Caption contest!
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
BATH, IL — More than 7,000 invasive carp were removed from the Illinois River this past weekend and hundreds of people watched Asian carp cooking demonstrations during the 9th Annual Redneck Fishing Tournament.
“Every year I’m amazed at how many people turn out,” said Betty DeFord, who organizes the tournament. “More and more people are being made aware of the problems these fish create.”
Four, 2-hour fishing heats spread over Friday and Saturday netted 7,126 fish. The Sushi Slayer team from Washington, IL took first place with 531 Asian carp. Schafer Fisheries hauled away the fish to process into fertilizer.
Tournament proceeds will help homeless veterans through the Veterans Affairs hospital in Danville. More than $1,700 was raised through raffles. The Sushi Slayers and other top finishers donated their winnings to help the cause.
* The Senate Democrats’ communications director John Patterson was part of a team that caught over 300 flying carp. He’s posted a video of the experience…
Man, that place was fragrant on Sunday. Whew. I met some cool people, though, and traveled there with an old friend who texted me this morning…
Thanks again for an epic unrepeatable weekend!
Ain’t that the truth. Still dragging today. Oscar is worn out too.
* On to the caption contest. Yes, it’s late in the day, but hopefully we’ll still get some solid entrees. I mean, how many times do we get to mess with Patterson? Here he is holding a giant flying carp that a member of his team netted right before it flew into somebody else’s face…
77 Comments  
|
* We’re coming really late to this Kurt Erickson column, but I wanted to make sure you saw this…
Among the more than 2,000 emails turned over to a legislative panel investigating Gov. Pat Quinn’s failed anti-violence program is a confidential note from the governor’s liaison with the Legislature.
In it, Jessica Brushkin shines a spotlight on how individual lawmakers view the governor.
It is not a pretty view.
Let’s take state Rep. Bill Mitchell for example.
Brushkin wrote that the Republican from Forsyth was upset the governor did not invite him or state Rep. Adam Brown, R-Champaign, to events with the governor in Decatur.
At the time the email went out in September 2012, Quinn had just been in Decatur for an event honoring veterans.
* Ah, but there’s more. With many thanks to Kurt, the full e-mail…
From: Bruskin, Jessica
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 10:48 AM
To: [Redacted by me]
Subject: Noteworthy information from roll call
Sensitivity: Confidential
· Rep. Cabello (Repub) is is supportive of all of our veto action except for assault weapons ban, budget and gaming. He has not made a decision on Leucadia yet.
· Rep. E Jackson - had other concern regarding one particular program that got funded, the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative Program; which was funded $14 million. His concern is why all the funding got sent up to the Chicago area. He wants to know: -Why did none of those dollars come down to the East St. Louis area? -How was the process determined? -What is the process to apply? -Is it to late to apply? -Wanting a list of contacts who in charge of this program? He also spoke about the Safety Recovery Program which funding was cut. Rep. Jackson stated he would like to have someone get back with him regarding these questions before next Wednesday (September 26).
· Rep. Lang - The Gov’s office had better not think they can negotiate a [gaming] compromise without me at the table, or just Link and Cullerton at the table without me, they are wrong and will not succeed.
· Rep. Lyons - Joe is extremely upset with the Governor’s office at this time. He professionally and politely refused to answer any questions about legislation.
· Rep. Mitchell, B - Rep. Bill Mitchell was upset that the Governor did not invite him (nor Rep. Brown) to events the Governor was at in Decatur. He stated he was only agreeing to listen to the Governor’s point of view on these issues because I requested the meeting. He would not have met with anyone else.
· Sen. Delgado - He wants this to be shared with the Governor: he is tired of the Gov blaming legislators for issues and problems in the state. When he bashes legislators, he is trageting ALL of them. If Gov. Quinn has issues with certain legislators he should single them out & not blame allof them. Delgado says he is a Democrat, just like Quinn & that they should work together as a team & team members–don’t bash each other. He said he expects an apology from the Gov and the Gov should understand that they are allies & will get so much more done when they work together. He apologized to the caller for having to go thru her to relay this message, but the Gov and his leadership have not responded to him & his requests to discuss issues.
* One of the staff replies was pretty snarky…
Cabello’s is interesting — he is supportive of all our veto action except for 4 out of 7 of them?
I like Lang’s too, it sounds like something out of The Avengers.
21 Comments
|
Rauner paying canvassers
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bruce Rauner’s campaign manager sent out an e-mail to supporters over the weekend…
Well, we’ve tried to keep under wraps the grassroots machine we’ve built as a counterpoint to the insiders’ powerful political machine that’s been around for decades. We’re work horses, not show horses. But what we’re doing is so big and so unprecedented that reporters and the political class have taken notice. Below is an article that highlights our historic grassroots effort.
Thousands of volunteers are walking doors, making calls, and reaching out to their friends and neighbors.
The “ground game,” as campaigns call it, has long been the domain of the insider’s powerful political machine. They’ve invested in people and elbow grease while we’ve too often limited ourselves to the “air war” of ads. They’ve also cleaned our clock.
Not this time. We’re all-in.
Thousands of “volunteers”? Maybe not. Illinois Review…
Perhaps there are thousands of Rauner volunteers elsewhere, but in at least two southwest Cook County townships, Rauner is paying people to walk precincts.
Both Palos Township GOP Chairman Sean Morrison and Worth Township GOP Chairman Shaun Murphy sent out emails this past week, telling their members about opportunities to be paid to walk precincts for Rauner.
The program offers limited opportunities, beginning immediately, Murphy wrote in his email.
“The program will continue for the next several weeks, up to the election,” he said. “The positions will be filled on a first come bases, with productivity the determinate factor for its continuation. The compensation will be $1000 for 100 hours a month or $500 for 60 hours a month.”
Morrison’s email offered a similar opportunity to walk for Rauner in Palos Township.
“Due to available funding, in a joint coordination effort of the Palos Organization and the Rauner for Governor campaign, we are pleased to announce that we are able to offer a paid precinct walker program,” Morrison wrote.
65 Comments
|
*** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
State Senator Kirk W. Dillard stepped down from his seat as state Senator for the 24th District, ending a prolific legislative career.
Dillard will begin work immediately as Chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees the nation’s second largest mass transit system, over 2 million riders daily.
“It has been a true privilege to serve the people of the 24th District,” said Dillard. “It has been a tremendous honor to work side by side so many great people in my district serving them to make our communities better places to live and work.”
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) adds, “Sen. Dillard is a respected legislator in the Capitol, a statesman recognized by both chambers and both parties. We will truly miss his experience.”
“I began my career as an intern right out of Western Illinois University in 1977 on the Senate Republican staff and then attended law school at DePaul while living in my parents house and taking Metra to school daily,” said Dillard.
“I was called to public service at a young age,” he said. Dillard served with distinction as Chief of Staff for Gov. Jim Edgar (from 1990 to 1993) and as a Legislative Director for former Gov. Jim Thompson (from 1983 to 1987). He was a Judge on the Court of Claims from February 1987 to December 1990.
“I’ve greatly enjoyed my work as a lawmaker.” Dillard said. “I respected the process and worked hard to honor the wishes of those who elected me and sent me to the General Assembly to work humbly on their behalf. I’ve worked with many outstanding lawmakers and community leaders over the years and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served the state of Illinois.”
“Among my accomplishments legislatively, I’m very proud to have sponsored a bill to create the Amber Missing Child Alert System here in Illinois,” said Dillard. And we bolstered public access to Internet information about sexual predators, said Dillard, who was first elected to the Senate in 1995.
“I am proud to have worked in a bipartisan fashion, without ever giving up my Republican principles of less government, lower taxes and individual liberties.”
The rest is here.
I know that many of y’all had some hard feelings about Sen. Dillard during the primary campaign. I did, too, and I gave Dillard a piece of my mind. But he’s leaving the Senate after a long and pretty darned distinguished career, so…
* The Question: Your thoughts on Dillard’s retirement? And be kind, please.
* I’ll start: Too many legislators will look for a way to disagree with their colleagues. Dillard built a reputation for trying to find a way to agree with a colleague in order to make a bill better. I admired that in him.
He also listened, even if he totally disagreed with you. He heard you out.
Your turn…
*** UPDATE *** From Bruce Rauner…
“Senator Dillard has devoted years to public service on behalf of the people of the state of Illinois. His constituents were fortunate to have him working on their behalf in Springfield. The Regional Transportation Authority is gaining a wonderful leader who’s knowledge and experience will bring value as chairman. I wish him all the best in his new endeavor.”
