Start thinking!
Monday, Dec 3, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Golden Horseshoe Awards are coming soon, so start thinking about nominees. Here is last year’s list to get your mental juices flowing…
* The Wordslinger Golden Horseshoe Award for Best CapitolFax.com Commenter: Steve Schnorf (Oswego Willy and Michelle Flaherty)
* The Mike McClain Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Statehouse Insider: Mike Kasper (Dave Sullivan)
* Best Contract Lobbyist: Neil Flynn (Todd Vandermyde)
* Best In-House Lobbyist: Scott Humbard (Rob Karr)
* Best “Do-Gooder” Lobbyist: Jeremy Schroeder (Mary Dixon)
* Best Statewide Officeholder: Secretary of State Jesse White (Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka)
* Best Illinois Congresscritter: US Sen. Dick Durbin (US Rep. Peter Roskam)
* Best State Agency Director: Catherine Shannon (Malcolm Weems)
* Best chief of staff: Tim Mapes (Andy Manar)
* The Platinum Lifetime Service award for the General Assembly: Rep. Mark Beaubien
* Best Illinois State Senator - Republican: Sen. John Millner (Sen. Matt Murphy)
* Best Illinois State Senator - Democrat: Sen. John Sullivan (Sen. Kimberly Lightford)
* Best Illinois State Representative - Republican: Rep. Skip Saviano (Rep. Ed Sullivan)
* Best Illinois State Representative - Democrat: Rep. John Bradley and Rep. Frank Mautino (tie)
* The Steve Brown Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Government Spokesperson: Mica Matsoff (Kelly Kraft)
* Best legislative campaign staff director: Will Cousineau (All other staff directors tied for runner-up)
* Best campaign staffer - Illinois House Democrats: Tom Wogan (Kristen Bauer)
* Best campaign staffer - Illinois House Republicans: Nick Bellini (Mike Mahoney)
* Best campaign staffer - Senate Democrats: Noe Chaimongkol (Bryen Johnson)
* Best campaign staffer - Senate Republicans: Jo Johnson (Ryan Cudney)
* Best State Legislative Staffer - Non Political: Adam Margolin and Matt Paprocki (tie)
* The Beth Hamilton Golden Horseshoe Award for Best House Secretary/Admin. Assistant: Kristin Milligan (Sally Smith)
* Best Senate Secretary/Admin. Assistant: Bunny Fourez (Selena Gorman)
* Best Local Government Official - Chicago/Cook County: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (Mayor Rahm Emanuel)
* Best Local Government Official - Collar Counties: Will County Executive Larry Walsh (DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin)
* Best Local Government Official - Downstate: Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten (Savanna Police Chief Michael Moon)
* Best political bar in Springfield: Sangamo Club (JP Kelly’s)
* Best political restaurant in Springfield: Ross Isaac’s (Sebastian’s Hideout)
* Best Springfield hotel: The State House Inn (Abe Lincoln)
* Best place for lunch near the Statehouse: Cafe Moxo (Holy Land Diner)
* Best bartender: Kathleen at the Globe (Adam at the No Name Bar)
* Best waiter/waitress: Rhonda Merritt at Sportsman’s (Carl at Augie’s)
Should we add any categories? Maybe delete some? Your thoughts would be appreciated.
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Question of the day
Monday, Dec 3, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The AP reports that Leader Cross isn’t yet ready to take action against indicted state Rep. LaShawn Ford…
The top Republican in the Illinois House says it’s too early to make a recommendation on whether the Legislature should take action on the indictment of a state representative on federal bank fraud charges.
House Minority Leader Tom Cross calls the charges “very serious and very troubling” but says lawmakers need more information.
* And neither is Rep. Sacia…
Derrick Smith, who maintains his innocence, was arrested earlier for allegedly taking a bribe and kicked out of the House.
“I see them as two very, very different issues,” said Republican State Rep. Jim Sacia, who helped lead the charge to oust Smith because the alleged bribe had to do with his official duties as a representative.
But Sacia said Ford’s accusations do not involve his official office responsibilities, so he’s not calling for his resignation.
Sacia, a former FBI agent, filed the original House charges against then-Rep. Smith.
* The Question: Do you agree with Rep. Sacia that since Rep. Ford’s indictment didn’t include his official responsibilities that the House should not vote to expel Ford? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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Today’s number: $80 billion
Monday, Dec 3, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the New York Times…
A Times investigation has examined and tallied thousands of local incentives granted nationwide and has found that states, counties and cities are giving up more than $80 billion each year to companies. The beneficiaries come from virtually every corner of the corporate world, encompassing oil and coal conglomerates, technology and entertainment companies, banks and big-box retail chains.
The cost of the awards is certainly far higher. A full accounting, The Times discovered, is not possible because the incentives are granted by thousands of government agencies and officials, and many do not know the value of all their awards. Nor do they know if the money was worth it because they rarely track how many jobs are created. Even where officials do track incentives, they acknowledge that it is impossible to know whether the jobs would have been created without the aid.
Oy.
* More…
Caterpillar has received more than $196 million in local aid nationwide since 2007, though it has chastised states, particularly its home base, Illinois, for not being business-friendly. This year, Caterpillar announced a new plant in Georgia, which offered $44 million in incentives. Local counties chipped in free land and other aid, including $15 million in tax breaks and $8.2 million in road, water and sewer repairs.
The company, whose profits are soaring, recently froze workers’ pay for six years at several locations, arguing that it needed to remain competitive. A spokesman for the company, Jim Dugan, said it employed more than 50,000 people and invested billions of dollars nationwide.
Yes, the company has invested lots of money. But now maybe some of you understand why Senate President John Cullerton wants publicly traded corporations to disclose their state income tax payments.
* And if you still don’t, there’s this from the NYT’s database…
Notice that almost a quarter of those incentives go to agriculture. Farmers can’t exactly leave.
Also notice that the incentives are higher than the amount of revenue generated by last year’s corporate income tax hike.
* But as much money as we’re paying, check out the far higher per capita rate in Indiana…
Wisconsin’s is even higher…
It’s a function of the game. When your neighbors are doing it, you have to try and keep up.
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* From Treasurer Dan Rutherford’s campaign website…
* The Tribune noticed…
Rutherford, 57, of Chenoa, said the use of his web site, Facebook and Twitter was not a formal announcement.
“I’ve had a lot of people say you ought to be in. And if people want to sign up and show their support, that would help me evaluate,” Rutherford said. “It was posted on a Sunday morning, but within nine minutes on a Sunday morning, 40 people signed up.”
Rutherford said that after hard-fought contests for president, Congress and the state legislature last month, he believed Illinois citizens aren’t ready for another campaign to begin. Instead, he indicated any formal announcement would occur after the Jan. 21 presidential inaugural festivities in Washington.
* As always, Rutherford is actively participating in the online discussion. For example, under a Facebook photo he posted of the Naperville Area Republican Women Organization holiday party we see this comment…
Who was the one person to “like” the comment? Well, of course you already know…
* And he’s been retweeting positive messages…
* Also, I just can’t help myself. I have to post this recent Rutherford Facebook photo…
The Treasurer’s caption…
Tide Stick got me through the spot on the tie today, but later that night I knew the spot was still there. I had to go at it again. Have you ever spotted and needed to Tide?
Your caption?
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A ridiculous waste of precious money
Monday, Dec 3, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I spent part of my teens living on a military base in Germany. My mom joined the US Department of Defense Civil Service when I was 13 and my dad joined later.
Back then, the military created a bunch of make-work summer jobs for teenagers. We were paid a couple of bucks an hour to do whatever we were told. Sometimes that wasn’t very much. Sometimes it was a bit dangerous.
One summer, we spent a week unloading truckloads of ammunition boxes, punching holes in them to drain the water, flattening them and then putting them back on trucks to be hauled away. My best friend at the time, Ralph Armenta, was hurt when somebody hit his hand with a hammer as he was passing an ammo box down a table.
But, usually, we were detailed to do mindless office work or other stuff they made up to keep us at least somewhat busy and put a few dollars into our pockets.
The idea was to make sure there weren’t roving groups of bored, unemployed teenagers on the bases. Most of us either didn’t qualify for jobs “on the economy” (in German businesses) so we literally had nothing else to do.
I learned some valuable lessons from that experience. First, it’s a good idea to make sure that teens are given something to do. Second, never, EVER work for the Department of Defense.
* So, I get the premise of this initiative by Gov. Pat Quinn, perhaps too well…
On a chilly afternoon this fall, teenagers across Chicago’s South Side were busy at work, earning $8.75 an hour to hand out fliers with a message of non-violence.
“Our message that we’re giving out today is about being healthy,” said 18-year-old Lucia Eloisa. “One of the key pointers is about taking time to reflect and seek inner peace.”
Eloisa’s part-time job was paid for by an ambitious state-funded program to keep at-risk teenagers out of trouble. It pumped nearly $55 million into Chicago’s toughest neighborhoods and three of its suburbs to stem unrelenting gang violence.
A four-month CNN investigation found that not only did the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative (NRI) pay teens to hand out fliers promoting inner peace, it also paid these at-risk teens to take field trips to museums, march in a parade with the governor, and even attend a yoga class to learn how to handle stress.
Wait. Kids got paid to attend a yoga class?
Look, yoga might actually help kids in crime-ridden areas. They could learn to relax and deal with stress. Setting up a yoga program could be a good idea. But paying the kids to take the class? What?
* The parade bothers me the most, however…
The NRI also paid teens from the Better Boys Foundation to march in the 82nd Annual Bud Billiken Parade on August 13, 2011, with Quinn, according to records and video of the parade.
“Their job was promoting positive messages, etc., which is what the parade is about,” a spokesman for Quinn said.
Sheesh.
* Apparently, too much money was simply spent too fast without giving anything much thought…
Examples of the apparent misuse of the program’s money don’t surprise Mike Shaver, whose organization, Chicago Children’s Home and Aid, received $2.1 million for its role as a lead agency for the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative.
