* From a press release…
Yes for Independent Maps on Friday withdrew its petitions seeking a referendum on a constitutional amendment to remove politics from the process of drawing legislative district boundary lines. Deborah Harrington, Chair of Yes for Independent Maps, issued the following statement after Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mary Mikva’s ruling prohibiting the State Board of Elections from taking any further actions on the petitions:
In her ruling, Judge Mikva held that the redistricting initiative as written does not fall within the scope of a ballot initiative permitted by Section 3, Article XIV of the Constitution. The good news is that Judge Mikva concluded that “redistricting appears to be fair game for amendment” by a ballot initiative process and specifically upheld many of the components of the redistricting initiative.
We have concluded that we are not going to proceed in this election cycle. Instead, we will put the lessons learned in this campaign and from the judge’s ruling to good use. This experience will make us better prepared to win the next campaign to give voters an opportunity to have a voice in the redistricting process.
We built an unprecedented bipartisan statewide coalition of more than 5,000 volunteers and 1,000 contributors, including groups as broad-based as AARP Illinois, the League of Women Voters of Illinois, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and grassroots organizations representing diverse and minority communities. Together, we will continue the fight to reform an issue that once mattered only to politicians but now is on the minds of Illinois citizens.
The reform would not have taken effect until after the 2020 Census. We still have at least two more statewide elections – in 2016 and 2018 – to bring a redistricting amendment before voters and an opportunity to revise the language to address Judge Mikva’s objections.
Redistricting reform elsewhere in America has been just as difficult. For example, California’s recent reform required three attempts before it became reality. We remain committed to changing the status quo and enacting a redistricting process that will give Illinoisans a stronger voice in how their state is governed.
My bet is that the problems with their petitions had more to do with it. They have tons of money, why not fight on in the courts if their petitions were soild?
*** UPDATE 1 *** The remappers’ press release deeply undercuts the argument by supporters of Bruce Rauner’s term limits case that this was a politicized court decision.
Let’s review, shall we?
On the one hand, the State Board of Elections was allegedly “evil” because they were just doing their job when finding serious faults with the remap reform petitions, but on the other hand the Board OK’d Rauner’s term limits petitions.
On the one hand, Judge Mikva is the handmaiden of the “combine” for striking down these two initatives today, but on the other hand the remappers didn’t disagree with her opinion.
Of course, screamers are gonna scream and professional victims are gonna claim they were victimized.
As such, I’m sure the Tribune editorial board (comprised of the shrillest screamers and the most professional of all Illinois political victims) will have no problems reconciling this extreme cognitive dissonance in its own collective mind - whatever’s left of it, that is.
*** UPDATE 2 *** I told subscribers last week that Mike Kasper’s crew had found about 20,000 duplicated signatures in their review. This is from Rick Pearson…
Just a few days ago, attorneys for the opponents [of the remap reform effort] headed up by Michael Kasper, who has longtime ties to Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, laid out a series of claims that they found numerous examples of repeat signatures in violation of state law, incomplete information from petition circulators and even a few cases where nearly entire pages appeared to be duplicated, with identical names in the identical order. That is a telltale sign of “round-tabling,” a time-dishonored tradition in which people sit around a table and take turns signing petitions, choosing names out of a phone book or just making them up.
But, yeah. The State Board of Elections is evil.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Sun-Times editorial…
(M)any of the board of election questions appear legitimate. The questioning was not all about politics, as some have suggested.
I’d go further and say it wasn’t at all about politics. If you’re not registered to vote, your signature doesn’t count. Period. No arguing. If you’re signing dozens of times, they don’t count, either. If somebody is signing for you, it doesn’t count.
There’s absolutely nothing subjective about that whatsoever. The only subjective objections dealt with 12 percent of those rejected, and the Board of Elections has a reputation for being quite lenient on that particular issue (Chicago is just the reverse). So if the state board said those were illegible signatures/addresses to the point where they couldn’t figure out who the heck signed them, then it’s pretty likely that the signatures weren’t legible. Same goes for matching petition signatures with voter registration signatures. The city is known for being hugely picky, the state is not.
The cold, hard fact is the remappers had no chance with that flawed stack of petitions they submitted.
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Senger claims DC going “all in”
Friday, Jun 27, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* In an anti-DC age, this might not be the greatest word choice, but it’s still quite significant. From a Darlene Senger e-mail to supporters..
I wanted to share some great news with you. We just got back from Washington yesterday and guess what, they are going all in. I’m not just saying that to try and pump up the room, they really are.
In fact, just to show how invested they really are, they made a $100,000 investment. That’s money in hand and ready to use to take on Bill Foster now! THIS IS HUGE. That means that Washington is seeing the same things we are, and that is the voters of the 11th district are ready for a change and they want Darlene Senger!
This race is moving fast. Just a couple weeks ago we saw a poll come out showing us within 4.5 points. What many don’t know is that in just 40 days our campaign moved 4 points. This is HUGE, and it is because of your help and the groundwork we are doing now.
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Initial pension ruling could come next year
Friday, Jun 27, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Most figured it would be a couple of years before this played itself out, so this AP story isn’t too surprising…
A ruling on whether Illinois’ pension overhaul law is constitutional could be delayed until next year after a Sangamon County judge decided Thursday he wants to hear all the arguments raised on the issue.
The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reported Friday that Circuit Judge Jon Belz rejected the proposal by lawyers for retiree groups challenging the law to first rule on whether the plan violates the state Constitution’s prohibition on diminishing or impairing pension benefits.
Belz ruled that it could lead to piecemeal opinions on various aspects of the law, actually prolonging the final resolution.
The schedule the judge laid out would take the case into December.
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It’s gonna be a long year, campers
Friday, Jun 27, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* More shenanigans…
The Illinois Republican Party sent a phony media advisory to WGN on Friday saying U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin would call on Gov. Quinn to testify at a special, legislative committee hearing about state funds that were allegedly misused. The advisory stated Durbin would issue the challenge during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a train station in Bellwood. […]
“But, this is a new low to put out a phony press release, supposedly from my office, and to involve my official staff in a campaign war, is unfair and inaccurate, and I think the Illinois State Republican Party ought to apologize to the media,” said Durbin. […]
On Thursday, the Quinn campaign misleadingly said Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner would be available to answer questions about how he used his clout and wealth to receive special treatment.
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Question of the day
Friday, Jun 27, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* She had a lousy end of session and blamed the wrong people for her defeat. That and other things made me lose a lot of confidence in her overall abilities this spring…
Less than a week after allies of Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced they were creating a fund-raising behemoth known as a Super PAC, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle suggested she may be closing the door to challenging Emanuel in 2015.
When asked Thursday why no credible challenger to Emanuel has emerged, Preckwinkle said: “I don’t know. You should talk to people who are thinking about running for mayor.” […]
Last week, Ken Snyder, a political consultant for Preckwinkle, criticized Emanuel’s new Super PAC, saying, “This is obviously an attempt to create a phony arms-length between Rahm and negative attack ads against a potential opponent, which no one will believe is true and reveals that Rahm’s camp doesn’t believe he can win by exclusively talking about his record.”
