* I’m told this is about a $30 million a year program. So since we are a bit more than half way through the fiscal year, the providers are owed somewhere north of $15 million…
Hi Rich.
Here’s a statement from the Shriver Center on the Family Case Management court order yesterday that compels the state to make good on promises it made to providers of preventive healthcare services for pregnant women, infants and children.
Recently, this blog highlighted that the Governor spoke highly of criminal justice reform measures as being worth the initial short term investment because of the long term return on that investment for communities. Voices for Illinois Children absolutely agrees that responsible public investment up front yields high returns for investors, who are the taxpayers of this state.
These preventive healthcare services, along with so many of the services disappearing in this state, are another prime example of a short term investment that yields big returns.
While this one piece of the vital-services-puzzle will be maintained, unfortunately a court order can’t compel lawmakers and the governor to keep their promises to children and families across the board. Only a complete budget with new revenue passed by lawmakers along with a governor willing to execute it can do that.
Emily Miller
Voices for Illinois Children
* Statement…
A federal judge has ordered Illinois to make payments to continue health care access for hundreds of thousands of families and support for the providers who offer it. This week’s court-ordered mandate will ensure Family Case Management providers – who have not been paid since June 2015 – are duly paid millions of dollars by the State of Illinois for the important Medicaid-funded services they provide to pregnant women, infants, and children. The Shriver Center and Legal Council for Health Justice and the Chicago firm Goldberg Kohn won a court order to compel these payments to hundreds of valued, hard-working providers, including local health departments and clinics, many of whom were on the brink of closure or had already shut-down because of non-payments.
This is a valuable victory for preserving health care access in Illinois, but it shouldn’t take a court order to force our government to keep its commitment to the communities it is meant to serve.
The Family Case Management program affects the state’s infant mortality rate and health care expenditures. It is smart preventative medicine. It saves millions of dollars in long-term health costs. We hope that these court-ordered payments will allow this critical program to continue during the budget impasse. Such a needed and cost-effective program should not languish or dissolve as a result of failure to do the basic work of governing.
Illinois needs to keep its promises and implement its policies. Illinois needs to pass a budget.
Club for Growth Action, a political arm of the Club for Growth, announced the release of a 30-second television ad calling for the election of Kyle McCarter in the 15th congressional district of Illinois. It will begin airing tomorrow on broadcast and cable markets throughout the district.
“Twenty years in Washington has a way of turning some Republicans into Establishment sell-outs who represent their party leaders better than their constituents back home,” said Club for Growth president David McIntosh. “Years ago, John Shimkus became a reliable vote for debt-busting spending bills and the big-government agenda of Washington Republicans.
“Club for Growth PAC has endorsed Kyle McCarter, a successful businessman who fought for pension reform in the State Senate and against higher property taxes. McCarter is committed to fighting for pro-growth policies that will limit the size and scope of the federal bureaucracy.”
Note: John Shimkus has a lifetime score of 66% and a 2014 score of 34% on the Club for Growth Scorecard that tracks how members of Congress vote on economic legislation.
McCann Awarded with Campaign Cash by Madigan’s Top Special Interest Allies from Chicago
Only 13 donors from 50th Senate District have contributed to McCann since January 2015
On Tuesday, February 9th, State Senator Sam McCann received the maximum contribution of $53,900 from the Chicagoland Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC, a top Chicago ally of Speaker Mike Madigan. In stark contrast, only 13 donors from the 50th Senate District have contributed a total of $13,000 to Senator McCann since January 2015.
Over the past 5 years, the Operators have contributed $643,600 to Speaker Madigan and the committees he controls: 13th Ward Democratic Organization, Democratic Majority, Democratic Party of Illinois, and Friends of Michael J. Madigan.
* OK, forget about the apparently coordinated message with Dan Proft’s Liberty Principles PAC. Take a look at these $50,000 contributions from the Chicagoland Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC on one day in December of 2015 alone…
Illinois House Victory Fund [Purpose: To support Republican candidates for the House of Representatives of the Illinois General Assembly]
JBD Lead Forward PAC [Purpose: To promote Republican candidates throughout Illinois]
House Republican Leadership Committee [Purpose: To promote Republican candidates for the illinois house of representatives]
House Republican Organization [Purpose: To support Republican candidates for the House of Representatives of the Illinois General Assembly]
Citizens for Durkin [ Purpose: To support the candidacy of State Representative James B Durkin in the State of IL]
That’s $250,000 to those groups, plus a bunch to other Republicans.
* Benton also says McCann has only reported 13 donors from within the district since January.
Pretty much all of the money being spent in that district is coming from Liberty Principles PAC. By my rough count, it’s been about $666,000 reported so far. And there’s a long way to go until primary day.
* Benton, by the way, has reported raising just $35,100, since January 1, most of which came from a $25K contribution from Illinois Liberty PAC (not within the district) and a $2K loan from himself.
So, if you’re keeping score, Benton has actually raised just 4.8 percent of the total spent so far. And just 1.2 percent of the total spent has been raised within the district.
If not for Proft, this guy’s fundraising wouldn’t be taken seriously by anyone.
This month, we asked our members whether the governor should keep fighting to pass his economic agenda. Their answer came through loud and clear: Seventy-four percent of survey respondents say Illinois’ economy is on the wrong track, while an overwhelming 88 percent believe the governor should continue pushing his “turnaround agenda.” More than 560 owners completed the survey.
