Rauner deletes his account
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Not sure what the standard procedure is these days…
You get a “Sorry, that page doesn’t exist” message when you try to visit the page.
Deleting it is probably for the better. Lots of negativity emanated from that account, so Twitter’s karmic quotient just improved. /s
…Adding… Same with FB…
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Three Chicago cops acquitted of coverup
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
In a stunning decision, a Cook County judge on Thursday acquitted three Chicago police officers of all charges alleging they lied in police reports and conspired to cover up the controversial 2014 police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
The case has been seen as a referendum on a so-called code of silence within the Chicago Police Department designed to protect fellow officers from accountability for wrongdoing.
In her hourlong ruling, Associate Judge Domenica Stephenson blasted the evidence presented by prosecutors as weak, speculative and totally lacking proof of any crime.
Stephenson ripped several key prosecution witnesses — including Officer Dora Fontaine and witness Jose Torres — as unreliable and inconsistent in their testimony.
She said the now-infamous police dashboard camera video showed a completely different perspective than the officers at the scene and that comparing what could be seen on the video with statements and conclusions made in police reports would “disregard the totality of the evidence” in the case.
Um, OK.
* Sun-Times…
As she delivered her findings, it became more and more clear that Stephenson found nothing persuasive in the prosecution’s case.
Stephenson called into question the credibility of a key prosecution witness, Officer Dora Fontaine, noting she “tried to minimize” McDonald’s behavior before he was shot in 2014 but later admitted she told the FBI, the state’s attorney and the inspector general that McDonald was moving closer to police, waving or “swaying” the knife, and making “attacking movements.”
A critical dispute between the prosecution and defense was whether McDonald was a dangerous teen who presented a real threat to police or in the end, a victim.
Stephenson made it clear where she landed, saying it was “undisputed and undeniable” that McDonald was an armed offender who continued to walk toward more populous areas the night he was shot.
This case wasn’t supposed to be about McDonald, it was supposed to be about why the cops’ statements didn’t match up to what the videos showed and what else they did afterward.
* I waited to post on this because I wanted to see what mayoral candidate Garry McCarthy had to say, since he was police superintendent at the time…
The judge in this case has spoken. I respect the system and the verdict. From the very beginning I thought this was going to be a very difficult case for prosecutors to prove conspiracy.
* Lori Lightfoot…
“This not guilty verdict is a disappointment and a tragic reminder of the need for accountability and change,” said Lightfoot. “What those officers did was a disgrace. They should be ashamed of what they did to facilitate a false narrative about the murder of Laquan McDonald. But more than the actions of a few bad actors, their behavior is indicative of the continued need for substantial cultural change within the Chicago Police Department. This verdict does nothing to legitimize officers in the eyes of the public. As mayor, I will take on this challenge and work to build a Chicago Police Department that will be best in class in the nation.
“I call on Superintendent Johnson to move to terminate any of the three officers who remain on the job. The Police Board must move the pending disciplinary cases along as quickly as possible. I urge the U.S. Attorney’s Office to review the case for possible criminal charges.”
* Susana Mendoza…
“While today’s verdicts are disappointing and heartbreaking, they’re not surprising. This is something we’ve seen happen time and again throughout our country. It’s another tragic reminder of the broken culture within the police department and the work we have to do to fix it,” Susana Mendoza said. “To keep our neighborhoods safe, we must end the code of silence that for too long has allowed police officers to escape accountability, no matter the evidence at hand. To truly rebuild the trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, we must make clear that nobody is above the law. While today’s verdict is a major setback, I am committed to working with every community throughout Chicago to move our city forward from Laquan McDonald’s senseless murder and build a true system of justice that works for all of our families.”
* ACLU…
Today’s acquittals are a painful reminder of the complete lack of structural accountability for police officers in Chicago. The judge’s findings will allow these three officers to escape criminal consequences for their part in covering up the murder of Laquan McDonald. The court’s decision does nothing to exonerate a police department so rotten that a teenager can be murdered—on video—by one of its officers and no one in the chain-in-command lifted a finger to do anything about it.
Until we change the structures that govern Chicago police officers, they will feel they have nothing to lose by lying and everything to lose if they tell the truth. The City of Chicago must follow through with the reforms laid out in the proposed consent decree to make real and lasting systemic changes and end the culture of cover-up within the Chicago Police Department. The ACLU of Illinois is committed to working with our clients and partners to ensure the ‘code of silence’ stops shielding officers from accountability.
* Toni Preckwinkle…
Today’s verdict is a devastating step backward. Laquan’s murder has become a part of the fabric of our city. The verdict today does not serve justice in wake of the senseless loss of a young life. We cannot improve the safety of our communities if our police force is not held accountable for its actions and the very real culture of the code of silence goes unpunished.
Laquan’s death and the resulting trials have forever changed the city of Chicago. Today’s verdict is a brutal reminder that considerable work remains in piecing together the shattered trust between the police and Chicago’s Black and Brown communities. I remain committed to working with all stakeholders including the young community activists who continue to fight for justice.
…Adding… Mayor Emanuel and Superintendent Johnson…
“While the court process in this case is over, our work to ensure the systemic reform underway at the Chicago Police Department continues. CPD is on the road to reform with no off-ramps. Unlike past reforms, these will stand the test of time. We have entered into an enforceable consent decree with the Illinois Attorney General, equipped all patrol officers with body worn cameras, revised use of force policies, adopted the recommendations of the Community Policing Advisory Panel, and ensured every officer has the best training throughout their careers. We will continue to take concrete steps to restore trust with communities across Chicago, because trust is the best public safety tool we have.”
…Adding… Bill Daley…
“We cannot allow this verdict to divide us. We must learn from this situation. It’s time to work together to repair the relationship between the police and the community it serves. We can only do this as a united city.”
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Edgar out front on horsemen gaming push
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
As Gov. JB Pritzker takes the helm in Illinois, horsemen throughout the state, are urging his administration to include horse racing and its enormous contribution to the agribusiness industry when they explore new avenues to expand gaming.
“With more than $1 billion in contributions to the agribusiness economy of our state, horse racing must be included in any conversations about gaming,” said Tony Somone, Executive Director of the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association (IHHA). “Ours is the only segment of the gaming industry that has significant room to grow and provide real and sustainable jobs in agriculture.”
Former Governor Jim Edgar who is a part of Governor Pritzker’s transition team is aware of the economic impact that horse racing can have in Illinois having raced his own horses for many years. “Horse racing and the thousands of jobs it creates remains an important part of the agricultural economy of our state,” former Governor Edgar said. “Ensuring its viability in the overall gaming environment is in the best interests of the state of Illinois.”
Studies show that every race horse employs as many as ten workers across Illinois. From grooms and trainers to breeding farms, grain dealers, veterinarians, track officials and many more, horse racing is a solid job creator that has been badly neglected in Illinois in recent years.
“It is true that horse racing is struggling in Illinois because of casinos, but we know that with additional gaming assistance, other states have seen their horse racing industry rebound to previous heights of employment and business,” said Marty Engel, President of the IHHA. “We earnestly hope that Gov. Pritzker sees fit to include horse racing in any gaming legislation that emerges in the months ahead. We are one segment of gaming that will more than pay its way through the creation of new and sustainable jobs throughout our economy.”
In the last decade, legislation in Illinois has allowed the development of slot machines at taverns and the construction and opening of the 10th casino in Des Plaines. Illinois horsemen have survived despite all of those changes but not without losing thousands of good agribusiness jobs to places like Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and virtually every other horse racing state that has actively worked to grow the sport.
Engel added, “Make no mistake; horsemen will come back to Illinois to race if the prizes or purses are competitive with other states. And they will bring jobs with them. We have seen it happen throughout the country in states that have boosted their purses with money from slot machines. Those states now offer purses much larger than Illinois and their horse racing industries are booming as a result, adding tens of thousands of jobs.”
Historically, the tracks can’t agree with each other and the horsemen (they really need to think about changing that moniker, by the way) haven’t found a way to agree with the tracks. I mean, why they weren’t able to get video gaming terminals when everyone and his brother got one ten years ago still boggles my mind. Truck stops got them, but not the tracks? Ridic.
The last governor to pass a comprehensive gaming bill was George Ryan, who knocked some heads together when sweeteners weren’t enough. I’ve written this so many times in the past that I could probably write it in my sleep, but everybody at the top has to be pulling together as one to complete a gaming deal. We haven’t had a governor with the capacity to lead on something like this since Ryan left office. If you’re anti-gaming, that’s a good thing, I suppose. I prefer progress.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WGN TV…
A Winter Storm Watch for heavy snow is in effect beginning Friday afternoon along and north of Interstate-80 and Friday evening south of Interstate-80, continuing Friday night into Saturday morning creating dangerous travel conditions across northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana. System snow will then diminish from the northwest during the day and evening Saturday. Snowfall of 4 to 8-inches is expected along with blowing and drifting due to strengthening northwest winds gusting to 25 mph Friday night and well over 30 mph Saturday.
As the low pressure moves off to the east, much colder air will flow into our area, riding the strong northeast winds, producing lake-effect snow showers that will likely add several inches of snow along and inland of the Illinois Lake Michigan Shoreline later Saturday/Saturday night, swinging into northwest Indiana Sunday as winds become more north-northwesterly.
* SJ-R…
Winter Storm Watch in effect from Friday, 6:00 PM CST until Saturday, 6:00 PM CST. Source: U.S. National Weather Service
…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON…
* WHAT…Heavy snow and blowing snow possible. Total snow
accumulations of 4 to 6 inches. Winds could gust as high as 35
mph.
* WHERE…Portions of central, east central and west central
Illinois.
* WHEN…From Friday evening through Saturday afternoon.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Plan on slippery road conditions. Areas
of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant
snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue
to monitor the latest forecasts.
* The Question: Your weekend plans?
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It’s just a bill
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Maybe if Rep. McCombie had filed a bill like this last year, she could’ve had an impact before it passed by building a bipartisan coalition. But to file it hours after the horse ran through the open barn door is likely too late…
State Representative Tony McCombie (IL-71st) today filed House Bill 367, common sense legislation that will effectively target gun dealers who have proven to be the “bad actors” on the same day Governor Pritzker signed unnecessary legislation into law. Governor Pritzker signing SB337 into law threatens the livelihood of current law abiding gun dealers and does nothing to promote public safety in Illinois.
“We should be focusing our efforts on causes and laws that already exists. My legislation will effectively target gun-dealers who are making it easier for criminals to illegally acquire firearms. I am a protector of the 2nd Amendment and believe we must have rational approaches that will put our safety and the people of Illinois first,” said Rep. McCombie. “Last week, Governor Pritzker extended his hand in a show of bipartisanship and I was cautiously optimistic. Legislatively, signing this bill is a bad beginning and will have unintended consequences. Burying the law abiding firearm dealers in paperwork, increasing their fees and taxes may put them out of business and could increase the illegal sales of weapons. This legislation does nothing to create a safer Illinois.”
House Bill 367 states, if and only, Senate Bill 337 becomes law, the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act would apply only to Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs) who have been found by the federal or state government to have three or more firearms used in the commission of criminal offenses sold or transferred by the licensee within 5 years prior to the application for certification.
This legislation would protect law abiding FFLs by concentrating efforts on stopping those that are not adhering to the current laws. According to the 2017 Gun Trace Report, there are two source dealers, Chuck’s Gun Shop (Riverdale, IL) and Midwest Sporting Goods (Lyons, IL), who are the retail source of more than one in ten crime guns recovered in Chicago.
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Look before you leap, Governor
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the BND this week…
“There’s a lot of opportunity in . . . turning East St. Louis into a logistics and transportation hub, but we’ve got to make the right kind infrastructure investments to make that happen,” Pritzker said.