26 Comments
|
* From a Cheri Bustos press release…
Congresswoman Cheri Bustos’ (IL-17) office released the following statement upon the passing of her father, Gene Callahan:
“Early this morning, Congresswoman Bustos received word that her beloved father passed away overnight at his home in Springfield. Congresswoman Bustos and her family thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and the outpouring of support on this difficult day.”
Gene was one heck of a man. A true gentleman. And he always made it a point to return all his calls, no matter how mighty or tiny the caller.
From his bio…
For over 40 years Gene Callahan worked in the political arena, first as a journalist with the Illinois State Register (Springfield) from 1957 to 1967, then as assistant press secretary for Gov. Sam Shapiro, and Lt. Gov. Paul Simon’s press secretary until 1972. In 1974 he began his long association with Alan Dixon, when Dixon served as Illinois state Treasurer, then Illinois Secretary of State. When Dixon moved to the U.S. Senate in 1981, Callahan became his chief of staff and most trusted political advisor. After Dixon lost a reelection bid to Carol Mosley Braun in 1992, Callahan worked for several years as the chief lobbyist for Major League Baseball, fighting to preserve its exemption from the Sherman Antitrust Act. His long friendship with Senator Dick Durbin dates back to the days when both worked for Lt. Gov. Simon.
First Al, now Gene. We’re witnessing the end of an era.
I’ll update this post today with what I’m sure will be a flood of statements.
* Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka…
“Illinois lost a true statesman this morning with the passing of Gene Callahan. Gene was passionate about public service. Although he worked in government and politics for decades he was able to rise above partisanship and work with anyone for the good of the order. He was truly one of the good ones. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”
* Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon…
“Illinois will miss Gene Callahan. And the Simon family in particular has lost a dear friend.
“Gene served as chief of staff for my dad, a mentor for my brother, and a trusted advisor for me. He was always focused on what was best for the people of our state, not short-term political advantage. His ethical standards were the highest – standards I try to live up to daily.
“My thoughts and prayers are with Gene’s family and all whose lives he touched.”
* Gov. Pat Quinn…
“Gene Callahan was one of those rare fixtures in the political world – a true gentleman who could work with anybody, any time, to get things done.
“It is hard to believe the 40-plus-year ‘Callahan era’ has come to a close. Few of us can remember a time when Gene was not involved in public service. Thankfully, he has instilled those same values in his daughter Cheri Bustos, who has taken his ethic of hard work and honesty to the U.S. Congress.
“Illinois has suffered two huge losses recently – first former Senator Alan Dixon, and now the Senator’s long-time friend and advisor, Gene Callahan. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the thousands of people whose lives Gene touched during his long and storied life.”
* US Rep. Rodney Davis…
“Gene Callahan was truly a role model for anyone involved in government or politics. His work ethic was the stuff of legend, including his first rule: always return your phone calls, no matter the caller. Gene was most certainly a proud Democrat, but he also is one who believed that in order to accomplish great things, we need to work across the aisle to get things done. His passing is truly a loss for the state of Illinois and our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Ann, and his family, including my friend and colleague Congresswoman Cheri Bustos.”
* Class move by Bobby Schilling, who’s running against Bustos…
“Illinois lost a great statesman today. Gene Callahan admirably dedicated his life to public service and had a positive impact on the State of Illinois. My prayers go out to Congresswoman Bustos and her entire family.”
*** UPDATE *** From the family…
Era Eugene “Gene” Callahan, 80, of Springfield, formerly of Washington, D.C., passed away Monday, August 4, 2014, at his residence. Gene was born November 5, 1933, in Milford, IL to Joe and Helen Meyer Callahan. Joe Callahan, an active Democrat and Illinois state representative, introduced Gene to politics and his way of life. Gene served his country in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany from 1956-1957. He was a graduate of Illinois College in Jacksonville, where he played baseball and met his future wife. On October 26, 1957, Gene married Antoinette “Ann” Hammond. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Fran, sister, Jody Pruitt, and son, Daniel “Coach Cal” Callahan.
Gene began his career as a political reporter for the Illinois State Register, the predecessor to the State Journal-Register. He wrote a daily political column called Callagrams for many years. He left journalism to become deputy press secretary to Governor Samuel H. Shapiro and later Governor Otto Kerner; eventually serving to Lt. Governor Paul Simon. He was director of communications for City Water Light and Power (CWLP) for the city of Springfield. He was U.S. Senator Alan Dixon’s Chief of Staff during his years as Illinois State Treasurer, Secretary of State and U.S. Senator. Senator Dixon just passed away last month. Gene also integrated his passion for baseball and was the director of Government Relations for Major League Baseball. In retirement, Gene served on the board of trustees for Southern Illinois University, where his late son, Dan, was the head baseball coach for 16 seasons. It was his and Ann’s passion to follow Dan’s baseball career. He remained active politically throughout his lifetime, although behind the scenes as advisor to many. In fact, his family is pleased that on his last day of life, he was at a political event at Norb Andy’s Tavern for his daughter, Cheri Bustos, a Congresswoman representing the 17th district for Illinois. Almost his entire immediate family was all together. Gene had many friends and enjoyed life to its fullest.
He is survived by his wife, Ann, of Springfield, IL; daughters, Lynn (Al) Riddley of Springfield and Cheri (Gerry) Bustos of East Moline; daughter-in-law, Stacy Callahan of Carterville; grandchildren, Brad and Chrissy Ruppert, Tony, Nick and Joey Bustos; Alexa, and Carly Callahan, sister Neta (Myron) Erdman of Chenoa.
Gene wanted his family and friends to celebrate his life, not mourn it. A party, complete with Gabatoni’s pizza, in Gene’s honor will be held at Norb Andy’s, 518 East Capitol Ave., Springfield, on Friday, August 8 from 2-6pm.
Staab Polk Memorial Home, 8855 State Route 4, Chatham, IL 62629 is serving the Callahan family. In lieu of flowers, please vote on November 4th.
Please visit www.staabpolk.com to offer your condolences. [Emphasis added.]
“In lieu of flowers, please vote.” Heh.
* More…
Springfield lobbyist Tim McAnarney, a longtime friend, said Callahan’s final day was spent doing what he loved.
“He was in a saloon talking politics, surrounded by his family,” McAnarney said.
30 Comments
|
Shooting for viral
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign posted its new TV ad on YouTube on July 29th. It’s so far received 1,731 views…
* Two days later, on July 31st, Bruce Rauner’s campaign uploaded a paradoy of the Quinn TV ad. Check out the view count…
Neither one of these videos has gone viral, but the Quinn ad is its most-watched YouTube video of the year. Rauner has at least 30 videos which have garnered more views so far.
Rauner is the challenger, and there’s always lots of interest in a challenger, and as we get closer to the election we’ll see Quinn’s viewcounts rise. Four years ago, one of Quinn’s videos got national attention and received over 174,000 views.
But when your TV ad is being out-viewed online by a parody ad, that’s probably not a great sign.
* Meanwhile, the Illinois Federation of Teachers is hoping this video of Rauner saying last year that he may have to shut down government will get hot online…
The Rauner quote…
“I apologize. We may have to go through rough times. We may have to do what Ronald Reagan did with the air traffic controllers. Sort of have to do a do-over and shut things down for a little while. That’s what we’re gonna do.”
From the video explanation…
In this clip, Illinois gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Rauner proposes that Illinois fire public employees (apparently without cause) because he felt “things” need to be “shut down for a while” to fix government.
Rauner will probably believe he has ample “cause” if he ever decides to take that step, but I see their point. Full speech is here.
* And the Rauner campaign is trying to put words into Quinn’s mouth with its latest video…
Quinn Disagrees with Tribune, Falsely Claims No Federal Funds Were Used in NRI
Governor intentionally misleads public when asked to respond to congressional delegation concerns
On Friday, the Chicago Tribune reported for the first time that federal disaster funds were misused in Gov. Pat Quinn’s Neighborhood Recovery Initiative.
When confronted with the front page story at a press conference in southern Illinois later that day, Gov. Quinn pretended that no federal funds were ever misued in NRI, despite a front page Tribune story laying out the facts and members of the Illinois congressional delegation calling for an investigation.
Um, not quite. The video…
Quinn’s quote…
“No, I haven’t misused any funds like that. I don’t agree with that at all. You know we take safe-guarding of any of the funds we receive,” he says.
To which the Rauner campaign responds…
Quinn doesn’t agree that federal disaster funds were used in NRI?
A bit of a stretch.
* But while this political video posted by a state legislative candidate has no views as of yet, it does have perhaps the best chance of catching some fire if we give it a little nudge today…
Heh.
