Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Here you go…

  4 Comments      


Supreme Court justices spar with lawyers during SAFE-T Act hearing

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Associated Press account of today’s Illinois Supreme Court hearing on the SAFE-T Act…

[Jim Rowe, the state’s attorney for Kankakee County] faced several questions about whether prosecutors and sheriffs have legal standing to bring the case.

* Please pardon all transcription errors, but here’s an excerpt of SA Rowe’s opening arguments…

Rowe: I’m the state’s attorney for Kankakee County and my oath in the interest of public safety compel me to contest the defendants’ Act in this regard.

Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis quickly interrupted to point out that a party only has standing to challenge the constitutionality of a statute “only insofar as it adversely impacts his or her own rights.” So, she asked, where’s your standing?…

Rowe: Your honor, with regard to standing, plaintiffs - sheriffs, state’s attorneys - are absolutely proper parties to this litigation. Each of us - your honors, the sheriffs as well - we have all raised our right hand and we have sworn a duty to uphold and defend the constitution of the state of Illinois.

Justice Theis then reminded Rowe about the actual oath that they both took…

I do solemnly swear (affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois…

Emphasis added, and this explains why…

Theis: Wasn’t the language prescribed in the statute that we support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois? And isn’t that the same oath that every lawyer, every person who comes to be admitted into the bar of Illinois under the Attorneys Act takes the same oath? So are you saying that everyone, every lawyer in the state of Illinois has standing to challenge a statute they don’t like?

Rowe: I’m not arguing that, your honor. I’m saying that state’s attorneys and sheriffs stand in a very unique position. For instance, state’s attorneys are the only ones that can go into a courtroom and file a petition under the Defendants Act to deny bail to someone.

Theis: Isn’t that true now?

Rowe: That is true, your honor. Except in this instance, we would be asked to enforce a rule that plaintiffs believe is unconstitutional. I think under Lujan, this court found that if we are regulated by the Act, we are a proper party to that litigation. And plaintiff state’s attorneys and sheriffs are certainly regulated under that Act.

Theis: There’s an adverse impact on your rights, is that it?

Rowe: There absolutely is. As the circuit court found, state’s attorneys, prosecutors have an inherent interest in ensuring that we can move cases through the court system, that we can secure a defendant’s appearance at trial, the sheriff has an inherent interest to…

Theis: Why don’t you continue to have that right? A constitutional right, I’m not sure what. You say you have a right to ensure that defendants appear or to continue to appear. Doesn’t that continue under this Act?

Rowe: Well, the Act abolishes the opportunity for a state’s attorney to even request a monetary bail as a sufficient surety. And for the sheriff, the sheriff has to ensure effectively the safety of every law enforcement officer under his charge. This Act requires them to serve, for instance, notice to appear and then a warrant and two occasions, we’ve now doubled the number of instances where law enforcement is going to come into contact with perhaps a fugitive or a very dangerous individual. So plaintiffs squarely believe that prosecutors and sheriffs have standing to pursue these matters. And we further believe that the Act is unconstitutional.

It goes on, but you get the drift.

* OK, back to the AP…

Other justices questioned how the SAFE-T Act changes to cash bail differ from lawmakers’ ability to set minimum criminal sentences or a list of factors that judges should consider when determining bail.

Alan Spellberg, a state’s attorney representing Will County, argued that the elimination of cash bail differs from those examples. In the case of cash bail, he argued that lawmakers have “mandated the outcome.”

“We know from history, monetary components are an important incentive for ensuring that a defendant appears for trial,” Spellberg said.

Chief Justice Theis quoted from a statute that has been around for many years, “In determining the amount of monetary bail or conditions of release, the court shall take into account” and noted that it then goes on to list 36 different factors that the court must consider…

Theis: Isn’t that statute unconstitutional, because it interferes with the court’s inherent authority to determine sufficient surety?

Spellberg: No, your honor, it’s not, because while the legislature has listed a series of factors to be considered…

Theis: Shall be considered. [Cross talk] Dictated. The court must take, shall take into consideration these factors. Isn’t that the legislature working with, or maybe interfering with the court’s…

Spellberg: Your honor, I respectfully disagree. And the reason why is because even though the legislature has mandated that certain factors should be considered, absolutely, it has not mandated the outcome, has not mandated the determination that should be made after the consideration of those factors.

In summary, the state’s lawyer, Deputy Solicitor General Alex Hemmer, said he believed Chief Justice Theis’ question was “exactly right”…

Plaintiffs’ argument, if accepted, would bring down not only the pretrial release provisions enacted by the SAFE-T Act, but also the entire scaffolding of legislative regulation of pretrial release in Illinois that’s existed for 60 years before the SAFE-T Act’s enactment. Plaintiffs have no effective response to that.

* One other point. Justice Lisa Holder White pointed out that in a “facial challenge,” the plaintiffs must “demonstrate that there is no set of circumstances that this would be constitutional.” She then asked if they’d done that. Spellberg’s answer was no yes, but then went on to say that the court had never before applied that demand to a separation of powers case.

Hemmer, the state’s lawyer, argued that “plaintiffs have not come anywhere close to meeting their burden”…

They admit that none of those cases establishes the exception that they are seeking. And in most of these cases, the issue simply wasn’t raised. And so there’s no reason to read these cases’ silence as kind of a precedent that establishes a separation of powers exception to the ordinary rule.

Discuss.

…Adding… Capitol News Illinois…

But opponents argued the constitution’s mentions of “bail” essentially serve as a requirement that the state maintains a system of monetary bail.

In particular, the prosecutors argued that the Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights was brought to voters as a constitutional amendment in 2014, which was the proper avenue for such a change.

Kankakee County State’s Attorney James Rowe argued that lawmakers put amendments to the voters in the 1980s when looking to expand the list of nonbailable offenses in the constitution. He contrasted that effort with the January 2021 passage of the SAFE-T Act which moved quickly through the legislature and came for a vote in the middle of the night.

Hemmer countered that the constitution has multiple references to institutions that no longer exist.

“The bail clause itself refers to capital offenses, but there are no more capital offenses in Illinois,” he said. “No one would argue, I think, that the bail clause requires the state to maintain capital offenses simply by referring to it and the same is true here.”

  29 Comments      


Another day, another credit upgrade

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Governor JB Pritzker today hailed Moody’s Investor Service upgrade of Illinois bonds to A3, the second major rating agency to return Illinois’ credit to the ‘A’ category. The action also represents the eighth upgrade in less than two years under Governor Pritzker following eight downgrades under the previous administration.

The continued fiscal progress by the state of Illinois was achieved due to continued strong fiscal leadership by Governor Pritzker and Democrats in the General Assembly.

Moody’s said Illinois’ improving governance was a key consideration in the action. “We consider improving governance to be a key consideration in this action.” Illinois, it said, is “displaying improved management of its budget by making conservative revenue assumptions and applying surplus revenue towards the payment of debt and growth in reserves.”