He and others say the initiative was just too big, and providers were not equipped to evaluate which programs were working and which were not.
“We weren’t able to get enough information about what was going on in our own program to understand whether we were having the desired impact,” said Shaver.
* And the timing was questionable…
In October 2010 — less than a month before the gubernatorial election — Quinn announced his Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, which he said would “take on the root causes of violence” in Chicago and across Illinois by creating “about 3,000 part time and permanent jobs for young people so they have a positive way to go.”
“And we mean business,” Quinn said at the October 6 news conference. “We really understand how important this is.”
Quinn’s political opponents have questioned the timing of his announcement.
“I mean, we’re in a budget crisis,” said Illinois state Sen. Matt Murphy, spokesman for the Republican state appropriations committee. “We were back then. We have since been in a violence crisis in Chicago, and you look at this, and you say for political purposes, you’re taking precious and limited taxpayer dollars and spending them on political purposes rather than solving the violence problem in the city of Chicago. And it was wrong.”
* So far, $55 million has been spent on the governor’s “initiative,” which is about the same amount of money Quinn vetoed from the Department of Corrections’ budget. Quinn said he wanted to use that cash to fund DCFS programs. But maybe he could’ve used that anti-violence money instead.
I mean, which is more important, funding much-needed DCFS programs or paying kids to take yoga classes and march with the governor in a parade?
Priorities, please.
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A “down payment” on the future
Monday, Dec 3, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Five years ago, most Illinois House Republicans, including House GOP Leader Tom Cross, of Oswego, voted against a bill which would’ve allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain state driver’s licenses.
The conservative rhetoric against the legislation was very harsh. Even so, it was approved by the House but was never called for a floor vote in the state Senate.
Back then, the legislation was seen as political suicide by many Republicans fearful of a backlash within their own party. But since November’s election results showed a heavy Latino turnout which may have swayed several races in favor of the Democrats, Republicans have suddenly become far more interested. Leader Cross, for instance, called the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights the day after the election, offering to work with the group. The ICIRR now considers the drivers license bill will be a “down payment” on whether the parties want to make a “good faith effort” to work with it in the future. And Cross is supporting it.
The ICIRR used a not-for-profit group and a political action committee to play in several districts. It claims it hired 18 field coordinators, registered over 26,000 immigrants to vote, raised almost three quarters of a million dollars and fielded over 1,800 election day volunteers, many of them concentrated in the suburbs
One of the ICIRR’s top priorities this year was defeating state Sen. Carole Pankau (R-Itasca). Pankau has been demanding for years that the children of undocumented immigrants be removed from the state’s All Kids health insurance program. The ICIRR claims it contacted 3,600 immigrants in her district and had staff assigned to defeat her. She lost by less than 2,000 votes.
Another target was the 55th Illinois House District, a suburban Cook County district which has been in Republican hands forever. Voter registration, door-to-door canvassing, direct mail and phone calls helped Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines) defeat conservative Republican Susan Sweeney.
Yet another target was state Rep. Sandy Cole (R-Grayslake). The ICIRR contacted over 6,000 voters in her district, which has over 9,000 Latinos. Democrat Sam Yingling won by a little over 4,000 votes.
Not every race won by Democrats was due to the Latino vote. President Obama’s big win in his home state most certainly propelled several Democratic candidates to victory. The House and Senate Democrats also outspent the Republicans and generally outmaneuvered them. In some cases, the Democrats simply had better candidates than the Republicans did.
But the importance of that Latino vote cannot be underestimated because it was so large and so unexpected by just about everybody, except maybe the folks at ICIRR.
Latino turnout, as measured by a percentage of election day voters, jumped by 50 percent in the past four years, from 8 percent of turnout to 12 percent, according to exit polling data. The national climate most certainly inspired some of that turnout boost, with Latinos and other immigrants (including Asian-Americans) feeling besieged by the Republican Party.
But ICIRR believes the turnout numbers are sustainable over the long term, and points to explosive growth in the Latino population to buttress its case.
Just in Illinois, 70,000 Latinos are expected to turn 18 every year for the foreseeable future. “We are past the tipping point,” crowed one ICIRR official yesterday. According to the group, 350,000 legal permanent residents have become US citizens in Illinois in the past ten years. ICIRR has helped over 70,000 of them with the paperwork and filings.
The group has been working closely with Senate President John Cullerton on its drivers license bill and it has received assistance from some unlikely corners, including Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, who has in the past been vilified by immigration activists for his hardline stance against illegal immigrants. Curran recently came out in favor of the drivers license bill because, he said, it’s a public safety matter that would mean training and insurance for drivers who don’t currently get either. Lake County is now over 20 percent Latino. Even hard-liners can read a Census report.
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno supported the bill last time around, and members of her caucus worked with the Senate Democrats last week to amend it. Sen. Bill Brady, a conservative Republican who ran for governor in 2010, now supports the bill. As I write this, the proposal appears to be heading for passage.
Your thoughts?
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The labor beat
Friday, Nov 30, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Illinois Federation of Teachers’ website…
Rumor Mill: Lame Duck Lawmakers Could Vote to Remove Workers from Union Rolls in January
For the past couple of years, Governor Quinn has pushed for the legislature to pass legislation ending the hard-fought rights of many state employees to join a union. Quinn’s battle with public employee unions has boiled over in the past few weeks with the governor announcing an end to extensions to collective bargaining agreements during a drawn-out contract negotiations process. But, it seems the governor is rekindling his effort to pass SB1556, which removes potentially thousands of workers from their unions.
The measure impacts hundreds of the IFT public employees who work throughout state government – including the Secretary of State’s office, the Attorney General’s office and other executive-level agencies.
It is rumored that Illinois Senate leaders will put SB1556 up for a vote during the lame duck session in January, before new lawmakers are sworn into office. The IFT is joining our union allies to fight against this anti-worker power grab. Be watchful for more to come on this issue.
* From AFSCME’s website…
IEA president Cinda Klickna “called for Gov. Quinn to end his assault on the 40,000 state employees represented by AFSCME”:
Governor Quinn’s decision to terminate the state’s contract with its largest employee union, AFSCME, is an attack on both the collective bargaining process and on all unionized public employees in Illinois.
The AFSCME employees provide health services to the sick, the elderly and to children. These hard-working men and women help ensure public safety and enhance the quality of life for all Illinoisans and deserve better than this assault from the state’s chief executive.
On behalf of the 133,000 IEA members, we urge Governor Quinn to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair contract with AFSCME.
IFT president Dan Montgomery also “urged Quinn to return to the bargaining table”:
Governor Quinn’s actions to terminate Illinois’ contract with tens of thousands of unionized state employees is not only offensive to those of us in organized labor, it is also a sign of disrespect for middle class, working families throughout the state.
The fact is, public service professionals – whether they be teachers, police officers, social workers or correctional officers – dutifully perform their jobs to ensure that government works for the citizens. Discarding the collective bargaining process, especially in the manner that the governor has, is offensive and unnecessary.
During the Thanksgiving holiday, I urge Governor Quinn to reconsider his decision – a decision that inflicts unnecessary harm to thousands of Illinois workers and their families. Furthermore, I encourage the governor to quickly return to the collective bargaining table with a reasoned set of ideas to finish one of the tasks his job requires – a fair contract for AFSCME and the citizens of Illinois.
The Chicago Teachers Union has issued the following statement in support of AFSCME members in state government:
The Chicago Teachers Union stands in solidarity with AFSCME Council 31 in its effort to bargain a fair contract. Although Governor Quinn has recently supported Chicago teachers in opposing the overemphasis on standardized tests in our classrooms and the proliferation of non-union charter schools, we cannot abide his treatment of our brothers and sisters in AFSCME.
The Governor’s unprecedented action to terminate its contract with AFSCME was unnecessary and damaging to the bargaining process. We encourage Governor Quinn to avoid the potential disruption that termination might bring, reinstitute the current agreement, get back to the table and come to a fair settlement.
* Sun-Times…
Two of organized labor’s biggest guns in Illinois took aim at Gov. Pat Quinn Thursday, calling on him to rescind his decision to terminate the contract that applies to about 40,000 state employees.
“We cannot understand why our governor, who has stood with organized labor in the past, would be so eager to undermine our brothers and sisters,” said Jorge Ramirez, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor.
Ramirez was joined in calling out Quinn by Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan.
“State employees are on the frontlines every day preserving public safety, safeguarding children and assisting families, caring for aging veterans, responding to disasters, and protecting our environment,” Carrigan said in a prepared statement.
“Gov. Quinn’s effort to undermine their collective bargaining rights is unwarranted and virtually unprecedented in Illinois government,” Carrigan said.
* And the Sun-Times editorialized on the matter…
AFSCME argues that state workers aren’t to blame for the state’s fiscal woes, that long-term answers lie in a more fair and progressive tax structure. We don’t disagree. But there is a budget crisis that must be dealt with today.
We agree with AFSCME that Quinn’s office should lay off portraying state workers as overpaid compared to those in other states. If the comparison bears out, it’s something to be proud of — that Illinois historically has treated its public workers well.
The real question is whether Illinois can continue that tradition. Sadly, the answer today is no.
* Other stuff…
* CTU rips charters: ‘privatization schemes masquerading as education policy’
* Hinz: Teachers union charges CPS with ‘educational apartheid’
* Emanuel’s Birthday Gift: A Protest Outside His Home - O’Hare employees say new contractor doesn’t pay a living wage
* Owner of firm with O’Hare deal has links to reputed mob figure
* Ken Griffin buyer of Chicago’s most expensive condo
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Question of the day
Friday, Nov 30, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Zorn posted some results from “The Best & Worst of Mobile Connectivity” survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project…
44% of cell owners have slept with their phone next to their bed because they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss any calls, text messages, or other updates during the night. …
12% of cell owners say that people they know tell them that they are spending too much time using their phone…
9% of cell owners say that their phone makes it “a lot” harder to disconnect from work life. This concern is particularly acute among cell owners in high-income households. 7% of cell owners say that their phone makes it “a lot” harder to give people their undivided attention. 7% of cell owners say that their phone makes it “a lot” harder to focus on a single task without being distracted….
