* This one is for my mom, who loved Helen Reddy when I was a kid and she definitely loved this song. Mom tried to raise us right. It didn’t always work, unfortunately, but RIP, Ms. Reddy…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 28 counties in Illinois are considered to be at a warning level for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A county enters a warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators that measure the amount of COVID-19 increase.
Twenty-eight counties are currently reported at a warning level – Bond, Boone, Brown, Calhoun, Christian, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, DeKalb, DeWitt, Fayette, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Lee, Livingston, Macon, Massac, Monroe, Morgan, Pulaski, Putnam, Richland, Saline, St. Clair, Wabash, Washington, and Winnebago.
Although the reasons for counties reaching a warning level varies, some of the common factors for an increase in cases and outbreaks are associated with university and college parties as well as college sports teams, large gatherings and events, bars and clubs, weddings and funerals, family gatherings, long-term care facilities, correctional centers, schools, and cases among the community at large, especially people in their 20s.
Public health officials are observing businesses blatantly disregarding mitigation measures, people not social distancing, gathering in large groups, and not using face coverings. Mayors, local law enforcement, state’s attorneys, and other community leaders can be influential in ensuring citizens and businesses follow best practices.
Several counties are taking swift action to help slow spread of the virus, including increasing testing opportunities, stressing the importance of testing to providers, hiring additional contact tracers, working with schools, meeting with local leaders, educating businesses and large venues about the importance of mitigation measures, and distributing donated masks.
IDPH uses numerous indicators when determining if a county is experiencing stable COVID-19 activity, or if there are warning signs of increased COVID-19 risk in the county. A county is considered at the warning level when at least two of the following metrics triggers a warning.
• New cases per 100,000 people. If there are more than 50 new cases per 100,000 people in the county, this triggers a warning.
• Number of deaths. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly number of deaths increases more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
• Weekly test positivity. This metric indicates a warning when the 7-day test positivity rate rises above 8%.
• ICU availability. If there are fewer than 20% of intensive care units available in the region, this triggers a warning.
• Weekly emergency department visits. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly percent of COVID-19-like-illness emergency department visits increase by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
• Weekly hospital admissions. A warning is triggered when the weekly number of hospital admissions for COVID-19-like-illness increases by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
• Tests performed. This metric is used to provide context and indicate if more testing is needed in the county.
• Clusters. This metric looks at the percent of COVID-19 cases associated with clusters or outbreaks and is used to understand large increase in cases.
These metrics are intended to be used for local level awareness to help local leaders, businesses, local health departments, and the public make informed decisions about personal and family gatherings, as well as what activities they choose to do. The metrics are updated weekly, from the Sunday-Saturday of the prior week.
A map and information of each county’s status can be found on the IDPH website at https://www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics.
Weiss mailed a package containing a $2,500 bribe payment to the senator Oct. 22, 2019, according to the indictment. That was two days before the original complaint against Arroyo was filed. pic.twitter.com/fQuRWF4YaH
Five years ago, Weiss got married to former state Rep. Toni Berrios, whose father ran the Cook Democratic Party while serving as Cook County assessor ruling on property tax appeals filed by clout-heavy lawyers, including Madigan and Ald. Edward M. Burke.
The former assessor is also a lobbyist in Springfield, who clients have included the Illinois Gaming Machine Operators who oppose efforts to legalize sweepstakes machines, like those owned by Weiss.
Weiss is a close friend of Madigan’s only son, Andrew, an executive at Alliant/Mesirow Insurance Services which sells insurance to various government agencies.
Weiss and his mother, Mary C. Murray, have run two Bridgeport-based charities aided by powerful political allies such as Cook County Commissioner John Daley and his nephew Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th). One of the charities, the Benton House, is a former settlement house operating an emergency food pantry on South Gratten, and the other is a scholarship fund.
* Michael Hawthorne at the Tribune takes a look at the Pritzker administration’s actions on Illinois coal…
Illinois already is a major supplier of coal, the chief source of heat-trapping gases warming the planet. After Pritzker took office in early 2019, his administration began clearing the way for a new coal mine, despite a sharp fall in demand for the fossil fuel as electric utilities shift to cheaper, cleaner sources of energy.
Pritzker appointees also tentatively approved a 12-mile pipeline that every day would dump millions of gallons of toxic waste into a Mississippi River tributary, making it easier for a recently bankrupt company to continue digging coal out of the state’s second-largest mine.
The governor’s aides said their reviews of the projects are far from over. “We don’t agree that the administration’s decisions are locking Illinois into a coal-dependent future,” Jordan Abudayyeh, Pritzker’s spokeswoman, said in an email response to questions from the Chicago Tribune.