* If he’s talking about emulating Will County’s Intermodal, maybe he should read this New Republic story first…
In a few short years after the Intermodal opened, Elwood became the largest inland port in North America. Billions of dollars in goods flowed through the area annually. The world’s most profitable retailers flocked to this stretch of barren country, while the headline unemployment rate plunged. Wal-Mart set up three warehouses in Will County alone, including its two largest national facilities, both located in Elwood. Samsung, Target, Home Depot, IKEA, and others all moved in. Will County is now home to some 300 warehouses. A region once known for its soybeans and cornfields was boxed up with gray facilities, some as large as a million square feet, like some enormous, horizontal equivalent of a game of Tetris. […]
According to the Will County Center for Economic Development, at least 25,000 tractor trailers a day come through the Intermodals. That amounts to three million containers annually, carrying $65 billion worth of goods. A staggering $623 billion worth of freight traversed Will County infrastructure in 2015 alone, roughly equivalent to 3.5 percent of the U.S.’s total GDP.
Sounds great, right?
* Not so much…
But this corporate valhalla turned out to be hell for the community, which suffered a concentrated dose of the indignities and disappointments of late capitalism in the 21st century. Instead of abundant full-time work, a regime of partial, precarious employment set in. Temp agencies flourished, but no restaurants, hotels, or grocery stores ever came, save for the recent addition of a dollar store. Tens of thousands of semis rumbled through Will County every day, wreaking havoc on the infrastructure. And as the town of Elwood scrambled to pave its potholes, its inability to collect taxes from the facilities plunged it into more than $30 million in debt.
* The locals made some huge mistakes…
An opportunity as great as the Intermodal came with a cost. First, to help seal the deal, the town had to offer the developer, CenterPoint, a sweetener: total tax abatement for two decades, until 2022.
* The traffic is a nightmare…
The turmoil has only been exacerbated by changes in the trucking industry, which has pivoted to an owner-operator model, relying on independent contractors over full-time employees. Oftentimes, truckers are paid per load—$50 to $70 to pick up a container from the Intermodal and drop it off at a warehouse. For independent contractors, responsible for their own gas and operating costs, speed is tantamount to profitability. A traffic jam can turn the trip from profit to loss. So truckers often take shortcuts down small residential roads, unequipped for weight and traffic, to shave valuable minutes off their commute. Sometimes they’ll get stuck in narrow intersections. “No Trucks” signs are ubiquitous, but they’ve been of little use as deterrents.
* And the jobs? Lots of temp workers…
The only thing more common in Will County than the “No Trucks” signs are the hiring notices from temp agencies. The county is home to 99 in all—one of the highest concentrations of staffing agencies in the country. They share lofty, aspirational monikers, like Paramount, Accurate, and Elite. Amazon has its own preferred staffing agency: Integrity. […]
While “temp-to-hire” may sound promising, the latter stage of that progression can prove elusive. A full 63 percent of the warehouse workforce in Will County is temp labor or provided by staffing agencies. At a recent hearing in Joliet to deliberate the establishment of two new companies, one group claimed that only 23 of their 147 workers had been placed in permanent full-time jobs. “And that’s their own data!” said Roberto Clack, associate director of Warehouse Workers for Justice, a Chicagoland advocacy group. “I’m not sure we believe it’s even that high.”
* And future prospects for jobs? Not looking good for warehouses…
But when it comes to the long-term prospects for the region, optimism is scarce. Paul Buss’s son, who works as a building inspector in Joliet, told his dad there’s concern “these companies are gonna come in, they’re gonna build these buildings, and they’re gonna use them for however long they can get a tax break on them, and then they’ll move someplace else.” The threat of empty warehouses looms large.
So, too, does the threat of automation. In 2017, it was estimated that 20 percent of the work in any given Amazon warehouse is automated, a figure that is expected to rise. This fall, IKEA opened up a new warehouse, 1.5 million square feet in total. “Fully automated,” John Greuling told me, it will have about 200 employees. Incredulous, I counted all the spots in the parking lot: 226.
It’s not that Pritzker shouldn’t try to do this, it’s that he needs to make sure workers and communities are protected from the mayhem and refrain from being too generous with subsidies.
There’s so much more to the TNR story so go read the whole thing.
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* Press release…
Today, Governor JB Pritzker made the following personnel announcements in his administration:
Sol Flores will serve as Deputy Governor. Flores is the founding Executive Director of La Casa Norte, a non-profit organization established in 2002 that has served more than 30,000 youth and families confronting homelessness. Flores built La Casa Norte from two employees with a $200,000 annual budget to an 80-employee, multi-million-dollar organization that delivers inspiration, hope and critical services to the lives of homeless families, single parents, victims of domestic violence and abandoned youth. She has served on numerous working groups and commissions as a tireless advocate. Flores currently serves on the board of directors at the Latino Policy Forum, The Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund, Community Renewal Society, Hispanic Housing Development Corporation and Kuumba Lynx. Flores was raised by a single mother who came to Chicago from Puerto Rico and has been recognized as a national Champion of Change for her work by the Obama White House.
John Kim will serve as Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).* Kim has served in many senior roles during his distinguished 25 years at the department under five governors of both parties. He currently serves as chief legal counsel, where he supervises a legal staff of approximately 40 employees. Kim previously served as director, interim director, ethics officer, deputy general counsel, assistant counsel/special assistant attorney general, and project manager for an IEPA-China pollution prevention project. Kim left the IEPA for just over a year to serve as acting general counsel of the Illinois Department of Agriculture in 2008 and 2009. Before joining IEPA, Kim was an Assistant Attorney General of Illinois and was the general counsel to the Midwest Environmental Enforcement Association. He received his Juris Doctor from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and his Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Jim Bennett will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR).* Bennett served as the Midwest Regional Director at Lambda Legal, the nation’s largest legal organization dedicated to securing the full civil rights of the LGBTQ community and people with HIV. During his 12-year career there, Bennett was a lead strategist in Lambda Legal’s Illinois and Iowa marriage campaigns and successfully fought Indiana’s RFRA and their discriminatory ‘religious refusal’ laws. In 2013, he chaired Illinois Unites for Marriage, the statewide coalition that led the successful effort to win marriage equality in Illinois. Prior, Bennett served as acting senior external affairs director at Howard Brown Health, marketing and development director at the Shriver Center, and several roles at the American Red Cross’ national and central Illinois regional offices. He was inducted into the City of Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2013 and was the recipient of Equality Illinois’ Freedom award in 2018. He received his MBA from the University of Illinois at Springfield and his Bachelor of Science in marketing from Illinois State University.
Michael Kleinik will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL).* Kleinik currently serves as executive director of the Medical Cannabis Alliance Of Illinois. He previously served as the executive director of the Chicago Laborers’ District Council’s Labor-Management Cooperation Committee from 2008 to 2018. Prior, Kleinik served as IDOL’s chief of staff and as manager of the department’s Conciliation and Mediation Division. He also previously worked for the Midwest Region Laborers’ District Council and was elected two terms as Fayette County Sheriff in 1990 and 1994. He began his career as a deputy sheriff in Bond County and then as a Vandalia police officer.
* Appointment pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.
Previous appointments to the Pritzker administration include:
State agency directors:
John Sullivan, director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)
Janel L. Forde, director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS)
Erin Guthrie, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
Alicia Tate-Nadeau, director of the homeland security and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA)
Theresa Eagleson, director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS)
Heidi Mueller, director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ)
David Harris, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR)
Alexis Sturm, director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB)
Matt Perez, Illinois Fire Marshal
Office of the Governor:
Anne Caprara, chief of staff
Dan Hynes, deputy governor
Christian Mitchell, deputy governor
Jesse Ruiz, deputy governor
Nikki Budzinski, senior adviser
Ann Spillane, general counsel
Emily Bittner, deputy chief of staff for communications
Jordan Abudayyeh, press secretary
Sean Rapelyea, deputy chief of staff for external affairs
Tiffany Newbern-Johnson, deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs
Thoughts on this round?
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Mendoza poll has bad news for Preckwinkle
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Polling memo…
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Global Strategy Group
DATE: January 16, 2019
RE: NEW POLL RESULTS: Susana Mendoza solidifies likely run-off win in race for Mayor of Chicago
Recent poll results clearly point to Susana Mendoza as a frontrunner in the crowded field for Mayor. Toni Preckwinkle has seen a significant dip in favorability and a clear drop in vote share, while Bill Daley has failed to move his vote share in both the multi-candidate and head-to-head ballots. Given Mendoza’s name ID advantage, top vote-getting status in a multi-candidate race, and significant lead in run-off scenarios with either Preckwinkle or Daley, Mendoza continues to be well-positioned to become the next Mayor of Chicago.
Key findings from a recent citywide survey of 600 likely 2019 municipal voters conducted by Global Strategy Group are as follows.
KEY FINDINGS:
• Voters’ opinions of Preckwinkle have taken a negative turn. Since December, Preckwinkle’s net favorability has dropped 26 points. Once +16 (December 2018: 47% favorable/31% unfavorable, 78% familiar), she is now underwater at -10 (January 2019: 36% fav/46% unfav, 82% fam).
• Preckwinkle’s support has dwindled along with her favorability. In December, Preckwinkle held the lead in the multi-candidate race with 19% of the vote, with Mendoza in second with 11%. But Preckwinkle has lost her edge and is now tied with Mendoza for the top spot at 11%. Daley remains in third place with 9%, seeing little change in his vote share since December (Dec. 2018: Daley 8%), despite a significant investment in advertising. The remaining eight candidates trail him.
• Mendoza surges past Preckwinkle in a head-to-head. In a run-off scenario, Mendoza leads Preckwinkle by 13 points (Jan. 2019: Mendoza 43%/Preckwinkle 30%), significantly increasing her slight December lead (Dec. 2018: Mendoza 39%/Preckwinkle 38%).
• Mendoza continues to top Daley. Daley’s multi-candidate margin has yet to improve since December, and he has been unable to gain any ground against Mendoza in a head-to-head. Mendoza’s December lead (Dec. 2018: Mendoza 46%/Daley 31%) is virtually unchanged (Jan 2018: Mendoza 45%/Daley 30%).
So, it’s not that Mendoza has boosted her own first round numbers, it’s that Preckwinkle appears to be dropping like a rock.
* Methodology…
Global Strategy Group conducted two citywide surveys between December 10th and December 13th, 2018 and between January 11th and January 15th, 2019 among 600 likely 2019 Chicago Municipal Election voters. Both surveys have a margin of error of +/-4.0%. Care has been taken to ensure the geographic and demographic divisions of the expected electorate are properly represented in both polls based on past voter turnout statistics.
54 percent of respondents were reached via their mobile phones.
The headline is a bit of a joke, but, to be clear, this is a well-respected firm. Global Strategy Group has been used by JB Pritzker, Planned Parenthood Illinois Action PAC, Nancy Rotering, Anita Alvarez, Pat Quinn and Rahm Emanuel, among others. Pritzker paid the firm a whopping $2.9 million since getting into the race, so they must have something going for them.
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McSweeney’s path forward for the GOP
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rep. Dave McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills)…
“You can’t be for big government, big taxes, and big bureaucracy and still be for the little guy.” -Ronald Reagan
The most recent election night was not kind to Republicans in Illinois. Former Governor Bruce Rauner, who didn’t accomplish anything as Governor and presided over a massive tax hike and more out of control spending, was defeated in a landslide. The election was not a repudiation of Republican ideas – it was a repudiation of Raunerism.
The Democrats led by Governor Pritzker may be pushing Illinois to become the California of the Midwest, but we are still a long way from that. There is a path to victory for Republicans in Illinois.
The Republican Party will always lose statewide in Illinois if it doesn’t give voters a clear choice on economic issues. The Republican Party must stand united for lower taxes, less spending and real reform.