“This credit upgrade, our second one this year, is the result of the steps we’ve taken in Illinois to put ourselves on firm fiscal footing. We have balanced our budget, paid our bills on time, cleared out decades of debt, made extra pension payments, and saved billions for a rainy day,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “There’s more work to be done, but it’s clear we have undone decades of damage and ushered a new era of fiscal responsibility in Illinois. I look forward to building on this record by working with the General Assembly to pass the state’s fifth straight balanced budget later this spring.”

Moody’s Investor Service announced a ratings upgrade to A3 (stable outlook) from Baa1 for Illinois’ General Obligation bonds, its third upgrade of Illinois’ bonds since June 2021. The last time Illinois had an A3 rating from Moody’s was prior to September 2015. Moody’s also upgraded Build Illinois sales tax bonds to A3 (stable outlook) from Baa3 (stable outlook).

S&P Global Ratings announced a ratings upgrade to A- for Illinois’ General Obligation bonds last month, its third upgrade of Illinois’ bonds since July 2021. Fitch Ratings upgraded Illinois’ bonds by two notches last spring, the first Fitch upgrade for Illinois’ General Obligation bonds since June 2000. Illinois received two upgrades from Moody’s Investor Service in two separate actions in April 2022 and June 2021.

The upgrades follow the unveiling of the Governor Pritzker’s proposed fiscal year 2024 budget which builds on four years of historic progress with balanced budgets, a Budget Stabilization Fund on track to hit $2.3 billion, elimination of the state’s bill backlog and reaching $1 trillion GDP. The proposed spending plan maintains the Governor’s commitment to fiscal responsibility while growing Illinois into an economic powerhouse and making transformative, generational investments in education and efforts to fight poverty.

The rating of a state’s bonds is a measure of their credit quality. A higher bond rating generally means the state can borrow at a lower interest rate, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.

Between 2015 and 2017, the State of Illinois suffered eight credit rating downgrades and sat at the top of many analysts’ lists of the worst managed states in the nation. At its worst, Illinois’ bill backlog hit nearly $17 billion.

* Speaker Chris Welch…

In four years, Bruce Rauner brought Illinois to the brink of junk status with eight credit downgrades; our service providers were gutted, and our hardworking families suffered. Today, as we earn our eighth credit rating upgrade in less than two years, we can celebrate a real turnaround. Democrats have proven that Illinois doesn’t have to choose between being a responsible state and being a compassionate state; we can be both. I want to thank Governor Pritzker, Senate President Harmon, and the rest of my colleagues in the legislature for their commitment to ensuring a strong Illinois for all.

  34 Comments      


That toddlin’ town roundup

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Personal PAC goes for Brandon Johnson…

Today, Personal PAC, one of Illinois’ leading organizations dedicated to protecting reproductive rights, endorsed Brandon Johnson for mayor.

“Personal PAC is proud to stand with Brandon Johnson for mayor and to support his vision to ensure abortion remains safe, legal, and accessible to all in Chicago,” said Sarah Garza Resnick, CEO of Personal PAC. “In a post-Roe world, this race is too important. After meeting with both Mr. Vallas and Commissioner Johnson, it is clear to us that Brandon Johnson is the only candidate who will protect and champion reproductive rights in Chicago.”

“We were troubled by Paul Vallas’ failure to comment at all for months following the leaked Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade,” said Garza Resnick. “Further, we take him at his word—based on his own statement that he fundamentally opposes abortion—that we cannot trust him to protect our reproductive rights.”

Commissioner Johnson has committed publicly to maintaining and increasing, as needed, the current level of funding in the City budget for reproductive healthcare support and is committed to continuing to use City resources to ensure the security of abortion clinics.

* Paul Vallas brings out the receipts…

Brandon Johnson has carefully avoided discussing his radical political past during the campaign for Mayor, often dodging questions about his public support for defunding the police. But today he took it a step too far and was caught in a blatant lie. Johnson told ABC 7 that he “never said defund the police,” despite the clear fact that he has openly discussed his support for defunding numerous times.

“There’s nothing Brandon Johnson can do to change the fact that he has publicly embraced the radical “defund the police” movement that would put Chicago at risk of even higher crime,” said Vallas spokesperson Phil Swibinski. “Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas’ visions for public safety could not be any more different, and every Chicagoan who is concerned about rising crime should be aware of one thing — Brandon Johnson will defund the police, Paul Vallas will put crime reduction and public safety first.”

Johnson’s support for defunding the police is clear and absolute:

    • In July 2020, Johnson was the Chief Sponsor of a Resolution calling for the Cook County Board of Commissioners to “Redirect Funds From Policing and Incarceration to Public Services Not Administered By Law Enforcement.”
    • In July 2020, Johnson signed onto a statement with other elected officials that stated the officials were ready to “Work To Defund The Chicago Police Department Immediately”
    • On WCPT Radio 780 in July 2020, Johnson said: “there are some folks who are offended by this idea of defunding the police. There are folks who are afraid of that terminology…we’re shipping money away from police and incarceration. What do people not understand about this demand? (Sunday Mornings, WCPT 780, 7/26/20, 38:10)
    • On WCPT Radio 780 in December 2020, Johnson said that he viewed Defund the Police “not as a slogan, but as a real political goal” and that it was “not just an admirable effort, but a necessary one.” (Santita Jackson Show, WCPT 780, 12/4/20, 16:50 and 59:18)

* More from Vallas…

The Vallas for Mayor campaign will announce major endorsements from three City Council members, who will lend their support to the Vallas public safety plan as well as Paul’s commitment to equity for all Chicago communities.

WHO: Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas, Alderwoman Silvana Tabares (23rd), Alderman Felix Cardona, Jr. (31st), and Alderman Ariel Reboyras (30th)

* A little bit of history from political consultant Delmarie Cobb…

Nearly 40 years ago, mayor Harold Washington was elected Chicago’s first Black mayor. His grassroots campaign mobilized more than 100,000 new registered voters for the mayoral election in 1983, defeating Republican candidate Bernard Epton by a slim 51.7 percent to 48 percent majority. Washington’s win dealt a stunning blow to Chicago’s machine politics.

Though we’re 40 years removed from that moment, Cobb said this election is reminiscent of the 1983 election.

“When Harold Washington ran, you had Black elected officials who came out for him, but then you had an equal number of Black elected officials who came out for Jane Byrne and Richard M. Daley. So this is exactly a mirror of the same thing that happened 40 years ago,” Cobb said.

* Crain’s…

A new independent super PAC has been created in support of former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas that will likely allow a new wave of dark money to flow into the April 4 mayoral runoff campaign. […]

[Greg Goldner, founder and manager of Resolute Public Affairs] registered a not-for-profit, likely for that purpose, on March 7 named Priorities Chicago, according to a filing with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office. […]

In recent days ahead of the creation of Goldner’s super PAC, the Vallas campaign fine-tuned the “media” portion of its campaign website, a process known as “redboxing” that campaigns use to publicly signal to outside groups how to spend money without crossing the loose legal definition of coordination.