When asked Thursday if Emanuel’s allies were trying to send Preckwinkle a message by creating the Super PAC — a political action committed without fund-raising limits that would be run separately from Emanuel’s re-election campaign — Preckwinkle deflected the question, saying: “If you want to know what the mayor thinks, you should ask him.”
* Meanwhile…
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said Thursday she is “seriously thinking” about mounting a formal challenge to Rahm Emanuel.
“I’m a little sick of the mayor and I don’t see anyone stepping up,” Lewis told the Chicago Sun-Times by telephone Thursday evening. “I am seriously thinking about it.” […]
Lewis has praised the leadership style of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle as “less confrontational” than Emanuel’s and said a few weeks ago that Preckwinkle would defeat him in a head-to-head race. […]
“I’m not looking to make anybody’s election year easy at all, especially someone who doesn’t want to make our lives easy,” Lewis said in May after a speech at the City Club of Chicago. “So if there’s a way we can have some reasonable conversation, then sure, but if not, it’s going to be contentious, absolutely, as it should.”
I’m told that Lewis really does want to run if Preckwinkle or a reasonable facsimile thereof doesn’t jump in.
* The Question: On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most likely, how likely is it that Karen Lewis could defeat Mayor Emanuel next year? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
survey tools
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* 12:07 pm - From a Bruce Rauner press release…
Just moments ago, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mary Mikva ruled against the Committee for Legislative Reform and Term Limits and in favor of the Madigan-backed lawsuit to prevent the people of Illinois from voting on the Term Limits and Reform constitutional amendment in November.
“Today we saw the entrenched special interests that fund and support the political status quo prevail, and the people of Illinois be denied the right to chose for themselves if term limits should be the law in Illinois,” said Term Limits and Reform Executive Director Mark Campbell. “We’ve always known that term limits opponents would use the courts to try to protect the failed status quo, and we’ve long been prepared to defend our initiative in the Illinois Supreme Court, which we intend to do. We are confident that we will prevail there, and the people’s voices will be heard in November.”
More in a bit.
* 12:09 pm - I have confirmed that both constitutional amendments were struck down as unconstitutional today - term limits and remap reform. I’m currently trying to get a copy of the judge’s ruling. Stay tuned.
* 1:14 pm - Sorry for the unavoidable delay. To read the opinion, click here.
* The Sun-Times story is all about Madigan…
In a win for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Cook County judge on Friday ruled in favor of a lawsuit that aimed to stop two referendums on the November ballot — one that would impose term limits, the other that would change the state’s redistricting process.
Cook County Judge Mary Mikva permanently enjoined election officials from putting either measure on the ballot.
Behind the lawsuit was Madigan, who opposes both measures. Madigan has previously derided both proposed referendums as “all Republican politics.”
* The Tribune went for substance…
Mikva said that in deciding previous cases, the Illinois Supreme Court’s “precedent dictates a very narrow provision for allowing the voters to directly enact amendments to the Illinois Constitution.”
Mikva ruled that “any term limits initiative appears to be outside what is permissible” under the state constitution and previous court rulings. She said term limits by themselves have been found not to affect “structural or procedural” changes in the legislature. She said adding other components, such as changing the number of senators and representatives “cannot save this initiative.” […]
As for the remap amendment, Mikva said “a differently drafted redistricting initiative could be valid,” but the one submitted went beyond changing the structure and procedure of the General Assembly by limiting who could draw the new map lines. […]
Under previous state Supreme Court rulings there is a limited window for using petition initiative attempts to change the 1970 Illinois Constitution. Such initiatives must affect both the structure and procedure of the General Assembly to be eligible for the ballot.
* 1:33 pm - One thing to note about the Rauner camp’s response and the Sun-Times story is that this judge was agreed to by all parties. They could’ve objected, but they didn’t.
Just keep that in mind when the professional victims start screaming.
* 1:41 - From the Quinn campaign…
Quinn for Illinois spokesman Izabela Miltko issued the below statement regarding today’s court ruling on Bruce Rauner’s poorly-drafted proposal. The Governor strongly supports term limits and redistricting reform that ensures equal representation of minorities. Miltko said:
“Governor Pat Quinn has strongly supported term limits since 1993 when he spearheaded a statewide petition drive for a citizen referendum to establish term limits in Illinois.
“During that petition drive, Bruce Rauner was nowhere to be found. Now, 20 years later, he turns up with a poorly drafted, election-year proposal. Rauner has nobody but himself to blame for harming the term limits cause.
“As the Governor said in 1994 and believes to this day, it is unfortunate that the people of Illinois have been denied the ability to enact pure term limits directly through referendum as Governor Quinn has long advocated.”
In 1980, Quinn led the successful petition and referendum drive that enacted the Cutback Amendment, which reduced the size of the Illinois House from 177 members from 118. This was the first and only constitutional amendment ever enacted by citizen petition and referendum in Illinois history.
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*** UPDATE *** Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed the bill late Friday afternoon. The veto message is here.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* The Better Government Association wants Gov. Pat Quinn to veto this bill…
On the all-important issue of government transparency, lawmakers took a giant step backwards with uncharacteristic speed.
A weakening of our most valuable transparency tool, the Freedom of Information Act, breezed through both chambers in a single week in May.
Motivated by suburban government complaints about the strain of responding to comprehensive FOIA requests, lawmakers passed HB3796, which gives municipalities additional time to respond to so-called “voluminous” requests from citizens, and lets them charge the FOIA filers up to $100.
The extra time’s not a deal-breaker, but the fees are arbitrary and unreasonably high, which seriously undermines the ability of regular citizens to access the public information they’re entitled to.
* Look, there are some strange people out there who file loads of FOIA requests. It has become a problem for some local governments, and they’re not all in the suburbs…
“We actually do hear from quite a few (municipalities),” said Joe Schatteman, who handles FOIA issues for the Illinois Municipal League, which supported the bill.
“There was a central Illinois community that came to our office, and they brought this volume of requests that this one person had,” said Schatteman, who also is a Chatham village trustee. “It was a community that had two staff people. In order for them to fill these FOIA requests, they had to pay these two staff people overtime. The other portion of their job duties when unfulfilled for two or three weeks. When it gets to a point of disruption of government services for the general good, that’s when we have concerns.”
[Sponsoring Rep. Bob Rita] said he is trying to address a problem faced by Tinley Park, a city in his House district.
“They get an enormous amount of requests in for enormous amounts of data or information through electronic format,” Rita said. Current FOIA law does not allow cities to charge fees for information delivered in electronic format.
“I’ve seen some of the requests,” Rita said. “It’s like give me every email between Employee A and Employee B and Employee C for the last four years. They’ve had some real issues with the same person continuously asking for enormous amounts of information.”
* But I do agree with these aspects of the Illinois Policy Institute’s otherwise hyperbolic objections…
HB 3786 has an incredibly narrow definition of what constitutes a voluminous requestor.