Republicans have made significant gains in the rural parts of Illinois. Districts that were once Democrat strongholds are becoming Republican districts, but the gains in downstate are not enough to overcome big losses in the suburbs. If the Republican Party is going to turn its election fortunes around, the party must be able to win in both downstate Illinois and in the suburbs.
Republicans must first focus on advancing a positive agenda for Illinois. Only talking about House Speaker Michael Madigan is not a cohesive message. The best way to weaken Speaker Madigan is for Republicans to pick up legislative seats. Republicans must make the case that big government and high taxes are hurting, not helping, regular people.
We must show how these taxes are hurting real families and make an appeal to stop driving families out of Illinois by continuing to raise taxes. Republicans must go on the offensive.
The progressive income tax, the linchpin of the Pritzker plan, wouldn’t hurt the wealthy a lot - they can easily move out of Illinois. It would harm the middle class. There is a reason we do not see a tax rate schedule from those supporting the progressive income tax. They do not want voters to see exactly who the progressive income tax will affect. Do you really trust Illinois career politicians to set your tax rates?
The Illinois Republican Party also needs to stand united for cutting property taxes. Specifically, the General Assembly should extend the statewide property tax cap (PTELL) to all units of government (including home rule units of government) and then mandate a 10 percent cut in property taxes levies over two years (5 percent per year). Property tax would then be permanently frozen unless local voters approve an increase.
Local governments would be forced to cut administrative expenses and make hard spending decisions just like Illinois families are required to do every day. Illinois has 7,000 units of local government. The key to long-term lower property taxes is to give voters the right to consolidate many local governments.
Republicans must oppose tax increases and offer solutions to reduce the cost of government. The most meaningful way to reduce spending is to enact meaningful pension reform. Arizona, like Illinois, has a Constitution that makes changing pension benefits very difficult. The best path for Illinois is to follow the Arizona model and, as part of an overall negotiation with unions on other issues, pass a constitutional amendment to limit annual benefit increases. Also, all new state workers should participate in a 401(k) plan.
Another important way to reduce Illinois spending is to do a much better job of managing the state’s Medicaid program. In addition to eliminating Medicaid waste and fraud, Illinois should be actively pursuing multiple innovative waivers that would save money and make the program more efficient. We should also be aggressively fighting to increase the federal government’s unfairly low 50 percent Medicaid matching percentage for Illinois. Many other states are receiving a far higher percentage of federal support.
In addition, Republicans need to present a positive agenda on health care. Republicans must strongly make the case for keeping coverage for pre-existing conditions at the state and national levels. Republicans must promote cost savings ideas such as allowing health care to be purchased on a national basis, providing vouchers for low income families to purchase health insurance and enacting meaningful medical malpractice reforms.
Finally, Illinois Republicans must recruit better candidates to run and that recruiting process must begin now – not later. Republicans must look for candidates who can connect with voters and offer fresh ideas. These candidates must be inclusive and must be diverse and most importantly must stand for something. Republicans Party leaders must also focus on better integrating the use of technology and vote by mail programs in their campaign strategies. Most importantly, Republican candidates need to work harder to keep up with their well-organized Democratic opponents.
Illinois Republicans must rally around lower taxes and meaningful reforms as the only way to save the middle class and stop the mass exodus from Illinois. As Ronald Reagan said, “Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.”
It is time for Republicans to rally around the message of standing up for the people of Illinois by supporting sound economic policies that can turn our state around. If we do that, we can win again.
Discuss.
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* It’s always interesting to watch administration’s spin the monthly unemployment numbers. Gov. Rauner’s administration did its best to point out how bad things were until it was time to run for reelection. Here’s the first IDES press release from the new regime…
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in December and nonfarm payrolls increased by +13,600 jobs over-the-month, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The November jobs gain was revised upward from the preliminary report (from +5,900 jobs to +8,000 jobs).
Job growth was stronger during the October to December period posting an average monthly change of +9,500 jobs, an improvement over the prior month when the three-month average change was +5,500 jobs.
“It’s clear there is room to both grow the Illinois economy and create opportunity for working families,” said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes. “That’s why Governor Pritzker has taken action in his first days in office to protect and raise the wages of Illinois workers and strengthen workforce development training in growing industries. The governor looks forward to continuing to work with stakeholders, business leaders, and workers to create jobs statewide and ensure all of our communities can thrive.”
In December, the three industry sectors with the largest over-the-month gains in employment were: Government (+6,300), Leisure and Hospitality (+4,600) and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+2,800). The industry sectors with payroll declines were: Information (-1,000) Financial Activities (-700) and Construction (-600).
Over-the-year, nonfarm payroll employment increased by +71,000 jobs with the largest gains in these industry sectors in December: Government (+24,700); Education and Health Services (+11,200) and Leisure and Hospitality (+10,200). The industry sectors with over-the-year declines were: Information (-3,900) and Other Services (-300). Illinois nonfarm payrolls were up +1.2 percent over-the-year as compared to the nation’s +1.8 percent over-the-year gain in December.
The state’s unemployment rate is +0.4 percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate reported for December 2018, which rose to 3.9 percent. The Illinois unemployment rate is down -0.6 percentage points from a year ago when it was 4.9 percent.
The number of unemployed workers increased +1.3 percent from the prior month to 277,500 but down -12.2 percent over the same month for the prior year. The labor force was about unchanged over-the-month and over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and are seeking employment.
Looks like Deputy Governor Hynes is overseeing IDES, too.
* Also…
Your thoughts on this?
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Putting “Chicago vs. Detroit” into perspective
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Forbes…
According to Truth in Accounting, Chicago has debts of $42 billion. That includes pension, bonds, and other liabilities. Of this total, $28 billion is the net unfunded pension liability discounted back at the expected investment return rate, and $800 million, unfunded retiree healthcare. That means that roughly 70% of the city’s liabilities are in the form of pension underfunding.
Detroit, at the time of its bankruptcy, had debts of over $18 billion, which included a much smaller fraction of pension liabilities - $6.9 billion - but a much larger liability for retiree healthcare, $5.7 - $6.4 billion (the data source, the Huffington Post, doesn’t explain why they provide a range rather than a single point liability). That works out to a proportion of 50% of the city’s total debt.
Put another way, Chicago has a population of 2.7 million. Detroit’s population as of the time of its bankruptcy was 700,000. If Detroit’s debt were prorated to reflect Chicago’s population, it would have been $72.5 billion, or 75% higher than Chicago’s present debt. If Detroit’s pension liabilities alone were prorated to reflect Chicago’s population, they’d have been $35.5 billion, or 25% higher than Chicago’s present debt.
Not to mention that Chicago is a much wealthier city than Detroit was when it declared bankruptcy. And its residential property taxes are currently pretty low compared with the rest of the state.
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Deja vu all over again for rape crisis centers
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From August of 2017, shortly after the end of the two-year Illinois government impasse…
Polly Poskin, executive director of Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA), said she’s “cautiously optimistic” about receiving funding for the next fiscal year.
“Having experienced this, one would always then have that memory — that anything can go wrong, will go wrong,” Poskin said. “I’m confident that our elected officials never want to put our state through that again. I’m going to operate on the premise that lessons were learned and difficult decisions had to be made.”
Currently, 29 rape crisis centers fall under ICASA’s support. Agencies, including ICASA, were forced to take out credit or use their reserves to keep the bare minimum of services available, she said.
Since ICASA owns its building, they used it for credit in fiscal year 2016 and borrowed nearly $1.5 million to distribute to the centers since most don’t own property, she said. That came with an interest of $700,000.
* Today…
Illinois’ crisis centers for sexual violence survivors are starting to feel the effects of the partial government shutdown—now in its fourth week. Funding for services will soon stop coming in.
The Justice Department has given organizations until January 18, when it will stop processing funding requests. […]
Carrie Ward, executive director of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault — a network of 30 rape crisis centers across the state — said the group hopes to minimize the impact. The centers mobilized to get their refund requests processed by the deadline. Now, Ward said, all they can do is wait for a resolution to the shutdown and try to keep the centers open.
“But there’s only so much money available, and because these dollars are so specifically for counselors and advocates, my greatest concern would be that eventually there would have to be fewer counselors and advocates that are providing the services,” she said.
Ward said federal money makes up about 60 percent of the organization’s overall funding, which also includes some state dollars. She said victims should know services are still available 24/7 and efforts will focus on keeping centers open.
Ugh. Just… ugh.
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* This is happening as I’m putting together this post…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker plans to sign a bill Thursday that would give the state more oversight over Illinois gun dealers, after Democrats kept the paperwork off former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s desk in order to avoid a veto during his administration’s final days.
The proposal would require firearm stores to get state licenses, a move that supporters contend could reduce gun violence because federal regulators are stretched too thin to adequately handle all the shops operating in Illinois.
Pritzker is set to sign it into law at a Chicago elementary school Thursday morning. Lawmakers approved it last year in the wake of the killing of Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer and the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla.
“This is a common-sense piece of legislation, so when I introduced it a decade and a half ago, I thought we would be celebrating this day much sooner,” Democratic state Sen. Don Harmon of Oak Park, the proposal’s sponsor, said. “But important causes are worth fighting for, and I am proud to stand with the countless advocates and supporters who have stuck with us for all these years.”
* Illinois State Rifle Association…
The state licenses for gun dealers measure was passed in the previous General Assembly but was never sent to Governor Rauner because 2nd Amendment rights opponents knew he would veto it. Political gamesmanship like this is just a typical day in Illinois politics. The Illinois State Rifle Association is deeply disappointed in the action taken today, but is certainly not surprised.
The federal government already licenses gun dealers. There is no need to add yet another layer of bureaucracy on gun dealers. The only thing this measure is going to do is make it cost more money for gun dealers to do business in Illinois, which is going to hurt the smaller dealers.
The action taken today is another assault on our 2nd Amendment rights. Nothing in this bill is going to enhance public safety in Illinois. The only thing that is being accomplished here is the creation of a bureaucratic nightmare for gun dealers. Rest assured, we will be challenging this new law in court.
* GPAC sent this out in advance…
Today Governor JB Pritzker signed SB 337, the Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act, as one of his first official acts in office. With that signature, families of victims killed by illegally obtained guns can find peace of mind knowing that lives will be saved by SB 337 becoming the law of the land in Illinois.
The bill gives state authorities and law enforcement the tools to require better business practices among federally licensed gun dealers and hold corrupt dealers accountable in the state to keep guns away from criminals. The signing comes after Governor Rauner recently vetoed a similar bill even after lawmakers and the overwhelming majority of residents across the state called for him to approve it.
“We are thrilled that Governor Pritzker fulfilled his promise to protect children and families in Illinois from gun violence by signing SB 337 into law,” said Kathleen Sances, President and CEO of the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC). “Members of the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition, especially the parents who have found the strength to turn their unimaginable grief into action, worked tirelessly to fight for its passage. We are grateful to our legislators, notably our bill sponsors Sen. Don Harmon and State Representative Kathleen Willis, who came together in support of this effort. Our streets, communities and families will be safer now that SB 377 is now the law of the land.”
In 2015, as a result of the increasing number of people being killed by gun violence, G-PAC and Giffords joined forces with a broad, statewide, bi-partisan coalition of organizations, advocates and elected officials around a common goal: to help rid Illinois of hundreds of illegal guns that each year end up on our streets and in the hands of those looking to do harm.
G-PAC and the Coalition were responsible for the Our One Job campaign: a historic strategic and targeted social media campaign developed to educate the public about gun violence in Illinois. The campaign reached 4.1 million people and engaged over 62,000 individuals. It was responsible for tens of thousands of contacts — phone calls, emails, petition signatures, social media shares and in-person visits to lawmakers. It was the first time that gun violence prevention contacts outnumbered contacts from gun lobby groups into lawmaker offices.