Keep it short, keep it simple, add a bit of humor.
24 Comments
|
* The front page of the Sunday Sun-Times…
* From the story…
Multimillionaire Republican Bruce Rauner has channeled at least part of his fortune into the Cayman Islands, a Caribbean paradise long criticized as a tax haven for American investors, the Chicago Sun-Times has confirmed.
A Rauner spokesman insisted that the former private equity investor has met his legal tax obligations and properly disclosed to the federal government information regarding at least five investments by him or his firm in a country that has no income tax and a financial system cloaked in secrecy.
Rauner’s campaign has refused so far to release a full set of his most recent tax returns to corroborate that and perhaps show the extent and value of those investments in offshore companies. No one has suggested Rauner has done anything illegal. In fact, offshore investments among the wealthy have been a common practice in recent years.
For Rauner, consistently leading Gov. Pat Quinn in mid-summer polling, it’s the same political issue that President Barack Obama used to his advantage against uber-rich Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential campaign.
Three of the five Cayman investments were done through GTCR, Rauner’s former firm…
“Bruce’s personal tax rate and state tax obligations are not impacted by where the GTCR subsidiary funds are located” [said campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf].
The other two…
A fourth Cayman Islands-linked investment was The Overlook Partners Fund LP, from which Rauner disclosed receiving a capital gain of at least $5,000 in 2012 on his state economic-interest statement. The Overlook Partners Fund is a non-GTCR-related investment fund for which Rauner’s personal funds were used, his campaign said.
On his economic-interest statement, Rauner also declared having at least $5,000 worth of stock holdings or deriving $1,200 or more in dividends from a fifth Cayman Islands-based entity, HSBC Holdings PLC. A campaign aide said that investment belongs to Rauner’s family foundation.
One other point from the story…
In addition to their tax advantages, Cayman Islands investments typically aren’t accessible to most Americans because they can require minimum $500,000 or $1 million deposits, [ Richard L. Kaplan, a University of Illinois law professor] said.
* From the Quinn campaign…
“Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner doesn’t just use exotic methods to dodge taxes - he even uses exotic, offshore locations.
“Who ever heard of a candidate for Governor of Illinois stashing millions of dollars in the Cayman Islands to avoid paying Illinois and U.S. taxes?
“Whether Mr. Rauner’s tax dodge is legal is beside the point. It’s wrong.
“Mr. Rauner has a duty to disclose how much of his fortune he has hidden in the Cayman Islands and explain why he chose to send his wealth to a notorious tax haven that is shrouded in secrecy and available only to corporations and the uber-wealthy.
“These revelations also demand new scrutiny of his finances. Not only must Mr. Rauner reveal his full tax information - he must reveal whether he has any other foreign investments and just with whom he is investing overseas.”
Rauner is running millions of dollars in negative attack ads that are financed by money he obtained by jumping through elite loopholes to avoid taxes.
Sheltering his money in the Cayman Islands to avoid taxes isn’t the first time that Rauner has been caught gaming the system to enrich himself while the rest of us play by a different set of rules. In July, the Chicago Tribune reported that Rauner used elite tax strategies to avoid Social Security and Medicare taxes in previous years and drastically lower his own tax burden. For more information, visit www.RealRauner.com.
* The DGA has eight questions…
1. Why did Bruce Rauner park his money there if not to game the system for his own financial benefit?
2. How much money does Bruce Rauner have in the Cayman Islands?
3. What kind of tax obligations did Bruce Rauner dodge or withhold from Illinois and the United States by sheltering cash overseas?
4. Why won’t he release his complete income tax records with schedules for full transparency and disclosure?
5. What other types of investments or financial interests is Bruce Rauner hiding?
6. Will Bruce Rauner fully disclose the amounts, the locations, and the partners of his foreign investments or holdings?
7. Does Rauner have foreign business partners that do business with the state of Illinois?
8. Would these wealthy foreign investors stand to benefit if Rauner were elected governor of the state?
* And from the Quinn campaign this morning…
Following new revelations that Bruce Rauner has been stashing millions of dollars in the Cayman Islands to avoid U.S. and Illinois taxes, Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor Paul Vallas will discuss why it is more important than ever that Rauner disclose his full tax records.
WHEN: 10 a.m.
WHERE: 12th Street Beach – Northerly Island
208 Comments
|
* From the US Attorney’s office…
The change of plea was just scheduled this morning for 11 a.m. The previously scheduled 9 a.m. status hearing was cancelled. Details will be made available during and after court.
The hearing change today is “by agreement.” I’m told “it is related to, but different from, what he was originally charged with.”
I’ll update this post as soon as I know more.
Rep. Ford was indicted on 17 counts of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in November of 2012. The original indictment is here. He has steadfastly denied the charges and pled not guilty.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The feds had a lousy case, so it’s good to see them reportedly backing off…
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the feds…
Attached is a superseding information filed this morning charging State Rep. LaShawn Ford with one count of delivering a false federal income tax return for 2007, a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
The new “superseding information”…
On or about August 29, 2008, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, LASHAWN FORD, defendant herein, willfully delivered and disclosed, and caused to be delivered and disclosed, to the Internal Revenue Service a U.S. Individual Income Tax Return (Form 1040 with schedules and attachments) for calendar year 2007, which return was false as to a material matter in that the return falsely stated that the total cost or other basis for the property at 5700 W. Erie in Chicago was $166,979, when in fact, as FORD knew, the total cost or other basis for that property was materially lower than $166,979;
In violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7207.
*** UPDATE 3 *** From the plea deal…
One of those investment properties was a single-family home located at 5700 W. Erie in Chicago. The defendant sold that property on or about March 20, 2007, for $275,000.
On or about August 29, 2008, the defendant signed and filed with the Internal Revenue Service an income tax return (Form 1040) for calendar year 2007. On that return, the defendant stated that the cost or other basis for the property at 5700 W. Erie was $166,979, a figure that included $74,226 in purported rehabilitation costs, yielding a capital gain of $124,278. As the defendant knew, the rehabilitation costs for that property were in fact approximately $51,160. This resulted in a $3,782 tax loss.
Man, they really backtracked there. Wow.
From the feds…
U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer set sentencing for 11 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2014.
Ford faces a maximum sentence of a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. The court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
32 Comments
|
* My Crain’s Chicago Business column… [fixed link]
Big Jim Thompson and I disagree.
The former 14-year Illinois governor says he has no regrets about pushing legislation in the 1980s that exempted retirement income from state taxation.
I think it’s crazy. Illinois is facing a $4 billion hole in its 2015 budget when the 2011 income tax increase automatically starts to roll back on Jan. 1. That’s a huge headache for whoever wins the Nov. 4 election, Gov. Pat Quinn or Republican nominee Bruce Rauner.
Illinois is leaving $2 billion on the table by not taxing retirement income, studies have shown. That missed revenue is escalating every year. Total retirement income in Illinois is growing by 6.5 percent a year, compared with just 1.9 percent annual growth for personal income that is taxed, according to a study by the Civic Federation.
Illinois is one of just three states that exempt pension income from taxation, according to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
Shouldn’t we get in line with all those other states? Mr. Thompson says no.
Click here to read the rest before discussing, please [fixed link]. Included in the story are exclusive results from a new poll of Illinois senior citizens on this issue.
56 Comments
|
Can a positive message work?
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Gov. Pat Quinn’s new TV ad is 60 seconds of one positive message after another.
“Pat Quinn sees problems, takes action and gets the job done,” the ad claims. “Now, Illinois is making a comeback,” it continues.
But the spot is being slammed by longtime campaign insiders in both parties as “spitting in the wind.”
For instance, a Paul Simon Public Policy Institute poll in June found that a mere 30 percent of Illinoisans thought the state was on the right track, while a a very strong 60 percent majority thought Illinois was on the wrong track.
And an infamous poll taken by Gallup in April found that 50 percent of Illinoisans would move to a different state if given the chance. We were first in the country on that response, according to Gallup. Just 25 percent of Minnesotans, by contrast, felt the same way.
In other words, a positive TV ad campaign is not very likely to change many minds. Way too many people simply hate the way things are going here.
Instead, Democratic critics have been arguing behind the scenes to abandon positivity in the very near future and launch a full-on, brutal assault against Bruce Rauner as soon as possible. And quite a few experienced Republican operatives were scratching their heads at the ad, saying they highly doubted it would move any numbers at all.
The Quinn campaign obviously tested that initial message with focus groups and polling. So, hey, maybe they’re right. But when’s the last time you heard someone say they were proud to live in this state or that things were really starting to turn around?