Abudayyeh said the governor made his intentions clear with a list of principles for a clean-energy future. But Pritzker’s “Putting Customers & Climate First” agenda does not address the impacts of coal mining.
Go read the whole thing. IDNR appears to be at the root of much of this. But the governor is the governor. And governors own.
* I’d heard that Michael McHaney, the Clay County judge who had given the state fits with his multiple rulings in favor of Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), had been transferred.
So, I checked with Clay County Circuit Clerk Crystal Ballard, who said judges in the circuit are on a 6-month rotation and McHaney was rotated to Effingham County.
The Effingham County Circuit Clerk’s office confirmed to me today that McHaney is now there and is handling criminal cases.
Darren Bailey and Thomas DeVore respond to a question from a CNN reporter following their victory against Governor J.B. Pritzker in the Clay County Circuit Court Thursday afternoon.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 2,206 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 47 additional confirmed deaths.
• Bond County: 1 female 80s
• Bureau County: 1 male 70s
• Champaign County: 1 female 90s
• Christian County: 1 male 60s
• Coles County: 1 female 70s
• Cook County: 1 male 40s, 2 females 60s, 3 males 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
• DuPage County: 1 male 60s
• Fayette County: 1 male 90s
• Jersey County: 1 female 90s
• Kane County: 1 male 80s
• Kankakee County: 1 male 90s
• Lake County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
• Lawrence County: 1 female 60s, 2 females 90s
• Livingston County: 1 female 60s
• Macoupin County: 1 female 70s
• Madison County: 1 male 70s
• Monroe County: 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
• Peoria County: 1 female 40s
• Randolph County: 1 male 80s
• Richland County: 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
• Rock Island County: 1 male 80s
• Sangamon County: 1 male 50s
• St. Clair County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
• Stephenson County: 1 male 60s
• Warren County: 1 female 90s
• White County: 1 male 50s
• Will County: 1 male 60s
• Williamson County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
• Woodford County: 1 male 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 297,646 cases, including 8,743 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from September 25 – October 1 is 3.4%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 72,691 specimens for a total of 5,763,128. As of last night, 1,678 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 373 patients were in the ICU and 162 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting separately both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. IDPH will update these data once a week.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
More than 100 people packed into a banquet room at Giovanni’s Thursday for what was billed as an informational meeting for Rockford area bars and restaurants whose businesses are being threatened by new COVID-19 mitigation rules that go into effect Saturday.
What they got was an hour and a half presentation by attorney Thomas DeVore of Sorento, Illinois, advising bars and restaurants that they are under no legal obligation to cease indoor and food and beverage sales, as ordered by Gov. JB Pritzker, and that they can and should stay open.
Several local leaders and elected officials attended the meeting including state Rep. John Cabello, state Sen. Dave Syverson, Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana and Loves Park Mayor Greg Jury — all of whom assured attendees that they would not enforce or support the state’s additional COVID-19 mitigation strategies for northwest Illinois.
“I pretty much though speak for any law enforcement agency in this county,” Caruana said, adding that he had close relationships with the Illinois State Police director and local captain. “Pretty much though we’re all on the same page. (Rockford Police Chief Dan) O’Shea and I are on the same page. We are not going to go into your bars and stalk you or do anything like this. No fear.”
Winnebago County Public Health Administrator Dr. Sandra Martell also weighed in saying:
“The Winnebago County Health Department has worked with bars and restaurants in our community throughout the pandemic. Despite the financial challenges to their businesses and the greater community, they adapted and implemented the strategies to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. We trust that they will thoughtfully consider all the impacts and will continue to follow the guidelines to protect the community. These are challenging times for all. We ask our community to rally and support them by ordering curbside and enjoying their outside venues.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Another day, another lawsuit. DeKalb Daily Chronicle…
Seven DeKalb County restaurant owners on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health seeking a temporary restraining order to stop state officials from forcing them to shut down indoor dining beginning Saturday.
Bradley Melzer, of Sycamore-based Cronauer Law, is representing the owners of Fatty’s Pub & Grill in DeKalb, Remington Gastropub in Malta, The Lincoln Inn and Faranda’s Banquet Center in DeKalb, Ellwood Steak & Fish House in DeKalb, The Junction Eating Place in DeKalb, MVP Sports Bar in Sycamore and El Jimador Mexican Grill, which opened in downtown DeKalb on Tuesday. […]
The lawsuit – which names Pritzker and IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike – claims the governor’s actions during the pandemic have been “unlawful and unconstitutional in that it defies the County’s Emergency Management Act,” unfairly punishing DeKalb County businesses for positivity rate and resurgences outside of the county.