Two groups consistently stand out when it comes to their usage patterns and attitudes relating to their mobile phones — the 45% of American adults who own a smartphone and the 17% of cell owners who do most of their online browsing within the context of their mobile phone (referred to throughout this report as “cell-mostly internet users”). Compared with other cell owners, these individuals are more likely to sleep next to their phones; to check their phone frequently for messages or alerts even though they didn’t hear a notification; and to engage in a wide range of mobile activities such as accessing social networking sites or doing online banking.
* The Question: How often do you access Capitol Fax.com on your mobile phone or device? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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2nd District roundup
Friday, Nov 30, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Just in case you’re wondering, here is the weighted vote for the 2nd Congressional District. Refer to this whenever you see a news story about an endorsement…
* 5th Ward - Leslie Hairston - 2,981
* 7th Ward - Sandi Jackson - 6,298
* 8th Ward - Michele Harris - 2,372
* 9th Ward - Anthony Beale - 5,478
* 10th Ward - John Pope - 1,430
* 34th Ward - Carrie Austin - 1,625
* Bloom Township - Terry Matthews - 8,929
* Bremen Township - Maggie Crotty - 4,140
* Calumet Township - Bob Rita - 161
* Rich Township - Tim Bradford - 11,393
* Thornton Township - Frank Zuccarelli - 20,158
* TOTAL WEIGHTED VOTE: 64,966
* TOTAL NEEDED TO SLATE: 32,484
By my count, state Sen. Donne Trotter is currently at 29,651 (5, 8, Bremen, Thornton).
* Meanwhile, none of these announcements are a surprise, but the race sure is getting crowded…
Three more Chicago politicians have jumped into an increasingly crowded race to replace Jesse Jackson Jr. in the 2nd Congressional District: Illinois State Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields), Chicago Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), and Robin Kelly — a top aide to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Hutchinson formally announced in an email Thursday that she would run for the seat Jackson vacated last week.
“Families in the South Suburbs and the [South Side] deserve a representative who understands their concerns and who will work alongside President Obama to create new jobs, rebuild our roads and schools, and protect the gains we’ve made on equal pay, health care and civil rights,” Hutchinson said.
Beale also announced Thursday he’s joining the race for Jackson’s seat. He told the Chicago Sun-Times he’s the only candidate in the field who’s created thousands of jobs, referring to his successful work to bring a Wal-Mart store to Pullman Park, at 111th and Doty Avenue. That store, set to open next spring, will be the third Wal-Mart supercenter in Chicago.
Meantime, CBS 2 Political Producer Ed Marshall has confirmed Kelly also is joining the race and will formally announce her candidacy on Sunday at an event in south suburban Matteson.
* More…
Already in the contest are former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson of Crete, who lost a primary challenge to Jackson in March, and state Sen.-elect Napoleon Harris, a former Northwestern and NFL player who won his first office this month.
Also announced as a candidate is disgraced former U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds, who gave up the 2nd District seat in 1995 after his conviction on sex-related charges, including having sex with an underage campaign worker.
* Harris can self fund and is a former football star with lots of charisma and a great life story. That makes him particularly dangerous…
“I’m running,” Harris told the Sun-Times. “The primary reason I chose to run for the state Senate is the heartbeat and the pulse of my constituents. But over the last few months, we’ve gotten overwhelming support to put my name in the ring for the congressional seat.”
A native of Dixmoor, Harris starred at Thornton Township High School then at Northwestern University. A first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2002, he played seven NFL seasons, most notably starting in Super Bowl XXXVII. The owner of two Beggars Pizza franchises in the area, Harris wanted to return to his community, where many of his relatives still live.
Harris’ field director James Jones said the inquiries about his interest in the congressional seat started coming since Thanksgiving and ramped up Monday, when he estimated that there were 500 phone calls to their office. Late Monday, just before 5 p.m., retired real estate agent Erick Hawthorne called to volunteer to help Harris.
* Halvorson is one of the only white people who will run, which could be advantageous, but many of the district’s whites tend to be Republicans. Sen. Hutchinson replaced Halvorson in the Senate, so the two will likely fight over the same regional vote and the women vote. Still, Hutchinson is a rising star and can’t be underestimated.
Kelly ran statewide, so she has a legit shot. Not mentioned above is former Rep. David Miller, who may get into the race and is from the same region as Kelly.
* Beale might be backed by Ald. Sandi Jackson. He’s already supported by Carrie Austin…
Asked how he plans to raise the $500,000 it’s likely to take to win the abbreviated campaign, Beale said, “The old-fashioned way. We’re gonna make phone calls and get people to buy into my vision.”
Ald. Carrie Austin (34th), powerful chairman of the City Council’s Budget Committee, said she pledged her support to Beale two years ago and plans to keep her word to him.
“He understands the hardships of the 2nd Congressional District because he has lived in it and worked in it. Those hardships that we have that we have not been able to see addressed by the former congressman, he has more of the ground part of what needs to be done,” Austin said.
As you can see above, however, Austin has only a relative handful of weighted votes in the district.
* I’m not sure what this means…
Sneed hears former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is now singing with the voice of an anxious canary. Sneed also hears rumbles the feds are very interested in a powerful dem femme, who is not an alderman. Stay tuned.
The Jackson File…
All in the family: Although former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s brother, Jonathan, has confided to pals he wants a political career — a future mayoral bid on his supposed wish list — it is another Jackson brother, Yusef, a lawyer, who is described by political watchers as “smart as whip” and “the real deal” who could be the next to enter the political fray.
Yusef is the Budweiser distributor…
Twice last year, Chicago businessman Yusef Jackson — a son of the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson and brother-in-law of Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th) — went to City Hall seeking taxpayer money for a new home for his Budweiser beer distributorship west of downtown, records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times and interviews show.
At first, Jackson asked for a $4.2 million city subsidy in the form of tax-increment financing. That’s according to the application he submitted to City Hall in March 2011, shortly before Mayor Richard M. Daley left office.
On his second application, filed in August 2011, three months after Mayor Rahm Emanuel was sworn in, Jackson slashed the amount of taxpayer money he wanted. This time, he said he needed only $1 million from City Hall to help pay for the $5.1 million renovation of a vacant, two-story building he owns at 401 N. Ogden.
* And check out this story about Mel Reynolds…
“I live at 221…my address is 221…I’m renting. South 138th Street. In Dolton,” Reynolds stammered.
That address doesn’t exist, but there is a 221 East 138th Street. When FOX 32’s Dane Placko showed Reynolds’ picture to neighbors, they didn’t seem to recognize him. […]
His driver’s license is registered to a UPS store in Bronzeville and he says he drives two cars: an SUV with retired congressional plates and a Jaguar.
But, the Secretary of State’s office says that could be a problem.
“The driver’s license, Dane, has been canceled,” Dave Druker of the Secretary of State’s office explains. “He had written a check to the Secretary of State’s office that bounced.”
Druker says Reynolds should not be driving at all.
That bad check is just the start of Reynolds’ financial problems. Cook County records show he’s been sued by several creditors and was kicked out of this property on King Drive.
The lawyer who represented him on that case then turned around and sued Reynolds for non-payment. He won a judgment for more than $12,000, which Reynolds still hasn’t paid.
Oy.
* Related…
* House Passes Filing Deadline Extension
* James Taylor Sr. running for Jackson’s seat as Republican
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*** UPDATE *** Beavers can talk about his repayment if he testifies…
A federal judge today ruled that Cook County Commissioner William Beavers can tell a jury that he amended his taxes and repaid a campaign fund after he learned of a federal investigation against him. […]
But U.S. District Court James Zagel said Beavers has a right to explain his reasons for amending the taxes to jurors so they can decide why he did it.
“The state of mind is crucial to the (jurors),” Zagel said.
But the judge gave careful instructions to Beavers attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, saying that the only way the jury can hear specifics about the repaid money and amended taxes is directly from Beavers if he takes the witness stand.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* When the feds go after you, they tend to go all out. Even if you pay the money back before you’re indicted, it won’t matter. For instance…
In the months after learning from federal agents that he was the focus of a tax evasion probe, Cook County Commissioner William Beavers amended his income taxes and repaid a sizable amount of money he had taken from his campaign fund, according to prosecutors.
After his indictment in February, Beavers released bank records showing the repayment and contended the records showed he had done nothing wrong.
But on Tuesday, days before the start of Beavers’ trial, federal prosecutors asked a judge to bar his legal team from presenting any of that evidence — a strike seemingly at the heart of the defense case.
In the court filing, the government outlined how Beavers paid thousands of dollars in additional taxes on the amended returns and repaid his campaign only after he learned of the investigation when federal agents approached him in April 2009.
Judge Zagel hasn’t yet ruled on that prosecutorial motion.
* And even if the feds admit they tried to get you to flip on powerful people and you refuse, that evidence can’t be used by your defense team…
Cook County Commissioner William Beavers is alleging that a letter sent to his attorneys from federal prosecutors corroborates what he has said from the day he was charged – that the government wanted him to cooperate against other high-ranking elected officials and then indicted him when he refused .
Beavers, who faces trial Monday on income tax charges, accused the U.S. Attorney’s office of a “vindictive prosecution” for filing the tax charges after his refusal to cooperate, according to a filing late Wednesday by Beavers’ legal team. […]
According to the defense filing, federal agents told Beavers about their criminal probe of him on April 21, 2009, and sought his cooperation. The filing suggested that the names of then-County Board President Todd Stroger and Commissioner John Daley were mentioned during the interview.