Meanwhile, the Quinn folks are reportedly hoping to drive up turnout by more than 200,000 votes with the non-binding minimum wage referendum this fall, which asks voters if they support a $10 per hour minimum wage.
That turnout projection has long caused much consternation behind the scenes among people who believe it’s entirely unrealistic. What the Quinnsters are hoping to do has never been done before, critics point out. The Quinn campaign’s projections rely heavily on a record off-year turnout, even though the national and state headwinds are rapidly nearing hurricane force levels and Democratic interest is quite low.
Democrats are hoping to spend as much as $5 million on the minimum wage project to drive otherwise non-motivated “base” voters to go to the polls. US Sen. Dick Durbin’s campaign is reportedly in full agreement and pressure from both Durbin and Quinn has for now forced the Chicago City Council to delay a vote on its own $13 minimum wage ordinance. The cold calculation was that a $13 per hour ordinance passed in September would undermine the Democrats’ $10 per hour efforts in the fall campaign.
On the other side of the fence, Bruce Rauner’s campaign has calculated a more than 300,000 voter turnout increase just to be on the safe side. After Rauner’s unexpectedly narrow GOP primary win (despite internal Rauner polls showing the candidate with a well over twenty-point lead), the Republicans want to be extra sure that they plan for every possible contingency.
To some Democrats, that Rauner internal turnout projection validates their theory of a turnout spike. They believe that early voting, same day registration and other new “tools” will assist them in reaching their goal.
To others, it’s just smart politics by Rauner and overly dangerous optimism by Quinn. In other words, if the spike happens, Rauner will have prepared himself. If it doesn’t happen, Quinn is likely toast.
At least in public, however, Rauner is making some pretty darned inflated claims himself. He reportedly told a group of African-American small businessmen last week that he will get 28 percent of the black vote in Chicago - something that hasn’t been done there in a very long time.
But he’s certainly trying hard. ABC 7’s Charles Thomas reported last week that Rauner committed at that same meeting with black small businessmen to deposit $1 million of his own personal money into a Chicago credit union to be used for small business loans.
The Rauner campaign confirmed the story with Thomas, calling the pledge “one of many steps Bruce will take to reinvigorate our communities that have suffered under the failed policies and broken commitments of politicians.”
That “one of many” phrase has got to send chills up the Quinn campaign’s collective spine.
18 Comments
|
Question of the day
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Election day this year is Tuesday, November 4th. What do you think Monday, November 3rd will look like in Illinois?
49 Comments
|
The Sun-Times’ inexcusable reefer madness
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Eric Zorn…
Wednesday, the Chicago City Council banned medical marijuana dispensaries — the city is slated to have 13 — from manufacturing districts and transportation corridors, from areas near parks and forest preserves, and from certain downtown areas.
Even this wasn’t enough to prevent our friends at the Sun-Times from splashing their front page with the alarming headline “Neighborhood joints: New zoning rules mean medical pot spots likely to pop up in busy areas.”
You’d think Illinois was the first state — not the 20th — to OK the medical use of marijuana. You’d think there were no data whatsoever about the impact, if any, of dispensaries in busy or even comparatively idle areas.
But police agencies and academics have looked at just these sorts of concerns over the years. The Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., has collected the results; nearly all of it reaches the same “hey, no big deal” conclusion reached by researchers from the University of South Florida, the University of Colorado and the New York City Criminal Justice Agency when they studied 275 medical marijuana distribution sites.
Despite all the advance warnings, they wrote in a paper published earlier this year, “these centers do not appear to have any impact on the urban landscape and, therefore, on the health of the communities in which they are located.”
The media needs to grow up, already.
17 Comments
|
Today’s long read
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
As Gov. Pat Quinn’s aides sought to pump up an anti-violence program ahead of his November 2010 election bid, they decided to add to the pot $3.76 million in federal disaster recovery funds from Hurricane Ike to make loans to small businesses.
In the rush to get the program launched, the Quinn administration hired a financially troubled West Side business development group to dole out loans, despite concluding the organization had recently misspent state grant funds.
The group, Chicago Community Ventures did not make a single loan, but was allowed to keep more than $150,000 when the contract was nixed, the Tribune has found.
Quinn aides say they caught the problems early by carefully monitoring the group and opted to let the organization keep the money because it had been spent appropriately on administrative costs.
But the administration would not specify how the group was vetted and whether other warning signs about the group’s finances were taken into consideration before it was selected.
Go read the whole thing.
* The story was apparently sparked by a letter written by US Sen. Mark Kirk, a Bruce Rauner ally, a week ago…
The Illinois Auditor, State’s Attorney office and the Audit Commission have only focused on the estimated $50 million in state funds used for the NRI. I am concerned that without your investigation into the micro-lending component of the NRI, there will be no oversight of the $5 million in federal disaster funds used for this questionable program.
I ask that you investigate and make public how these funds were used. I also request answers to the following questions regarding the NRI micro-loan program.
1. Who were the final recipients of the NRI micro-loan program and where were they located?
2. Did any of these businesses lie within areas of significant damage caused by Hurricane Ike?
3. What criteria was used to select micro-loan recipients?
a. Who chose the criteria?
4. What criteria was used to select micro-loan lenders?
a. Who chose this criteria?
5. How many jobs were created by this micro-loan program?
a. Which businesses created these jobs and what metrics were used to verify job creation statistics?
6. Was the NRI micro-loan program an eligible activity under the law that appropriated the money?
7. Did the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity accurately report the functions of the micro-loan program in their mandated Ike quarterly reports to allow for proper HUD oversight?
8. The Accion press release stated minimum requirements to obtain a NRI micro-loan. Were all of the recipients properly notified of the disaster requirements necessary to qualify for Ike Disaster Recovery Funds? Were these requirements posted online?
9. Did all of the recipients of the loans meet Ike Disaster Recovery Funds requirements?
10. I understand Illinois submitted waivers to forgo a portion of the HUD requirements for the Ike funds. Did these waivers permit micro-lending activity?
In addition to the answers to these questions, I would like any and all documents related to the site visits and subsequent concerns that were forwarded to the lenders as mentioned in the state’s Ike Quarterly Performance Reports to be made public.
Discuss.
14 Comments
|
How times change
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* OK, here’s something that you wouldn’t have expected out of Jim Oberweis six months ago. From a media advisory…
U.S. Senate candidate Jim Oberweis will rally against violence tonight (Friday, Aug. 1) as part of the “Brothers on the Block” initiative organized by Pastor Corey Brooks of New Beginnings Church. Oberweis was the first major candidate to attend the weekly rallies earlier this summer and has made numerous visits to the South Side during this campaign.
8:30 p.m. — New Beginnings Church, 6620 S. King Drive Chicago.
Brooks has endorsed Oberweis.
* Meanwhile…
U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), along with other Great Lakes senators, are calling for urgent action to stop the spread of Asian Carp and other invasive species.
In a letter sent Thursday to John Goss, the Asian Carp director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the senators asked for the official’s help “in urging the Chicago Area Waterway System Advisory Committee to make recommendations for short- and medium-term solutions to safeguard the Great Lakes from Asian carp and other invasive species as soon as possible.”
I only mention this because, believe it or not, I’m a co-sponsor of this year’s “Original Redneck Fishing Tournament” - which is something that I never thought I’d ever do…
Rednecks from all over the world travel to the little metropolis of Bath, IL (Pop. 350) for one fun weekend each summer to celebrate…and catch thousands of Asian Carp from the Illinois River. Whether it’s a final summer weekend trip of crazy fun before going back to school, or a inexpensive vacation getaway, this redneck event is becoming a must on summer bucket lists. Held along the banks of the Bath chute of the Illinois river, hundreds of boats compete each day for prizes, bragging rights, and for the sheer fun of catching silver carp out of the air. Thousands more come to sit along the banks of the river, play some family games and soak in the mardi gras atmosphere and smells…that last part isn’t really true, but it must be a good event because people stick around in spite of the smells. Come in costume, or just bring your lawn chairs and a camera, but be prepared for a weekend of Redneck fun!
The concept is to pilot your boat up the Illinois River and catch as many Asian Carp as possible. They mostly just jump right into your boat, but people also use nets to catch even more. Helmets with face guards are recommended. A twenty-pound carp smacking you in the head while you’re going 20 miles an hour can be quite problematic, to say the least…
Teams may want to consider some sort of protection from the flying fish such as helmets (especially if children are participating) and to wear padded life jackets throughout the event…even idling at the start line may get you hit by a fish or two. Another suggestion is to have something in the boat (such as an old garbage can or tote) to store the fish you have caught…they hurt when flopping around on the floor of the boat so a club or something to knock them out is sometimes used as well. Getting them from the riverbank to the drop-off site can be a challenge if you have caught dozens or hundreds of fish…so use the garbage can or tote to haul them to the drop off dumpster.