Mitigations for Region 1 – which includes Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties – were put into place this week effective Saturday due to high positivity rates of the viral respiratory disease in the region as a whole. At the time of the governor’s announcement Tuesday, positivity rate breakdowns for counties included in the region showed Winnebago County with the highest. […]
“DeKalb County is under the Governor’s 8% positivity rate and is being arbitrarily lumped together in a “region” where only 3 of the 8 counties currently exceed that threshold,” he said. “Our clients in DeKalb County have taken this pandemic seriously and have been following all the appropriate guidelines. To now be punished for another counties’ spike in COVID-19 cases is not only unjust, but could result in closing these businesses forever and the loss of additional jobs.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Jordan Abudayyeh…
Packing more than 100 people indoors for a meeting without masks or distance is irresponsible and dangerous. Every single time Tom DeVore has taken his reckless roadshow outside Clay County he has lost because the courts have repeatedly sided with public health experts and supported guidance that keeps people healthy and safe amidst a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 8600 Illinoisans. The people of Region 1 would be better served by following the mitigations and working together to bring down their positivity rates so their businesses can operate safely instead of allowing themselves to fall victim to DeVore’s self-promoting schemes.
I was also told that the Illinois State Police will be in Region 1 enforcing the public health emergency rules.
A DeKalb County Judge on Friday afternoon denied a petition by seven DeKalb County restaurant and bar owners to delay COVID-19 resurgence mitigations expected to begin Saturday.
Elected officials in Michigan and Illinois say a racially charged robocall has been targeting voters this week with misinformation about mail-in balloting.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson tweeted out a recording of the call on Thursday. The call falsely claims that mail-in voters will have their personal information shared with law enforcement “to track down old warrants” and that they could be added to a list for “mandatory vaccines.” […]
The robocalls hitting Detroit also targeted voters in Chicago, according to Alderman Pat Dowell, a Democrat, who posted on Facebook that she personally got a call at home Wednesday night. Dowell told CNN on Thursday that she informed the Chicago Board of Elections about the robocalls and would be warning her constituents about the misinformation.
“This was an attempt to suppress, in my case, my community, an African American community, solidly Democratic, suppress voter turnout in this upcoming general election,” Dowell said.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Thursday warned residents to be on alert for robocalls with false claims about voting by mail in the upcoming election, advising anyone with questions about voting by mail to contact election authorities.
Voters have reported receiving calls with an automated recording falsely claiming that voting by mail could result in their private information being given to third parties like “the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track people for mandatory vaccines, police departments and law enforcement in order to locate individuals who have outstanding warrants, and creditors to help find people who owe outstanding debt,” Raoul said in a statement.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed charges today against two political operatives for allegedly orchestrating a series of robocalls aimed at suppressing the vote in the November general election.
Jack Burkman, 54, and Jacob Wohl, 22, are each charged with:
• One count of election law – intimidating voters, a five-year felony;
• One count of conspiracy to commit an election law violation, a five-year felony;
• One count of using a computer to commit the crime of election law – intimidating voters, a seven-year felony; and
• Using a computer to commit the crime of conspiracy, a seven-year felony.
The charges were filed today in the 36th District Court in Detroit. Arraignment is pending for the defendants. The Attorney General’s office will be working – with local law enforcement if necessary – to secure the appearance of each defendant in Michigan. It’s too early to say if formal extradition will be necessary or if they will present themselves here voluntarily in the very near future.
Burkman, an Arlington, Virginia resident, and Wohl, a Los Angeles, California resident, allegedly attempted to discourage voters from participating in the general election by creating and funding a robocall targeted at certain urban areas, including Detroit. The calls were made in late August and went out to nearly 12,000 residents with phone numbers from the 313 area code.
During its investigation, Nessel’s office communicated with attorneys general offices in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois, all of which reported similar robocalls being made to residents in their states who live in urban areas with significant minority populations. It’s believed around 85,000 calls were made nationally, though an exact breakdown of the numbers of calls to each city or state are not available.
Famed for conspiracy theories and slapdash media briefings in Burkman’s driveway, Wohl and Burkman have been booted from social media sites including Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for their outlandish claims, including bogus sexual assault accusations against special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.
The Bloomington Election Commission said Thursday it has suspended early voting after learning of a “glitch” with its ballots.
Commission chair Denise Williams confirmed the problem was related to two Eleventh Judicial Circuit judges, Jennifer Bauknecht and Matthew Fitton. Their retention was included on ballots prepared by the McLean County Clerk’s office. But they were inadvertantly missing from Bloomington Election Commission (BEC) ballots.