From 2013 to 2016, 40 percent of guns used in crimes in Chicago came from negligent gun dealers within Illinois, according to the 2017 Gun Trace Report. The new measure will require the Illinois State Police to certify dealers and enacts provisions to better record and track private sales. Several key provisions are:
· Requiring criminal background checks for gun dealer employees
· Training and education for gun dealer employees so our criminal background check system can work better
· Giving Law enforcement the authority to inspect inventories, ensuring gun dealers are held accountable for missing firearms
· Increasing security and public safety by requiring video surveillance for brick and mortar, gun dealer locations
This post will be updated.
…Adding… Governor’s office…
Surrounded by gun violence survivors, prevention advocates, community leaders and elected officials who have worked for years to require licenses for gun dealers, today Governor JB Pritzker signed SB 337 to combat the scourge of illegal gun trafficking, finally making Illinois the 16th state to require gun dealers to be certified by the state after more than a decade of work.
“Gun violence isn’t an issue facing one city, or one region, or one group of people — it affects us all, and I want to thank all those tireless advocates who didn’t rest until our state took commonsense action to prevent gun trafficking,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This bipartisan law is a long-overdue step to do more to prevent gun violence, to make sure guns don’t fall into the wrong hands, to make sure that we license gun shops just like restaurant and other businesses, and deter straw purchases, so that we can prevent someone from buying a gun for someone who is not legally allowed to own a gun.”
The gun violence prevention measure is the second bill Gov. Pritzker signed into law since taking office Monday. SB 337 creates two acts that allow the state to regulate gun dealers and gather information on private sales and illegal gun transfers.
The Firearm Dealer License Certification Act requires any gun dealer in the State of Illinois be certified by the Illinois State Police (ISP). State-licensed dealers are required to provide annual training to employees, have video surveillance in gun stores, and be open for inspection by ISP and local law enforcement.
The Gun Trafficking Information Act requires ISP to publish key information related to crime-related firearms and imposes penalties on individuals who fail to maintain a record of a private sale.
With the federal government failing to effectively regulate gun dealers, state licensing will hold gun dealers responsible while the state takes action to reduce the tragic gun violence that affects so many communities.
“Thank you, Governor Pritzker, for taking action to stop the gun violence,” said Delphine Cherry, a mother of two victims of gun violence. “27 years ago today, I lost my daughter Tyesa to gun violence committed by a 14-year-old who had an illegal gun. Twenty years later, my son Tyler was murdered three days before Christmas. Since I lost Tyesa and Tyler to gun violence, I have made it my mission to make sure no other parent has to join the worst club that I belong to: the club of parents who have lost their children to gun violence. This bill will make sure gun dealers are held accountable and stop them from illegally selling guns like the one used to kill my daughter.”
“It only took Governor Pritzker four days - not four years - to realize that if the state can license a barber shop or a liquor store, we can license gun dealers,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I commend Governor Pritzker for prioritizing this important public safety measure that will reduce the number of illegal guns on our streets and allow the Chicago police to further crack down crime.”
“Gun violence is a complex problem, and no one law will solve it,” said Sen. Don Harmon (D-39th), who sponsored the measure in the Illinois Senate. “But we know that other states that have enacted similar laws to this one have seen a reduction in guns used in crimes. I am grateful to Gov. Pritzker for signing this legislation into law.”
“This bipartisan law will not harm any gun dealer that operates in good faith, but it does ensure accountability for dealers that fail to make efforts to keep guns from falling into the hands of criminals,” said Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77th), who sponsored the measure in the Illinois House. “I would like to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and Governor Pritzker for their support on this important measure.”
“As one of his first official acts to sign the gun dealer licensing bill, this speaks volumes about the Governor’s commitment and passion to help Chicago reduce gun violence,” said Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson. “The tools provided in this legislation to state and local police will significantly help our ability to regulate gun dealers and monitor and interdict the illegal flow of guns into cities like Chicago.”
“Gun violence is prevalent in too many neighborhoods and communities throughout the state, my own included. We must take a comprehensive approach to addressing the level of violence in Illinois, and that includes stopping the flow of guns trafficked into Illinois,” said Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “I would like to thank Governor Pritzker for making commonsense licensing one of the first new laws he enacts as governor.”
“In 2018, the most prosecuted offense by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office was the unlawful use of a weapon,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. “It is past time that we do more to keep illegal firearms off of our streets and today’s signing of SB 337 is a step in the right direction. I look forward to a continued partnership with the Illinois General Assembly and Governor Pritzker on sensible legislation to make Cook County safer.”
“It’s time to consider our moral obligation to our communities,” said Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson. “Our highest priority must be keeping our children free of gun violence. Senate Bill 337 puts that extra layer of protection in place to keep us all safe.”
* Senate sponsor…
Sixteen years after State Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) first introduced similar legislation, Gov. JB Pritzker today signed his measure requiring gun dealers to be certified by the state.
“When I first introduced a version of this bill in 2003, I thought we would be having this celebration a little sooner,” Harmon said. “This bill will help, but there’s more work to be done. I ask all of our dedicated supporters to remain in this fight.”
The Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act contains provisions to better record and track private gun sales. It treats all firearm licensees the same, regardless of their size. It requires the Illinois State Police, rather than the state agency that regulates professions and occupations, to certify gun dealers.
Additional provisions in the bipartisan proposal include:
· requiring gun dealers to safely store firearms at all times,
· requiring gun dealers to make copies of FOID cards or IDs and attach them to documentation detailing each gun sale,
· requiring employees to undergo annual training about the law and responsible business practices, and
· requiring gun dealers to open their place of business for inspection by state and local police.
Harmon’s district includes portions of the West Side of Chicago, an area that has been plagued with gun violence for years. As of Dec. 23, the Chicago Police Department reported 555 homicides in Chicago in 2018.
“Gun violence is a complex problem, and no one law will solve it,” Harmon said. “But we know that other states that have enacted similar laws to this one have seen a reduction in guns used in crimes. I am grateful to Gov. Pritzker for signing this legislation into law.”
* The Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America…
“This is an important step forward for Illinois,” said Lauren Quinn, volunteer chapter leader with the Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “These are smart, focused measures to prevent gun trafficking - and do so while respecting the rights of responsible gun owners and sellers. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who worked to make this possible, particularly Sen. Harmon, Rep. Willis, Gov. Pritzker and the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition.”
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One of our own needs a little help
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Wirepoints…
So much for “embracing hard choices,” as Gov. J.B. Pritzker promised he’d do in his inaugural speech.
His first act as governor granted pay raises to thousands of state AFSCME workers, which will cost the state as much as $200 million a year. And when Pritzker relents on the back-pay Rauner blocked, that will create another $400 to $500 million in costs.
It was an easy choice for Pritzker to reward the government unions who backed him during his campaign – all at the expense of taxpayers.
Yeah, he didn’t do it because of two appellate court rulings or an ILRB order. Or because he campaigned on his support for collective bargaining rights. He did it because unions endorsed his campaign, which he self-funded.
Also, the union claims the annual costs are essentially covered because longer-term unionized employees who retire or leave their jobs are paid more than the people hired to replace them - and this state hasn’t done a lot of hiring over the years except to fill vacancies.
It would’ve helped, however, if Pritzker had tried to explain the costs this week. That’s part of the job. Do better.
* The decisions by Rauner to stop the increases and by Pritzker to get out of the way have human consequences. From “HangingOn” (who’s been commenting here since 2015) this past Tuesday after Pritzker announced he was lifting Rauner’s illegal blockade of the step increases…
I am about in tears. Would be nice to know when the step raises will happen, but knowing they will is a relief. As it is I have been worrying that next week I can either pay for my child’s 8th grade graduation gown or her school lunches but not both. And being she’s special needs the graduation is a big deal to us. Maybe with the raise coming the school will wait for the lunch money.
Several readers reached out to me asking if they could help.
* She turns out to be a Downstate office associate earning a modest salary. Her name is on the GoFundMe page that I encouraged her to create…
I am a State Employee and the mother of an incredible teenager with Special Needs. For the last 3 years I have not gotten my contracted raises due to actions by the previous governor. The new governor is supposedly going to follow the courts decision and pay the raises, but I don’t know how long that will take. I am owed around $7200 in back pay, am behind on my daughter’s lunch account, and I can’t afford the tassel and shirt she wants for her 8th grade graduation.
Luckily the school found a gown that fits her from last year so she will at least have that, but she has had so much trouble getting this far in school. She survived brain cancer (ependymoma) at age 3 but was left with issues due to the surgeries and radiation to remove it. Thanks to her Special Needs teachers she has made a lot of progress, but after another student tried to stab her with a pencil last year she refused to go to school, and the school and I had to teach her school was a safe place so she would attend again. She fights anxiety every day but has been going and getting A’s. It’s a miracle that they say she will graduate 8th grade this year after all that.
Since I am behind on her lunch account she can’t have breakfast at school and she gets nauseous if she eats before the car ride so she has been missing out in the mornings, plus she can’t participate in some activities at school until it is paid up. Also, since I’m not the best cook in the world (I can make scrambled eggs and SOS pretty well, but most else is iffy lol) the hot lunches at school give her some variety and fill her up better than a sandwich from home.
It would be amazing if I could at least reach the low goal I have set and get her caught up and get her the graduation items she wants. It would make our lives a lot brighter and easier to have 1 less thing to worry about. Any extra will go toward future school things and catching up in general. And maybe a sketch pad. She is phenomenal at art! 
Her goal is only $100. I will match that $100 when the goal is met. Click here.
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“Charisma isn’t everything”
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* You think Illinois is broke now? Check out this historical tidbit from Amanda Vinicky’s latest story…
But there was a time – just before the [Illinois] constitution was adopted [in 1970], in fact – that Illinois had no income tax at all.
“We have no money,” John McCarter, who ran the newly formed budget bureau Ogilvie created, remembers the state’s comptroller telling him at the time. So little, there wasn’t enough to cut employee paychecks.
Whew.
* Ogilvie was the father of Illinois’ modern state government. It started when he pushed through a state income tax to pay for it…
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency was born under Ogilvie, and the state’s prison and juvenile justice systems were modernized.
High-ranking members of the Ogilvie administration, including McCarter (Ogilvie’s budget director), Paula Wolff (policy work, which was, at the time, rare for a woman) and Peter Bensinger (the first director of the department of corrections created under Ogilvie), say lessons from the past can serve to inform Illinois’ politicians today.
“He was interested in doing the right thing, putting the right policy in place and those policies have been sustained over time,” Wolff said. “The important thing in thinking about the continuum of governors is that governors who stand up for the policy things they care about, who are willing to do what they think is right, are the governors who have made the lasting contribution in Illinois.”
And then Ogilvie paid for all that by losing his next election to Dan Walker, who bashed Ogilvie but then spent every dollar from the new income tax that he possibly could.
Go read the rest.
* Coincidentally, Amanda found this poster while cleaning out her Statehouse office…
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Trooper Lambert to be buried tomorrow
Thursday, Jan 17, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois State Police…
On January 12, 2019, at approximately 4:45 p.m., Trooper Christopher Lambert was on the scene of a three-vehicle traffic crash in the left lane on Interstate 294 near Willow Road. While handling that crash, another vehicle in traffic failed to stop and struck Trooper Lambert while he was outside of his patrol car. Trooper Lambert sustained serious injuries and was transported to Glenbrook Hospital. At approximately 7:24 p.m., Trooper Lambert succumbed to his injuries.
