* SJ-R…
A Springfield lawmaker said Thursday he’d be willing to look at selling some non-Lincoln artifacts that were part of the Louise Taper collection acquired in 2007 for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
However, Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, labeled as “ridiculous” any suggestion that Lincoln-related items should be sold to help retire the debt on the collection’s purchase.
Butler said he was told tangentially there may have been discussions about the library and museum divesting itself of some of the Taper collection. Butler said he first heard about the possible sale Wednesday.
However, the collection includes items that are not related to Lincoln, Butler said, and that’s a different matter.
* The Taper collection has been a source of controversy for years…
Two months before a major haul of Abraham Lincoln artifacts was purchased on behalf of the state, a New York appraiser raised questions about the authenticity of a $6.5 million stovepipe hat that purportedly belonged to the 16th president, newly released state records show.
That new disclosure represents the first evidence that state authorities were warned they might be on historically shaky ground with the hat before it was bought in 2007 from California collector Louise Taper as part of a $23 million acquisition of Lincoln items.
It also appears to further undercut assertions from the Lincoln presidential museum that there is “just not any question” about the hat’s provenance as the institution maintained in January when the hat was put on display without any recognition of its iffy past.
Taper’s collection, which included a large cache of Lincoln memorabilia and a smattering of other prizes such as a $40,000 dress worn by Marilyn Monroe, was acquired in May 2007 by a nonprofit foundation headed then by former Gov. Jim Edgar.
But the library folks still insist the hat is real and that they have the provenance to prove it.
* Anyway, the Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation has responded to the SJ-R story…
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation has been in talks with Governor Rauner’s office since the end of last year, including a meeting held earlier this week that helped enhance everyone’s understanding of the situation. Our goal has been to try to secure state funds to help keep a number of unique Lincoln artifacts in the State of Illinois while at the same time we continue to raise private support.
The Foundation took out a $23 million loan eleven years ago to acquire the artifacts to enhance the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s (ALPLM) collections and before they would be privately sold. We did so at the request of and to benefit the ALPLM. Since then, the Foundation has paid down more than $13 million of the outstanding debt exclusively through private fundraising.
While the Foundation’s lender has been quite helpful, we now face significant uncertainty about whether the Foundation’s lender will be willing and able to refinance the loan at affordable terms. The loan comes up for renewal in October 2019, just 20 short months away.
Based on the meeting with the Governor’s office this week, but receiving no financial commitments, the Foundation will continue its private fundraising efforts and be prepared to discuss a financial plan that would include some state funding, in the hopes of avoiding having to sell these unique artifacts. If the Foundation is not able to secure commitments in the very near future to retire most if not all of the remaining $9.7 million debt, it will have no choice but to accelerate the possibility of selling these unique artifacts on the private market which would likely remove them from public view forever.
It’s important to note that, in addition to private fundraising, the Foundation has made three prior attempts to secure appropriations from the Illinois Legislature to help pay down the debt.
Reading between the lines of that release, it looks to my eyes like the foundation may have to sell off Lincoln artifacts if something doesn’t change very soon.
…Adding… I’m told the Hollywood artifacts are already scheduled for a June auction.
14 Comments  
|
Question of the day
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It seems like everybody I know is raving about the Showtime series “Billions.” I have Showtime, but I’ve never watched that program. Have you? Also, do you have any other binge-watching recommendations for others?
62 Comments
|
It’s just a bill
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bernie…
DILLON CLARK of Litchfield, the Democratic candidate running against state REP. AVERY BOURNE, R-Raymond, in the 95th House District, is accusing Bourne of a conflict of interest.
But Bourne says she and her opponent agree on the issue Clark is raising, and she says the “mistruths and false attacks” involved show Clark is “more concerned about playing politics than advancing good public policy.”
Clark issued a statement this week saying that Bourne “chose to not vote on any iteration of HB 3479, even though she belatedly was put on as a co-sponsor of this bill which, if passed, would help the small town pharmacies here in our district.”