“I am not a stool pigeon,” one agent recalled Beavers declaring during the meeting.
Beavers’ attorneys also criticized the government for not revealing the contents of the interview until the eve of trial and accused them of withholding the information.
“Government agents approached him and asked him to cooperate against other public officials,” the filing reads. “When Beavers refused, in retribution, the government empanelled a grand jury and indicted him. The message from the government is clear: had Beavers cooperated, the charges would not have been brought. … The impropriety of the government is exacerbated by the late disclosure of the cooperation request via letter to the defense four days prior to trial.”
Judge Zagel ruled that Beavers might be able to talk about how he was approached if he takes the stand. Other than that, no way.
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* From the AP earlier this week…
Illinois State Rep. Lou Lang has decided not to call his medical marijuana legislation until next week.
The Skokie Democrat told The Associated Press Wednesday he’s still not certain he has the 60 votes he needs for passage.
He says he has most of the necessary votes but there are “a whole bunch of people who are wavering.” He will continue talking to them over the weekend and try again in the Legislature’s second week of its fall session.
* I did a bit more checking and found something quite unusual had happened. Fox Chicago then followed up…
Supporters of medical marijuana are blaming their latest setback in the State Capitol on two North Suburban businessmen. The pair plans to become Illinois’ largest suppliers of medical marijuana and some claim their quiet backroom maneuvering has blocked passage of a bill to legalize it. […]
Libertyville businessman Jim Merlo told FOX 32 News that his company, “Medponics,” has hired powerful lobbyists in Springfield only because he wants to ensure that when it’s legalized here, medical marijuana is grown and delivered safely to those who need it. Others fear Medponics wants to corner the market. […]
House Republican Leader Tom Cross is a supporter of medical marijuana. He wants to rewrite the current bill after hearing from two top lobbyists about the Medponic system.
“If somebody got stopped by the police, and said, ‘Oh, I’m using — this is medical marijuana,’ you could actually test it and find out whether it was true medical marijuana grown here at one of the facilities, or whether it was not in fact medical marijuana,” explains Cross.
The current legislation sponsored by Skokie Democrat Lou Lang would grant licenses to as many as 59 marijuana growers across the state. Supporters claim that having dozens of small growers, instead of one or a handful of very large pot producers, would avoid the clashes with federal agents that have occurred in other states.
“Every time that somebody has tried to do one of these large growing operations, the federal government has come in and has threatened either the landlords and the property owners with not only arrest but also asset forfeiture,” says Dann Linn, the Executive Director for Illinois NORML.
One of those two top lobbyists used to be Cross’ chief of staff. And I have no idea what Cross is talking about when he says you could “actually test” the weed to see if it was grown at one of Medponic’s facilities.
And considering that US Attorneys throughout the nation have been busting far smaller growing operations, I can’t see how the heck Medponics thinks it can get away with doing this. And if it’s shut down, the entire medical marijuana infrastructure in the state would go down with it.
Life in Springfield.
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Deja vu all over again
Friday, Nov 30, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The reporting on yesterday’s PPP poll has been somewhat breathless…
Reports are coming out that Pat Quinn is the least popular governor in the country.
according to a survey that came out Thursday, only one in four Illinois voters approves of Quinn’s job performance.
The liberal-leaning Public Policy Polling firm found that 64 percent of voters disapprove of the work Quinn is doing, making him “the most unpopular governor [it] has polled on anywhere in the country this year.”
The firm reports that, if the general election were held today, Quinn would lose to state Sen. Kirk Dillard (R) by a margin of 44 to 37 percent, and to state Treasurer Dan Rutherford (R) by 43 to 39 percent.
* More…
“Quinn’s unpopularity puts the Republicans in a position where they could win despite the fact that none of them are very well-known,” said Tom Jensen, director of Public Policy Polling.
An aide to Quinn defended his tenure and acknowledged that his efforts to deal with difficult subjects, such as Medicaid reform, facility closures and tax increases, have not been popular — but are in the best interests of state government.
* OK, here’s Real Clear Politics’ poll tracker for the 2010 general. As you can see, the average had him losing to Bill Brady by almost five points…
In October, the Tribune had Quinn trailing by four points and Rasmussen and PPP had him down by five.
On October 12th, 2010 - just a few weeks before the election - Quinn’s job approval was measured at 26 percent by the Tribune’s pollster. That’s just a point higher than PPP’s latest poll.
In other words, we’ve seen this movie before.
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* Whatever you may think of the charges, these town hall meetings are a pretty gutsy move by indicted state Rep. LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago). From an e-mail sent to his constituents yesterday afternoon…
* ABC7…
Indicted State Representative LaShawn Ford met with constituents to defend himself in his West Side office Thursday night and offered his side of the story.
He said he has yet to read the federal indictment, but he fully intends to fight it.
The feds say he defrauded Shore Bank by misusing more than half a million dollars in loans. Ford says he did nothing wrong.
“What we have is a failed bank and there were problems with that bank and the federal justice department, they’re doing their job. They want to make sure that everything was done right,” he said.
The allegations date back to 2006, before Ford was elected to the state house. And they concern his real estate business, not his work as a state representative, which supporters say has been stellar.
“Me personally, I don’t believe he did anything wrong,” said Roy Flowers.
“LaShawn has been a pillar of the community for years, from his real estate company all the way to as a state rep,” said Marlon Ryals.
* Ford also talked to several reporters yesterday, and attempted to refute the charges one by one…
He vehemently denied the charges and insisted he had committed no bank fraud in the years before he was elected to office and while he was actively buying and rehabbing homes on the West Side.
“An indictment is an accusation and a theory of what those people believed happened as far as the life I live,” Ford said, adding that he plans to continue to serve as state representative while he fights the charges. […]
Speaking by phone to Austin Weekly News shortly after the news of the indictment broke, Ford responded nearly point-by-point to the lengthy indictment.
As for the charge that he needed the money to support a lavish lifestyle, Ford insisted that he has been successful in real estate through legitimate means and didn’t need to commit any crimes.
“This is a case of the feds not knowing how real estate is done in the community,” Ford said. “I respect their job, but I also have a job to do and that’s to defend myself.”
* And…
The lawmaker said his business failed when the real estate market collapsed, falling particularly hard on the city’s underdeveloped West Side.
“My business failed. ShoreBank failed. The problem is the owners of the bank, they’re gone. And little ol’ me is right here, being indicted.”
Ford also dismissed the federal allegations about using money for gambling payments, saying he was making enough money to “do what I wanted to do.”
“I gamble when I can,” he said. “If I can afford to gamble, I gamble.” Asked if he had a gambling problem, Ford said “no” and said he had no gambling debts. Ford said he did not divert any of the bank money to gamble.
“The jury will decide on my guilt or innocence,” he said. “I know me. I know I didn’t lie to the bank.”
* More…
In August, the legislative chamber voted to oust state Rep. Derrick Smith (D-Chicago) for allegedly accepting a $7,000 bribe from an undercover FBI informant who was acting on behalf of a purported daycare center operator seeking Smith’s assistance in obtaining a $50,000 state grant. Smith went on to win election in November despite being under federal indictment and will be seated in the House in January.
Ford voted present on the resolution to expel Smith, one of only three lawmakers to do so. Six voted no.
“It’s up to the speaker of the House and the members,” Ford said, when asked whether he thinks he too could face possible expulsion.
“I want to serve in the House of Representatives. I want a place where people understand this is America and in America, we believe in justice. We say the Pledge of Allegiance every day when we convene [in Springfield].
“An indictment is no more than an accusation, no more than a hypothesis, their theory of what they believe happened back in 2006 of 2007. This is 2012,” Ford continued. “There’s no damn way.”
As I told subscribers earlier this morning about my own interview with the man, Ford is either the most brazen liar I’ve ever seen or there’s something really lacking in that indictment.
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This just in… Rep. Ford indicted for bank fraud
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 2:22 pm - From the US Attorney’s office…
LaShawn K. Ford, an Illinois State Representative who also invested in real estate in Chicago, was indicted today on federal bank fraud and related charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining a $500,000 increase and a two-year extension on a line of credit from the failed ShoreBank and obtaining multiple advances by making false statements about his intended use of the funds.
Ford, 40, of Chicago, who operated Ford Desired Real Estate, Inc., and also invested personally in real estate, purportedly obtained bank funds to rehabilitate specific investment properties in the city, but instead used the funds to pay unrelated expenses, including, car loans, credit cards, other mortgages held at ShoreBank, payments to a casino in Hammond, Ind., and for his 2006 campaign for Illinois State Representative, the indictment alleges. The charges do not involve Ford’s position as a state legislator after he was first elected in 2006. Ford represents Illinois’ 8th House District, which includes portions of Chicago’s west side and several western suburbs in Cook County.
Ford was charged with eight counts of bank fraud and nine counts of submitting false information to the bank in a 17-count indictment returned today by a federal grand jury. Chicago-based ShoreBank failed in August 2010 and now operates as Urban Partnership Bank.
Ford will be arraigned on a later date to be determined in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The indictment was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and William C. Monroe, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to the indictment, Ford had multiple loans with ShoreBank, including a $1 million line of credit, which he was permitted to use solely to purchase and rehabilitate investment properties. On May 22, 2006, he obtained a $500,000 increase — to $1.5 million, and a two-year extension of the credit line, allegedly by submitting false tax return documents that inflated his personal and business income.
On seven different occasions between April 2006 and March 2007, Ford applied for and obtained a total of $373,500 in advances from the credit line, allegedly by making false statements that he intended to use the funds to rehabilitate six different investment properties on the city’s west side. In each instance, however, Ford allegedly knew that he intended to use the funds, in part, for expenses unrelated to the specific rehabilitation projects.
The indictment seeks forfeiture of approximately $832,000.
Each count of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, and restitution is mandatory. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg Deis and William Ridgway.