“(h) ‘Voluminous request’ means a request that: (i) includes more than 5 individual requests for more than 5 different categories of records or a combination of individual requests that total request for more than 5 different categories of records in a period of 20 business days; or (ii) requires the compilation of more than 500 letter or legal-sized pages of public records unless a single requested record exceeds 500 pages.”
Government documents can be quite long. A single board packet for a modestly sized municipality in Illinois can easily total 200 to 300 pages. Ask for two or three board packets and you are now considered a voluminous requestor.
If a citizen watchdog simply asked for all of the documents in our 10-Point Transparency Checklist, the law would allow public bodies to immediately label them as a voluminous requestor.
And the financial implications of the bill would be a real burden for most citizen requesters.
If the electronic record is in PDF format, a $100 charge would be leveed if it takes up more than 160 megabytes of data space. If it isn’t in PDF format, requesters could be charged up to $100 for more than 4 megabytes of data.
For context, Google Drive gives users 15 gigabytes of cloud storage – that’s 15,360 megabytes – for free.
Currently, for electronic requests, public bodies are only allowed to charge the cost of the recording medium to transmit the data, which is usually $1 or less. The proposed charge of up to $100 represents a potential 10,000 percent increase in the cost of a citizen making a simple FOIA request.
* The bill had wide bipartisan support in both chambers. This reflects the undeniable fact that “voluminous requesters” are a real problem in some communities.
But the fees are way too high and the trigger is way too low. There should be a compromise here. Quinn ought to AV the bill.
* Meanwhile...
Around 30 people showed up at a Clark County Park District Board meeting in May, hoping to speak openly about recent park-related controversies. After most sat through a 2-1/2 hour closed session, the board returned to open session only to inform the crowd that they would not be allowed to speak to board members.
That’s when John Kraft, a member of a local watchdog group, sprang into action. Rising to his feet, Kraft informed the entire board that he was placing them under citizen’s arrest for violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act, specifically the provision that ensures the public can address their elected representatives at an official meeting.
Wow. But it gets even better…
For “eight or nine months” Kraft says he’s been holding a printout of the citizen’s arrest statute in his wallet — just in case he had to invoke it against a public board that failed to allow public comment. […]
Clark County Sheriff Jerry Parsley personally responded to the scene that night, because he knew it was a heated situation. He told the BGA that Kraft handled the citizen’s arrest responsibly, and the board was definitely in violation of the Open Meetings Act by not allowing the public to speak.
“It’s not that they should have. They’re mandated to,” Parsley said. “The people need to have their voice. It’s not a dictatorship. It’s a democracy.”
Good for the sheriff.
* So, while some citizens may be making a nuisance of themselves just to do it, it’s important to remember that local governments have a very bad habit of breaking these very clear state laws…
A citizen’s arrest may be rare, but Open Meetings Act violations are a widespread problem in Illinois. The Illinois attorney general’s office says it fielded nearly 400 complaints in 2013. Many of those ended in re-training of public officials in violation, a spokeswoman said.
In fact, the spokeswoman said that in the Clark County Park District Board’s case, all seven board members were up-to-date on required Open Meetings Act training provided through the attorney general’s office.
Sheesh.
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* Don Moss sent this out to his members. It’s a pretty good wrap-up, so check it out…
SUPREME COURT DECISION ON HARRIS V. QUINN EXPECTED MONDAY - What started as a relatively minor lawsuit by Pam Harris, a home based parent of a child with severe disabilities in McHenry, Illinois who was fighting an Executive Order by Governor Quinn that would allow for the unionization of parents caring for their children, has taken on major proportions that could affect public employee unions nationwide. As we previously indicated, there are three possible outcomes:
A. The Court could rule that family members can be unionized. If this happens, would those parents become state employees, entitled to collective bargaining, insurance and pensions?
B. The Court could block unionization of family members taking care of their children but do nothing else affecting existing state employees..
C. The Court could bar all government workers from involuntarily having to pay union dues if they choose not to do so–in effect a nationwide right-to-work law. This would be a major change that would affect public school teachers, firemen, police and other government workers on the local, county and state levels.
We received the following message yesterday from Pam Harris:
Dear Don,
So you see, we will learn the Harris v Quinn decision on Monday shortly after 9 am. I have no idea why they are holding it to the last day of their term. It never entered my mind that this case would rocket to such importance.
I am preparing a statement and will be sure to send it to you as soon as the decision is issued.
People far smarter than I believe that Justice Alito has written the decision for the majority. This makes it slightly more probable that the decision will favor the Plaintiffs. : )
But I have learned long ago that reading tea leaves is an exercise in futility.
Come Monday, we will know. Then we can hopefully find a way to all move forward.
With kind regards,
Pam
Thoughts?
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*** UPDATED x2 *** Putting it into context
Friday, Jun 27, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
As organizers prepare for this year’s Chicago Pride Parade, expected to attract record-breaking numbers past last year’s one million mark, LGBT couples and leaders gathered today to condemn Bruce Rauner for his intolerant stance against marriage equality and thousands of gay and lesbian Illinois families.
“An enemy of equality could become governor of our state. He poses a clear and present danger to our ability to protect our loved ones through marriage. That man is Bruce Rauner. Over and over, he has made it clear he opposes the freedom to marry and has chosen the side of bigotry and intolerance,” said Art Johnston, the co-founder of Equality Illinois. […]
On the very day marriage equality passed in Springfield – November 5, 2013 – Rauner was the keynote speaker at a Tea Party meeting in Quincy. He was asked whether he would sign the legislation if he were governor, and Rauner said: “If I were governor, I would veto it.” Listen to the full audio here.
“Last year, Rauner said he would have vetoed marriage equality if he was governor. A few weeks ago, he said he favored repealing it if that’s what the voters asked for in a popular referendum. This is the Rauner Social Agenda – that basic fairness and protections for Illinois families should be vetoed or repealed. That is wrong,” said State Representative Greg Harris, the lead sponsor of the Illinois marriage equality bill.
* They linked to my website. Here’s what I posted last December…
If Bruce Rauner wins the Republican nomination for governor, he’s gonna have a little trouble running to the center because he’s on tape saying things like he would’ve vetoed the gay marriage bill.
Rauner was asked about his position at a Quincy tea party event not long ago. He explained that he wanted a statewide referendum on gay marriage before a legislative vote, so he would’ve vetoed the bill. Of course, an ad could simply use his “If I were governor I would veto” line to make him look like a winger. Listen to the exchange…
That wasn’t exactly difficult to predict, and, as we’re seeing, it has now come true.
* Rauner is trying to remain cagey on the issue to avoid upsetting his GOP base. So, a surrogate was dispatched to do a bit of damage control. Sun-Times…
Former state GOP Chairman Pat Brady, a staunch Rauner supporter, said the banner’s veto statement was “taken out of context.” He called Rauner a social moderate and a fiscal conservative who has no “social agenda.”