So, when Oberweis is at a black church, I’ll be co-sponsoring a redneck carp fishing tournament.
Weird, that.
27 Comments
|
* More than 600 Chinese kids are enrolling at UIUC this fall…
They will represent nearly 10 percent of the entering freshman class at the state’s most competitive public university, up from fewer than 20 freshmen in 2006. And they are so important to the university’s present and future that a U. of I. team flew halfway around the world this summer to conduct three orientation sessions in their country.
While the students and their families are betting their futures on a U. of I. education, the university depends on the full tuition they pay — a minimum of $31,000 a year, in some cases totaling twice that of an Illinois resident, plus housing and other costs.
U. of I. has more international students than any other American public university, and it trails only the University of Southern California, a private institution. All told, including graduate students who qualify for some aid, about 9,400 international students funneled $166 million into the Urbana-Champaign campus budget last year in tuition alone, triple the amount from just five years ago.
When fees and housing are factored in, international students contributed $211 million to the campus budget, accounting for 25 percent of the amount paid by all students. Nearly half that sum came from China, university figures show.
It’s pretty clear that UIUC is using these kids to plug their budget holes. And what’s happening is those students are getting degrees, going home and then competing with us.
Spreading the American Way is a good thing. It makes this country stand head and shoulders above the rest of the world. And if that helps push real reform in China, then I’m for it. But, as the UIUC numbers show, the American Way these days has become too much about grabbing every dollar you can, almost regardless of the consequences.
* And, yes, I’m wincing at my own borderline reactionary xenophobia here. So, it’s important to also point out this…
Meanwhile, the number of students from Illinois is down, to 5,358 freshmen last fall, but that is more a function of students passing on Illinois than the university rejecting them. U. of I. has admitted a consistent number of in-state applicants over the past five years, but a higher percentage of them are enrolling elsewhere.
I’d really like to know why this is happening. Is it the high tuition? Is it the lack of quality education? Is it the condition of the campus? Is it just that kids are tired of living in Illinois? What?
103 Comments
|
Pollapalooza
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Reboot has posted several new We Ask America Polls. First up, US Senate…
Dick Durbin 53
Jim Oberweis 38
Undecided 9
A 15-point margin and an incumbent sitting at 53 looks tough to beat to me. We’ll see how things progress.
* Ditto for the AG’s race, although it’s obvious that Lisa Madigan is no longer the most popular politician in Illinois…
Lisa Madigan 52
Paul Schimpf 35
Undecided 13
* That most popular moniker solidly belongs to Secretary of State Jesse White, who apparently has a 30-point lead in his race. I’d tell you what the numbers are, but Reboot has absolutely the worst poll reporting ever. You gotta read and read and read to find the topline head to heads, and they never once mentioned it in the SoS poll story and they have the wrong graph on the page.
* And JBT holds on to her title as most popular Republican…
Judy Baar Topinka 51
Sheila Simon 32
Undecided 16
* A Republican friend tells me this is the third poll in a row she’s seen where Cross has at least a ten-point lead over Frerichs for state treasurer…
Tom Cross 45
Mike Frerichs 34
Undecided 21
From the Frerichs campaign…
“While Tom Cross is better known than Mike Frerichs on August 1st, we have the resources and gameplan to turn that around and show voters there’s a clear choice between a prepared and experienced finance official and a twenty year Springfield insider to be the next state Treasurer. Mike Frerichs has detailed plans to clean up the mess created by the current Republican Treasurer and when voters tune into the race in the Fall, we are confident they will choose what Mike has been talking about for over a year now; bringing competency and transparency to the Treasurers office while making wise investments to help build our economy from the middle out.”
Notice that they didn’t challenge the poll results.
23 Comments
|
Justifiable turnabout or pay to play?
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mark Brown way back on March 19th…
My take on Rauner is that he brings an owner’s mentality to politics. The State of Illinois is his next acquisition. He’s a goal-oriented man who has switched his sights from making money to acquiring power. He’s paid no dues but now is well on his way to buying an election.
* ABC Chicago’s Charles Thomas last night…
Is it a multimillionaire stepping up to help a community, or is it a political candidate trying to buy votes? ABC7 Eyewitness News has learned Bruce Rauner has promised to give a South Side credit union $1 million.
Nothing like this has ever happened in Illinois politics: A candidate for governor promised $1 million of his own money to help the audience at a campaign event.
“I understand what he understands, and that’s money,” said Otis Monroe, Monroe Foundation.
Monroe was among the African American activists who greeted Bruce Rauner this week at the National Black Wall Street office. After the doors closed to the news media, Monroe says he asked the wealthy Republican to deposit $1 million in the South Side Community Federal Credit Union for loans to small businesses.
“He said he would commit not just a million dollars, but more than a million dollars to this institution,” said Monroe. […]
A Rauner campaign spokesman confirmed the $1 million dollar deal, calling it “one of many steps Bruce will take to reinvigorate our communities that have suffered under the failed policies and broken commitments of politicians.” […]
A spokeswoman for a stunned Quinn campaign wrote: “Any exchange of money for political support raises serious ethical questions. Pay to play has no place in Illinois.”
Partisan Republicans have long claimed that Democrats have used government and campaign money to “buy” black votes. So, I doubt anybody on Rauner’s side of the fence will be too offended by this bit of turnabout.
And I’d bet a whole lot of cash that this is only the tip of Rauner’s iceberg.
74 Comments
|
* The Cook Political report has shifted its projections to favor Republicans in 17 congressional districts and shifted ratings to favor Democrats in just four. Illinois’ 12th District has been shifted a notch away from the Democrats…
Several polls show Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn well behind in this Downstate district, and that has Enyart backers worried. Democrats portray GOP state Rep. Mike Bost as “Meltdown Mike” for his infamous tirade on the state House floor, but Bost has worked hard to cast Enyart as “Beltway Bill” and actually outraised him in the second quarter of this year.
Some Democrats complain Enyart needs to work harder to raise his visibility in his district, otherwise Quinn could drag him down. Voter anxiety about the EPA could also play a role in a district where coal is a major industry. Private polling shows the race extremely tight, and Democrats may need to air footage of Bost’s meltdown to cast him as too hotheaded for Congress.
I’ll disagree with that last statement. If this develops into a truly anti-incumbent year (and it sure looks that way), then sending an angry hothead to Congress might be just what the voters want.
Your thoughts?
31 Comments
|
Two important inversion opinions
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Blog readers voted 65-35 yesterday that Gov. Pat Quinn needed to keep the heat on Walgreen’s for considering a corporate inversion - lowering its federal tax bill by moving its headquarters to Switzerland.
After blasting Quinn earlier this week and then back-tracking, the Sun-Times’ Dave McKinney tried to get a straight answer from Rauner yesterday…
Republican Bruce Rauner said Thursday it would be “terrible” if Walgreens decided to move its headquarters to Switzerland to avoid paying U.S. taxes.
But the venture capitalist said the way to stop such so-called “corporate inversions” is for Congress to “overhaul our tax code so we’re competitive.” Rauner also said Illinois politicians must “change our economic climate so were pro-growth, pro-investment, pro-job creation.”
“It’d be terrible to lose Walgreens, but the real tragedy is that businesses have been leaving Illinois for years,” Rauner said. “We are not competitive. Our taxes are too high, and our regulatory burden is punishing.”
Video…
Rauner really should dump his ownership stake in the Red Sox and invest in the Dodgers. It would be far more appropriate.
* But, anyway, what I really wanted to do with this topic today is to highlight two important dissenting voices from yesterday’s comments. They both focused on Gov. Quinn’s specific attempts to demonize Walgreen’s for considering the overseas move. First up, our long-beloved Arthur Andersen…
Deeply in the minority here, but I would lighten up. I know a number of seniors who are as close to their pharmacist as they are to their doctor, and they love Wally’s. They might not understand inversion, but they understand messing with their pharmacy and they won’t like it.
* Our often not so beloved “A Guy” wrote this in response to an allegation made earlier in the thread that Walgreen’s has forced local pharmacists out of business…
(S)ell that crock to every small community and neighborhood that couldn’t get any business to move in and Walgreens did. Even added produce in certain stores. Didn’t gouge to make up for higher operating expenses. They’ve been a great corporate citizen. This strategy is dopey with a capital D.