Early voting began Sept. 24. That’s also when vote-by-mail ballots were mailed out. […]
“We are just brainstorming trying to figure out the best thing for the voter,” she said, adding the BEC is working with its vendors to get corrected ballots printed and hopes to get those mailed by late next week.
Late next week. Wonderful. Great job, BEC.
My own opinion is we have way too many election commissions in this state. They need to be consolidated into regional systems with experienced, full-time folks in charge. If nothing else, force cities to merge with their county clerks like Springfield did. Suburban Cook County, for example, does a pretty darned good job handling elections. Chicago does not.
Equality Illinois applauds the Pritzker Administration’s efforts in FY20 to appoint more LGBTQ, women, and BIPOC leaders to state boards and commissions. On Thursday, the Governor’s Office released the Administration’s FY20 Boards and Commissions Act Report that details the demographic data of gubernatorial appointments to state boards and commissions, including the voluntarily disclosed LGBTQ identities of appointees.
“We thank Gov. Pritzker and his Administration for their work to ensure our state boards and commissions better reflect the diversity of the people and communities they serve,” said Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois. “While there is more work to do to ensure representation of LGBTQ, women, and BIPOC leaders in public service, the governor’s new report shows the results of the Administration’s diligence and partnership with community organizations like Equality Illinois. This report reflects the governor’s ongoing commitment to making sure Illinois is a state where all people are inspired to lend their talents to public service.”
According to the FY20 report, Governor Pritzker has nearly quadrupled the appointment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) people to state boards and commissions compared to appointments made in FY19.
Also, unlike in previous years, appointees in FY20 were able to self-report if they are trans; if they are asexual, pansexual, or queer for their sexual orientation; and if they are intersex or non-binary/genderqueer for their gender.
* More…
• Regarding sexual orientation:
• 3.7% of the governor’s appointees in FY 20 identified as LGBQ (up from 1% in FY19).
• 4% of the applicants in FY20 identified as LGBQ (roughly the same as in FY19).
• Also, FY20 appointees who declined to state or did not respond to the inquiry about their sexual orientation dropped significantly compared to FY19 (30% in FY20 but 52% in FY19). This could mean more appointees are comfortable living authentically and publicly.
• Regarding gender identity (which were new questions added in FY20):
• 1.17% of the governor’s appointees in FY 20 identified as genderqueer or non-binary.
• 1.36% of the governor’s appointees in FY 20 identified as trans.
• The result is that 0.5% of those currently serving identified as trans and 0.4% identify as genderqueer or non-binary.
* More…
• The percent of Black, indigenous, and people of color appointees by the governor in FY20 was 37.6% (up from 32.8% in FY19).
• The percent of appointments who identified as women in FY20 was 48.3% (up from 39.4% in FY19).
* Posted in the order they were received. Press release…
[Yesterday], Rodney Davis’ campaign for Congress released a new ad titled “Lying Londrigan,” which highlights Betsy Londrigan’s lies to voters concerning financial support her campaign has received from the Mike Madigan-chaired Democratic Party of Illinois and corporate lobbyists and special interests.
The truth is Madigan spent nearly $300,000 to elect Londrigan.
Londrigan also takes money from corporate lobbyists, even Big Pharma, breaking her promise not to accept corporate dollars.
And those negative ads against Rodney Davis? Paid for by corporate cash.
A Madigan Machine politician, Betsy Londrigan is lying to get elected.
* Press release…
Today, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan’s campaign released its sixth television ad, “Jayne,” which tells the story of a stage IV lung cancer survivor and how she relied upon the protections of the Affordable Care Act that Congressman Rodney Davis repeatedly voted to cut. Davis voted 11 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act with no replacement, which would have stripped health care coverage from millions, including more than 31,000 in the 13th District, and removed protections from the more than 282,500 13th District residents with pre-existing conditions.
The 30-second ad will air in the Champaign-Springfield-Decatur and St. Louis media markets as part of a districtwide buy that includes broadcast, cable, and digital platforms.
”Without the Affordable Care Act I wouldn’t have had health care. Rodney Davis doesn’t agree,” said Jayne. “He voted 11 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would strip protections from people like me with pre-existing conditions. After staring death in the face not much scares me, but Rodney Davis in Congress does.”
“Each of the 11 times Rodney Davis voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act with no replacement he was voting to strip protections for people with pre-existing conditions, ” said campaign spokeswoman Eliza Glezer. “Unlike Davis, Betsy is running to protect and expand upon the Affordable Care Act and will fight to ensure access to quality, affordable health care for Central Illinois families.”