House Bill 3479 is designed to protect small pharmacies from deep cuts in reimbursements they get for filling Medicaid prescriptions.
Clark claimed that ELLEN WOEHRMANN works for the House Republican Organization, and Bourne has deferred decisions to her. Woehrmann’s husband, ERIK WOEHRMANN, is a lobbyist for CVS, which opposes the bill.
* Response from Rep. Bourne…
This is an issue where Dillon Clark and I actually agree, but his mistruths and false attacks prove he is more concerned about playing politics than advancing good public policy that helps independent pharmacies. I’ve been working on this issue with pharmacists in our district since I took office in 2015. I’m glad there’s bipartisan support in the General Assembly to help level the playing field for independent pharmacies. I was proud to sign on as a co-sponsor of this legislation on April 23rd after working with the Democratic sponsor of the bill. I look forward to continuing to support this bill when it comes back to the House on concurrence.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to be in session Thursday evening or Friday due to preparations for my wedding.
Ellen is an employee for the House Republican caucus and drafts press releases at my direction. She does not formally work for my office and does not advise me on any legislative matters, whatsoever.
As it turns out, I was on the floor when that bill was debated. It came up unexpectedly. Even the proponents were surprised when it passed.
Bourne was given an excused absence starting at 4:30 that afternoon to attend to her wedding preparation. The bill wasn’t voted on until almost two hours later. Again, the floor vote came as a surprise to just about everyone. Bourne signed on as a co-sponsor before the bill had its first full committee hearing, which came the day before the unexpected floor vote (the bill was far from finished, to say the least - even one of the co-sponsors, Rep. Bill Mitchell, said it shouldn’t be advanced).
* Bourne added…
I am only going to get married once. There are times in life where you wish you could be in two places at one time. Thursday, April 26th was one of those times. But, as I promised my now husband during wedding preparations, our marriage and our family will always come first. Fortunately, I will get the opportunity to vote on this bill again. When that day comes, I will be there to vote yes.
Looks like a non-issue.
* Other bills…
* Lawmakers look to ease student access to medical CBD oil in school: A state senate panel on Tuesday put its stamp of approval on a plan that would allow nurses or other school employees to administer CBD, or cannabidiol oil, a non-intoxicating extract of marijuana used to treat various conditions. The oil is often used to control seizures, but because it comes from marijuana, there has been resistance to allowing it to be administered in schools.
* Jim Dey: Ohio shows Illinois how it’s done with fair maps: Indeed, Illinois’ long practice of allowing members of the majority party to draw their own state House and Senate districts doesn’t just break the election process, it demolishes it.
* Are 16-year-olds smart enough to vote? Vote16 Illinois thinks so: Illinois state rep Kelly Cassidy supports letting 16-year-olds vote and is working with Vote16 Illinois on strategies to get the voting age lowered. “We trust kids at 16 alone behind the wheel of a 2,000-pound vehicle on the road,” said John Pearl, Cassidy’s chief of staff. “I mean, at some point you have to realize that 18 is extremely arbitrary. . . . It’s not like when you turn 18 you automatically have a serious increase in understanding of political knowledge.” In Illinois, giving 16-year-olds the right to vote would require a change to the Illinois Constitution, which was amended in 1988 to lower the minimum voting age to 18.
* I’m asking you, as a mother who lost her daughter, to take guns from unstable people: The Firearms Protection Order Act provides a stopgap solution to that problem and it can be implemented before the subject of the order injures or kills himself or someone else with his guns. This order is issued only if a judge is convinced that the person clearly poses a threat to himself or to others. The bill also establishes a pathway for the person to have his gun ownership right restored before the order expires on its own. I believe this bill could help save many lives because far, far more common than mass shootings are suicides. More than 60 percent of gun deaths are intentionally self-inflicted. Moreover, suicides are preventable — and one of the most effective ways of preventing them is to ensure that people demonstrating the signs that they are at a risk for suicide is to restrict their access to firearms.