I agree with both commenters here. And I’d bet big money that satisfaction with Walgreen’s is a whole lot higher in this state than it is with Gov. Quinn. I just don’t see a win here.
44 Comments
|
|
Comments Off
|
|
Comments Off
|
National Review trashes Quinn
Thursday, Jul 31, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Writer spends a couple of days in fly-over country, begins his story with a little black kid in East St. Louis who says unkind words, race baits throughout the article, half truths abound, Illinois Policy Institute quoted, DH Brown’s is referred to as a “video-gambling establishment,” Interstate 55 is described as…
the dyspeptic alimentary canal of Illinois, from the shadows underneath the gloomy turret of the Joliet penitentiary to the stagnation of Normal and Bloomington, across the vast stretches of lightly populated Corn Belt and through the almost-as-empty state capital at Springfield
But along the way he does provide one or two helpful insights. Read it here. You’ll need to pay to read the whole thing.
Oh, and it made the cover…
The tear on Lincoln’s face is a definite tip-off.
35 Comments
|
Question of the day
Thursday, Jul 31, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn yesterday…
“I made it pretty clear to Walgreen’s… If they decide to move to Switzerland to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, renouncing their American citizenship, I think they’re going to find a lot of consumers are heartily disappointed in that behavior.”
Walgreen’s, of course, is based here in Illinois and employs a lot of people in this state.
* The Question: Should the governor lighten up on Walgreen’s or keep up the pressure? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
polls
73 Comments
|
*** UPDATED x1 *** Rauner releases ag plan
Thursday, Jul 31, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Other than praising existing farm exports and promising to do more without really saying how, paying some lip service to unspecified deregulation, supporting ethanol in all its glory and saying he’ll improve the State Fairgrounds, I’m not sure what the dealio is. We’ll monitor media reports. Click here to read Bruce Rauner’s Agriculture plan.
*** UPDATE *** Quinn campaign response…
Below is the statement of Quinn for Illinois Deputy Press Secretary Izabela Miltko in response to Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner’s latest policy pamphlet, which includes some inaccuracies. For example, CMS does not run the State Fairgrounds - the Department of Agriculture does.
“The farmers of Illinois know a pig in a poke when they see one.
“Number one, CMS does not run the State Fairgrounds - the Department of Agriculture does.
“Number two, what good does it do to pay your own first class ticket to travel abroad when you’re embracing policies that help corporate deserters avoid U.S. taxes? Only Bruce Rauner can tell.
“It’s also worth noting that Rauner’s agriculture pamphlet failed to mention the devastating impact the Rauner Budget would have on rural education.”
Governor Pat Quinn has been a champion for farm exports and agriculture, which is the backbone of the Illinois economy.
Below is a recap of some of Governor Quinn’s agriculture accomplishments:
National Leader in Soybeans & Corn: Under Governor Quinn, Illinois ranks 1st in soybean and 2nd in corn production.
Completed critical infrastructure improvements to the Illinois State Fairgrounds: Thanks to more than $700,000 in funding from the Governor’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program, leaky roofs were replaced or repaired on several buildings, including the Artisans Building, 10 barns and Sheep Pavilion 33.
Biofuels: Governor Quinn has taken the lead on biofuels and as chair of the Governors’ Biofuel Coalition has developed renewable fuels standards that directly have benefited farmers.
National Leader in Agriculture Exports: With sales of $8.3 billion in agricultural products overseas, Illinois is one of the largest exporters in the country. Governor Quinn has worked hard to expand overseas markets through trade missions and aggressive outreach efforts, seeking and securing deals and protections for Illinois products in Mexico, Europe and South America.
Protecting rural education: Governor Quinn has fought to protect rural education and keep property taxes low for family farmers.
Farm Ownership: Governor Quinn’s support for agriculture has helped secure fair prices and retain family farm ownership.
Leader in food processing & sales: Because of Illinois’ bounty, food processing remains the state’s top manufacturing activity and the state leads the nation in processed food sales.
Hosted a record-breaking Illinois State Fair: Gate, parking and grandstand revenue totaled $3.93 million last year, breaking the previous record of $3.38 million set in 2012.
44 Comments
|
A third poll shows tighter race
Thursday, Jul 31, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
In a survey commissioned by Illinois’ largest teachers’ union, one of President Barack Obama’s pollsters is declaring the race between Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican Bruce Rauner “nearly a deadheat.”
Paul Harstad, with Harstad Strategic Research, gives the Winnetka Republican a slight edge, but his poll of 1,003 likely voters released Thursday gives the Quinn camp a modicum of relief since other recent polling has shown Rauner with a double-digit lead.
The Harstad poll, paid for by the Illinois Education Association and conducted using live interviews with respondents on a mix of landline and cell phones, has Rauner with 46 percent, Quinn with 42 percent and 8 percent undecided.
The poll’s margin of error is plus-or-minus 3.1 percentage points and was conducted between July 17 and 22.
That 4-point margin is more in line with two other polls showing the race at either three or six points. It’s also the same margin the governor’s campaign came up with by applying 2010 exit polling to the We Ask America poll.
35 Comments
|
Topinka continues string of union endorsements
Thursday, Jul 31, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Illinois Federation of Teachers endorsed Republican Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka yesterday. From a press release…
Responsible investment and spending of taxpayer dollars is of utmost importance to our members who dedicate their lives to public service,” said Montgomery. […]
“Comptroller Topinka consistently demonstrates that doing what’s right doesn’t have a political party, and we appreciate her dedication to Illinois families.”
JBT is really on a roll with the unions, man.
* The IFT also endorsed Sen. Mike Frerichs for treasurer…
“As State Senator, Mike Frerichs has been a tireless advocate for what matters most to teachers and students, and we’re confident that he will continue to defend their interests in the Treasurer’s office.”
Discuss.
36 Comments
|
Smallish potatoes
Thursday, Jul 31, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP Chicago…
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says the state’s workers’ compensation insurance rates will drop 5.5 percent next year.
Quinn announced Wednesday the cut in rates is being recommended by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, which annually reviews payments and fees and proposes new premium figures.
Illinois Department of Insurance officials are estimating the latest proposed reduction in workers’ compensation advisory and loss cost rates could result in overall reduction in premiums of up to $143 million in 2015. They say the total savings since the reforms were enacted in 2011 is expected to reach $458 million.
* Greg Hinz…
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association President Greg Baise was considerably more restrained but still welcomed the news.
“More work needs to be done,” said Mr. Baise, whose organization has become a major supporter of GOP gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner. “We applaud this news, but rates need to come down more if Illinois is to be competitive with competing Midwestern states.” […]
The workers’ comp system, which pays health expenses for injured workers, raises and spends about $3 billion a year, Mr. Baise said, so a savings of $450 million over three years would be only a fraction of that cost.
The declines are most certainly heading in the right direction, but Baise is right. The savings aren’t a whole lot in the grand scheme of things and much more needs to be done.
34 Comments
|
Sabato: Rauner now deemed favorite
Thursday, Jul 31, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sabato’s Crystal Ball has moved Illinois’ governor’s race to “Leans Republican.” From Politico…
In Illinois, Gov. Pat Quinn’s (D) terrible approval rating and the state’s struggling economy threaten his reelection efforts. We are now making venture capitalist Bruce Rauner (R) the favorite in Illinois, changing the rating from Toss-up to Leans Republican.
23 Comments
|
Rahm has a point, but…
Thursday, Jul 31, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mayor Rahm Emanuel was asked about his willingness to host a thousand refugee children from Central America…
“You have a thousand kids fleeing violence in Central America. This speaks to who we are as a city in welcoming them,” he said.
“My grandfather left Moldova in Eastern Europe. His parents put him on a boat to get away from the pogroms [and] leave the violence. Thirteen-years-old by himself. Not a word of English to come to a place called Chicago. He left the violence of Eastern Europe.”
The mayor added, “These kids are leaving violence. There are 1,000 kids. We are not only a city of big shoulders. We’re a city of big hearts and we welcome them and get `em on their way. And we will also make sure that the city of Chicago has universal pre-K, universal kindergarten, expanding after-school programs, expanding summer jobs because the test and measure of this city is how we treat our children.”
Emanuel said when he met with the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. to discuss the humanitarian effort, Jackson “made a point that I had not thought of: when [then President Franklin Delano] Roosevelt turned away the St. Louis and sent the Jewish kids back to Nazi, Germany.”
The comparison with his grandfather fleeing Moldova is chillingly apt.
But the fact remains that too many of Chicago’s own kids just aren’t safe in their city.