Betsy: I’m Betsy Dirksen Londrigan and I approve this message.
Jayne: I feel so blessed to be a lung cancer survivor for six years now.
Without the Affordable Care Act I wouldn’t have had health care. Rodney Davis doesn’t agree.
He voted 11 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act which would strip protections from people like me with pre-existing conditions.
After staring death in the face not much scares me, but Rodney Davis in Congress does.
* Press release…
Today, the DCCC released “Secret,” a new TV ad hitting Congressman Rodney Davis for prioritizing himself and his family ahead of local businesses in Central Illinois. During the pandemic when small businesses in Central Illinois were struggling to stay open, Davis twice voted against transparency for the federal loan program meant to help – just days after his own family took more than $1 million in loans.
“Secret” is the DCCC’s third TV ad in the 13th District, following “Working For” and “Perfect Match,” which highlight how Davis takes millions in contributions from special interests and votes their way in Washington.
* Was tracking down some quotes this morning and got one back just as I finished up the subscriber edition. So, I’m busily rewriting. Keep it local and keep it polite, please. Find somewhere else to talk about national politics. Thanks.
Judge Paul Fullerton denied the request for a temporary restraining order against the IHSA in a ruling Thursday afternoon in the DuPage County Circuit Court in Wheaton.
Fullerton heard arguments from attorney Jeff Widman, representing three parents as plaintiffs in the case, and from IHSA attorney David Bressler.
At the center of the plaintiffs’ argument was that the IHSA acted against its own constitution and by-laws by changing the sports seasons for the 2020-21 school year without a membership vote. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IHSA adjusted its seasons to four instead of three, delaying three fall sports (football, volleyball and boys soccer) until February through May because they are considered higher risk to the coronavirus.
The legal standard for a temporary restraining order, in part, requires proof that “irreparable harm will occur without the injunction,” according to the motion. Judge Paul Fullerton said during a Zoom hearing, after listening to statements from lawyers on both sides, that irreparable harm had not been proven.
“I just don’t see it,” Fullerton said.
Fullerton also said he feels IHSA officials operated within their boundaries by establishing Return To Play guidelines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic without allowing them to be voted upon by IHSA member schools.
“We are in a pandemic,” said Fullerton, calling the situation an “extraordinary” circumstance. “What the IHSA did was within their authority under the bylaws and constitution.”
“[The IHSA] can’t simply issue guidelines without giving its members a voice,” argued Jeff Widman, the parents’ attorney.
IHSA attorney David Bressler said the change was made quickly to comply with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s orders and the goal was to give all sports a chance to play this school year in spite of Pritzker’s orders.
Bressler argued that the IHSA can make significant changes to its bylaws without a member vote in circumstances that are beyond control.
“What is more beyond the control than a pandemic?” Bressler said. […]
Fullerton asked Widman if the parents planned to proceed with the lawsuit. Widman said he wasn’t sure and Fullerton allowed him to delay the decision until Monday.
* Even if the US economy rebounds soon, Illinois’ liability-to-GDP ratio is the highest among states and is likely to rise further
* The state’s credit position could stabilize if structural measures, such as austerity and revenue enhancements, are implemented
The State of Illinois’ (Baa3 negative) ability to weather the coronavirus pandemic without hurting its credit quality will require keeping growth of its long-term liabilities within its capacity to pay, Moody’s Investors Service says in a report published today. The pandemic has eroded the state’s revenue, and its already massive long-term obligations – primarily pensions – are rising. Nevertheless, Illinois’ credit position would stabilize if structural measures were implemented, while policies that achieve near-term balance by stoking growth in long-term liabilities would be a clear credit negative.
“Lower interest rates and weaker-than-expected investment returns will accelerate growth in Illinois’ extremely high pension liabilities while the state’s economic base is shrinking due to coronavirus-related business disruptions,” said Moody’s analyst Ted Hampton. “We therefore expect Illinois to increasingly seek new revenue sources and to rein in spending, but any cuts to its pension contributions would only worsen its long-term fiscal position by adding to its unfunded liabilities.”
Even if the US economy improves later in fiscal 2021, measures of Illinois’ debt burden relative to its capacity to pay will likely head higher, Hampton says. Total liabilities (including retirement benefits and debt) are on track to rise to 45% of GDP in the year ending June 30, 2021, from 35% in fiscal 2019. This estimate reflects an approximately 14% increase in bonds, driven by borrowings from the Federal Reserve’s Municipal Liquidity Facility program and a 34% increase in unfunded pension liabilities.
