Question of the day
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Crain’s…
Chicago has a long, rich history of immigration and ethnic diversity. But as the generations pass, are cultural roots forgotten? More than 7.7 million people live in the Chicago area, and about 30 percent of them speak a language other than English at home. For the six-county area, the five most common languages after English are Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Tagalog and Chinese. […]
Some of the highest concentrations of people speaking Tagalog, a native Philippine language, turn up not just in Cook County but in DuPage and Will counties, too.
I didn’t realize that so many Illinoisans spoke Tagalog, which is a primary or secondary language in the Philippines. As you’re most certainly aware, Typhoon Haiyan has devastated parts of the Philippines. So that means a lot of Illinoisans have family members and friends who could use some help…
All Furigay family members could do was pray since learning of the devastating typhoon that ripped through their native Philippines on Friday, until learning their loved one was safe.
Rencie Furigay, of Chicago, said she could barely sleep while worrying about her 30-year-old nephew who lives in Tacloban — the city most devastated by the Category 5 storm. On Saturday morning, she got word he was OK.
Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall, hit the central Philippines and Tacloban — a city of 220,000 — the hardest.
Leo Herrera-Lim, Chicago’s consul general of the Philippines, said he is trying to organize fundraisers for the relief effort. He said Illinois hosts the third-largest population of Filipinos in the U.S.— about 140,000 — behind California and Hawaii.
* The New York Times recommended several charities, including…
* Doctors Without Borders
* Red Cross
* Save the Children Typhoon Haiyan Children’s Relief Fund
* Catholic Relief Services
* World Food Programme
* Instead of a question today, let’s try to pitch in with some financial assistance. Tell us below if you’ve contributed, or if you have your own personal stories to share about this devastation.
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Thank you, legislators
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2013 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
On behalf of the thousands of same-sex couples and their families who now are recognized as equal citizens of this state, Illinois Unites for Marriage would like to thank the Illinois General Assembly for approving SB10 a week ago today.
It’s not too often that one can wake up, go to work and make a decision that improves the lives of tens of thousands of people. Last Tuesday, members of the Illinois General Assembly did just that. You have helped men, women and children in every corner of Illinois. And for that, we thank you.
For more information, visit IllinoisUnites.org.
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Getting it done
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Personal stories can move legislators more than you might sometimes imagine…
To address another concern, the [gay marriage] bill was amended to reiterate that churches and affiliated groups wouldn’t be forced to host or perform gay marriage ceremonies.
“Once the amendment was filed, I was ready to move forward,” said Rep. Andre Thapedi, who represents the Englewood neighborhood. “If not, I may have gone a different way.”
The change was pushed by Democratic Rep. Anthony DeLuca of Chicago Heights, who said he struggled to reconcile his Italian-Catholic upbringing and the desire to protect religious rights with his oath to represent the people of his district and correct what he believes is a “legal inequity.”
“I was shocked through this process how many close family friends would contact me that live in the district who are closely affiliated with the Catholic Church who have a gay child or gay relative and asked me to support it,” DeLuca said. “It was surprising to me, I learned a lot.”
* As implied above, the amendment really didn’t do anything new. It was more for show than go because the very same protections were already in the original bill. But if a couple of fence-sitters want something that doesn’t change the underlying legislation, then by all means give it to them.
The above passage is from a much longer, quite well written story about the behind the scenes efforts to pass the bill. Go read the whole thing.
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The rollout and the left behind
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The indefatigable Monique Garcia was at Gov. Pat Quinn’s press conference with his new running mate Paul Vallas…
Heh.
So, Vallas was reined in on his first day. But it’s a very long time until March.
I hope to have raw audio soon, so check back.
* Meanwhile, from CBS2…
CBS 2 has learned State Senator Kwame Raoul was among the finalist, along with Vallas, State Senator Heather Staines, and City Treasurer Stephanie Neely.
Quinn tried to call Neely, but never connected.
“I wouldn’t say that it’s awkward, I’d just say it’s life. I’m 50 years old; I go through ups and downs. It’s ok,” said Neely.
In fact, CBS 2 was told it wasn’t ok. Privately, Neely, who was at a news conference when the word leaked out, was stunned that Quinn hadn’t left a message and considered it disrespectful.
If you watch the video, it’s clear that Neely was disappointed, almost to the point of tears. She obviously wanted the job, and she probably would’ve been good at it.
* But, everybody and their cat knew that Quinn was set to announce his running mate decision on Friday. So, when Neely got a phone call from the governor that very morning she didn’t answer it? No disrespect intended, but who does that?
OK, Quinn should’ve left a message, but maybe she should’ve also taken the guy’s call.
And it’s not like Quinn had any choice but to announce when he did. I broke the story far earlier than his office expected.
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* Guns & Ammo contributing editor Dick Metcalf wrote an opinion piece in December’s edition which focused on two phrases in the 2nd Amendment, both highlighted here…
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
* Metcalf complained that too many 2nd Amendment hardliners ignored the “well regulated” language. “The fact is,” he wrote, “all constitutional rights are regulated.”
He was, of course, correct. Try getting a permit to hold a demonstration at 3 o’clock in the morning in front of your mayor’s house. Or just look at all the registration requirements for lobbyists. Etc.
* Metcalf also referenced Illinois’ new concealed carry law as an example of fair regulation. Metcalf is from Illinois, and this is his column’s conclusion…
I don’t think that requiring 16 hours of training to qualify for a concealed carry license is infringement in and of itself.
But that’s just me.
* The uproar was swift to develop and fierce to behold. The magazine’s editor fired Metcalf and then stepped down, penning an online farewell…
As editor of “Guns & Ammo,” I owe each and every reader a personal apology.
No excuses, no backtracking.
Dick Metcalf’s “Backstop” column in the December issue has aroused unprecedented controversy. Readers are hopping mad about it, and some are questioning “Guns & Ammo”’s commitment to the Second Amendment. I understand why.
Let me be clear: Our commitment to the Second Amendment is unwavering. It has been so since the beginning. Historically, our tradition in supporting the Second Amendment has been unflinching. No strings attached. It is no accident that when others in the gun culture counseled compromise in the past, hard-core thinkers such as Harlon Carter, Don Kates and Neal Knox found a place and a voice in these pages. When large firearms advocacy groups were going soft in the 1970s, they were prodded in the right direction, away from the pages of “Guns & Ammo.”
In publishing Metcalf’s column, I was untrue to that tradition, and for that I apologize. His views do not represent mine — nor, most important, “Guns & Ammo”’s. It is very clear to me that they don’t reflect the views of our readership either.
Dick Metcalf has had a long and distinguished career as a gunwriter, but his association with “Guns & Ammo” has officially ended.
I once again offer my personal apology. I understand what our valued readers want. I understand what you believe in when it comes to gun rights, and I believe the same thing.
I made a mistake by publishing the column. I thought it would generate a healthy exchange of ideas on gun rights. I miscalculated, pure and simple. I was wrong, and I ask your forgiveness.
The editor’s “mistake” was believing that the bizarrely rabid “It’s my God-given right!” gun owners would willingly engage in any sort of “healthy exchange” of ideas.
My own website was inundated with those sorts of folks for months leading up to the passage of Illinois’ concealed carry law. They were far more interested in sparking hateful arguments with anyone and everyone who disagreed even slightly with their position than in any sort of dialogue. I was repeatedly attacked here as their enemy, even though I’m a gun owner who plans to apply for a concealed carry permit. I was so happy when that bill finally became law because the rapturous fanatics quickly retreated to their bat caves.
And, by the way, asking for “forgiveness” after wrongly assuming your readership was capable of civil debate is not only “backtracking,” it’s an act of cowardice.