We drilled a little deeper and asked specifically whether our members support the governor’s plan to repair the state’s workers’ compensation system, repeal prevailing wage and reform our legal system; 88 percent answered yes.
The takeaway is that while some get a little squeamish amid controversy or recoil at a tough challenge, small-business owners understand the grave nature of what Rauner is trying to do and are willing to weather this storm.
They know firsthand, from experience, that sometimes hard decisions must be made in order to keep the doors open.
Make no mistake, we know this is painful to some and scary for those whose futures are in question. But for the vast majority of the private sector who pay their own freight for retirement and want their children to have a better future, there is no more pressing issue than righting this ship called the state of Illinois. Now.
You see, in business, when there’s a problem, you fix it before it gets worse. Apparently, in state government, you just keep pushing the problem aside until it is so gigantic the solutions are almost unbearable. Remember, the governor has been in office for one year; our problems have been in the making for decades.
Another attempt is being made in the General Assembly to send the stalled contract talks with the largest state employee union to arbitration.
The House Labor and Commerce Committee on Thursday approved a bill that would send the talks to binding arbitration while also prohibiting the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees from striking.
The legislation mirrors a bill passed by the General Assembly last year to do the same thing. Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the bill and the House was not able to override the veto. […]
“We are in a unique situation here,” AFSCME deputy director Mike Newman said. “We’ve never heard a public employer boast that if there is a strike, we will win. I don’t know how anybody can define a strike by 10s of thousands of state employees as a victory.”
Sponsoring Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, said the bill marked a “major concession” by unions in giving up their right to strike, and he called on his colleagues to prevent a lockout and government shutdown.
Rauner has asked the Illinois Labor Relations Board to determine whether his administration and AFSCME have reached a stage in negotiations that would allow him to bypass further talks and impose his own terms on the roughly 38,000 state workers the union represents.
That review could take months, and Rauner and the union have agreed to keep workers on the job in the meantime. But if Rauner ultimately succeeds in putting a stop to the talks, the union will have to decide whether to go on strike for the first time. […]
In testimony to the committee, Mike Newman, deputy director of AFSCME Council 31, said a governor who has made weakening unions part of his agenda simply wants to force his terms without considering the pain and disruption a strike would cause.
Rep. Welch has a Democratic primary opponent who just received some funding from one of Dan Proft’s groups.
* The Rauner administration response…
Illinois Taxpayers Cannot Afford HB 580
HB580—a second bite at the failed attempt to pass SB1229 last Fall—should not become law. Simply put, our taxpayers cannot afford it.
Over the course of the last year, the State and certain labor unions have engaged in productive, good-faith negotiations. Indeed, the State has signed collective bargaining agreements with seventeen unions represented by, among others, the Teamsters, SEIU, the Laborers’ International Union, and the International Union of Operating Engineers. All seventeen agreed that tightening our belts now is the only responsible approach if we have any hope of avoiding cuts to essential services, massive employee layoffs, continued credit rating downgrades, and the further ballooning of our unfunded pension liabilities, bill backlog, and budget deficits. These unions offered to be a part of the solution.
Not AFSCME, which has continued to insist that the State somehow, somewhere find over $3 billion to give ASFCME employees more money while maintaining luxury health insurance coverage at garage-sale prices. So, after almost a year of unproductive negotiations, the State invoked a procedure to which AFSCME and the State thrice agreed, asking the Labor Board to determine whether the parties are at an impasse. Instead of lobbying for yet another version of the failed legislation from last Fall, AFSCME should defend its proposals before the Labor Board. This is what AFSCME has agreed to do in that very forum, on three separate occasions. If ASFCME believes its actions are reasonable, it should make its case to the Board.
But now that the matter is before the Labor Board, and AFSCME has to actually defend its proposals, AFSCME wants to rewrite the rules. Why is AFSCME afraid of the Labor Board process to which it previously agreed? Why does it want to replace that fair process with an all-or-nothing gamble at taxpayers’ expense that typifies labor arbitration in this State? Arbitrators may not fashion a middle ground that the State can actually afford. Instead, arbitrators must choose either the State’s or the union’s proposal wholesale. What AFSCME is hoping for is that AFSCME’s current proposal—over $3 billion in additional costs—is implemented. AFSCME could never defend such an unreasonable proposal at the negotiating table. And AFSCME is afraid it cannot defend it before the Labor Board. And thus the arbitration gamble becomes very attractive for AFSCME, no matter how unaffordable it is to our taxpayers.
Worse still, courts in Illinois have been recently upholding arbitration awards even in the absence of appropriations. The General Assembly would thus be bound by arbitration resulting from HB580, making balancing the State’s budget that much more difficult.
If HB580 becomes law, the General Assembly would effectively cede major financial decisions to unelected, unaccountable arbitrators. AFSCME is gambling for a big payday in arbitration. But it is the General Assembly that will have the difficult job of finding the money to pay for AFSCME’s jackpot, likely at the expense of cutting essential services in the State, imposing employee layoffs, or other drastic measures.
WATCH: Today we launched our first TV ad, "Amen." The ad showcases Kim’s personal and professional experience that we know will drive her holistic approach to repairing our broken criminal justice system. Check it out, then share, #TeamFoxx!
Together with Rich Miller, we’ll be hosting a happy hour reception at the Sangamo Club, 227 E Adams St, on Tuesday, February 16th from 3:30 to 6:30pm. We’ll have a computer set up, so you can see first-hand how TrackBill can work for you.