To address near-term tax revenue loss from the pandemic, Illinois may choose to defer its financial obligations. Relying heavily on strategies like deficit borrowing or “re-amortizing” its pension contribution schedule would however be credit negative for the state, since such tactics only add to a long-term cycle of borrowing, or deferring payment, to address the consequences of those past actions.
“Contributing insufficient amounts annually to meet long-term benefit obligations is a short-term fiscal management tactic Illinois has used for years, and helps explain both the magnitude of the state’s pension problem and its credit standing,” Hampton notes. “Underfunding pensions again could lead to further credit deterioration, depending on the degree of underfunding, the state’s other financial strategies and the performance of its pension investments.”
Illinois is just one tiny tick above junk bond status. So, if that graduated income tax fails to pass in November, the governor will have a total mess on his hands.
In a press conference on Halloween guidelines, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady came dressed in costume as “Rona Destroyers”, handing out candy. pic.twitter.com/E0eVURg2r8
Today, State Representative Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) announced her intention to seek the Democratic nomination for Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, posing a new challenge to Speaker Mike Madigan’s nearly 40-year reign.
House Democrats will now have a choice when they vote for Speaker for the 102nd General Assembly, and Amy Elik (R-111th), candidate for State Representative, is calling for transparency in Rep. Bristow’s choice.
“Democrats like my opponent, Monica Bristow, can no longer say they are supporting the Democratic nominee for Speaker,” said Amy Elik. “Who is she supporting? Is she again voting for Speaker Mike Madigan, who has been funding her campaign, or is she supporting Rep. Kifowit, a supporter of the Reproductive Health Act that allows abortion up until the moment of birth? Now is the time to answer.”
Bristow has taken over a million dollars from Madigan and his closest allies, including some of the most pro-abortion and anti-Second Amendment legislators in the General Assembly. She has also refused to sign the “No Madigan Pledge,” recently stating in a WBGZ “Let’s Talk” interview, “I’ll vote for the Democratic nominee” for Speaker. Later in that same interview, Bristow said, “You don’t come in and lead the charge to audit the State of Illinois or lead the charge to get rid of Madigan. I know my place.”
House Republicans have been united behind a change in leadership for the House of Representatives, and have called on Speaker Madigan to testify to explain his role in the ComEd bribery scandal that has rocked the Capitol. Elik has repeatedly called on Madigan to resign and for Bristow to return tainted funds she has received from the embattled Speaker.
Kifowit said she has been making calls to her colleagues asking for their support but would not reveal how many commitments she has received.
She said she also believes there could be more candidates seeking the speakership.
“I believe firmly there should be a choice, and now there’s a choice,” she said.
* The Question: Do you believe Kifowit’s announcement will smoke out other candidates against Speaker Madigan? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 2,166 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 25 additional confirmed deaths.
• Bond County: 1 male 70s
• Champaign County: 1 female 80s
• Christian County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
• Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 100+
• Crawford County: 1 male 70s
• DuPage County: 2 female 70s
• Fayette County: 1 female 70s
• Franklin County: 1 male 70s
• Jersey County: 1 male 80s
• Kendall County: 1 male 90s
• Lake County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 60s
• Madison County: 1 male 90s
• McHenry County: 1 male 40s
• McLean County: 1 female 70s
• St. Clair County: 1 female 70s
• Tazewell County: 2 female 80s
• Williamson County: 1 female 80s
• Winnebago County: 1 male 70s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 295,440 cases, including 8,696 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from September 24 – September 30 is 3.5%. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 65,615 specimens for a total of 5,690,437. As of last night, 1,635 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 359 patients were in the ICU and 149 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting separately both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. IDPH will update these data once a week.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for a death previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
I have spent my entire career supporting Democrats, regardless of differences in perspective within our party. We are at a critical juncture in our country, and all of us should be focused on coming together to defeat Donald Trump and repair the hate and division he has sown in our communities. We have a lot of work to do, and I’m focused on the November election and addressing the devastating effects of COVID-19 on the workers, families and people of Illinois.
A coalition of 12 governors, including Govs. Jay Inslee (WA), Kate Brown (OR), Gavin Newsom (CA), Phil Murphy (NJ), Gretchen Whitmer (MI), Tony Evers (WI), Tim Walz (MN), Ralph Northam (VA), John Carney (DE), Steve Sisolak (NV), Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM), and J.B. Pritzker (IL) released a joint statement today on recent threats to the democratic process and reports of efforts to circumvent the election results.
“We do not take for granted the sacred right of every American to cast a vote, and to have that vote counted, in the presidential election held every four years. It is a right that is foundational to our democracy and essential to the continuation of our constitutional system of government — something to be cherished, revered and defended by elected leaders at all levels.