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* AP…
Republican Sen. Mark Kirk says he won’t endorse any candidate in Illinois’ GOP gubernatorial primary.
However, Kirk gave some advice. He contends the only way Republicans will take control of the governor’s mansion is to be moderate on social issues.
Kirk said that includes accepting same-sex marriage is legal in Illinois.
One of Sen. Kirk’s top campaign advisers is now working for Bruce Rauner. Kirk didn’t officially bless that move off his payroll and onto Rauner’s, but he didn’t try to stop it, either.
Beyond that, though, this is a clear warning to all four candidates that they need to reject any suggestions to repeal the soon-to-be gay marriage law.
The bill isn’t a law yet and Rauner has spread around a whole lot of money, so the hard right hasn’t yet made this demand of the candidates.
*** UPDATE *** I missed this quote from Treasurer Dan Rutherford…
And, asked about same-sex marriage, which he opposes, Rutherford says if elected, he would uphold the law rather than try to repeal it.
* Related…
* In first speech since stroke, Sen. Mark Kirk advocates for LGBT anti-bias bill
* Catholics urge Cardinal George to excommunicate Illinois Governor
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Unclear on the concept
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* OK, how could this even remotely be described as a “campaign effort” when the governor’s new running mate wasn’t in the country and Quinn refused to answer any questions about him?…
Gov. Pat Quinn flew around the state Monday to talk up the latest Illinois Lottery ticket benefiting veterans, a move he said was intended to honor those who serve but one that also illustrates the benefits of incumbency as he runs for re-election.
The Democratic governor began the day at a veterans home in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood and traveled downstate for stops in Peoria, Milan near the Quad Cities and Rockford. While the focus was pitching the scratch-off tickets, the taxpayer-funded events also get Quinn in front of the cameras and voters just days after he named former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas as his running mate.
The two have yet to appear together in public, and Quinn refused to answer questions Monday about the Vallas pick. The duo is scheduled to make its debut Tuesday at a Loop hotel. The governor also scoffed at suggestions that his tour of the state doubled as a campaign effort, saying he’s held events to promote the veterans lottery ticket for 10 years. […]
While Quinn does normally mark Veterans Day by promoting various veterans programs, it’s unusual for him to travel the state to do so. [Emphasis added.]
* The Tribune wasn’t the only outlet with questions about this fly-around. Listen to the Q&A…
* But here’s just one example from recent history, November 11, 2011…
Governor Pat Quinn celebrated Veterans Day by honoring Illinois Veterans and servicemembers at four memorial ceremonies across the state. Governor Quinn unveiled the Portrait of Soldier Memorial exhibit at Loyola University’s Water Tower Campus and in Moline. He also attended the City of Chicago Veterans Day event and the dedication of the Fallen Soldiers Tree Memorial at Illini State Park in Marsellies.
Long before he was lieutenant governor, when he quietly, without any fanfare whatsoever attended funeral services for Illinois’ fallen soldiers, veterans have held a special place in Quinn’s heart. Say what you want about the guy, but that was no campaign event yesterday. If it was, Vallas would’ve been with him and/or Quinn would’ve at least answered questions about the guy. He didn’t.
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The biggest loser
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Perhaps the biggest loser in last Tuesday’s historic passage of a gay marriage bill in the Legislature was the National Organization for Marriage.
The group, based in Washington, D.C., has been at the forefront of attempts to stop gay marriage in states throughout the country. A Maine investigation uncovered alleged internal documents about the group’s strategy that included this passage:
“The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks — two key Democratic constituencies. Find, equip, energize and connect African-American spokespeople for marriage, develop a media campaign around their objections to gay marriage as a civil right, provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots. No politician wants to take up and push an issue that splits the base of the party.”
The National Organization for Marriage tried all that in Illinois — spending tens of thousands of dollars on politically connected consultants and robocalls into black legislative districts in the spring, summer and right up until the day of the vote and holding media-friendly events in the black community. The gay marriage bill wasn’t called for a vote last spring mainly because black House members were overwhelmed by fervent local opposition.
In the end, the National Organization for Marriage lost badly. Fourteen of 20 Democratic members of the House Black Caucus voted “yes” on the bill, while just four voted “no” (Monique Davis, Mary Flowers, Eddie Lee Jackson and Chuck Jefferson) and two voted “present” (Rita Mayfield and Derrick Smith).
Ironically enough, other than gay marriage supporters, those who probably cheered the loudest after the bill’s passage may have been the four Republican gubernatorial candidates. They’ve been hoping this controversial issue would be safely put away, allowing them to move on to their agendas.
They may be right. These things do tend to fade away once a bill is passed. The big talk last week in Congress was about a bill to prohibit employment discrimination against gay people. Illinois has had that law on its books for years.
Despite much screaming by opponents that the end of the word was surely near, everybody just accepted that law and moved on without incident.
But people don’t always move on. Social conservatives could try to stir up a backlash by demanding that the Republican candidates pledge to repeal the marriage measure.
Three of the four candidates are on record opposing gay marriage. The fourth, Bruce Rauner, said he would only sign a gay marriage bill into law if the public had first voted to approve it via a non-binding referendum. It obviously wasn’t done that way, so Rauner could be forced to answer some touchy questions.
State Rep. Tom Cross, R-Oswego, a candidate for state treasurer, is undoubtedly hoping that the issue fades quickly, at least in the runup to the March primary election. Cross voted “yes,” even though a spokesman recently told the Chicago Sun-Times that he opposed the gay marriage bill. But it’s been known for weeks that Cross was struggling with the issue, both on philosophical and political levels.
Cross has a Republican primary opponent, the socially conservative DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan. Grogan hasn’t been much of a campaigner to date, raising little money and garnering few major supporters, and says he’s not interested in Cross’ vote. But some anti-gay marriage forces are, and that could cause Cross problems.
The immediate fear among Cross’ allies is that his gay marriage vote could spark more interest among, and money from, the far right to defeat him. Cross has done a good job so far of rounding up traditional GOP supporters, however, so the calculation was that his favorable vote won’t be fatal in the primary.
His vote last week will, however, take an issue away from Cross’ Democratic rival, state Sen. Michael Frerichs, of Champaign. Cross clearly took the long view, and that could come with significant benefits — including campaign contributions from gay marriage supporters and the ability to paint himself as a moderate and “modern” Republican in the November 2014 election.
And speaking of Republicans, unlike in the Senate, where the lone Republican “yes” vote was more symbolic than essential to the outcome, the three House Republicans who voted for the bill helped provide the margin of victory. Without those votes, the going would’ve been a whole lot tougher.
Discuss.
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Vallas react
Saturday, Nov 9, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
[Comments now open.]
* Paul Vallas’ residency issue is looked at by the Tribune…
Jack Dorgan, the state Republican chairman, said the GOP will review whether a residency issue exists for Vallas in the normal course of checking petitions. “Obviously it’s an issue with someone who hasn’t lived in the state for a long time,” he said.
Burt Odelson, a veteran election-law attorney who represents the Quinn campaign, said Vallas has significantly more ways to prove he did not give up his Illinois residency than did Rahm Emanuel, who in his successful bid for Chicago mayor survived a residency challenge.
* Professional opinion reaction to Gov. Pat Quinn’s choice of Vallas as a running mate…
* Rich Miller Sun-Times: Vallas won’t just be second fiddle to Quinn …
And while the four Republican candidates for governor mostly settled on unknowns with little political experience but plenty of “diversity” (an Asian-American man and three women, one of whom is a Latina and one with an Hispanic surname), Quinn set aside demographic and immediate political considerations and chose someone who clearly is up to the task of taking the reins of government if something should happen to him. And shouldn’t that be a governor’s first consideration?