“He has said all along he was for a referendum, meaning the people should decide the issue. But there are bigger issues. This issue has been decided. Bruce Rauner is not an enemy of this issue. He’s comfortable with it. Nothing’s going to change. A year from now marriage equality is probably going to be federal law. It’s a non-issue,” Brady said.
Brady said he would attend the parade. A Rauner spokesman confirmed the gubernatorial candidate will not attend the parade due to a scheduling conflict.
A “scheduling conflict”?
Heh.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Quinn’s campaign points out that governors don’t get to “check a referendum button.” You either sign a bill or you veto it. And Rauner did, in fact, say he’d veto it.
Rauner’s position is, at its core, a highly contrived dodge. And he has used it to pander to GOP audiences. For instance…
At a meeting of the Northern Illinois Patriots on Nov. 12, 2013, an audience member asked Rauner, who is now the Republican nominee for governor, “Bruce, would you have vetoed the gay marriage bill?”
Rauner replied, “I would have. As I’ve said, as I’ve said from day one: I have not supported gay marriage, and I have not advocated for it. And I don’t advocate for or against it.”
The candidate continued, saying the matter should be left up to voters, and not the legislature — where it received final approval by the Illinois House Nov. 5. Rauner’s opponent, incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn, pushed for the bill’s passage and later signed it into law Nov. 20.
“I’ve said that voters should decide it directly in a referendum, and I’ve said that if it hasn’t gone to a referendum — if it came to my desk — I would have to veto it because it hasn’t been in a referendum yet,” Rauner said. “The voters should decide. I don’t think that politicians should force it on voters if they don’t want it and I don’t think that politicians should block it from voters if they do want it. I’m a limited government, let people decide what they want to do with their lives. That’s my view of things.”
Watch the accompanying video and you’ll see that the tea partiers applauded the way he talked about the issue.
* Related…
* Chicago Pride Parade: Which Politicians Will Appear, Which Won’t?
*** UPDATE 2 *** Rauner does have something else on his schedule Sunday…
Sunday Fun-Day in Support of Congressman Rodney Davis
Sunday, June 29, 2014
The Southern (map)
1840 W North Ave
Chicago, IL, 60622
United States
Host: Friends of Rodney
Special Guests: Senator Mark Kirk & Bruce Rauner Republican Nominee for Governor
Time: 4:00p.m. - 6:00p.m.
Cost: $250 per person, Sponsorships Available
Congressman Davis opposes gay marriage.
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This just in… AFSCME’s Henry Bayer retires
Friday, Jun 27, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 9:59 am - From AFSCME Council 31…
Yesterday Henry Bayer announced his retirement from AFSCME Council 31 and submitted his resignation as executive director (effective July 31) to the union’s executive board.
The board unanimously elected longtime deputy director Roberta Lynch as the union’s new executive director. Roberta is a tenacious champion for workers and a veteran union leader who has served AFSCME for more than three decades.
Henry retires after 39 years with AFSCME to fulfill a longstanding commitment to his family. To ensure a smooth transition, he will continue to work for the union through the calendar year, with a special focus on the fall election in which the progress our union has made is at stake–not just for public-service workers but all working people in general and every Illinois resident who depends on the essential public services AFSCME members provide.
Few people have had more of an influence on Illinois politics than Henry Bayer. Love him or hate him, you have to agree the guy is a giant.
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Today’s quotable
Friday, Jun 27, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* After initially saying that he didn’t call Chicago schools CEO Arne Duncan about getting his daughter into a highly selective city public school when he actually had, then saying that his daughter’s test scores were sufficiently high to get into the school when the CPS Inspector General said they weren’t, then saying that his daughter was admitted under a special principals’ option program when the CPS IG said she wasn’t, here’s how Bruce Rauner’s campaign responded to Gov. Pat Quinn’s demand that he fess up…
‘It’s disgusting that Pat Quinn and his allies are attempting to bully and tarnish a seventh grader’s stellar academic record, but that’s what governors under federal investigation for clout and abuse of taxpayer money do.”
That would be called a “pivot.” It would also be a dodge. But Rauner may or may not take reporters’ questions later today, so we’ll see what happens then.
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* There’s a time and a place for everything. And a press conference about signing anti-bullying legislation was neither the time nor the place for this goofiness…
Both major party candidates in this race need to grow the heck up.
…Adding… Apparently, the clown was dancing. Video coming soon.
*** UPDATE *** Yep, he was dancing outside an anti-bullying event…
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* Sun-Times…
Cook County gained about 13,000 inhabitants in 2013 and remains the county with the largest black population in the nation, according to Census Bureau estimates of population, race and Hispanic origin released Thursday.
Most of the growth in Cook County came from the Hispanic and Asian communities, with the county actually losing 4,300 whites and 8,300 blacks, according to the estimates.
Total population also increased in the five other counties of the Chicago metro area. But in four of those counties — DuPage, Lake, Will and Kane — white population also declined. Those declines were more than offset by growth in Hispanic, black and Asian populations.
The US Census reported after the last major count that Cook had lost about 117,000 African-American residents during the previous ten years. The county lost 149,000 whites during the same period, so that flight appears to have slowed down quite a lot, at least for now.
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Today’s number: 6.1 million pounds
Thursday, Jun 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Progress Illinois…
Industrial facilities discharged 6.1 million pounds of toxic chemicals into Illinois’ rivers and streams in 2012, shows a new report by the Environment Illinois Research & Education Center.
The “Wasting Our Waterways” report ranks Illinois as the 13th worst U.S. state for the total volume of toxic industrial releases to waterways.
At the national level, polluting facilities dumped 206 million pounds of harmful chemicals into American waterways in 2012, according to the report. And some 8.39 million pounds of toxic pollution were discharged into the Great Lakes watershed. Ammonia, chromium and lead are among the chemicals released into Illinois’ waterways, according to the report. […]
The biggest water polluter in Illinois was the Tyson Fresh Meats animal slaughtering facility in Hillsdale. The facility discharged nearly 2.6 million pounds of toxic pollution into the Lower Rock River watershed in 2012, the report showed.
The report is here.
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* From the Illinois Policy Institute…
Even though Illinois state government is essentially broke, it apparently knows how to have a good time.
In 2013, Illinois state government awarded two contracts totaling more than $1 million for the procurement of condoms and lubricant.
The bid solicitation document requested a variety of condoms, including “extra large” and even some in “assorted colors.” No ribbing was allowed – only “smooth surface” condoms were permitted.
Lubricant, however, was to be provided in “assorted flavors.” Scents were optional.
All in all, the state bid out for 4,453,000 condoms and 374,000 bottles of lubricant. […]
If Illinois has any hope of balancing its budget, it has to begin cutting low-priority spending. Is it too much to ask people to purchase their own flavored lubricant? I hope not.
* Commenters over at Illinois Review were not pleased…
K Harris said…
At least it’s nice to know that we are protected while they are screwing us.
The Observer said…
Now, if the intended recipients would just USE them, both the welfare rolls and Cook County Democrat voter numbers might be reduced.