Trooper Christopher Lambert grew up in Dayton, Ohio, where he attended Allen Elementary and Middletown Madison High School. He loved baseball and was an avid Chicago Blackhawks fan. Trooper Lambert began his career with the ISP in 2013 as a member of Cadet Class 123. Upon his graduation from the ISP Academy, he was assigned to District 15 in Downers Grove. At the time of his passing, he was assigned to the District 15 Criminal Patrol Team. Throughout his career with the ISP, Trooper Lambert was recognized for his hard work, criminal interdiction efforts, and for being a rising leader amongst his peers. Trooper Lambert served honorably in the United States Army for eight years.
Trooper Christopher Lambert is survived by his wife, one-year-old daughter, and parents. The ISP would like to thank the public for their support and condolences during this difficult time.
* From the governor…
* Visitation is today…
Thousands are expected to attend memorial events for Illinois State Trooper Christopher Lambert, which begin Thursday afternoon with a visitation at Willow Creek Community Church. […]
His family released a statement Wednesday saying Lambert “left this world in the way in which he lived: putting the well-being and happiness of those around him before his own.”
“The family of Trooper Christopher Lambert mourns the loss of our son, husband, father and friend. We would like to thank the law enforcement community and the thousands of others who have expressed their love and concern,” the statement said. “We will always remember his devotion to his wife and daughter, his dedication to his career and community, and the love and laughter that he shared with us.”
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* The Southern…
Ned Mitchell, the former longtime mayor of Sesser, and another individual were arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and booked at the Franklin County Jail, according to the Sesser Police Department.
Mitchell, 70, served as mayor from 1979 to 2013, when he was defeated by current Sesser Mayor Jason Ashmore. He also served briefly in the state Senate when he was appointed to fill an unexpired term in 1999.
Along with Mitchell, Elaina Kays, 42, of Sesser, also was arrested after police executed a search warrant on Mitchell’s residence in Sesser, according to a news release from Sesser’s police department. During the search of the home, police found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, the release stated. Formal charges are pending, according to the news release.
Ned was a big Grateful Dead fan and a decent guy back when I knew him. It’s so sad to see this happen to him.
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It’s Time To Put Our Progressive Values Into Action
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
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Unclear on the concepts
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Daily Herald editorial…
J.B. Pritzker made waves in the days before his inauguration with the announcement that he plans to match salaries for top staffers with his own money. […]
In an Illinois News Network article posted Friday, State Rep. Grant Wehrli, a Republican from Naperville, raised legitimate concerns about mixing state salaries and private money.
“Who do they work for?” he asked. “Do they work for the people of the state of Illinois? Or do they have a greater loyalty to the governor as that’s where a large chunk of their income comes from?”
In addition, Wehrli questioned setting a precedent that only the wealthiest future governors could sustain.
We share Wehrli’s concerns and have others. Boosting salaries to attract top talent is one thing; doubling them at a time when the state is struggling financially is another.
* First of all, if Pritzker is doubling their salaries out of his own pocket, then what the heck does that have to do with the state’s financial struggles? That just doesn’t make any sense, particularly since many of those folks’ state paychecks will actually be somewhat lower than their predecessors’ salaries.
Second, the concept of “mixing state salaries and private money” has been enshrined in state law for years, as Scott Kennedy accurately points out…
Legislators, for instance, can supplement the pay of their district office staffers out of their campaign funds. They can also pay for their state offices out of campaign funds. They can’t do the reverse, of course, and pay for their campaign staff/offices out of their state funds.
* More nonsense…
The most reasonable criticism, at least so far, comes from Mark Glennon of Wirepoints.
He pointed out that Pritzker is “subsidizing” political operatives — top aides and spin doctors, most of whom “helped Pritzker get elected.”
Since when has a new governor not hired anyone from their campaign staffs? By this logic, top staffers at the start of Bruce Rauner’s administration who worked for his 2014 campaign were being “subsidized.”
* But I’ve pointed this out before…
Rachel Leven of the Better Government Association called the move “good intentioned.” But she asked, “what if another private individual or entity wanted to fund state positions. Could a future governor create a private fund based on donations from other individuals? What are the rules that would govern this?”
They’re making “slippery slope” arguments, raising suggestions that some governor in the future may do what Pritzker is not doing now and wondering if those hypothetical actions might cause a problem.
Well, they might. But it’s still comparing apples — what Pritzker is doing — to oranges — what some future governor might do.
Slippery slope arguments are inherently weak.
* Look, I really don’t have an opinion one way or another on this salary thing. But I do think many (not all) of the arguments against it are based on ignorance of the current law or partisanship.
Jealousy plays somewhat of a role here, too, and that’s a natural human response and I don’t know if Pritzker calculated that into his equation. It could very well damage the morale among the rest of his staff. And that wouldn’t be a good thing at the start of his administration. He is in effect saying that 20 people are vastly more important to him than the other 1,500, or whatever the number is.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Remember, it’s just a bill for now…
The Illinois Education Association initiated a bill to repeal the 3 percent salary limit law that shifts the state’s cost of paying for an educator’s pensionable earnings to local school districts and institutions of higher education and local property tax payers.
The bill, which is Senate Bill 60, was introduced by Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Plainfield), and House Bill 350 was introduced by Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-Addison) in the House, is meant to help ease the teacher shortage Illinois is currently facing.
“The 3 percent limitation is a disincentive for school districts to offer any increase in compensation above 3 percent regardless of whether the educator goes the extra mile to be the best in their field and provide the best education for students,” said Kathi Griffin, IEA president.
“Districts and higher education institutions are applying this to all active TRS and SURS members no matter how close they are to retirement. This is impacting the ability of our public schools and higher education institutions to attract and retain the best and brightest, while also having to compete against private sector and out-of-state entities that can offer more attractive financial packages. We are driving our own kids out of the state.”
Since the measure initially passed last summer as part of the Budget Implementation Bill, it has had a chilling effect on educator professional development, further inhibiting the ability of educational institutions to attract and retain educators into a profession that is in the midst of a sustainability crisis and has hampered contract negotiations across the state.
“This measure has had unintended consequences and we understand that. Repealing the 3 percent gets us back to where we were before and allows our school districts and institutions of higher education to better compete for talent in what is already a scarce marketplace because of the teacher shortage and allows us to do better for our students in Illinois,” Willis said.
Districts, not wanting to assume the pension costs for any salary increase above 3 percent, are refusing to reward teachers who earn master’s degrees, obtain additional academic credentials, perform extracurricular duties such as directing plays or coaching teams, become Nationally Board Certified Teachers, and other enhancements that directly benefit students.
“Restoring the threshold to where it was prior to last summer will give districts more leeway in what they can offer educators who go above and beyond for our students. We need to do all we can to attract the best and brightest to teaching, not push them away,” Bertino-Tarrant said.
IEA has been asking members to sign a petition in support of this repeal. To date, nearly 18,000 have done so.
* The Question: Your thoughts on this legislation?
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The other ones
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Yesterday was quarterly filing deadline day. I told subscribers about some of the major players this morning, but let’s take a look at some down-ballot statewide contests. Here’s our old pal Jason Helland, Republican candidate for secretary of state…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $60,746.85
Total Receipts: $1,005.00
Subtotal: $61,751.85
Total Expenditures: $9,707.04
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $52,044.81
He raised a thousand bucks and didn’t even spend $10K. He received another $7K in in-kinds from the state party for consulting work. And of that $9,700 in reported expenditures, $6,584 went to himself for things like mileage.
* Secretary of State Jesse White…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $1,114,318.75
Total Receipts: $263,080.24
Subtotal: $1,377,398.99
Total Expenditures: $696,231.93
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $681,167.06
White doesn’t appear on Illinois Election Data’s list of “grandfathered” committees…
Prior to June 1998 surplus campaign funds could be converted to personal use so long as they paid taxes on that income. Cash on hand as of June 30, 1998 would be grandfathered in, surplus campaign funds could be converted to personal use (subject to tax) up to the balance as of 6/30/98.
White closed the committee he had back then at the end of 1998.
* Republican attorney general candidate Erika Harold…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $174,592.81
Total Receipts: $2,826,577.90
Subtotal: $3,001,170.71
Total Expenditures: $2,933,706.77
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $67,463.94
Harold spent $330K on digital advertising in the fourth quarter and over $2.3 million on TV.
* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $653,311.16
Total Receipts: $5,162,089.81
Subtotal: $5,815,400.97
Total Expenditures: $5,497,153.49
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $318,247.48
Raoul spent close to $5 million on advertising, paid $65K to P2 Consulting and spent $15K on election-day phone calls.
* Republican comptroller candidate Darlene Senger…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $48,134.28
Total Receipts: $16,225.00
Subtotal: $64,359.28
Total Expenditures: $59,296.54
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $5,062.74
Expenditures included $18K for a poll in October.
* Comptroller Susana Mendoza…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $1,696,696.52
Total Receipts: $353,874.47
Subtotal: $2,050,570.99
Total Expenditures: $1,937,498.55
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $113,072.44
Expenditures include her transfer of $500K to her mayoral committee. She spent almost $1.3 million on advertising.
* Republican treasurer candidate Jim Dodge…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $4,333.99
Total Receipts: $14,895.00
Subtotal: $19,228.99
Total Expenditures: $15,710.29
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $3,518.70
Dodge owes himself over $32K.
* Treasurer Michael Frerichs…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $1,333,004.12
Total Receipts: $411,150.00
Subtotal: $1,744,154.12
Total Expenditures: $0.00
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $1,744,154.12
He spent nothing? Didn’t he have an ad?
…Adding… I’m told the Frerichs filing will be amended “shortly.”
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* Press release…
In another step to put state government on the side of working families, Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order ensuring workforce development funding is directed to growing industries that will create the jobs of the future, standing with elected officials, educators and students at Southwestern Illinois Community College in St. Clair County.
“My administration is committed to building the workforce of tomorrow and ensuring hardworking Illinoisans are prepared for jobs in growing industries,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our economy is changing, and it is critical that state resources are being used to meet the demands of the 21st century. This executive order will help ensure our workforce is prepared to fill jobs in industries with the greatest need and will help us attract new businesses to Illinois. We know there is more work to be done and I look forward to working with bipartisan members of the General Assembly to grow our economy and help working families thrive.”
Today, Governor Pritzker signed Executive Order 2019-03, which requires that:
Review of Identified Targeted Growth Industries. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall, within 90 days of the effective date of this Executive Order, deliver a report to the Governor containing a comprehensive review of industries the Department has identified for targeted growth to determine the ongoing effectiveness of investment in those industries and to identify emerging opportunities for investment in growing industries.
Review of Effective and Efficient Investment in Targeted Industries. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall, within 90 days of the effective date of this Executive Order, deliver a report to the Governor containing a comprehensive review of the return on investment for targeted industries with recommendations for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of existing investment, and best practices and lessons learned for future investment in emerging growth industries.
Report on Improved Alignment of Workforce Resources for Disenfranchised Communities. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall, within 90 days of the effective date of this Executive Order, deliver a report to the Governor containing comprehensive recommendations for improving alignment of workforce resources for communities that have been disenfranchised, including rural and urban communities.
The governor was joined by his nominee to lead DCEO Erin Guthrie, Sens. Christopher Belt and Paul Schimpf, Rep. LaToya Greenwood, St. Clair County’s Workforce Development Group Coordinator Rick Stubblefield, Southwestern Illinois College President Nick Mance and SWIC student Sonny Wilson.
“The state of Illinois is obligated to ensure that our next generation is ready to start a career and that our current workforce is trained to meet the needs of our growing economy,” said Erin Guthrie, the governor’s nominee to lead the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. “Today, Gov. Pritzker is taking an important first step in asking DCEO to identify and review growth industries in our state, ensure workforce development dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, and realign workforce resources for communities that have been disenfranchised, including rural and urban communities.”
