Michael Randle, who was chosen by Gov. Pat Quinn in May to serve as director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, was on the hot seat Wednesday as members of the Illinois Senate Executive Appointments committee considered whether to recommend Randle to the $150,000-per-year post overseeing one of Illinois’ largest agencies.
State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, asked Randle about the results of an investigative report that accused Randle of not disclosing his personal relationship with college friend Keith Key when Randle was working in Ohio’s prison system.
The Ohio report notes Randle did not benefit financially from Key’s arrangement, but the deal cost taxpayers there about $40,000 in added costs. […]
“I would characterize it as not going a step further and actually reporting a relationship that started 25 years ago in college,” Randle told the panel.
The Executive Appointments Committee unanimously approved his nomination and sent it to the floor.
State lawmakers today say they are negotiating a plan to cut back the blanket free ride privileges for seniors on Chicago area mass transit and replace it with a program that is restricted to people with lower incomes.
The proposal was outlined by Republican leaders following a morning meeting involving House and Senate leaders from both parties and Chicago transit officials. It has yet to be presented to rank and file lawmakers, but supports want to act on the plan this week during the remaining three days of the fall legislative session.
Under the proposal, the free ride program for all seniors would end March 1. After that, only seniors 65 and older who qualify for the state’s low-income Circuit Breaker program would be able to ride for free. For a single person, that translates to a maximum income of $22,218 a year.
The move is predicted to save the Regional Transit Authority an estimated $37 million, including $25 million for the Chicago Transit Authority, $10 million for Metra and $2 million for Pace. In addition, $8.5 million the Illinois Department of Transportation would have provided this year to offset the costs of the free rides would instead be used to help pay for paratransit, a door-to-door transit service for the disabled.
The House Executive Committee advanced the plan today, as well as this…
The House Executive Committee also approved a massive overhaul of state oversight of the cemetery industry. The 240-page bill was drafted in response to revelations that a Chicago-area cemetery dug up bodies and resold the grave sites.
The bill is drawing opposition from cemeteries owned by religious denominations, which said they will incur increased costs from the legislation while there is no evidence church-owned cemeteries have caused any problems.
Officials representing publicly owned cemeteries also expressed concerns about costs, including Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin.
* Most of us have known for many years now that Illinois is last or close to last in the number of state employees per capita. A new study by AFSCME shows we’re now just slightly behind Indiana…
What [AFSMCE] did is examine U.S. Census data on employment in the 50 states, and then compare it to the latest state population estimates. What he found is that Illinois, which has been reducing its employee headcount for several years and is threatening to do more cutting, actually ranks 49th in state employees per capita.
Yes, you read that right. Next to dead last, just above Indiana. In a country in which the average state employs 85 workers per 10,000 residents, Illinois has only 54, just a few tenths of a point ahead of cheapskate Indiana.
Moreover, according to the data, Illinois’ relative position has been dropping. The state ranked 47th in 2002, but since then has failed to replace a ton of workers who left in a 2002-03 early-retirement program.
* The Senate recessed to the call of the chair shortly after 1 o’clock. Both parties will caucus before committees meet. The House has delayed the scheduled noon session start until 2:30. Here are a couple of “Retweets” from my Twitter page…
@ILSenateGOP Sen. Righter will hold a press conference following the redistricting hearing this morning. [Presser] scheduled for 12:30
@melissahahn The Ill. Society of Civil Engineers was supposed to hold a news conf. here, but didn’t show up. Not very civil of them.
* Completely unrelated, but the Tribune is reporting that Chris Kelly died after injesting rat poison and a pain reliever.
* Related…
* Compromise sought on STAR bonds: With a potential $200 million amusement park waiting in the wings, supporters of a major Metro East development now are banking on a compromise to get a key tax incentive plan through the Illinois Legislature. The issue is expected to come up in Springfield as early as today, the first day of the three-day veto session. Sources say parties are negotiating what is being dubbed the STAR Bonds Recapture Fund, a measure that would give Metro East communities a potential funding replacement for sales tax money lost with the implementation of a STAR bonds district.
* Durkin and Connelly move to overturn Quinn’s EO 09-15: Unless EO 09-15 is rescinded families who care for their seriously disabled family members in their own homes will be forced to ward off purple-t-shirted SEIU visitors and AFSCME phone calls every year. Despite the fact parents overwhelmingly voted against joining either union last Monday, Quinn’s EO 09-15 opens the way for a vote to be taken annually.
* The Immortal Managed Care Myth: The latest Republican official to predict gigantic cost savings without showing any support for the claim is State Rep. Dennis Reboletti (R-Addison), who suggested Monday on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight that Illinois could save “over $1 billion dollars” by moving patients into a private managed care network.
* Funeral directors may soon double as traffic cops
McKenna, 52, of Chicago, vowed to not support a tax hike to repair the state’s money mess. But he refused to say whether seniors should continue to get free bus and train rides — a move Blagojevich initiated but that might be scaled back because of budget constraints.
That issue is a whole lot more volatile than many are willing to admit.
“Illinoisans have a track record, fortunately, of not letting people buy any major office, whether it’s a U.S. Senate seat or governorship,” said Senator Kirk Dillard, (R) Candidate for Governor. […]
“There’s no question that Andy McKenna is a Chicago politician. There’s also no question that his father’s wealth is the only reason he can get into this race,” said Senator Bill Brady, (R) Candidate for Governor.