15 Comments
|
Oppo dump!
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hmm…
As far back as 1991, Lori Lightfoot has represented Illinois Republicans in their redistricting efforts.
· 1991: Lightfoot was an attorney for Illinois Republican members of Congress, including Dennis Hastert, in their lawsuit over the congressional map following the 1990 census. [Hastert v. State Bd. of Elections, 777 F. Supp. 634 (N.D. Ill. 1991)]
* Lightfoot worked with some heavy hitters…
Tyrone C. Fahner, Richard S. Williamson, Lori E. Lightfoot, George J. Tzanetopoulos, Mayer, Brown & Platt, Charles Frank Marino, David M. Marino, Chicago, Ill., for plaintiffs Hastert, et al. […]
The Republican Party members of the current Illinois congressional delegation filed the initial action on June 27, 1991. Hastert v. State Board of Elections, No. 91 C 4028. The Hastert plaintiffs seek a declaration of the unconstitutionality of the present congressional districts due to population changes reflected in the 1990 census and ask the court to enjoin the Board from conducting the 1992 congressional elections under the current congressional district plan. Additionally, the Hastert plaintiffs submit for court approval their own statewide redistricting proposal to replace the current plan.
* Meanwhile…
Mayoral challenger Garry McCarthy on Wednesday denounced as “revisionist history” former Police Board President Lori Lightfoot’s claim that McCarthy’s “track record” was so “troubling,” he never should have been hired as Chicago police superintendent. […]
She called McCarthy “a guy [who] still sincerely believes that stop-and-frisk, stopping everything that moves without legal justification, without meeting the constitutional restrictions is appropriate.” She noted that “a consent decree followed his tenure in Newark” and will soon follow his tenure in Chicago.
* Mayor Emanuel’s campaign…
“While all of these candidates try to figure out a path to get into the runoff that already have them attacking one another, the mayor is focused on the best path forward for Chicago, with safer streets, expanding summer jobs opportunities for youth, and bringing more good jobs to Chicago.” - Pete Giangreco, campaign spokesman
The mayor’s people point out that there are two tickets to the runoff. Emanuel has one and the rest are gonna be fighting each other to snag the other one.
24 Comments
|
Pritzker dinged on term limits
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rauner campaign…
At an event in McLean County on Tuesday, JB Pritzker was asked if he’d commit to only serving two terms as Governor. He replied curtly with: “Do you really want me to commit to that right here?” (VIDEO)
Pritzker did not make that commitment and later said, “I’m not in favor of term limits generally.” (VIDEO)
80% of Illinoisans support term limits, and Governor Rauner has always said he’ll only serve two terms because he believes public service should be a calling, not a way to make money.
“JB Pritzker doesn’t want term limits for the governor’s office or any other elected official because he’s a corrupt insider looking to become a career politician.” -Will Allison, Rauner campaign spokesman
Sounds like that first clip was a joke. And Pritzker has said before that he doesn’t favor term limits except for legislative leaders. But, still a fun little ding.
34 Comments
|
Credit Unions: A Unique Concept for Financial Services
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Credit unions are not-for-profit cooperatives that focus on serving their members and communities. Credit unions function like other financial institutions in many ways; they offer checking accounts, savings accounts, and credit cards, as well as personal, home, and auto loans, free ATMs, and more. However, as member-owned cooperative institutions, credit unions are democratically operated and run by a volunteer board of directors. This means that when you join a credit union, you are more than just a member: you’re an owner. Not sure how to find the credit union that’s right for you? Visit ASmarterChoice.org to discover all the advantages that membership holds.
Comments Off
|
Brady asks judge to dismiss McCann’s lawsuit
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady on Wednesday asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Sen. McCann, who said he was kicked out of the GOP caucus after launching his governor bid.