“The state of Illinois has not been fully identifying and embracing innovative strategies to focus workforce development dollars on emerging growth industries, and it’s time to change that,” said Sen. Christopher Belt (D-57th). “Gov. Pritzker and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will direct resources into growth industries like health care, information technology, and green technology to maximize job creation across the state and help us build a stronger economic foundation.”
“I would like to thank Governor Pritzker for coming to Southern Illinois to make this announcement,” said Sen. Paul Schimpf (R-58th). “I’m hopeful that this executive order will help steer badly-needed workforce development and job training dollars to our region.”
“Right now, the state is lagging behind when it comes to fostering economic growth and creating economic opportunity in communities across the entire state,” said Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-114th). “Gov. Pritzker is tackling this failure head on and will get us back to the basics of effective governing and create a plan to move our state forward into a new day.”
“Gov. Pritzker is focused on getting the most return on investment that we can, so every dollar is invested into our future,” said Rick Stubblefield, coordinator of St. Clair County’s Workforce Development Group. “Gov. Pritzker understands the challenges and opportunity facing the business community — and the needs of the workers that drive our economy. His executive action today shows his commitment to building the workforce of tomorrow and revving up our state’s economic engine.”
“As the third largest employer in Belleville, Southwestern Illinois College is proud to host Gov. Pritzker on his second full day in office,” said Nick Mance, president of Southwestern Illinois College. “The governor is making a statement today by having his first public event outside the capitol in Belleville — that Southern Illinois is a top priority in his administration.”
“As a student here at SWIC, all I want is to build a better future, and today, Gov. Pritzker is helping me and thousands of other students by looking ahead at what it takes to build a 21st century workforce,” said Sonny Wilson, a student at Southwestern Illinois College. “The state needs to look at what industries are growing and prepare students like me to start a career, and that’s what Gov. Pritzker is moving us towards.”
I think the EO itself does a much better job of explaining the need for this action, so click here to read it.
Aside from the substance here, including an area Republican legislator in the event is a good move.
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Caption contest!
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* E-mail…
Hi Rich,
Happy New Year!
May I suggest a photo for a caption contest? The Catholic Conference tweeted (attached) last night about the application opening of year 2 of the Tax Credit Scholarship program, and I included photos from a “celebration” that took place on Saturday at St. Mary Star of the Sea School, which is in Speaker Madigan’s district. The Speaker showed up, and we had a good crowd of parents, students, and staff. A fake check was presented representing the number of scholarships (201) and value (nearly $940,000) in the combined 22nd House/11th Senate districts.
The photo in the bottom right corner is my favorite. It’s of the Speaker and Principal Candice Usauskas of St. Mary Star of the Sea School sharing a laugh after the celebration. (I have no idea what they were talking about.) I’ve also attached that photo.
Thanks for your consideration – I appreciate it.
Mary Massingale
Director of Communications
Catholic Conference of Illinois
* Decisions, decisions…
Speaker Madigan with a giant check, or Speaker Madigan laughing with Principal Usauskas? I couldn’t decide which. You choose and caption accordingly.
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“The Original Soda Taxer”
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Have a look…
From the spot…
In Springfield, Susana Mendoza voted to hit working families with a massive new soda tax.
The ad claims she increased soda taxes by 600 percent.
* Coincidentally, we talked about this same bill from 2009 earlier today. It was part of the Video Gaming Act which funded the capital program. From the statute…
Beginning September 1, 2009, each month the Department shall pay into the Capital Projects Fund an amount that is equal to an amount estimated by the Department to represent 80% of the net revenue realized for the preceding month from the sale of candy, grooming and hygiene products, and soft drinks that had been taxed at a rate of 1% prior to August 1, 2009 but that is now taxed at 6.25%. […]
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, beginning August 1, 2009, “soft drinks” mean non-alcoholic beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners. “Soft drinks” do not include beverages that contain milk or milk products, soy, rice or similar milk substitutes, or greater than 50% of vegetable or fruit juice by volume.
By the way, an increase of 1 to 6.25 is actually a 525 percent increase, not 600. But whatevs.
* The legislation also increased the tax rate on candy. Here’s one of my all-time favorite legislative definitions…
For purposes of this Section, “candy” means a preparation of sugar, honey, or other natural or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruits, nuts or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops, or pieces. “Candy” does not include any preparation that contains flour or requires refrigeration.
* Now, to the point. I’d wager that most people don’t remember these two tax hikes or never even heard about them when they passed.
Why? Because it was an agreed bill. Democrats and Republicans worked together on the drafting and both sides put votes on the legislation and almost nobody voted against it. The Retail Merchants Association also had a hand in crafting the bill and other business groups strongly supported doing an infrastructure program.
Without significant opposition, those tax hikes quickly faded from view.
The difference between now and then, however, is the prevalence of social media. It’s much easier for a small group of anti-taxers to spread their gospel than it was ten years ago.
…Adding… Rebecca Evans at the Susana Mendoza campaign…
“Gery Chico, Ed Burke’s endorsed candidate, is misrepresenting the facts in a desperate attempt to distract voters from his relationship with Ed Burke, whom he lobbied in City Hall. Susana voted for a bipartisan economic stimulus bill, a capitol bill that created 10s of thousands of jobs, putting people to work as the recession was ravaging Illinois. Toni Preckwinkle is the only candidate in this race who proposed a regressive soda tax.”
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More on the step increases
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
On his first full day in office, Gov. J.B. Pritzker tried to further distance his nascent administration from his predecessor’s, moving to enact certain pay increases state workers say they’re owed and didn’t receive under Republican Bruce Rauner.
In Rauner’s first weeks in office, he signed an executive order aimed at absolving state workers who don’t want to join a union from paying fees that support collective bargaining. That move led to a U.S. Supreme Court case that was seen as a blow to organized labor.
The Pritzker administration said Tuesday it would grant regular pay increases to workers that they haven’t received since 2015. And an executive order he signed prohibits the state from asking applicants about salary history, a practice that can hold down pay for women.
* Amanda Vinicky…
“With multiple unions representing workers across many agencies, it will take several weeks to provide an accurate picture of both cost and timing of the restoration,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said. “However, the governor firmly believes that workers who have served the state without step increases should be brought to their current step level as expeditiously as possible.” […]
Pritzker’s move Tuesday is prospective, meaning that state employees eligible for what are known as “step raises” will be paid more (“at their appropriate step for purposes of pay” is how Pritzker’s office describes it) going forward.
Still unresolved is back pay for step increases missed the past few years.
* NBC 5…
The move raised questions from critics about how the state will afford it. […]
It is estimated it will impact 15,000 AFSCME workers and cost about $415 million.
* Illinois Public Radio…
The state has estimated paying for the step increases could cost up to $500 million.
Lost in all of this is that the $500 million number includes missed step increases from prior years. And it’s the high-ball number. It could be less. From a recent report by Gov. Rauner’s budget office…
The state estimates a potential liability range of $170 million to $500 million. The highest estimate of liability has been included for this report.
* Tina Sfondeles…
AFSCME says there is no added payroll for step increases in a typical budget year because of attrition. But the union now has thousands who were paid at a lower rate for the past four years. The union applauded Pritzker’s announcement and said it hopes employees see a bump in their pay “right away.”
And as for a contract for the state’s largest government worker union, both AFSCME and Pritzker’s administration said talks will begin soon. AFSCME plans to meet with its state bargaining committee — which includes delegates from 75 local unions — at the end of January. When Rauner took office in January 2015, talks didn’t begin until late February, the union said.
So, if AFSCME is correct, Rauner’s 2015 move to stop step increases will cost the state a bundle over the long-term, but it would have barely been felt (if at all) in the short-term because of natural attrition. Wonderful.
…Adding… From comments…
Pritzker is not “giving” AFSCME employees anything. This was negotiated for, agreed to, unlawfully withheld by Rauner, fought for in arbitration, appealed and won by AFSCME, appealed by Rauner, denied by the Supreme Court, and finally not implemented despite ILRB order by the state.
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It’s time to end this free ride
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Lots of sizzle in this graf…
But the meteoric rise of video gambling has proven to be little more than a botched money grab, according to a ProPublica Illinois investigation of a system that has gone virtually unchecked since its inception. Based on dozens of interviews, thousands of pages of state financial records and an analysis of six years of gambling data, this unprecedented examination found that, far from helping pull the state out of its financial tailspin, the legalization of video gambling accelerated it and saddled Illinois with new, unfunded regulatory and social costs.
* More…
At every key point, state officials made decisions that undercut taxpayers and helped the companies that market video gambling. Lawmakers accepted a far smaller share of the profits than what’s charged in other states, giving the companies a much larger piece. They went forward with the program assuming the machines could be installed in Chicago — they couldn’t. They ignored the inevitable regulatory and social costs. And they did not anticipate the extent to which video gaming would cut into casino profits, which are taxed at a higher rate. The net effect: People in Illinois gambled a lot more, but most of the additional money ended up in the coffers of the companies behind video gambling.
* A key point…
Within months of the law’s passage, the state began borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars against the anticipated revenue. Bond documents claimed video gambling machines would raise $300 million each year to help cover the debt payments.
It wasn’t until 2017, eight years after the legalization of video gambling, that the state came close to collecting that amount. By then, video gambling had brought in less than $1 billion to pay the bond debt — $1.3 billion short of what lawmakers anticipated.
* But that shortfall is partially explained later on…
The legislature assumed video gambling would be up and running within a year of the bill’s passage, to quickly begin generating revenue. Instead, it took three years.
That’s because the Illinois Gaming Board needlessly dragged its feet to get the program up and running and the liquor industry sued over a provision in the bill which raised alcohol taxes.
Another problem that’s briefly mentioned in the piece is that Chicago has never opted in. That decision created a huge revenue hole.
* The state should’ve just given the whole program to the Lottery and let it own and install the machines. Instead, the state made huge fortunes for a handful of video gaming companies.
And it’s abundantly clear that if a new gaming bill is passed then a video gaming tax hike is in order…
The people who’ve benefited the most from video gaming are the big companies that make and install the machines and the large chains of gambling parlors. Leave the mom and pop operations alone, but those big entities ought to be coughing up a whole lot more money.
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Barickman’s path forward
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the end of Sen. Jason Barickman’s (R-Bloomington) op-ed…
Illinois Republicans looking for a fresh start can take a reasoned stand against the liberal Democrats’ agenda. Doing so will help us rehabilitate our image with voters and make our candidates more electable than we were in 2018. However, we must do more than voice opposition. Republicans must make sound policy arguments and truly listen to voters who will be turned off by Democrats’ sharp turn to the left.
Meanwhile, Republicans must broaden our base without alienating core Republicans. We can do this by paying special attention to suburban and micro-urban voters who are center-right on economics but turned against Republicans candidates in November. We’ll need to champion quality of life issues by becoming vocal advocates for education, workforce, public safety and voters’ pocketbooks. Engaging in a two-way dialogue with women, minorities and young people will help us clarify our vision and communicate our policies in a manner that attracts voters turned off by partisanship and negativity. Republicans are committed to freedom and opportunity, but we must demonstrate these principals in a manner that resonates with today’s voter.
As a political party, Republicans across every region of the state must rebuild and unite from the ground up. This effort won’t be easy and comes in many forms. Precincts must be filled with activists who are motivated by a smaller, more functional government. Candidates willing to be champions for their communities must be recruited for local offices, including in the city of Chicago where Illinois Republicans have long surrendered to Democrats. We must offer these local candidates and their volunteers the training and resources they need as we rebuild.
Now that Gov. Pritzker has taken his oath of office, we’ll soon see the type of governor he’ll be. Let’s hope he’s the leader Illinois needs. He can start by operating in a bipartisan manner, inviting Republicans to participate in solving Illinois’ problems collaboratively with him, and pushing back on liberal Democrats who feel they’ve been given the keys to the bank and don’t need to compromise. If he demonstrates an openness to Republican ideas, we should work with him and find common ground. On the other hand, when Gov. Pritzker attempts to appease his liberal base and overreaches, we must vocally stand for approaches more in line with voters who will be turned off by a hard left turn. I and other Republicans are willing to work toward those goals.
