Loaf cancels on us
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
MEAT LOAF ANNOUNCES CANCELLATION OF 2015 ILLINOIS STATE FAIR APPEARANCE
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.- Meat Loaf, who was slated to perform on Wednesday, August 19, with Styx and Tesla, has cancelled his upcoming appearance at the Illinois State Fair.
The Illinois State Fair will name a replacement act(s) for the Meat Loaf/Styx/Tesla concert in the near future.
Tickets for this show were scheduled to go on sale through Ticketmaster on Saturday, May 2; however, some Fan Club pre-sale tickets were sold via Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster will be issuing a refund back to those customers, and the refund will go back on the credit card used to make the purchase.
No other explanation was given, but this saves me from possibly being dragged to his show, so I thank him.
…Adding… Heh…
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* The Speaker talked about doing this a couple of weeks ago, but then held off…
Madigan Sets Full House Hearing on Compensation for Injured Workers
CHICAGO – House Speaker Michael J. Madigan on Friday announced the House of Representatives will convene in a committee of the whole at noon on Tuesday to discuss the compensation received by workers injured while on the job through no fault of their own.
“Proposals to change the compensation received by men and women injured at their workplaces will have a significant impact on the financial security of middle-class families throughout Illinois,” Madigan said. “Changes that limit workers’ ability to provide for their families if they are hurt on the job will have an adverse ripple effect throughout our economy. The committee of the whole offers us an opportunity to discuss how proposals would impact individuals who have been hurt and their ability to be fairly compensated for their injuries and lost wages.”
The committee of the whole will include discussion on topics such as the effects of workers’ compensation systems on injured workers, a 2011 reform law pushed by Madigan to reduce employer costs, and differences between Illinois’ workers’ compensation system and the systems in other states. Legislators will also hear from workers who have been injured in the workplace and how that has impacted their families.
Since Madigan’s 2011 reform law, workers’ compensation rates in Illinois have fallen, leading to an overall reduction in insurance premiums paid by businesses. Some have argued Illinois workers’ compensation rates must be reduced even further for businesses to be competitive, but Madigan believes there needs to be a balance between the financial security of Illinois’ middle-class families, who are the backbone of any strong business, and the insurance premiums paid by businesses.
“Numbers on paper alone can’t tell the full story of men and women who are hurt at work through no fault of their own and whose families must cope with lost wages and massive medical bills,” Madigan said. “These workers and their families are the reason we have an injured workers’ compensation system, and they deserve to have their voices heard.”
Madigan noted that the committee of the whole format will allow all members of the House to participate in the discussion.
*** UPDATE *** Jim Durkin, House Republican Leader…,
“Workers’ compensation reform is a serious issue that needs a fair debate and House Republicans are glad to participate in the Committee of the Whole. The high rate Illinois employers must pay for workers’ compensation coverage is costing us jobs. We believe changes are needed to bring rates down so that Illinois employers can better compete with other states while still protecting workers who are injured on the job. Certainly, there are two sides to every story, and we respectfully ask the majority party to allow Illinois employers and job creators to testify at Tuesday’s hearing.”
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Friday afternoon document dump
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
Governor Rauner Submits Statements of Economic Interest
SPRINGFIELD – Governor Bruce Rauner today submitted his statutorily-required Statement of Economic Interests as well as the Supplemental Statement of Economic Interests required by the governor’s Executive Order 15-09.
When filling out his Statements of Economic Interests, the governor used a broad definition of “doing business in Illinois” to determine what to include. For example, the governor lists “Pittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc.” even though he owns a minority stake in the organization and the Steelers did not play a game in Illinois during the calendar year.
The statements INCLUDE the holdings of the Rauner Family Foundation.
The Statement of Economic Interests is here. The Supplemental Statement of Economic Interests is here.
Go take a look.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Gov. Rauner’s Facebook page…
* The Question: Caption?
*** UPDATE *** From IUOE Local 150…
Good afternoon Rich,
On your caption photo today, if you look on the governor’s left side, next to the “sheriff’s badge” pin, you can see that he is wearing a Local 150 pin.
Hilarious.
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What a coinkydink
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ComEd lobsters always say there’s a “firewall” between parent company Exelon and their company. But their paychecks say “Exelon” on them and now we find out via Crain’s that ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore’s pay is partially tied to Exelon’s performance…
In 2014, 25 percent of Pramaggiore’s cash bonus was tied to Exelon’s operating earnings per share, with the remainder dependent on operational achievements at ComEd, according to an April 28 Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Last year, Pramaggiore’s total compensation just exceeded $2 million. Nearly half that amount—$974,888, including a salary of $585,271—was in cash. But Pramaggiore’s annual cash incentive payment dropped 22 percent to $371,064 from $473,280 the year before. […]
Beginning in 2013, her cash bonus began to be based in part on Exelon’s earnings at an unspecified percentage, according to a filing.
Coincidentally or not, in recent years ComEd has been less shy about lobbying for or against changes to state law that would help or hurt Exelon’s power plants but would have little bearing on ComEd’s operations.
The most obvious example is Exelon’s pending bill to slap a surcharge on electric bills statewide in order to funnel up to $300 million in additional revenue to its six Illinois nukes, three of which are losing money. ComEd’s potent lobbying army is working on lawmakers in Springfield to approve the measure, along with a separate ComEd initiative on green energy that environmentalists say is aimed at helping the nukes by thwarting greater energy-efficiency gains proposed by a coalition of greens, clean energy companies and consumer advocates, along with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
* Meanwhile…
With Illinois lawmakers discussing a major overhaul of state energy policies this spring, a group of downstate representatives and senators said Thursday they want to make sure the coal industry has a seat at the negotiating table.