But Vallas’ stature and experience come with a very steep price. Vallas is a forceful, polarizing public figure. He’s supremely charming but temperamental to the point of being obnoxious and always confident he’s the smartest guy in the room.
Simon sat quietly in the back seat while Quinn drove the car, jumping out the door when it suited her purposes but silently and politely.
If the past is any guide, Vallas constantly will be leaning over the front seat trying to yank the steering wheel out of Quinn’s hands. Vallas could wind up hurting Quinn, both in the campaign and after the governing resumes.
I don’t see how Quinn is going to keep Vallas on a short leash when nobody has ever managed to do such a thing before in his life.
* Carol Marin: Vallas is a gutsy choice by Quinn…
The governor made a bold and ballsy choice by picking Paul Vallas as his lieutenant governor running mate for 2014. And nobody knows that better than Illinois Republicans.
Like, for instance, GOP candidate Bruce Rauner who, according to a highly informed source, considered recruiting Vallas to be his lieutenant governor. And sought Vallas’ endorsement. […]
[But] Vallas has never played a very good second banana.
* John Kass: Vallas is no second banana…
What surprises me is that Rauner didn’t get Vallas on his side. Vallas had soured on the Democrats after the 2002 campaign, and even considered running as a Republican for the Cook County Board. The two of them — with their knowledge of budgets and finance — would have been formidable. […]
“Yes, Paul has a big personality,” said a source close to Quinn. “We all know that. But Gov. Quinn has a big personality too. They both have their hearts out there. No question there are going to be bumps in the road along the way. But the bottom line is that they get results, and they’re a great team.”
Well, they’re a great lineup for now. Whether they’re a great team won’t be determined until later in the campaign, after they’ve held joint news conferences and shared microphones. It’s a long time until March.
* Chicago Tribune editorial board: Quinn-Vallas ticket: This just got interesting…
This was a gutsy call for Quinn, who was immediately rapped for his choice by the Chicago Teachers Union.
Count us among those who very much like Vallas’ style and substance. He’s impatient with bloated, lethargic bureaucracy. You have to wonder how different things would be had Vallas won the 2002 Democratic primary for governor instead of Rod Blagojevich. Vallas would not have gone along quietly as the General Assembly built its dynasty of debt. […]
[But] It’s difficult to envision Vallas as second-in-command of anything. The lieutenant governor is usually grateful for scraps thrown by the governor, and there are usually few of them.
* From a CTU press release…
Statement by Chicago Teachers Union President Karen GJ Lewis, NBCT on the selection of Paul Vallas as Governor Quinn’s running mate:
“The Chicago Teachers Union has supported Governor Quinn in the past because of his commitment to grassroots organizing, publicly funded public education, and collective bargaining. For these reasons we are concerned about his choice of Paul Vallas as a running mate. His choice takes us in the wrong direction for public education in Chicago and Illinois.
“While he was CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, Vallas pioneered the corporate driven education model in our city. His policies continue to devastate our schools system, which recently suffered 50 school closures, deep, and painful school budget cuts, and the loss of thousands of experienced school staff are key tenets of the Vallas model.
“Vallas ushered in an era of massive expansion of standardized testing; the privatization of public schools through outsourcing and charter school expansion; and the devastating policy of school turnarounds, which resulted in the firing of scores of black and veteran teachers.
“In a 2010 interview with John Merrow on PBS, Paul Vallas appallingly stated that he did not see any downside to charter school proliferation, believed that there was not enough faculty turnover in education, and did not see a need for collective bargaining.
“Just this week in Bridgeport, CT, the school board election results were viewed as a referendum on Vallas’ tenure as an unaccredited district administrator.
“In consideration of this list of concerns, we hope that Vallas will move to support proposals for an elected representative school board in Chicago, and also denounce privatization schemes that have done nothing to increase academic achievement or address the needs of students who need the most in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New Orleans.”
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* Thursday was Illinois Retail Merchants Association CEO David Vite’s last day as a Springfield lobster. His friends threw him a swell party, which included a roast by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association’s Greg Baise.
Baise exceeded all expectations. His Vite roast was based on the “Most interesting man in the world” TV ad campaign. My favorite line…
“He knows exactly where Mike McClain is looking.”
Anyone who has ever seen Mike McClain’s, um, off-kilter eye will understand that joke. They may not laugh, but they’ll get it.
McClain chuckled, nodded and scanned the room, so everyone wondered whether he was looking at them or somebody ten feet away.
* Anyway, this is supposed to be about Vite, not McClain. Dave spoke at the end of the evening, thanked everyone for coming, and referenced this song…
What a long, strange trip it’s been
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Some upset, some not
Friday, Nov 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* For months, the common belief was that Gov. Pat Quinn was going to pick a black running mate. That didn’t happen, of course, and now at least some African-American politicians are expressing frustration. The Sun-Times interviewed several, but here are two…
“He just blew it,” [Ald. Carrie Austin ] said.
“Kwame Raoul, Will Burns, Stephanie Neely. What happened to those individuals on your short-list that you would erase them off the list completely and go totally to another individual. We should have had some kind of forewarning that this is another individual on the short list that I have been talking with. But, to say nothing?…I’m upset with my governor now. . . .I can speak for [Ward] 34 and it ain’t lookin’ good.”
Austin said it’s entirely possible that, without a Democratic challenger, Quinn is taking the African-American vote for granted and appealing to a broader constituency by choosing Vallas. […]
“All of us are scratching our heads from a political standpoint. We were under the impression he was pursuing a Stephanie Neely, a prominent black businesswoman, maybe a Jehon Gordon, someone who’s very current with people right now in general,” said [Rep. Ken Dunkin], head of the Joint Legislative Black Caucus.
“With Paul Vallas, the only people who remember him are people like you and myself,” Dunkin said in an interview with the Sun-Times. “I think it would have boded well for [Quinn] to have cut across generational lines and ethnic lines.
Dunkin said Quinn is highly regarded by black voters and that perhaps in Vallas, the governor was looking for someone who would bolster his showing in the collar counties. But Vallas’ disadvantage is having been absent from Illinois’ political landscape for so long, he said.
* But not all black politicos are upset. Ald. Walter Burnett…
“Some elected African-American officials are going to be disappointed, but I think Paul Vallas was sensitive to our community when he was over at the Board of Education — making sure kids get eyeglasses, making sure they get a good education, building schools, making schools safer. He showed that he really cared. And he did not only here in Chicago, he did it all over the country. He predominantly worked for African American causes. . . . Overall I think it’s a plus.”
Burnett said he could understand the disappointment of many colleagues in Quinn’s failure to pick an African-American candidate.
“We were expecting it, and it was being entertained, so we thought it was going to happen,” Burnett said. “But Paul Vallas is not a bad choice. He comes out of left field, but Paul Vallas showed his commitment to the African-American community a long time ago. He worked for the schools. . . . His heart is in the right place. But I think it is smart of the governor to get somebody who has a fiscal management brain, like Paul Vallas. Paul Vallas balanced many budgets with the city of Chicago. So I think it’s a good choice.”
Burnett also suggested Vallas was picked as a way to counter Republican claims that Quinn was not up to the fiscal management of the state. “I think he just check-mated them on that, because I don’t think you can get anyone who is more of a fiscal manager than a Paul Vallas. So I think he just check-mated the Republicans.”
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SEIU immigration ad targets Rodney Davis
Friday, Nov 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* CNN…
A new union-backed ad buy will look to drum up support for passing comprehensive immigration reform in the House of Representatives by targeting vulnerable chamber Republicans, according to a statement.
The Service Employees International Union said Thursday they are spending more than $500,000 on attack ads targeting seven House Republicans who face tough re-elections next year, and House Speaker John Boehner. SEIU has already spent more than $2.5 million promoting immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship, the group said.