On Monday, the Vallas campaign media page says “Frequent Chicago municipal voters urgently need to learn NOW that Brandon Johnson wants to defund the police and raise taxes, including a new city income tax on broadcast television and digital.”

Priorities Chicago has now also created an independent expenditure committee.

* Um…

If you are Bruce Rauner, Playbook would like to know your tips for working with Chicago’s mayor.

Do you then do the exact opposite?

* Press release…

Around 9 p.m. on Friday night, Chicago Police responded to an attempted burglary in the Mid-North district of Lincoln Park. While police were still gathering the facts, Brian Comer was sharing unverified, inaccurate information in a video he shared on his political campaign page.

“Several residents and police officers have expressed grave concern in my opponent’s behavior at a critical time for our community,” said Alderman Timmy Knudsen. “As always, I am in constant communication with CPD leadership in the ward, and when I heard about this incident, I offered my full support while allowing them to do their jobs. My focus will always be supporting our police and spreading facts, not fear.”

“Brian Comer touts his experience as a beat facilitator, but his decision to campaign at a crime scene clearly demonstrates that he lacks the sound judgment that residents expect from their alderman,” said Alex Hanns, Knudsen’s campaign manager. “Comer should know better than to rush to a crime scene and share misinformation while police are still conducting their investigation. Especially when residents are rightfully concerned about their safety, the last thing we need is for an uninformed civilian to stoke fears while police are trying to do their jobs.”

WATCH HERE

In his campaign video, Comer wears his campaign button while saying “an officer was shot” and was “in stable condition” on Friday night, despite the fact that no one was shot nor injured in the incident, according to vetted communications by the Chicago Police Department. “We just buried an officer who was killed in the line of duty earlier this week,” continued Comer, deepening the sense of fear that residents have since voiced.

As his campaign video concludes, Comer shifts to his campaign platform. “I have a plan to help public safety,” he says while the lights of three police vehicles illuminate the area and an officer walks behind him. The Chicago Board of Ethics has warned candidates of the “prohibited use of Chicago Police Department personnel and logo in electioneering communications.” Despite Comer’s claim, his website only lists five half-sentences of his “priorities” and is completely devoid of any plan on public safety that he references.

Comer’s inaccurate campaign video is still on his Facebook page five days after the incident despite several claims being debunked by police. The Knudsen campaign put Comer’s statements side by side with the facts in a new ad so residents can hear it for themselves.

* Isabel’s roundup…

  36 Comments      


Credit Unions: Better For Illinois Consumers

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

  Comments Off      


It’s just a bill

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* HB2431 is on Second Reading. WGN…

Illinois drivers may have to steer clear of Zoom calls while behind the wheel if a new state proposal becomes law.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannulias says House Bill 2431, sponsored by Illinois Rep. Marcus Evans (D-33) and Illinois Sen. Javier Cervantes (D-1) would make the roads safer as the popularity of video conference calls while driving rises. […]

Under the proposal, motorists would still be allowed to participate in video conference calls via a hands-free device or if the video is turned off.

Fines would range, depending on the number of offenses, from $75-$150:

    -First offense – $75
    -Second offense – $100
    -Third offense – $125
    -Four or more – $150

Three violations in a year will result in a license suspension.

* HR16 sponsored by Rep. Thaddeus Jones will be heard in committee today…

Calls on the U.S. Congress to authorize a policy change to allow existing interstates built with federal funding to become state tollways, enabling Illinois to convert the Dan Ryan Expressway I-57 into a toll road for the safety of its citizens.

* The deadline was not extended for HB3447 and HB3923. Streetsblog Chicago…

Illinois state rep Kam Bucker (D-26th), who recently ran for mayor but didn’t make the runoff, has been working on a new proposed e-bike rebate bill, HB3447, for the past two months. The legislation would would provide a point-of-sale discount to residents who buy an electric bicycle, which can help reduce congestion and pollution by encouraging more people to replace car trips with bike commutes. […]

Buckner filed the bill, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Laura Faver Dias (D-62nd), on February 17. On February 28 it was assigned to the Revenue & Finance Committee, which hasn’t voted on it yet. […]

Along with state reps Theresa Mah (D-2nd) and Kelly Cassidy (D-14th), Buckner also sponsored HB 3530, which would lower the default speed limit in urban areas from 30 mph to 20. Last week at a House transportation committee meeting, members asked for amendments to the bill. Once the legislation is amended, it will return to the committee, probably next week. […]

Yet another livable street bill Kam Buckner cosponsored with state rep Janet Yang Rohr (D-41st) is HB 3923, which would partially legalize the “Idaho Stop” by allowing cyclists treating stop signs like yield sign. It would require bike riders to check for cross traffic and pedestrians before proceeding through the intersection. It did not come up for a vote at the House transportation committee meeting last week.

* Shaw Local…

Bills introduced by [Freshman state Rep. Brad] Fritts have passed through committees and are scheduled to be read and debated on the House floor. […]

HB 2582 removes a duplicate test in place for motorcycle license applicants younger than 18. Both tests are identical and incur a fee. […]

HB 3588 creates the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program, which may provide funding for the medical care of retired K-9s. […]

HB 2962 calls for a set of standards and requirements for substance abuse recovery homes, which would be adopted by the Illinois Department of Human Services.

* Press release…

A bill introduced by Illinois House Deputy Majority Leader Mary E. Flowers, D-Chicago, which recently advanced out of committee, would reform compensation for Illinoisans who are wrongfully convicted and then exonerated, as well as remove a great deal of uncertainty from the process.

“More and more, we see people being exonerated after shoddy police work, prosecutorial misconduct, judicial failures or even outright prejudice and systemic inequality left them unjustly convicted of crimes they didn’t commit,” Flowers said. “It’s clear that more needs to be done for those whose lives have been turned upside down by this type of flagrant injustice. That’s why I’m working to increase compensation and eliminate limits for those impacted by failures of justice.”

Currently, there is no minimum compensation for those exonerated after a wrongful conviction, and the amount—if any—a person can be awarded is mostly at the discretion of the Court of Claims. There are, however, statutory maximums of $85,350 for five years or less of imprisonment, $170,000 for five to fourteen years and $199,150 for more than fourteen years.

Flowers’ House Bill 1016 would remove entirely these statutory maximums and replace arbitrary awards with guaranteed and fixed award amounts of $50,000 per year of wrongful imprisonment, including pretrial incarceration or detention while awaiting trial; along with $25,000 per year wrongfully spent not incarcerated but on parole, on probation, or on a sex offender registry. These amounts would be prorated for partial years and the Court of Claims would retain the ability to raise them by up to 5% per year to account for increases in the consumer price index. The bill contains other measures as well.