“Any efforts to throw out ballots or refuse a peaceful transfer of power are nothing less than an assault on American democracy. There is absolutely no excuse for promoting the intimidation or harassment of voters. These are all blatant attempts to deny our constituents the right to have their voices heard, as guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, and to know the will of the people will be carried out.
“As governors, it is our solemn duty to protect the people of our states. Today, we affirm that all votes cast in the upcoming election will be counted and that democracy will be delivered in this election. That means all valid ballots cast in accordance with state and local laws must be counted, and that all states must properly appoint electors in accordance with the vote. We will not allow anyone to willfully corrupt the democratic process by delegitimizing the outcome or appointing fraudulent electors against the will of the voters.
“Our nation has held presidential elections and upheld the results throughout our history, even in times of great peril. We did it during the Civil War and both World Wars, and we can do it during a pandemic.
“And if the outcome of this election means the end of a presidency, he must leave office — period.
“We recognize that democratically held elections are not an exercise in controlling power. By its very nature, democracy is an exercise in determining and honoring out the collective will of the American people, regardless of the outcome. Disenfranchising voters in order to retain power strikes at the very heart of this promise. We call on elected leaders at all levels, from both parties, to speak out loudly against such efforts in the weeks ahead.”
Trump campaign spokesperson Thea McDonald accused Democrats of “working to shred election integrity rules across the country to stack the deck for their lackluster candidate.” Republicans, she said, “are aiming for an election with results all Americans can trust.”
Take two or three very deep breaths before commenting, please. Deep, deep breaths. Thanks.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that 787,000 Americans filed for state unemployment benefits for the first time last week. It was a decline from the previous week’s total of 827,000, but the figures — unadjusted for seasonal variations — are roughly four times the weekly tally of claims from before the pandemic.
“Clearly there has been a moderation in the rate of improvement from the early stages,” said Michelle Meyer, head of U.S. economics at Bank of America. “As we get further away from the initial shock, we have less of a natural catch-up, and we face more residual damage.”
With seasonal adjustments, last week’s figure was 837,000.
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates 27,903 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of Sept. 21 in Illinois, according to the DOL’s weekly claims report released Thursday.
While this number is based on advanced estimates, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) will be releasing a final number later Thursday. […]
There were 25,976 new unemployment claims were filed across the state last week, the week of Sept. 14.
* Press release…
The University of Illinois Flash Index in September increased to 95.1 from its 94.6 level in August. This is a continuation of the slow recovery of the index after the precipitous declines from February to May of this year.
“The index portrays two quite different stories depending on the time frame. Over the last four months, the Illinois economy is rebounding from the worst of the COVID-19 crisis of the spring, but it clearly has far to go to recover its pre-crisis strength,” said University of Illinois economist J. Fred Giertz, who compiles the monthly index for the Institute of Government and Public Affairs. This is the seventh consecutive month that the index has fallen short of the 100-dividing line between growth and decline. See the Flash Index Archive.
The Illinois unemployment rate declined again to 11.0% from 11.5% the previous month, but it is still 2.6 percentage points above the national level, suggesting a slower recovery here.
Illinois tax receipts that go into the calculation of the index were surprisingly strong in September. After adjusting for inflation, sales and corporate tax receipts were up from the same month last year, while individual income tax receipts were down.
The Flash Index is normally a weighted average of Illinois growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income as estimated from receipts for corporate income, individual income, and retail sales taxes.
These are adjusted for inflation before growth rates are calculated. The growth rate for each component is then calculated for the 12-month period using data through September 30, 2020.
For the last six months, several ad hoc adjustments were made to deal with the timing of the tax receipts resulting from state and Federal changes in payment dates that were made to lessen the impact of the closures.
* We discussed this as part of a broader topic yesterday, but let’s zero in on it today. Tribune…
The central Illinois region around Champaign-Urbana could be hit with stricter restrictions on restaurants, bars and other businesses as the percentage of positive coronavirus tests is on the rise, state public officials warned on Wednesday.
The massive saliva-based testing program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign can account for roughly 20% of all tests conducted statewide in a given day, giving the 21-county region a deceptively low positivity rate, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The region’s positivity rate stands at 2% on a seven-day average, but when Champaign County is removed, the rate jumps to 7.2%, approaching the 8% threshold that could trigger stricter rules to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, officials said. […]
The Department of Public Health will being to separate out Champaign County from the rest of the region, which also includes Decatur and Danville, in determining whether to institute stricter rules. However, if those rules are put into effect, they would apply to Champaign County as well.