According to the statement, the 30 seconds ads will target Boehner in the Washington, D.C. market while going after Reps. Gary Miller of California, Joe Heck of Nevada, Mike Coffman of Colorado, Rodney Davis of Illinois, David Joyce of Ohio, John Kline of Minnesota and Michael Grimm of New York in their home districts. [Emphasis added.]
* Rate the SEIU ad…
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Quinn, Black Caucus derail gun penalty bill
Friday, Nov 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Yesterday morning started off on a note of unity…
[Rep. Mike Zalewski] spent much of his Wednesday working to get support from people who are in favor of gun rights, including Rep. Brandon Phelps, the man behind concealed carry legislation, and Todd Vandermyde of the NRA.
They were worried the bill could send lawful gun owners to prison for making a simple mistake, so they got rid of the parts of the bill dealing with first-time offenders.
“It just shows when you sit down and find out people’s bottom line, you can get a lot of stuff done here,” said Phelps.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was a major force behind the bill and the negotiations.
“He’s the first mayor, since I’ve been here, who’s ever reached out,” said Phelps. “And it’s nice to know you have somebody like that, in Chicago.”
* But things quickly deteriorated…
Within an hour, his legislation is up in the House. Zalewski runs through the routine things you have to do to start debate. Then, suddenly, Speaker of the House Mike Madigan hits the breaks.
“The clerk advises there are outstanding notes on the bill, so the bill shall be taken out of the record,” Madigan says.
Two seconds pass. “The chair is prepared to adjourn,” Madigan says, and he does.
The reaction among the sponsors can best be described as “You’ve got to be kidding.”
One minute, they’re about to debate the mayor’s gun bill. The next, Speaker Madigan points out some paperwork is missing, then abruptly adjourns the last scheduled session day of the year.
Herein lies the intrigue.
The “notes” the speaker referred to are requests for information that can only be provided by the administration of Gov. Pat Quinn. Things like how much the new, longer prison sentences would cost the Department of Corrections.
* The notes were filed by Rep. Ken Dunkin…
African-American lawmakers in the Illinois House used a procedural measure to delay the proposed legislation. The bill to set higher mandatory minimum sentences for illegal gun possession was stopped cold after a rarely used parliamentary move by the Black Caucus chairman.
“It was not a parliamentary trick. It was a parliamentary procedure that we have in the Illinois House rulebook,” said State Rep. Ken Dunkin, (D) Chicago.
Dunkin complained that sponsor Mike Zalewski had not answered all the questions raised during Wednesday’s committee hearing.
“I don’t understand why one member has the right to dictate to the other members that this isn’t a good public policy,” said Zalewski, (D) Riverside.
* Rep. Dunkin and other members of the Black Caucus want some more state programs…
“We want a bill that has a comprehensive approach toward dealing with getting bad guys off the street. We want that 100 percent,” Dunkin said. “The challenge with this bill still is there are collateral damages that will impact innocent people, potentially.”
The legislation’s prospects now appear fuzzy since lawmakers are not scheduled to return to the Capitol until Jan. 29 for the start of the spring session, though they could return earlier in the event of a pension breakthrough.
“We do enhancements down here every single year, and they fly out of the chamber,” Zalewski told reporters Thursday morning while acknowledging opposition from black lawmakers before the aborted vote.
“And all of a sudden, the one time we’re going to do enhancements for gun offenses, that’s the straw that’s going to break the camel’s back?” he asked.
* More…
The quick adjournment avoided a potentially fiery debate pitting African-American and Latino legislators against largely white Chicago-area and Downstate lawmakers, which would have put on display philosophical fissures among Democrats. It would have been the second time this week, following approval of gay marriage, that black lawmakers would have been asked to support a high-profile bill opposed by some of their constituents.
“Today was a day that we wanted to make sure that the sponsor and the mayor of Chicago (are) aware that we have a real problem” with this gun legislation, said Dunkin, who said crime fighting should not be done in a “piecemeal way.”
By blocking the legislation, the lawmakers aligned themselves on the issue with a re-election seeking Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn rather than Emanuel. Quinn has sought more money for programs to rehabilitate first offenders and re-entry programs for inmates.
Emanuel, who had billed the legislation as a way to help crack down on gun violence that continues to plague city streets, decried what he called “political stunts” to derail it.
* As I told you yesterday, Gov. Quinn had his liaisons working against the bill yesterday morning. Those weren’t the only Quinn fingerprints, however…
Often, the administration responds to requests for notes on legislation within an hour, although state law allows five days for a response.
The Department of Corrections is responsible for the notes covering the cost and impact on prison population. Zalewski’s legislation was changed Wednesday afternoon and Corrections spokesman Tom Shaer said each change requires careful analysis.
But Zalewski pointed out that for weeks, the agency has been able to quickly respond with inmate and cost projections based on differing versions of his bill. Corrections has opposed the measure, saying it would cost $700 million extra over a decade.
No way did Quinn want that bill on his desk. No way.
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A quick moment of Zen
Friday, Nov 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Believe it or not, we have stuff to talk about today other than the Paul Vallas pick. But I thought we might need an interlude before we proceed. And what better interlude could we possibly have than an Oscar the Puppy video?
* The quick setup is that I was sweeping leaves off the patio last weekend and Oscar wasn’t quite sure what the heck was going on, but he sure was interested. Have a look-see…
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[Bumped up and subscriber protection removed because the story is getting out.]
* 10:01 am - Gov. Quinn is calling around telling people that he has picked Paul Vallas as his running mate.
Completely unexpected.
Stay tuned.
*** UPDATE 1 *** * 10:22 am - Vallas has been running school districts around the country for the past several years, facing controversy pretty much everywhere. But he is registered to vote in Palos Heights, where he voted requested a Republican absentee ballot in the 2010 primary, but did not return it, according to his voter file the Cook County Clerk’s office. He took a Democratic ballot in the 2012 primary from the same address.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Click here to read a story from earlier this week which illustrates the controversy this guy has caused. The CTU is not gonna like this choice, to say the least.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Quinn has quite often been about the past. The choice of Sheila Simon was as much or more about her late father’s last name than about her. He surrounds himself with trusted old friends from the treasurer’s office, the Walker administration, etc. Vallas hasn’t been involved in Illinois politics for years, although he did consider running as a Republican in 2010.
*** UPDATE 4 *** I’m assuming that the governor took a good long look at case histories regarding residency requirements. I doubt he’d want to get caught up in a long, drawn-out suit over this.
…Adding… I’ve turned comments on in case you’d like to talk about this totally unexpected development.
* Vallas pretty much beat himself in the 2002 Democratic gubernatorial primary. He had a fear of flying (from a near death experience) that kept him from campaigning, he blew a ton of money on consultants who didn’t perform, and he didn’t raise enough cash.
But he has very strong interpersonal skills. He can blow you away one on one. We’ll see what happens next.
*** UPDATE 5 *** Greg Hinz…
The surprise development first was reported by Capital Fax in a subscribers-only alert a few minutes ago, but is being confirmed by Dean Vallas, Paul Vallas’ brother and longtime top political aide.
“It is true. He’s going to do it,” Dan Vallas told me in a cell-phone call. “It’s a great opportunity, particularly if that position is going to be remade. . . .Paul’s all about service.”
Quinn aides did not immediately return calls.
Mr. Vallas is respected as a tight fiscal manager and would bring some credibility to Mr. Quinn on that count.
As I told subscribers in a special edition, I talked to potential picks who’d been called this morning by the governor himself.
*** UPDATE 6 *** From the governor’s campaign…
Governor Pat Quinn Names Running Mate
for 2014 Campaign
Announces Paul Vallas as Democratic Candidate for Lieutenant Governor
CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn today named Paul Vallas as his running mate in the 2014 election. A longtime reformer and nationally renowned fiscal and education expert, Vallas will serve as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.