* Farm Week…

“There were a lot of bills that Illinois Farm Bureau had positions on, and they were spread throughout all the committees,” said Kevin Semlow, IFB director of state legislation. “One of the biggest issues we focused on this week was our opposition to HB 1568, sponsored by Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, that grants unconstitutional public access to waterways. We communicated with members of the committee that the bill undoes close to 200 years of law and violates landowners’ private property rights. At the end of the committee, the bill was not presented for a vote and remained in the committee.” […]

Two separate committees approved an IFB legislative priority to allow townships to elect or appoint a clerk or road commissioner from outside the township to fill vacancies.

“This was established in IFB policy that was raised because of challenges in some areas of the state,” said Emily Perone Hall, IFB assistant director of state legislation. “We gained the passage of the Senate and House committees to move SB 1443, sponsored by Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Waukegan, and HB 2040, sponsored by Rep. Curtis Tarver, D-Chicago, to their respective chambers.”

In the House Labor Committee, HB 3395, sponsored by Rep. Lilian Jimenez, D-Chicago, would have eliminated the minimum wage exemption for many agricultural employees, while also eliminating the exemption from overtime requirements for all agricultural employees.

“IFB opposed HB 3395 and conveyed to the committee the impacts this legislation would have on farmers. In the end, the sponsor chose not to present the bill and held the bill in committee,” said Mark Raney, associate director of state legislation.

  11 Comments      


State schools superintendent asked about school board “culture wars”

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Newly appointed State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders was interviewed this week on the 21st Show…

Q: As you no doubt know, the schools have become a sort of, what would you say, a flashpoint in the culture wars? Every week there are these stories where school administrators and teachers are being protested, people yelling at school board meetings. We’re actually having a conversation on the program later this week about school board candidates across the state espousing right-wing rhetoric. How do you address that? Or has it been ever thus? Right? How do you think about the idea that the schools have become this flashpoint in the so called culture wars in America?

Supt. Sanders: It saddens me actually, schools are apolitical. Schools are places where students go to learn critical thinking skills. This debate over CRT, which some think is critical race theory, and others say CRT is culturally responsive teaching, two entirely different things. But unfortunately, they get confused by the general public. And we do want culturally responsive teaching practices within our schools. At the same time, critical race theory is not something that’s introduced to students until they are working either on a master’s or a doctorate. And so I think it’s unfortunate that the general public makes the schools the center politics when it should not be.

Q: On that note, Illinois has implemented a number of new teaching requirements. There’s Black history, Asian history. Some say, particularly in the Republican Party in Illinois, that it’s too much, it’s too much meddling from the state in what is happening in individual classrooms. What do you think about that?

Supt. Sanders: So I think that our curriculum should uplift every child in the state of Illinois before these other bills that you just referenced, that were enacted into legislation to teach about African-American history or Asian American history. For decades, we’ve had a state law that says that we have to teach about the Irish famine. We’ve had laws that talk about Mexican deportation. So in terms of curricular mandates, there’s about 40 to 50 curricular mandates that have been on the books for years that are appropriate, and the right things for kids to be learning. I see no difference with adding these latest curriculum requirements. And I don’t even think they should be requirements. I think it’s just something that school districts need to do as part of their work, is to make sure that we’re uplifting everybody’s culture within our curriculum. Who among us doesn’t want to see their culture representative the curriculum?

Please pardon all transcription errors.

* WBEZ had a recent story centered on a Barrington school board slate…

Their plan to raise scores, the candidates said, is to scrutinize what is taught in schools. They contend that certain lessons, such as Illinois’ social-emotional learning and sex ed standards, are based on harmful ideologies and are distracting students from academics.

“Education isn’t political,” said one candidate, Leonard Munson. “We’ve got to get back to Christian values.”

Munson and the two other Action PAC-endorsed candidates, Katey Baldassano and Matt Sheriff, also said they worry about local tax dollars, noting that between 50% and 60% of property taxes go to schools. They want to look for opportunities to maximize efficiency and cut the budget. […]

In several Chicago suburbs, slates of candidates have been telling a similar narrative about their districts: wasteful spending, plus lower test scores caused by distracting ideological lessons on sex, gender, mental health and diversity. In Barrington and a few other suburban districts, they also have the support of well-funded political action committees with multiple contributions of over $1,000.

Awake Illinois, a statewide conservative parent group, is leading the charge on many of these issues, opposing Illinois’ sex ed standards to prevent students from becoming what it calls “sexualized illiterate radicals.” This fall and winter, it hosted candidate training sessions led by the Leadership Institute, a Virginia-based organization that trains conservative candidates around the country. Awake Illinois says it has identified over 75 candidates for potential endorsements.

Illinois Families for Public Schools has compiled a list of a lot of groups that are pushing school board candidates. Click here if you’re interested.

* From the Richard Uihlein-funded 1776 Project PAC…


* Daily Herald…

Pritzker’s effort to influence school board races has drawn criticism from Republican leaders, including Lake County Republican Party Chair Keith Brin.

“Our school boards shouldn’t be partisan, and our schools shouldn’t be political,” Brin said. “Gov. Pritzker is forcing partisan politics onto our local schools while trying to force his ideology onto local communities who ought to be able to set their own priorities for their schools.”

The Lake County Republican Party held a candidate training session for prospective school board members earlier this year. Back to the Daily Herald…

Mark Cramer, running for reelection to the Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 board, is one of four candidates endorsed by the local conservative group Citizens for Kids Education (C4KE). He also received a $6,000 donation from Richard Uihlein last year, and another $6,000 this year from Palatine Township GOP leader David Prichard. […]

“Pritzker is trying to define any Republican as a radical right-winger,” Cramer said. “He wants to drive the wedge. He wants this culture war to continue.”

Discuss.

  69 Comments      


Question of the day

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the synopsis of SB2152. The Senate extended its committee passage deadline to March 24th after it wasn’t approved by the Executive Committee before last Friday’s deadline…

Amends the State Universities, Downstate Teachers, and Board of Investment Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the State Treasurer shall manage the System’s or Investment Board’s domestic and international proxy voting activity and execute required ballots on behalf of the System or Investment Board.

An amendment would repeal the law on January 1, 2027, near the end of Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ current term.

* From the State Universities Retirement System…

SURS Board Votes to Oppose SB 2152

Legislation would transfer proxy voting authority to state treasurer, compromising the ability of SURS board to protect assets from undue political influence and to fulfill fiduciary obligations to SURS membership

Champaign, IL – The State Universities Retirement System (SURS) today voted unanimously to oppose Senate Bill 2152, legislation that would transfer all proxy voting authority for SURS assets from the SURS Board of Trustees to the state treasurer.

“Funds in the SURS trust come from employee contributions, employer contributions, state contributions and investment income, noted SURS Chair John Atkinson. “Once funds are deposited into that trust, they belong to SURS members. The SURS Board of Trustees has a legal responsibility to vote proxies due to their role as fiduciaries for SURS members. The state treasurer does not serve on the SURS board and is not a fiduciary to SURS members.”