Notably, the word “Madigan” appears nowhere in that piece.
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* Joe Cahill at Crain’s Chicago Business…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s inaugural address was most noteworthy for what he left out.
He went on for 2,600-plus words without mentioning the most urgent and potentially destructive crisis facing Illinois. The new governor had nothing to say about $130 billion in unfunded pension obligations to state employees, a yawning black hole of debt that threatens to swallow the state budget and suffocate Illinois’ economy.
I realize inaugural addresses are usually substance-lite recitations of uplifting themes and gauzy visions of the future. I wasn’t expecting Pritzker to deliver a localized version of President Donald Trump’s “American carnage.” Still, an inaugural address outlines an incoming governor’s agenda. Pritzker’s failure to talk about pensions indicates the state’s most pressing problem isn’t high on his priority list.
That’s discouraging. After all, a governor’s job is to solve the state’s problems. Pritzker’s predecessors couldn’t defuse the pension crisis. If he can do it, he’ll have accomplished more than any recent governor.
He needs to start working on it now. The pension problem is getting worse, not better. Legally required state contributions to the underfunded plans soaked up a quarter of state spending this year and will devour an ever-larger share in the future, leaving less for basic government functions, let alone the new initiatives Pritzker wants to pursue. Most troubling, even the larger contributions aren’t enough to keep the pension funding gap from widening. […]
Early in his speech, Pritzker emphasized the need for a “collective commitment to embracing hard choices.” Then he ducked the hardest—and most important—choice he’ll face.
* Since he apparently didn’t call to check, I asked the Pritzker administration for a response…
Governor Pritzker’s inaugural speech focused on possibility and promise while also addressing the fact that Illinois faces challenges. Like he said yesterday, the governor is committed to passing a balanced budget and pension obligations are included in that challenge, but Governor Pritzker is committed to bringing fiscal stability back to Illinois.
Your own thoughts on this?
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“So help me God”
Tuesday, Jan 15, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The last question at Gov. Pritzker’s press conference today…
I noticed yesterday that when you took the oath of office that you did not in the traditional way, as many governors have, say ‘So help me God.’ Can you explain that?
Pritzker immediately raised his right hand and said “So help me God.” Some folks chuckled.
* From the Illinois Constitution…
SECTION 3. OATH OR AFFIRMATION OF OFFICE
Each prospective holder of a State office or other State position created by this Constitution, before taking office, shall take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation:
“I do solemnly swear (affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of …. to the best of my ability.”
Background on the phrase is here.
Thoughts?
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* Press release…
Standing with working families on his first full day in office, Governor JB Pritzker took important first steps to raise Illinoisans’ wages by signing a robust initial package of legislation and executive orders designed to raise and protect their wages.
“This administration is putting Springfield back on the side of working families and these measures are a critical first step in the work that will define my administration, especially as we move toward raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “On the first day of a new administration, we’re enshrining our state’s values to create real and lasting opportunity for the middle class.
“For hardworking people across Illinois, know that your state government has your back. Whether it’s pay equity for women, prosecuting employers who engage in wage theft, instituting prevailing wage requirements, using project labor agreements, restoring state employees’ steps, or promoting diversity in state contracts, these steps are the first of many to take bold action to support working families. This work is far from done, and I look forward to continuing to work with the General Assembly to advance core priorities so working families across Illinois can thrive.”
Today, Governor Pritzker signed Executive Order 2019-02, which will:
* Require that the Department of Central Management Services and the Department of Human Rights shall review the state’s pay plan to eliminate bias generated by asking employees for salary history, which often disadvantages women, particularly women of color. The State of Illinois will no longer ask prospective employees questions about salary history, because of historic salary disadvantages women face.
* Help protect workers from wage theft. The order directs the Illinois Department of Labor to expeditiously handle all cases of wage theft and day labor exploitation, including referring appropriate cases to the Attorney General. This will allow the administration to hold bad actors accountable and protect workers.
Require that all state agencies comply with the Project Labor Agreements Act.
“As the sponsor of the no salary history bill, I am proud to stand with our new governor today as he takes strong, immediate action to close the gender pay gap and move towards pay equity,” said Rep. Anna Moeller. “Governor Pritzker is making it clear to women across our state that they have a staunch ally and advocate in the governor’s office.”
“Surrounded by workers of all backgrounds, Governor Pritzker is delivering on his promise to stand up for working families with his signature on critical legislation today,” said Sen. Cristina Castro. “The action taken by Governor Pritzker today will protect wages, help close the pay gap for women, and improve the wellbeing of thousands of hardworking Illinoisans across our state.”
“I applaud Governor Pritzker for taking immediate action to lift up the middle class and those striving to get there,” said Mike Carrigan, president the Illinois AFL-CIO. “Signing this package of legislation and executive orders on his first full day in office shows that Governor Pritzker is putting working families first.”
Governor Pritzker also took the following measures to support working families:
* SB 203: The governor signed legislation passed by the General Assembly to protect the wages of workers and promote gender and racial diversity in companies with state contracts. The legislation ensures that the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) engages in collective bargaining with local labor stakeholders to establish prevailing wage rates. It also requires the IDOL to release reports on the diversity of workers employed on public works projects and provide recommendations to increase employment of women and people of color on projects.
* Steps: Today, the state will initiate a process to bring state employees to their appropriate salary step level. Under this measure, union employees, many of whom have not received step increases since 2015, will be placed at their appropriate step for purposes of their pay going forward. This action does not address significant outstanding issues, including backpay. The administration will continue to work toward solutions to manage taxpayer resources effectively and compensate state employees fairly.
The EO is here. SB203 is here.
…Adding… AFSCME Council 31 Executive Roberta Lynch…
Governor Pritzker’s announcement represents important progress toward ending Bruce Rauner’s illegal four-year freeze on step progression for state employees.
The process of placing employees on the appropriate step should be completed without delay.
It’s critical that the state also move quickly to make employees whole for the wages they have been wrongfully denied since 2015.
…Adding… IFT President Dan Montgomery…
By signing agreements that ensure fair pay for state workers and move toward pay equity for women, Governor Pritzker has shown more respect for workers and our unions on his first day in office than Bruce Rauner did during his entire term.
We applaud Governor Pritzker for making sure the state fulfills its end of the bargain in negotiated contracts, and we encourage that deliberate steps be taken to address the back-pay issue.
We look forward to continuing to work with the new administration to improve the lives of Illinois workers, provide high-quality public education and services for all, and ensure that the wealthiest pay their fair share to help run our great state. It truly is a new day in Illinois.
…Adding… ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider…
Governor Pritzker has barely been in office for 24 hours, and he’s already signed an executive order spending an undefined amount of taxpayer dollars on state employee pay increases. Yesterday, we heard promises from Pritzker that he would work with Democrats and Republicans to balance the budget. Yet today, Pritzker unilaterally made reckless spending promises without specifying the costs, creating more budget uncertainty. It’s clear - the Pritzker agenda is the same agenda that has dragged our state down for decades - borrow, tax, spend, repeat.
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All rise
Tuesday, Jan 15, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I mean, he is a Republican and he did lose the election, but both Republican legislative leaders rose…
…Adding… Legit classiness from Rauner’s staff…
* How do they say “bon voyage” in New Zealand?…
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The “Middle Class March” that wasn’t
Tuesday, Jan 15, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* An Illinois News Network story from earlier this month…
Kristen Wiley, who is organizing a “Middle Class March” outside of Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker’s inauguration in Springfield next week said the ad is out of touch.
“Making Madigan the last shot in this ad is completely tone deaf to people who believe in term limits, and would like to see him out of office,” Wiley said. “That was completely off-putting. Democrats know that 45,000 residents left Illinois last year, and that number will grow this year if they can’t keep their hands out of our pockets.”
She said Democrats are trying to rehab their image.
“They’ve been trying to sell taxing the upper-middle class and the rich in order to pay down the debts in this state and they’ve failed miserably at it for decades,” Wiley said.
* The “march” totaled just six people…
Outside an entrance to the convention center as the crowd of about 5,000 filed out, six demonstrators carried signs with messages included “Read my lips; No new taxes,” and “Enough is enough.”
Kristen Wiley, 33, of St. Jacob in Madison County, said the message the “middle class march” was bringing was “no new or increased taxes” and “stop the overspending.”
She said the messages are in response to Pritzker’s call for a progressive income tax and funding for an infrastructure program. Wiley said wasteful programs can be cut to pay for the state’s needs.
Ah, a firm believer in magic beans.
* Illinois News Network…
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he’ll work with minority Republicans, but warned that partisan opponents to the idea of a progressive tax will be met with “considerable political will.”
After taking the oath of office, the Democratic billionaire governor took direct aim at opponents of taxing higher earners a higher percentage of their income. He said anyone who joins the tax conversation in good faith has a seat at the table.
“But if you lead with partisanship and scare tactics, you will be met with considerable political will,” Pritzker said. […]
Standing with a handful of protesters wearing yellow vests outside the inauguration, Kristin Wiley said Pritzker’s rhetoric was “terrifying.”
“Anything different from what he thinks is going to be smacked down and that is not working together at all, that’s ‘my way or the highway,’ that’s what he said,” Wiley said.
OK.
* By the way, these “yellow vest” copycats may or may not know that many of the “real” yellow-vesters are a bunch of hooligans. From the Columbia Journalism Review…
In late November, as the Gilets Jaunes—or Yellow Vests—protest movement took hold in France, Martin Goillandeau and Makana Eyre wrote for CJR that participants were harassing, and even assaulting, journalists. Since then, the protests have become a weekly occurrence. So, too, have threats against reporters. “The harassment and violence have got worse,” Eyre told me this morning. “I went to the Saturday protests in Paris to shoot photos and see how big it would get. This was the first time that I really felt nervous with my camera… I saw people interfering with broadcasts, shouting at media teams, and getting in their faces. For much of it, I had my camera in my coat.”
This past weekend, a group of Yellow Vests in the northern city of Rouen set upon two journalists working for LCI, a French TV news broadcaster; they were spared by two bodyguards, one of whom ended up in hospital with a broken nose. Protesters aggressed another LCI team in Paris. In Toulon, two Agence France-Presse reporters were chased by about 10 people, while in nearby Marseille, photographers were hassled and blocked from taking pictures. In Toulouse, a group of protesters trapped a 31-year-old local journalist in her car and threatened her with rape. “They wanted me to open my window. I told them it wasn’t possible, that I had to go and pick up my son,” she recalled. “A man threatened me that I had two seconds to get out.” Organized groups have hampered newspapers’ core operations, too: overnight on Friday, for example, about 30 Yellow Vests blocked regional newspaper La Voix du Nord’s distribution depot and threatened to burn a truck, stopping 20,000 copies of the paper from being delivered. On Sunday, trash cans were set on fire outside the same paper’s offices. While no motive was immediately established, its director doesn’t think it was an accident.
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* Press release…
In his first official act as the 43rd governor of Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker will sign his first executive order today at 1 p.m. to usher in a renewed era of transparency among state agencies. This is a “back to basics” focus on serving the public and a requirement that all agencies ensure they are in compliance with the law.
Making good government a top priority, the first executive order of the Pritzker administration will direct state agencies, boards and commissions to immediately review their compliance with statutory mandates, come into compliance with data transparency laws and release all data that is required to be disclosed under state law, as well as review potential voluntary disclosures that would improve transparency and provide plans to address all audit findings of the past four years.