* And this is kinda mind-boggling…
On the day a think-tank publicly released a report that says the Chicago Housing Authority has been socking away hundreds of millions of dollars instead of using it for housing for the poor, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has asked the agency to do more.
“Since HUD learned of the level of the reserves, it has prompted CHA to issue more vouchers,” said Brian Gillen, a spokesman in the Chicago office, in a written statement. […]
According to the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability report, the CHA issued an average of 13,534 fewer Housing Choice Vouchers than it could have every year between 2008 and 2012. The vouchers pay the majority of the rent costs for apartments and houses for poor residents in the private market.
By not issuing the federally funding vouchers, the agency saved an average of $90 million every year over a nine year period. The CHA spent some of the federal dollars on other-housing related expenses, debts and obligations, but what was left over was put into reserves, which by 2012 totaled $432 million, the center’s report says.
How about using some of that money to “resettle” some Chicago kids into safer areas?
46 Comments
|
* As we discussed yesterday, this was Bruce Rauner’s reaction to the national debate over corporate inversions…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner blames the state’s business climate for Walgreens’ flirtation with Switzerland.
“America needs to compete, Illinois needs to compete. The right answer is not to create walls, to block companies and people,” Rauner said. “That’s terrible. We should be about freedom, choice and competition.”
* Gov. Pat Quinn lashed out…
‘For anybody running for public office in Illinois to endorse that kind of bad behavior, loopholes that are really taking advantage of the American taxpayer … we really have to say that candidate is way wrong, way off base,’ Quinn told reporters in Chicago. ‘A corporation renouncing its American citizenship to stash money overseas to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, that shifts the burden onto … everyday people who play by the rules.’
* And Rauner appeared to back away…
[Rauner’s] campaign wouldn’t say Wednesday if he supported or rejected the practice of companies reorganizing abroad.
* More…
Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf refused to clarify where Rauner stands on the issue of corporate tax avoidance.
But in an emailed statement he blamed Quinn for presiding over an uncompetetive economy.
“Bruce laid out a corporate welfare agenda that eliminates abuse of the tax code at the state level under Pat Quinn.” Schrimpf said. “He is hopeful that leaders in Washington can come together to craft comprehensive corporate tax reform that makes America more competitive and leads to more job creation.”
51 Comments
|
|
Comments Off
|
IFT endorses Quinn
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Not unexpected…
By a vote of its Executive Board today, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) unanimously endorsed Governor Pat Quinn (D) for reelection.
Elected leaders of the 100,000-member organization said that Quinn is the only candidate who will fight for the high quality public schools and services our children deserve.
“Strong schools start with a strong investment, and Governor Quinn is the only candidate with a commitment to ensure that all students have the resources to succeed from their first day of school through college graduation,” said Dan Montgomery, President of the IFT and a high school English teacher. “Governor Quinn respects and understands working families, and supports our fundamental right to speak with a collective voice on behalf of our communities.”
The IFT Executive Board also expressed outrage over Bruce Rauner’s efforts to demonize teachers and public employees and dismantle the unions who fight for our rights and the communities we serve.
“Given the fairy tales he tells in his commercials, we are committed to making sure voters know how out-of-touch the real Rauner is. He may be a billionaire, but his ideas about what’s best for education and Illinois families are completely bankrupt,” Montgomery added.
Rauner’s financial “plan” would blow a hole in the state budget billions of dollars wide and force layoffs, larger class sizes, and devastating cuts to public education. He has advocated for lowering the minimum wage, destroying unions, and stated that the public employees who work in our classrooms and communities are overpaid by nearly 25%.
39 Comments
|
Right and wrong
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The right way to approach a medical marijuana debate…
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today announced that he is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to ensure that children and individuals with epilepsy and other debilitating seizure disorders have access to Cannabidiol (CBD) Oil and therapeutic hemp.
“If one of my children suffered from seizures, I couldn’t imagine being told by a doctor that we’ve run out of options or being forced to split up my family to send a child to a state where CBD is available and legal,” said Davis. “While the state of Illinois has taken steps to legalize the use of supplements like CBD for medicinal purposes, not all states have followed suit. This bill is a narrow, commonsense approach to give individuals and families in all states the access to this potentially life-changing supplement to help treat and deal with seizure disorders.”
Currently, more than 300,000 children in American suffer from some form of epilepsy. Many of these children experience more than 100 violent seizures a day— any one of which could be fatal without proper care. There is evidence that CBD oil has been shown to reduce the amount and duration of seizures in children suffering from epilepsy and other seizure disorders.
H.R. 5226, the Charlotte’s Web Medical Hemp Act of 2014, would enable individuals to access this potentially life-saving supplement without having to split up families geographically in order to receive treatment.
* The Sun-Times shows us the near hysterical wrong way…
Chicago medical marijuana dispensaries are likely coming to busy shopping areas, despite the city’s initial attempt to hide them away at the edges of the city.
That means a medical marijuana dispensary could potentially open next door to a tony restaurant on Randolph Street or in River North near touristy fast food joints, according to new zoning regulations approved Tuesday by a the Chicago City Council’s Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards.
Essentially most business and commercial strips are fair game.
Sheesh.
26 Comments
|
* From a July 29th press release…
The Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) today issued guidance clarifying that under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Illinois state law health insurers may not discriminate based on gender identity and related medical conditions. The guidance reminds insurers that exclusions and denials of coverage on the basis of gender identity are against the law.
“This is an important step to ending discrimination in Illinois,” DOI Director Andrew Boron said. “Transgender individuals are entitled to the same access to health care as everyone else. Health insurance policies that discriminate against a group of people, or based on any medical condition, will not be tolerated in Illinois.”
With the issuing of this guidance to insurers through an agency Bulletin, Illinois joins a handful of other states which have taken steps to bar discrimination in healthcare against transgender individuals.
“I applaud DOI for working to make certain that all Illinois citizens are given equal access to necessary healthcare services and that people are treated fairly and without discrimination,” State Representative Greg Harris (D-Chicago) said.
“I commend DOI Director Andrew Boron and Governor Pat Quinn Pat for this action which demonstrates that the state of Illinois is strongly committed to fighting discrimination in healthcare against any member of our population,” Illinois Human Rights Department Director Rocco Claps said. “Access to healthcare is a fundamental human right, and no one should face discrimination in their healthcare needs because of their gender identity.”
Under both federal and state law, if a health insurer covers certain services when medically necessary, such as a breast mastectomy or hormone therapy, it cannot deny those services for a transgendered person solely on the basis of that person’s transgender status or gender dysphoria. Currently, some insurers have broad exclusions for gender identity treatment and services. The guidelines issued today prohibit insurers from excluding services that target transgender persons or persons with gender dysphoria. Today’s announcement calls for an end to this disparate treatment of transgendered individuals.
DOI will be reviewing individual and small group policies offered under the ACA for 2015 to ensure compliance with anti-discrimination laws.
* AP…
“This guidance helps ensure parity in health care coverage, making certain that services such as mental health care, cancer screenings and hormone therapy are routinely covered for transgender people when the insurer provides those services to non-transgender policy holders,” John Peller, interim president and CEO of the Aids Foundation of Chicago, said in a statement.
However, some question the move. The Illinois Family Institute’s Executive Director David Smith said the guidelines put some religious business owners in a position that forces them to compromise their faiths.
“To succumb and be made to submit to a rule that violates their freedom of conscience,” Smith said.
* Windy City Times…
Transgender people often face discrimination when seeking insurance coverage of medically-necessary treatments prescribed by their physicians, even though such treatments are routinely covered for others. For example, hormone therapy and regular blood tests to guard against any negative medical consequences are routinely covered for many people, such as post-menopausal women, but are currently denied to many transgender people. Likewise, breast reconstruction surgery is routinely covered for women after surgery for breast cancer, but is routinely denied for transgender people, even if ordered by a physician.
There are many other medical procedures and treatments that are covered routinely each day — from surgery to mammograms to Pap smears — for non-transgender people that are often denied to transgender people, even though they are prescribed by a physician as medically-necessary treatment.
The Department of Insurance bulletin says such denials are discriminatory and not permitted under existing law. In recent months, insurance authorities in Oregon, California, Colorado, Vermont, Massachusetts, Washington and the District of Columbia all have made similar statements, making clear that health insurers in those states cannot discriminate on the basis of gender identity. The American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians and other national medical organizations all have called for an end to insurance discrimination based on gender identity. […]
The bulletin from the Department of Insurance cites three laws that prohibit discrimination against transgender people: the Affordable Care Act, the Illinois Human Rights Act and the Illinois Mental Health Parity Act. The bulletin explains that a plan may not be certified in Illinois ( a prerequisite to a plan being marketed and sold in the state ) if the plan discriminates against transgender people.