Proxy voting allows fiduciaries to analyze risk and sets principles for the way asset managers vote on their behalf at shareholder meetings. Those decisions protect the long-term value of the assets.

“Under this legislation, SURS does not have control over how the state treasurer votes SURS proxies,” added Atkinson. “We cannot tell the treasurer how to vote and we cannot hold them accountable for how they vote. It gives one statewide elected official unilateral control over the long-term value of SURS assets.”

SURS has a proxy voting policy in accordance with fiduciary duties and utilizes a provider, Glass Lewis, to execute proxy votes in accordance with that policy.

Reports of proxy votes are provided to the SURS board on a quarterly basis, posted on SURS website on a summary-level, and are available on a detailed-level under FOIA.

* I reached out to Treasurer Frerichs’ office for comment…

Voting corporate proxies sounds like the dry stuff of legal filings. But proxy voting is about ensuring that corporations create long-term value for the working families whose pensions depend on wise investments. It is too important to be left in the hands of Wall Street insiders.

Every working day, the Illinois Treasurer’s Office works with other institutional investors – union pension funds, diverse fund managers, and treasurers from other states – to hold corporate boards and managers accountable. Actions speak louder than words. The actions that my office has taken and the proxy votes we have cast are all listed on our website.

The legislation I proposed is about changing how the State of Illinois – including the state’s pension systems – vote their proxies and engage with the corporations in which we invest. At the end of the day, this bill fights for worker security and can bring about efficiency and transparency. I am an optimist, and that is why I know this is the start of a conversation, not an end.

We are off to a good start. I look forward to sharing ideas, improving transparency, and continuing our collective fight to make it easier to pay the rent, send our children to school, and secure a dignified retirement.

Frerichs has joined efforts to force Facebook to separate its CEO and board chair positions, voted against two directors at Duke Energy “for corporate governance failures related to climate change” and has joined efforts to pressure companies to “disclose the race, ethnicity and gender of their corporate board directors.” More here.

* The Question: Do you support Treasurer Frerichs’ move? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

online polls


  25 Comments      


*** ComEd 4 trial live coverage ***

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Here you go…

  2 Comments      


Today’s must-read

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Mitch Dudek’s obituary about Amanda Vinicky’s dad…

When Jim Vinicky attended a traditional Swedish Christmas Eve dinner at his high school girlfriend’s house in Hinsdale, he brought a jar of giardiniera.

It was an audacious move. The spiced and brined vegetables clashed with the family’s admittedly bland homemade sausage, pickled herring and hunks of cheese.

It was tolerated by her parents. And secretly heralded by the rest of his future in-laws.

Mr. Vinicky, who grew up in neighboring LaGrange and was under the impression that everyone in Hinsdale was rich, mistook his girlfriend’s mother for the family maid the first time he went to their house, the family recalled.

“We were Cubs and Chicago Tribune people, and he came into the family and was a White Sox guy who read the Sun-Times,” said Brenda Lundstrom, Mr. Vinicky’s sister-in-law.

The Sun-Times lost its great obit writer Maureen O’Donnell when she stepped away from the job last year. Dudek has some big shoes to fill, but he’s really stepping up. And Jim Vinicky sounds like he was one heckuva guy.

  13 Comments      


Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

  Comments Off      


Open thread

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

  13 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Here you go…

  51 Comments      


Live coverage

Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Follow along with ScribbleLive…


  Comments Off      


Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Fundraiser list

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

  Comments Off      


Afternoon roundup

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Gov. Pritzker was asked again today about the Chicago mayor’s race and whether he’d met with the two candidates…

I have. I’ve met with each of them. And I’ve told them that my intention is to work with whoever wins this race. And so I’ve looked forward to hearing even more. I know we’ve got a few weeks left in this campaign, but you know, it’s important that the governor work with the mayor, whoever that is. And so I’m gonna watch. And, of course, I’m a voter, I live in Chicago, I’ll have to make that decision when the time comes.

He was then asked if the candidates had asked him for his endorsement…

They have, and I’ve told them, as I’ve told all of you, I think it’s important for me to stay clear of endorsing, mainly because I want to make sure that we’re able to work together, whoever it is that wins.

* Pritzker made those comments at a bill-signing event…

Governor JB Pritzker today signed SB208 into law, making Illinois the third state in the nation, and the first in the Midwest, to mandate paid time off to be used for any reason. The historic legislation provides employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave during a 12-month period, meaning approximately 1.5 million workers will begin earning paid time off starting in 2024.

“Working families face so many challenges, and it’s been my mission to alleviate those burdens in every way I can. Today, we will become the third state in the nation to require paid time off, and the first among the largest states,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Employers benefit from allowing employees to tend to the urgent personal matters of their lives. Workers’ productivity increases, and they often gain greater passion for their job when they can manage the stresses they face outside work. I’m exceptionally proud that labor and business came together to recognize the value of this requirement to employees and employers alike.” […]

Under existing law, workers are not guaranteed pay when taking time off for sick leave, childcare, mental health reasons, medical appointments, vacation, or any other reason. Starting on March 31st, 2024, or 90 days following commencement of employment, workers can begin using their earned time off for any reason without the requirement of providing documentation to their employer under the Paid Leave for Workers Act.

This new law applies to every employee working for an employer in Illinois, including domestic workers, but does exclude independent contractors. The City of Chicago and Cook County have an existing paid sick leave ordinance in place; employees and employers in those two geographic regions will be subject to those ordinances. The law will also exempt employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement in the construction industry and parcel delivery industry.

The legislation provides that paid leave shall accrue at the rate of one hour for every 40 hours worked. Employees will be paid their full wage while on leave and tipped workers will be paid the minimum wage in their respective locale. An employer cannot require an employee to find their replacement for the leave.

* A state Representative tells me she’s received 500+ emails today opposed to ranked choice voting, with these three minor variations. None of the senders live in her district…

Ranked choice voting turns winners into losers – Do not support it!
Dear Representative xxxx,
I am an Illinois voter and would like your help in fighting against ranked choice voting in our state. This unnecessary, partisan process turns winners into losers and complicates voting. Please don’t let this happen in Illinois and vote against ranked choice voting.

No Ranked Choice Voting in Illinois
As an Illinois voter, I compel you to not let outside influences corrupt the voting process in our state with ranked-choice voting. Ranked choice voting disenfranchises voters and is not needed in Illinois. Please don’t let ranked choice voting become a reality here.

Protect my right to vote and vote NO on HB 2807 & HB 2716
Dear Representative xxxx,
I cherish my sacred right to vote, and I do not want the process in Illinois complicated by ranked-choice voting. This is an unnecessary practice that serves to confuse voters and makes it difficult to count votes. As an Illinois voter, I ask you to vote against Ranked-Choice Voting.