“I’ve known Paul Vallas for 30 years and he’s never been shy about fighting for education, reform and opportunities for working people,” Governor Quinn said. “We have made great progress these last few years, but serious challenges remain and our mission is not yet accomplished. Paul is an independent problem solver with a proven record of reform. He will be a strong Lt. Governor for the common good.”
“I am honored to join forces with the strongest reform governor in the country,” Paul Vallas said. “Since taking the oath of office, Governor Pat Quinn has rescued the state of Illinois from the verge of fiscal and ethical disaster following decades of bipartisan corruption. This governor has been getting big things done since he got here. Unlike his predecessors, Governor Quinn tackled the hard issues and has made the right decisions to get Illinois back on track.”
“Together we will fight every day for working families and deliver the reform and change that Illinois deserves,” said Vallas.
Nationally known for his success in improving some of America’s most troubled school systems, Paul Vallas enters the campaign following nearly two years of service in Connecticut’s largest city as Superintendent of the Bridgeport Public Schools. During his tenure, he eliminated a $12 million dollar budget deficit without closing a single school or laying off a single teacher. He instituted major reforms, modernized the curriculum and put laptops and Smart boards in every high school classroom.
Prior to that he served as Superintendent of the Recovery School District in New Orleans where he was instrumental in rebuilding the school district from scratch after Hurricane Katrina. Vallas raised test scores in New Orleans every year, significantly reduced the percentage of schools failing to meet state performance standards and eliminated reliance on FEMA restart dollars.
Vallas also oversaw the School District of Philadelphia for six years, overhauling the district’s curriculum, dramatically raising reading and math scores and eliminating the district’s massive budget deficit.
As the CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) for six years, he consistently raised test scores, launched the largest school construction program in CPS history, balanced six consecutive budgets which led to multiple bond rating upgrades, and left the school district with a $330 million surplus after inheriting a massive budget deficit. A suburban Chicago native, Vallas also ran in the Democratic primary for governor in 2002, narrowly losing by 25,000 votes.
When Governor Quinn took office, Illinois was suffering from decades of fiscal mismanagement and corruption, in addition to the worst recession since the Great Depression. Since then, he enacted tough, new ethics laws; landmark education reform; and the largest capital construction program in state history, which is supporting more than 400,000 jobs updating our roads, schools and bridges. The governor also led historic budget reforms, including reducing discretionary spending to historic lows, enacting pension reform for new employees and restructuring the Medicaid program to save the state billions of dollars.
A champion for everyday people, Governor Quinn has always put working families first as he continues to fight to move Illinois forward.
*** UPDATE 7 *** The react begins…
*** UPDATE 8 *** I just talked with Rupert Borgsmiller, who chairs the Illinois State Board of Elections.
I asked the chairman what could happen if somehow Vallas was kicked off the ballot due to a residency challenge. Would that “infect” Quinn’s legal viability as a candidate since state law requires them to run together?
Borgsmiller checked with his top lawyer and got back to me. Since this is a new law, he said, “There’s no way to determine an outcome of a scenario (like that).”
So, it’d be up to the courts.
However, Vallas has been voting at an Illinois residence for many years, and the failed challenge to Mayor Emanuel’s residency was probably stronger than this would be, so I really doubt this’ll be an issue once the dust clears.
*** UPDATE 9 *** There is one thing that Vallas brings to the table that the other LG choices do not: Executive experience. Quinn, more than any of his likely GOP opponents, can point to his choice as someone who could step up and run the government.
Also, Vallas’ previous statewide experience will be crucial. This is a very big state, man, and Vallas has already done that gig.
*** UPDATE 10 *** Vallas may have needed another job soon anyway. From the Hartford, CT Courant..
Vallas said at the time he was appointed that he expected it would take him about a year to turn Bridgeport around, but the city — thought a fraction of the size of the other districts where Vallas has worked — has proven a substantial challenge.
The school board that appointed Vallas was eventually ousted as a result of a state Supreme Court ruling and recently a new board was elected that is heavy on Vallas critics.
Vallas’ qualifications for the position have also been called into question by critics who say a University of Connecticut academic program did not provide the credentials he needs.
About six months ago, Vallas told the Courant that he planned to stay in Bridgeport “until I feel we have reached the point where we can safely say these reforms have been institutionalized.”
*** UPDATE 11 *** From the Illinois Radio Network…
Gov. Pat Quinn has selected Paul Vallas, who ran for governor in 2002 and lost in the Democratic primary. Vallas has talked about giving politics a try again on several occasions, and four years ago, he told host Jeff Berkowitz on the Public Affairs cable TV show that he’s now a Republican.
VALLAS: “I would take a Republican primary ballot.”
BERKOWITZ: “Do you think of yourself as a Republican?”
VALLAS: “I’m more of a Republican than a Democrat.”
BERKOWITZ: “If you run again for office you’d be running as a Republican?”
VALLAS: “I would, yes, yes.”
*** UPDATE 12 *** From the Rauner campaign…
Mike Schrimpf, communications director for Bruce Rauner’s gubernatorial campaign, issued the following statement regarding Pat Quinn’s lieutenant governor selection:
“Picking Paul Vallas confirms that Pat Quinn is running scared. Quinn understands that Bruce Rauner has a proven record on school reform and is the only candidate who will shake up the status quo in Springfield. Unfortunately for Quinn, no lieutenant governor candidate can cover up his record of skyrocketing unemployment, higher taxes and failing schools.”
*** UPDATE 13 *** Dillard…
Republican candidate for Governor Kirk Dillard issued the following statement regarding Gov. Quinn’s choice of former Chicago Schools CEO Paul Vallas for Lt. Governor.
“While I’m focused on winning the GOP Primary, clearly this is an all City Hall/Chicago ticket. Paul Vallas — like Pat Quinn — is a big spender. In a Kirk Dillard and Jil Tracy ticket, the collar counties and downstate will be represented too.”
*** UPDATE 14 *** Secretary of State Jesse White…
I applaud Gov. Pat Quinn for selecting Paul Vallas as his candidate for Lt. Governor. Paul has a proven track record of not only protecting our kids and ensuring that they have the opportunities to succeed in life, but also protecting our tax dollars. Paul’s budget and education experiences make him an outstanding choice and I am confident that he will be an outstanding Lt. Governor.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
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* From a fundraising e-mail…
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Paul Caprio
Thursday, November 7, 2013
(Chicago) In the aftermath of the narrow (two vote margin) passage of legalized same sex marriage by the Illinois House on Tuesday, Family-Pac announced that it will oppose two legislators who broke pledges to oppose the bill. Ron Sandack (R - Downers Grove) and Tom Cross (R. Plainfield).
Said Paul Caprio, Director, “These two members broke their pledges not only to pro-family groups but to their own constituents. They have demonstrated a fundamental lack of integrity which should be of importance to all Illinois Republicans.”
Please consider a donation to Family-Pac today by going to our website (www.family-pac.com). Your support of $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, or $1000 will help us begin winning campaigns against these traitors.
Family-Pac has already begun the campaign against Sandack last night to tell 11,900 GOP households in his district of his vote in favor of same sex marriage in an automated call.
* Meanwhile, Rep. Cross’ Republican primary opponent in the state treasurer’s race is refusing to take any shots, while his likely Democratic opponent is trying to make hay out of relatively nothing…
Grogan opposes same-sex marriage, but he didn’t take any swings at Cross. “I’m running for treasurer, and treasurer doesn’t have a lot to do with that topic,” Grogan said. “How Tom Cross votes on it is not relevant to me.”