McCann contended Brady violated his right to free speech because he no longer has access to Republican legislative staff and other support services he previously received. McCann said as a result, his constituents now have a senator that “is only allowed to participate to a severely limited degree.”
Attorneys for Brady countered in court documents filed Wednesday that he has “legislative immunity” to make decisions about how staff and resources are distributed within his caucus. They argued the lawsuit “opens the door for a federal court to engage in extraordinary micromanaging of the internal affairs of elected state legislators.”
Brady also contended that McCann is able to fulfill all of his duties as a state senator, saying he still has full voting rights, the help of an assistant and access to a bureau that helps lawmakers prepare bills.
Thoughts?
30 Comments
|
* Republic-Times…
Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing is sending a message to firearm owners across the county, with the hope it reaches all the way to Springfield.
With the declaration of Monroe County as a “sanctuary county,” Rohlfing has said he will not enforce any new laws passed that infringe on Second Amendment rights.
Monroe County Board Chairman Bob Elmore said he wholeheartedly supports Rohfling’s intent.
“We want people to understand we’re for the Second Amendment; we don’t want Springfield dictating things to us because they do plenty now,” Elmore said in an interview with KMOV News 4.
The full Monroe County Board went on to unanimously pass a resolution Monday opposing the passage of several House and Senate bills “where the 100th Illinois General Assembly desires to restrict the individual right of U.S. citizens as protected by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.”
* BN-D…
Among the potential laws that the Monroe County Board and the sheriff do not support are House Bill 1465, which would make it unlawful to sell an assault weapon, .50 caliber rifles, cartridges or assault weapon attachments to any person under the age of 21.
House Bill 1467 says any municipality may not regulate assault weapons “in a manner less restrictive than the regulation by the State” and makes possession of a bump-fire stock or trigger crank illegal in Illinois. […]
The county’s resolution posted on the sheriff’s Facebook page said that those bills are violations of the Fourth Amendment.
* Fox St. Louis…
State Senator Paul Schimpf (R) of Waterloo also weighed in on the resolution.
“While I am sympathetic and just as angry and frustrated as these county officials are, when it comes to different jurisdictions saying that they are going to selectively enforce legislation, they are going to pick and choose which statutes they support, that’s something that I don’t think is consistent with the rule of law and that’s not something I agree with,” said Schimpf during a phone interview with Fox 2.
* CNN…
“We want to make a statement. We don’t want our Second Amendment rights to be stripped away from us,” David Campbell, vice chairman of the Effingham County Board, told CNN. “If we protect immigrants with sanctuary cities, why not use similar laws to protect our rights to own a gun?” he added.
According to Campbell, at least 30 of Illinois’s 102 counties have asked to see Effingham County’s resolution. So far, Iroquois, Jasper, Saline and Jefferson counties have adopted similar resolutions opposing state gun restrictions, although Iroquois County’s resolution didn’t use the “sanctuary county” language.
“Sometimes laws are passed or introduced when people don’t understand guns. For example the semi auto AR-15 is like a lot of guns we have across the country to simply hunt with,” said Saline County Board Chairman Jay Williams.
86 Comments
|
* Tribune…
Rauner so far hasn’t directly said whether he supports the amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which would guarantee that rights can’t be denied because of a person’s sex. He has said he is a “supporter of equal rights for everyone” and notes that he does not have to sign off for lawmakers to approve it.
But Democratic State Rep. Lou Lang said Wednesday that Rauner should “make public statements firmly and positively about what’s right and wrong.”
“And if he doesn’t believe it’s appropriate to make a public statement or make an effort when we’re on the precipice of history to provide women of America with rights they ought to be due under the U.S. Constitution, I think that would say a lot about him,” Lang said. “I also think it would say a lot about him if he were to do the right thing. If he would decide to make those calls, make those public statements, urge Republican legislators to vote for the Equal Rights Amendment.”