* A Decatur manufacturing shutdown has had a huge national impact…

An ongoing shortage of a medicine commonly used to treat people with breathing problems is expected to get worse after a major supplier to U.S. hospitals shut down last week.

Liquid albuterol has been in short supply since last summer, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. It has been on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s shortages list since October. The news of the plant shutdown worries some doctors who work with patients with breathing problems such as asthma. […]

The manufacturer that recently shut down, Akorn Operating Company LLC, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2020.

It was the only company to make certain albuterol products used for continuous nebulizer treatment. It’s a staple in children’s hospitals, but had been out of stock since last fall. Without that particular form of the product, hospitals have had to scramble to find alternatives.

* Center Square…

Federal prosecutors plan to call 70 witnesses to prove that four former ComEd employees and lobbyists doled out jobs, contracts and payments to illegally influence one of Illinois’ most powerful politicians.

* Something to keep in mind…


* How it started, how it’s going…


…Adding… I actually am related to this Miller. He’s my brother and also Isabel’s father…

(Not an endorsement, just an acknowledgement.)

* Isabel’s afternoon roundup…

  22 Comments      


It’s just a bill

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* WAND…

A new bill being proposed in the legislature would bring Illinois into the 21st century by modernizing its virtual car dealer laws. […]

Existing Illinois law is vague about whether new and used car dealers can sell their products online, and get electronic signatures for purchase.

“This bill is designed to modernize Illinois law regulating the home-delivery of purchased vehicles, to ensure customers don’t have to go to a physical facility just to sign some paperwork,” Will Munsil, Senior Corporate Counsel for Carvana told WAND News. […]

The bill has been voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is now set for a third reading in the full Senate later this month. It still needs approval in both the Senate and House before becoming law.

* Hyde Park Herald…

State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-26th) is concerned about turnout in Chicago municipal elections after concluding his campaign for mayor. […]

Buckner nevertheless suggested working with organizations like Chicago Votes and the League of Women Voters to have “a more intentional and streamlined approach” to boost turnout.

He also has some legislative changes in mind, including lowering the voting age for state and local elections from 18 to 16. […]

Buckner has also filed legislation to allow municipalities to adopt ranked-choice voting without an affirmative ballot referendum.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Illinois lawmakers advanced a bill last week that would effectively abolish life sentences for any incarcerated individual who was under the age of 21 when they received their sentence.

In January, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law that makes any individual who was under the age of 21 when sentenced to life in prison eligible for parole review after they served 40 years or more of their sentence. But the measure only applied to those sentenced on or after June 1, 2019.

Senate Bill 2073, carried by Republican Sen. Seth Lewis, of Bartlett, would extend the measure retroactively to apply to any currently incarcerated individual who was sentenced before turning 21. The law signed by Pritzker in January takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, and SB 2073 would be effective July 1, 2024.

“The 3,251 current inmates who were sentenced prior to June 1, 2019, or Jan. 1, 2024, should have the opportunity (for parole review),” Lewis said in committee. “That is the essence of this bill.”

The measure passed out of committee on a 7-3 vote and awaits action from the full House.

* HB 1568 was re-referred to Rules Committee on Friday. WCBU…

A bill intended to protect the public’s right to access navigable waters — first introduced in the Illinois House in January — is under consideration again.

The bill’s language explains that while the amendment would not change any actual law, it would protect the public’s right to access and use any waters that are currently, or have been in the past, used for recreational and commercial purposes.

The Prairie Rivers Network is promoting the bill. Robert Hirschfeld, senior water policy specialist, said it is disappointing to hear of the initial denial of the amendment. He said the issue stems from events in U.S. history that protect the public’s right to waterways.

“So, the Northwest Ordinance, right at the end of the 1700s, which brought new territory in the United States, the federal navigation, servitude, and other bodies of federal law grant the public rights to use navigable waters,” he said, “and our position is that the state of Illinois and state agencies have improperly restricted that right.” […]

Hirschfeld and the Prairie Rivers Network intend to return the bill to the General Assembly in the next legislative session.

* Center Square…

House Bill 2910 provides that a person who holds an animal in the person’s lap while operating a motor vehicle is guilty of a petty offense. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Jawaharial Williams, D-Chicago, said pets aren’t covered under distracted driving laws.

“The new law would allow police officers to pull you over if they see that you are driving with an animal in your lap, whatever the animal may be,” Williams said.

Williams cited a AAA survey that showed that 31% of drivers with pets said they have been distracted by their pets while driving, and 20% of drivers who have admitted to driving with the pet on their lap have been involved in accidents.

Offenders would be subject to a $50 fine. The measure moved out of the transportation committee and is headed to the House floor.

* Center Square…

Violence on public transit in Illinois and around the country remains near the highest levels seen in the past decade.

State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, said House Bill 1342 would suspend the riding privileges of those responsible for abusive behavior.

“Transit officials have found that the same folks keep repeatedly abusing their riding privileges by harassing folks or outright harming folks, and those folks could include our transit workers, and/or their fellow riders,” Delgado said.

Supporters of the legislation say the dangerous working conditions have led to a shortage of public transit workers statewide.

The measure moved out of the transportation committee and is headed to the House floor.

  12 Comments      


That toddlin’ town roundup

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* New TV ad…


You knew that was gonna happen. Oof.

* The public sector union vs. private sector union split is fully on display in the Chicago mayoral race…


…Adding… SEIU IL Council just put $1.1 million into its PAC.

On the other side…

This morning, three large construction unions announced their endorsement of Paul Vallas in the upcoming runoff election for Mayor of Chicago. The unions were joined by former Secretary of State Jesse White, who endorsed Vallas earlier this month.

Among the unions were the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 9. In total, the unions represent about 40,000 workers. These endorsements come only days after the Plumbers Local 130, which represents more than 6,000 members, announced its endorsement of Vallas.

In addition to its endorsement, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 committed $1 million to the effort to elect Paul Vallas.

“The men and women here today built Chicago,” said White, who has been an influential voice in Illinois politics for nearly fifty years. “These unions are committed to a bright future for this city, and their unity on this endorsement symbolizes the vital role that Vallas will play in shaping that future.”

* Think about the framing of this policy idea for a moment…

The centerpiece of mayoral candidate Paul Vallas’ plan to reverse decades of disinvestment on the South and West sides of Chicago is the creation of an independent community development authority that would limit the ability of Chicago City Council members to have final say on ward-level issues.

What the idea boils down to is wanting to help Black wards by disempowering Black alderpersons and then handing over control to an unelected “independent community development authority.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m in favor of drastically reducing aldermanic prerogative. It just feels a bit too “on-brand” to sell it this way.

* Counting the same money twice is also on-brand for Vallas…

Vallas also proposes creating a municipal bank, which would hold the authority’s funds, which would come from “a dedicated portion of all new revenues from [tax-increment financing districts] and all developer fees, future casino, sports betting and gaming revenues” that would be earmarked for investments on the South and West sides. […]

However, state law requires Chicago to use all casino revenues to fund its police and fire pensions.