Jacob said…
Lets look at the positive. In the long run it will saves us many millions having less of people sitting in the wagon being paid to exist.
* The Aids Foundation of Chicago responded to the original piece…
Every new HIV case costs an estimated $390,000 in lifetime medical costs, much of which is paid for by the state. HIV cases are rising fastest among young gay and bisexual men (and particularly young African Americans and Latinos). Aren’t their lives worth $1 million?
Furthermore, Cook County currently boasts the highest number of gonorrhea cases of any county in the nation, and stands at number two for chlamydia and syphilis cases. This is but a fraction of the total number of sexually transmitted infection cases in the U.S. — 19 million every year — which accounts for an estimated $17 billion in medical costs.
Rasmussen also implies that condom availability programs aren’t effective or worth the state’s investment. In fact, the evidence is extremely strong that condom availability programs have “significant intervention effects… for the following outcomes: condom use, condom acquisition/condom carrying, delayed sexual initiation among youth, and reduced incident STIs.”
Compared with spending billions for medical care, isn’t it more cost-effective to provide the tools that can bring improve outcomes and reduce and medical costs — and save lives? These are the very things the state is providing, like male and female condoms in different colors and sizes, along with lube in flavors other than “plain.” And doesn’t it make sense to provide HIV prevention tools that are appealing and — gasp — fun?
There are links in both stories which support their contentions.
* Free condom distribution has been going on for decades. The oddest thing about the Policy Institute’s story, however, was this…
One of the two successful bidders was a health care products company. The other? A Chicagoland construction company. A natural fit if ever there was one.
Um, what the heck?
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Caption contest!
Thursday, Jun 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a reader…
A photo, in case you want a caption contest or a question of a day, from the Taste of Chicago preview held [yesterday] in the Daley Center.
I wondered how many multiples of the quoted price a “Mayor Daley ‘Tribute Dog’” finally costs when the overruns are done.
How many napkins do you need when you are done with the overruns?
How many unnecessary ingredients were hired to be on it?
Etc.
* The photo…
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Multiple Rauner oppo dumps
Thursday, Jun 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mountain out of a molehill…
A small investment firm launched by GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner was involuntarily dissolved by Secretary of State Jesse White last month because of what Rauner’s campaign characterized as an “inadvertent” paperwork snafu on the candidate’s part.
Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign immediately jumped on the disclosure as proof that Rauner is “again cheating on his taxes” and is unfit to run state government, which he has said he wants to operate like a business.
Oh, please. It’s a fee. It’s not a tax.
* This is more serious, but pretty darned old. From the union-backed Illinois Freedom PAC press release…
Another Failure of a Rauner Company to Pay Illinois Taxes Discovered
Rauner’s former company, GTCR, failed to pay nearly $13,000 in taxes in 2005
Chicago, IL – Multimillionaire GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner’s company, GTCR, failed to pay nearly $13,000 in unemployment taxes in 2005, which resulted in the State of Illinois placing a lien on the business. Rauner was a principal at GTCR from 1981 to 2012.
The news comes a day after a Chicago Sun Times report on a “clear failure” by Rauner’s current company, R8, to pay the state’s business license fee.
Ironically, Rauner released a campaign document yesterday decrying special interests that do not pay their fair share in taxes.
“It’s the height of irony for Rauner to complain about taxes when his companies have failed to pay them,” said Neal Waltmire, Communications Director for Illinois Freedom PAC. “It’s further proof that Illinois’ middle class can’t trust Bruce Rauner.”
* And from the Quinn campaign regarding Rauner’s push to reform EDGE tax credits and other government incentives to business…
DECLARES WAR ON CORPORATE WELFARE AFTER PROFITS ALREADY MADE FROM CORPORATE WELFARE
Bruce Rauner’s pamphlet also addresses the issue of corporate welfare. News reports show that Griffin and his billionaire pals have directly benefited from corporate welfare.
Not only has Billionaire Bruce’s funder-in-chief Ken Griffin directly benefited from hundreds of millions of dollars in TARP bailout money, Rauner himself, through the GTCR vulture capitalist house he helped to found and build, received millions of dollars in largesse from taxpayers.
Examples include:
* GTCR health benefits company APS Healthcare, which also is the subject of a current fraud lawsuit, has received more than $1.3 million in tax credits/rebates/grants/loans from New York since 2008. Read more here.
* The GTCR outsourcing company Zenta got $8.5 million incentive package from North Carolina in 2010. Read the story here.
* The GTCR electronic payment processor National Processing Company got $4.2 million from the Kentucky Business Investment Program in 2007 and 2010. Read about it here and here.
* The GTCR company CuraScript Pharmacy received a $1.868 million Qualified Target Industry Refund in Florida in 2003. Later that year, GTCR sells the company to Express Scripts. Read more here and here.
* GTCR medical device company Devicor received a $1.48 million Job Creation Tax Credit in Ohio in 2010 and $130,000 in other assistance in 2011 and 2012. Read more here and here.
* And speaking of that union PAC…
A union-backed political group that spent more than $3.4 million bashing GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Rauner during the Republican primary is back for a second swing at him, having replenished its war chest with hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent days.
Illinois Freedom PAC, whose heavy spending was almost enough to knock Mr. Rauner out in the March 20 primary, has raised a little more than $700,000 this month, with the bulk from two unions: $325,000 from an affiliate of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, and $330,000 from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Another $50,000 has come from the national Democratic Governors Association.
The donation represents only about a quarter of the $2.5 million in new funding the Rauner campaign received on June 11 from Chicago finance mogul Ken Griffin, but it is still a nice chuck of cash that will keep Mr. Quinn and/or his issues on TV without having to dip into his own cash pile.
Discuss.
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* When operatives for Democratic state treasurer candidate Sen. Michael Frerichs sent Freedom on Information requests to the Illinois House Clerk for lots of files on his GOP opponent Rep. Tom Cross, the House complied. But Cross’ people have asked for most of the same documents from the majority Democratic Senate and have been denied.
In addition to those other documents, the Cross campaign also asked for this stuff…
In a follow-up request from the Cross consultant, KEVIN WRIGHT, he asked the Senate for any electronic or paper correspondence from Frerichs related to a couple of controversies. One is the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative pushed by Gov. PAT QUINN and now under investigation by authorities including the Legislative Audit Commission; the other is “hiring practices and/or recommendations” involving the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The NRI, an anti-violence program in which more than $50 million was pledged toward fighting violence in Chicago, was announced shortly before the 2010 gubernatorial election. It has been the subject of a highly critical state audit citing lax spending controls. And some IDOT hiring over recent years has been criticized as improper patronage.
In a June 6 letter to Wright, of Old Dominion Research Group, Alexandria, Virginia, ERIC MADIAR, the freedom of information officer for the Senate and chief legal counsel to Senate President JOHN CULLERTON, D-Chicago, called the request for information “unduly burdensome,” as it would involve years of emails and other records.
“We extend to you another opportunity to narrow your request to a suitable scope and time frame,” he said.