State Sen. Mike Frerichs of Champaign, the Democrat in the race for treasurer, has tried to seize on the issue, criticizing Cross for not publicly backing same-sex marriage before the vote Tuesday.
Grogan’s silence means this will be a non-issue for Cross in the primary campaign, other than outside groups like Caprio’s. That’s a big plus for Cross.
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Rate Rauner’s new video
Friday, Nov 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ormsby…
Republican Bruce Rauner’s gubernatorial campaign released yesterday a new web video attacking Governor Pat Quinn for the failure of the legislature to act pension reform during the just concluded Veto Session in Springfield.
“Illinois’ pension crisis has been building for two decades because the career politicians refuse to fundamentally transform the pension system,” said Rauner in a statement.
“It’s time to move towards a 401(k)-style program, similar to what most workers have in the private sector, and refuse to make any more special deals with government union bosses,” said the long-time Republican insider.
* The Internet video is called “Detroit.” From the script…
Detroit just declared bankruptcy.
And if we don’t change direction, Illinois is next.
The highest unemployment in the Midwest. The worst credit rating in America. And 100 billion in public pension debt.
The question is what to do.
Pat Quinn won’t change direction. Higher taxes, record spending, more Springfield failures.
It’s time for fundamental change in Illinois. It’s time for a leader with the guts to deliver.
Bruce Rauner for governor. Shake up Springfield. Bring back Illinois.
* Rate it…
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Caption contest!
Friday, Nov 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Rep. Mike Zalewski recently discussed the mayor’s gun possession penalty increase bill with the media…
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* From a press release…
The Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield will honor five individuals who have served as legislative interns at the state Capitol.
U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, Scott Kaiser, Mona Martin, Scott Reimers, and David Sykuta will be inducted during a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on Thursday, November 21, 2013.
Inductees are selected based on their contributions to Illinois and its citizens. The Hall of Fame is also recognition of the important role that public service internships play in developing public sector leadership. […]
The event on November 21 will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Governor’s Mansion at Fourth and Jackson Streets, followed by the induction ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 per person and may be purchased online at http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/. The deadline to register is November 18. Reservations are required. For more information on attending, call 217/206-6084.
Bustos is the only person on that list who I’m not personally familiar with. The rest are just incredibly solid people.
Congratuations to all.
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Political oddities and ends
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I didn’t know Bill Brady moonlighted as a comedian…
And all along I thought the longest running comedy show in the Midwest was Illinois government. He doesn’t run that yet.
* Three pensions? Yep…
“Yes, it’s unusual,” says Robert Rita, a Democratic state representative from Blue Island. “But it’s not like we’re doing this because of the pensions.” “I’m from a family that’s dedicated to public service.”
The Ritas are like Blue Island’s version of the Daleys. The brothers’ father, John Rita Sr., was Blue Island’s mayor, while their mother, Rose Rita, was an alderman and supervisor of Calumet Township. Both parents are now deceased.
Sister Nancy Rita, 49, also is a Blue Island alderman, in addition to working as an administrative assistant in the office of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans. The $62,695-a-year county job comes with a pension.
As a state lawmaker, Robert Rita, 44, was paid $74,569 last year. His township supervisor salary is $67,000 a year – after a 23 percent raise that took effect in June, according to interviews and public records.
Up until last February he also worked as an administrative analyst for the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, and is vested in Cook County’s government pension plan, as well as the retirement plans covering the General Assembly and townships. His annual county salary was $93,423, though he wasn’t paid when he took time off to handle legislative matters.
If Robert Rita waits until age 60 to collect his lawmaker, township and county pensions, his total benefit could exceed $118,000 a year, according to a Better Government Association analysis.
* A case of premature tweeting earlier this week…
That “earthquake” turned out to be a quarry blast. But it was a big one…
U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski has asked for a federal investigation into a quarry blast this week in suburban Chicago.
Lipinski has asked the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to investigate the blast. It happened Monday at a company in McCook.
The congressman says he was in his Western Springs kitchen when his house shook for five seconds.
* Sen. Mark Kirk doesn’t want to loosen restrictions on marijuana…
He said he was worried about young people’s academic achievement.
“In my own life, there were kids that in the ’70s we would call the ‘burnouts’ who were heavily smoking,” Kirk said. “Those kids, as they got to their 50s, were generally much lower performing in their careers and their lives.”
Or they became president.
Just saying.
* From an e-mail blast…
Rich -
I wanted to make sure you saw this week’s story. In response to Sheila’s campaign proposals to strengthen oversight of local government, Judy Baar Topinka decided to revamp her local government website. Some Illinois reporters don’t think that’s a coincidence.
Here’s what columnist Kurt Erickson had to say about it:
“…it wasn’t without irony that Topinka last week launched a seven-stop statewide blitz on the taxpayer’s dime to announce a new feature of her office that compiles information and records from, surprise, local governments.” (Bloomington Pantagraph, 11/3/13)
It shouldn’t take the attention of an election for public officials to do their job properly. Sheila has already helped change the way the comptroller’s office does business; imagine what she will be able to do if she is elected.
Thanks,
Dave Mellet
Campaign Manager
Sheila Simon for Comptroller
* Topinka’s response in that same story quoted above…
Topinka told skeptical reporters that the new website was not created in response to Simon’s allegations.
“I think it’s nonsense, because we started working on this when Sheila Simon was still dreaming of becoming attorney general,” Topinka quipped.
* And LG Simon offered no praise at the time for Topinka “doing her job properly.” Quite the opposite…
Simon criticized the site as a simple “repurposing” of information that was already available, saying the move was “too little and too late.”
* Simon, by the way, played a recent duet with Dan Ponce…
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Question of the day
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A pension reform vehicle bill was moved out of a House committee yesterday. Speaker Madigan says he’s preparing for a floor vote when the leaders get some new numbers…
House Speaker Michael Madigan says he’s prepared to pass a “meaningful” pension reform bill, and he hopes it will happen before the end of the year.
The Chicago Democrat says legislative leaders are waiting for actuaries to crunch numbers on some proposals they’re considering. Once they have the information he hopes lawmakers can return to Springfield and approve a bill.
* The Question: How likely is it that the General Assembly will approve a pension reform bill before the end of 2013? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
survey tools
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The Rauner connection
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bernie…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner has donated more than $500,000 to the Illinois Policy Institute over the last five years.
The institute, which bills itself as a free-market, liberty-based organization, promotes a range of policies and has writers in an offshoot called the Illinois News Network, which provides stories free of charge to newspapers. That is troubling. […]
I first learned of the Illinois News Network when I covered some events this summer with a new reporter from that organization — Jackson Adams. One event was at the State Fair, when reporters surrounded Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn. Adams asked the governor why a 401(k)-style plan wasn’t part of a pension-reform plan. That’s a fair question, but it also is true that the policy institute likes the 401(k) model for public employees. So does Rauner. […]
Charlie Wheeler, director of the Public Affairs Reporting master’s degree program at the University of Illinois Springfield, said he looks at a news-producing offshoot of the policy institute as being part of its agenda. He had seen Reeder’s columns, but not other products of the network.
“Any newspaper that uses it and pretends that it’s real news similar to what they might get from The Associated Press or Reuters or Bloomberg is not fully informing the readers,” Wheeler said.
People give money to groups they support. Since the Illinois Policy Institute supports many of the same things as Rauner, it’s pretty tough to say he’s buying their influence. He’s their natural candidate. They don’t stress social conservatism over there, and neither does Rauner. But Rauner is a very hardcore fiscal conservative who is right in step with their viewpoints.
A conspiracy theorist could speculate that this was a Rauner creation in some ways. I’ve seen no evidence of that, but half a mil sure is a lot of cash.
