, including:
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Services: The Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative, a program that works with medical providers statewide to ensure that pregnant women who are HIV-positive deliver HIV-negative babies, will close its doors in October of 2016 unless funding is restored. The program saves the state about $35 million each year, and without it, there will be babies who could have been born HIV-negative that will be born HIV-positive.
The Autism Project of Illinois: Nearly 1,800 families across the state have either lost services or are at risk of losing critical autism services after TAP closed its doors on September 30, 2015. Previously, TAP was a national leader in providing services and supports to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). One in 68 children has been identified as having ASD by the Centers for Disease Control.
Home-delivered Meals for Seniors: Roughly 3,200 seniors have lost home-delivered meal services statewide. In DuPage County, the DuPage Senior Citizens Council has cut program staff by 55% and has closed its community dining program. In Rockford, 250 meal slots have been eliminated, bringing the number of seniors on the wait list for meals to 400. A Rockford provider, Lifescape Community Services, reports serving 17,000 fewer meals in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015.
Sexual Assault Services and Prevention: All 29 agencies serving survivors of sexual assault have instituted furloughs and left staff vacancies unfilled. Agencies across the state have instituted waitlists for counseling services. One center reports 65 survivors are on a waiting list for critical trauma-centered sexual assault counseling services in Chicago alone.
Substance Abuse and Prevention Programs: Approximately 47,000 individuals across the state have been denied services or have had reduced service delivery, and most providers have a waiting list of 3 months or longer. That leaves many adults with substance abuse disorders at risk of entering the criminal justice system—a much more costly outcome for the state.
Centers for Independent Living: In FY14, Centers for Independent Living (CIL) served 95 of Illinois’ 102 counties, equipping people with disabilities with resources, supports, and skills to live independently. CILs across the state, including Chicago, Swansea, Joliet, and Alton, have instituted furloughs and layoffs, jeopardizing the roughly 63,430 direct services and information and referrals that were provided in FY14.
Support Services for Seniors: Home Care and Adult Day Care have been especially hard hit. Lutheran Social Services of Illinois closed 7 home care and adult day care centers, eliminating services for 2,355 seniors in Canton, Chicago, DeKalb, Freeport, Moline, Peoria and Rockford. LSSI also cut case management and adult protective services programs for 2,713 seniors in Sterling, IL. The lack of state investment in home care services leaves more than 25,000 seniors at risk of losing services across Cook and Lake Counties.
When words have failed to break the state budget impasse, social services providers and young artists are turning to another tactic – art. On behalf of the Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY), a statewide network of organizations delivering programs, services and advocacy for at-risk youth and families, I wanted to let you know that artists from Chicago will take to the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday, March 2, with tapestries and paintings that illustrate the damage from the ongoing deadlock. We’d love for you to take a look and speak to provider organizations, advocates for youth programs that are being cut, and artists themselves: all will be in the Rotunda from 8am-11am.
I’ve attached a release, along with images of some of the work that will be on display. By way of background, the art protest was organized by ICOY and the Beverly Area Arts Alliance to illustrate the damage from the ongoing deadlock. The centerpiece of the artists’ work is a six by sixteen foot tapestry tying together 4,000 torn strips of fabric, each one representing 10 of the 40,000 youth served by programs in the ICOY network affected by the absence of a state budget. Additional smaller tapestries and a work in progress demonstrate the continued expansion of those affected under the impasse. The project has been created with help from Chicago youth residents of a homeless shelter, a girl scout troop, Southside artists and numerous community members, many of whom brought pieces of fabric salvaged from significant personal items, adding weight to the expression of human lives being torn apart. Additional fabrics were donated by The Quilter’s Trunk. Several artists of the Alliance will also exhibit paintings inspired by the suffering the budget impasse creates.
I very much hope you can stop by – and, of course, post an item.