16 Comments
|
Today’s quotable
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* US Sen. Mark Kirk…
After Senator Mark Kirk spoke to the pro-Israel rally, he told FOX 32 News that President Obama is wrong to push for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, where more than a thousand have reportedly now lost their lives. Kirk compared Israel’s war with Hamas, the Palestinian faction that rules Gaza, to World War II.
“Hamas is like Nazis. The more Nazis you got, the more Hamas you get, the more death you get,” Kirk said. “It was worth thousands of lives to wipe out the Nazis. And then the world was much better once they were wiped out. The only way to secure peace in the Middle East is to wipe out those who would bring terror to the Middle East.”
90 Comments
|
Rauner group files appeal in term limits case
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Not much info out of the AP’s Chicago bureau…
A group pushing for lawmaker term limits has filed a court appeal to get their question on November’s ballot.
The Committee for Legislative Reform and Term Limits filed a motion Tuesday with Illinois’ First District Appellate Court asking it to reverse a June Cook County Circuit Court ruling.
The circuit court said the measure didn’t meet constitutional requirements and ruled it invalid.
Committee spokesman Mark Campbell believes the appellate court can rule in the group’s favor.
Click here to see the full appeal.
* One of the main arguments advanced by Bruce Rauner’s group is that the IL Supreme Court upheld Pat Quinn’s 1980 “Cutback Amendment,” which did three things: Abolished cumulative voting, reduced the size of the House and instituted single-member districts. Rauner’s group argues that its multitude of issues (veto powers, term limits and reducing the size of the Senate while increasing the size of the House) should be viewed as similar to Quinn’s push.
The Supremes have ruled previously (on another Pat Quinn initiative) that term limits involved neither a structural change of the Legislature as an institution, nor a procedural legislative issue - the only two things that can be changed via citizens referendum. The Rauner folks get around that ruling thusly…
(T)he amendment here does not merely limit legislative terms in isolation. Rather it changes the entire structure of legislative terms… incorporating term limits as an integrated element of this larger structural change. […]
All the [Pat Quinn term limits case] did was to rule that one particular term limits proposal, in isolation, affected invidual legislators and not the structure of the institution as a whole. That cannot be said of the present proposal, in which term limits are simply one part of the package of structural reforms.
Discuss.
9 Comments
|
Inversion politics
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a July 28th press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today issued the following statement in favor of legislation supported by President Barack Obama to close the corporate tax inversion loophole:
“Big corporations should not be allowed to exploit the tax code to avoid paying their fair share. Members of the House and Senate supporting closure of this loophole are right – corporations should not be allowed to shirk their own responsibilities while passing on the burden to everyday taxpayers.
“These corporations benefit from America’s world-class infrastructure, education system, skilled workforce and competitive economy – not to mention U.S. customers. Yet they’re looking to renounce their citizenship and shortchange America and the everyday people who helped them grow and thrive.
“I urge Congress to take swift action on the President’s proposal to end this abuse and close this unpatriotic loophole. It’s the right thing to do.”
* NBC5 has Bruce Rauner’s react…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner blames the state’s business climate for Walgreens’ flirtation with Switzerland.
“America needs to compete, Illinois needs to compete. The right answer is not to create walls, to block companies and people,” Rauner said. “That’s terrible. We should be about freedom, choice and competition.”
Video is here. Quinn went on to call companies like Walgreens “corporate deserters.”
* Democratic Governors Association spokesman Rikeesha Phelon…
“Does Bruce Rauner believe that corporations who profit from conditions created in the United States - including transportation infrastructure, competitive economy and our skilled workforce - should be under no obligation to secure these conditions like the rest of us? Does Bruce Rauner believe that corporations and the super-rich have any responsibility to the country in which they live, or can they all take their money and hide it elsewhere?”
* From yesterday…
Sen. Dick Durbin today decried U.S. firms that renounce their corporate citizenship to avoid taxes and said he was introducing a measure to put them at a disadvantage for federal contracts.
“When it comes to a competition between companies, if we have, on one hand, an American company paying its fair share of American taxes, competing with an inverted corporation that has decided to go overseas, we believe, advantage America,” the Illinois Democrat said.
He said the measure would send a message to companies seeking to invert: “Think twice.” The measure is called the No Federal Contracts for Corporate Deserters Act..
Oberweis response…
“Dick Durbin and his job-killing policies have produced the worst economic recovery in U.S. history and this is just more of the same. It is a poor excuse for tax reform and not a serious attempt to fix our country’s anemic economy.”
65 Comments
|
$300,000 a week in July
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* CBS Chicago’s Jay Levine…
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has joined challenger Bruce Rauner on TV, with an unusually early series of campaign commercials.
Ironically, the new Quinn ads started airing the same day a new poll commissioned and carried by GOP linked organizations shows Rauner with a double digit lead.
CBS 2 Jay Levine reports as predicted several months ago, this could go down as the most expensive Illinois race ever. With broadcast sources telling us both candidates are now spending more than $300,000 a week on TV and it’s not even Labor Day, which traditionally is the start of the heavy spending home stretch.
19 Comments
|
About those new polls
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday dismissed a recent poll giving his Republican opponent Bruce Rauner a 14-point lead as “phony-baloney” and suggested it’s a bit early to write his political obituary. […]
“A lot of these polls are supported by my opponents supporters, so you gotta be careful there.” […]
Madeleine Doubek, chief operating officer of Reboot Illinois, said she stands behind the poll and its methodology.
“I am completely comfortable with the results. The firm doing polling for us is reputable,” Doubek said.
She said the race is in its early stages and cautioned that the poll only represents a snapshot in time.
We got a lot of comments yesterday (many of them deleted) flat-out claiming that We Ask America is intentionally altering results because the company is owned by the Illinois Manufacturers Association, which has endorsed Bruce Rauner.
That’s ridiculous. I’ve worked with that firm a long time. No way are they doing that. The Quinnbots are hereby on notice to stop it right now or face permanent banishment.
* But the governor’s campaign is clearly not happy with the new WAA poll and sent this along yesterday…
Applying 2010 Exit Poll Party ID to today’s crosstabs gives
Rauner 42.83
Quinn 38.73
Undec 18.44
* And there are some other polls out there. For instance, a CBS/New York Times YouGov online poll found this…
Rauner 46
Quinn 43
Other 2
Won’t vote 6
Not sure 1
* As can be expected, the move to an online poll has produced some sharp criticisms, but also some praise. Washington Post pollster Scott Clement…
Amy Walter, national editor of the Cook Political Report…
* Another poll taken by Mike Mckeon’s outfit found this…
Rauner 40
Quinn 34
Undecided 26
But that poll also found Attorney General Lisa Madigan leading her totally unknown GOP rival by just nine points 46-37.
And the YouGov poll had Sen. Dick Durbin leading Jim Oberweis by just 48-41.
* Meanwhile, in the mayor’s race…
The survey of 600 likely Chicago voters was conducted July 24-27 by San Francisco-based pollster David Binder Research, a firm known its work for President Barack Obama and numerous West Coast politicians, including mayors of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In a head-to-head matchup, the poll found that 45 percent of those questioned are committed to or leaning toward Mr. Emanuel, compared with 33 percent for Ms. Lewis. That’s a near reversal of a We Ask America poll taken for the Chicago Sun-Times this month that showed the mayor losing to Ms. Lewis by 9 points.
Just 27 percent of those sampled said they were “certain” to vote for Mr. Emanuel. And 22 percent are undecided.
50 Comments
|
Today’s number: 59 percent
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Former Champaign County Clerk Mark Shelden matched up the state employee list with the voter file…
I was able to match up 78% of the 76,000 state employees (including part time employees) with a voter record. […]
This analysis is just for the state employees. It does not include annuitants of any public pension and does not include any teacher or state university employees. […]
In 2010, of the identified state employees, 9,189 voted in the Republican Primary. In 2014, that number increased to 14,590, a 59% jump. By contrast, in the 2010 Democratic Primary, 11,073 state employees voted. That number dropped by 36% to just 7,151 this past March.
* His conclusion…
It’s apparent that there was a high degree of motivation among state employees to participate in the Republican Primary. At the same time, Dillard’s loss by 25,000 votes could have been made up by moving even more state employees to the polls. If the participation rates of university and teaching staff as well as annuitants mirror this analysis, it will mean that Dillard had the means of winning without the ability to execute.
49 Comments
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
   
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|