* I told subscribers about this earlier today. From Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego)…
Based on my values, I was compelled on July 30th of this year to write a letter to Speaker Madigan stating that the right thing for him to do is to step down as Speaker for compromising the integrity of the office and undermining the public trust. The response from Michael Madigan was to double down and has remained that way. It is clear to me that he doesn’t hold the same values that I do and falls short of what the public expects from an elected official. Therefore, I am announcing today that I intend to seek the democratic nomination for Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 102nd General Assembly.
The announcement will be at 10 this morning at the Hotel Allegro in Chicago.
*** UPDATE 1 *** You can watch a livestream of Kifowit’s media event by clicking here.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The video conked out. From her press release…
State Representative Stephanie Kifowit (D-84th) announced today that she is seeking the democratic nomination for Speaker of Illinois House of Representatives.
“Based on my values, I was compelled on July 30th of this year to write a letter to Speaker Madigan stating that the right thing for him to do is to step down as Speaker for compromising the integrity of the office and undermining the public trust. The response from Michael Madigan was to double down and has remained. It is clear to me that he doesn’t hold the same values that I do and falls short of what the public expects from an elected official. Therefore, I am announcing today that I intend to seek the democratic nomination for Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 102nd General Assembly,” Kifowit said in her morning press conference.
“I feel that Michael Madigan’s involvement as “Public Official A” in the recent FBI documents is clear he has compromised the integrity of the Office of the Speaker of the House and undermined the public trust. As each day passes, the people of Illinois have put up with this corruption and manipulation for far too long. Every day we are seeing more and more disrespect and self-serving actions by Michael Madigan and it is my feeling that there is more to come in the upcoming days and weeks,” Kifowit continued.
Every election cycle comes with it a time honored right-of-passage for Illinois House Democratic candidates in hotly contested races: the first time a reporter asks them if they will be supporting Michael Madigan for Speaker. Now, you can imagine the difficult place this puts these candidates in. On one hand, Madigan is a corrupt machine politician who has overseen the complete financial destruction of a once great state. On the other hand, he showers them with millions of dollars to get elected.
What is an ambitious politician to do?
Well, with almost no exceptions, House Democratic candidates of past and present have chosen to take Madigan’s money and either keep their mouths shut or chalk their decision on a vote for Speaker up to a lack of choices in which they are forced to vote for Madigan over a Republican.
In the tight contest between incumbent Republican State Representative Grant Wherli and his opponent Janet Yang Rohr, Rhohr refused to even talk about Madigan.
From the Daily Herald…
“[Yang Rohr] is especially awkward when trying to square her claims to value ethics reform with her unwillingness to take a position on Madigan’s speakership.”
Yang Rohr, unsurprisingly, is up to nearly $340,000 in Madigan money flowing to her campaign account with more than a month to go in the election.
Other Democrat candidates in the past have said they will vote for a Democrat over a Republican regardless of who it is, or like current swing-district State Rep. Katie Stuart, have been confused by such a difficult “hypothetical”.
From the News-Gazette…
“Asked if she intended to vote to re-elect House Speaker Michael Madigan, Stuart pretended to be flummoxed by the question.
‘I don’t know what the options will be,’ Stuart said. ‘You’re asking me a hypothetical question just like I wouldn’t tell you how I would vote on any piece of legislation until I actually read the legislation.’
[…]
That’s why they evade questions on the subject with superficial, glib responses like, “I can’t say whom I’m supporting because I don’t know who’s going to be running for speaker.”
That’s the talking point Democratic public-relations advisers tell House members to give if they’re questioned by reporters or voters. It’s shamefully false, but in politician-world, any answer that avoids an unpleasant subject is worth giving.
We aim to help Rep. Stuart (beneficiary of over $1.3 million in Madigan money) and any other confused House Democrats with the choices they have before them. With Kifowit’s announcement this morning, the choices, in no particular order, are:
DEMOCRAT 1. State Representative Stephanie Kifowit
2. Current Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan
3. Minority Leader Jim Durkin
That’s it! Now that the choices are clear, every House Democrat candidate should be made to go on the record and answer the very simple question of who they would support for Speaker of the House.
“House Democrat candidates have been playing games with voters for years. They’ve ducked and dodged ‘The Madigan Question’ at every turn because when Madigan money means you get to outspend your opponent 5 to 1, the answer doesn’t matter. The time for games is over. A favorite excuse is gone. They have a choice. House Democrats can be complicit in Madigan’s corrupt ways destroying Illinois and their party, or they can turn the page and vote for the other Democrat running.” - ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider
Thursday, Oct 1, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
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