Nevertheless, some are upset that last spring, when McKenna was party chairman, he may have had access to information about the others’ campaigns.
“If he is sitting there talking to us as the party chairman and in the back of his mind he’s looking at us as competition, I think that’s wrong,” said DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, , (R) Candidate for Governor.
Schillerstrom says McKenna has an “epic” conflict of interest because he laid the groundwork for running while he chaired the Illinois Republican Party. The DuPage County Board chairman also says McKenna’s desire to be governor is just “a millionaire’s whimsy.”
Oof.
* In other news, Republican US Senate candidate Patrick Hughes is apparently still struggling to get his nominating petitions signed. From an e-mail solicitation that I’ve redacted…
My name is xxx xxxx and I work for a company called Proud to be Republicn (http://www.facebook.com/l/03bf7;www.proudtoberepublican.com). We are assisting Pat Hughes in finishing up with his campaign signatures and need some help.
We are located in Oak Brook and have been acquiring signatures locally but would like the assistance of a college organization to help us with the younger population. Your group has acquired a large number of followers and seems to understand the problems that Illinois is going through. If you or any other members of your organization would be interested in helping us support Pat Hughes please contact me.
Feel free to call me at (800)xxx-xxx or via email at xxxx@xxxx.xxx. I will forward you all the information we have avaliable on Pat Hughes. He is also paying for signatures which is a nice incentive. Please remember the petitions are due on Monday so this is an urgent matter.
I called this person for comment, but haven’t heard back.
* The Alexi Giannoulias campaign blasted Democratic opponent David Hoffman for soliciting campaign contributions from current and former assistant US Attorneys…
“The last thing the Illinois culture of corruption needs is political candidates soliciting the lead agency responsible for investigating corruption,” Giannoulias campaign manager Tom Bowen said in a statement. “If we are going to be serious about reform, we have to act seriously. Hoffman should cancel the fundraiser, refuse money from current federal prosecutors and refuse to take contributions from employees of the U.S. Attorney’s office.”
“Alexi Giannoulias just retired the award for political hypocrisy,” spokesman Thom Karmik said. “For months, he’s been trumpeting the lie that he’s emulating Barack Obama’s ethical standards by not taking corporate PAC money. But Obama swore off all PAC money in his presidential campaign. By taking thousands of dollars in non-corporate PAC money, Alexi’s failed to meet Obama’s standard while trying to fool the voters.
“Among Alexi’s latest PAC contributions is one from the Community Bankers Association. That association is leading the fight in Washington against President Obama’s efforts to pass tougher financial regulations to protect consumers. Instead of throwing stones from his glass house, Alexi ought to return that contribution.
“And while he’s at it, he can reveal for the first time how many millions of dollars in dividends he took out of his family bank while its loans were failing and the FDIC put it on its “watch list.” Perhaps that’s why he’s refusing David’s challenge to release his tax returns for the past five years - another standard Barack Obama set that Alexi’s refused to honor.”
Yikes.
A growing concern among some Democrats is that this will turn into another 1992 US Senate primary. Back then, a wealthy attorney spent a fortune attacking the frontrunner (Democratic US Sen. Alan Dixon) and that helped a relatively unknown African-American female candidate (Carol Moseley-Braun) win. The difference now, of course is that the relatively unknown black Democratic female, Cheryle Jackson, carries a whole lot of baggage because she was Rod Blagojevich’s press secretary. And Jackson would be up against a very formidable Republican opponent in Mark Kirk, unlike CM-B’s opponent, the sorely lacking Rich Williamson. The national GOP bailed on that ‘92 race. Barring catastrophe, they won’t bail this time.
* Related…
* Muslim journalist on trial as Israeli spy to speak at Rutgers: In 2003, as he was about to board a plane to Tel-Aviv, he was arrested and accused by Bangladeshi authorities of being a spy for Israel. Choudhury says he was tortured. He is now on trial for espionage, sedition, treason and blasphemy. The penalty for a conviction is death. The campaign to get the government of Bangladesh to drop all charges against Choudhury is being led by Dr. Richard Benkin of Illinois, who got the U.S. Congress — led by Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) — involved in the case.
* Senate candidate Giannoulias begins to unveil economic plan
* A Time To Rally The Base: When not recanting their previous positions, Republican candidates are showing themselves willing to endanger their general election prospects later to appeal to the base now.
* Republican Candidate Forum in Rockford: The Concerned Citizens of America held a candidate forum Monday night at the Stockholm Inn. Residents were able to hear from the republican candidates for U.S Senate. The group says it’s important to hold these forum’s before the primary. “This is the most important time,” said Chris Johnson Board Member for Concerned citizens for America. “Yes in the general election people break off as Democrats, Republicans, Independents, but we want our constituents to know who are the conservatives who will stand up for the needs of the American family.”
The Illinois Republican Party is inviting the public to submit questions for an upcoming debate of the GOP candidates running for governor. Questions can be sent to debate@ilgop.org
GOP officials are asking that submitters include name and hometown.
* The Question: What are your questions for the Republican gubernatorial candidates?
Try to keep the snark to a minimum. Thanks.