* Coincidentally, Scott Reeder’s latest column is about right to work, an issue that Rauner supports…
GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Rauner supports the concept of allowing individual Illinois counties and municipalities to vote on whether they want to keep the status quo or adopt a local Right-to-Work ordinance.
But the other three Republicans running for governor wouldn’t commit to a position.
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford, and state Sens. Bill Brady and Kirk Dillard all said the political reality in Illinois is such that it would be impossible to pass a Right-to-Work law in Illinois.
Such comments show a certain lack of confidence in their political party’s ability to eventually claim a majority in the General Assembly. And it shows a lack of assurance in their own abilities to lead a disparate Legislature.
But there’s value still in asking questions like these, because they help shed light on a politician’s values and opinions. More importantly, they act as guide stones for where a politician may lead in the future.
Where candidates stand on an issue such as Right to Work is important to know – after all, it has the potential to be one of the most important economic issues facing the state.
Answers like the one given by Brady are not helpful. The state Senator from Bloomington says the reality is that the Democrats control the General Assembly and therefore Right-to-Work laws are irrelevant. He told me I was “wasting his breath” to pursue the questioning.
Brady supported right to work in 2010 and it cost him lots of union support. Calling him out on the issue now plays right into Rauner’s hands, although, again, there’s no proof of any quid pro quo here.
* From last week’s Reeder column…
A few weeks ago, I asked all of the gubernatorial candidates where they stood on a constitutional amendment being promoted by Republican candidate Bruce Rauner. The measure would limit the terms of state legislators, reduce the number of senators and slightly increase the number of House members.
* Meanwhile, from Illinois Review…
If Mr. Rauner points to his donations to Illinois Policy Institute and Heartland Institute as proof of his fiscal conservative views, he may also point to 58 checks amounting to $89,500 written to Republican organizations since January 2013 as proof of his “Republican-ism.”
As the story shows, he’s writing checks to lots of county party organizations, among others.
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* A pension reform bill passed the House 87-26 yesterday that applied only to the Chicago Park District. Greg Hinz has deets…
Specifically, according to a fact sheet provided by Mr. Madigan’s office, the amendment would require the district to almost triple the ratio of what it pays relative to what workers pay over the next several years, moving from a 1.1 ratio now to 2.9 in 2019. The heavy employer contribution would remain until the funded ratio moved from the 58 percent figure to at least 90 percent.
In terms of money, CPD would make “supplemental contributions” of $12.5 million in 2015 and $50 million in 2019.
In exchange, workers who now contribute 9 percent of pay toward their retirement would gradually move up to 12 percent by 2019. The figure would remain there until the 90 percent-funded target was hit, eventually dropping to 10.5 percent.
Also, for district employees hired prior to 2011, the minimum retirement age would move from 50 to 58. But for newer workers, who are covered under a different standard, the age for normal retirement would drop from 67 to 65.
In one other big change, annual cost-of-living hikes would move from 3 percent simple (uncompounded) to the lesser of one-half inflation or 3 percent. That change would take effect immediately and apply to current retirees.
* More…
“This is an honest solution to address a problem that has been decades in the making,” Emanuel said in a prepared statement. “It reflects a balanced approach of reform and revenue, giving employees, retirees and taxpayers the security and certainty they deserve but that has long been missing.”
On the House floor, Madigan acknowledged the plan has “mixed” support from labor unions.
“Some are for. Some are against,” he said. “Generally, you’ll find the trade unions support the bill. The non-trade unions, maybe not.”
I’m not sure any unions are really “for” this plan.
* Either way, if it passes the Senate and is signed into law, Illinois will finally start the process of judicial review over whether a phrase specifically written into the Constitution to prevent any pension benefit changes like these can be overcome by fiscal necessity.
*** UPDATE *** The bill has passed the Senate and will now go to the governor’s desk.
…Adding… From a Tribune editorial board member…
So, now they’re attacking a new ally?
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Unclear on the concept
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
In most other large cities, officials seek voters’ permission on building projects before issuing general obligation bonds, which are backed by property taxes. But that’s not how it works in Chicago. Illinois law allows Chicago’s leaders to borrow with abandon.
That wasn’t an editorial, by the way. It was a “straight” news piece.
* From the Illinois Constitution…
SECTION 6. POWERS OF HOME RULE UNITS
(a) A County which has a chief executive officer elected by the electors of the county and any municipality which has a population of more than 25,000 are home rule units. Other municipalities may elect by referendum to become home rule units. Except as limited by this Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs including, but not limited to, the power to regulate for the protection of the public health, safety, morals and welfare; to license; to tax; and to incur debt.
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Jakobsson’s son passes away
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rep. Naomi Jakobsson left her son’s bedside to cast a vote for gay marriage this week. Her son lay dying from a terminal condition…
“She had left this environment that she’d been in, kind of a waiting vigil at her son’s bedside, to come here,” [said state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago]. “When she looked at me [Tuesday], she said, ‘He could die while I’m here,’ and that’s exactly what happened.
“He passed away, from what I heard, 10 minutes prior to her arriving back at his nursing home,” she said.
Garret Dick Jackobsson’s death was announced early Tuesday on the House floor by House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, stunning the chamber.
“Naomi and I talked about this. She had been sitting vigil for a week and had talked about that,” said Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, who is Jakobsson’s seatmate. “She said, ‘Garret would want me to be doing my job,’ and I think that gave her a sense of peace.”
The representative spoke to a few colleagues privately on Wednesday about her family’s tragedy and issued a short statement through her office about her compelling act of sacrifice.
“Equal protection under the law is important to everyone in my family, including Garret,” said Jakobsson. “This was a vote that was important to my whole family, one that I felt I could not miss, and I know my son was proud of my decision.”
* Other news…
* Couples plan weddings, clerks take up logistics as Illinois readies for same-sex marriage: The bulk the state’s civil unions — roughly 4,000 of the 5,000 in the state — were issued in Cook County. After being undecided on whether their facilities would be open on a Sunday, officials with Cook County Clerk David Orr’s office announced Wednesday that they’d open June 1. “There will be people competing to get the first license,” Orr said. In central Illinois, Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten said his office will be open; The county has issued 197 civil unions.
* Gov. Quinn: Illinois on ‘right side of history’
* Quinn foresees gay-marriage bill-signing ceremony stocked with ‘as many people as possible’
* Aide: Cullerton ‘so focused’ on passing same-sex marriage legislation he neglected to vote for it
* Hinz: What the gay marriage vote says about Illinois
* Pro-Traditional Marriage Group ‘Condemns’ Illinois for Legalizing Gay Marriage: Brian Brown, president of NOM, said in a statement that news from the Illinois House was “disappointing but not surprising.” “The losers will be the people of Illinois who will see that redefining marriage will unleash a torrent of harassment toward those who believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman,” said Brown.
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An aging party
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
But to win a general election, a candidate first has to win a primary, and Illinois primary voters tend to be older and more conservative, while surveys have shown supporters of same-sex marriage tend to be younger, more liberal and less religious in their beliefs.
“The support for marriage equality among (people age) 35 and under, even 50 and under, is at tremendously high levels and these are the people that are going to keep voting from election to election,” said Bernard Cherkasov, the chief executive officer of Equality Illinois, a major advocacy group in support of same-sex marriage.
Last year, when Illinois Republicans helped select former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as the GOP’s presidential nominee, fully 63 percent of the state’s Republican primary voters were age 50 and older with a like percentage describing themselves as conservatives. More than half, 56 percent, said they considered it at least somewhat important that a candidate shared their religious beliefs.
Discuss.
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Cellini released from prison
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Power broker William Cellini, convicted for his role in a fundraising scheme linked to imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has been released from federal prison.
A spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirmed Wednesday that Cellini was discharged from the federal prison in Terre Haute last Thursday.