Madiar also wrote that the communications requested of Frerichs regarding IDOT and NRI either are not “public records” under state law, or would be subject to an exemption to disclosure as being part of a “deliberative process.” That exemption, he said, “protects the communications process, encourages frank and open discussions within state government, and it protects deliberative communications pertaining to government action.”
The Cross people are understandably upset about this, particularly since President Cullerton is Frerichs’ single largest donor this year.
* The Senate Democrats’ response…
RIKEESHA PHELON, spokeswoman for Cullerton, said, “We asked that they narrow the scope of the initial request that includes documentation that spans eight years. In response, they broadened the request to include documents that are not considered public records. We are still awaiting a response to (the) third letter that we sent to the opposition research company so that we can prepare the documents that can be released by law.”
Asked about the apparent different responses between the House and Senate to somewhat similar requests under the same law, Phelon said, “Different chamber, different process, different lawyers.”
Sigh.
Welcome to Illinois.
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*** UPDATE *** Bruce’s daughter was admitted and enrolled in 2008. CPS changed the attendance factor in admissions in 2009. Here is a post about it:
“http://cpsobsessed.com/2009/09/28/attendance-wont-count-for-selective-enrollment-high-schools-any-more/”>http://cpsobsessed.com/2009/09/28/attendance-wont-count-for-selective-enrollment-high-schools-any-more/
From that story…
In light of the H1N1 virus that affected the attendance of a significant number of students, a notification was issued during the 2008-2009 school year stating that application procedures for Selective Enrollment and GEAP schools would be revisited this year in order to consider the extenuating circumstances. As a result, it has been determined that, beginning with the upcoming application process for the 2010-2011 school year, attendance will not be included in the criteria for the selection of students for Selective Enrollment High Schools, Academic Centers, and International Gifted Programs (formerly International Baccalaureate Preparatory Programs).
*** UPDATE 2 *** The Quinn campaign just called to point out that the attendance issue is a red herring. If you look at what Inspector General Sullivan said, you’ll see that the crux of this matter is that Ms. Rauner didn’t test high enough for admissions…
The bar was very high for white students. She tested very well, just not quite high enough to meet Payton’s standards.
And Rauner has been saying for months now that she tested well. According to Sullivan, she didn’t test well enough.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Sun-Times…
A top aide to Arne Duncan — who was then the Chicago Schools CEO and is now the U.S. secretary of education — even kept a log of calls he fielded about would-be admissions from politicians and others, including current gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner.
After that call from Rauner in 2008, the aide called the principal of Payton College Prep, who then admitted Rauner’s daughter — even though her scores didn’t meet Payton admission standards that year, and even though the “principal pick” process had not started, Sullivan said.
So the principal angle is off the table now as well.
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* We all know that Bruce Rauner has changed his story about how his daughter was admitted into the high-performing, limited enrollment Chicago public school Payton Prep. Here’s Bernie’s story from January…
Rauner told me in a Sept. 3 interview. She was let in through something called the principal’s list, he said, which at that time was available for 5 percent of admissions for those with “special circumstances.”
The clout part of this story includes an allegation that Rauner called ARNE DUNCAN, who was then CEO of Chicago Public Schools and is now U.S. secretary of education.
In that Sept. 3 interview, I asked Rauner:
“Did you talk to Mr. Duncan about it?”
“I did not,” Rauner responded.
* Rauner eventually admitted making that call. And he explained at the time that his daughter’s admission problem was due to poor attendance caused by ill health…
Rauner admits making a call to former Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan to see how he could get his daughter into Payton, despite what he calls a middle school attendance record marred by illness. He says principals have some discretion in admitting a small percentage of students, and parents have a right to make an appeal like he did.
Back to Bernie’s story, which quotes Rauner’s spokesman…
“So they … saw and spoke with Arne Duncan multiple times throughout the year,” Schrimpf said. “The exact date of when they might have brought it up, I don’t have that. But at some point, they said they were applying. … They knew their daughter had top grades, top test scores, but had the absences, and they wanted to go to Chicago public schools. So they inquired as to … if she would even have a shot at being admitted, and were told that she should go ahead and apply, and if she doesn’t get in via the first route … then she sounds like her situation is why the discretionary pool exists.”
* But that’s not what retiring Chicago Public Schools Inspector General James Sullivan found during his own investigation. IG Sullivan was on Chicago Tonight last night and here’s what he had to say…
At the time there [was] a consent decree in place mandating racial preferences at the schools. Only up to 35 percent white students, 65 percent non-white students could be taken.
The bar was very high for white students. She tested very well, just not quite high enough to meet Payton’s standards.
Our investigation revealed that there was a phone call made to the CEO’s office by Mr. Rauner, and after that somebody in the CEO’s office called Walter Payton and his daughter was admitted to the school.
* OK, so her test scores just weren’t high enough. But were her attendance problems a factor? Nope…
All students that were applying that year, 7th Grade attendance is no longer an element of the application process.
I don’t know what her score was in that 100-point range, but everybody was graded on the same scale.
* Video of the exchange…
The full interview is here.
Obviously, we need further clarification about this story.
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* This banner went up last night at Roscoe and Halsted as the Boystown neighborhood preps for the annual Pride Parade…
* And this banner was hung yesterday outside a bar called Sidetracks…
That particular sign was paid for by the Quinn campaign because it owns the website listed. ADDED: I’m told that neither banner was paid for by the Quinn campaign. That particular banner was paid for by the bar’s owner.
* Some gay activists are obviously hoping to turn this year’s parade into an anti-Rauner event. From a press release…
LGBT Couples & Leaders Call for “Teachable Moment” on Rauner’s Record at 2014 Pride Parade
CHICAGO- As organizers prepare for this year’s Chicago Pride Parade, expected to attract record-breaking numbers past last year’s one million mark, LGBT couples and leaders will gather on Thursday, June 26th to make a significant announcement regarding Bruce Rauner’s record of opposition to marriage equality.
WHO: IL Representative Greg Harris, Lead Sponsor of Marriage Equality Bill
IL Representative Kelly Cassidy, Co-Sponsor of Marriage Equality Bill
Bernard Cherkasov, CEO, Equality Illinois
Art Johnston, Co-Founder, Equality Illinois
Jim Bennett, IL Unites for Marriage
Other elected officials and LGBT advocates and allies
Illinois families
Discuss.
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*** UPDATE *** From our old pal Charles Thomas…
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* A transcript of part of last night’s Chicago Tonight…
PHIL PONCE: Here’s what’s happening in Chicago tonight. Republican State senator Matt Murphy wants Governor Pat Quinn to voluntarily testify before a legislative commission about the scandal-plagued Neighborhood Recovery Initiative. That’s the anti-violence program under investigation by federal and county authorities as well as a state panel.
GOP SEN. MATT MURPHY: When is the governor going to explain to the taxpayers of the state what he did with $55 million of their money that went through the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative program? That week after week we get a new story of embarrassment and scandal. And I’m here today to call on the governor to cooperate with the Audit Commission in every way possible and to go as far as to actually himself show up at the hearings in July, put his hand up, testify under oath, and answer the questions of the taxpayers of this state.