…Adding… I’ve asked all the GOP gubernatorial campaigns (plus the top two Democrats) to look at this post and choose a question or two and then provide a detailed answer. I’ll run those answers here tomorrow.
Workers enrolled in a state-funded program to provide job training tell Fox Chicago News they instead spent their time gathering signatures on petitions for political candidates.
A Fox Chicago News investigation found several Earnfare workers who said they were told to pass petitions for Cook County Board President candidate Dorothy Brown, among other candidates. […]
The workers said they were assigned to do clerical work and maintenance for the Mother’s House social service organization at 49th and Ashland on Chicago’s south side. When Fox Chicago News visited the agency on Tuesday, we found stacks of blank political petitions on a table in the office.
We also found Hassan Muhammad, a political field director for Brown’s campaign. He denied the Earnfare workers were being used for political work, and then pushed a Fox Chicago cameraman out of the office.
* Meanwhile, back at the Statehouse, Gov. Pat Quinn refused to say where he stands on the issue of capping the amount of contributions made by legislative leaders and political parties…
[Quinn] told reporters Tuesday he wants “to put the people back in politics in Illinois and take big money out of it.”
But he would not say whether that includes contribution limits on parties and leaders.
“We have to look at all the laws as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court as well. You have to comply with the fundamental law of our country. It’s an endeavor you have to work with a lot of different people, groups, individuals, both in and out of the legislature. The bottom line is to have reform.”
“Any proposal not fully endorsed by Change Illinois will not have my support,” says House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego, drawing a line in the sand on an issue that hits at the core of how politics is played in Illinois.
The Daily Herald polled suburban legislators on the issue…
Of the 20 suburban House Republicans who responded to a survey by the Daily Herald, 13 said they will not vote for legislation if it lacks party limits. Only two said they might not withhold their support. Five declined to say directly either way, holding out to see a final measure.
On the other side of the aisle, just one out of eight suburban House Democrats said they would withhold support. Four said they will vote for legislation without party limits, and three declined to give a firm “yes” or “no.”
The split is a bit less dramatic in the Senate where two of five suburban Senate Democrats said they will not vote for legislation that lacks party limits. Three of nine Republicans said the same.
* DuPage Democrats may be on the hook for health care forum costs: A report from Auditor Bob Grogan suggested the $5,142.13 sought for a variety of security and support services provided at the Sept. 15 forum at the county administration building “did not appear to be formally sanctioned by the county board or a (board) committee.”
* Gov. Pat Quinn is a well-known champion of veterans rights and benefits. Today, for instance, he’s announcing a new “Veterans’ Cash Stars & Stripes” lottery ticket.
But the Pantagraph just noticed something about the state’s veterans scholarship program. It’s no longer being funded…
In trying to shift as much money as possible to its biggest scholarship program, the state this year stopped reimbursing universities for giving veterans free tuition.
This summer, with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission facing a major cut in funding, the commission decided to shift almost all of its scholarship money to the need-based Monetary Award Program. But that meant programs like the Illinois Veterans Grant were shorted.
Veterans in Illinois still get free tuition at state schools. But the state won’t be reimbursing the universities for providing veterans a free education like they have in the past.
Gov. Pat Quinn wants to borrow another $900 million to keep state government afloat through the lean winter months.
With the state already months behind in paying its bills, Quinn said the traditional slowdown in tax collections between November and February could cause the nettlesome backlog to grow even larger.
“It’s a cash-management device,” Quinn told reporters following a meeting in the Capitol with legislative leaders.
Lawmakers might put the borrowed money into a special pot that would be used to pay state health-care costs, generating potentially another $400 million in matching federal funds. That also would free up money elsewhere to pay for the scholarships in Illinois’ Monetary Award Program.
The state comptroller and treasurer must approve a deal. A spokeswoman said Comptroller Dan Hynes had not heard about the plan. Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias said through a spokesman that funding higher education and paying backlogged bills will likely outweigh concern about continued borrowing.
Quinn said he expected no opposition to the December loan, including from Hynes, his opponent for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in February.
Despite the attack, Daley didn’t make clear how the assessor could have acted legally to alter the trajectory of the latest round of bills. The mayor also did not mention that new bills to Chicago residents reflect a $65 million City Hall property tax increase passed two years ago but that’s only showing up now. Houlihan spokesman Eric Herman blamed big hikes largely on the General Assembly’s decision to phase out a program designed to soften the effect on taxes of soaring property values earlier this decade. “This idea somehow that we’re going around jacking up everybody’s assessments is just fiction,” Herman said.
* Chicago hiring abuse report recommends suspension for city environment chief
Inspector general says deputy commissioner should be fired for trying to mislead investigators
* City Council hearings on Mayor Daley’s budget start today
* Council may reject any large pay hikes for cops: aldermen
If an independent arbitrator awards double-digit pay hikes to Chicago Police officers, there’s a good chance the City Council will reject it, some aldermen said Tuesday.
During closed-door briefings on the status of police negotiations, aldermen vented their anger about the fact that public safety employees who account for 70 percent of city spending have been exempt from furlough days and other cost-cutting concessions.
Some aldermen also served notice that City Council ratification can no longer be taken for granted.