“Good government starts with making the state accountable to its people and ensuring every Illinoisan has access to the services they need,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our state’s hardworking residents deserve to know how taxpayer money is being spent, and I will ensure that transparency is a core value of my administration. By shining a light on how the state is and isn’t living up to its responsibility to our citizens, we can start making real improvements in the lives of families across Illinois.”
The elements of the executive order include:
A requirement that every agency, board and commission review all statutory obligations and audit findings from the past four years and provide a plan within 60 days to address findings;
A requirement that every agency board and commission review laws and regulations on publishing data and ensure compliance within 30 days;
A requirement that every agency, board and commission review their data publishing practices – including past practices – within 60 days to move toward greater voluntary data disclosure.
“Governor Pritzker is beginning his term by providing bold leadership with a commonsense measure holding state government accountable to its people,” said former Governor Jim Edgar. “This initial action by Governor Pritzker shows Illinoisans that he will prioritize high quality services to residents that are provided effectively, efficiently and transparently.”
“Illinoisans deserve to have a state government that is open and accountable to the people, and focused on delivering needed services effectively and transparently,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. “Bringing the state into compliance with transparency requirements on day one in office shows this governor is working to move beyond our past and chart the right course for Illinois.”
“Every resident of our state should know how their state government is meeting or falling short of its obligation to provide quality services for all,” said Senator Melinda Bush. “Governor Pritzker’s action today shows he’s putting the people first and ensuring we are fulfilling the needs of all Illinoisans.”
“Taxpayers ought to know how their money is being used and if the state is actually serving its residents, and Governor Pritzker understands that,” said Senator Andy Manar. “In his first act as governor, he is demonstrating leadership and inviting accountability into the crucial services our state provides, and that will help all Illinoisans restore trust in their government.”
“For too long, the state has withheld critical data on how human services are functioning, but Governor Pritzker’s executive order writes a new chapter of good government for the state of Illinois,” said Thomas Yates, Executive Director of Legal Council for Health Justice. “We think everyone — providers, recipients, and the public — should be able to see accurate, up-to-date information about how human services and health care are administered by the state. With this executive order, state agencies will be on track to provide data to better inform policy for programs that improve the lives of millions of people in Illinois.”
The EO is here. [Fixed link.]
Any other EOs you’d like to see?
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Do better, dude
Tuesday, Jan 15, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I haven’t interacted much with Illinois Supreme Court spokesman Chris Bonjean, but I sure hope when I do he responds better than this. From a Tina Sfondeles Sun-Times story…
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza — who has joined a long list of those vying to replace Mayor Rahm Emanuel — avoided some controversy by being sworn in by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Rossana Patricia Fernandez — not Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, whose husband Ald. Ed Burke was charged earlier this month in an attempted extortion case. Justice Burke, a close friend, gave Mendoza the oath of office in 2016. WBEZ first reported the switch on Jan. 11.
Asked for comment on why Burke did not administer the oath, Illinois Supreme Court spokesman Chris Bonjean declined to elaborate, simply saying, “I hope the Sun-Times has better news judgement [sic] than that.”
Wow. That was a pretty condescending non-response.
* So, what, then, could possibly be the difference between Tina’s news judgment and that of WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos? Because Dan called the court about the same story just a few days ago and Bonjean had no patronizing retort…
And state Supreme Court spokesman Christopher Bonjean told WBEZ that he spoke with Anne Burke, and she said Mendoza had invited her to swear her in again — then withdrew that request recently.
Bonjean said he did not know when exactly the invitation was withdrawn or why.
Was that so hard?
…Adding… Sfondeles tells me that Bonjean called and apologized.
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* Gov. Pritzker mentioned some Downstate communities as examples of what the state can be during his speech yesterday. He also said this…
As we enter Illinois’ third century, we must bring a renaissance to downstate Illinois which has been deprived of some basic resources for education and business building that are taken for granted elsewhere in our state. To begin, we will work to deliver high speed broadband internet coverage to everyone, in every corner of Illinois. Today every new job and every student is dependent upon connectivity, and no part of our state should be left out.
Broadband access is not just a Downstate concern, of course. It’s also an issue in poorer areas across the Chicagoland area.
* Pritzker seems to be reaching out to legislators in the region…
As Pritzker begins [the budget] process, Sen. Dale Fowler, R-Harrisburg, is confident he’ll keep Southern Illinois in mind.
“I’ve had numerous conversations with the governor about Southern Illinois,” said Fowler, who’s been named to Pritzker’s job creation and economic opportunity transition committee. “Projects in my district, like the Cairo river port terminal, I know he’s got that on his radar.”
The phone calls from Pritzker and his transition team have been frequent, Fowler said, and the governor has suggested he’ll tour Southern Illinois in March. […]
“Almost all of the policy proposals that he outlined are things I’ll probably be on the opposite side of,” Schimpf said, “But when he talks about listening to everybody, as long as you come to the table with good faith, I think that’s the way the process is supposed to work.”
Gov. Rauner traveled all over Illinois, but he didn’t actually do much for anyone and he listened to almost nobody. So even the appearance of giving a darn is naturally going to be met with welcoming arms. We’ll just have to wait and see how Pritzker follows through.
* Sen. Fowler even said he’s keeping an open mind about the graduated income tax…
Fowler said he’s willing to listen.
“There hasn’t been any numbers attached to those yet,” Fowler said. “We’ll be open-minded. If it’s a tax on the rich, we’ll take a good look at it, but if it’s going to a challenge or a detriment to the middle class, then I’m going to have an issue with that.”
* Meanwhile…
On the day that Democrat J.B. Pritzker was inaugurated as governor, the two Republican state representatives who live in Springfield sent him a letter highlighting the new state law that makes Sangamon County the default location for many new state jobs.
“As you begin the process of filling various positions across the agencies of state government, we hope you will keep this new law in mind as positions are filled,” wrote Reps. Tim Butler and Mike Murphy. “Springfield is a wonderful city to live, work, and raise a family. The contributions made to the economy of our area by state employees are tremendous. We hope that your administration will continue the work of prioritizing Sangamon County and recognizing the city of Springfield for being the capital of our great state.”
Monday’s letter, which also offered congratulations to Pritzker, referred to legislation signed in August by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner. Sponsored by then-state Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez, R-Leland Grove, the bill makes Springfield and Sangamon County the default location for employees in most state agencies. The director of Central Management Services would have to establish a geographic location for each state job and specify why positions located outside the capital city need to be there. […]
At the Bank of Springfield Center Monday before the inauguration ceremony got underway, Butler characterized the letter as “just a reminder” and said he’s had “a few quick conversations” with Pritzker and looks forward to “sitting down with him and talking about the needs of not only Sangamon County but the 87th District.
“I’ve been impressed so far with the folks that he’s brought into the administration,” Butler said. “Hopefully, we’re going to have a good working relationship.”
Your thoughts on this law?
* Related…
* Champaign County State’s Attorney: Pritzker Should Take Downstate Concerns To Heart: “We have some different issues (than Chicago). We have some similarities. But we can’t just let what’s going on in Chicago with the Chicago Police Department, the issues that they face necessarily are not the same and shouldn’t entirely run the conversation,” Rietz said.
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That was some party last night
Tuesday, Jan 15, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I have no idea what the future will bring, but here’s the one thing of which I am certain: JB and MK Pritzker know how to throw a party. This, my friends, is the Expo Building on the state fairgrounds…
Yeah. The Expo Building. You know that place. It’s the one with all the little commercial booths. Unrecognizable last night.
…Adding… If you’ve never been to the Expo Building, here it is in its “natural state”…
* SJ-R…
A large crowd of Pritzker supporters and others mingled, took selfies and danced to various bands, including a surprise appearance from Maroon 5, an internationally known, three-time Grammy Award-winning band usually seen playing large arenas and stadiums.
In fact, just a day earlier, the NFL announced Maroon 5, fronted by Adam Levine, will be the main act of the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 3. But there they were on the stage in the Expo Building Monday night, playing hits such as “Payphone,” “One More Night,” “Sunday Morning” and “Harder to Breathe.”
Speculation over the identity of Monday’s headlining act circulated around town all day. Inauguration officials remained tight-lipped about who it was.
Just before Maroon 5 came out, the new governor and his wife, M.K. Pritzker, came out on stage for their first dance as the first couple. They danced to “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).”
I had to Google Maroon 5 to see who they were. I told people I’d done that and almost all of them said, “Dude, they’re playing at the Super Bowl.” My response was, “Yeah, I realized that during my Google search.” Turns out, I knew several of their songs.
* The crowd went crazy…
* I don’t know how much the Pritzkers spent on last night’s shindig, but they also did some good…
“This is amazing. It is for the people, all the proceeds are being donated to charity from what I understand, so we are all here just to have a great time,” said Sanovia Reynolds Parks, campaign volunteer.
One of the charities is the Illinois State Fair Foundation; the other is Cabrini Green Legal Aid, which helps low income Chicagoans maneuver the legal system. The executive director of the organization was a colleague of Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton.
“Being the recipient of this award was quite a surprise um Juliana called me during the week at like 10 o’clock at night and gave us the big news and so I was like ‘What is going on!’ Um, this is so exciting,” said Esther Franco-Payne, executive director CGLA.
With over 1,000 people in attendance, the ball raised at least $250,000 for those charities.
* The one thing I didn’t expect to see was a ton of Republicans. I think I’d been at the ball five or ten minutes before I finally talked to a Democrat.
Both Republican legislative leaders were also there and they didn’t just make a quick appearance and leave. They stuck around and partied. I talked to them and they were clearly having a good time and were both very hopeful about the future.
So, I wouldn’t put much stock into this analysis…
And while [JB Pritzker’s inauguration] speech was imbued with the bipartisanship that’s been running throughout inauguration weekend, the GOP didn’t buy it. Before Pritzker had left the building, Illinois GOP Chairman Tim Schneider released a scathing statement.
He said Pritzker delivered “the same agenda that has dragged our state down for decades—borrow, tax, spend, repeat.” And he accused Pritzker of failing to mention “promised” support of legislative leadership term limits and an independent redistricting commission. Both initiatives are supported by the Illinois GOP. “We didn’t hear anything about them today. Why? Because they were only a ploy to win votes,” Schneider said.
The honeymoon seemed over with Republicans, but Dems were swooning.
Um, what?
It’s going to take a whole lot more than one silly press release from the state party to poison the well. People on both sides appear to be legitimately hungry for peace and progress. I don’t know how long this will last, but party hacks are gonna party hack. The real work is being done in Springfield, not GOP headquarters in Chicago.
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Rhymes with bracism
Tuesday, Jan 15, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Police asked to conduct searches of vehicles driven by black motorists nearly twice as often as those driven by whites in 2017, according to the report. Police asked to search cars driven by Latinos 1.4 times more often those driven by whites.
At the same time, white drivers were found with contraband about 1.3 times more often than black or Latino drivers. The report, titled “Racism in the Rear View Mirror,” was released Monday.
“The data shows that law enforcement officers throughout the state of Illinois continue to stop black and Latinx drivers at rates beyond their representation in the driving population and continue to perform searches of black and Latinx drivers at higher rates than white drivers,” the ACLU said. “In short, biased policing continues to be a problem in Illinois.”
The report examined data collected by the Illinois Department of Transportation between 2015 and 2017 from more than 900 law enforcement agencies statewide. Police made about 6.5 million traffic stops and performed more than 283,000 searches in that time.
In certain cities, such as Aurora and Champaign, black drivers were stopped at rates more than twice that of the population of black people who lived there, according to the report.
Go read the whole thing, plus there’s much more here.
* ACLU’s recommendations…
* Make permanent the Illinois Traffic and Pedestrian Stop Statistical Study Act
* Abolish consent searches during traffic stops
* Review and report data on police dogs
* Consistent statewide use of body cameras
* Investigate and report all outcomes of complaints against officers
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