In an announcement Thursday, a coalition of Republican and Democratic lawmakers from south of Interstate 80 said they plan to introduce legislation that would jump-start the Illinois coal industry, create 8,000 new jobs, save electric ratepayers as much as $700 million per year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. […]
The proposal outlined Thursday seeks to make it cheaper for Illinois power plants to burn Illinois coal by removing regulations that allow electric companies to shift the cost of importing Western states’ coal to electric customers.
The proposal also would establish a revenue stream that could pay for scrubbers that would reduce environmentally harmful emissions. […]
Standing with the lawmakers at Thursday’s Statehouse press conference was Roger Dennison, the lead lobbyist for Foresight Energy, a St. Louis-based coal mine company.
Foresight has contributed more than $185,600 to Illinois politicians since Jan. 1.
* And…
A coalition of business groups and one of the largest phone providers in the state are trying to move away from mandatory investment in old landlines.
The Illinois Telecommunications Act requires phone companies to offer landline phone service. The law expires this spring, and AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza said in a Statehouse news conference Thursday that the law needs to go by the wayside. […]
“The phone industry rakes in billions of dollars a year,” [CUB spokesman Jim Chilsen] said. “It can afford to support a healthy phone market for consumers, whether they like high-tech options like smartphones or whether they want their landlines.” […]
Chilsen said old landlines are the primary and most dependable option for many, especially people living in rural areas or on fixed incomes. AARP Illinois associate state director Julie Vahling said the elderly are another vulnerable group.
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Lincoln Funeral Reenactment events calendar
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Illnois Times has a comprehensive list of the weekend’s activities. Click here. Unless you are very young, this is a once in a lifetime thing. Events I’m considering…
Civil War Military Encampment
May 1-3, dawn until dusk. Fri-Sun. Infantry, artillery, mixed military and civilian camps illustrate 1860s life. Lincolnfuneralcoalition.org. Lincoln Park, 1501 N. Fifth St
Viewing of Replica Coffin and Hearse
May 2, 9am. Part of the Lincoln Funeral Reenactment. Free to public. lincolnfuneraltrain.org. Amtrak Station, 100 N. Third St., 872-7245.
Procession from train station to Old State Capitol
May 2, 10am-4pm. Procession includes the recreation of the original Lincoln hearse, horse-drawn carriages, military and civilian Civil War reenactors, plus other period groups. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration Event. Free to public. lincolnfuneraltrain.org. Amtrak Station, 100 N. Third St., 872-7245.
Opening Commemorative Ceremony
May 2, 11am. Conducted by dignitaries, color guard and Civil War reenactors. Seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. lincolnfuneraltrain.org. Near Old State Capitol at Washington and Sixth Streets.
All Night Vigil
May 2-3, 12pm-6am Sat-Sun. All night vigil featuring hearse and coffin to begin following opening ceremony. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration event. Near Old State Capitol at Washington and Sixth streets.
Civil War Refreshments
May 3, 10am-1pm. Enjoy Civil War-style refreshments on the lawn. Proceeds support Edwards Place restoration fund. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration event. $10 admission. Edwards Place, Springfield Art Association, 700 N. Fourth St., 523-2631.
Procession to Oak Ridge Cemetery
May 3, 12pm. Procession leaves from Sixth and Washington, follows much of historic route to Oak Ridge Cemetery. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration event. No reserved seating, no parking available inside cemetery. Free to public. Old State Capitol, 1 Old State Capitol Plaza, 785-9363.
Oak Ridge Cemetery Ceremony and Cannon Salute
May 3, 3-4:30pm. Clergy members, Civil War reenactors present the eulogy, speeches, salutes at Old Public Receiving Vault. Music by special choir and Civil war era-style musicians perform music from original ceremony. Ceremony concludes at 4:30pm with 36 cannon salute. No parking, no reserved seating. Free to public. Oak Ridge Cemetery, 1441 Monument Ave., 789-2340.
…Adding… Reposting yesterday’s ScribbleLive feed…
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* Erickson…
In a scathing report issued Thursday, Illinois Auditor General William Holland, said state prison workers may have been engaging in “shift swapping,” in which workers used sick time or personal time for their regular shift, but then worked another shift at the overtime rate of pay later that same day.
“While there may be instances where this would be a needed solution to a difficult staff coverage scenario, it could be a sign of abuse of overtime and may be against department policy,” Holland noted in his audit of the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The financial effect on taxpayers is that not only does the state pay the employee at the overtime rate for the shift worked in addition to the regular rate for the leave time taken, but the state also pays another employee overtime to cover the shift for which the leave time was used, Holland said.
Anders Lindall, spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, said there is no solid evidence that “shift swapping” occurred. And, he said there may have been good reason for workers to have skipped their scheduled shift.
“It’s not hard to envision a situation where a dad takes an earned vacation day to be sure he can make his daughter’s teachers conference and then receives a call asking if he can work a shift,” Lindall said.
* But before Rauner folks blame this on the union, they should check out the audit…
We requested any union agreements that allow overtime pay on the same day that leave time is taken; however, the Department could not provide any.
Some of these cases might be reasonable, but the unreasonable overtime situation is most definitely a management problem.