Video…
Click to view
Both the transcript and the video were supplied by the Illinois Republican Party.
* The Sun-Times followed up with Rauner…
Gov. Pat Quinn should be hauled before the Legislative Audit Commission to testify about how decisions were made with regard to a $54.5 million anti-violence program as well as give a full public accounting of his role in decision-making about the troubled initiative, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner told the Sun-Times on Wednesday.
“I think he should come forward in every regard. This really looks corrupt. He should come forward and make clear what’s his role in it,” Rauner told the Sun-Times on Wednesday. […]
“This anti-violence program looks like a massive abuse and fraudulent. I think he’s got to come forward, come clean in-depth,” Rauner said. “His office, the governor’s office has been in the detail of picking some contractors who have been doing the work on this anti-violence program. It was the day care center that was picked to do reentry work for prisoners….It really looked like it was political, get out the vote.”
Quinn has submitted to a lengthy question and answer session with reporters regarding the program that’s been under attack for months. Quinn maintains it was set up to combat violence in Chicago. But revelations over the NRI have continued and evolved since then. […]
“There is no investigation of the governor. The governor shut the program down in 2012 and abolished the agency. He has made clear that those who are asked to participate by the commission should participate,” the governor’s office said on Wednesday. “Employees who were involved with now-defunct program no longer work for the state.”
* The Question: Should the Legislative Audit Commission subpoena Gov. Pat Quinn to testify about his own role in the anti-violence program? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
web surveys
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Mautino to sign subpoenas
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I could see his point, but this was a needless diversion, so getting it over with is a good thing…
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*** UPDATE *** Read the new plan by clicking here.
Very little new here. This stuff has been floating around Springfield for years, even decades. That doesn’t mean these are not good ideas. It does mean, however, that he’s not truly thinking outside the box. Then again, there’s only so much anybody can do. Maybe he’s finding that out already.
[ *** End Of Update 1 *** ]
* Natasha Korecki has the scoop on Rauner’s “Step 3″ proposal…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner unveiled a plan today that he says aims to reform “corporate welfare,” offering up taxes on racehorses, private jets and yachts as well as ending a tax break on newsprint. […]
Rauner said he would overhaul the so-called EDGE program, Economic Development for a Growing Economy, as a starting point to broader changes to make Illinois more attractive to business. Rauner said the state has negotiated deals in the past – including for Sears – that allowed tax breaks even if the company is laying off workers. […]
His plan mentions cutting tax breaks for a private jet and yacht inheritances as well as ending an exemption for newsprint and ink from sales taxes, which he said cost the state $32 million a year. […]
Other parts of Rauner’s plan includes many elements that have been attempted in the past in the Illinois Legislature to no avail. That includes Rauner’s proposal to end an incentive the “big oil loophole” that allows oil companies with an Illinois presence to drill off shore without paying state income taxes. […]
Rauner did not specifically say whether he would support a private jet depreciation tax break that’s been discussed nationally as costing an estimated $3 billion nationwide. Instead, he said he would look at the whole tax code in Illinois.
Big props for going after newsprint. But that’ll hurt him with the newspaper industry for sure.
Even so, these are not new ideas. They are regularly rolled out whenever somebody (usually the governor) wants to fund a new program that the state can’t pay for. Just the word “loopholes” has become a bit of a Statehouse joke.
And there were attempts to reform the EDGE credit this year, by Speaker Madigan, and it went nowhere.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The response…
Chicken Budget #2: Billionaire Bruce Directly Lifts Governor Quinn’s Policies
Corporate Welfare King Denounces Corporate Welfare in Latest Illustrated Pamphlet
CHICAGO - Following is the statement of Quinn for Illinois Communications Director Brooke Anderson in response to the latest Billionaire Bruce Rauner illustrated pamphlet - half the size of the original, if you can believe it - revealed today.
“Maybe it was the embarrassment of his chicken budget from two weeks ago. Or maybe it was because he didn’t think anyone was paying attention.
“In any case, the illustrated pamphlet Billionaire Bruce issued today lifts several policies directly from Governor Quinn who has been fighting for tax fairness for years, including repealing the non-combination rule, the oil derrick loophole and EDGE reform, which the Governor worked on and supported this year.
“Billionaire Bruce Rauner - and his chief patron Ken Griffin - both have benefited directly from hundreds of millions of dollars in bank bailout money. Now Rauner wants to pretend he’s a Quinn-like reformer by renouncing the ‘corporate welfare’ and loopholes that he and his friends have benefited from all these years with their yachts and private jets, including the Griffin jet that carts Rauner around the state.
“After two weeks of hiding and more than a year of stonewalling, Rauner has yet to remotely explain how he plans to make up for $6 billion in revenue that will be required to balance the budget next year.
“Instead of giving us a real plan to tackle the massive structural challenges facing Illinois, Billionaire Bruce has given us two chicken budgets, with today’s version including nothing but warmed-over window dressing, stolen Quinn proposals, and hypocritical ideas.
“A corporate welfare king like him hardly has a shred of credibility when it comes to reforming a system that has made him a member of the .01 percent.”
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Rauner says he’ll unveil “Step three”
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a blast e-mail…
Dear Friends:
As Evelyn and I continue to roll out our plans to shake up Springfield, we want to make sure you know about our next big step.
Step One in our “Bring Back Blueprint” is putting term limits on career politicians. Step Two is cutting wasteful spending and reforming state government. And now we’re getting ready to unveil Step Three.
Since you are a key part of our team, we want you to be the first to see what’s next when we roll it out later today. With so many people around Illinois using social media to communicate, we are going to release our next step on Twitter and Facebook. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to click here to like our Facebook page and to follow us on Twitter, click here.
And be sure to invite your friends to follow us on social media too so they don’t miss out.
Together, we are going to bring back Illinois!
Bruce
Considering how poorly conceived and executed his “chicken budget” presser was, I’m not exactly holding my breath.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mayor Rahm Emanuel on the decision to construct the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Chicago…
“George Lucas has revolutionized the art of storytelling over the last four decades and we are honored to be the recipient of this incredible legacy investment that will allow everyone to learn about and experience narrative arts. Like Marshall Field, John G. Shedd and Max Adler before him, George’s philanthropy will inspire and educate for generations. No other museum like this exists in the world, making it a tremendous educational, cultural and job creation asset for all Chicagoans, as well as an unparalleled draw for international tourists.”
* The Question: Can you come up with a more appropriately Chicagoesque name than the “Lucas Museum of Narrative Art”?
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TRS move creates huge state budget hole
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Public Radio…
The Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System says it expects a lower return on its pension investments in the next year. That means the state will have to cover more of the cost of teacher pensions.
TRS says it’s still a good assumed rate of investment return at 7.5 percent. That falls in line with similar pension systems nationwide. But it’s not as profitable as 8-percent, which TRS had been using for the previous few years.