A racially charged comment from former Cook County Board President Bobbie Steele had U.S. Senate hopeful Cheryle Jackson explaining the sentiments of her supporter Monday.
At a Sunday endorsement event for Democratic candidate Jackson, Steele asked, “Do we need another rich white man?”
“Cheryle believes anyone has a right to run for the Senate and she respects that right,” Jackson’s spokeswoman, Susan Chandler, said. “But the makeup of the Senate suggests that the glass ceiling exists and more needs to be done so that not only wealthy candidates can finance winning campaigns. We believe what Bobbie Steele meant to say was that Cheryl was the only candidate in this race who is not self-funded.”
I seriously doubt that Bobbie Steele meant to say that Jackson is the only self-funded candidate.
Weak, weak response by Jackson.
…Adding… Timing is everything. From an e-mail…
New primary media contact for Cheryle Jackson campaign
This is to introduce Susan Chandler, a former Chicago Tribune reporter who has joined the campaign as our in-house communications director. Susan will be your primary contact for the campaign moving forward.
* This is probably no big deal, but it’s what always results when a reformer tries to place himself above the fray and above reproach…
A former federal prosecutor running for U.S. Senate is holding a fundraiser next week where he’s asking current prosecutors for a “suggested minimum” political donation of $150.
The fundraiser for Democrat David Hoffman is scheduled for Nov. 3 at The Berghoff, the traditional spot of going-away parties for prosecutors that’s around the corner from their Dearborn Street offices.
Campaign spokesman Thom Karmik said Hoffman was reaching out to as many people as possible for support. He said the mailing was not sent to current assistant U.S. attorneys, but the campaign expects that former prosecutors and others will make them aware of the event.
The Hoffman campaign is seeking contributions of $250 from “friends” and up to $2,400 from “sponsors”—the maximum amount an individual can give a candidate in a federal primary, according to campaign literature for the event. You can read the invitation by clicking here: Download Hoffmanfundraiser
Assistant U.S. attorneys are allowed to make political contributions, so there’s nothing inherently wrong here.
And, frankly, when you run for office you ask the people you know for contributions. That’s the way it works. Hoffman knows those people at the US Attorney’s office. Why wouldn’t he ask them for money?
Still, when all money is deemed dirty, we get non-stories like this.
* I always had a huge amount of respect for Gary Hannig when he was in the House, and he appears to be doing a good job at IDOT, but he needs to get himself out of local politics right now.
A political fundraiser featuring Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig has been abruptly cancelled amid apparent concerns that it violated at least the spirit of new state ethics laws.
Mr. Hannig Tuesday morning pulled out of the event for state Sen. Michael Bond, D-Grayslake, after higher ups in Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration expressed concerns about the event. The cancellation came after I phoned both officials Monday evening with questions about the event.
A spokeswoman for both the governor and Mr. Hannig declined to go into details, but confirmed that the decision was “a combination” of views of both Mr. Hannig and the administration.
The invitation to the event highlighted the attendance of Mr. Hannig, whose department controls billions of dollars in highway contracts, and Michael Sturino, president of the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Assn., whose members compete to get those contracts.
There is absolutely no excuse for this. A fundraiser co-sponsored by the road builders? Sheesh. Didn’t he learn anything from Rod Blagojevich? Wait. Never mind. Apparently, he did. The wrong thing.
To be clear here, I have no issue with the road builders doing a funder for Bond. They have interests like everybody else. And I seriously doubt that the law pointed to in the Crain’s story was even close to being violated. That’s more of a political charge from Bond’s GOP opponent than anything else. Hannig, however, should’ve seen the inherent conflict there. Sen. Bond should’ve seen this as well. No excuses. Period.
My other concern is that Hannig’s behavior is becoming a pattern. Secretary Hannig has been involved in more than just the Michael Bond campaign of late. He was deeply involved with getting his wife appointed to his House seat and numerous local sources say his fingerprints are all over the developing disaster for Democrats in that district. Hannig pushed retired county coroner Charles Landers into the race over the objections of local Dems and has now imperiled Democratic control of the seat.
Landers is not exactly an ideal candidate. For instance, he quit in the middle of his term last summer partly so he could spend more time out of state…
Another reason Landers is retiring is so he and his wife, Kay, can visit their son, Craig, who is attending graduate school in California, more often.
There’s much more to this story, as I’ve been telling subscribers for the past several weeks. But take it from me that it’s a freaking mess down in Macoupin. And much of the blame falls squarely on Secretary Hannig.
Again, I think he’s done a good job at IDOT. But Hannig really needs to come to terms with the fact that he’s now a statewide official.
As a public service to save the next fed-up Bears fan from picking up the phone or clicking “Send,” please remember that Lovie Smith has two years and about $11 million left on his contract after this season.
So unless Virginia McCaskey adopts Daniel Snyder into the family, the Bears aren’t likely to pay Smith a fortune to go away and open the vault for a $6 million-a-year replacement such as Bill Cowher or either of the two Mikes, Holmgren or Shanahan.
That means, like Bono and U2, you can expect Smith back at Soldier Field in 2010, barring a Bears implosion that seems implausible. Only six games into a season that has gone terribly wrong, that doesn’t seem like a radical idea for the NFC’s second-winningest head coach since 2005. Not even after a 45-10 loss to the Bengals.