* This policy idea reminds me of candidate Bruce Rauner’s empty pledge to prosecute corruption out of his own office…

Even more unproven is Vallas’ plan to establish a “Law Department Municipal Prosecution Unit” to try the city’s cases itself, which likely would require a change in state law.

And Johnson supports this…

Christened the “Anjanette Young Ordinance” as a nod to the Black social worker who was forced to stand naked in her home as several Chicago officers in 2019 executed a search warrant at the wrong location, the legislation is opposed by Lightfoot, who has said it was not grounded in the reality of policing. Young has endorsed Johnson for mayor.

The latest proposed version would add a provision that mandates officers seeking warrants to first conduct at least a week of surveillance on the location.

A week?

* Also…


On the other hand, Brandon Johnson is a CTU staffer. I’m sure he’ll be tough on them during contract negotiations. /s

* This is on-brand for the CTU candidate…

Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson said he will not raise property taxes if elected. … Johnson is proposing a slew of new revenues, mostly in new taxes on big businesses.

The CTU always opposes property tax hikes, relying instead on “tax the rich” proposals, many of which would require state legislative approval or even constitutional change or a strong belief in unicorns.

And Vallas…

Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas said he would cap the city’s property tax levy, but has been less clear about whether that means we would not raise property taxes at all. A spokesperson said Vallas is “committed to not raising city property taxes.” … Vallas, meanwhile, promises to use budgetary acumen to work within the existing budget’s bounds.

He claims to be a unicorn wizard. I’d beg to differ.

* Vallas constantly heaps praise on private and charter schools, but his own words on 60 Minutes when he was running the New Orleans school district undercuts his arguments. Most of the schools are simply too small to accommodate kids with special needs, and there are lot of those kids in Chicago…


* NBC 5…

A new poll of more than 800 likely Chicago mayoral election voters found that former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas is holding a lead over Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, and several key voting blocs could play a significant role in determining the outcome of the race.

The poll, conducted by Victory Research, asked 806 likely runoff voters about their preferences in the upcoming election, with Vallas collecting 44.9% of the vote. Johnson grabbed 39.1% of the vote, with 16% of respondents saying they are still undecided for the April 4 runoff.

The margin of error in the poll was 3.45%, with a mix of respondents on land lines and cell phones, according to the polling company.

Adding some intrigue to the proceedings was the number of voters who said that their choices could change. According to the poll, 18% of respondents said they could change their minds prior to Election Day, meaning that one-third of the voters either haven’t settled on a candidate or could move to the other in the two-man race.

Victory Research also cited demographic data that showed two key groups that could help determine the outcome of the race. Voters living near the city’s lakefront, normally a key constituency in the race, are narrowly favoring Vallas by a 44-to-41 margin.

Celinda Lake had Johnson up by 5.

* The Triibe…

Spurred by the fatal shooting of Rekia Boyd by then-Chicago police officer Dante Servin in 2012, they organized a movement that led to the creation of elected civilian councils and a civilian commission with police oversight powers—the first such bodies in the city’s, and the nation’s, history. By the end of election night, the [Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression ] candidates and organizers in the ballroom had won 62 percent of the council seats.

The Chicago City Council passed the Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) ordinance, which created the district councils and CCPSA, following not only years of grassroots organizing by CAARPR and its allies in the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability (GAPA), but also months of negotiations with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who tried to block giving any police oversight powers to elected civilians, despite supporting it during her 2019 campaign. What came out of those negotiations was a compromise that gave some oversight powers to the CCPSA and kept some in the mayor’s office.

Each of the city’s 22 police districts will have a three-member elected PDC that interacts with the community and can make recommendations to local police commanders. Those district-level councils also nominate members of the citywide CCPSA and make reports and recommendations to them. They also are in charge of nominating people to fill vacancies on the district councils themselves (which may be necessary immediately after this election in at least one district).

Unsurprisingly, many of those folks endorsed Brandon Johnson today.

* And finally…


* Isabel’s roundup…

  72 Comments      


More like this, please

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Illinois Times’ Scott Reeder…

Springfield mayoral candidate Misty Buscher is calling for revitalizing the dormant beach house at Lake Springfield and making it a haven for food trucks, concerts and outdoor activities. […]

In the wake of a 2007 drowning at Lake Springfield, the beach house has only been used for planned events such as weddings. Swimming is no longer allowed at the beach. […]

She has worked with an architectural firm to create renderings for what such a park might look like.

“We would just take a small bite of the apple each year,” she said. “The most expensive phase would be the dock. But everything – the picnic tables, the building, the renovations, the dock – would be a total of $1 million.”

From the architect…

If Springfield ever hopes to attract people to and keep people in this town, it needs to do lots more stuff like this, especially since the law requiring new state jobs be located in Springfield was heavily watered down not long ago.

And good on the candidate for coming up with this idea and putting in some actual work.

  17 Comments      


GOP begs party members to vote by mail, spinning it as an anti-fraud opportunity

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* ILGOP Chair Don Tracy…

Fellow Republicans,

I am writing to you to talk about the elephant in the room, Vote By Mail. Each election cycle, we see that the general public is choosing to vote by mail in increasing numbers. This phenomenon is consistent across all types of voters, as the chart below illustrates. And of course, Democrats utilize Vote By Mail at a much higher rate than Republicans. Democrats have won many close elections on the strength of their Vote By Mail programs. Quite simply, Republicans will have an uphill battle in every election moving forward if we do not start utilizing Vote By Mail to our advantage — especially now that Illinois authorizes permanent Vote By Mail lists, which will disproportionately impact the results of our municipal elections, especially our local school boards.

We are acutely aware of problems with the Vote By Mail process. However, the harsh reality is that until we have the numbers in the legislature to change it, we have to play to win under the existing rules and we must increase Republican voter turnout by greater use of Vote By Mail. In contrast to our genuine concerns about how certain aspects of voting by mail undermine fair and honest elections, there is relatively little increased risk of fraudulent abuse of your ballot when you vote by mail as opposed to voting in person. In a sense, voting by mail can actually decrease the possibility of a bad actor voting your ballot for you.

Even for voters who prefer not to vote by mail, participating in the Vote By Mail process has advantages. Our partners at the Illinois Conservative Union speak about a “claim your name, secure your vote” strategy to Vote By Mail voting that was used with success in Virginia in 2021, and their viewpoint bears repeating here.

First, we encourage our voters to request a Vote By Mail ballot as early in the process as possible. Once that ballot arrives, the voter has “claimed their name, and secured their vote.” With that ballot in hand, there is no possibility that anyone else can cast that ballot, or request a ballot in that voter’s name.