Before they were using 8 percent, they were using 8.5 percent.
* More context from the SJ-R…
Reducing the estimated rate of return brings TRS more in line with other major state and municipal pension systems. The National Association of State Retirement Administrators found 37 of 126 systems set a rate of return of 7 percent to 7.5 percent. Another 45 had a rate of 8 percent. The average return of those systems was 7.72 percent.
The average was 7.72 percent.
* Crain’s drills down…
To give a sense of TRS’ bigger obligations, it helps to consider that if the new 7.5 percent rate had been used to calculate the liability for fiscal 2013, it would have been $99.9 billion, not $93.9 billion, under the 8 percent rate. As a result, the pension’s unfunded liability would have been 60 percent, as opposed to 57.5 percent.
Lowering the rate also automatically increases the amount the state must contribute to the TRS fund, Mr. Urbanek noted. If the 2015 fiscal year contribution had been calculated using the new 7.5 percent rate, the budgeted $3.4 billion contribution would have had to be $500 million higher, he said.
That’s a huge budgetary hit. Huge.
This problem never ends.
* Speaking of the budget…
No state historic sites will close for now because of budget cuts, but many could see reduced hours after the Labor Day holiday.
“The governor’s office has given us some direction in how we will move forward with budget implementation,” said Amy Martin, director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. “We will be looking to maintain services as best possible through the rest of this calendar year and hope the budget for IHPA will be restored in November or January.” […]
In addition to reducing hours, the agency will postpone filling vacancies until it sees if its budget will be restored. That will have an immediate effect on the Vachel Lindsay Home Historic Site in Springfield. The site superintendent is scheduled to retire July 1. After that, the home may be open by appointment only or for special events.
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Poultry pranksters proliferate
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* You gotta be kidding me…
The symbolism may have been lost for anyone traveling down 153rd Street Monday. However, two people dressed up as poultry and a guy in a Pinocchio costume were all part of the current campaign for governor of Illinois.
It started when Governor Pat Quinn’s campaign sent a man to put on a chicken suit outside an Orland Park country club. As nearby lawn signs indicated, inside Republican Bruce Rauner was raising campaign cash from about 100 supporters.
Suddenly, a van dispatched by the Rauner campaign raced to the scene. First out, the costumed character they call ‘Quinn-ochio,’ soon joined by another chicken. […]
The governor’s campaign finally got in the game Monday, debuting its own poultry prank. A campaign press release claimed Rauner’s been too chicken for over a year now to offer voters a plan for a truly balanced budget.
Give Rauner’s team tons of credit for its rapid chicken response effort, but this campaign season has already jumped the shark… to mix a metaphor.
…Adding… Quinn’s chicken was delivered by a Floridian.
* Meanwhile, could yet another underpaid “actor” in a silly fowl suit appear on the campaign trail? From a press release…
Tax Hike Mike Frerichs Ducks Debate
Refuses to Defend his Tax Hike Votes and New Service Tax Plans
PLAINFIELD…Democrat Senator Mike Frerichs ducked out of the first scheduled debate between himself and Republican Tom Cross. Frerichs had agreed to participate in the debate, hosted by Bill Cameron of WLS, but then ducked out.
* And, yes, you can buy goofy duck costumes…
…Adding… Speaking of costumes, does an $18 watch clash with a white tuxedo?…
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* So, I take it, then, that he’s a “No” vote this November?…
GOP gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner says he has no problem with a November ballot measure that will ask Illinois voters whether the state should increase the minimum wage.
“The voters are going to be allowed to make their voices heard on a nonbinding referendum. I’m supportive of that,” he said Tuesday.
Rauner, a wealthy venture capitalist from Winnetka, also said he’d support raising the minimum wage under two scenarios: If it were increased nationwide; and/or if it were tied to pro-business reforms in Illinois.
He made the remarks while taking questions from the media during a campaign stop he and running mate Evelyn Sanguinetti made in Roanoke.
He has also yet to specify what those “pro-business reforms” actually would be. Would his proposed local option “right to work” law be part of that? We don’t know.
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Why did they get the money in the first place?
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The whole idea of having “lead agencies” in the governor’s anti-violence initiative oversee grants was because these established, local not-for-profits knew the area well, knew the terrain, knew the needs and knew the providers. So, what the heck happened here?…
Thousands of state anti-violence grant dollars from Gov. Pat Quinn’s scandal-tainted Neighborhood Recovery Initiative went to a south suburban nonprofit to help re-integrate freed teen and young adult prison inmates back into society.
It was a noble idea except for one thing.
The nonprofit that the state paid with anti-violence grant money to handle re-entry services in Thornton Township actually was operating out of a day care center in south suburban Dixmoor.
On top of that, it was later learned, there was really no re-entry program at all — nor any proof that the organization, Project Hope, Inc., did anything for the $15,770 it received from Quinn’s administration to perform re-entry services, state records show.
It took three months for the Healthcare Consortium of Illinois, the larger nonprofit that the Quinn administration put in charge of NRI spending in Thornton Township, to figure out the scheme and to begin the process of turning off the spigot of taxpayer dollars, state records show.
Sheesh.
They never should’ve received that grant in the first place. A daycare center? Are you kidding me?
It appears from the story that one person at the local lead agency, Jaclin Davis, raised numerous red flags. Good for her. But Davis’ higher-ups at HCI really, truly messed up by handing out the grant in the first place.
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Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WalletHub compared “the 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of three key metrics: 1) Return on Taxes Paid to the Federal Government; 2) Federal Funding as a Percentage of State Revenue; and 3) Number of Federal Employees Per Capita”…
* Overall, Illinois ranked “second least dependent” of all states, behind only Delaware. Here are the categories, the actual numbers for the categories and our individual ranking within those categories…
Return on Taxpayer Investment - $0.56 - 3
Funding as % of Revenue - 26.23% - 8
Federal Employees Per Capita 6.45 - 11
* They weighted the results…
1. Return on Taxes Paid to the Federal Government – Weight: 1
(Federal Funding in $ / Federal Income Taxes in $) This metric illustrates how many dollars in federal funding state taxpayers receive for every one dollar in federal income taxes they pay. We have excluded from the Federal Funding the Loans/Guarantees component because it does not represent permanent transfers from the Federal Government to a state.
2.Federal Funding as a Percentage of State Revenue – Weight: 1
(Federal Funding in $ / State Revenue in $) * 100 This metric shows how much of a state’s annual revenue, and theoretically its spending, is provided by the federal government. Without this money, revenue would have to be found elsewhere – perhaps via tax hikes – or else key state services would suffer.
3. Number of Federal Employees Per Capita – Weight: 0.5
(No. Federal Workers / No. State Residents) This metric speaks to the federal government’s role as a nationwide employer, indicating the percentage of a state’s workforce that owes its very livelihood to Washington.
* They also used some items to put the numbers in context, such as “Direct Payments,” which “reflects the return on taxpayer investment in terms of federal entitlement payouts“…
And…
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