* And this…
The Department of Corrections (Department) did not always maintain documentation to support overtime paid to employees. In addition, we identified errors in the overtime pay. […]
At Stateville Correctional Center there is a lack of personnel in key timekeeping and payroll positions. The Timekeeping Supervisor is a security employee (a shift supervisor) that has been temporarily assigned to this position. According to officials another employee in payroll was reassigned from the Warden’s Office. There was no full time Business Manager and a new Business Administrator started the first day we were on site (January 5, 2015). […]
Logan Correctional Center overpaid employees for overtime and compensatory time. A standard work shift is 7.5 hours not including a half hour unpaid lunch and a roll-call period of 15 minutes. If an employee stands roll-call or works through their lunch, these are paid separately from the employee’s regular pay. Compensatory time and overtime at Logan Correctional Center were being accrued and paid at 8 or 8.25 hours per shift instead of 7.5 hours as is required by union contract (RC-6 Agreement Article XII, Sec. 1 d) and CU-500 Agreement Article XII Sec. 1 b)). Therefore, for each overtime shift worked and for every shift worked for compensatory time, employees were being compensated an extra .5 to .75 hours. For the 10 Logan Correctional Center employees we tested for the months of July 2013 and May 2014, we identified 79.5 hours of overpayment for overtime. […]
For one Logan Correctional Center employee, an overtime slip requesting that they receive a half hour paid lunch was denied twice for the same shift; however, when reviewing the payroll report for that time period, it appears they were paid for both denied slips. […]
An employee at Stateville Correctional Center was underpaid 16 hours of overtime. During the following pay period, only an additional two hours of overtime from the previous pay period shortage was paid, leaving the employee 14 hours of unpaid overtime. Additionally, this employee’s annual timesheet showed 12 more hours of overtime than the overtime slips documented.
Sheesh.
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Your daily “right to work” roundup
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Nothing yet from the governor’s office or the Illinois AFL-CIO. But…
The Iroquois County Board will consider adopting “The Turnaround Agenda — Local Government Empowerment and Reform” resolution when it meets May 12.
The county’s policy and procedure committee, after hearing opposition yesterday morning from several people with regard to the resolution, voted unanimously to pass the measure on to the full county board.
* And…
Despite requests from Governor Bruce Rauner, the Sangamon County Board has no immediate plans to vote on a resolution supporting Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda.” […]
In Sangamon County, the issue has not been introduced, and county executive Brian McFadden doesn’t know when, or if, it will be.
* Meanwhile…
Mundelein Village Trustee Ed Sullivan forcefully took a stand supporting Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” during an April 27 meeting, even though the topic had been removed from consideration days before.
At least one union activist was on hand and interrupted Sullivan several minutes into his remarks. Police became involved when the man ignored Mayor Steve Lentz and continued to confront Sullivan.
The governor asked municipalities throughout the state to approve a prewritten statement pledging support for a number of controversial economic reform ideas. Mundelein trustees considered the resolution April 13 and planned to revise the proclamation and reconsider it at a future meeting. When it became clear trustees were deadlocked on the matter, the item was pulled from the April 27 agenda.
“Two weeks ago we listened to about 34 individuals who were union members or union officials,” Sullivan said. “They seemed concerned that their life as they know it was going to end if changes were made in Illinois law. They told us those changes were illegal. They’re not illegal, because the legislature hasn’t made the changes yet.”
* Now, on to Wisconsin, where AFSCME no longer has payroll deductions of union dues…
Wisconsin’s three AFSCME councils are merging four years after the state rolled back public-sector union rights, prompting two out of three dues-paying members to drop out. […]
The three Wisconsin AFSCME councils claimed nearly 63,000 members in 2010. That number is likely less than 20,000 now.
Publicly available tax records for the state workers union show that Council 24 revenue dropped from over $5 million in 2010 to $1.5 million in 2013. Like the other councils it reduced staff to cut costs, but from 2011 through 2013 it spent $1.8 million more than it took in. […]
Some public-sector bargaining units have won recertification through annual membership votes under provisions of Act 10. They can bargain for small raises only, not for benefits or working conditions, and they have no recourse to arbitration if employers simply say no to their demands.
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Dold, Bost on “most vulnerable” list
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Politico’s “Campaign Pro”…
… Democrats won over 1.4 million more votes for Congress than Republicans in 2012, yet Republicans comfortably kept control of the House. And that’s why even a decisive Democratic victory at the national level in 2016 is unlikely to produce a change in which party controls the chamber.
Predictably, the races at the top of our list tend to be the most volatile districts. Seven of the top 10 flipped last cycle, including seats represented by freshman Republican Reps. Rod Blum and Cresent Hardy, and Democratic Reps. Brad Ashford and Gwen Graham — all of whom hold seats that voted for the other party’s candidate for president in 2012. In two of the remaining three top-10 districts, vulnerable incumbents aren’t running again.
Here’s Campaign Pro’s top 30 House races of 2016, ranked in order of likelihood of a party switch: […]
3. Illinois-10 (R — Dold): This seat in Chicago’s northern suburbs is the most Democratic district in the country represented by a Republican. GOP Rep. Bob Dold won the seat in 2010 after Mark Kirk chose to run for the Senate, but lost it to Democrat Brad Schneider two years later. Last fall, Dold won the rematch with 51 percent of the vote. He’s likely to face tougher odds in a presidential year — Obama won 58 percent of the vote in the district in 2012, and Schneider’s already announced that he’s running again. But Dold has a moderate voting record, and he raised an impressive $605,000 in the first quarter. Schneider first faces Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering in the primary. […]
14. Illinois-12 (R — Bost): GOP Rep. Mike Bost beat Democratic Rep. Bill Enyart by a solid margin last November, winning 52 percent of the vote in this southern Illinois district. Enyart doesn’t seem to be running again — he terminated his campaign committee last month — and Bost pulled in a respectable $418,000 in the first quarter. But the district went for Obama by a thin margin in 2012, and the right Democrat might be able to defeat Bost in a presidential year.
I don’t totally disagree with the Dold ranking. That district flips with the top of the ticket, but Dold might be able to hold on. If a Democrat does win it next year and Hillary wins the presidency, the district could flip back GOP again in 2018. A Republican president, however, could transform the district into a somewhat safer Dem seat.
But the Illinois Dems put Bost at the top of their target list after he won his first Illinois House race in a Democratic district during a big Republican year. Bost held onto that seat for 20 more years. He cannot be underestimated.
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* Sun-Times…
As first reported in the Chicago Sun-Times, the Obama library, museum and presidential center will be located on Chicago’s South Side, with the University of Chicago bid beating out the competition for the massive project.
The Sun-Times has reported in several stories since April 14 that the Obama development was coming to the city. The official announcement will be made in Chicago by the Chicago-based Barack Obama Foundation in about two weeks, the Sun-Times has confirmed with several sources with direct knowledge of the rollout.
Though the decision to ratify the foundation recommendation was made by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle, the president is not expected to attend the announcement, for which planning has already begun, the Sun-Times was told by a source.
As the Sun-Times reported on April 14, the foundation, led by Obama friend Marty Nesbitt, will not announce until later this year whether the Obama complex will be located in Washington Park or Jackson Park. The parks are near the University of Chicago’s main Hyde Park campus.
* Meanwhile…
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday afternoon will sign the bill making it harder to legally challenge the construction of the Obama presidential library complex and the Lucas Museum.
“I am very excited about it. I look forward to signing it,” Rauner told the Sun-Times.
“I plan to sign it this afternoon as soon as I get back to Springfield,” he added. “The bill obviously makes it easier to get the Obama Library in Chicago. And I think the president’s library will be a very benefit to the state of Illinois and to the city of Chicago and I am very supportive of that.”
Likewise, he said, “I also think the Lucas museum will be a big benefit to the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago and I am supportive of that.”
*** UPDATE *** The governor issued a “video statement”...
Click to view
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Governor backs out of “debate”
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I told subscribers recently that Gov. Bruce Rauner suggested that he and Democratic state Rep. Mike Smiddy have a public debate about public employee unions. Smiddy was first elected with strong support from AFSCME and the two had a spirited discussion during a meeting between Rauner and Downstate legislators. Smiddy wrote a letter to Gov. Rauner this week accepting the governor’s debate challenge…
* But the governor is reneging…
Hi, Rich:
There will be no debate, but Gov. Rauner looks forward to continuing to have spirited interchanges with Rep. Smiddy and other legislators in small and large groups about how to make Illinois more competitive and compassionate and get the most value for taxpayers. We appreciate Rep. Smiddy’s hunt for publicity and headlines. Hopefully, he will soon begin to show as much enthusiasm for saving taxpayer’s money and getting Illinois out of the worst fiscal crisis in the country.
Thanks!
ck
Discuss.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
With a philosophy of “People Helping People”, credit unions as not-for-profit financial cooperatives, have established themselves as trusted sources to teach members and the community about maintaining healthy financial habits.
April marks a time when Illinois credit unions ramp up their efforts — particularly with youth — about this significant need. One key example is Great Lakes Credit Union.
Via hosting creative real-world simulation financial education programs, Great Lakes in the past year reached more than 3,700 students, with the financial tools they need to succeed. And they are not alone. As a premier host of Financial Reality Fairs for more than 10 years, Illinois credit unions most recently conducted more than 350 Financial Reality Fairs involving 18,000 students. In the true sense of community, these Fairs are held at schools, churches and libraries.
Great Lakes Credit Union also partners with other local organizations to educate youth on the importance of establishing a banking relationship as part of the job search process. To further expand its impact, the credit union reaches youth where they are with self-guided online modules that help create bright financial futures.
Financial education – a vital life skill for members – and a fundamental tenet of the credit union mission.
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Today’s quotable
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The importance of a strong infrastructure…
[Mitsubishi Motors North America general manager of corporate communications Dan Irvin] said Mitsubishi wouldn’t be located in McLean County if it weren’t for the transportation infrastructure in place.
“The three interstate highways and availability of rail and the ability when we need it for air travel all continue to be extremely important to us,” Irvin said. “The highways of Illinois are actually our warehouse, because the parts that are going to be used this afternoon and tomorrow are on the roads of Illinois this morning.”
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Rauner, legislators create “Star Chambers”
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Erickson…
During his campaign for governor, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said he wanted to oversee the most transparent administration in history.
But three months into his term, Rauner’s team won’t reveal who is involved in a series of high-level talks about some of the governor’s most prized pet issues, ranging from his controversial plan to allow local right-to-work laws to an overhaul of state spending.
“They are private meetings,” Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said Thursday. “They are private discussions that we’re keeping confidential to protect the process.” […]
Kelly also wouldn’t answer questions about who is involved in each group, when they are meeting and what subjects are being discussed.
“We’re only saying what the governor has said. That’s all I can give you right now,” Kelly said. “We’re just not talking about them right now. We’re just not commenting on them.”
I was told by the House Speaker’s office yesterday that all info was being kept secret at the behest of the governor’s office.
Look, private negotiations are held all the time at the Statehouse. But this goes well beyond that. This is, instead, a huge, all-encompassing shadow legislative committee structure, with a top secret membership list, meeting in undisclosed places at undisclosed times and with participants who must pledge to keep all proceedings confidential. They even reportedly have a code name for the super-top secret working group charged with examining new revenue options: “Vegas.”
That means people impacted by any potential changes won’t have any input. While some would say it keeps lobbyists out of the process, I would say it means politicians are writing new laws in a vacuum. That’s not only a dangerous precedent, it’s also stupid. They’re not all-knowing gods.
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“Democratic” group raises millions more
Friday, May 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rick Pearson…
A billionaire Houston couple heavily involved nationwide in pension and education changes opposed by unions — issues shared by Gov. Bruce Rauner and Mayor Rahm Emanuel — has contributed $5 million to a state political action committee, campaign finance records showed Thursday.
The donation from John and Laura Arnold to IllinoisGO, short for Illinoisans for Growth and Opportunity, is the third-largest individual political donation ever recorded by the Illinois State Board of Elections in more than two decades of electronic record keeping. […]
IllinoisGO also said Chicago businessman Matt Hulsizer has made a multimillion dollar contribution to the PAC, though it has not yet been recorded by the State Board of Elections. Hulsizer is co-founder and CEO of Peak6 Investments L.P. and a minority owner of the Minnesota Wild, which plays the Blackhawks in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning Friday.
Hulsizer has given Stand for Children Illinois $474,000 since 2010. He also gave Emanuel $100,000 for the mayor’s 2011 election, $5,300 for Emanuel’s re-election and $5,300 for Rauner’s 2014 campaign for governor.
Not including the Hulsizer contribution, IllinoisGO has reported $6.5 million in campaign contributions so far. It’s widely believed that the group is merely guarding Gov. Rauner’s left flank.
Gov. Rauner, by the way, just contributed $250,000 to his own campaign fund. However, he did not trigger the self-funding limit because that only applies to contributions within twelve months before his next election. Rauner also contributed $250,000 to his Turnaround Illinois PAC, which will get involved in legislative races.
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Illinois vs. Indiana – Workers’ Compensation
Thursday, Apr 30, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Illinois is often compared to our neighbor Indiana when it comes to workers’ compensation costs for businesses. Unfortunately, it is not a fair or accurate comparison. Wages are the main driving factor when it comes to workers’ compensation costs. Workers’ compensation benefits (non-medical) are based on a worker’s average weekly wage. On average, Indiana pays its workers 27 percent less than Illinois. Illinois ranks 8th in the country for average weekly wages, while Indiana ranks 35th. Because workers’ compensation replaces lost wages, lower wages in Indiana naturally creates lower workers’ compensation costs.
Indiana businesses may have lower workers’ compensation costs for employers; however workers injured on the job have meager options for their health care under Indiana’s workers’ compensation laws. In addition, Indiana’s early return to work program often forces injured workers back to work sooner than they should be and often leads to re-injury or new injuries.
Workers in Illinois deserve better. A fair and reasonable workers’ compensation system in Illinois helps injured workers get back on their feet and back to work.
For more information on workers’ compensation, click here.
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* From the Tribune editorial board…
Wind and solar generators and a number of environmental groups are pushing for competing legislation called the Illinois Clean Jobs Bill. It would encourage energy conservation and set a target that 35 percent of the state’s electricity supply come from renewal resources. The changes in what’s called the Renewable Portfolio Standard would give a big advantage to wind and solar providers. Yes, this legislation would hike your electric bill.
* The Tribsters endorsed the ComEd bill instead…
ComEd, the Exelon subsidiary that distributes power, wants to change how customers are charged for the distribution system. ComEd says rates would initially fall, then rise, and there would be a “net zero” cost to customers over 10 years. But some customers would pay more and some would pay less depending on their consumption patterns. […]
The strongest argument for a change in law rests with ComEd. It makes a good case that its investments in smart grid technology have paid off in better efficiency and fewer power disruptions. ComEd isn’t seeking a competitive edge — in this niche it doesn’t have competition. It is the only distributor of electricity in northern Illinois.
ComEd says its legislation would improve the smart grid, help apartment dwellers generate their own solar power, and create a network of electric vehicle charging stations.
* Pete Giangreco fires back…
Today’s Chicago Tribune editorial (ironically titled Power play: The battle over your electric bill) shows that went it comes to siding with the powerful, there’s no one quite like the Trib Ed Board. The piece completely ignores studies by Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and Union of Concerned Scientists that say Illinois Clean Jobs bill (HB2607/SB1485 Nekritz/Harmon) is the only one of the three energy bills that saves consumers money — $1.6 billion total or an average residential savings of nearly $100 a year going forward according to CUB. The funny part is that the Trib editorial also ignores ComEd’s own admission that their bill (as well as the one pushed by parent company Exelon) are actually the ones that raise your electric bill.
Furthermore, The Trib completely misunderstands what the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is. Like a lot of things in Springfield, it’s broken and complicated, and Illinois Clean Jobs bill is the only one that fixes it and allows the free market to operate in Illinois like it does in states like New York and Massachusetts, where solar and wind are taking off. It’s odd that the Trib is against getting government barriers out of the way of the free market that could create 32,000 clean energy jobs per year when fully implemented, but when you are in the tank, you are in the tank.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Apr 30, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* LA Times…
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld state laws that bar elected judges from asking for money to support their campaigns.
In a 5-4 decision, the court rejected a free-speech claim brought by a Florida judge.
“Judges are not politicians, even when they come to the bench by way of the ballot,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority. “A state may assure its people that judges will apply the law without fear or favor — and without having personally asked anyone for money.”
The decision marks one of the few times the high court has rejected a free-speech claim involving politics and campaigning. Roberts split from the court’s four conservative justices to uphold the Florida law. […]
“Hostility to campaigning by judges entitles the people of Florida to amend their Constitution to replace judicial elections with the selection of judges by lawyers’ committees,” Scalia said. “It does not entitle the Florida Supreme Court to adopt, or this court to endorse, a rule of judicial conduct that abridges candidates’ speech in the judicial election that the Florida Constitution prescribes.”
* That’s already the case here. From the Illinois Supreme Court Rules…
A [judicial] candidate shall not personally solicit or accept campaign contributions.
A candidate may establish committees of responsible persons to conduct campaigns for the candidate through media advertisements, brochures, mailings, candidate forums and other means not prohibited by law. Such committees may solicit and accept reasonable campaign contributions, manage the expenditure of funds for the candidate’s campaign and obtain public statements of support for his or her candidacy.
Such committees are not prohibited from soliciting and accepting reasonable campaign contributions and public support from lawyers.
Gov. Bruce Rauner wants to ban attorneys from contributing directly to judicial campaigns. However, he can’t stop them from forming a 501(c)(4) dark money group or even likely ban them from forming an independent expenditures committee. Attorneys could also contribute to the state parties.
* The Question: Should Illinois ban attorneys from contributing directly to judicial campaign committees? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
survey services
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* Tribune…
In the latest controversy over state exams, Illinois is in hot water with the federal government for not administrating statewide science tests this school year.
Failure to give the exams is a violation of the law, according to a stern letter from the U.S. Department of Education, and the Illinois State Board of Education has been placed in what the federal agency calls “high-risk status” for not complying with testing requirements.
The letter dated April 20 states that the board must come up with a plan and timeline by June 30 to come into compliance and give the science assessments in 2015-16.
“We’re working on our plan to provide a science assessment in 2015-16 and will submit it to the U.S. Department of Education by June 30, per the letter,” board spokeswoman Mary Fergus said Wednesday in an email to the Tribune.
* From the letter…
Due to the significance of its non-compliance and the fact that the pilot assessments administered in 2014–2015 will not result in information about student performance that can be shared with parents and teachers to inform instruction, I am placing ISBE on high-risk status under 34 C.F.R. § 80.12.
ISBE must fully implement its new science assessments in SY 2015−16 to come into compliance with section 1111(b)(3)(A) of the ESEA and 34 C.F.R. § 200.2(a)(1). As a condition of its high-risk status, the ISBE must provide a detailed plan and timeline to the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) by June 30, 2015, in order to address this non-compliance issue for SY 2015–2016.
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It’s just a bill…
Thursday, Apr 30, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* But it appears to be a good idea…
A proposed law that would allow college students to sign off on their universities sharing mental health information with their parents cleared an Illinois Senate committee today, paving its way for a final vote in the General Assembly.
It was inspired by the Predmore family of Bartonville, who tragically lost their son Chris to suicide last year. Under current law, his college could not talk to his parents about his mental health struggles.
A number of recent studies indicate that psychological problems are a growing issue on college campuses. For example, a survey found that that 70 percent of college counseling center directors believe that the number of students with severe psychological problems has increased in recent years. Surveys of college students themselves have shown that depression and anxiety have skyrocketed over the past several decades – perhaps as many as a quarter or third of students meet criteria for anxiety or depression during college. […]
The legislation would give newly enrolled college students the opportunity to authorize the university to share mental health records with their parents or other trusted adults. The university would only share information when students are found to be a danger to themselves or others.
* Meanwhile, oof…
In a rare open feud between two McHenry County state lawmakers, Rep. Jack Franks is asking Senate President John Cullerton to remove Sen. Pam Althoff as chief sponsor of his recently passed government consolidation bill.
The Illinois House on a 61-40 vote last Friday passed House Bill 229, a bill by Franks, D-Marengo, that would grant the McHenry and Lake county boards the same power to eliminate certain units of government that DuPage County was granted by state lawmakers. But Franks alleges that Althoff, R-McHenry, intends to either kill the bill or strip McHenry County from it.
An effort to talk Althoff into handing the bill over to Sen. Melinda Bush, a former Lake County Board member who supports it, failed late Tuesday, both Franks and Bush, D-Grayslake, confirmed. Franks said that Althoff asked for a number of concessions that he said were unreasonable because he does not want any exemptions or “sacred cows.” General Assembly rules allow the sponsor of a bill to request in writing to have a chief sponsor removed if he or she intends to kill it.
“She’s doing this purely for political reasons to protect entrenched interests and fiefdoms to keep our property taxes high. There’s no other reason. She’s supported this bill before,” Franks said, referring to the Senate’s vote years ago to grant DuPage County some ability to eliminate certain governments.
* Small, but vocal…
State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-25) riled local education activists last week for opposing a bill that would let students opt out of taking state administered tests.
HB 306 – introduced by state Rep. Will Guzzardi in January – is currently under consideration in the Illinois House. Last Monday, Currie cast one of three votes recommending against an amended version of the bill in the five-member House Elementary and Secondary Education: Licensing Oversight Committee.
More than 15 local activists led by Hyde Parker Joy Clendenning staged a protest last Tuesday in front of Currie’s Hyde Park office, 1303 E. 53rd St., after the bill lost the committee’s support.
“We feel that with 24 co-sponsors in the House – and we know a good number of legislators are ready to vote for this bill – that she is absolutely thwarting the democratic process here,” Clendenning said.
* And in other news…
Caseyville Township trustees have warned citizens they’ll be forced to increase customers’ sewer service rates if two bills in the Illinois General Assembly that regulate tap-on fees are made law, but the bills’ sponsors — and local developer Darwin Miles — say Caseyville is a “rogue township” that’s been price-gouging for years.
Supporters of the new regulations say the township is using scare tactics to preserve a “cash cow.”
For example, Caseyville Township charges a tap-on fee of $2,000 per fixture to commercial businesses and non-profits, such as churches. That means a developer building a 128-room hotel in the Shiloh area served by the township would pay a tap-on fee of $260,000.
Caseyville Township trustees recently sent a letter to each of their 9,000-plus sewer customers warning that their sewer bills could as much as triple if House Bill 3309 and Senate Bill 1815 pass.
The House bill, sponsored by state Rep. Dwight Kay, R-Glen Carbon, requires townships with their own sewer and water plants to limit the tap-on fees charged to people building new homes or businesses to 1/6 of the estimated yearly cost of sewer and water service.
Senate Bill 1815, sponsored by state Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, sets standard sewer and water tap-on fee schedules for new homes, apartment buildings and businesses based on the size of water meter they’ll use. Because state law contains no standards, townships currently can come up with their own rates and fees. For years, new businesses, non-profits such as churches, and residents building homes have complained that Caseyville Township’s tap-on fees far exceed neighboring utilities.
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Caption contest!
Thursday, Apr 30, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Rauner at the Citizens Club of Springfield earlier this week…
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Lincoln’s last ride
Thursday, Apr 30, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From WUIS…
The nation went into mourning when, just after the Civil War had finally ended, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. No one alive today can remember, but a class project may make you get a sense of what it was like, or at least what went on.
Students at the University of Illinois Springfield began “live-tweeting” on April 14 - the date that that Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theater back in 1865. They’ve continued, tweeting in real time — 150 years after the fact — about the pursuit of John Wilkes Booth, and the funeral cortege from Washington, D.C. to Springfield. Amanda Vinicky spoke with UIS professor Ken Owen about the project, and his class on history in digital media.
If you want to read the “live tweets” follow @AbesLastRide… (T)he Looking for Lincoln project is doing something similar using the twitter handle @ElizaStavely (a journalist in 1865). .
* I put together a ScribbleLive feed…
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Your daily “right to work” roundup
Thursday, Apr 30, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Nothing from the governor’s office yet. But they can take this one off the board…
[Westville] Village trustees reversed their support of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed Turnaround Agenda on Tuesday night by rescinding a resolution approved at their April 14 meeting.
Just two weeks ago, the Westville village council passed a resolution supporting the governor’s proposal, which calls for changes in the state’s prevailing wage act as well as creating certain right-to-work free enterprise zones and granting local governments more authority when negotiating with government employee unions.
Mayor Mike Weese said after doing more research on the governor’s proposal and after taking several calls from residents, he just felt that there were parts of the Turnaround Agenda that he could not support.
* Meanwhile…
* Perhaps a Connecticut harbinger of Illinois things to come?…
A law firm representing ex-Gov. John G. Rowland agreed to a legal stipulation which acknowledged that the “driving force” behind Rowland’s layoff of 2,500 state workers in 2003 was his “animus” toward unionized employees, state Attorney George Jepsen said Wednesday.
Jepsen said that the “highly particularized stipulation of facts” didn’t use the word “animus,” but its overall effect helped to persuade the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in mid-2013 to uphold a state employee union coalition’s claim in a lawsuit that Rowland and his budget chief, Marc Ryan, acted illegally by targeting union members for layoffs while sparing nonunion employees.
The damaging stipulation was a major factor cited by Jepsen at a press conference Wednesday in explaining why his office negotiated a settlement that’s expected to cost taxpayers at least $100 million to end a 12-year-old lawsuit filed over the layoffs by the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC).
The settlement – which would mostly be awarded to employees in the form of extra vacation and personal leave time – is preferable to the risk of the state’s being slapped with paying damages of $300 million or more, Jepsen said.
At a briefing for reporters in his office at 55 Elm St., Jepsen also said that the stipulation of facts by Rowland’s defense counsel included an admission that the layoffs didn’t save the state any money because unions had already offered contract concessions of greater value.
* Related…
* Anti-union measure fails in Mt. Vernon
* Kane County board’s draft resolution calling for reform draws critics
* Charter school teachers fight to unionize, and to win over Rahm
* Feud threatens UNO schools
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Liberal “think tank” formed here
Thursday, Apr 30, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* John Kamis has been planning to roll this thing out for well over a year…
Leading Illinois liberals are forming a well-endowed new think tank here, hoping to offset the influence of Gov. Bruce Rauner and resurgent conservative Republicans.
The new Innovation Illinois will be led by former aides to ex-Gov. Pat Quinn with a board chaired by Christopher Kennedy, who recently stepped down as chair of the University of Illinois board. Focusing on research and public commentary, it is designed to serve as a sort of counterweight to the Illinois Policy Institute, a libertarian group that has rolled out policy papers on pensions and other items and helped staff Rauner’s administration.
“Too often in Springfield, the debates leave out the poor and the working class,” said co-founder John Kamis, a former city staffer and attorney who oversaw Quinn’s performance-based budgeting panel. “Good policy moves from the inside out. We want to provide a voice.” […]
The message the group really wants to get out is that “sometimes, government does things that are good,” Saddler said. That means talking about issues such as education, labor, health care and entrepreneurism—and most particularly about big budget cuts that Rauner has proposed in most of those areas, he said. […]
The group already has received “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in financial backing, with the source of some but not all of it eventually to be disclosed, Kamis said. The group will not formally lobby or endorse candidates.
Whatever you think of the Illinois Policy Institute, you have to admit that it’s PR blitz over the past few years has been amazingly effective. Not only is the group regularly quoted in news stories and its top dogs invited onto TV and radio programs, but its free “news service” has been lapped up by papers across the state. It’s also placed a new emphasis this year on bipartisan legislation. Kamis, et al will have a lot of catching up to do.
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The FY 2016 dance finally begins
Thursday, Apr 30, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I told subscribers about this yesterday…
With just weeks left before Illinois’ 2016 budget must be passed, Democratic leaders and GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner remain far apart on how to bridge a $6 billion revenue gap.
A memo circulated by Senate Democrats late Tuesday questions roughly $5.8 billion in savings in Rauner’s proposed $32 billion budget. The caucus suggests the proposal may not only violate a provision of the Illinois constitution, which promises employee benefits shall not be “diminished or impaired,” but also likely requires changes to state law and federal policies and requires negotiations with labor unions.
Among the senators’ concerns is that cutting $1.5 billion from the Medicaid health care program for the poor, which is funded by state and federal dollars, would require federal approval.
Lawmakers began meeting this week to work on the governor’s “Turnaround Agenda,” a set of pro-business priorities Rauner wants the Legislature to approve in exchange for consenting to new revenue to save programs near and dear to Democrats. Without that grand bargain, the governor’s proposed spending plan would balance the budget entirely by slashing spending for things like Medicaid, human services programs and state employees’ group health care. The plan also includes a roughly $300 million increase to K-12 education, which the governor has identified as a top priority.
I’ve also been telling subscribers about that Rauner threat to withhold support for new revenues unless the Dems cut a deal on his “Turnaround Agenda.” This is a very high stakes game, campers.
* The full memo…
Here’s a rack up of some of the budget challenges faced by the Rauner administration as they negotiate FY16 through working groups.
Many of their plans require changes to state law, court challenges and federal approval. As you know – bills haven’t been filed yet.
Pension Reform: $2.2 billion
Problem: Constitutional challenges.
Cut Medicaid: $1.5 billion
Problem: Requires change in state law and federal approval.
Eliminate College Insurance Program and Teachers Retirement Insurance Program: $113 million
Problem: Requires change in state law that anticipates litigation.
Cut Group Health: $570 million
Problem: Subject to collective bargaining agreements.
Cut Funding for Local Governments: $913 million
Problem: Requires a change in state law.
Cut Dedicated Human Services Programs: $492 million
Problem: Violates consent decrees, judicial orders and some state and federal laws.
Total Hole: $5.788 billion
* The Rauner administration’s response…
Rauner’s deputy chief of staff Mike Schrimpf said it’s been known for months that the governor’s budget, introduced in mid-February, is contingent on “statutory changes” to state law.
“The governor is committed to making structural changes to state government,” Schrimpf said. “The Senate Democrats have known that since February 18, as has anybody who’s been paying attention.”
The required statutory changes will make it tougher to get this budget passed because legislators will be forced to take two very tough votes - one to change state law (or the constitution) and the other on the appropriations bill.
* Speaking of the 2016 budget…
Local officials from throughout Illinois descended Wednesday on the Capitol, lending their voices to the growing coalition of groups opposed to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget plan.
Along with labor unions, college students, Amtrak riders, social service agencies, and Democrats, mayors of both political stripes said the governor’s proposal for a 50 percent cut to the municipal share of state income taxes would be a devastating blow to local finances. […]
State Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, said he disagrees with Rauner’s plan to cut social service programs.
“I’m just not going to vote for that,” Arroyo told his colleagues during a House budget hearing.
Yeah, well, he’s gonna have to vote for something or we’re never getting outta here.
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* From the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute…
There has been a significant increase in support in Illinois for legalizing gay marriage, according to a series of polls by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University.
The issue is back in the news with the U.S. Supreme Court considering marriage equality issues, and Institute polls show a dramatic evolution of support in the state during the past six years.
The most recent Simon Poll, conducted Feb. 28 to March 10, shows 54.9 percent of registered Illinois voters in support of marriage equality; 20.0 percent favoring civil unions; 18.4 percent opposed to both, and 6.7 percent unsure. The survey of 1,000 voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Opposition to gay marriage has faded across the board in the state, including among Republicans, conservatives and evangelicals.
The issue of gay marriage has appeared in nearly every statewide Simon Poll since 2009. In that time, opinion has gone from being almost equally divided between those favoring full-marriage rights or civil unions versus no legal recognition at all, also called “traditional marriage,” to a solid majority favoring full-marriage rights for the past three Simon Polls since February 2014.
When support for civil unions is incorporated, three-fourths of Illinoisans (74.9 percent) now see a place for legal recognition of same-sex relationships.
* More…
The poll also found:
• Support for marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples is not limited to liberals and Democrats. Among Illinois Republicans, over two-thirds (67.8 percent) support some type of legal recognition with 38.0 percent of respondents in the latest Simon Poll (March 2015) favoring full-marriage equality and with another 29.8 percent favoring civil unions. Just over a quarter (27.7 percent) of GOP supporters say there should be no legal recognition for same-sex couples.
The 2015 result is notable compared to its 2009 counterpart, in which nearly half (47.7 percent) of Republicans took the no-legal-rights stance and only one in ten favored full marriage rights.
• Opposition to legal recognition among evangelicals in Illinois has also faded. In 2009, 70.9 percent opposed any legal recognition for same-sex relationships. Today, that number is 45.7 percent. There are 49.1 percent of evangelicals who either support gay marriage or civil unions.
In 2009, only 4.1 percent of evangelicals favored full recognition. Today, that figure is 23.4 percent.
“Perhaps the most surprising development is the transforming views among evangelicals,” said Kent Dolezal, Simon Graduate Research Fellow. “Finding more in support of some legal recognition than not is a development which may have an impact going into the Republican presidential primaries.”
• Opinion among Independents also underwent a shift between the February 2013 and February 2014 Simon Poll. Although a clear majority of Independents favored some sort of legal recognition by 2013, February 2014 saw support for full legal rights reach nearly 60 percent. In the same time frame, those favoring civil unions dropped from 46 percent to 14 percent.
• Support is strongest among Democrats, with over 60 percent in favor of full rights since 2013, up from four in ten in 2009. From an ideological perspective, liberals currently favor marriage equality at a rate topping 75 percent. Moderates have seen their support go from just over one-third (33.6 percent) in 2009 to nearly two-thirds (65.9 percent) in the latest Simon Poll.
• From 2010 to 2015, conservative views shifted dramatically. In 2010, 15.6 percent of conservatives supported same-sex marriage. By, this year, that figure grew to 31.8 percent. Those who opposed any legal recognition of same-sex marriage dropped from 41.7 percent to 29.2 percent.
• At 66.5 percent, marriage equality sees its strongest support in Chicago, a nearly 30-point increase since 2009. The Chicago suburbs see majority support (55.6 percent), with Downstate residents nearing half at 46 percent. Downstate results also demonstrate the dramatic 2013-14 shift when support went from 27.8 percent to 42.5 percent.
More here.
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