The investigation falls under the umbrella of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information on the task force, visit: www.StopFraud.gov.
An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
* 2:27 pm - The indictment is here.
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* We successfully “freeped” Public Policy Polling’s website a couple weeks ago and convinced them to do an Illinois poll. I’m not sure how valuable the numbers are because it’s so very early in the gubernatorial process, but let’s get to it.
The poll was taken November 26-28 of 500 Illinois voters.
* Gov. Pat Quinn’s job approval rating continues to be super dismal…
Quinn disagrees with voters, however…
“I think I’m doing a good job under the circumstances and want to continue.”
* Except for Lisa Madigan, most people really don’t know much about the other candidates tested here…
* Quinn only does well against Aaron Schock, who is a Downstate congressman and not yet very well known statewide…
Keep in mind that Quinn was trailing Bill Brady for months before he finally won. Party love generally kicks in late.
* Same goes for Bill Daley…
* Lisa Madigan is a different story, but she’s not killing it like I thought she would…
Madigan is barely outperforming the generic party ID test…
I’ve been saying for a while that I didn’t think Attorney General Madigan would run for governor in 2014. But I had a long off the record talk with her on election night (she attended my Google party), and let’s just say I’m no longer 100 percent sure about anything. She probably won’t, but I can’t say that for sure right now.
* PPP also polled for the primaries, but the sample sizes were so small that they have to be taken with a grain of salt. Of just 303 GOP primary voters…
And…
* But check out the Democratic poll of 319 primary voters. Quinn is in a world of trouble…
If Lisa runs, she could crush Quinn. But we already knew that.
* Links…
* 2014 Governor Toplines
* 2014 Republican Primary Toplines
* 2014 Democratic Primary Toplines
* Crosstabs
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Question of the day
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* State Rep.-elect Sue Scherer (D-Decatur) told Bernie that freshman orientation included a section on “things that you need to know but nobody will tell you”…
“I remember the first one — you’re going to gain 60 pounds, and so take the stairs,” she said. “And your heels don’t have any give on marble floors.”
“So I have not even ridden the elevator, and maybe never will,” she said. “Because when there’s food out, it’s not like apples and bananas. It’s always like brownies.”
There was some serious advice as well, I’m sure.
* The Question: Your advice for incoming freshmen?
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*** UPDATE *** This will happen tomorrow, not today, but it’s happening…
The huge field of candidates running for Jesse Jackson Jr.’s former seat in Congress is about to get slightly less huge.
A source who would know says that Ald. Will Burns, 4th, will announce this afternoon that he’s changed his mind and won’t be running. Mr. Burns didn’t do very well in a poll recently commissioned by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and, given the short nature of the special-election campaign, decided to hold his fire for now. But don’t be surprised to see the former staffer for then-state Sen. Barack Obama pitch himself for statewide office down the road, perhaps comptroller or treasurer.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* As subscribers already know, Cook County Democrats will meet in December to see if they can slate a candidate for resigned Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.’s old seat. Thornton Township Supervisor and Democratic Committeeman Frank Zuccarelli will be chairing the slatemaking committee and he already has a preferred candidate…
While Zuccarelli is encouraging candidates to contact him to be part of the December slating session so they can make their pitch, he’s not exactly walking in to this with an open mind. He said he already knows that if state Sen. Donne Trotter (D-Chicago), who has expressed interest in the job, is running, that’s who he’s backing. Trotter’s legislative district, which stretches from the South Side to the suburbs, covers some of the same territory as the 2nd Congressional District, helping him understand the issues facing residents there, Zuccarelli said.
“Even though some people who’ve been mentioned (as candidates) might do a decent job — nobody comes close” to Trotter, Zuccarelli said. “I’m going to conduct inteviews and I’ll listen to what people say — but the only way my mind would change is if Donne dropped out.”
Sen. Trotter appears to be in the race to stay, and that endorsement by Zuccarelli is huge. He’s already lined up other wards and townships, but Zuccarelli has just about the best organization in all of Cook County, and an absolute ton of the weighted vote.
* Ted McClelland interviewed Trotter back when Trotter ran for Congress against Bobby Rush and Barack Obama...
Trotter, who has thrown his hat into the ring for Jesse Jackson Jr.’s congressional seat, is a member of one of the biggest, oldest clans on the South Side, a family that beat everyone else to Chicago by a generation or two. Trotter’s roots in this town go all the way back to 1900, when his great-grandfather, a Choctaw Indian named Granville Trotter, arrived here from Oklahoma. The senator says Granville and his wife had “13 kids who begat another 13 kids who begat another 13 kids.”
Trotter’s grandfather, Walter Trotter, was a prominent minister in Hyde Park, and his cousin Larry was a bishop at Sweet Holy Spirit Full Gospel Baptist Church. Combing through the voter rolls, the senator’s staff decided to invite all the Trotters they found to a fund-raiser. (Another time, he held a “Trottin’ with Trotter” event at the harness races at Hawthorne Race Course.)
Trotter lives in South Shore, at 84th and Yates, but he grew up in Grand Crossing, around the corner from Ralph Metcalfe, the Olympic sprinter who represented the First District for many years. He was a Boy Scout with Metcalfe’s son, Ralph Jr., who later ran for alderman. He remembers when the Palm Tavern was the hangout for “Billy Eckstine and all the jazz greats,” and when the Rosenwald Building, now a flophouse, was home to the black middle class. His campaign was “Chicago’s Native Son” — as opposed to Rush, who’d grown up in Georgia, and Obama, who was from Hawaii.
Trotter, who was and still is the best-dressed man in Illinois, embodied South Side urbanity, with tailored suits, bow ties, soul food lunches, and smooth jazz oozing from the speakers of his Jeep. He held his campaign kick-off luncheon at Army and Lou’s. When we sat down for an interview, he took me to a vegetarian soul food restaurant on 87th Street.
If he can raise the money, Trotter could very well be the one to beat.
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* If you’re watching our live veto session coverage, you already know that the Senate Executive Committee approved a Republican-backed amendment that helps ensure passage of a bill to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain special drivers licenses. From the amendment…
A temporary visitor’s driver’s license is invalid if the holder is unable to provide proof of liability insurance as required by Section 7-601 of this Code upon the request of a law enforcement officer, in which case the holder commits a violation of Section 6-101 of this Code.
* From the Senate Republicans’ Twitter feed…
Radogno on SB 957: This is a tough issue but not a new issue. We are placed in this situation because of inaction from Fed Gov.
Radogno: We have taken steps to ensure there is as little fraud as possible. Important to monitor this & see how we can make better if abuse
* Yesterday afternoon, conservative Republican state Sen. Bill Brady announced he was supporting the legislation. From a press release…
Senator Bill Brady said today he will support legislation to improve traffic safety and lower insurance costs for Illinois motorists by permitting undocumented immigrants to obtain temporary visitors drivers licenses already allowed for many other foreign-born individuals.
At Brady’s urging, language is included in the bill to stipulate that the temporary visitors driver’s licenses cannot be used for purposes of identification, such as registering to vote, boarding an airplane or purchasing a firearm.
“I am pleased that the sponsors of the legislation and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights addressed my concerns and agreed that the temporary visitors licenses should include notification in bold type that they cannot be used for identification purposes,” said Brady, an Assistant Senate Republican Leader from Bloomington.
Brady said he decided to support and co-sponsor the legislation because of valid economic arguments for licensing an estimated 250,000 undocumented immigrants in Illinois. Other states which have implemented similar provisions, such as Utah, have seen dramatic numbers of their undocumented immigrants become licensed and purchase the required auto insurance.
“Without licenses, our law enforcement officers cannot check their driving records, and without licenses, Illinois motorists are footing the bill for their uninsured motor vehicle accidents,” Brady said.
“This isn’t just an issue in the City of Chicago. It’s also an issue in the suburbs and Downstate areas where the Latino population is growing.”
Brady is no stranger to the illegal immigration issue. He strongly supported in-state tuition for the children of undocumented immigrants.
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14 Republicans stand with AFSCME
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* House Speaker Michael Madigan’s proposal to limit state employee contractual wage increases to zero passed the House yesterday 84-29. Several Republicans voted with the union, including Springfield’s Raymond Poe and Rich Brauer…
“There should be a contract negotiated,” Poe said. “If Quinn wants to tell them there’s zero (money for raises) in the negotiation, that’s the way it should be done, rather than forcing it on them.”
Brauer said the state needs to cut entitlement programs before it eliminates pay raises.
“They’ve made promises to workers, and now they’re taking it away to keep entitlements,” he said.
In all, 14 HGOPs sided with AFSCME: Bost, Brauer, Brown, Cavaletto, Hammond, Mathias, Bill Mitchell, Jerry Mitchell, Moffitt, Poe, Reis, Rosenthal, Saviano and Watson.
* The Speaker’s statement…
“We’re telling the negotiators, ‘Don’t be sending us a bill for (wage) increases when we are in the process of reducing every other area of state government,’” Madigan said.
* Background…
AFSCME and Quinn’s office are still negotiating a contract, with the next meeting set for December. AFSCME officials have said they are willing to consider a one-year freeze on wages, but Quinn wants the union to OK a freeze for the duration of their next contact.
Last weekend, Quinn ruffled feathers by ending the union’s contract with the state, which expired this past June, but was extended during the ongoing negotiations.
* Meanwhile, in another development, check out the new proposal introduced by Sen. John O. Jones (R-Mt. Vernon)…
Authorizes the Senate Appropriations Committees to jointly: (1) review the misconduct and mismanagement in the Illinois Department of Corrections; (2) review the physical condition, the size and composition of the inmate population, and any specific and immediate needs of each correctional facility managed or operated by the State; (3) hold public hearings, take testimony, and request detailed and specific information relating to the inmate population and staff of any individual correctional facility managed or operated by the State, as well as the State’s prison system at large; and (4) issue their findings and recommendations in a final report outlining a long-term objective plan for the State’s correctional facilities, the populations they hold, and the workforce needed to best protect the citizens of Illinois, by September 1, 2013.
Urges the Governor to seek the immediate resignations of the Director, Executive Chief, Deputy Chief of Operations and Southern Illinois Deputy Director, then begin an immediate internal investigation into the negligence and corruption within the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Urges the Governor not to close any prison facilities proposed to be closed.
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Currie hints at higher corporate taxes
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This sort of talk is freaking out business lobbyists in a major way and is a big reason why so many of them are paranoid and up in arms about Senate President John Cullerton’s proposal to force publicly traded corporations to disclose their Illinois income tax payments. House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie is also sponsoring the measure and had this to say earlier in the week…
“Maybe if we were to find out that there are some very profitable corporations operating in the state of Illinois, we might want to say that maybe they should pay a little more.”
Um, maybe if we find out that there are some very profitable corporations in Illinois, we might look to see how we can make other businesses just as profitable.
I mean, I know what she’s probably getting at here, but, seriously, c’mon. That’s no way to calm the waters.
* In light of Currie’s comments, the Taxpayers Federation’s warnings should be listened to…
An equally scathing review came from the Taxpayers Federation of Illinois, which is known more as a watchdog than an ideological group.
If lawmakers need more information, they can get it from the Revenue Department instead of demanding specific figures on each company, which will “undermine” taxpayer privacy, the federation said in a statement. Passage would make Illinois “an even less attractive state to invest and create jobs” in, and give other states a leg up by pointing to Illinois’ “taxpayer climate.”
* Despite Cullerton’s sponsorship, the bill just barely passed yesterday…
The Senate voted 30-27 Wednesday to OK a proposal Cullerton says would help lawmakers plan tax policy.
The Chicago Democrat says legislators don’t know whether their tax incentives and credits are working. He says two-thirds of businesses doing work in Illinois pay no corporate income tax.
Republicans criticized the measure as “anti-business (and) anti-employment.” Others questioned whether it would be legal to post the information. Cullerton amended the bill to prevent posting of federally prohibited tax information.
There are those who believe that Cullerton’s bill is somehow politically motivated. It wouldn’t surprise me. He has grumbled about Caterpillar’s constant complaints about high state taxes. Cat is suspected of paying little to no income taxes. But Cat’s CEO was mostly complaining early on about the increased personal income tax rate and its potential impact on its executives and future recruitment.
* Other stuff…
* Quinn Expected to Hike License Sticker Fees
* Editorial: Pension problem is no cartoon
* Editorial: Pensions more than python problem - Action, not gimmicks, please
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STOP THE SATELLITE TV TAX!
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The cable industry is asking lawmakers to place a NEW 5% tax on satellite TV service. HB 5440 is not about fairness, equity or parity – it’s a tax increase on the 1.3 million Illinois families and businesses who subscribe to satellite TV. They cannot afford another NEW tax – not now and not in this economy!
HB 5440 Will Hurt Illinois Families and Small Businesses
• Satellite TV subscribers will see their monthly bills go up 5%.
• This tax will impact every bar, restaurant and hotel that subscribes to satellite TV service, which will translate into higher prices, decreased revenues, and fewer jobs.
• Rural Illinois has no choice: In many parts of Illinois, cable refuses to provide TV service to rural communities. Satellite TV is their only option.
HB 5440 Is Not About Parity or Fairness
• Cable’s claim that this discriminatory tax is justified because satellite TV doesn’t pay local franchise fees could not be further from the truth. Cable pays those fees to local towns and cities in exchange for the right to bury cables in the public rights of way—a right that Comcast and Charter value in the tens of billions of dollars in their SEC filings.
• Satellite companies don’t pay franchise fees for one simple reason: We use satellites—unlike cable, we don’t need to dig up streets and sidewalks to deliver our TV service.
• Making satellite subscribers pay franchise fees—or, in this case, an equivalent amount in taxes—would be like taxing the air It’s no different than making airline passengers pay a fee for laying railroad tracks.
Tell Your Lawmakers to Stop The Satellite TV Tax
Vote NO on HB 5440
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Quinn thoroughly thumped on assault weapons ban
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This was as much about gun rights as about legislative rights. Gov. Quinn drastically rewrote a bill to turn it into an assault weapons ban, but the Senate buried him yesterday…
An aide says Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn will “vigorously pursue” a ban on assault weapons even though the Senate rebuffed his attempt on Wednesday.
The Senate voted 49-4 Wednesday to override Quinn’s rewritten legislation to prohibit the sale or possession of semi-automatic rifles, high-capacity magazines and .50-caliber guns.
Spokeswoman Brooke Anderson says the Democratic governor will continue seeking a statewide assault-weapons ban to enhance public safety. She would not elaborate on his strategy.
Maybe they can use Squeezy in the new “strategy” to pass an assault weapons bill.
“No” votes were Clayborne, Jackie Collins, Maloney and Silverstein, all Democrats. A whole lot of other liberals voted for the override.
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Jacksonville facility emptied out
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today announced that the remaining residents at the Jacksonville Developmental Center (JDC) have transitioned to community care. The moves are part of the governor’s rebalancing initiative to increase community care options for people with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges while reducing the number of outdated institutions in Illinois.
“Today is a historic step forward in our effort to improve the quality of life for citizens with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges in Illinois,” Governor Quinn said. “I thank all of the family members and committed advocates who worked together to make this transition safe and responsible. I am committed to strengthening community care in Illinois and helping to ensure that all people have an opportunity to reach their full potential.”
I’ll post AFSCME’s response as soon as it arrives, but the union has bitterly fought this facility closure, saying that private community care homes are ill-equipped to deal with many of JDC’s residents.
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Today’s quote
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* David E. Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, speaking about the push for gay marriage…
Smith, of the Illinois Family Institute, alleged that the real motive for some activists is “more sinister” and that “the goal, for some, is the eradication of marriage altogether.”
Um, huh?
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STOP ComEd Rate Hikes – Vote NO on SR 821!
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
ComEd is pushing Senate Resolution 821 in an attempt to reverse the ICC’s $133 million rate reduction decision – which will mean more rate hikes for struggling Illinois consumers and businesses.
ComEd says: We expected higher rates when it wrote the law (PA97-0616).
FACT: ICC applied the law (PA97-0616) as it was written.
ComEd says: The law “meant” that the ICC should throw accounting to the wind, charge consumers for unreasonably high costs, and impose the highest possible financing charges on consumers.
FACT: The law has the ICC set rates based on ComEd’s actual costs and standard accounting principles, and that is what the ICC did.
FACT: If the General Assembly adopts Senate Resolution 821 and attempts to rewrite the law to suit ComEd, consumer rates will rise not just this year, but in every year over the 10 years the formula rates will be in effect.
Haven’t we had enough of ComEd’s games? Vote NO on SR 821!
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* Sun-Times…
Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) fended off a challenge to her leadership slot Wednesday, winning re-election as the top Senate Republican by a convincing margin.
The closed-door vote of 19 incoming Senate Republicans swung 12-6 in favor of Radogno, with one member voting present, according to a source.
* Tribune…
A lone vote went to Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, but Dillard was not a candidate for the leadership post. The senators then voted for Radogno by acclamation, several lawmakers said.
Radogno emerged from the closed-door meeting, saying “it was a challenging process, but it was a good one.”
“We need to pull together after that process,” Radogno said.
Dillard says he didn’t vote for himself, by the way. But that was certainly a weird ballot choice.
* And despite the vote of acclamation, there were some sour grapes by the loser. From Sen. Kyle McCarter’s Twitter page…
Ouch. I’ll be curious to see what Radogno does to McCarter now. Any suggestions?
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EIMA Creates More Than 700 Jobs Through Third Quarter
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
ComEd’s grid modernization work directly related to the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (EIMA) enacted last year created more than 700 jobs from January through September 2012, with more than 100 jobs created in the third quarter alone. These include jobs at ComEd and contractor and supplier positions involving a broad range of functions required to build a 21st century electric grid.
With passage of EIMA, ComEd embarked on a 10-year, $2.6 billion program to modernize the power system in northern Illinois. The EIMA investments also have provided an important boost to local manufacturers with the expertise needed to support the electrical system upgrade. Through October 2012, ComEd has awarded $80 million in contracts to companies providing services and products ranging from engineering to cable to smart switches.
While grid modernization work continues, the pace is slowing from earlier this year as the first rate case under EIMA has jeopardized funding available for the program. ComEd has appealed the decision in court. In the meantime, it is proceeding with about 75 percent of the core grid modernization programs as planned. ComEd is postponing the deployment of additional smart meters until 2015. ComEd hopes to reach a positive outcome soon so that it can deliver the promised reliability improvements, cost-savings and customer service benefits while creating the 2,000 jobs as required by the legislation and further boost the Illinois economy.
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Quinn loses budget vote, won’t change outcome
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The governor’s people were predicting earlier in the week that this would be a close vote. It wasn’t…
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is going to the House of Representatives with a simple message: Spend money on children, not outdated prisons.
The Democratic governor’s office said Wednesday it will continue to fight to divert money from prisons to child-protection services after the Senate rebuffed the attempt there.
The Senate voted 35-16 to reject Quinn’s cuts of $57 million that lawmakers want to restore to keep open the Tamms high-security prison, the Dwight women’s lockup and juvenile detention centers.
A simple majority was required to override Quinn’s reductions. But the vote was mainly symbolic. Even if the House concurs, it won’t stop Quinn from closing state facilities.
* Quite a few Democrats voted to override the governor, but Republicans have been clamoring for budget cuts for years now, yet most of them voted to override. Here are a few quotes from memory lane…
* “Everything that can be cut should be cut.”
- Senate President Christine Radogno, New York Times March 19, 2009
* “We can’t spend more money than we did last year. We need to see cuts in the budget. The families of Illinois have made sacrifices and the state of Illinois needs to do the same with their budget.”
- Sen. Bill Brady,, Bloomington Pantagraph Feb. 13, 2011
* “No one wants to be cut. Everyone points the finger and says: ‘Cut them, not me.’”
- Sen. Kirk Dillard, Daily Herald, April 27, 2012
* “It is time that we stop this abuse of tax dollars and make the real spending cuts needed to balance the budget.”
Sen. Kirk Dillard, campaign release, March 16, 2012
* “Yeah, we’re on course, but we’re on a collision course if we don’t get our spending under control.”
- Sen. Sam McCann, State Journal-Register, Feb. 1, 2012
* “I think it’s time to have the governor realize that we’re going to have to do with less state government, and it’s time to make some cuts.”
- Sen. Shane Cultra, Quad City Times Feb. 13, 2011
Food for thought.
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Don’t Shortchange Our Students: Support HB 5440!
Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The State of Illinois faces another budget crisis and severe cuts are on their way. The currently proposed budget would leave a $200 million shortfall for Illinois students and educations. Outside experts agree that Illinois is falling behind. Illinois already ranks dead last in the nation in the amount of school funding provided by state revenues according to a recent NEA study.
The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability finds that states provide an average of 51% of the funds for education. Illinois provides only 30%.
In these harsh economic times for the state, we cannot afford to lose a dime. Still, satellite companies are currently exploiting a corporate tax loophole and taking their profits out of Illinois. House Bill 5440 will close this loophole and ensure everybody pays a fair share to support our students and communities. Twelve other states have successfully closed similar tax loopholes on satellite providers and in turn have worked towards more balanced government budgets.
HB 5440 would generate up to $75 million in additional revenue for Illinois’ education system.
The status quo isn’t working. Close the loophole and support our students. Vote YES on HB 5440!
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* Who doesn’t love Cicero politics?
Um, what I mean is, if you don’t have to live or work there, who doesn’t love Cicero politics?
A new Cicero town president race is once again upon us, and it includes allegations by incumbent Larry Dominick that one of his opponents, Juan Ochoa, is using gang members on his campaign…
Dominick would not comment for this story, but Cicero town spokesman Ray Hanania said, “Dominick is probably using CeaseFire members and volunteers to help him get re-elected.” But he added that some of the individuals on the Ochoa campaign have been included by the Chicago Crime Commission in its current book of known gang members.
“That’s the difference,” Hanania said. “Our guys aren’t in that book.”
Ochoa said he doesn’t understand what relevance that has.
Actually, the relevance seems pretty obvious.
* And a “scuffle” reportedly broke out between campaign workers after this happened…
According to Ochoa… a truck denouncing him and Gutierrez attempted to block Ochoa and his campaign workers while they were walking in the parade. The billboard on the flat truck read “Tell Luis Gutierrez and Juan Ochoa to take their Street Gang Friends back to Chicago.”
Man, that’s old school.
* Of course, there are the obligatory allegations that some folks have been put into the race to split an ethnic voting bloc. The town is 80 percent Latino. Dominick is not a Latino. So, some say this guy is a plant…
De Loera, a lifelong Cicero resident, said he’s still developing a plan for the town… “President Dominick has done a good job bringing new businesses to town, but I am younger and have a hunger to do even more for the community.”
Hey, at least he answered his phone, so maybe he isn’t a plant because they tend to go way underground, or to Florida.
* Meanwhile, this local campaign story is decidedly un-Cicerolike…
Independent challenger George Wissmiller won a DeWitt County Board seat on a coin toss Monday, but he didn’t approve of settling the tied race by “gambling.”
“I am obviously pleased with the results,” Wissmiller said of winning the third District B seat up for vote in the Nov. 6 election. […]
Prior to the flip of the coin by County Clerk Dana Smith, Wissmiller read a prepared statement voicing his opposition to the manner in which the election was settled.
“I don’t gamble,” Wissmiller said. “This process here today is very clearly gambling.”
He said he resolved his conflict by deciding not to accept the nominal pay for the office if he were to win the toss.
“If I refuse to accept pay for this office, it ceases to be gambling,” he said. “The office itself is a responsibility and not a thing of value.”
People can rationalize just about anything, I suppose.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A quick JJJr roundup…
* Feds believe Jesse Jackson Jr. got tip about probe into his finances: Federal authorities believe Jesse Jackson Jr. was tipped off to the federal investigation that ultimately contributed to the demise of his once-promising career. Sources with knowledge of the probe told the Chicago Sun-Times that investigators believe Jackson had learned of the federal scrutiny of his financial activity prior to his June 10 leave from Congress. The sources said it didn’t necessarily mean the tip was from an investigative source, saying it was possible the congressman received a tip from someone who was notified about the probe, possibly through a subpoena.
* A Talk with Ald. Will Burns: Looks Like He’s Running for JJJ’s Seat
* Blacks fret free-for-all for Jesse Jackson Jr. seat
* Jesse Jackson Jr. resignation letter read aloud in U.S. House
* The setup…
Seventeen years ago, Jesse Jackson Jr. ran for Congress to replace a beleaguered rep who had been convicted in a federal scheme.
Jackson replaced Mel Reynolds, who ultimately resigned in disgrace.
On Wednesday, Jackson resigned in disgrace, the subject of a federal investigation.
Guess who now wants his job back? Mel Reynolds.
“So He Can Finish the Work,” is the news release that Reynolds sent out today, announcing he would officially announce his intentions to run for Jackson’s seat at noon.
* The Question: Mel Reynolds campaign slogan?
I know this will be difficult, but you must absolutely keep it clean in comments. I’m serious.
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* The Tribune’s lede…
Three dozen lame-duck lawmakers learned Tuesday that there is life in state government after they leave the General Assembly, but they might face political heat if they vote for a tough measure and then land a state job with a big salary.
They also learned that they’d still be confirmed…
Over the objections of Republicans, a Senate panel Tuesday endorsed former state Rep. Bob Flider’s appointment as chief of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Flider, a Democrat from Mount Zion, had no farming experience when he was picked for the $133,273 per year job by Gov. Pat Quinn in February.
But Flider had voted for Quinn’s 67 percent increase in the state income tax during the 2011 lame-duck legislative session after having campaigned against the tax increase during his unsuccessful 2010 re-election bid.
Republican members of the Senate Executive Appointments Committee suggested Quinn rewarded Flider with the job because of that vote and one in favor of allowing civil unions, including between people of the same sex.
* Back to the Tribune…
Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, said he “struggled with” how Flider could campaign strongly against a tax increase and then change his mind so quickly once he lost the election. Righter said the appointment after Flider’s switch in his position is “exactly what’s wrong with this process.”
Flider said he and Quinn never discussed his tax hike vote in conjunction with the agriculture position. Flider said he could have been “knocked over with a feather” when Quinn asked him to take the job.
Unsatisfied, Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, questioned whether Flider would even agree the appearance of his vote and the follow-up appointment “is not good.”
“I think the truth sets you free,” Flider responded, “and I know the truth, and there was never, ever any discussion, any inference whatsoever about a vote or this appointment or any appointment.”
It was no secret that Flider wanted a job after he lost his reelection bid. And it was no secret that things could and probably would be done for folks who voted the “right” way.
Even so, lots of legislators “vote their districts” instead of their own consciences, then decide to “do what’s right” when they’re on their way out. The medical marijuana bill is a perfect example of that…
Rep. Lou Lang said his “nose count” has him at or near the 60 votes needed for approval of a three-year trial medical marijuana program.
“If members vote their consciences, I’ll have the votes,” said Lang, D-Skokie.
So, Flider was a conservative, district guy when he was running for reelection and a free agent or liberal Democrat after he lost the election. It happens. But Luechtefeld is right that it doesn’t look good.
The Tribune editorial board made much of Flider’s (and others’) tax hike flip-flop, yet I can’t help but wonder if they’ll unleash the hounds if any lame ducks get state jobs for voting for the pension reform bill. A “statesman” is somebody who flip-flops in your direction. Nothing to see here, move along.
* And speaking of taxes…
A funding measure to help the Illinois Department of Natural Resources address a backlog of repairs piling up at state parks could get another look during the veto session.
The bill, Senate Bill 1566, would add $2 to the cost of a license plate renewal — currently $99 for most passenger vehicles — and provide money for the upkeep of state parks. SB 1566 could eventually bring in $32 million annually for DNR.
The bill failed in the waning hours of the Illinois General Assembly’s spring session, but DNR director Marc Miller said he is “cautiously optimistic” the bill will be called and passed during the veto session this week or next.
“We have had the opportunity to talk to more of our senators to let them know the importance of (this bill), and we have more ‘yes’ votes than we had previously,” he said. “When we tell them we have $750 million worth of backlogged capital projects and maintenance, that carries a great deal of weight.”
That bill only “failed” because it was called for a vote after the May 31st midnight deadline, so it needed a three-fifths majority. It actually received more than enough to pass if it had been called before midnight.
*** UPDATE *** The Senate just passed the fee hike bill.
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EIMA Creates More Than 700 Jobs Through Third Quarter
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
ComEd’s grid modernization work directly related to the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (EIMA) enacted last year created more than 700 jobs from January through September 2012, with more than 100 jobs created in the third quarter alone. These include jobs at ComEd and contractor and supplier positions involving a broad range of functions required to build a 21st century electric grid.
With passage of EIMA, ComEd embarked on a 10-year, $2.6 billion program to modernize the power system in northern Illinois. The EIMA investments also have provided an important boost to local manufacturers with the expertise needed to support the electrical system upgrade. Through October 2012, ComEd has awarded $80 million in contracts to companies providing services and products ranging from engineering to cable to smart switches.
While grid modernization work continues, the pace is slowing from earlier this year as the first rate case under EIMA has jeopardized funding available for the program. ComEd has appealed the decision in court. In the meantime, it is proceeding with about 75 percent of the core grid modernization programs as planned. ComEd is postponing the deployment of additional smart meters until 2015. ComEd hopes to reach a positive outcome soon so that it can deliver the promised reliability improvements, cost-savings and customer service benefits while creating the 2,000 jobs as required by the legislation and further boost the Illinois economy.
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* Iowa’s Republican governor made fun of Gov. Pat Quinn’s dealings with AFSCME…
Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday he would negotiate in good faith with the state’s roughly 20,000 workers, although he wouldn’t say whether their pay demands are in his budget.
Asked about Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s move last week to terminate the contract of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees with the state, Branstad took a potshot at the neighboring state, one of his favorite targets.
“Illinois is a basket case. Illinois has the most debt per capita of any state. Illinois has the biggest unfunded pension system. They have huge, huge problems,” he said. “And we don’t operate the way they do in Illinois. We negotiate in good faith.”
Ouch.
* Meanwhile…
With no dissenting votes, the Illinois House Revenue Committee Tuesday approved a resolution declaring the state has no money available to give pay raises to unionized state employees this budget year.
The measure, House Joint Resolution 45, goes to the full House. It must also be approved by the Senate.
The resolution says the state “shall appropriate no amount for new wage increases associated with any and all collectively bargained contracts throughout state government for the fiscal year 2013 budget …” The 2013 fiscal year ends June 30. […]
“It simply expresses the opinion of the House concerning the amount of money that should be spent on pending collective bargaining contracts,” said House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, principal sponsor of the resolution.
* More…
The resolution does not legally bind Quinn from striking a deal to give workers a pay raise, but if passed, it would send a message that lawmakers are unlikely to include the money for a raise in next fiscal year’s budget. “It’s very straightforward. It simply expresses the opinion of the House concerning the amount of money that should be spent pending [a] collective bargaining contract,” said House Speaker Michael Madigan, who sponsors the amendment. The measure also states that it would be “policy of the state of Illinois” that the size of the state’s workforce will not be part of collective bargaining, meaning that promises to skip or lessen layoffs could not be used as bargaining chip in negotiations. Again, this provision would not legally bind Quinn or governors following him.
The legislature effectively blocked pay increases for AFSCME members last year by not including the money for them in the budget. Gov. Quinn canceled the raises, saying that his hands were tied by the budget approved by lawmakers. The issue is still playing out in court. Although resolutions are not legally binding, the House has also stuck to recent budget resolutions that capped general spending.
Lawmakers in favor of the resolution say that because the legislature approves the budget, the General Assembly should have some say in the spending associated with union contracts. “We’ve put our input in, which is we don’t have additional money. So if you make promises regarding additional money, the state does not have the ability to keep those promises,” said Rep. John Bradley, a Marion Democrat.
But union officials say that the legislature is undermining the collective bargaining process. “Our union has negotiated contracts with Democratic governors, with Republican governors, in good fiscal times and in bad fiscal times. And the current collective bargaining process, uninterrupted, has allowed for contracts that are fair both to the workforce and to taxpayers,” said Joanna Webb-Gauvin, legislative director for AFSCME Council 31.
* And speaking of debt, there was no vote yesterday on a proposal to borrow $4 billion to pay off overdue bills to state vendors, suggesting there aren’t enough Democratic votes for it as of yet. And the Republicans are still not going along…
Legislative Democrats and Republicans bickered again Tuesday over a proposal to borrow billions of dollars to pay those owed money by the state.
Rep. Esther Golar, D-Chicago, proposed House Bill 6240, which would borrow $4 billion to pay schools, universities, healthcare providers, local governments and state vendors who have been owed money for more than 30 days.
“We are in a crisis in this state because of unpaid bills,” Golar told the House Executive Committee, which did not act on the legislation because of possible technical modifications to it. […]
[Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka] testified against the legislation, saying the state’s economy is improving and that she is making some progress at paying off the overdue bills.
* More…
Republican Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka said Tuesday the worst thing the state could do is take on more debt.
Topinka said her office currently has nearly 170,000 outstanding bills totaling $7.1 billion. But she said as the economy improves, the state is making progress paying down the backlog.
* Other stuff…
* Gambling expansion in January?: Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said he expected to see a new version of gambling expansion emerge in January. Earlier this year, Quinn vetoed a measure that featured five new casinos, including one for Chicago. Instead of pushing to override Quinn’s veto, Cullerton indicated that negotiating a new bill with the governor and other parties might be the way to go. It will take fewer votes to pass a bill in January than it does now.
* Hammond mayor wants 2 inland casinos: McDermott tells The Times of Munster that two land-based casinos would help Indiana better compete against proposed new casinos in Illinois.
* VIDEO: Khan Academy on Illinois pensions
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Don’t Shortchange Our Students: Support HB 5440!
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The State of Illinois faces another budget crisis and severe cuts are on their way. The currently proposed budget would leave a $200 million shortfall for Illinois students and educations. Outside experts agree that Illinois is falling behind. Illinois already ranks dead last in the nation in the amount of school funding provided by state revenues according to a recent NEA study.
The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability finds that states provide an average of 51% of the funds for education. Illinois provides only 30%.
In these harsh economic times for the state, we cannot afford to lose a dime. Still, satellite companies are currently exploiting a corporate tax loophole and taking their profits out of Illinois. House Bill 5440 will close this loophole and ensure everybody pays a fair share to support our students and communities. Twelve other states have successfully closed similar tax loopholes on satellite providers and in turn have worked towards more balanced government budgets.
HB 5440 would generate up to $75 million in additional revenue for Illinois’ education system.
The status quo isn’t working. Close the loophole and support our students. Vote YES on HB 5440!
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STOP ComEd Rate Hikes – Vote NO on SR 821!
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
ComEd is pushing Senate Resolution 821 in an attempt to reverse the ICC’s $133 million rate reduction decision – which will mean more rate hikes for struggling Illinois consumers and businesses.
ComEd says: We expected higher rates when it wrote the law (PA97-0616).
FACT: ICC applied the law (PA97-0616) as it was written.
ComEd says: The law “meant” that the ICC should throw accounting to the wind, charge consumers for unreasonably high costs, and impose the highest possible financing charges on consumers.
FACT: The law has the ICC set rates based on ComEd’s actual costs and standard accounting principles, and that is what the ICC did.
FACT: If the General Assembly adopts Senate Resolution 821 and attempts to rewrite the law to suit ComEd, consumer rates will rise not just this year, but in every year over the 10 years the formula rates will be in effect.
Haven’t we had enough of ComEd’s games? Vote NO on SR 821!
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Cross reelected, Radogno up tonight
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Amanda Vinicky’s Twitter feed…
Nobody else was nominated. But that won’t be the case tonight, when the Senate Republicans meet…
In the wake of a dismal showing by the GOP on Nov. 6, state Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, said he’s trying to round up the 10 votes needed to beat current Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno.
But…
State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, said he believes Radogno has the inside track to win a third term as minority leader when the caucus meets for its traditional dinner at a private country club west of the Illinois Statehouse on Wednesday evening.
And…
Radogno said much of the blame for the Republican losses lies with the new legislative boundaries that were drawn by Democrats.
“I don’t think we have a unique circumstance right here. The question is what is the difference and how would we lead differently,” Radogno said. “This was a really bad year for Republicans. I think that Republicans in general need to do some good introspection into what’s working, what’s not working.”
* Once again, it wasn’t just the new map. Here are the 2010 gubernatorial results matched with the five newly drawn Senate districts that the Democrats picked up this year. Winner is bolded…
* 23rd (Cullerton) - 39.59 (Quinn), 51.92 (Brady)
* 31st (Bush) - 38.99 (Quinn), 51.72 (Brady)
* 34th (Stadelman) - 38.71 (Quinn), 52.38 (Brady)
* 48th (Manar) - 38.59 (Quinn), 53.58 (Brady)
* 49th (Bertino-Tarrant) - 40.77 (Quinn), 50.63 (Brady)
These seats all clearly leaned Republican in 2010. They are swing seats. 2012 was a bad Republican year, among other things. But it wasn’t just the map.
The trouble is, just one of those seats - Andy Manar’s 48th - is up for grabs in two years during the next presidential midterm election, when Republicans tend to do better and when Pat Quinn will be on the November ballot again (assuming he survives the primary).
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STOP THE SATELLITE TV TAX!
Wednesday, Nov 28, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The cable industry is asking lawmakers to place a NEW 5% tax on satellite TV service. HB 5440 is not about fairness, equity or parity – it’s a tax increase on the 1.3 million Illinois families and businesses who subscribe to satellite TV. They cannot afford another NEW tax – not now and not in this economy!
HB 5440 Will Hurt Illinois Families and Small Businesses
• Satellite TV subscribers will see their monthly bills go up 5%.
• This tax will impact every bar, restaurant and hotel that subscribes to satellite TV service, which will translate into higher prices, decreased revenues, and fewer jobs.
• Rural Illinois has no choice: In many parts of Illinois, cable refuses to provide TV service to rural communities. Satellite TV is their only option.
HB 5440 Is Not About Parity or Fairness
• Cable’s claim that this discriminatory tax is justified because satellite TV doesn’t pay local franchise fees could not be further from the truth. Cable pays those fees to local towns and cities in exchange for the right to bury cables in the public rights of way—a right that Comcast and Charter value in the tens of billions of dollars in their SEC filings.
• Satellite companies don’t pay franchise fees for one simple reason: We use satellites—unlike cable, we don’t need to dig up streets and sidewalks to deliver our TV service.
• Making satellite subscribers pay franchise fees—or, in this case, an equivalent amount in taxes—would be like taxing the air It’s no different than making airline passengers pay a fee for laying railroad tracks.
Tell Your Lawmakers to Stop The Satellite TV Tax
Vote NO on HB 5440
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