He was released to a halfway house and is on home confinement until Dec. 5, said Ed Ross, an agency spokesman.
* SJ-R…
Cellini began his one-year-and-one-day sentence Jan. 22. Burke said he qualified for 47 days of good-conduct credit.
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* I told subscribers about this possibility earlier in the week…
Gay and lesbian couples celebrated yesterday after the Illinois legislature approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. However, the new law would require couples looking to wed to wait until the summer of 2014. An immediate effective date would have required 10 more votes than the measure received in the House.
But an amendment that Oak Park Democratic Sen. Don Harmon filed today to House Bill 2747 might speed up that timeline. The measure could not be taken up until after January 1, when the vote threshold for an immediate effective date drops back to the standard majority. The proposed amendment would allow the same-sex marriage law to go into effect anytime after HB 2747 was passed and signed into law.
“Whether that’s Valentine’s Day of next year or some other date, we could make sure folks have access to equality earlier than they would.” Harmon said he does not yet know if there is interest among his colleagues to take another vote on same-sex marriage, especially at a date even closer to the spring primary elections. “I don’t know if there’s an appetite to do so, but it seems silly at this point to be delaying people’s marriage plans based on our legislative calendar.”
The House just released its schedule and the chamber isn’t returning next year until January 29th for the governor’s State of the State address. The next regular session day will be February 4th.
Your thoughts?
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Fake money drop interrupts House proceedings
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
The Illinois House was disrupted Wednesday by a group of protestors who dropped fake paper money atop lawmakers’ heads to protest “loopholes” in the state’s anti-corruption laws.
The disturbance happened before the House approved a $5 million tax-break for Washington-based Univar to move its headquarters to Downers Grove, preserving 100 jobs and adding another 69.
Five members of a group called “Represent Us” staged the protest, which included unfurling of a banner that read “With Liberty and Justice for Sale.”
“Explosive scandals like the Blagojevich saga might grab headlines, but the real scandal is the loopholes that make quid pro quo corruption a fact of life in Illinois politics,” activist Josh Silver said in a prepared statement. “Money talks in Illinois, so we decided to speak to House members in the only language they seem to understand.”
They didn’t say what those loopholes actually are.
* More…
Security forces removed about half a dozen people within seconds. It took a little while longer to clean up the mess.
* This is a national group. They’ve done similar protests in other states. From its website…
Represent.Us is a fresh campaign to support the American Anti-Corruption Act: a law that would overhaul campaign finance, impose strict lobbying and conflict of interest laws, and end secret political money. We are mobilizing millions of Americans — conservatives and progressives, young and old, every issue group fighting K Street, online and offline — to join this campaign.
Five protesters in Springfield doesn’t give me much confidence that this group is “mobilizing millions.”
* Video of the protest…
Notice that nobody started grabbing at the fake money.
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*** UPDATED x2 *** Getting it done
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s effort to toughen state law for illegal use of a weapon is being watered down as the lead sponsor tries to win approval of legislation aimed at helping crack down on Chicago’s violence.
Out of the bill is a provision that first-time gun offenders serve a mandatory three-year prison sentence, a major concern of opponents who worried that a careless mistake could put an otherwise law-abiding citizen behind bars.
This isn’t a loss for Emanuel, despite the implications of that lede. It’s how things normally get done in any legislative body. The object is to pass a bill. The way one passes a bill is to compromise. Mayor Daley refused to compromise on his gun bills and as a result he rarely passed any.
Emanuel wanted a bill to pass. It could now pass, although opposition remains intense…
Zalewski, a Democrat from Riverside, still heard loud criticism from a number of African-American lawmakers who argued for rehabilitation programs over incarceration.
White liberals also remain opposed, as does Toni Preckwinkle.
* Hizzoner’s take…
“Dramatic increase in penalties,” Emanuel said. “So, compared to what’s on the books that was referred to by gang members as a joke, that is real stiff penalties with a clear message that you’re gonna serve time for doing the crime.”
He’s right, and he may actually pass a gun bill today (or when they return).
…Adding… I’m hearing that the governor’s liaisons are working against the bill today. No surprise there. Quinn doesn’t want that thing on his desk, for obvious political reasons.
…Adding more… The House has adjourned. So no gun vote yet, but expect one when they return.
.…Adding still more… From an advisory…
The House Black Caucus will hold a press conference in the television conference room Thursday, November 07, 2013 at ll:00 a.m. The topic of the press conference will be mandatory minimum sentencing.
This is what the press conference was about…
Black members in the Illinois House have used a procedural measure to stop an anti-crime bill aimed at guns on city streets.
*** UPDATE *** The House adjourned from its fall session shortly afterward. […]
[Rep. Ken Dunkin] requested he be provided information on the bill’s effect, including its cost and impact on the prison system. The Department of Corrections did not file that information.
Zalewski could have asked the House to rule the information inapplicable — but it likely wouldn’t have worked.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the mayor’s office…
“I am disappointed that the opponents of this legislation have chosen political stunts over peoples’ safety to delay passage of a bill that will strengthen penalties and provide a deterrent for serious gun crimes. Criminals are the only winners when procedural games are used to defer a bill that clearly has the necessary votes in both chambers of the General Assembly. When this legislation passes, it will be another important step in our comprehensive strategy to reduce violence, which includes strong and involved parenting, prevention programs for at-risk youth, policing strategies that focus resources in high-crime areas and appropriate punishments. Illegal guns drive violence and we must continue working to strengthen penalties for the dangerous criminals who are carrying illegal, loaded weapons in our communities while at the same time reducing sentences on non-violent crime.
I thank Representative Michael Zalewski and Senator Tony Munoz for their leadership on this bill, and look forward to congratulating them once it clears these legislative obstacles for a vote and eventually becomes law.”
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* Crain’s…
A woman who until recently was the No. 2 official in an Illinois government unit that regulates the securities industry lied about her academic background, used multiple names on government records and listed a home address that turned out to be a UPS storefront, according to an internal state investigation.
The woman also billed the state for work as a home-health aide for hundreds of days when she was supposed to be working as the $75,000-a-year deputy director of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s Department of Securities, the investigation finds.
The probe was conducted by Jim Burns, the inspector general for the secretary of state’s office. Released after a formal request by Crain’s, the report indicates that the ex-official, Marlene Liss, also known as Marlene Liss-Menendez and Mar Liss-Garcia, also is the subject of a parallel investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of Illinois in Springfield that is part of a wider probe into Medicaid fraud […]
But Mr. Druker also said, in answer to a direct question, that Mr. White has known Ms. Liss for 15 years, originally meeting her when she ran a Springfield printing shop. Mr. Druker said Ms. Liss, now 36, obtained employment with the secretary of state’s office on her own, without Mr. White’s help. The two, though, do have a non-romantic “personal friendship,” Mr. Druker said. “It’s a social relationship.” […]
Despite her job title as chief deputy director, Ms. Liss provided only “administrative services,” such as keeping track of vacation and time off, Mr. Druker said. She “did not” work on securities regulation.
Oy.
A Republican state Senator asked me yesterday why anyone would ever want to be secretary of state. There’s no policy involved, he said. Well, yeah, I replied, but the SoS has plenty of nice goodies to hand out. Jobs, contracts, grants, etc. So if you like “helping people,” you’d love being secretary of state.
Maybe a little less “help” and a little more background checking is in order over there.
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Caption contest!
Thursday, Nov 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* House Speaker Michael Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown turned 65 yesterday. Brown has worked for Madigan since 1983, after working for Mayor Jane Byrne and after writing for the Daily Herald. Despite his Medicare eligible status, Brownie shows no signs of slowing down.
Some of us threw a little dinner party for him last night…
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