I know this is mostly a state politics/baseball blog, but let’s try something a little different today…
* The Question: Should Lovie Smith be fired? Explain fully, please.
“I’m prepared to take the responsibility with the partisan division on the committee to make sure that we move legislation that truly does reform state government. I’ll take on that responsibility. And I’ll take the credit or I’ll take the blame.”
That was House Speaker Michael Madigan back in early February promising to take the blame if he didn’t move legislation that “truly” reforms state government.
One wonders whether he’s still ready to take all the blame if everything crashes and burns this week.
* McCook Mayor Jeff Tobolski, who announced his campaign yesterday against Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…
“For too long residents have had to put up with an unresponsive government and an angry commissioner on the Cook County Board.”
“I’m proud to have collected signatures from every single county in this state.”
…Adding… Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich used his WLS program recently to call out Pat Quinn on the current governor’s pace at approving pardons and commutations…
“Hey Pat, ya big wimp. Call the show. Tell me I’m wrong. Am I wrong? Call me and tell me that. Don’t be afraid of me, Pat, Write me, tell me I’m wrong. But you know what? You won’t do it for two reasons. One, you are afraid of me. And number two, I’m right. That’s why you won’t call up.”
I’m so sure that Quinn is afraid of Blagojevich. Sheesh.
And, as Zorn has pointed out before, Blagojevich’s record on pardons and commutations was absolutely horrific.
Until Quinn assumed the post — which occurred after Rod Blagojevich was charged with corruption and booted from office — there had not been a Catholic in the job in recent memory, Green said.
Indeed, a review of historical records found there had not been a Catholic governor since the early 20th Century. It appears Edward F. Dunne — who served as the state’s top elected figure from 1913 to 1917 — was the last Catholic governor in Illinois before Quinn.
Wow.
As Catholic as this state is (about 40 percent, according to the article), and as many Catholics as we have at the top of the state’s power grid (Daley, Durbin, Stroger, Madigan, Cullerton, etc.), you’d think there would’ve been more Catholic governors.
But there’s a fairly good chance that the next governor will be a Catholic…
Of the 11 likely candidates in the Democratic and Republican primaries, a whopping nine are Roman Catholic, according to a survey by ChicagoCatholicNews.
There is just one non-Catholic on the Republican side — former state Sen. Kirk Dillard, who is Methodist — and one on the Democratic side — William “Dock” Walls, a Baptist.
Dillard isn’t a Catholic, but he attended DePaul University’s law school.
* Andy McKenna officially kicks off his Republican gubernatorial campaign today. The campaign will show this video at every stop and they’ve offered us an exclusive preview. Take a look…
*** UPDATE 1 *** The theme continues with McKenna’s announcement…
“Pat Quinn said he would be different than Rod Blagojevich, but, when it comes to taxes, he’s Rod Blagojevich with just a little bit less hair. He’s more of the same,” McKenna said.
*** UPDATE 2 *** I’ll be curious to see if this makes the final cut in tomorrow’s dead tree edition…
McKenna vilified the influence of special interests on public policy as he billed himself as an outsider. But he did not address how as chairman of the state GOP, he also relied upon Republican-oriented special interests for campaign donations to assist candidates.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Some of you have asked who made the video. From NBC5…
The ad… was made for McKenna by the same team that made McCain’s Anti-Obama ad featuring Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.
Thirty-one percent of firms responding to the October survey said they planned to cut jobs, down from 44 percent in January and 36 percent in July. And the percentage of firms adding jobs doubled from an all-time low of 6 percent in July to 12 percent this month. But that was down from 14 percent in January.
Most Cook County residents are in for another round of sticker shock when new property tax bills arrive in the mail in a few days, with the median increase in many suburbs topping 10 percent and, in a handful, 20 percent.
Median increases in many city neighborhoods will also hit double digits, with some lower income areas hardest hit. The median rise in the West Garfield Park neighborhood will top 46 percent, according to figures provided to the Tribune by Cook County Assessor James Houlihan.
In all, four out of five homeowners in the city and northern suburbs will get higher bills than last year, In the south suburbs, 64 percent of homeowners will see bigger bills, yet the median tax bills in several south Cook communities will actually decline year over year.
Mayor Daley’s tough-times, 2010 budget includes a first-ever “Tax Whistleblower Program” expected to include cash bounties for informants who deliver the goods on unpaid business taxes.
Chicago’s Streets and Sanitation commissioner is cracking the whip to reduce absenteeism that sidelines nearly one-third of all laborers every day.
With laborers working a shortened week to cut costs, Tom Byrne has told union leaders he no longer can afford to tolerate chronic absenteeism and still provide the housekeeping services Chicago taxpayers demand.
From now on, laborers will be required to call a central telephone number at least one hour before their scheduled reporting time to declare their intention to be absent that day. Those who don’t will be considered “absent without leave” and could face disciplinary action.
The skirmish over control of the Cook County health system is heating up. County board president Todd Stroger yesterday rallied union members in front of Stroger Hospital. They’re taking aim at the independent board installed last year to take politics out of the hospitals and clinics. Stroger accuses board members of running the public health system like a for-profit business.
* We finally have a new ICC commissioner, and he’s a pretty good guy. From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today announced the appointment of John Colgan to the Illinois Commerce Commission. Colgan had been Vice President for Public Policy for the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies (IACAA).
“John is a lifelong public servant, dedicated to fighting for the citizens of our state,” said Governor Quinn. “I know he will serve on the Commerce Commission with integrity and provide a strong voice for Illinois’ consumers.”
Colgan has more than thirty years experience in community organizing and administration, serving for 12 years as founding executive director of the Illinois Hunger Coalition, prior to accepting a position with IACAA in 2001. At IACAA, he worked tirelessly for affordable energy for Illinois’ low-income families.
In 2004, Colgan co-authored the Affordable Energy Plan, which was used as the basis for the creation and passage of the Illinois Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP), which Governor Quinn signed into law on July 10 (Public Act 096-0033). The PIPP helps low-income families, seniors and other fixed-income households pay their utility bills by modernizing of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
“I am honored to serve on the Illinois Commerce Commission on behalf of the people of Illinois,” said Colgan.
Colgan also helped negotiate rate relief contracts with Ameren and ComEd and implement them for the statewide Community Action network. The adjusted contracts to aid low-income families took effect in June 2007 and saved them more than $50 million over four years. Colgan will fill the vacancy left by Robert F. Lieberman.
Not sure yet how the utilities will react, and the Senate Democrats appeared to be in the dark about this appointment late last night, so we’ll see how it plays out.
* Eliminating free rides for seniors on mass transit isn’t a universally accepted idea. Some, like Sen. Rickey Hendon, are adamantly opposed…
State Senator Rickey Hendon says he’s against a bill that would eliminate free public transit rides for most senior citizens. The measure that’s backed by some high-ranking lawmakers would allow low-income seniors to continue riding free. But Hendon demands free rides for all seniors regardless of income. Though, he might make one exception.
Lawmakers acknowledged tweaking a benefit for seniors with a primary election nearing will make some politicians squeamish.
“It’s a very serious voting group,” Bassi said. But when the policy first emerged in 2008, “in my district, the majority of people said ‘it’s ridiculous the governor has done that,’” she recalled.
* The Question: In your opinion, how politically risky is this proposal to eliminate the free rides for all seniors, give them a 50 percent discount (which they had before) and use a “means test” to give free rides to those seniors making $22,200 or less?
Try to stick to the question and only the question, please.
The every-two-year Springfield ritual that has candidates acting like anxious concert-goers starts again this morning.
But instead of lining up to get tickets for their favorite band, they line up outside the State Board of Elections to file their nominating petitions early and get a chance at top billing on the Illinois primary ballot.
* There are some holes in the filings.
For instance, as of about 11 this morning, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has not yet filed his petitions, according to the county’s website. Congressman Danny Davis has filed for board president, but not for congress as of yet. [UPDATE: Davis claims to have filed over 50,000 signatures for board president.]
Only two candidates have filed for Cook County Assessor as of this writing, Bob Shaw and Joe Berrios.
Campaign spokesman Dan Curry says Ryan will file petitions on Nov. 2 to get on the Republican primary ballot, the last day of filing for candidates in state and federal primaries. […]
The decision to file petitions Nov. 2 is an apparent attempt to be the last name voters see on the long Republican primary ballot for governor. Candidates in line to file this morning will be subject to a lottery for the prized top spot on the ballot.
Andy McKenna also hasn’t filed, and will likely wait until the last day as well. Same goes for Dan Proft, who was offering to pay circulators a buck a signature over the weekend. The four GOP gubernatorial candidates who did file are: Andrzejewski, Brady, Dillard and Schillerstrom.
* There have been rumors that Democratic US Senate candidate Cheryle Jackson was having trouble with signatures, and she didn’t file today, either.
Conservative Republican Patrick Hughes has also not yet filed for US Senate.
* Justin Obermann is the only candidate of either party to file for treasurer so far, according to the Board of Elections’ website. Robin Kelly is the slated candidate in that party. Sen. Dan Rutherford is the GOP candidate. Rutherford is bringing Karl Rove into Illinois next month, by the way.
* Only three Democrats have filed for lieutenant governor as of yet. Sens. Rickey Hendon and Terry Link and Rep. Art Turner. Rep. Mike Boland didn’t file and neither did Ald. Sandi Jackson. Hendon filed for Davis’ congressional district as well. Four GOPs filed for LG: Brad Cole, Jason Plummer, Don Tracy and Randy White.
…Adding… Related…
* Biden, Halvorson blamed for ‘dine and ditch’: A 31-year-old U.S. Air Force pilot seeking the GOP nomination for Halvorson’s seat questioned whether taxpayers should be on the hook for the expense. “What did the city have to provide? That fundraiser had to have police and fire doing overtime in a city where they’re telling people to take furloughs,” said Adam Kinzinger, of Manteno. “She raised money at the fundraiser; she should give some of it back so people aren’t footing the bill for her campaign.”
We’ve never believed that capping campaign contributions is an effective way to subtract money from politics. Candidates and their donors will always find the loopholes, even when they aren’t as obvious as the ones that were built into the last supposed reform bill. But we agree completely that putting caps on some groups but not on others makes things worse, not better.
Lawmakers are looking for a bone to toss the watchdogs — spending limits on leaders during primary races, maybe, or sewing up a few of the remaining loopholes in the disclosure rules. None of that would redeem this.
Watch for Madigan’s members to do as they’re told, though, and pass a plan that ties everyone’s hands except party leaders. Senate President John Cullerton can tell his troops to second it, and lawmakers will go home bragging that they’ve committed reform by passing the state’s first limits on campaign contributions.
Three things…
1) There can be no caps on uncoordinated independent expenditures by special interests, so the Trib is glossing over a problem there. In essence, if the Trib got its way everybody would be capped except the special interests. Also, the leaders would still be able to do uncoordinated independent expenditures.
I’m actually for this leadership cap, but I don’t think for a minute that it’ll solve anything. I just think that they oughtta do it, appease the screamers, and move on.
2) Will they really pass something this week? Part of the bill introduced by Madigan takes effect on January 1st of next year. That means a three-fifths vote will be required for passage.
That’s doubtful unless something is changed in the bill. Madigan apparently believes the legislation will benefit his members, despite the rages of editorial boards, because some of his targets have signed on as co-sponsors, including appointed North Shore Rep. Carol Sente, and, to a lesser extent, Southland Rep. Kevin McCarthy.
A revised legislative proposal that surfaced Friday would set limits on how much money parties and caucus leaders could contribute to candidates — but only for primary elections, not for general elections. The limits would be $100,000 for House candidates and $200,000 for Senate and statewide candidates.
“We’re not in love with it,” said Cynthia Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. […]
“To my mind, it would be an inadequate bill,” Canary said. “It could also be a bill with other things that are meaningful.”
That doesn’t sound like a complete, outright rejection. We’ll see how it progresses. Dividing the reformers will be key to the leaders’ strategy here. If they can accomplish that, then maybe some Republicans will be forced on board.
Sen. Don Harmon is the lead negotiator for the Senate Democrats…
“Is there even a shred of evidence that a legislator is under the thumb of a legislative leader because of campaign spending? I don’t see it,” [Harmon] said. “I see members elected from competitive districts vote in the best interests of their district, which is often counter to the way the legislative leader votes.”
Actually, they’re usually told what’s in the best interests of their districts and then they vote accordingly.
A secret hiring database kept by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration is shedding new light on a controversy over lucrative pressure-washing jobs that went to a Cicero company owned by a major Blagojevich campaign contributor.
The contributor — William Mologousis, owner of Pressure Washing Systems Environmental Inc. — helped his brother-in-law Robert Millette land a $95,000-a-year job as the Illinois Department of Transportation’s finance and administration chief in 2003, the records show.
The next year, Mologousis’ company got a $522,000 contract to pressure-wash state bridges, building facades and expressway tunnels. The deal also included a “pilot program” under which his company, known as PWS, would clean and seal a half-dozen IDOT salt storage domes.
That pressure-washing contract set off a huge political firestorm in 2005. And now we know that Mologousis got a total of 11 people hired or promoted, 10 at IDOT alone.
* The State Journal-Register’s Sunday editorial makes a very important - and valid - point about the upcoming election…
As the 2010 campaign moves forward, voters should keep one thing in mind: Those candidates who promise you no pain, those who say things can be solved by just making nips and tucks and magically creating private sector jobs — they have just lied to you.
The response of too many Democratic officials at state and local governments in Illinois? Gee, what taxes can we raise to drive away more employers and workers — because you can’t possibly ask us to change how, and how much, we spend.
For the first time since he took office, a new Rasmussen Reports poll of Illinoisans shows that more than half of all voters disapprove of Gov. Pat Quinn’s performance in office.
The poll of 500 likely Illinois voters taken Oct. 14 found that 53 percent disapproved of Quinn’s performance while 45 percent approved. That’s a six-point switch from August when Rasmussen had Quinn’s approval at 47 percent and his disapproval at 49 percent. Back in June, Quinn’s approval was measured at 57 percent, while his disapproval was 41. In April, Rasmussen had Quinn’s approval rating at 61 percent and his disapproval at just 37 percent. There’s an obvious trend.
Quinn’s disapproval rating has been climbing across all demographics this year, including among Democrats. Just 26 percent of Democrats disapproved of Quinn’s performance in June, but 38 percent of Democrats disapproved this month. Independent voters have been a lot more unforgiving. In April, 36 percent of independents disapproved of the governor’s job performance, but Rasmussen’s latest October survey has 59 percent of independents turning thumbs down.
The governor most assuredly was viewed extra positively by voters in the wake of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s ouster and the fresh start given Illinois politics. Quinn since unsuccessfully pushed for an unpopular tax increase, has been unable to make good on promises to enact strong campaign finance reforms and also couldn’t balance the budget. The constant crises most definitely are taking their toll, as they are with many other governors around the country.
The poll was taken near the start of the current TV advertising blitz being conducted by Quinn and his Democratic primary opponent Dan Hynes. Rasmussen rated Hynes’ favorables at 46 percent, with 28 percent saying they rated him unfavorably and 26 percent unsure. Quinn’s favorables were 50 percent, with 41 percent saying they had an unfavorable view of him and 8 percent not sure.
The Rasmussen poll also shows Illinois Democrats have a significant advantage in the “generic” gubernatorial ballot, with 43 percent saying they’ll vote for a nonspecific Democrat and 37 percent saying they’ll cast their vote for a Republican candidate for governor. Rasmussen has the national generic congressional ballot at just the opposite, with 42 percent Republican and 37 percent Democratic, but those Illinois numbers may be less strong for Democrats than you might expect in a state that has produced such gigantic Democratic majorities in the past decade.
The Republicans also have a big lead among senior citizens 65 and older, with 40 percent saying they’ll take a Republican ballot and just 33 percent saying they’ll cast their vote for a Democratic gubernatorial candidate. The Democrats have consistently won the senior vote by 10 points over the past two election cycles, so this is a very worrying result for that party and worth a closer look. The poll, by the way, has a margin of error of plus/minus 4.5 percent, but that’s higher for individual demographics.
Meanwhile, a recent Paul Simon Institute poll found that 65.5 percent opposed an increase in the state income tax from 3 percent to 4.5 percent - a proposal pushed by Quinn throughout the year. Less than a third supported the idea. Quinn’s income tax hike plan has been a focal point of Comptroller Hynes’ TV ad campaign, and the Republicans have been salivating at the chance to run against it next year.
Hynes has pushed an alternative plan to raise income taxes only on the wealthy. That proposal wasn’t polled by the Paul Simon Institute this year, but they did poll it last year.
Asked how they felt about “a proposal to add brackets to the state income tax structure so that higher-income residents pay higher taxes,” 66 percent said they favored it. Just 29 percent opposed it, and 5 percent didn’t know.
That’s the only tax hike Illinoisans supported last year, so it’s little wonder why Hynes would favor it this year.
Hynes appears to have the far better political positioning on the tax issue than Quinn and doesn’t have the baggage of incumbency, which is becoming increasingly toxic throughout the nation. But none of it means quite yet that he’ll win the primary. Democratic voters won’t speak until Feb. 2.
I really wish the Institute had polled that question this year.
* Related…
* Municipalities need pension relief: That said, we support a measure currently being negotiated in Springfield that would allow municipalities to delay funding a part of their pension obligations this year with the caveat that the cut in the obligation is no more than a one- or possibly two-year emergency measure while a more permanent solution to the funding challenge is developed.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported a drop in overall weekday circulation in the past six months — as the single-copy price jumped from 50 to 75 cents — but an increase in home-delivery subscriptions.
The company said the decline was in line with expectations because of the price increase, which took effect March 30, and industry trends.
The Chicago Sun-Times’ Monday through Friday average circulation over the six-month reporting period fell to 275,641, a decline of 12 percent compared with the same period a year ago, according to the FAS-FAX report being released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations today. The newspaper’s Sunday circulation slipped 1.8 percent to 251,260, while Saturday’s average declined 7.9 percent to 210,027.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported a 5.5 percent increase in its weekday home-delivery circulation.
Chicago’s worst budget crisis in modern history has put the brakes on plans to expand the city’s Big Brother network of red-light cameras to more than 330 accident-prone intersections by 2012.
Mayor Daley’s tough-times 2010 budget includes no money for additional red-light cameras after installing them at 50 intersections this year, bringing the citywide total to 189.[…]
The 50 cameras added this year cost $2.8 million to install and $50,000 each a year to maintain and support on the Internet.[…]
In 2008, Chicago’s network of red-light cameras pumped out 579,560 tickets at $100 a pop and generated $44.8 million in sorely needed revenue. Through the first eight months of this year, there were 501,666 tickets issued and $37.7 million million collected.
A city employee was awarded more than $1 million by a jury Friday after she claimed she was wrongfully arrested when she refused to rescind a parking ticket issued to a police officer’s car.
Marquette Park is no different from neighborhoods nationwide, he said. Durbin spoke in a downtown hotel conference room before about 500 protesters who traveled to Chicago to target the American Bankers Association’s annual meeting.
Durbin and protesters accuse the ABA of lobbying against banking reform despite the organization’s members receiving billions in federal bailout dollars.
Protesters also plan to demonstrate Monday and Tuesday. The ABA meeting began Sunday at the nearby Sheraton Hotel and ends Wednesday.
The union representing 6,000 hotel workers in downtown Chicago and 15,000 hospitality workers in the Chicago area said Friday that contract negotiations are “very, very far from settlement.”[…]
This year, as with the last contract negotiations in 2006, the union is negotiating with the large hotel chains separately rather than as a group through the Hotel Employers Labor Relations Association. John Schafer, vice president and managing director for Hyatt Regency Chicago, said Hyatt has been diligent in meeting with the union but that negotiations were taking longer because of the arrangement.[…]
Contracts proposed by the Starwood and Hyatt chains, Strassel said, would render up to 50 percent of workers ineligible for health insurance. Costs for coverage for the remaining group would increase significantly. “Our folks are housekeepers and dishwashers.”
Illinois saw two deaths due to swine flu and 66 new hospitalizations because of the virus in the last week. The Illinois Department of Public Health released the updated statistics on Friday. The updated information means that 22 people in Illinois have died of swine flu and there have been 542 hospitalizations due to the disease.
Three Illinois newspapers say they have filed a lawsuit against Logan County officials seeking search warrants and other documents, some pertaining to the deaths of five family members in the town of Beason.