At this point, if that voter wants to cast a ballot by mail, he or she may obviously do so. However, if that voter wants to vote in person – whether through Early Voting or on Election Day – that voter simply takes the Vote By Mail ballot with them to their polling place, and surrenders it to the election judges.

We’d want our voters to be sure to watch the election judge write “SPOILED” on the Vote By Mail ballot and secure it in a “Spoiled Ballot” envelope. After this, the voter may proceed to vote in-person at the polling place.

The wisdom of this approach is that it provides our voters with flexibility. Under this approach, if something comes up at the last minute, and a voter cannot vote in person, they can still vote using a Vote By Mail ballot. An executed Vote By Mail ballot can be delivered using the mail, in-person OR by a trusted friend or family member, using the affidavit on the Vote By Mail envelope. Whether it is in-person voting or voting by mail, we can protect our vote by claiming our name and ensuring that our ballot is cast. Whether you are a fan of voting by mail or not, it is the law of the land in Illinois. Until we elect enough Republicans to change it, we must use this system to the greatest extent possible so that we can do just that: elect more Republicans.

The included chart…

Thoughts?

…Adding… A buddy of mine with access to an Illinois Policy Institute private Facebook group just sent me this text…

The IPI guys have been trying to convince their private group members to vote by mail for months.

Every time they post its just a stream of comments decrying fraud, etc.

Reap what you sow, I suppose.

  40 Comments      


Discover How Women Who Drive With Uber Pursue Their Passions

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

In Illinois, women like Cassandra achieve their dreams while having flexibility to spend time with family

Learn how women drivers are using their time on and off the road

  Comments Off      


From the mouths of babes

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WCMY…

Almost two months into his term in the General Assembly, Republican St. Rep. Jed Davis says Republicans are sometimes part of the problem. He says a few have the attitude that they can put lobbyist interests over those of constituents because the lobbyists will protect them. Davis isn’t naming them but says only a few have made those comments, so he’s holding on to hope. That’s one of three things he calls his most shocking discoveries since taking office.

Davis also isn’t happy that nothing starts on time. He says it’s not unusual to wait 40 to 50 minutes for a session to start. He says a Republican caucus on Tuesday lasted until 2:50pm, even though six committees were scheduled to start meetings at 2:00. He says a meeting is considered to be on time if it’s 20 minutes late.

The Newark Republican did tell the station that he feels “beyond blessed” to serve. Go read the rest. Rep. Davis defeated incumbent Rep. David Welter in the GOP primary last year.

  13 Comments      


Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

  Comments Off      


Today’s must-read

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I strongly encouraged subscribers to read the Chicago Tribune’s preview of the “ComEd 4″ trial earlier today, and now I’ll do the same for everyone else. Click here.

  7 Comments      


Illinois government has to get smarter

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared last week when announcing the formation of the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center that the state was building “the best behavioral health system in the nation.”

It was quite a bold thing to say. So, my associate Isabel Miller and I asked a couple of follow-up questions: How long will this take, and how much will it cost?

The response from a spokesperson was kinda underwhelming: “Under Governor Pritzker’s leadership, the state has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild our behavioral health infrastructure and the Governor is committed to continuing these critical investments year after year to build the best system in the nation. Illinois has climbed in the national rankings by putting our people first and we’re on the right path if we continue to make generational change. With our statewide partnerships and continued investment Illinois will soon serve as the national standard for a behavioral health system that prioritizes workers and provides the best possible care for those who need it.”

That obviously didn’t answer either of our questions. And no Brownie Points for brevity, either. Sorry to make you read it.

Also, the background information the governor’s office sent about the administration’s progress didn’t quite match up with the governor’s flowery rhetoric.

Recent national rankings issued by Mental Health America, a group founded more than a century ago, show Illinois has moved from an 11th-place overall mental health back in 2018 to 9th place this year. An overall ranking of 1-13, according to the organization, “indicates lower prevalence of mental illness and higher rates of access to care.”

However, the state’s ranking for adults actually slipped during that time period, from 8th to 9th, and the ranking for youth remained at 13th. This despite spending hundreds of millions of additional dollars since the start of 2019 on mental health initiatives.

Even so, a key stakeholder heaped praise on the governor’s plan to use the new Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center to lead the revamp of the long-troubled Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in deep southern Illinois.

Equip for Equality issued an investigative report back in 2005 that documented numerous horrors at Choate. The group called for the facility’s closure at the time. “Nearly two decades later,” the group claimed last week via press release, “enhanced monitoring activities show little has changed.”

The group says Choate residents continue to be “segregated” from their community “without receiving the necessary services to actually address why they ended up there.” Residents, the group said, continue to be “afraid of staff and peers, and afraid of retaliation if they report staff abuse.”

“Many of the recent news stories are about incidents that happened a year or more ago,” said Stacey Aschemann, Equip for Equality’s vice president in charge of monitoring the conditions at Choate. “Based on our recent monitoring, we can say without a doubt that these continue to be ongoing issues.”

So, why has it taken so long for the state to act? The governor told reporters the state simply hadn’t had the financial resources to do enough about the problem. The new Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center has been in the works for five years and will hopefully help the state increase the workforce size enough to deal with the issues, not only at Choate, but throughout the state. With more tax revenues coming in, the state can start getting a handle on things.

And, make no mistake, the problems are severe, despite what national rankings may show. Currently, 15,000 people are on a waiting list for community-based intellectual and developmental disabilities placement, according to a report last week by Capitol News Illinois, Lee Enterprises and ProPublica Illinois.

Those outlets’ reporting on Choate, by the way, sparked the recent intense interest in the facility’s many problems and helped push the administration into action, a fact that Pritzker himself has acknowledged.

There are, of course, parochial concerns about any changes at Choate. Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), who represents the area, claimed the central problem is with facility management (a good point) and said she opposed moving residents out of the facility (not so good). AFSCME, of course, is worried about the future of its members at Choate.

The bottom line is the state just has to get smarter. These problems have existed for decades and decades, and the folks at Choate and thousands of others across this state deserve care and help, not physical abuse and neglect. The people in charge need to be better than this, so this attempt to bring new workers into the system and keep them there cannot fail.

  8 Comments      


Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

  Comments Off      


Open thread

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Good morning! Hopefully everyone had a restful weekend despite losing an hour. What’s going on in your part of Illinois…

…Added by Rich… This place was so much fun…


Click here to learn more about Stella Coffee & Tea.

  7 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Here’s the roundup…

  6 Comments      


Live coverage

Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Follow along with ScribbleLive…


  Comments Off      


« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Catching up with the congressionals
* Do better
* Big Beautiful Bill roundup: Pritzker says special session may not be needed, warns 330,000 Illinoisans could lose Medicaid; Planned Parenthood of Illinois pledges to continue care despite cuts (Updated)
* RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois
* 'The Chosen One' tones himself down
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today's edition
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Live coverage
* Selected react to budget reconciliation bill passage (Updated x3 - Comments open)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
July 2025
June 2025
May 2025
April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller