Sneed has learned former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is unloading his Super PAC big-time to back Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s soda tax.
The billionaire Bloomberg is one of the few who has the resources and political savvy to fight back and he is apparently rolling his plan into Illinois, starting tomorrow, to do just that.
Sneed has learned that a seven-figure broadcast and radio buy was made Thursday and Bloomberg plans to be “on the ground” driving that message and supporting those who support the tax for as long as it takes,” according to a top Sneed source. […]
“Bloomberg’s determination and resources could very likely impact elections throughout the state, not just Cook County, in 2018,” he added. “Having spent over $20 million in San Francisco, this development could easily see the largest issue advocacy fight in the history of Illinois.”
As you may know, a new tax has taken effect in Cook County that places a one cent per ounce tax on most sweetened beverages. We’d like to know if you APPROVE, or DISAPPROVE of the new Cook County beverage tax that places a new tax on most sweetened beverages.
The former New York City mayor tomorrow will begin airing what a spokesman says will be a $2 million-plus TV ad campaign in the Chicago media market. The spots don’t mention Preckwinkle, but do make the case she has tried to make that the penny-an-ounce levy on sweetened tax is about health, not raising money.
The spot depicts a teenager in front of a vending machine. Only, instead of cans of pop, there are signs saying “obesity,” “tooth decay,” “kidney failure” and the like.
In the background, an announcer declares, “When kids drink soda pop, they’re getting a lot more than they bargain for.” The announcer goes on to mention that drinking just one can of soda a day can make a child gain 10 pounds a year in weight, and declares that a soda tax “can make a difference” by making children healthier and providing money for county health programs.
The ads, which also will run on radio and online, were commissioned after Bloomberg “decided it was important to counter all the one-sided advertising from the soda industry,” said a spokesman. “This is a campaign to counterbalance all the special interests that profit off soda.”
It’s a good ad, but it should’ve been running months ago.
* Press release from Can The Tax…
Cook County has issued an SOS over its deeply unpopular beverage tax.
With dwindling credibility and a brewing voter revolt, Cook County and County Board President Toni Preckwinkle have turned to a New York City billionaire to try and tell county residents why they’re wrong about the unfair, anti-working family beverage tax.
That’s right. New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg has announced a $2 million-plus television ad buy in Cook County beginning tomorrow. Bloomberg’s track record has been to mislead viewers by making unproven public health claims. We don’t think Cook County families need an outsider billionaire to tell them what to do.
Cook County’s call for a lifesaver comes as resident outrage over the beverage tax is at record levels, some county retailers are already reporting beverage sales declines as much as 39%, and residents are voicing their outrage.
Cook County residents, local shops and restaurants don’t need New Yorkers to tell them they are wrong – they know this tax is just a money grab that has dramatically increased costs for consumers, is hurting small businesses and will hurt small businesses.
It’s an act of desperation when Cook County and President Preckwinkle have to turn to a New York billionaire for leadership in their effort to whitewash a tax that residents, consumers, small businesses, editorial boards and a growing list of bipartisan elected officials have universally rejected.
“Illinois Democrats are kidding themselves - today is really Madigan Day at the Illinois State Fair. Democrat candidates for governor have nothing to celebrate about Madigan’s record-setting, disastrous reign of terror over Illinois, but that doesn’t stop them from traveling to Springfield to showcase their loyalty and kiss his ring.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
After Speaker Mike Madigan landed the title of “longest-serving state House speaker in U.S. history,” Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair is no longer known as Democrat Day - it’s Madigan Day.
At the helm of the Democratic Party of Illinois since 1998, Madigan has used his Chicago machine to accumulate wealth for himself and his cronies, consolidate political power, hike taxes, and squash reform, all to the detriment of Illinois families and taxpayers.
Now Democrat candidates for governor have made the journey from Chicago to Springfield to showcase their loyalty and kiss Madigan’s ring. With loyalists like these, it’s no surprise Madigan wants an ally in the Governor’s Mansion:
Democrats, meanwhile, sought again to link the governor, a wealthy businessman, to Trump. Chicago Ald. Ameya Pawar, who has been vocal in accusing Rauner of using race to divide the state, likened the governor’s rewrite of a Democratic-backed school-funding bill known as SB1 to the same tensions that can fuel white-supremacist efforts like the Charlottesville protest.
Rauner has “been a coward from day one on these issues. That’s the thing. What people need to realize is Charlottesville bubbles up when we allow politicians to divide poor white people against poor black and brown people. This is exactly what he’s doing with SB1,” Pawar told reporters, echoing the same thoughts later at the brunch.
“So, Charlottesville is at the extreme end. But what Bruce Rauner is doing with SB1 is on that same spectrum of what white supremacists did in Charlottesville. So dividing the state based on where we live and what we look like, based on public school funding, based on race and class, that’s how we eventually end up with issues like Charlottesville, and he’s contributing to it,” Pawar said. […]
“I think the governor’s hesitation, his lack of moral compass, his unwillingness to take a stand earlier on the president’s moral behavior really encouraging domestic terrorism to try to influence the actions of a town like Charlottesville — I think that’s immoral and stands on its own,” Kennedy said. […]
“It’s so sad that Gov. Rauner feels that the way to address the situation of murder and white supremacy and neo-Nazis is to start by putting his finger in the wind and figuring out where the political winds are blowing. It’s just a shame,” Biss said.
Billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist J.B. Pritzker took note of a Fox News interview the governor did last week in which he was asked whether Trump is a good president.
“He was afraid to utter a negative word,” Pritzker told thousands at the breakfast. “Well I’m not afraid. Donald Trump is a racist and a bigot and a xenophobe and a liar. And Bruce Rauner’s silence is deafening.” […]
Earlier, Kennedy took shots at what he called Rauner’s “hesitation” to take a stand earlier on Charlottesville.
“I think the governor took his time in being critical of the president and the president took his time in being critical of the folks who tried to intimidate the people in Charlottesville to change a decision … that’s intimidation. That’s terrorism,” Kennedy said. “They’re trying to force somebody to make a decision, to make a political decision and we don’t allow that in this country. And for the governor to be hesitant on that point, for the president to be hesitant on that point is to put democracy at risk.”
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate increased +0.1 percentage points to 4.8 percent in July and nonfarm payrolls increased by +2,100 jobs over-the-month, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. June job growth was revised down to show an increase of +6,400 jobs rather than the preliminary estimate of +8,600 jobs.
July’s monthly payroll gain kept over-the-year job growth well below the national average. In the first seven months of 2017, payroll growth is growing twice as fast as 2016, but growing at half the pace of 2015 for the same seven-month period.
“The strong employment growth exhibited in the U.S. is not being felt in Illinois,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “Nonfarm payroll growth in the state remains anemic and labor force participation continues to decline.”
“The modest gains in Illinois continue to lag behind the rest of the nation,” said Illinois Department of Commerce Director Sean McCarthy. “We need reforms to provide business owners relief and incentives to make our state not only competitive, but attractive to bring good jobs back to Illinois.”
In July, the three industry sectors with the largest gains in employment were: Professional and Business Services (+6,200); Leisure and Hospitality (+4,000); and Other Services (+1,800). The largest payroll declines were in the following sectors: Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-3,700); Education and Health Services (-3,200); and Construction (-1,800).
Over-the-year, nonfarm payroll employment increased by +33,200 jobs with the largest gains in these industry sectors in July: Professional and Business Services (+20,700); Leisure and Hospitality (+11,600); and Financial Activities (+9,500). Industry sectors with the largest over-the-year declines include: Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-10,700); Construction (-4,300); and Government (-2,300). The +0.7 percent over-the-year gain in Illinois is about one-half as strong as the +1.5 percent gain posted by the nation in July.
The state’s unemployment rate is +0.5 percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate reported for July 2017, which decreased to 4.3 percent. The Illinois unemployment rate is down -1.0 percentage points from a year ago when it was 5.8 percent. At 4.8 percent, the Illinois jobless rate stands -0.9 percentage points lower than January 2017.
The number of unemployed workers increased +2.0 percent from the prior month to 308,200, down -18.6 percent over the same month for the prior year. This was the second consecutive over-the-month gain in the number of unemployed persons. The labor force decreased -0.4 percent over-the-month and declined by -1.2 percent in July over the prior year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and are seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.
Of all the elected GOP incumbents, Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) of Illinois seems like he is clearly in the most trouble. Businessman J.B. Pritzker (D), who can match the also super-wealthy Rauner dollar for dollar, is asserting himself in the Democratic primary against businessman Chris Kennedy (yes, he is one of THE Kennedys) and others. This is a true Toss-up, although Rauner, who has been feuding with the Democratic legislature his entire time in office, is in really serious trouble.
The race is a “true Toss-up” but Rauner is in “really serious trouble”? Can y’all explain this to me?
No one in the Illinois House of Representatives voted Wednesday in support of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s rewrite of a school funding plan, as Democrats demonstrated the general dissatisfaction with the governor’s proposal.
Earlier this month, Mr. Rauner rejected a funding formula, passed by both houses of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly, that allocates state aid to the neediest school districts first.
After the governor made changes to the legislation, the state Senate rejected them Sunday, when one Republican lawmaker joined the chamber’s 37 Democrats to achieve the three-fifths majority necessary to override Mr. Rauner’s veto.
To better gauge support for an override attempt in their chamber, House Speaker Michael Madigan and other Democratic representatives put Mr. Rauner’s changes to Senate Bill 1 in a new piece of legislation Wednesday and forced a test vote. Sixty members voted against it, 33 simply voted present and none voted in support. […]
The governor’s repudiation Wednesday comes just a month after the legislature overrode his veto to levy a roughly $5 billion income tax increase and pass the state’s first budget in more than two years.
The governor can’t be happy with that take. At all.
* But after saying for days that he wanted the General Assembly to accept his SB1 amendatory veto, he did a flip-flop reminiscent of a former governor…
In one of the more bizarre political moves in the history of Illinois state government, Gov. Rod Blagojevich Thursday urged lawmakers to do the opposite of what he had urged them to do on Wednesday. He urged them to vote against the gross receipts tax that a day earlier he had implored them to approve.
Rauner vetoed similar legislation in 2016, so lawmakers went back to work, crafting such agreeable legislation that it gained unanimous approval in both the House and Senate — a feat made even more staggering when placed in the context of the partisan rancor that has gripped and gridlocked Springfield for years.
SB 1933 closely aligns the new automatic voter registration system with the state’s Real ID program and is designed to make the process less expensive, more modern and more secure. It also builds in the time it will take to develop a fair and effective system before launch, rather than putting the cart several lengths ahead of the horse.
Further, the plan offers an opt-out provision. That would make it possible for anyone to make sure they are not included on the voter rolls. We strongly encourage all eligible citizens to exercise their right to vote, but in so doing we accept the freedom of choice extends to the decision of whether or not to cast a ballot or whether to be registered at all. And so it became paramount for any automatic registration to include this option.
With all these safeguards in place, and with a promise from May that the governor would sign the bill, how is it possible we’re halfway through August and Rauner still hasn’t sealed the deal? If he doesn’t put pen to paper, the bill could die when the calendar turns to September.
On June 1 we urged the governor to sign the bill without delay. Other newspapers made similar requests, not to mention that unanimous support from both chambers. If Rauner refuses to sign, he could at least extend us the dignity of an explanation. If his approval is only a formality, then what possible reason can there be for taking so long?
* The governor’s former staff made some changes to the bill that could benefit the GOP. For instance, the implementation date was moved to 2019 for all agencies except the Secretary of State’s driver facilities, which is after the 2018 election. And…
Removes the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Department on Aging from the definition of “designated automatic voter registration agency” and includes the divisions of Family and Community Services and Rehabilitation Services of the Department of Human Services (rather than the entirety of the Department of Human Services) in the definition
Rauner’s former staff also added the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Natural Resources to the list of designated automatic voter registration agencies. So hunters, fishing enthusiasts and regulated business owners can be automatically registered.
Proponents are getting nervous and there’s lots of speculation that the new ideologically motivated staff is the real holdup. Stay tuned.
An Illinois appeals court is standing by its decision to dismiss a Paxton bed-and-breakfast’s appeal of $80,000 in penalties imposed by the state’s Human Rights Commission in connection with the discrimination of a same-sex couple.
The Fourth District of the Illinois Appellate Court entered an order Wednesday denying a motion filed by Chicago attorney Jason Craddock that had asked the court to reverse the dismissal of the appeal.
Craddock filed the appeal on behalf of Jim Walder, co-owner of the TimberCreek Bed-and-Breakfast west of Paxton, who is facing penalties that include paying $30,000 to Todd and Mark Wathen for their emotional distress and paying the Wathens’ attorneys $50,000 in fees.
The penalties were imposed last year by a three-member panel of the Human Rights Commission, as recommended by an administrative law judge appointed by the commission. The judge and panel both found that Walder violated the civil rights of the Wathens, who live in Tuscola, by refusing to host their civil-union ceremony at his B&B in 2011, and then sending them a series of emails citing Biblical verses and denouncing homosexuality as “wrong and unnatural.”
In general, do you APPROVE, or DISAPPROVE of the job Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle is doing?
Approve 21.12%
Disapprove 67.98%
No opinion 10.90%
Do you AGREE, or DISAGREE with the following statement: “I will probably vote to re-elect Toni Preckwinkle as County Board President no matter who is running against her.”
Yes 16.18%
No 75.06%
Unsure 8.76%
Does that fact that Toni Preckwinkle cast the deciding vote that created the Cook County beverage tax make you MORE LIKELY or LESS LIKELY to vote to re-elect her?
More likely to re elect 10.00%
Less likely to re elect 84.49%
No difference 5.51%
If the survey is right, Preckwinkle’s personal numbers are almost as bad as those for her penny-an-ounce tax on sweetened beverages. […]
“President Preckwinkle is solely focused on navigating the county through tough economic circumstances and leading on behalf of the people of Cook County,” Preckwinkle political aide Scott Kastrup said in a statement. “Her strong record of reforming county government, improving access to healthcare, protecting public safety services and standing up to special interests are why she has broad support across the county and why she’s in strong position to win-re-election next year.” […]
Crosstabs indicate there is little variation among racial and ethnic groups about Preckwinkle and her tax. For instance, disapproval of her job performance ranges from 65 percent among whites and 67 percent among African Americans to 81 percent among Latinos. […]
The only figure now known to be actively considering a race against Preckwinkle in next year’s elections is fellow commissioner Richard Boykin, a Democrat who represents the West Side and western suburbs including Oak Park.
You can’t beat somebody with nobody, so we’ll see if she gets an opponent. And maybe the furor will die down, or maybe it won’t. But these county numbers are worse than a recent statewide poll of Donald Trump’s and Bruce Rauner’s approval ratings.
This poll was conducted from August 15 through August 16, 2017 using both automated (recorded) and live operator-initiated calls cell phones. In all, 902 registered voters completed all questions on the poll; 450 of the responses came from cell phones. The voters dialed were randomly selected from a proprietary registered-voter database of likely voters to assure the greatest chance of providing an accurate cross-section of opinion from the county-wide sample. No weighting formulas were applied to correct any over- and under-sampling.
Cook County officials say they’ve solved a problem with the new sweetened beverage tax that put roughly $87 million in funding used to run the federal food stamp program in Illinois at risk of being withheld. […]
The county solved the issue by striking language permitting refunds from the regulation, which “will ensure ongoing access of SNAP benefits for eligible Illinois households,” county spokesman Frank Shuftan said in a statement Thursday.
The USDA confirmed that the county notified the agency that it had corrected the issue.
*** UPDATE 2 *** ILGOP…
Cook County is fed up with politics as usual from Toni Preckwinkle. A shocking poll out today finds that there is overwhelming opposition to Preckwinkle’s signature tax - nearly 7 in 10 registered Cook County voters oppose her soda tax.
But where does J.B. Pritzker stand? So far, all we’ve heard is silence from the normally talkative billionaire.
Could it be that Pritzker’s ties to the Cook County machine prevent him from speaking out?
Could it be that Pritzker is just so thankful for the Cook County Democratic Party’s endorsement that he refuses to take on their reckless members and stand up for taxpayers?
Or maybe running mate Juliana Stratton is stopping Pritzker from doing the right thing – since she’s a “member of Ms. Preckwinkle’s inner circle” and her “protégé”.
Either way, Pritzker’s silence says it all - he’s okay with massive tax hikes that threaten to take millions in federal funding away from those in need.
* The Sun-Times editorializes today on a county map we discussed the other day which had the ratio of what people send to state government versus what they get back…
Rauner has built his political career, such as it is, by bashing Chicago for the woes of Illinois. He stomps around Downstate stirring up resentments, telling the people of smaller cities and towns that the big bad city is sponging up their money and playing them for suckers.
This hasn’t worked well for the governor. He has little to show for his first 2½ years in office. But he’s playing the game yet again in his opposition to a bill that would overhaul the way schools are funded in Illinois, complaining speciously that it is a “Chicago bailout.”
Now comes news, though, that Rauner may have it all backward. If anybody is “bailing out” anybody, it’s the northeast counties of Illinois, with the mighty engine of Chicago at their hub, bailing out the rest of the state. On Monday, a 2015 study was released that shows Cook and the other suburban counties get less money back from the state than they give — 80 cents or less for every dollar — while almost all Downstate counties get back more than they give — as much as $2 or more for every dollar.
Cook County, that is to say, is “bailing out” Sangamon County, and Lake County is “bailing out” Wayne County, and DuPage is “bailing out” Jackson, and Kane is “bailing out” Union, and Will is “bailing out” St. Clair, and Kendall is “bailing out” Crawford, and McHenry is “bailing out” Hardin.
Why don’t we try a different tack? Let’s move away from this useless debate about who is bailing out whom. It will always, for one, be inconclusive. […]
If the “bailout” blame game is unending, it also misses the point. Illinois will never get its mojo back until it moves forward as a whole, not as a collection of feuding parts. No corner of the state wants to be short-changed, but the needs of all corners are not the same. If, for example, more Medicaid money flows downstate because more people need Medicaid downstate, so be it. That’s not a bailout. That’s fairness.
State GOP Party Chair Tim Schneider said the party gave out 2,000 tickets to the Governor’s Day rally. He then needled Democrats for canceling the traditional party events at the fair: “They can’t even field a team,” he said.
* 47th Ward made a good point in comments today that others have also made this week…
Who is the likely GOP nominee for Secretary of State? Did he or she give a speech yesterday? Were there any signs or tee shirts? Has Rauner endorsed a candidate who will run “as an independent Republican,” like Erika Harold, yet?
Treasurer?
Comptroller?
Those candidates sure missed a good opportunity to meet Republican grass roots activists yesterday. What a shame.
Both parties traditionally use their State Fair rallies to showcase statewide candidates. That didn’t happen yesterday except for their AG candidate because the Republicans don’t yet have any candidates for three statewide offices, even though petitions can be circulated on September 5th, which is just a few weeks from now.
Maybe they were just hoping to showcase Harold, or maybe they realized that Rauner would overshadow any other announcement, but it does seem a bit odd that they haven’t yet filled out their statewide slate. Tick-tock.
The four legislative leaders are scheduled to meet in Chicago Friday to discuss a possible compromise funding bill. But Madigan said Wednesday he isn’t sure Rauner wants to compromise. Madigan said he and House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs began meeting last week, and Madigan said he offered a “compromise proposal to Rep. Durkin which he took back to the governor. The governor rejected the proposal.”
“I have a serious doubt that Governor Rauner wants any kind of agreement on this issue,” Madigan said. […]
Rauner’s office denied getting a compromise proposal.
“This is absolutely false,” said spokeswoman Laurel Patrick. “The governor has received no offer of compromise from the Speaker through Leader Durkin. In fact, Gov. Rauner has been calling for compromise for weeks now and has reiterated this call daily since.”
* I asked Leader Durkin’s office for a comment and here’s what they sent…
“For a second time, Jesse White is breaking his pledge to voters not to run for re-election. It’s no surprise, coming from a career politician and Madigan patronage chief who consistently breaks his word.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe
After a disastrous license plate rollout called “ghastly” and “a mashup of indiscernible clip art” by members of the press, Secretary of State Jesse White today announced he would run for re-election.
The announcement comes after White repeatedly promised he would not run for re-election.
In 2009, White told the Southern that “if re-elected to a fourth term in 2010, he will retire in 2014 and pursue only volunteer work.”
White broke that promise in 2014, running for re-election.
In 2015, White doubled down, saying “I’m not running in this next election.”
And in 2016, White said “You can take it to the bank. This is it. This is my last tour of duty.”
The Chicago Sun-Times then reported that Madigan wanted to change White’s mind. Now Jesse White has obliged.
White’s decision to break his promise is a gift to Madigan. Jesse White is well known for a “pattern of patronage” in his office. Mike Madigan relies on this patronage for his political machine.
Moody’s has issued a short report on the failure of the State of Illinois (rated Baa3/negative outlook) to distribute the first payment of FY 2018 general state aid to its school districts. This action is credit negative for those districts, and will weigh most heavily on those with significant dependence on state aid and lower cash reserves. The lapsed distribution follows the state’s failure to adopt a new state aid funding formula, as required by the state’s fiscal 2018 budget bill, enacted on July 6. The state’s distribution of grants owed to districts from the previous year somewhat mitigates the delay, but the effects will grow if the impasse continues.
While Illinois’ FY 2018 budget increases school district funding, it makes the distribution contingent on the state’s adoption of an “evidence-based funding” model. On August 1, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), which would have created the model required by the budget bill. A three-fifths majority in the legislature is required to adopt his amendments, override his veto or pass another bill to change the formula. On August 13, the Senate passed on override of the veto. The House came back into session on August 16, but has yet to act on an override.
Moody’s rates 256 school districts in Illinois. We expect 5-20 of these will have deteriorated credit within months because they may use cash reserves or borrow to cushion effects from the state aid delay. The delay will harm more districts if the impasse extends for several months. However, districts that source less than 10% of annual revenue from state aid, approximately 100 of rated school districts, would likely weather even a funding delay that lasts a year or longer with minimal effect on their reserves and credit profile. Illinois districts with lower property wealth or higher poverty tend to rely much more heavily on state aid.
Among Moody’s-rated Illinois school districts, 17 received more than 40% of revenue from state operating aid, while an additional 32 relied on aid for 30%-40% of revenue. However, many of those districts carry very high cash balances. Illinois school districts across the rating scale tend to hold higher cash reserves compared with school districts in other states.
*** UPDATE *** Pritzker campaign…
After Bruce Rauner’s school funding veto caused the state to miss its first payment to public schools across the state, Moody’s warns that dozens of schools may see “deteriorated credit within months.” The ratings agency says Rauner’s failure on school funding leaves public schools with a “credit negative” outlook, meaning downgrades could be right around the corner starting with low-income and high-poverty districts.
This new warning from Moody’s comes just a day after Rauner’s school funding plan received zero votes in the House and two weeks after Fitch said Rauner’s veto could cause more credit downgrades at state colleges and universities.
“Public school kids in low-income districts are being shoved aside by Bruce Rauner, even after he couldn’t get a single vote on his school funding plan,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “This failed governor should be ashamed of himself for putting the education of our kids in jeopardy while he pursues a devastating plan that has zero support.”
It’s now been 125 days since all the Democratic candidates for governor of Illinois pledged to follow Daniel Biss in releasing their tax returns.
To date, none have.
If you’re down in Springfield for Dem Day, it’s worth asking Mr. Pritzker and Mr. Kennedy why it’s taken so long to keep their word and release their tax returns.
Democratic governor candidate J.B. PRITZKER says he intends to provide income-tax return information well before the March primary.
“I’ll put them out soon,” he said when I asked about the issue in an interview I had this week with him and his running mate, state Rep. JULIANA STRATTON, D-Chicago.
GOP Gov. BRUCE RAUNER, who doesn’t take pay as governor but made more than $187 million in 2015, has provided income-tax information during his time in office, though he only provides the top couple pages of state and federal joint returns with his wife.
Pritzker, who Forbes lists as having net worth of $3.4 billion, said he didn’t know if he would put out all the schedules with his disclosure.
In a change from a commitment Gov. Bruce Rauner had previously made to immigrant rights groups, the Illinois TRUST Act, a bill that would limit the ways local police help federal authorities enforce immigration law, is currently “under review”. […]
“This summer, his team did confirm that he is committed to signing it. So it is our expectation, that he will be signing this bill,” Andy Kang, legal director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago and one of the authors of the bill, said on The 21st on Tuesday. “We hope that we can follow-up with him, get a bill signing location and date established, and really celebrate this as a win for the community.”
But in an interview with Fox News last Friday, Governor Rauner told Bret Baier that his staff “is evaluating that bill right now…We’re going to evaluate it and then we’ll make an announcement about how we’re going to deal with that.”
A spokeswoman with Governor Rauner’s office confirmed to The 21st on Wednesday that the TRUST Act is indeed “under review.” […]
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago, one of the groups that helped write the bill, said on Wednesday that they were also reaching out to the governor’s office for clarification on whether or not he would sign the bill.
Oregon became the first state to make all abortions free when their Democrat governor signed a bill into law Monday. Illinois could become the second state if Governor Rauner signs HB 40 into law.
Republicans gathered at the State Fair Wednesday to celebrate “Governor’s Day” and when reporters asked, the governor didn’t say directly what he plans to do with a bill sitting on his desk that will cause Illinois taxpayers to pay for all abortions.
However, Governor Rauner did tell reporters that he “strongly supports women’s reproductive rights, and that he always has and always will,” Terri Koyne of Benld wrote on her Facebook page. […]
“If he signs or allows this bill to become law and you are a social conservative, this should be enough to say that you can no longer support him,” Koyne said. “If you are a fiscal conservative, this should be enough to say that you can no longer support him.”
Those following the stories about the governor’s wife being heavily involved in policy-making and strategizing for his campaign are reminded how adamantly pro-abortion Mrs. Rauner has consistently been. Even during the 2014 campaign, Mrs. Rauner appealed to pro-abortion supporters and the Rauners have been generous to pro-abortion groups such as Personal PAC and Planned Parenthood.
Today, Daniel Biss announced the endorsement of Congresswoman Robin Kelly at a joint press conference before the Illinois Democratic County Chairman’s Brunch in Springfield.
“Illinois families deserve a governor who’s committed to creating jobs, empowering people with the skills for good-paying jobs and tackling gun violence. Daniel Biss has the experience to deliver on his promises,” said Congresswoman Kelly. “Daniel is a fighter for the forgotten and the middle class. He will be a strong, principled voice is Springfield for our values. I trust him to be my Governor and I hope you will too.”
“Congresswoman Kelly has been a fiercely independent voice throughout her career in public service,” said Daniel Biss. “From taking on and defeating an entrenched incumbent to pushing for common sense gun safety laws, Congresswoman Kelly has always followed her conscience amidst the moral chaos of Springfield and Washington. She understands the challenges of running against big money and brand names—and the power of Illinois voters to make their voices heard in our elections. It’s an honor to have her endorsement.”
Gov. Rauner touts plan for Illinois children at Governor’s Day
Calls for support of his plan to fairly distribute school funding
Governor Bruce Rauner addressed hundreds of visitors today at the State Fair’s Governor’s Day, emphasizing his effort to ensure Illinois schoolchildren receive fair and equitable funding in their classrooms.
He stressed the importance of his plan for the future of Illinois schools. Under the Governor’s plan, 98% of school districts receive more money than they would under the current plan pushed through the legislature by Mike Madigan.
Rauner is focused on putting the money where it belongs, in Illinois classrooms, instead of providing special deals for the broken financial structure in Chicago.
From Governor Rauner’s remarks:
“Everyone in Illinois deserves a great education for their children, regardless of what their family income is, regardless of where they live, regardless of their neighborhood. Every neighborhood needs a great school. We as Republicans fight to make sure we have school fairness and school equity, and we’ve got the best K-12 system in America, and that’s what we’re going to get with this new education funding formula.” …
… “we’ve had a broken education system in Illinois for decades.” …
… “we’re going to get more money from the state into our K-12 system and I want it equitably spread throughout the state, equally for the city and the suburbs and around the state of Illinois. ” …
…”We had the beginnings of a good bill drafted up and I was excited about it, but you know what happened? Speaker Madigan and his cronies grabbed that bill and stuffed in a massive bailout, a massive special deal for the city of Chicago.”
Secretary of State Jesse White will announce Thursday he intends to run for a sixth term, his team confirmed.
The announcement comes at Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair where the eight candidates seeking the governor’s post will be front and center.
White, 83, is a top vote-getter. He had said at Democrat Day in 2015 that he would not run again, but he has since rethought that decision.
Political insiders believe if White had decided to bow out, that would have shifted the focus and campaign funds from the governor’s post to the highly sought-after job of secretary of state.
*** UPDATE *** Secretary White just made it official. “I am your man and I will be at my duty station every day.”
Governor Bruce Rauner and Republicans across Illinois rallied in support of the Governor’s reform agenda and made clear they will hold Mike Madigan’s machine politicians accountable for the damage they’ve inflicted upon taxpayers.
Check out some of the news coverage from the fair:
WCIA: Governor’s day takes aim at Speaker
Hundreds of supporters showed up, but the overall theme was gearing up for the 2018 election and winning seats to flip the majority. Governor Rauner kicked off the event rallying the crowd with high hopes.
… The event was filled with Madigan shirts and buttons which negatively portrayed the Speaker.
“You know why we’re going to pick up at least nine seats maybe a dozen because Democrats just as much as Republicans are angry. They know the system is broken, they know Mike Madigan has set up a machine that makes him rich.”
WGN: Governor’s Day, school funding at center stage in Springfield
It’s Governor Day at the Illinois State Fair and Governor Bruce Rauner is rallying the troops ahead of next year’s election.
“This is an exciting election. We’re going to win on to victory in 2018. Let’s restore Democracy in the State of Illinois,” said Rauner.
NPR Illinois: Rauner Outlines 2018 Campaign Themes: Madigan, Madigan, Madigan
Illinois Republicans are gearing up for Gov. Bruce Rauner’s re-election fight. At a state fair rally Wednesday, they made clear their campaign will focus on one man.
… “We cannot give into Madigan and his Chicago agenda any longer,” said Tim Schneider, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party.
“Our goal is to win the House back, and make Leader Durkin Speaker Durkin in 2018,” he said, referring to House Minority Leader Jim Durkin.
Chicago Sun-Times: Rauner releases two TV ads ahead of Illinois House school funding vote
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Governor’s Day released two television ads, paid for by his campaign, in his push to try to squash a veto override in the Illinois House.
The two 30-second spots will be aired statewide, alongside digital ads and phone calls, according to Rauner’s campaign committee Citizens for Rauner.
… “Tell Speaker Madigan we’ve had enough,” one of the ads says.
Gov. Bruce Rauner rallied fellow Republicans Wednesday to “ignite a political revolution against the broken political system in Illinois” that in the 2018 election could oust the “corrupt politicians” in power.
That was part of his speech at the Governor’s Day rally at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. And while there was no mention from officials on that stage of Republican President Donald Trump, Rauner told reporters just before the speeches started that he strongly disagrees with Trump’s blaming both sides for violence that resulted in a death at a recent rally of white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia.
“I vehemently disagree with the president’s comments about Charlottesville,” Rauner said. “We must stand together against hatred and bigotry and violence.”
Asked if Trump’s comments could hurt the Republican brand, Rauner said, “What I care about is the comments damage America. We are all Americans. It doesn’t matter what party.”
After steering clear of discussing President Donald Trump or even uttering his name for many months, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday issued a harsh denunciation of the president’s take on the deadly Virginia protest.
“I vehemently disagree with the president’s comments about the tragedy in Charlottesville,” Rauner said. “We must stand together against hatred and racism and bigotry and violence and we must condemn those actions in Charlottesville in the strongest terms.” […]
Rauner’s pushback to Trump contrasted with a morning breakfast and an afternoon Republican rally where the governor didn’t mention the president’s much-criticized Tuesday remarks in which he equated neo-Nazi and white supremacist protesters with counterprotesters.
The traditional Republican rally featured no Trump signs, though a vendor was selling red Trump-themed “Make America Great Again” hats. Still, the controversies swirling around the president hung over the festivities much like the rain clouds over the fairgrounds.
Members of the Illinois House of Representatives twice expressed unanimous opposition Wednesday to expressions of racial animus.
In an official 105-0 vote, the House adopted a resolution — sponsored by Rep. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, and Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills — which vilifies white supremacists. The proclamation specifically “repudiates and condemns'’ neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan and others that “espouse hate.'’
The vote was a response to incidents in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend, where a woman was killed and 19 injured when a man plowed his car into a group of counterdemonstrators at a rally of white supremacists protesting the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee.
An emotional state Rep. Jaime Andrade brought lawmakers to their feet on Wednesday in denouncing an Illinois Policy Institute cartoon that depicted a young African-American boy from Chicago begging for money for school from a wealthy white man with half-empty pockets.
The North Side Democrat denounced the cartoon as “s—,” prompting Democrats to rise to give him a standing ovation, with Republicans quickly joining in.
The conservative think tank defended the cartoon, arguing it was not racist, but late Wednesday took it down from the organization’s website, saying the controversy was a distraction from the real issue, “the failure of political leaders to address the root cause of our struggling education system.” […]
State Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, also joined in on the debate on Twitter: “Cartoons don’t make racism any more palatable @illinoispolicy should delete their cartoon and apologize. That has no place in policy debate.”
Rep. Jaime Andrade, D-Chicago, raised the issue on the House floor Wednesday, asking his colleagues to stand in opposition, saying the representation in the cartoon was “unacceptable.”
“People forget that I am a minority, maybe because I move my hands and think I’m Italian, I don’t know. But this… this is just unacceptable,” Andrade said. “This unbelievable that we, today, in 2017, are still dealing with this s—.. Because that’s what it is.” […]
The Chicago-based advocacy organization, which has counted Rauner among its donors, has been a key player in efforts to promote conservative ideology in Illinois. The group recently took on an even higher profile after Rauner replaced several of his top aides with policy institute staffers.
Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan said he had not seen the cartoon, but noted Rauner’s decision to formally bring the organization into his administration.
* John Tillman press release…
“The Illinois Policy Institute recently published a cartoon to address the sad reality that TIF districts rob Illinois children – including children of color – of the funds necessary for their education. The price our children pay for this misgovernance is steep.
“Some lawmakers are denouncing our cartoon. We respect these lawmakers, both as representatives of their constituencies and as bearers of their own experiences and perceptions, and we acknowledge their critique.
“But our cartoon told the truth: TIFs take away money from all students, and disproportionately harm students of color. We stand by that fact. And we have long fought to help all students get access to better educational opportunities. TIF prevents that.
“We have taken down the cartoon, not because we think it is racist, but because it is a distraction from another truth – the failure of political leaders to address the root cause of our struggling education system. We stand ready to work with all elected officials and advocates who would like to see TIF money properly refocused on students across the state.
“Finally, what we find sad, and frankly offensive, is that in a world where so much real, harmful racism exists, political leaders are using the false charge of racism in an attempt to smear policy opponents and distract the people of Illinois from politicians’ failures.
“This is a distraction from the most important task at hand in the Statehouse: Ensuring equitable education funding for all Illinois students.”
A Republican legislator who was an instrumental leader of the uprising that gave Illinois its first budget in more than two years is leaving state politics, citing an increasingly political and partisan atmosphere in Springfield.
Rep. Steven Andersson, R-Geneva, says he will step down at the end of his term rather than run for re-election in 2018.
“The reality is that this place if very much leadership-driven, and leaders are driven to win. And that means that policy sometimes takes a second place to politics,” Andersson said.
He corrected himself: not sometimes. “Often,” he said. “Too often.”
Andersson was one of a dozen Republicans who joined the General Assembly’s majority Democrats to vote for a budget and income tax increase in July over the objections of Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Shortly thereafter, Andersson was deposed as House Republicans’ floor leader.
* I can’t say this surprises me. Press release…
When our state was on the brink of a financial cliff of such enormity that we would not recover for decades, I came to the same conclusion as many of my colleagues, that the cost of inaction outweighed the cost of compromise.
I, along with a 14 other Republicans, rose up and joined rank and file Democrats in an effort to end the impasse. Due to the partisan infighting, the clock had run out and time was up despite two and a half years of negotiations, there was no viable deal that could be passed in time to save our state from disaster. We could no longer watch while our state burned without a budget for the longest time of any state in U.S. history.
As a result of the vote, we brought the state back from the fiscal edge and passed a balanced budget - the first in decades, while continuing the fight to build on the many reforms we did achieve. These significant reforms include procurement reform, government consolidation initiatives and criminal justice reform. We lived to fight another day and saved the state from financial collapse.
I am proud of the work I have done during my tenure, such as passing legislation giving voters the right to dissolve local governments; being a staunch advocate from the beginning for the future energy jobs bill; insuring children get screened for social emotional learning issues at an early age, making local government and our courts run more efficiently and for honoring our Gold Star Families with their own day each year. Moving forward, I will continue to fight, and I will continue to lead, with the same Republican values I have held to for 40 years. Values entrenched in the notion of living within our means, honoring our commitments, building strong businesses, ensuring equality for all, valuing human life, and delivering a sustainable government. In addition, I will also fight for those who have the least voice: the mentally ill, the developmentally disabled, those afflicted with substance abuse and other issues.
That said, our politics are changing. Even within the time, I have served in Springfield, the temperament of my party has shifted, and the Republican Party values I grew up with seem to be increasingly absent or changing. At this point, I believe that my advocacy will be stronger outside the chamber than within. There are others who are better suited to the current partisan politics of this chamber. At the end of this term I’ll be stepping aside to afford that opportunity to another individual.
I’d like to thank the incredible outpouring of support from both within the district and across the state for my work to bring an end to the budget impasse. It has been truly humbling. It has been an honor to serve the people of 65th district and the realization of a lifelong dream. Thank you.
* Speaker Madigan said today that the House will call the SB1 override motion next Wednesday. If it fails, he said, the House has until August 29th to override the governor’s veto. If it fails again, Madigan said the House would eventually advance HB3163. That’s the bill which contains exactly the same language as the vetoed version of SB1.
“We’re not gonna walk away from Senate Bill 1,” Madigan said. “We’re not walking away from that bill.”
* Madigan said he will continue to meet with the other legislative leaders to try to hammer out a compromise. “We’re prepared to come to an agreement with the governor,” Madigan said. “I question whether he’s prepared to come to an agreement with us.”
Madigan claimed that, over the weekend, a proposal was made to resolve the SB1 issue, but when Leader Durkin took it to the governor, Rauner rejected it.
When told that House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said today the leaders were “close” to an agreement, Madigan said, “I would expect that Mr. Durkin would say that and I wouldn’t be surprised if he and I were close. The better question is ‘What about Mr. Rauner?’”
“It may be that we’ll need reasonable Republicans to come with us,” said Madigan, pointing to the override of the governor’s budget and tax hike vetoes.
* And remember this quote from Gov. Rauner on WTTW?…
Well, the last time the speaker came to see me, he spent the time talking about how he was going to kick Scott Drury out of the General Assembly, and he was laughing about that.
Madigan’s response…
The answer is I never said that. The question I would put to you is do you think I would say that to Bruce Rauner?
Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act, no home rule county or non-home rule county has the authority to impose a tax on the use, sale, or purchase of sweetened beverages based upon the weight or volume of the sweetened beverage. Provides that any such tax in effect prior to that date is void and repealed. Defines “sweetened beverage”. Preempts home rule. Effective immediately.
A Schaumburg state representative has introduced legislation that would prevent counties from taxing soda or sweetened beverages as Cook County has begun to do.
Democrat Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg filed the bill this week as lawmakers returned to Springfield for a special session focused on education funding. […]
Twelve lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, are co-sponsors of the bill, which is before the House Revenue and Finance Committee.
Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle issued a statement to the Daily Herald calling the move “a vast state government overreach that infringes on the rights of municipalities to govern themselves.”
To introduce such a measure, Preckwinkle continued, “is ironic coming from politicians who spent 736 days bickering among themselves instead of doing right by Illinoisans and passing a responsible budget in a timely fashion.”
* The Question: Should the GA pass this bill, or should it bow to local control? Click here to take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, questioned the superintendents’ prediction of a loss of state money under Rauner’s version, saying the Illinois State Board of Eduction has not produced any numbers to back up those claims.
“Nobody knows what the numbers will be in 2020,” Ives said.
At one point, she asked a group of education officials testifying before the committee a question, and Ralph Martire, executive director of the liberal Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, leaned in to talk to the panel.
Ives said Martire’s offered counsel was an indication that members of the panel could not answer questions on their own. That prompted a rebuke from Davis, who said the comment was insulting and that panelists are allowed to consult with advocates and lobbyists.
“Is this really what it’s deteriorating to in state government? Really?” Canton Superintendent Rolf Siversten asked Ives. “You are embarrassing yourself.”
Republican legislative leaders said Wednesday they’ll be meeting with [the two Democratic legislative leaders] in Chicago Friday to attempt a compromise on the school funding reform issue. […]
“I think Senate Bill 1 is dead,” said Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady of Bloomington. “It was a poor attempt to ram a Democratic proposal through the process.” […]
“The governor’s involvement would be beneficial,” Brady said when asked if Rauner should be part of talks. “I don’t know that it’s necessary at this point. I think the four of us need to come together.”
* Remember yesterday when we discussed how both Sen. Daniel Biss and Ameya Pawar are battling over the Bernie Sanders vote? Biss was with Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, but what I didn’t realize yesterday was that Pawar was a Clinton primary supporter, too…
“We’re up against an incredibly powerful political machine in Chicago,” [Gov. Bruce Rauner] said. “They have dictated the terms in our state for decades and they haven’t even run their machine really for the benefit for the people of Chicago. Just look at the unemployment. Look at the terrible schools. Look at the violence in Chicago. Look at the taxes going through the roof in Chicago.”
“They don’t run the political operation to benefit the people of Chicago and I’m sure as heck telling you, they don’t run the government for the benefit of the people of central Illinois, southern Illinois or northwest Illinois or the suburbs of Chicago either,” he said. “We have a broken political system run by a political machine in Chicago that’s run for the benefit of politicians and their cronies.”
Biggest applause line yet: @GovRauner vows to pick up 9 seats in IL House, flipping power to Repubs and ousting Mike Madigan as Spkr pic.twitter.com/veHemHFh2x
* And what State Fair would be complete without a steer auction controversy?…
Gov. Bruce Rauner and his wife, Diana, became the proud owners of a $50,000 prize-winning steer called Snuggles on Tuesday night after winning a charity auction at the Illinois State Fair.
But the auction organizers might want to double count the cash.
Of the “record” $104,000 Rauner bid for a prize steer at the same event in 2016, only $84,000 has so far been paid, organizers say.
That’s because one of the private donors who was helping Rauner cover the cost of the pricey beast refused to pay the $20,000 he committed.
Financier R.J. D’Orazio — a big Rauner supporter — confirmed to Chicago Inc. on Tuesday that he had not paid the $20,000 because “I did not get any recognition.”
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson appeared to suggest Tuesday that the $3 billion burden to Wisconsin taxpayers to locate a Foxconn plant in the state should be shared with their neighbors to the south.
“The question is, should Wisconsin be the one to bear the full three (billion dollars)? Illinois and their workers will benefit. America will benefit,” Johnson said, referring to the fact that some of the Foxconn labor pool will likely come from across the border.
The Wisconsin senator said the public-private partnership ratio in the proposed Foxconn project is a good deal. The Taiwanese company will pay $10 billion to build its plant with the state kicking in up to $3 billion in incentives.
On a side note, Sen. Johnson’s campaign manager is now Gov. Rauner’s campaign manager.
Gov. Bruce Rauner and Intersect Illinois, the state’s nonprofit economic development arm, earlier this year made a pitch to Foxconn through the University of Illinois. Foxconn has a presence in the university’s research park, and Illinois alumni within the company.
In a February letter to Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou, Rauner talked up the state’s transportation network, engineering and manufacturing talent, cheap energy prices and roster of global companies, and outlined potential financial incentives, according to emails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Though some details are in flux, the fight pits Rauner against the state’s powerful green lobby, including the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the National Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club.
Those environmental groups are lined up with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which last week released a much-anticipated report concluding that the best option available is a $275 million plan to install a combination of electronic and sound barriers by the Brandon Road lock and dam on the Illinois River, near Joliet and about 47 miles upstream from Lake Michigan.
“The Asian carp have no natural predators in the Great Lakes and will disrupt the $62 billion economy based on fishing, boating and recreational activities,” said ELPC’s Howard Learner. “We cannot let the Trump administration’s war on the Great Lakes involve insufficient actions to prevent the Asian carp from threatening our fresh water system.”
On the other side is the Rauner administration, which is opposing the plan as too expensive—the state says it would have to provide $95 million of the construction cost, and provide about $8 million a year for maintenance—and too disruptive of the state’s lucrative barge industry. […]
[Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti] did not offer a substitute, a particular point of contention. But Rauner administration officials who asked not to be named suggested that the corps itself is not big on its own plan and only wants to pacify critics in the Michigan congressional delegation.
* From Sanguinetti’s press release…
This new approach is neither cost effective nor environmentally sound.
Today’s report recommends the construction of a $275.4 million project, of which Illinois taxpayers would be on the hook for over $95 million in construction cost and another $8 million in annual operation and maintenance costs. This project will hurt our economy and the commercial navigation industry that moves over $28 billion of commodities annually through the Chicago Area Waterway System and along the Illinois River. Furthermore, this project at Brandon Road will separate the Des Plaines River and Illinois River ecosystems, disrupting native fish migration patterns.
“Invasive species are a growing threat to our entire inland waterways system and to the countless Illinois communities and businesses that rely on strong and vibrant aquatic ecosystems. Brandon Road Lock and Dam and other existing controls have successfully prevented Asian Carp from reaching the Great Lakes, and the Brandon Road Study is another important step in better understanding the challenges of limiting Great Lakes’ exposure to invasive species. I will continue working with the federal, state and local partners to find common sense solutions that protect the Great Lakes while ensuring reliable and sustainable transportation on the Illinois River.”
But let’s be rational about the Asian carp threat. Illinois has been dealing with Asian carp for more than three decades and its multipronged attack that includes commercial fishing, creating new markets and encouraging Illinois residents to deplete the fish population through fun events such as bowhunting tournaments has been working.
The Asian carp population has been decreasing, according to Kevin Irons, aquaculture and aquatic nuisance species program manager for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
There are about a quarter of the fish there were in 2010 when Irons joined the DNR. In 2010, it was estimated that Asian carp accounted for 70 percent of the fish population in the Illinois River. While the carp still make up a significant portion, that percentage has decreased.
Commercial fishermen on the Illinois River are using smaller nets because the bigger fish are not there anymore. They’ve been downsizing since 2010.
A proposed law could help dig struggling students out of debt in Illinois.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has asked Governor Bruce Rauner to sign a “Student Loan Bill of Rights,” which is a law designed to reform the student loan industry and help borrowers repay their lenders.
It would also require lenders to provide the right information to students asking them for money. […]
The governor’s office said the bill is being reviewed.
* From AG Madigan’s press release…
Attorney General Lisa Madigan today convened a student loan forum with education advocates and community organizations and urged Gov. Rauner to sign into law a bill to reform the student loan industry to help student loan borrowers repay their loans. The bill addresses widespread abuses and failures in the student loan industry that were revealed by her investigation and lawsuit against one of the country’s largest student loan servicing companies, Navient.
Senate Bill 1351, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Biss and Rep. Will Guzzardi and drafted with Madigan’s office, would create a Student Loan Bill of Rights to better protect borrowers from abuses in the student loan industry.
“For too long, student loan borrowers have been put into more difficult and more expensive repayment plans because of fraudulent practices by student loan companies,” Madigan said. “The Student Loan Bill of Rights will finally crack down on abuse and make Illinois a national leader in protecting borrowers. The Governor should sign this bill into law immediately on behalf of Illinois students, families and our economy.”
Over the past decade, student loan debt has doubled to become the largest form of unsecured consumer debt in the country with more than 40 million borrowers owing over $1.4 trillion. Nearly 70 percent of graduates leave college with an average debt burden of $30,000, and one-in-four borrowers are behind on their payments or in default.
Students who attended for-profit colleges are particularly hard hit, making up the vast majority of borrowers in default. While federal income-based repayment options are available, the U.S. Treasury has reported that only 20 percent of eligible borrowers are enrolled in these options, which can lower payments based on income to as low as $0 a month.
Madigan’s investigation into Navient revealed that borrowers frequently experience problems with their student loan servicers and are put into more expensive repayment options when more affordable plans are available. Specifically, borrowers in Illinois have complained to her office that their loan servicers failed to inform them of affordable repayment options, follow borrower payment instructions and answer questions consistently.
Because it is so difficult to get legitimate help from loan servicers, student loan borrowers are increasingly turning elsewhere for help. Scam artists have rushed in to exploit desperate borrowers, much like they did during the mortgage crisis, with false promises to help in exchange for large, illegal upfront fees. Madigan has led the country in shutting down illegal student loan debt relief operations preying on borrowers.
Senate Bill 1351 would create a Student Loan Bill of Rights to protect student loan borrowers by prohibiting student loan servicers from misleading borrowers and requiring that they:
• Properly process payments;
• Require specialists to provide and explain to struggling borrowers all of their repayment options, starting with income-driven plans; and
• Inform borrowers that they may be eligible to have their loans forgiven due to a disability or a problem with the school they attended.
The bill would also create a Student Loan Ombudsman in the Attorney General’s office and require student loan servicers to obtain a license to operate in Illinois.
Attorney General Madigan is a national leader in investigating and enforcing consumer protection violations in the higher education field. In addition to her lawsuit against Navient and Sallie Mae, Madigan has investigated for-profit schools for fraud and repeatedly called on the U.S. Department of Education to immediately forgive federal loans of students who attended fraudulent for-profit schools. Madigan has also testified before Congress and urged the U.S. Department of Education to crack down on the many abuses and scams facing student borrowers.
Madigan also instituted a free Student Loan Helpline to provide student borrowers with resources about repayment options, avoiding default or how to file a complaint about loan servicing at (800) 455-2456 (TTY: 1-800-964-3013). More information can also be found on her website.
* Posted in the order they were received. From the ILGOP…
During this year’s state fair, Governor Bruce Rauner will rally for major reforms and highlight how Democrats led by Speaker Mike Madigan refuse to do anything but raise taxes and use government to benefit their friends in Chicago.
Today the Illinois Republican Party is launching a digital ad campaign to amplify the Governor’s message and hold Democrats – including their Madigan-backed candidates for Governor – accountable.
The digital campaign will feature snapchat filters on both Governor’s Day and Democrat’s day.
Check out some of the ads below:
Wednesday
Thursday
* DGA…
It has been a tough summer from Governor Bruce Rauner. He’s seen Republican lawmakers break with him, a new poll that showed him at 63% disapproval, and now he can’t get anyone to support his veto of the state’s education funding bill. But summer is a time for fun, and there is nothing better than the State Fair and Governor’s Day. The DGA releases the following video profiling Rauner’s day at the Fair doing what he does best – playing political games.
First, Governor Rauner rides the “State Crisis Roller Coaster”. In July, the state finally ended a two-year budget impasse when lawmakers overrode Rauner’s budget veto. But, just as the state reached the summit, Rauner sent it plunging again when he vetoed SB1, the state’s education funding bill.
Next, Governor Rauner rides the “Revolving Staff Carousel.” After his budget defeat, Rauner replaced most of his aides with staff from the right-wing Illinois Policy Institute and other Koch-brother funded think tanks. But Rauner will realize that even with a new staff, he’ll just find himself back where he started – as the nation’s “most vulnerable incumbent.”
Finally, Governor Rauner plays “Whack-A-Question.” All summer Rauner’s tried to whack away reporters’ incident questions. Unfortunately, he has not played the game very well.
“While Governor Rauner plays his political games, Illinois families are wondering who is looking out for them,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Bruce Rauner has forced the state into one crisis after another, pushing up debt and pushing out jobs. Instead of searching for a solution to avert impasse, Rauner refused to compromise. At least at the Fair, people will believe him when he says the game is rigged.”
* Pritzker campaign…
Bruce Rauner’s school funding amendatory veto is so bad that the district that stands to “gain” the most from Rauner’s rewrite won’t even support it. Tony Sanders, the CEO of Elgin U-46, says he has “significant concerns” about Rauner’s gut job of SB 1 and still supports the bill passed by the legislature and overridden by the Senate.
That’s because Rauner is flaunting phony numbers that don’t tell the whole story. Sanders explains, “I just don’t want the general public to see the dollar amounts being flashed out and think, ‘Oh my gosh, we can get so much more with the amendatory veto.’ Again, that’s one year money, and it will go away.”
“It’s embarrassing that Bruce Rauner can’t even convince the school district that he claims gains the most under his amendatory veto to support him,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Instead of building support from school administrators, Rauner is focused on peddling phony numbers and misleading Illinoisans. Fortunately, schools and communities across this state are standing up and refuse to be pitted against each other.”
The story referenced in the Pritzker press release is here. Worth a read.
* I told subscribers about this earlier today, along with who is most likely to run for his seat…
Fifty years ago, fresh out of Saint Louis University, Bill Haine enlisted in the Army and went to war in Vietnam.
It was the first step in a lifetime of public service that would include a Bronze Star for combat service as a member of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969, election to the Madison County Board, 14 years as Madison County State’s Attorney and service in the Illinois Senate since 2002.
On Wednesday, Haine announced his career in elected office will come to an end and that he will not seek another term in the Illinois Senate.
“It has been my honor to represent the people of the Metro East region. They are my neighbors, my friends, the people of the communities of my life. I have always tried my best to serve them, and I hope I have done a good job,” said Haine, who was born in Alton and lives around the corner from his boyhood home.
“The good Lord gives us a finite amount of time on this Earth. I believe the time has come for me to find a new adventure and for someone else to take up the challenge and honor of serving the people in the Illinois Senate,” said Haine. He intends to serve out his current term.
Earlier this year, Haine, 73, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. A regimen of medical treatments kept him away from the Capitol for most of the legislative session, though he recently returned to cast deciding votes on a balanced budget and override the governor’s rejection of a historic school funding overhaul.
Haine’s tenure in Springfield has been marked by practical politics rather than political agendas.
His focus has at times been big.
He was the legislative architect of a sweeping plan to modernize the levee system in the Metro East region, an effort that has helped protect homes and businesses from damage in recent years’ flooding.
He helped win state investment in maintaining and expanding the Edwardsville campus of Southern Illinois University and other key infrastructure such as I-255. He similarly led successful efforts to approve a Constitutional Amendment protecting the state’s Road Fund from being raided for non-transportation related spending.
He drew upon his distinguished, award-winning law enforcement background from his time as Madison County State’s Attorney to sponsor, negotiate and win approval of the state’s medical marijuana law that balanced compassionate use with stringent standards and regulations.
Proving he wasn’t afraid to think outside the box, Haine raised political eyebrows when, just a few years after taking office, he sponsored and helped pass medical malpractice litigation reforms opposed by some of his staunchest allies. Those reforms were later thrown out by courts, but Haine credits the effort with helping change the tenor of the legal practice in this area.
At the same time, Haine kept an eye out for injustice at any level.
In response to media reports of motorists being ripped off and forced to pay outrageous amounts of up to $500 to have towed vehicles released from impound lots, Haine sponsored and passed a consumer protection law to limit those charges and end abuses.
To protect jobs at the US Steel plant in Granite City, Haine rallied the Illinois Senate to protest China’s dumping of low quality, cheap steel into the U.S. market. He called on the president and Congress to rewrite national tariff policy on steel goods in order to protect American jobs.
“I’ve never forgotten that it’s the people who sent me to Springfield to represent and fight for them,” Haine said.
A true historian, Haine often sprinkles legislative debates with rhetorical lessons and anecdotes from the works of Roman emperors, a litany of popes spanning civilized history and the founding fathers.
Despite his many awards and accomplishments, Haine considers the crowning achievement of his life to be his marriage to his wife Anna, whom he met in college, and the family they have built.
Bill and Anna Haine have seven children and, at press time, 32 grandchildren. Haine’s future plans include spending more time with all of them.
He’s a heck of a man. This place won’t be the same without him.
Not to mention that TIF districts don’t take money from black and brown kids.
* Rep. Mitchell then went on a tweet tirade. He posted much of it to his Facebook page…
PI: I’m going to do this in a series of tweets, so please bear with me. First: we have had a series of policy disagreements. That’s expected.
But I am extraordinarily disappointed in your organization and your leadership for the way you’re handling this situation.
1st) I disagree with your point, but that is not the issue here. You could have drawn a CPS building, You could have put CPS on the cap. You could have drawn another kid. You could have drawn an african american child without exaggerated features (ie lips), like the white male in the same photo. But you made a different choice, one that links to a dark and troubled history, and when confronted with it, decided to double down. It’s a choice, but not a great one.
2nd) A group whose staff looks like a Trump Org. photo, with minimal front facing diversity, a group who sued to block same day voter registration, with a disproportionate impact on minority voters, a group whose budget book slashed programs with a disparate minority impact, a group who is right now, despite data and evidence, attempting to take $500 million from predominately poor, minority kids around the state, Lacks both the credibility and should, in theory, have too much shame, to be the arbiter of what is fair to black kids in Chicago. You have made your choice. But understand that that choice - especially this week - is incredibly tone deaf and provocative.
…Adding… The cartoon was the topic of House floor debate today…
“At the same time the President of the United States is throwing his arms around neo-Nazis and Klansmen, Governor Rauner’s brain trust at the Illinois Policy Institute weighed in on the SB1 debate by publishing an unambiguously racist cartoon. The critical debate over education funding in this state should be about ensuring a better future for students in every corner of Illinois, regardless of race, income or zip code – and not as an opportunity to divide us further. It’s particularly frustrating because CPS students are making historic academic gains. In fact, three CPS high schools were recently recognized among the top 10 in the country, and seven of the top 10 in the state. Over the past five years, virtually all of Illinois’ academic progress is attributable to Chicago’s students.
We’d call upon the Governor to use his influence as IPI’s largest funder and alumni-employer to demand this tasteless cartoon be taken down, but what’s the point? Instead, it provides a useful window into his outlook and determination to continue punishing poor and minority children instead of grasping the opportunity in front of him to right decades of unfair and unequal funding for school districts across Illinois. What a disgrace.”
* After reporters finished asking questions at the State Fair yesterday, Gov. Rauner said he wanted to say something else….
We’ve had a few inquiries in the office about, reporters have been calling asking if my wife has been very involved in the staff changes that have gone on in my office, um, over the last month or two.
Um, let me address that and say I think that the inquiries, the questions themselves are pathetic. I think they’re terrible. I think it just shows how desperate my political opponents are to try to attack me through attacking my wife. I think it’s disgusting and I’ll say that very strongly.
And let me be crystal clear, I decide who will be members of my senior staff. Nobody else decides, I decide. I decide what the policies of our administration are gonna be. Nobody else decides, I decide. I get input from many people, both in the administration and outside the administration, experts in the different fields, I like to get advice. But I decide, no one else decides. And it’s despicable for somebody to try to attack my wife. I decide my staffing for our administration. And I’m very proud, my wife is a national expert in early childhood education and a national expert in helping disadvantaged children from low income backgrounds. And I’m very proud of her and I get her advice on many regards, but I decide, especially on staff issues. Thanks very much everybody, I appreciate it.
* OK, first of all, did he just call reporters’ questions about his wife “pathetic” and “terrible”? Did he imply that those inquiring reporters were doing the bidding of his political opponents, or perhaps are his political opponents? Did he say all that after he claimed his wife was his “most senior advisor”? Sounds a lot like someone else in the news lately.
Also, nobody else decides staffing issues? Remember this quote after his body man was fired after one day on the job?…
“I don’t know (his) exact role or title. You know, we’re obviously adding people all the time,” said Rauner. […]
Rauner said he has a team of people who making hiring decisions.
“In that particular case, I don’t know. There are probably a dozen people who are involved in hiring,” said Rauner.
* Also, as far as the First Lady’s involvement is concerned, what about her 350 documented e-mails to Rauner’s former chief of staff Richard Goldberg during the first six months of 2017? Why is it “despicable” to ask about her involvement when she sent, on average, more than two e-mails a day just to his chief of staff seven days a week for six months?
Sources said the first lady’s involvement in messaging began in late 2016. It blossomed this year, leading up to the firing and resignations of key staffers. Rauner fired nine senior staffers by mid-July, with at least 11 others resigning in protest. Many were replaced with members of the conservative think tank the Illinois Policy Institute; the group’s CEO John Tillman is a close friend and adviser to both Rauners.
“Her involvement in decision making within the administration has exploded within the past 16 to 18 months, and it’s not just education and health care issues,” said a second source close to the governor’s office. “She became part and parcel of all messaging and issues. Every decision he makes she’s been a part of, including hiring IPI.” […]
Diana Rauner grappled with concerns over the rest of the governor’s term and how it would end: “There was this continuing escalating presence where it grew to a point in the last few months where the governor sort of gave an order to his communications staff that the first lady was to be included on every single communication, on every single draft statement, on everything possibly that was going to go out.” […]
Sources described the environment as highly intense with “an insane level of micromanagement” at a time when the staff was dealing with the budget impasse, a fight with the largest state employee union, and wars with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza.
From what I understand, both the governor and Mrs. Rauner were infatuated with the Illinois Policy Institute’s social media presence, particularly its Facebook page. They “understood” messaging the same way the Rauner’s did. And now here we are.
* One more thing. The governor sounded a lot like former President George W. Bush with his “I’m the decider” schtick. Not a good look, dude.
Rep. Steve Andersson, R-Geneva, was a leader in the GOP faction that supported the budget, but says that he does not support Senate Bill 1 and won’t vote to override the governor.
Neither will Rep. Bob Pritchard, R-Sycamore.
“I’ve based my career on looking at the facts, judging policies based on how it affects citizens in my district and across the state. That’s why I ended up voting for the budget. That’s why I’ll continue to evaluate every piece of legislation, including SB1. My decisions it that we’ve skewed SB1 from what will help every student, and that we need to come up with a follow-up bill that will right those deviations,” Pritchard said at a City Club of Chicago panel Tuesday.
Rather than making a botched attempt at an override, it’s expected that Democrats will go another route Wednesday in the House—a move that will keep their original bill intact: They will take up a separate piece of legislation, with language identical to what Rauner pitched in his amendatory veto.
Though there’s little chance it will pass, that’s the point—it’s a symbolic move, designed by Democrats to show that Rauner’s plan lacks support.
That way, if enough Republicans change their mind as pressure builds, Senate Bill 1 is still in place for an override.
The Illinois House will not vote Wednesday on overriding Gov. Bruce Rauner’s amendatory veto of a school funding reform bill, the House sponsor said Tuesday.
Instead, Rep. Will Davis, D-Homewood, said the chamber will take up a separate bill that contains all of the changes Rauner made to Senate Bill 1, the school funding reform bill.
“Right now, (Wednesday’s) focus is just on the amendatory changes the governor put toward SB 1 and figuring out how advocates feel about that,” Davis said. […]
“Madigan wants more pressure,” Pritchard said. “There are some Democrats that think pressure can be exerted on four Republicans to vote for the override. They want to stretch this out as long as they can and let school districts holler to their representatives and see what happens.” […]
“It’s been characterized so effectively as a bailout for Chicago that my citizens certainly get it and they’re furious,” Pritchard said. “It’s going to be hard for somebody to necessarily break for Chicago. Breaking for the state of Illinois and our universities and our health care providers and our human service providers is a different issue.”
* I told you Sunday that Attorney General Lisa Madigan had replied to an inquiry from the two Republican Legislative leaders about the actual effective date of SB1. AG Madigan replied that the effective date would be the date that the governor’s AV is overridden or the date that the governor certifies that the GA has accepted his recommendations for change.
But Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard), an attorney and the new HGOP floor leader, has more questions…
August 15, 2017
House Republican Colleagues
Illinois State Capitol
Springfield, Illinois
Re: Attorney General Opinion Letter Regarding Senate Bill 1, 100th General Assembly
Dear Colleague:
As you know, Leader Jim Durkin and Leader Designee Bill Brady recently requested a formal legal opinion regarding the effective date of Senate Bill 1, in light of the Democrats’ decision to delay presentment to the Governor for two months. The Leaders requested that clarification due to concerns that SB 1 might not be effective until June 1, 2018, because it did not pass out of the Senate until July 31, 2017. See, e.g., Bill Status, SB 1, http://www.ilga.gov (“7/31/2017 | Senate | Passed Both Houses”).
As explained in the Leaders’ letter, a July 31, 2017, passage date would mean that SB 1 was not passed with the required three-fifths majority it would need to become effective immediately. Instead, it would be effective next year, on June 1, 2018. See Illinois Const. art. IV § 9 & 10; 5 ILCS 75/2 (Effective Date of Laws Act). The current passage date requirement of our state constitution was put in place by the General Assembly and our voters in 1994, to ensure that the General Assembly finishes its work by May 31 and does not remain in session year-round.
The Attorney General’s answer to the Leaders’ request, however, raises additional concerns about the validity of the process employed in passing SB 1. Specifically, in addressing attempted veto overrides, the Attorney General assumes that SB 1 passed out of both houses on May 31, 2017. If accurate, that definition of “passage” would appear to conflict with the definition in the Illinois State Constitution’s presentment clause, which requires the legislature to advance passed legislation to the governor’s desk in an expeditious manner, within 30 days. Illinois Const. art. IV § 9(a); 5 ILCS 75/2 (Effective Date of Laws Act).
The Attorney General correctly assesses that, when the General Assembly approves a motion to override a veto, the vote is not a new legislative action but instead “a reaffirmation of the bill’s original language.” AG Opinion at 8. Her opinion also notes that there are four actions typically considered “final” legislative action in the caselaw, and a motion to reconsider is not traditionally included on that list. Because of this, she concludes that “the final legislative action is deemed to have occurred when the bill was passed by the General Assembly initially.” Id. at 9. In this instance, the Attorney General concluded “the point at which Senate Bill 1 passed . . . was May 31, 2017.” Id. at 10.
However, the Attorney General’s opinion does not squarely address the impact of the motion to reconsider on SB 1. A motion to reconsider acts against a vote in favor of a bill, such that the vote is “prevented . . . from having any legal effect.” Ceresa v. City of Peru, 133 Ill. App. 2d 748, 753 (3d Dist. 1971). And of course, none of us would consider a bill “passed” (and on the clock for submission to the governor) while still under a motion to reconsider, as was SB1 on May 31 of this year. See, e.g., Senate Rules 7-15. Reconsideration. (“When a motion to reconsider is made within the time prescribed by these Senate Rules, the Secretary shall not allow the bill or other subject matter of the motion to pass out of the possession of the Senate until after the motion has been decided or withdrawn.”).
Because of this, the Attorney General’s opinion raises as many questions as it answers, and what the opinion highlights, at the very least, is the lack of controlling Illinois Supreme Court or Appellate Court caselaw to guide the General Assembly on the effective date question before us.
Certainly, it is an abuse of the legislative process to use a motion to reconsider in order to circumvent the 30-day presentment requirement of our state Constitution. And a bill can’t be said to have passed a chamber, or to be ready for presentment to the governor, when it’s held up by a motion to reconsider. It’s also hard to argue on these facts that SB 1’s passage is in accord with the Constitution’s command that our General Assembly finish its business by May 31, especially when our own legislative information system, ilga.gov, says that SB 1 was “passed” on July 31, not May 31.
To sum up, a bill that is “passed” must be presented to the governor within 30 days. A bill subject to a motion to reconsider cannot “pass” out of the Senate or House, until the motion is resolved. A bill that is not “passed” by May 31 is not immediately effective, unless the General Assembly provides an immediate effective date in the bill, approved by supermajorities of both House and Senate. The motion to reconsider the Senate concurrence vote on SB 1 was not resolved until July 31, and the bill did not pass out of the Senate until that date. SB 1 was made ready for action by the governor on July 31.
The simple fact remains that no one can be confident that SB 1 would be immediately effective, if the governor’s veto is overriden. There is no controlling caselaw on point. But there is a coherent, thoughtful legal argument that the effective date of the bill would be June 1, 2018, well after our school districts’ educational funds would run dry.
With all due respect to the Attorney General and our Democrat colleagues, it would be irresponsible for us to proceed with SB 1, when we can’t be entirely certain that the bill would get our kids the money they need to sustain their schools this year.
Every bill passed by the General Assembly shall be presented to the Governor within 30 calendar days after its passage. The foregoing requirement shall be judicially enforceable.
Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, said that if Illinois Democrats want Chicago Public Schools pension relief as part of an education funding reform deal, then they ought to agree to give other schools the same management “flexibility” accorded Chicago Public Schools two decades ago.
Management flexibility is code for limitations on union collective bargaining rights, so naturally, Democrats say they aren’t interested.
But it’s a difficult position for Democrats to defend, given that Chicago was already granted these same provisions as part of the deal under which Mayor Richard M. Daley took over the school system in 1995.
I can’t really defend it either. I understand why the unions don’t want to open the door any further than they already have, but it makes no sense for Chicago to be playing by its own set of labor rules, just as it makes no sense for Chicago to be the only school district that pays for its own pensions.
“One of the abilities is for Chicago to use third-party contractors for the provision of non-instructional services, whether it be safety, grounds keeping, landscaping or the like,” Barickman said.
The privatization of such services was not without its bumps at CPS, and many would say those third-party contractors continue to be a problem.
If a school district has dramatically fewer students, it’s not fair to other districts that have more students or the same where their dollars keep flowing to fund half the number of students or a third of the number of students. at some point you need to sort of true it up and adjust it or it’s not fair to the taxpayers in other communities. I’m open to when that adjustment happens. And for the time being have a hold harmless so even if there’s enrollment drops that the school district can keep getting the same amount of money from the state. But some day there needs to be some sort of adjustment, otherwise it’s not fair or sustainable over time.
If he’d settle for limiting the funding cuts to school districts which lose half or two-thirds of their students, then fine because it’ll probably never happen or it’ll be so rare that it’s no big deal. What he may be implying, though, is that he really believes his private school tuition tax credit idea will prompt tons of kids to move away from public schools. What he is also doing, however, is trying to get at CPS funding. Call his bluff.
Today, on Governor’s Day at the state fair, Crisis Creatin’ Rauner introduced Wreck It Rauner. With a duct-taped wrecking ball in hand, Wreck It Rauner will highlight how Bruce Rauner is destroying our state and hurting Illinois families.
From wrecking social service agencies to hurting working families, Bruce Rauner’s damage is done and he must be held accountable. Before appearances at the state fair later today, Wreck It Rauner made a digital debut.
“Bruce Rauner came in like a wrecking ball and unleashed two-and-a-half years of destruction on our state,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “The wreck he leaves in his wake has irreparably harmed families and hurt communities. Rauner’s damage is done and ‘Wreck it Rauner’ is ready to hold this failed governor accountable.”
Today, Citizens for Rauner Inc. released two new television ads highlighting the benefits of Bruce Rauner’s plan to reform Illinois’ education funding system.
The changes proposed by Governor Rauner provide more funding than SB1 to 98% percent of Illinois school districts, with an emphasis on making sure those funds go where they are most needed: the classroom.
The Governor has made it clear that he is open to compromise, and is trying to work with legislators to ensure fair and equitable funding for all Illinois schoolchildren.
Illinois’ education system is broken, and legislators are now pushing for an education funding system that pulls money away from some of the state’s most needy districts to bail out Chicago. That isn’t fair to the students of Illinois.
At the upcoming Governor’s day events at the Illinois State Fair, Governor Rauner plans on addressing the issue of inequity in funding for public schools, and how his plan ensures that schoolchildren across the state receive the funding they deserve.
These TV ads will run in markets across the state in conjunction with digital ads and phone calls in support of Governor Rauner’s plan.
* Let’s see how his new campaign manager is doing…
The following statement can be attributed to Sam Salustro, DGA Illinois Communications Director:
“Yesterday, Governor Rauner could not name a Superintendent that supported his plan, so today he has to spend his millions misleading the public. As hard as he may try, Rauner cannot change facts. Rauner willingly pushed the state into crisis by issuing a politically driven veto that now puts school funding in jeopardy. Illinois families already watched Rauner veto the state budget after a two-year impasse; they should not have to suffer through another crisis just for Rauner’s political ambition.
“Schools need funding and Governor Bruce Rauner’s failed leadership is the only thing standing in their way.”
In response to Donald Trump continuing to send the office of the presidency to new lows and disgracing every value this country stands for, JB Pritzker released the following statement:
“This unhinged disgrace to the presidency just openly sympathized with Nazis on national television,” said JB Pritzker. “There are not two sides when it comes to white nationalists and domestic terrorism. There are not two sides to the murder of an innocent person and the flames of fear and terror these bigots are spreading in so many of our communities. And there are not two sides when it comes to Donald Trump’s refusal to condemn them and Bruce Rauner’s spineless word parsing and dodging. Donald Trump is a horrifying excuse for a president and any elected leader not willing to stand up to him is not worthy of the office they hold.”
Some background on today’s activity is here and here.
*** UPDATE *** Chris Kennedy’s campaign sent me this at around 5:15, but I was already out of my office running an errand and didn’t see it…
Donald Trump’s press conference today was a stain on the moral conscience of America and his words enable his white supremacist supporters to carry out their campaign of hate and bigotry. Trump’s racist, divisive rhetoric incites terror and violence, while racial, ethnic and religious minorities, including those of Jewish and Muslim faith, immigrants, women and so many others live in fear under his administration. We’re becoming more damaged and divided each day that passes with Donald Trump running our country and Bruce Rauner running our state. It’s time for change.
Bernie Delegates for Biss: From a release: “more than 30 delegates and committee members who attended the 2016 Democratic National Convention on behalf of Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed Daniel Biss for governor. ‘We believe that if Senator Biss were in a position to implement things like the Financial Transaction Tax, close the loophole for hedge fund managers, and pursue other similar measures, he would be the driving force in turning the state’s budget crisis around and taking politics in a new direction in the State of Illinois’ said the delegates in an open letter to Our Revolution. The letter, signed by a coalition of politicians, community leaders, and organizers from across the state, cites Senator Biss’ record of passing progressive legislation in Springfield and vision for a fair tax system as reasons for the endorsement, and concludes by urging Our Revolution to endorse as well.”
Berniecrats for Pawar: Ameya Pawar over the weekend carved out support from Illinois Bernie Sanders’ supporters after the Illinois Berniecrats, the official state chapter of Bernie Sanders’ Our Revolution political action organization, announced its endorsement for Pawar. “Ameya Pawar has shown his progressive bona fides time and time again. From his leadership on single-payer healthcare policy to his pursuit of equitable education funding, to his push for comprehensive criminal justice reform, Ameya’s vision for the state is compelling,” Dean Martin, president of the Illinois Berniecrats, said in a statement. “He has a history of progressive action as an Alderman, including the creation of the independent budget office, passage of one of the strongest anti-wage theft ordinances in the country, and fighting for public housing.”
* Sanders’ group backing Pawar: Chicago Ald. Ameya Pawar got the backing for his candidacy for the Democratic governor nomination from the “Illinois Berniecrats,” a subgroup of the U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders “Our Revolution” support organization.
The endorsement came Saturday at a meeting in Naperville. The main “Our Revolution” group is a tax-exempt organization that backs the unsuccessful 2016 presidential candidate’s agenda.
The “Illinois Berniecrats” are located in DuPage County and were formed in 2015.
FIGHTING OVER SANDERS — Clem Balanoff, the chairman of Our Revolution Illinois, who was also the state director of the Bernie Sanders campaign in Illinois, made a note of telling us that neither Our Revolution Illinois nor the national Our Revolution have made an endorsement yet in the Illinois gubernatorial race. That was after we noted “Berniecrats” who supported primary candidate Ameya Pawar. A bunch of Bernie delegates have already said they support Biss.
HOST: “And that was a division within the Democratic party in the last Presidential election and where were you at that point. In other words, when it was the Clinton-Sanders division in the Party with Sanders arguing very much the same argument you’re making now, is that where you were?”
BISS: “I voted for Clinton… in the primary. And I think you know you can argue with whether that was the right call or the wrong call, there’s good points on both sides but I don’t think it was the same situation. I don’t think the idea was that Clinton was our version of Trump, I don’t think that was the theory.”
* Statehouse reporter Dave Dahl pointed out to Gov. Rauner today during a State Fair event that school superintendents “are pretty well organized” in favor of overriding Rauner’s veto of SB1. Why didn’t the governor organize superintendents who were in favor of his idea? The governor’s response…
Well, many of them, are, um, supporting us. Many superintendents and teachers, I have teachers here at the fair coming up to me and say, ‘Governor, thank you for your amendatory veto. Thanks for what you’re recommending.’ You know, Speaker Madigan didn’t send me the bill for two months because he wanted to organize opposition and he didn’t want the real truth known. Now the numbers are out, the support of the SB1 originated back when the truth wasn’t known. Now that the numbers are out, more and more folks are coming to support us. […]
We certainly have a lot of support around the state.
And yet, the governor has still not held a single press conference with a group of educators who support his changes. Maybe he could’ve asked one of those teachers who came up to him at the fairgrounds to talk to reporters?
* Instead, we’re seeing lots of stories like this one…
Superintendent of Schools John Asplund offered other points of consideration. He said the governor’s numbers make no allowances for inflation and there are concerns about the future of pension funding.
“Pretending there is access to money we cant have and there will be no inflation is scary, but the third thing is more scary,” Asplund said. “There will be no protection against pension cost shift. Eight percent of Teachers’ Retirement Funding would have to be born by districts. Our $23.8 million salary budget, times 8 percent, is a little more than 1.9 million.
“The governor’s proposal appears to be better, but if you dig into the numbers there is concern.”
* The Illinois Business Immigration Coalition claimed last month that they were alarmed about how Gov. Rauner hadn’t yet signed the Illinois TRUST Act into law. The group got some folks stirred up, but at the time, groups involved with actually passing the bill and people who were involved with talks with the Rauner administration said things were still on track.
Prohibits law enforcement agencies and officials from detaining or continuing to detain an individual solely on the basis of an immigration detainer or non-judicial immigration warrant or from otherwise complying with an immigration detainer or non-judicial immigration warrant. Provides for law enforcement training on compliance with the Illinois TRUST Act.
* About a week and a half ago, groups were told by the governor’s office “We are a go” on the bill and preparations were being made to set up a signing ceremony. But then the governor went on the Fox News Channel last Friday and seemed to equivocate…
BAIER: So, you have this bill, SB31 on your desk. According to the Chicago Tribune, the bill would prohibit police from searching, arresting, or detaining a person because of their immigration status, absent a federal criminal warrant. It would also create so-called safe zones in state-funded schools, healthcare centers, secretary of state facilities and block state and local enforcement agencies from creating registries based on race, religion, and national origin. So are you going to sign that bill?
RAUNER: So, our staff is evaluating that bill right now. In fact, we are meeting with law enforcement agencies and law enforcement leaders in the state to get their views on it. We’re going to evaluate it and then we’ll make an announcement about how we’re going to deal with that.
BAIER: There are some families who say they’ve lost loved ones because of sanctuary status or policy and they’re trying to meet with you. Do you want to hear that point of view?
RAUNER: I want to hear everybody’s point of view. I work for everybody in the state of Illinois. Our immigration system is broken and we need to have a system that keeps the people of Illinois safe, the people of America safe. We’ve got to put that as the first priority.
The bill Baier described was the version before it was amended. Rauner’s staff was apparently finished evaluating the legislation, or it wouldn’t have given the go-ahead to set up a signing ceremony. And according to the Illinois Review, those families who’ve lost loved ones are bitterly complaining about not getting a meeting with Rauner.
And, as we’ve already discussed, the online right-wing reaction to Rauner’s Fox interview was devastatingly harsh against the governor for not taking a stand and not actually answering any questions.
* Combine all that together and now the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition is getting worried again…
Good Morning IBIC Steering Committee Members
Governor’s staff informed me that Governor Rauner has received aggressive calls and messages to veto the Trust Act in the last week. Fox News National also spread false information about the bill last Friday that further mobilized the opposition. August 28th is the last day for the Governor to sign the bill.
Can You Take 2 Actions for TRUST ACT SB 31?
1) Call the Governor - he is hearing from the opponents, he needs to hear from us
Springfield 217-782-0244
Chicago 312-814-2121
IF YOU HAVE HIS CELL, please call him on his personal phone
SUGGESTED SCRIPT: HELLO Governor Rauner, As a business owner in Illinois, I strongly encourage you to sign TRUST SB 31 into law. TRUST stabilizes the workforce, prevents unnecessary disruption to businesses, strengthens trust between immigrants and local police, and enables hardworking, law-abiding immigrants to continue to work, pay taxes, and create jobs here in Illinois. THANK YOU
2) Add your name to this letter to support the Governor signing TRUST into law AND clarify the false information spread by Fox News last Friday:
Dear Governor Rauner,
As we approach the August 28 signing deadline for the Trust Act SB 31 legislation, WE, the undersigned, employers and businesses strongly support and urge you to approve the TRUST ACT SB 31.
TRUST SB31 is a sensible policy that recognizes the work ethic, talent and entrepreneurship of our immigrant employees and advances the rule of law.
TRUST ensures workforce stability, prevents unnecessary disruption to businesses, strengthens trust between immigrants and local police, and enables hardworking, law-abiding immigrants to continue to work, pay taxes, and create jobs here in Illinois.
TRUST is COMPLIANT with federal statute 1373 because TRUST explicitly allows communication between ISP and local law enforcement with federal agents - see House Amendment #3.
TRUST respects our law enforcement’s ability to carry out law and order while ensuring that law abiding immigrants are able to work, pay taxes, AND cooperate with police to report and be witnesses to crime without fear - creating a safe environment for all.
There’s high rhetoric and there’s good, sensible policy. TRUST is a good policy to advance safety, economy, reduces unnecessary fear among immigrant families especially our immigrant children, reduces unnecessary disruption to our businesses that depend on the talent, hard work and entrepreneurship of our immigrants, and advances the rule of law.
If there is anything that we can do to ensure that TRUST is signed into law by August 28, please contact Rebecca Shi xxx-xxx-xxxx.
Thank you very much,
Your name
–
Rebecca Shi
Executive Director
Illinois Business Immigration Coalition
Rauner often blames Madigan for the state’s woes, and on Monday he accused the longtime speaker of raising uncertainty about whether schools would open in an effort to force legislators to buck his veto. The governor compared it to when Republican lawmakers joined Democrats last month to enact a budget and tax hike against his veto.
“He held our budget hostage for two years, and he finally broke some Republicans. Some Republicans in some districts that had community colleges that were threatened to be shut, some Republicans that had universities Downstate that were threatened to be shut, and they finally said, ‘I surrender, Speaker, you win, I’ll vote for a tax hike even though it’s a disaster,’” Rauner said. “He’s doing that to our children and our teachers right now. It is wrong, it is mean. We as the people in Illinois should stand against it.”
* Also, we talked about this yesterday, but my Steve Brown react was posted kinda late in the day, so some of you may not have seen it…
Rauner on Monday called on Democrat and Republican legislative leaders to meet to try to reach an agreement. Cullerton issued a statement saying he looks forward to a meeting with Rauner and legislative leaders.
House Democrats countered that those negotiations are already taking place.
“Somebody may want to brief him on what’s going on,” Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said of Rauner.
While Illinois Senate President John Cullerton said he would look forward to a meeting with the leaders and the governor, Rauner spokeswoman Laurel Patrick in an email said the governor intended for the meeting to be just among legislative leaders.
Madigan spokesman Steve Brown criticized Rauner’s call for leaders meetings.
“The governor put out a press release telling people to do what they’re already doing. Those have been going on. The governor has been busy doing his national media thing so he probably ought to be briefed on what is actually happening in Illinois because that has happened and will continue to happen as time provides,” Brown said.
* Amanda Vinicky asked him last night about those leaders meetings and why he wasn’t attending…
VINICKY: You have called on legislative leaders to try to work out a deal, to work out a compromise. From my understanding, that is actually is happening but you haven’t been part of those talks. And in your call today saying legislators, get together, leaders get together, come up with a deal. Why aren’t you a part of these meetings? You’re the governor.
RAUNER: Well, so I’ve talked to members of both sides of the aisle in the general assembly. I’ve talked to President Cullerton, I’ve talked to Cardinal Cupich, who is actually helping try to negotiate compromise and come up with new solutions.
VINICKY: For the school voucher-ish plan?
RAUNER: Well, also other elements of the plan as well. He cares very much about school equity and fairness, and he’s an advocate for reform. You know, this has been something we’ve tried to achieve in Illinois for decades, and I am very excited, we are on the verge of a wonderful transformation in the way our schools are funded that’s more equitable for all our kids.
VINICKY: How long is that going to take? I mean, you need to sign off on a plan, so what good is it having the four legislative leaders getting together if you’re not in that room saying what you would agree to and what you would say no to?
RAUNER: So, what I am doing is talking with them virtually every day, encouraging them. I am a little frustrated and disappointed in the General Assembly that they didn’t deal with this back when they passed the bill in May. They waited for two months, I think to create a bit of a crisis, but at least now they are meeting and talking. And I am encouraging them, saying let’s get together and come up with a solution. I hope they will just vote to create a bill that does everything my amendatory veto does, because that is the best.
VINICKY: They’re not going to do that. I mean, the Senate already overrode your veto. And, you waited for those two months to unveil the changes, that were part of your plan. You could have introduced a new piece of legislation, or at least had those talks. There was a lot of talk about a CPS bailout, but your amendatory veto did a whole lot more than that.
Yesterday, just days after an embarrassing performance on Fox News, Bruce Rauner returned to local TV in a desperate attempt to spin his failed leadership. Rauner laughably said, “With our elected officials really it’s about spinning a headline… it’s managing a headline, it’s not about dealing with reality and truly solving problems,” before proceeding to spin headlines and provide no solutions to problems.
In a notable exchange, WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky pressed the failed governor on recently cleaning house in his administration and bringing in a team of radicals from the Illinois Policy Institute. Rauner tried to argue “most of my top aides do not come from there,” which would be convincing, were it not for the fact that Rauner’s Chief of Staff, Legislative Liaison, Policy Chief, and much of his communications team all come directly from the right-wing group. Vinicky pressed the failed governor on how this new team of radicals influences his agenda, to which Rauner replied “I will never change.” So, either Bruce Rauner expects us to believe that his senior advisors are not really advising him or Rauner was actually just this radical to begin with.
“Considering Bruce Rauner cleaned house to retool his messaging, you would think he might be able to get some better answers,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Then again, even ‘the best team in America’ can’t spin their way out of this mess. Bruce Rauner is a failed leader of historic proportions, desperately lurching to the right as Illinois families pay the price.”
The governor also told Vinicky that his chief legal counsel comes from Indiana. Um, no. That was his former chief legal counsel, Jason Barclay, who worked for Gov. Mitch Daniels. His current chief legal counsel, Dennis Murashko, comes from Russia.
*** UPDATE *** Part of a DGA press release…
Amanda Vinicky named four, but here is a full list compiled from news clips:
Kristina Rasmussen – Chief of Staff
Michael Lucci – Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
Diana Rickert – Deputy Chief of Staff of Communications
Darlene Senger – Deputy Chief of Staff of Legislative Affairs
Jean Hutton – Assistant Chief of Staff
Madelyn Harwood – Policy Analyst
Meghan Keenan – Communications Specialist
This list does not include Rauner’s new Director of Communications, Washington DC liaison, Chief Strategic Advisor for his campaign apparatus, or (short-lived) body man all of whom are products of other national and local right-wing think tanks. There is no getting around the fact that Rauner has turned over his political operation to the Illinois Policy Institute and other like-minded organizations. Illinois reporters have already started seeing the “influence” of his staff on policy, most notably the inclusion of TIFF provisions in Rauner’s SB1 Amendatory veto. But he right that his new staff won’t change the problem at the center of this administration – Bruce Rauner and his failed leadership.
If Rauner’s convinced that he needed to shake up his staff and bring in these staffers, why is he suddenly ashamed to admit who he brought in?
“At the end of a terrible month, Bruce Rauner seems suddenly shy about the fact he turned over the governor’s office to a bunch of right-wing ideologues,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “After lawmakers from both parties overrode his budget veto, Rauner could have turned to focus on helping Illinois families. Instead, he doubled-down on the same failed politics that lead the state to a two-year budget impasse, and now threaten schools’ ability to stay open.”
* Greg Hinz reports that the Illinois Liquor Control Commission has concerns about the legality of the way Cook County’s new pop tax is set up…
In a letter to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, the commission wrote that even though the tax on sweetened beverages excludes alcohol, many of the wholesalers to which it applies distribute both kinds of products and therefore have to deal with the tax complications of the county’s new levy. As a result, it “may lead to practices that violate the Illinois Liquor Control Act.”
“ILCC is concerned that the unintended consequences of the refund and credit procedure for the sweetened beverage tax would result in ongoing, continuous violations of existing law,” commission Executive Director Donovan Borvan wrote. Other difficulties he cited include “extreme costs of enforcement and audit, and the potential for mandatory denial of deliveries to retailers.”
The letter concludes by asking for a meeting to discuss the matter. But even though it was dated nearly a month and a half ago, on June 30, the commission has not heard back, according to its spokesman. And Preckwinkle’s spokesman is strongly suggesting there will be no response.
“We do not support this two-month-old concern that a credit properly documented to address a tax refund would be deemed something of ‘value’ under the Liquor Control Act,” Preckwinkle spokesman Frank Shuftan said in an email. “Plus, this addresses beverages that are NOT under the jurisdiction of the commission. It is our understanding the trade group has provided guidance to their members on this matter, and the county remains available to the commission.”
If you click here for the letter, the issue in question is that booze distributors are forbidden by state law to provide anything “of value” to retailers. Because distributors will have to “provide refunds or credits to retailers on a regular basis,” that would be considered something “of value.”
Seems like a bit of a stretch, but whatevs.
* This pop tax is goofy on so many levels.
1) It likely won’t raise as much money as projected and revenues will continue to decrease as pop consumption (or in-county purchasing) falls. So, using this tax to plug a spending hole isn’t wise at all.
2) People would probably be more likely to support some sort of pop tax (albeit not one this high) if it was directly tied to health initiatives, particularly in schools.
3) We’re seeing just how “addicted” people really are to pop. The screaming about cigarette taxation was even louder, but most people accepted the fact that cigarettes are really bad for you. That acceptance level just isn’t as widespread about pop.
4) It’s too confusing for consumers and retailers, resulting in a completely botched rollout that has further angered everyone.
5) Threatening to sue IRMA for damages made Preckwinkle look vindictive and even somewhat dictatorial.
6) It’s causing county consumers to look at their receipts perhaps for the first time. And when they do, they’re seeing how high their other sales taxes are. And they aren’t liking what they see.
Did I miss anything?
* Meanwhile…
State Reps. Michael McAuliffe (R-Chicago), Christine Winger (R-Bloomingdale), Peter Breen (R-Lombard), Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville), and Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) today introduced legislation, House Bill 4082, to immediately repeal the one-cent-per-ounce Cook County Sweetened Beverage Tax. The tax, which went into effect on August 2, will result in Cook County consumers having to pay on average 67 percent more for a 2-liter of pop, 43 percent more for a gallon of juice drink or sweetened iced tea, and 29 percent more for a 12-pack.
“This pop tax is a repeated example of another financial burden being imposed upon the people of Cook County. The vetting of this measure was short-sighted and irresponsible as roll-outs of similar pop taxes in other cities have proven to be not effective and even harmful to the local economy,” stated Rep. McAuliffe. “I spent this past weekend in my district and the feedback against this tax was overwhelmingly negative. The taxpayers are understandably frustrated and there is a lot of confusion.” […]
Specifically, House Bill 4082 would prevent any home rule county from imposing a tax on sweetened beverages based on volume sold. It applies to any county ordinance adopted on or before the effective date of the bill, repealing the existing Cook County ordinance.
The State Senate overrode Rauner’s [SB1] veto with one Republican joining Democrats. But, in the House, the original bill passed 11 votes short of a veto-proof majority. So Democrats would require assistance from Republicans.
State Rep. Steve Andersson, R-Geneva, broke with Rauner, voting to pass a state budget; but he said he won’t do the same for school funding.
“I don’t see any other Republicans breaking on this issue right now,” he said. “As time goes on, if there isn’t a compromise and if schools downstate start not opening, that’s a question you’re gonna have to ask those representatives about how they feel about their districts.”
Sources tell POLITICO not to expect the state House to initiate a SB1 override vote until next week. As we referenced last week, Democrats on Wednesday are expected to take up a version of Rauner’s school funding plan as laid out in his amendatory veto language, but it’ll be in their own bill. Democrats we talked to predict it will get fewer than 20 votes. Then if (when?) it fails, Democrats will declare there’s no support for Rauner’s plan. As of Monday evening, the intention was for the state House to call SB1 for an override vote next week. There’s still a problem: not enough Republicans have crossed over to override.
MADIGAN WARMS TO SCHOLARSHIP TAX CREDITS — To sweeten the deal for Republicans, top Democrats over the weekend were in touch with Cardinal Blase Cupich about a proposal — which Rauner supports — to provide scholarship tax credits for private schools.
One of the paths Democrats are eyeing is linking the scholarships to SB1 in order to pull the needed Republican votes for an override next week. State House Speaker Michael Madigan is reportedly open to a plan that would give tax credits for those who send their children to private schools. It would be available to families who are way above the poverty line, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions. The Tribune editorial board, which has been in lock step with Rauner, last night called for the SB1 override and private school credits. If that passes, Rauner can then say he expanded school choice.
But it’s a classic Madigan trick box. Madigan’s team knows the exact number of private schools in each legislative district — including those of targeted GOP lawmakers. With 2018 in mind, the speaker is known to protect his caucus with such votes — but will Rauner? Just one possible scenario Democrats anticipate: Targeted Republicans who originally voted against SB1 at the governor’s urging (even if it brought more money to their schools) may end up being urged now by the governor to support SB1 with private school tax credits (even if there are few, if any, private schools in their districts.) Some Downstate Republicans may end preferring a straight SB1 override versus a version of the deal with tax credits.
That’s kind of all over the place. The Democrats sure seem confident that the Republicans will break with the governor again, but I’m with Andersson and don’t see that happening really soon. But the Republican leaders are pushing hard behind the scenes to get that private school scholarship tax credit into law. But for Rauner to do a 180 on SB1 just for that seems unlikely after all this messaging about how it’s a Chicago bailout.
Go back to the original SB1, add in some tax credits and some mandate relief and you’ve got a decent compromise that can eventually attract Republican votes even if the governor remains stubbornly opposed. This really shouldn’t be as difficult as everyone is making it. But, of course, it’s Illinois. Madigan has to be Madigan and Rauner has to be Rauner, and that means for each of them to feel like they’ve won, they have to feel like they’ve beaten the other guy.
VINICKY: But do they need to accept all of what is in your amendatory veto then, or what part of that would lead us to a compromise?
RAUNER: So, I said to the General Assembly, any element of my amendatory veto I’m open to changing. Let’s compromise, let’s find a solution. Let’s do it together. Let’s do what’s fair for our kids, especially our low-income kids, so they’re all treated the same.
VINICKY: But there’s nothing in it you need to have, that you insist on –
RAUNER: There’s no has to have. No, nothing.
VINICKY: Nothing
RAUNER: Nothing. Absolutely nothing has to happen. The only principle we should be guided by is what’s best for our children, what treats them all the same so they have the best chance they can at the American dream.
“Absolutely nothing has to happen.” Um… Then why AV it to begin with? Sheesh.
* For two straight years, Gov. Rauner’s administration signed billions of dollars in state contracts without a legal appropriation. Now, when there finally is an approp, some contracts aren’t being signed. What in the heck is going on at DHS?…
For dozens of people in central Illinois and thousands statewide — from low-income and at-risk youth to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — services may be disrupted yet again by state funding shortages that remain despite the passage of a state budget in July after a two-year standoff in the Capitol.
Between $50 million and $100 million in general revenue funds appropriated in the fiscal 2018 budget can’t be sent to human-service organizations because state agencies haven’t issued the contracts that allow checks to be cut.
“The kids are entitled to the services,” said Clint Paul, president and chief executive officer of Hope, the not-for-profit organization that operates the Autism Clinic at 5220 S. Sixth Street Road.
It’s unclear whether the lack of new annual contracts being issued — a problem that affects some but not most state-funded human services — is related to bureaucratic delays related to the standoff or Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s objection to the way the budget was passed. The Democratic-controlled General Assembly enacted the budget by overriding Rauner’s veto.
Human-service providers said they worry it may be several months before contracts are issued.
An emailed statement from Meghan Powers, spokeswoman for Rauner’s Department of Human Services, did not say when the state plans to act.
These are among the most vulnerable people in this entire state.
Thomas A. Durkin, a Chicago defense attorney who teaches national security law at Loyola University, told me Rauner was right the first time.
In Illinois, he noted, we define terrorist as “any person who engages or is about to engage in a terrorist act with the intent to intimidate or coerce a significant portion of a civilian population.”
And the Charlottesville incident wasn’t that? A Nazi uses a tactic right out of the ISIS playbook to kill somebody and wound several more who oppose his vile viewpoints and that doesn’t fall under the definition of terrorism?
We already have plenty of laws to deal harshly with someone who maliciously drives a vehicle into a crowd.
That sounds a lot like the argument against the concept of hate crime statutes. Also, an act of terrorism which results in death is an automatic natural life prison term here.
* Yesterday, a commenter who is also a local Springfield reporter offered up this definition…
Terrorism is when someone with an agenda attacks, without provocation, unsuspecting people who have assembled for some purpose, or purposes, completely unrelated to the attacker’s agenda.
Um, no. If that was the case, then the Charlie Hebdo massacre wouldn’t have been classified as terrorism.
Today, Daniel Biss announced “The Road Forward” State Tour, a trip of more than 2,000 miles to talk directly with voters about the future of Illinois. Beginning this Friday, August 18th, Daniel will tour our state to highlight the stories of ordinary people hurt by our state’s broken political system — and the chance we have in this election to make Illinois work for the middle class, not the millionaires.
“Illinois is full of potential, but for the middle class it’s harder and harder to realize that these days because of our broken political system. For too long, our government has served the wealthy and well-connected while the rest of us has paid the price. We’ve had enough—that’s why my campaign is about the road forward for the middle class. It’s about the conversations we need to have with our neighbors, and with people all across Illinois, about our state’s future so that it works for the rest of us again,” said Daniel.
News of the tour was also shared by video, released by Biss for Illinois this morning. In the video, Daniel describes the tale of two taxes, highlighting the disparity between his own family’s tax rate and Bruce Rauner’s as an example of how our tax system takes advantage of middle class families instead of asking the wealthy to pay their fair share.
“In Illinois, the very rich have bought a political system that works for them, and not the rest of us,” said Daniel in the video. “That’s why I’m embarking on “The Road Forward,” a ten-day tour of Illinois where we’re going to hear these stories from people across our state—and talk about what we can do to fix the problem. Because if we want to take our state back, we have to start by telling the truth.”
During the tour, Daniel will make stops in Bloomington, Cairo, Champaign, Collinsville, Decatur, Elgin, Galesburg, Joliet, Moline, Peoria, Rockford, and Waukegan, among others.
For more details and to follow along, visit DanielBiss.com/Road-Forward or follow #RoadForwardIL.
Editorial Boards across the state are calling on Illinois Democrats to vote their districts and compromise to ensure that we fix the broken school funding formula.
For weeks, Democrats have attacked Governor Rauner, claiming that his amendatory veto would harm schools.
But this week they were proven wrong - by the numbers.
As the Belleville News-Democrat Editorial Board notes, “Math matters…Of 923 school districts in Illinois, Rauner’s changes will give more money to 831 of them and make no difference to another 71 that are mainly alternative schools.”
“If the Illinois House votes Wednesday to override the Rauner amendatory veto, then Chicago’s $463 million will come out of the pockets of 831 other school districts.”
The Chicago Tribune Editorial board this weekend likewise called out Democrats, asking them to come to the table and compromise.
“Republicans are in a position to seek the sort of compromise-maker we advocated over the weekend: creating scholarships for low- and middle-income kids to attend public schools outside their district boundaries, or to attend private schools. Republicans also have spoken (including on Sunday) about reducing unfunded state mandates for schools, and about allowing districts to limit collective bargaining.
Democrats might not like those paths to compromise; teachers unions hate school choice almost as much as they’d hate any limit to collective bargaining. But Democrats also own a huge mess that many of them are frantic to address: the devastated finances of a CPS long mismanaged by, um, their fellow Democrats in Chicago’s City Hall.
If Democrats refuse to compromise and let Senate Bill 1 die, they can wear that jacket.”
That Belleville News-Democrat editorial is accompanied by an Illinois Policy Institute cartoon. Just sayin…
* I told subscriber the other day that the governor’s budget office is working on additional cuts to balance revenues with spending. So, the governor should’ve been briefed on this topic. Maybe not, judging from his responses to WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky last night…
VINICKY: What are you going to cut from the budget? If it is out of balance, what are you going to do about that?
RAUNER: Well, we are going to work with the General Assembly to try to make changes in their appropriation levels. And I am working right now to reduce spending in every category.
VINICKY: Like what? Give me a specific. Like, how are you going to reduce spending?
RAUNER: This isn’t the time or place to go through every line item, it’s not appropriate.
VINICKY: Give me just one or two.
RAUNER: The budget is broken. It’s not balanced. And the worst thing is, there is no way to pay down our debt. Some folks have said, governor let’s refinance all those unpaid bills. There is no way to borrow to repay those bills. The system is broken.
VINICKY: The Democrats, of course, say that was built into the budget and that would save the state money. But I just want to go back. You can’t identify anywhere where you would cut the budget, right now?
RAUNER: Oh I could, but now is not the time to do it.
VINICKY: Why not?
RAUNER: [Laughs] You know why, because. –
VINICKY: Viewers want to know why, I’m sure. I want to know.
RAUNER: You know what, what all of us should focus on, Amanda, is getting our schools more money. And my amendatory veto to fix our school funding so it’s fair, treats all of our children the same way. It especially helps our low-income and disadvantaged students. That’s what I’m working for, and that’s what my amendatory veto does. And that’s why I hope your viewers will come online and look at the results at Illinois.gov.
VINICKY: Now, I want to get back to the hopes for getting to any sort of compromise. Again, I am just failing to understand why there has not been a legislative leaders meeting with you and all of the leaders since December. There seems to be obviously quite a sour relationship between you and House Speaker Michael Madigan. Would you commit to having a sit down with him?
RAUNER: Well, the last time the speaker came to see me, he spent the time talking about how he was going to kick Scott Drury out of the General Assembly, and he was laughing about that.
VINICKY: He said that to you?
RAUNER: Correct. […]
VINICKY: Just making sure on this Rep. Scott Drury thing, what did the speaker say about that?
RAUNER: Oh just that – Scott Drury was the only one, only member of the General Assembly who didn’t vote for Speaker Madigan to stay speaker, and the consequences to Rep. Drury, as a result.
Raise your hand if you believe Speaker Madigan shared this story with his arch nemesis, particularly knowing that the governor often blabs about private conversations and the facts of those conversations are often in dispute.
RAUNER: The interest in negotiating with the speaker is not at a high level. Even President Cullerton has agreed with that. But you know, it’s really Amanda not about politicians, this is about our children, putting our children first and coming up with an equitable system. I’ve laid out my recommendations. And I hope the General Assembly will either pass those or come back and recommend others.
VINICKY: It is about the children, once legislative leaders and the governor come to an agreement that will resolve something for children. […]
VINICKY: Today, you referred to the speaker as ruthless and said members of his own party are scared of him, and so therefore they follow in his footsteps. How is that any different than how you have control over Republican legislators, people say they consider you ruthless for being the guy at the helm during a two-year impasse, and having members of your own party scared of you because of your vast campaign war chest?
RAUNER: Well Amanda you know, Illinois has been going down a broken trail, a failed road for years and years. And the politicians who have been in power for 35 years have taken us here. This is not about Democrats versus Republicans, it’s really not. It’s about the people of Illinois wanting change versus powerful political insiders who’ve controlled our system for years. I am trying to represent the people and drive major change. New education funding, more jobs, lower property taxes, term limits on our politicians. These are the changes that we are working for, and they are bipartisan and Democrats want those just as much as Republicans.
VINICKY: Could you have gotten more of that agenda accomplished had you worked with Speaker Madigan instead of vilifying him?
RAUNER: The speaker has made it clear that change is not an interest. In fact you can go look at Madigan’s Democratic party website. You know across the front of it is resistance. Resistance to change, stay on the track we are on. I represent change, I represent the people, Democrats and Republicans who want a new direction with more jobs, lower taxes, better school funding and term limits. And that’s what we need to drive so we can have a better future for our children and our grandchildren.
* From Amanda Vinicky’s “Chicago Tonight” interview of Gov. Bruce Rauner…
VINICKY: I think this is unfortunately going to be our final question. How involved is the first lady in your day-to-day decisions in the administration?
RAUNER: Well she is my best friend, she is the love of my life, and she is my most senior advisor. She is a lifelong Democrat. She shares my passion for education, creating a better future for the children of Illinois.
VINICKY: So is she a part of the education funding? Did she help to craft the amendatory veto? In terms of education funding did she help to craft the Amendatory veto for example?
RAUNER: She is always sharing her ideas and thoughts and advice, and I value her opinion very highly.
Illinois First Lady Diana Rauner has long acted as a public face in her husband’s political campaign — but over the last year she has taken on an additional, behind-the-scenes role in Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration, cranking up her own involvement outside of public view.
In the first six months of 2017, Diana Rauner corresponded at least 350 times through email alone with the governor’s then-chief of staff, according to a count by the governor’s office. That’s on top of her direct phone calls and emails with other staffers to weigh in on messaging, digital communications and strategy, those with knowledge of the interactions told POLITICO. […]
Diana Rauner’s rising role included having a hand in the governor’s staff shake-up last month. The governor fired top staffers, replacing several high-ranking employees with members of the Illinois Policy Institute, a conservative think tank. The governor wouldn’t have taken such a serious step without his wife’s backing, several people close to the administration said. […]
Rauner’s administration on Monday blocked the release of any of Diana Rauner’s emails, saying that each of the hundreds of messages falls under an exemption to the state’s freedom of information law. “The Governor’s Office conducted a search and found roughly 350 emails responsive to your request,” a denial of a request to POLITICO stated. “Please be advised that these emails have been withheld pursuant to 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(f) (“[p]reliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda and other records in which opinions are expressed or policies or actions are formulated…”) and 7 ILCS 140/7(1)(m)()(“[c]ommunications between a public body and an attorney…representing the public body that would not be subject to discovery in litigation…”) These documents consist of communications strategy, draft statements, and press releases, in which policies were formulated and opinions were expressed.”
She’s a heck of a lot more powerful than most people think. Putting her so firmly within the administration and tying her so closely to personnel and policy decisions could also undermine her status as a liberal, moderating influence on the governor. There most definitely hasn’t been much of that going on in the past month or so.
Today, the JB Pritzker campaign released a new TV ad, “Illinois Cares.” The ad highlights Donald Trump’s attacks on healthcare, Bruce Rauner’s deafening silence, and JB’s commitment to expanding healthcare in Illinois.
Earlier this month, JB released his healthcare plan: Illinois Cares. This public health insurance option provides every Illinois resident with the opportunity to buy low-cost health insurance. Illinois Cares expands health care in Illinois and lowers premiums at no additional cost to taxpayers.
“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege and I will never be complacent in defending and expanding that right,” said JB Pritzker. “That’s why I proposed Illinois Cares, a plan that would have Illinois lead the nation as the first to allow every resident to buy into a state healthcare plan. For far too long, we’ve seen cowardice and silence from Bruce Rauner as Donald Trump attacks the healthcare of Illinoisans. It’s time for Illinois to boldly lead the way in standing up to Trump and providing the affordable healthcare that all of our families need to thrive.”
Governor Bruce Rauner’s disastrous veto of a school funding bill that would have re-worked a school funding formula currently considered to be the most inequitable in the country also leaves schools with no certainty of funding for the upcoming school year.
Rauner’s veto leaves schools administrators and teachers in the lurch, wondering how long before jobs are threatened. Rauner’s veto leaves Illinois schoolchildren unsure how long their school year might last - and what opportunities they’ll miss out on. Rauner’s veto leaves parents desperately concerned about what will happen if their school shuts down mid-year.
In response, American Bridge launched an online ad campaign that clarifies who really suffers from Governor Rauner’s bullying tactics - Illinois’ children.
American Bridge spokesperson Lizzy Price made the following statement:
“Governor Rauner is the definition of a bully - he’s abused his veto power to intimidate and harm children and entire communities to make a political point. No child should learn from Rauner’s example, because politics should never be more important than a child’s education.”
Democratic governor candidate Ameya Pawar has selected Tyrone Coleman, the mayor of downstate Cairo, to serve as his running mate in the campaign for the March primary nomination.
The Chicago alderman’s choice of the little-known mayor of a financially troubled community at the state’s southern point was emblematic of his “One Illinois” campaign theme, Pawar said.
Ameya Pawar, 47th Ward Alderman and Democratic candidate for Illinois governor, today announced Cairo Mayor Tyrone Coleman as his running mate for Lt. Governor. A veteran, a pastor, and a former radio show host, Coleman has spent his entire life serving his community and our country.
“I asked Mayor Coleman to be my running mate because he embodies the struggle that every Illinois family and town is experiencing. While the wealthy keep getting wealthier, the rest of us are struggling to get ahead,” said Pawar. “For too long, our state has been under the control of millionaires and big corporations that put profits over people–and the political insiders who enable them–leaving us fighting over scraps. While Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump divide our country based on where people live and what they look like, Mayor Coleman and I will work to bring our entire state together and lead the fight to take our state back from the powerful special interests so everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”
“Mayor Coleman and I are the only candidates in this race who are neither multi-millionaires or career politicians. And like me, he beat an entrenched political machine in Cairo to become mayor. Since taking office, the mayor has worked day and night to fight for public housing, economic development, and good jobs. Mayor Coleman will fight with me to bring new jobs and equitable funding for communities like Cairo, Englewood, Rockford, Galesburg, Waukegan, and Harvard.”
“I was born and raised in Cairo,” said Coleman. “When I grew up, it was the hub of the tri-state area. We used to draw people to Cairo for jobs, for entertainment, for medical care. I left for about 15 years, spent 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and came back on vacation and saw the devastation that years of disinvestment had caused. I saw that there was a need for my assistance here at home. Never thinking that I’d be in the position of mayor, I just thought that there was a better way of life for people who live in Cairo, and if I could do anything to make that thought a reality, I needed to be in government.”
“Cairo is a microcosm of what’s happening around Illinois and around this country,” Pawar explained. “Yes, there are higher rates of poverty, there are empty storefronts and buildings. But there are strong people. Strong families. People stitching things together to make their communities a better place. What’s missing is the political will to match that strength with investment. Mayor Coleman embodies the strength that so many communities have. And together, we’ll cut through politics as usual and get things done that actually improve people’s lives.”
Mayor Coleman was born in 1949 in Cairo. After graduating from Western Kentucky Vocational he was drafted into service, spending 10 years in the Marine Corps. He was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant. In 1984, he returned to his home town on vacation and saw the economic damage that had been done, and decided to stay to do what he could to help the community rebuild.
Coleman founded Faith Incorporated, a community-based organization that serves youth. He spent 10 years as a life skills coach at the Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Market, working with people on probation and with recipients of supplemental security income (SSI), which provides stipends to low-income people who are either over the age of 65, blind, or disabled. In 1991, Coleman founded what is now the Alexander-Pulaski Branch of the N.A.A.C.P.
From 1986-2012, Coleman hosted a talk and gospel radio show on WKRO-AM 1490. He has been involved in his church for decades - from 1999-2012, he was the Pastor at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Hogers Park in Cairo. He currently serves as Interim Pastor at the First Missionary Baptist Church.
His involvement in electoral politics began in 1990, when he served on the Cairo School District 1 Board. He then served as Co-Chair of Gov. Jim Edgar’s Minority Outreach Coalition, and from 2007-2011 served on the Cairo City Council as well as serving as the Cairo Police Commissioner. He is currently in his second term as Mayor.
Coleman is married to Mary Katherine Coleman, and the couple has raised four children.
A former Miss America and unsuccessful congressional candidate on Tuesday is expected to announce a Republican bid for attorney general for the chance to challenge four-term Democrat Lisa Madigan.
“Today in Illinois, it’s nearly impossible to find opportunity and live out your dreams. Instead, career politicians have made it a nightmare for too many families in our state,” Erika Harold says in a two-minute video announcing her candidacy.
“You deserve a state government that works for the people, not the powerful,” says Harold, of Urbana. “Changing the status quo is never easy. And I need your help to do it. Together, let’s defeat the special interests and send the politicians packing.”
The 37-year-old Harold is an attorney at the Meyer Capel law firm in Champaign. She graduated from the University of Illinois in 2001 and received a law degree from Harvard Law School in 2007. A 2003 winner of the Miss America pageant, she used her platform to launch a program to combat bullying in schools.
I haven’t seen any polls, but I’m assuming that the tens of millions of dollars spent on attacking Speaker Madigan has damaged AG Madigan’s reputation with voters. And with tens of millions more dollars spent against the Madigan name, the attorney general is going to have a real race - the first time that’s happened since her first statewide race in 2002.
Since narrowly winning the post in 2002, Lisa Madigan has never received less than 60 percent of the general election vote. On June 30, her campaign fund had $2.3 million on hand, although Harold is expected to receive generous financial support from Gov. Bruce Rauner and his wealthy allies. […]
Harold in 2014 challenged U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, in the Republican primary in the 13th Congressional District. She lost, 55 percent to 41 percent, but won in Champaign County.
She is expected to make her first appearance as a candidate at Wednesday’s Republican Day festivities at the Illinois State Fair.
Harold lives in Urbana and serves on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Equality, and as a commissioner on the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. She is a member of Trinity International University’s Board of Regents, and serves on the national board of directors of Prison Fellowship, the world’s largest outreach to prisoners and their families, and is an advocate for criminal justice reform.