Stop by for cocktails and light appetizers, and feel free to bring a friend!
* Now that the Sun-Times has finally shed itself of its meddling pro-Rauner owner, might we see more editorials like this?…
You don’t smash the engine to make a car go faster, yet that is what Gov. Bruce Rauner is doing to Chicago, the engine of Illinois.
For more than a year, Gov. Rauner has been inflicting permanent damage on one of America’s great cities — and so too, then, on the entire State of Illinois — by holding the city hostage to a rigid “turnaround” agenda that is going nowhere. Rauner charged into office promising dramatic pro-business, anti-union reforms, but he’s fast shaping up as one of the least successful and most politically inept governors in the state’s history.
It is easy to say “a pox on both your houses,” as we have in the past, laying blame equally on the governor and the Democratic leaders of the state Legislature, especially House Speaker Michael J. Madigan. And certainly, as President Obama said in his speech to the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday, there is a need across the political spectrum for “civility and compromise.”
But increasingly, with respect to Gov. Rauner, that is a false equivalency.
They do get some things wrong. Rauner long ago abandoned his robust and harmful (to his own aims) public push for so-called “right to work” laws, for example.
* Most importantly, though, Chicago has done far more harm to itself with ridiculous tax and spend policies (low property taxes on residents and too much spending as well as too much delay on dealing with pensions) over the past couple of decades (with mayors and aldermanic majorities endorsed by the Sun-Times) than Rauner could ever possibly do in a year.
I get their anger. I share it. But the city’s leaders started this raging fire and then deliberately ignored it until they had pushed Chicago to the cusp of insolvency. Emanuel didn’t have the courage to raise taxes in his first term, and, of course, there was Daley’s (endorsed) abject cowardice. Now, the tax hikes have to be much larger and the cuts much deeper if Chicago hopes to ever survive, which is why Rauner and others are pushing so hard for the bankruptcy option.
* Illinois, on the other hand, did address its revenue problem in 2011, much to the chagrin of many. But then Rauner demanded that the Democrats not renew that tax hike and the Dems complied. Big mistake in hindsight. However, because he made that request, Rauner now owns the current state problems much more than he owns Chicago’s.
And while many don’t or refuse to believe it, state spending was cut before Rauner took over (not enough, but it was). Now it can’t be cut with any sort of reasonableness and logic and humaneness because we don’t have a budget and the judiciary is ordering spending, while some entities (like rape crisis centers and universities) aren’t getting any state money at all.
Rauner’s performance as governor lies at the heart of the problem now. His largely inflexible demands are unrealistic and his coercive tactics ineffectual. His harsh rhetoric has made constructive compromise — the heart and soul of politics if not the private equity business — all the more difficult.
The irony here is that Rauner is championing some good stuff for which he might possibly, over time, cobble together bipartisan support. We’re with him on the need to reform the way legislative maps are drawn to make elections more competitive. We see merit in term limits for legislators. There’s a good argument that Illinois could go further in reforming its worker’s comp laws.
But Rauner came to Springfield and demanded it all, right away. Without even a nod to political realities, he front-loaded his entire agenda into the first year of his four-year term. And we’re troubled by his seeming obsession with curtailing the power of unions; is it so complete that he cannot see that he will never get a right-to-work law through the General Assembly?
Again, Rauner, to his credit, did dump the so-called “right to work” issue last year. But his obsession with unions is downright bizarre.
* The governor also seems to enjoy kicking people and entities when they’re down, and he’s been far too eager to do that to Chicago. So the editorial is spot on in that regard.
And he’s mostly contained the state meltdown to Chicago, where problems with schools, crime and the state’s only majority African-American public university are rapidly coming to a head. He should be trying to help, no doubt, but he would say he has offered help. Trouble is, that was all wrapped up in his anti-union obsession. He really needs to find other ways to make this state more competitive.
But you can’t deliberately hit yourself in the head with a hammer and then sue the manufacturer. Well, you can (this is Illinois, after all /snark), but you’d look pretty silly doing it.
* Either way, and despite my strong disagreements, having a “new” Chicago counterpoint to the Tribune is most definitely needed. That paper has been dominating this debate for far too long.
Thursday, Feb 11, 2016 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
MembersAlliance Credit Union, based in Rockford, started a fundraiser in 2009 to help fund and increase awareness for the Tutoring Clubs program, an effort of Stateline Youth for Christ that reaches out to local “at risk” school children in grades 1-5 through one-on-one relationships with adult volunteers. This year, 11 credit unions of the Rockford Area Chapter supported the Tutoring Clubs Program, resulting in their most successful fundraising year to date.
Gregg Giamalva, Stateline Youth for Christ Executive Director, stated, “We are so appreciative of our local credit union members and community for their support of Tutoring Clubs, raising over $8,000−by far our best year yet! Our program is a preemptive effort to direct children in becoming productive citizens. All monies raised go directly to local Tutoring Clubs, which are growing in the stateline area.” Giamalva added, “Our mission is to help these young people increase confidence and make improvements in their academic, social and spiritual lives, and we have seen impressive results in all these areas.”
“The credit union motto is People Helping People, and Tutoring Clubs is an excellent example of this philosophy,” commented Lorna Cote, Chairman, Rockford Area Chapter of Credit Unions (RACCU). “This is one of several collaborative efforts of the RACCU. As we invite people to find a local credit union to love, we also give back to our community and appreciate the giving hearts of our members.”
“I think it’ll kind of make it … really kind of embarrass people into not being so …. so, stuck in their ways, you know?” [Senate President John Cullerton] said, “And hope that — we still have a big gap to close, but if people (as I’ve been trying to do, by the way since I’ve been here) to try to do bring people together and try to pass some legislation.”
Republicans by and large weren’t quite that optimistic.
“I think you can never have enough reminders of the importance of coming back to a respectful tone. It’s not going to change over night, the President acknowledged that,” Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, said.
“I think we need to take his remarks today, and realize that we do need to work together to try and get things done. But is this going to move us off the dime a little bit on budget negotiations? I don’t think so,” Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, said.
Sandack said that he is ready to answer the president’s call for greater “civility” in political discourse.
“In this age where the political divide seems insurmountable, we have a responsibility to behave respectfully and with the best interests of our constituents in mind,” Sandack said. “I am ready to do my part, and invite my colleagues from the other side of the aisle to join me for those discussions.”
“I think he was addressing both sides in equal parts,” Manar said. “I do think it offers us a new perspective that I hope will be helpful moving forward. I count it as a perspective coming from the president of the United States that I hope will be helpful to break the impasse that has brought our state to a halt.”
“I think there were a lot of things Republicans and Democrats can agree to,” said Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville. “Unfortunately I think politics are playing too big a role in Springfield for (that speech) to have an effect.”
Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez, R-Leland Grove, said lawmakers will have to wait and see if there is any lasting impact.
“I think we should observe to see if it makes any difference,” she said. “I’ve been hopeful that we can work together and work toward compromise very quickly. The point is we should all be listening to all people’s points of view.”
* The Question: In the coming weeks, what sort of impact do you think the President’s speech will have? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
* The Tribune’s Christi Parsons spent nearly an hour yesterday afternoon with President Obama and three of his former Illinois Senate colleagues, Denny Jacobs, Larry Walsh and Kirk Dillard. The published story is here. The full video is here. And the official White House transcript is here…
THE PRESIDENT: Now, the one thing — last thing I should say is I especially want to thank Larry and Denny — I can’t thank Kirk for this, but these two contributed to the early college fund for Malia and Sasha. (Laughter.) Through our poker games. I saw Tommy Walsh, one of the Republicans that played, and Dave Luechtefeld and those guys contributed as well. But Malia and Sasha, they got a good seed fund for their college, because these guys, I took them for all they were worth. (Laughter.)
DILLARD: I said to Denny in the motorcade over here, Mr. President, I said, do you think the President still carries cash. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, absolutely. I mean, we can get a — now, probably –
WALSH: I got a deck. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: Part of the secret of beating these guys, though, is I would just nurse my beer, and these guys — you know. So the longer the game went on, the looser their betting got. (Laughter.)
WALSH: Now, don’t you go telling too many stories here, Mr. President. (Laughter.)
I was honored that President Obama affirmed my decision to find a compromise to bring people together. As the President noted, our problems are not new and compromise is not a sign of weakness or being a sellout, but necessary for self government. I also found his Lincoln reference interesting considering some of the dialogue surrounding the politics in Springfield. Honestly, I feel vindicated.
STOP LYING AND TELL THE TRUTH…YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!
Perhaps some history revisionists would like to revisit their statements! The only people who don’t seem to get it are the Springfield regulars. So as your social service agencies continue to starve and families continue to suffer, I often wonder do you pat yourself on the back for not being able to reach a compromise. I Know you think you are being valiant, but most of us are tired and want to get a deal. The state is screwed and YOU participated.
I 100% believe that Dunkin was referenced in the speech and it wasn’t negatively. The funny thing is Dunkin has been getting calls from all over the nation commending him on being a visionary. Whether you like it or not Dunkin was the POSTIVE in the speech, I think the people with the ooh’s and ahh’s were who the POTUS was actually talking to!
From the Washington Post:
The president was clearly at ease. He joked with Illinois state Rep. Ken Dunkin (D), who angered his own party by missing a key vote to override Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a labor bill. Obama said that compromising with the opposing party “doesn’t make me a sellout to my own party.”
“Heck, yeah,” someone shouted from the floor.
Obama responded: “We’ll talk later, Ken.” The audience exploded in laughter and applause, and Dunkin stood and saluted the president.
Oh…and how about that 8 second intro from the Speaker. The POTUS made it his HOUSE today, but alas, for the negroes back to work tomorrow!
Because in Springfield, no matter how high you climb, you are still a [racial expletive deleted]!
During his speech, Obama said making bipartisan compromises “doesn’t make me a sell out to my own party.” He then turned to Rep. Ken Dunkin and said, “We’ll talk later, Dunkin. Sit down.”
Dunkin, a democrat, has recently come under fire after forging an alliance with Gov. Rauner.
“I was honored that President Obama affirmed my decision to find a compromise to bring people together,” Dunkin told Ward Room. “As the President noted, our problems are not new and compromise is not a sign of weakness, but necessary for self-government.”
Dunkin also told Ward Room that he has been invited to visit the White House on March 17.
* The Civic Federation has released its annual state budget report…
In a report released today, the Civic Federation’s Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability proposes a comprehensive three-year plan that addresses Illinois’ ongoing financial crisis with painful but necessary spending limits and revenue enhancements. The full 55-page report is available at www.civicfed.org.
More than seven months into the current fiscal year, the State of Illinois continues to operate without a budget. However, virtually all of the State’s projected FY2016 revenues will be spent through statutory requirements, consent decrees, court orders and appropriated funds for elementary and secondary education. This leaves little for the areas of government that have gone unfunded, including all higher education and major human services programs. If current revenue and expenditure policies continue, the State’s backlog of bills could grow to $25.9 billion by the end of FY2019.
“Systemic payment delays and the ongoing budget impasse in Springfield have only exacerbated our State’s financial woes, and there are no more politically popular solutions left to explore,” said Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation. “Despite this dire situation, our roadmap shows that with dedicated action and shared sacrifice, it is possible to enact a comprehensive plan that will get Illinois back on sound financial footing by FY2019.”
The Federation proposes the following recommendations as part of a comprehensive three-year plan:
*Limit Spending and Pay Down Bills: The State should control spending to generate budget surpluses that would allow it to pay down the backlog of unpaid bills by the end of FY2019. Projected spending for FY2016 starts at a low level that is more than $1 billion below previously estimated maintenance levels.
* Revenue Cliff: The State should retroactively increase the income tax rate to 5.0% for individuals and 7.0% for corporations as of January 1, 2016, up from 3.75% and 5.25%, respectively, in order to address the fall in revenues resulting from the income tax rate rollback on January 1, 2015.
* Broaden the Income Tax Base to Include Some Retirement Income: Out of the 41 states that impose an income tax, Illinois is one of only three that exempt all pension income. The State can no longer afford to provide this generous benefit and should eliminate the income tax exemption for non-Social Security retirement income from individuals with a taxable income of more than $50,000.
* Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to Provide Assistance to Low Income Residents: To help soften the impact of the State’s fiscal crisis on low income residents, the Civic Federation proposes an increase in the State’s Earned Income Tax Credit from 10% of the federal credit to 15% of the federal amount.
* Expand the Sales Tax Base and Reduce the Retailer’s Discount: The Civic Federation recommends that Illinois temporarily suspend its sales tax exemption for food and nonprescription drugs, enact a new general consumer services tax and cap reimbursement to retailers for collecting sales tax revenues.
* Establish Comprehensive Teachers’ Pension Funding Reform: There is no good public policy reason for Illinois to maintain two separate funds for public school teachers’ pensions. The Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund and Teachers’ Retirement System should consolidate, providing more equitable pension funding for all teachers and helping to stabilize Chicago Public Schools’ finances.
* Approve Constitutional Amendment Limiting Pension Protection Clause: The Civic Federation urges the General Assembly to draft and approve a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution for the November 2016 statewide ballot specifying that the clause in the Illinois Constitution protecting public pension benefits applies only to accrued benefits.
* Make Supplemental Pension Payments: In order to mitigate the impact of the State’s inadequate statutory pension funding plan, the State should make supplemental payments corresponding to the reduced debt service obligations associated with retiring Pension Obligation bonds beginning in FY2019 until all five State retirement systems are 100% funded.
Only after the State eliminates its backlog of bills and begins to make progress toward building a rainy day fund should it explore reversing some of the tax policy changes that were necessary to end the crisis as part of a comprehensive look at the State’s tax system.
It is important to note that with less than six months remaining in the current fiscal year to address an operating shortfall of $4.6 billion, there are no practical measures that would completely balance the FY2016 budget and prevent an increase in the backlog of unpaid bills by the end of FY2016. Unlike FY2015, there are no easy stop-gap fixes such as interfund borrowing or fund sweeps that are available or adequate to close such a large operating shortfall.
Savings from pension reforms are no longer possible due to the Illinois State Supreme Court’s ruling that the changes were unconstitutional. Only difficult choices remain for the State.
(T)he afterglow of a wistful President Barack Obama’s call in Springfield for a “better politics” of civility might not even last 24 hours at the Capitol.
House Democrats have resurrected a labor-backed bill that would prevent a lockout or strike if an impasse is reached between state employees and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration.
The measure will go before a House committee Thursday morning, a day after Obama’s lofty speech to state lawmakers.
Last year, Gov. Rauner vetoed a similar measure, which Democrats in the House failed to overturn when House Speaker Michael Madigan was unable to keep his veto-proof majority unified. The state’s collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 expired July 1, the start of the new budget year.
* I told subscribers earlier this week about a Dan Proft radio ad blasting Republican state Sen. Sam McCann. Proft’s Liberty Principles PAC is now out with a similar TV ad. Rate it…
…Adding… Wordslinger in comments…
I think it’s a much more effective spot for the second intended audience, which is GOP GA members.
The message is, if you buck the governor on even one vote, if you cast a meaningless vote for a measure that doesn’t even become law, this is what you can expect.
“People think it’s a fight about the budget. It’s not really about the budget. It’s about the future of the state. Speaker (Michael) Madigan and his legislators, what they want to fight me on is to raise taxes. That’s not the answer. Or to cut services. That’s not the answer either.”
Rauner said he wants to fight “the wasteful bureaucracy” and make Illinois “a pro-growth state.”
“Now we’re winning, but it’s taking longer than I’d like,” he admitted. “But what I’ve said I won’t do is raise taxes on the people of Illinois until I know we’re getting more value for your taxes, and we’ve got real strong economic growth creating jobs in the state.
“Until I can say that, we are never raising taxes in this state.”
In the past, Rauner has indicated some willingness to increase taxes once parts of his reform agenda were enacted, but he took a more strident anti-tax tone Wednesday.
Since it’s Lent and I’m trying very hard to change the tone of discourse in my own life, I thought I would pass along a nifty little article that one of my UIS Philosophy profs gave us on how to ‘disagree agreeably’. Just thought it was timely.
Daniel Dennett (b. March 28, 1942), whom artificial intelligence pioneer Marvin Minsky has called “our best current philosopher” and “the next Bertrand Russell,” poses an apt question that probes some of the basic tendencies and dynamics of today’s everyone-is-a-critic culture: “Just how charitable are you supposed to be when criticizing the views of an opponent?”
In Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking (public library) — the same fantastic volume that gave us Dennett on the dignity and art-science of making mistakes — he offers what he calls “the best antidote [for the] tendency to caricature one’s opponent”: a list of rules formulated decades ago by the legendary social psychologist and game theorist Anatol Rapoport, best-known for originating the famous tit-for-tat strategy of game theory. Dennett synthesizes the steps:
How to compose a successful critical commentary:
* You should attempt to re-express your target’s position so clearly, vividly, and fairly that your target says, “Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way.
* You should list any points of agreement (especially if they are not matters of general or widespread agreement).
* You should mention anything you have learned from your target.
* Only then are you permitted to say so much as a word of rebuttal or criticism.
If only the same code of conduct could be applied to critical commentary online, particularly to the indelible inferno of comments.
But rather than a naively utopian, Pollyannaish approach to debate, Dennett points out this is actually a sound psychological strategy that accomplishes one key thing: It transforms your opponent into a more receptive audience for your criticism or dissent, which in turn helps advance the discussion.
Wednesday, Feb 10, 2016 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Exelon announced that its profits for 2015 were $2,270,000,000 and that it is increasing dividends to shareholders 2.5% per year for the next three years.
So you’re thinking – “The company is healthy, shareholders are getting more $$$, the power auctions provided them $1.7 billion for their nuclear plants in Illinois so they must be done asking struggling Illinois ratepayers for a bailout, right?” Nope - it’s never enough for Exelon.
“Groundhog Day was yesterday, but Exelon appears to want to keep celebrating. The Chicago-based nuclear giant is back to threatening to close nuclear plants in Illinois without financial help from the state.” – “Exelon’s Crane beats the drum again for nuke subsidies” Crain’s, February 3, 2016
To review:
Exelon made more than TWO BILLION DOLLARS ($2,270,000,000) last year
Exelon is INCREASING DIVIDENDS FOR SHAREHOLDERS
Exelon received a $1.7 BILLION WINDFALL through new capacity charges
Illinois still has no budget, the state’s finances and services are in shambles, the social safety net is being decimated but Exelon STILL wants the Legislature to pass a huge BAILOUT.
BEST Coalition is a 501C4 nonprofit group of dozens of business, consumer and government groups, as well as large and small businesses. Visit www.noexelonbailout.com.
We understand that many of Rauner’s critics want to energize their loyalists; others demonize him to raise donations. No problem, free country, all fair.
What we don’t understand is the Rauner critics’ willingness to see services shrink and institutions close. Their reluctance to get in Michael Madigan’s face, just as they get in Bruce Rauner’s.
“I think we can drive a wedge issue in the Democratic Party on that topic and bring the folks who say, ‘You know what, for our tax dollars, I’d rather help the disadvantaged, the handicapped, the elderly, the children in poverty,’ ” Rauner said, instead of directing tax dollars to the Service Employees International Union or “AF-Scammy,”
* A Tribune news report on a Tribune editorial board appearance last year…
“Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change … and we’ve got to use that leverage of the crisis to force structural change,” said Rauner […]
One such moment came when Rauner railed against public worker unions that donate heavily to further their political aims. Asked how he intended to get a ban on union campaign contributions through a legislature that is heavily backed by organized labor, Rauner pointed to the binders his staff had prepared.
“Read it,” he said. “Change the law … that’s what our proposal is.”
Pressed to explain, Rauner simply said: “Crisis. Crisis creates leverage.”
So, can you see why most legislators who aren’t in the governor’s party are so reluctant to do a deal with him? He said he would create a crisis and he did it. If they give in, he’ll probably just do it all over again.
* Let me be abundantly clear here that I have been pushing for and demanding a resolution to this impasse for a very long time. I believe that the governor makes extremely good points about the state of our economy and about the unfairness of our property tax system.
But, at the same time, it’s really not too difficult to understand why the other side doesn’t want to cave.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Chicago Rep. Will Guzzardi is not at all what you would ever call an “organization Democrat.” He defeated an organization Dem on his second try. His response to the Trib’s editorial on his Facebook page…
Here’s the thing about this article. It operates on the same faulty premise that I think the Governor has: fear of Speaker Madigan is the only thing keeping us from being full-throated advocates of the Turnaround Agenda.
That’s just wrong. You could have another Speaker tomorrow and you’d still be miles away from 60 votes on right to work, ending prevailing wage, gutting workers comp, capping remedies in civil court, or any of the rest of Rauner’s “reforms.”
I’m opposed to those things, and it’s certainly not because I’m under the thumb of Madigan. Most of my colleagues are opposed to them too. It’s because we actually believe in the merits of those programs.
Anyone who wants this thing to end needs to realize that, irrespective of Madigan, there is *no way* that the Turnaround Agenda will pass the House. Insisting on it as a precondition of a budget deal is the same thing as saying “I do not want a budget deal.” That’s why we blame Rauner.
You may disagree with his ideology, but you can’t argue the merits of his argument here. Very, very good points. [Hat tip: 47th Ward in comments]
*** UPDATE 2 *** Good points by a commenter…
The Democrats undeniably did the following things:
1) They passed a tax increase with a sunset provision, then for 4 years and total control of Congress and Gov’s office they took no action to either get expenses in line to prepare for the drop off in income tax, OR to renew the tax rates before they hit sunset. They could have taken that action as a party at any point from 2011 to 2015. They could have extended the tax sunset in the lame duck session of 2014 but they did not do that.
2) Democrats passed an unbalanced budget twice, once in 2014 when there was a Democratic governor and again in 2015 with Rauner.
Yep. Very true. Blame for the past, even the recent past, is very easy here. Going forward, however, I don’t see how it makes much of a difference.
Frank Mautino says now the more than $200,000 he racked up in fuel and auto service charges since 1999 wasn’t accumulated through his personal vehicle alone but in fact for four vehicles, including one owned and driven by a campaign worker.
After weeks of silence over questions raised about his campaign expenditures, the longtime Democratic state representative, now Illinois auditor general, released Tuesday a kind of statement explaining somewhat his fuel expenditures. These reached the seemingly improbable total of $213,000 from Happy’s Super Service in Spring Valley over more than a decade. […]
-A 2014 Ford Fiesta with 93,000 miles
-A 2002 Ford Explorer with 200,000 miles
-A 2014 Chevrolet Equinox with 30,000 miles
-A 1997 Ford F-150 with undisclosed miles
(NOTE: The Equinox mileage appears to be 30,000; the letter issued as a PDF file by Mautino spokesman Ryan Keith was not consistently legible.)
“All of these vehicles are personal vehicles,” Mautino wrote, excepting the F-150 which belonged to campaign worker Harry Pelka. “All the vehicles have been used for personal and campaign use. My primary work and campaign vehicle is the 2014 Ford Fiesta.” […]
The Ford Explorer, which Mautino said was primarily driven by campaign worker William Losey, alone accounts for 200,000 miles and would have been driven during calendar years when per-gallon fuel costs would have consistently been more than $3 and at times more than $4.
* Like I said earlier, blogging could be light today because I’m heading into the Obamapalooza event. You can watch a live video feed by clicking here. Follow along with ScribbleLive…
Rand Paul‘s campaign manager is jumping on board the suddenly flagging Marco Rubio campaign.
Chip Englander, who ran the Kentucky senator’s campaign before it ended last week, will be a senior political adviser responsible for the Midwest. Based in Chicago, Mr. Englander also ran Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner‘s successful 2014 campaign
The Rubio campaign, which placed fifth in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, hopes to capitalize on Mr. Englander’s connections to Mr. Paul’s libertarian supporters, even though the two senators’ presidential efforts were based on very different ideas. Mr. Paul campaigned on a foreign policy highly skeptical of intervention abroad and government surveillance, while Mr. Rubio backs a far more robust American presence overseas and stresses his support for electronic government surveillance.
Mr. Englander was spotted on an airplane Tuesday afternoon reviewing a contract to join the Rubio campaign. Rubio spokesman Alex Conant confirmed Mr. Englander’s employment Wednesday morning.
* Meanwhile, our two-time Golden Horseshoe winner Nancy Kimme has been working closely with Gov. Kasich’s campaign and could use some more volunteers…
* I’ve changed my mind and am now leaning toward going to the President’s event. So, blogging could be light today. I’ll have a live coverage post up soon because I need to get to the Capitol.
In his speech to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly, “without endorsing a specific path forward,” Obama will “talk about the need to address gerrymandering, including in his home state of Illinois,” the White House said Tuesday.
The Chicago Sun-Times has learned that Illinois Republican Reps. Rodney Davis and Darin LaHood — whose districts take in parts of Springfield — were asked by the White House to greet Obama on the tarmac of Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield — but not fly out with him on Air Force One.
Because Congress is in session, however, they would have had to scramble back from Washington for the arrival ceremony, flying commercial, while Democratic Illinois Reps. Mike Quigley, Robin Kelly and Tammy Duckworth got the lift on the president’s plane.
Davis’ district includes the Statehouse. He should’ve been invited on the flight.
Sen. Durbin is flying on the big plane as well. And Duckworth is a special guest to boost her US Senate primary bid.
The president is expected to give remarks there alongside several lawmakers he once worked with, including former state Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Republican who is now Regional Transportation Authority chairman.
Dillard said he was invited to appear by the White House along with former state Sens. Denny Jacobs, a Democrat from East Moline, and Larry Walsh, who’s now Will County executive.
“I tell my children that Dad was a very lucky person that he got to work in Springfield with a gentleman who became the president of the United States,” said Dillard, who during the 2010 governor primary was the subject of Republican attack ads for his previous appearance in a campaign ad supporting Obama. “I pinch myself every now and again.”
I’m also hearing that Pat Quinn was invited to attend.
“If we just grew at the national average for a year, we wouldn’t have unpaid bills today, we wouldn’t have a deficit today and we wouldn’t have (had) to do the tax hike in 2011,” Rauner said.
I’m told he meant “every year,” not just one year.
* But that’s still a pretty bold statement and I wanted to see the actual numbers, so I asked his staff for an explanation. Here it is…
According to the Illinois Department of Revenue, if our revenues (individual income tax, corporate income tax and sales tax) grew at the national average GDP growth since Fiscal Year 2000, we would have generated an additional $19 billion total in surplus revenue even without the 2011 tax hike. With average growth and no tax hike, we would have generated $305.5 billion in revenue from the income and sales taxes. In reality, we generated just $286.5 billion. That means with average growth, there’d be no bill backlog (as well as the more than $1 billion dollars in prompt payment interest that has accrued since 2003), no budget crisis and more resources for schools, Medicaid and social service providers.
So, that means overall revenues would’ve grown an additional 6.6 percent over time. That would be welcome, but I’m not sure it would’ve solved all the problems.
President Obama will address the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday, February 10 in the House Chambers. Streaming of President Obama’s speech will be available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/live
Family members will not have access to the house floor for Wednesday, February 10. Members should be advised the House Floor temperature has been lowered due to the additional personnel and camera lights in the room, so members may want to dress appropriately for the day.
Members should plan to arrive at the Capitol Building by 11 a.m. All Members, staff and guests will need to use the west wing entrance and will be required to pass thru the magnetometers. Members & guests should limit what they bring (such as water bottles, coffee cups, computer devices and laptops) to the Capitol Building as this will only delay the scanning procedures.
Parking: For Wednesday February 10th, there is no parking on the North Drive. Parking will be provided for North Drive vehicles in lot G, the gravel lot to the north of the capitol building. Parking is available on a first come, first served basis.
The schedule for the day.
7:30-10 a.m. State Capitol Building closed for a security sweep. All tunnels close at 7:30 a.m. for the day.
10:15 a.m. The State Capitol west doors open for Members & guests. Please dress warm as the Springfield temperature may be in the low teens. Also, there will not be any drop-offs in between the Capitol and Stratton Buildings.
All Members, staff and guests will need to go thru a magnetometer.
Only Members, building staff and guests with seats in the Gallery or the Speakers Gallery will have access to the Capitol Building.
Any person going to the House Chamber of Gallery, will need a pass for the day. That pass can be collected at the registration table on the first floor west wing, after you are scanned.
Guests will need passes as well for the Gallery and the Speakers Gallery.
Those guests who are in the Speakers Gallery will enter the 4th floor Gallery doors, then walk around the Chamber Gallery.
There will be a staffed coat room – Room 118, for House Members and guests.
11:30 a.m. House Session convenes
11:45 a.m. House –Senate Joint Session to convene, then stand at ease
Members can move about the building, but certain areas will not be accessible.
The East Corridor from the Senate to the House will not be accessible. Members may only access the Chamber thru the 3rd floor rotunda doors. Room 300 will only be accessible for those with offices.
Lunch: House Members can take a few moments for lunch in room 114. No food will be allowed on the House Floor or the House Galleries.
12:45 p.m. All House and Senate Members and dignitaries will need to be on the House floor near their seats.
All guests in the Galleries will need to be in their seats.
As a reminder, for any guests in the galleries, they will need to use the restrooms on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd floors. So time should be factored into one’s schedule to traverse the building.
1 p.m. Members and guests should be in their seats, as the doors to the Chamber will be closed.
Members should note committees have been scheduled for Wednesday, February 10, after the President’s address. House committees are be scheduled for the morning of Thursday, February 11.
* Capitol Avenue between Second and Seventh streets
* Edwards Street between Second and College streets
* Walnut Street between Edwards Street and North Grand Avenue
* From the White House…
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2016
In the morning, the President will travel to Springfield, Illinois. The departure from the South Lawn is open press, and the arrival at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport is open to pre-credentialed media.
While in Springfield, the President will address the Illinois General Assembly about what we can do, together, to build a better politics – one that reflects our better selves. The President’s remarks at the Illinois State Capitol will be pooled press.
Afterward, the President will deliver remarks to supporters, stakeholders and volunteers. The President’s remarks at the Hoogland Center for the Arts will be pooled press.
In the evening, the President depart Illinois en route San Jose, California. The departure from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport and the arrival at Moffett Federal Airfield are open to pre-credentialed media.
The President will remain overnight in San Jose.
In-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: CBS
Print: The Root
Radio: WW1
Out-of-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: NY Times
Print: CBS
Radio: NPR
EST
9:00AM In-Town Pool Call Time
10:05AM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House
South Lawn
Open Press (Final Gather 9:50AM – North Doors of the Palm Room)
10:20AM THE PRESIDENT departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Springfield, Illinois
Out-of-Town Travel Pool Coverage (Call Time 9:00AM – Virginia Gate, Joint Base Andrews)
CST
11:20AM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Springfield, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Springfield, Illinois
Open to Pre-Credentialed Media
1:25PM THE PRESIDENT addresses the Illinois General Assembly
Illinois State Capitol, Springfield, Illinois
Pooled Press
3:25PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks
Hoogland Center for the Arts, Springfield, Illinois
Pooled Press
5:10PM THE PRESIDENT departs Springfield, Illinois en route San Jose, California
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Springfield, Illinois
Open to Pre-Credentialed Media
PST
7:30PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in San Jose, California
Moffett Federal Airfield, Mountain View, California
Open to Pre-Credentialed Media
Briefing Schedule
Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route Springfield, Illinois