The matter may prove politically tricky for Rauner because opponents contend the amendment is a vehicle for putting abortion protections into the U.S. Constitution.
* SJ-R…
The House needs at least 71 votes to ratify, which means both Democrats and Republicans need to support it. Rep. Steven Andersson, R-Geneva, said he’s working on rallying Republicans to vote for the bill. He said many conservative voters fear the bill would get rid of gendered bathrooms or permanently legalize abortion. […]
Anderson added many of his fellow Republicans support ratification, but they fear the vote being used to unseat them in a future primary. He argued they should think more in the short term to the general election this November. […]
“If we had to on the GOP side, I think we can do it without (Rauner), but I want to do it with him,” said Andersson. “I want to be able to stand there proudly with him when this gets done. I want him to be a part of the celebration. I want his support.
* Meanwhile…
Erika Harold, the Republican candidate for Illinois attorney general, on Wednesday didn’t say if state lawmakers should ratify the proposed federal Equal Rights Amendment, saying she could be called on to deal with the measure as attorney general.
“I’m not going to take a legislative position because as attorney general, I may actually have to weigh in (on) … the application of it as it relates to Illinois law,” Harold said when asked if she would vote for the measure if she had the chance. She was interviewed while at business luncheon in Springfield. […]
“I don’t think they need encouragement from anyone,” Harold said. “I think they just need to do what they think is right.”
* From Sen. Kwame Raoul’s campaign…
How can we trust the Rauner - Harold ticket to stand up for Illinois women if they continue to sit on the sidelines? Time and time again, Kwame has supported efforts to advance women’s rights and he’ll continue that fight as Attorney General.
Raoul participated in the ERA rally this week.
23 Comments
|
Manar points finger back at Rauner
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* SJ-R…
Turning the tables somewhat on Gov. Bruce Rauner, some Senate Democrats said Wednesday that it is the governor who is stalling action on a new state budget.
The Democrats said the Rauner administration has never submitted legislation that contained his proposals for saving the state about $1.3 billion in next year’s state budget. That includes calls for cutting state worker health insurance benefits and beginning to shift downstate teacher pension costs to local districts and away from the state.
Rauner budget director Hans Zigmund told a joint hearing of the Senate Appropriations committees the governor’s budget is predicated on lawmakers approving the pension shifts and insurance changes. […]
But Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, one of the committee chairs, said no legislation has ever been introduced to change insurance benefits or shift pension costs. He said he is particularly concerned that shifting pension costs to school districts will unravel the benefits of the school funding reform bill that was meant to direct more state money to the neediest districts. […]
Rauner spokeswoman Rachel Bold said Wednesday the administration is “not looking for political theater. We’re working toward providing the citizens of this state with a balanced, full-year budget with no tax increase.”
He’s got a point. But May 31st is three weeks from today. Time to get to work.
33 Comments
|
* WCIA TV…
Jeanne Ives may have lost her insurgent March primary battle against incumbent first term Governor Bruce Rauner, but she doesn’t intend to go down quietly — not without waging a war over the future of the state party apparatus first.
“We’ve got a fight going on,” Ives (R-Wheaton) said buoyantly on Wednesday, as she spoke about her plans to oust Rauner’s pick for the state party chairmanship, Tim Schneider.
“They want all controversy to go away, which would make sense from their standpoint,” Ives said with an air of defiance. “They are trying to pretend like there is a unified party and the truth is that they have dismissed the conservative voters who came out in droves to vote for me in the primary. They essentially want to have what looks like a unified party and not any controversy, but the truth is that we will not, our voices will be heard one way or the other.” […]
Ives and McSweeney are working publicly and privately to elect Mark Shaw, a local party operative and attorney from Lake Forest, to the state’s top party position. Ives says Shaw would introduce “fresh ideas” to a party at war with itself.
“One of the things I would like to see the party spend more time on is grass roots party development with actually working to work and train precinct committeemen,” Shaw said in a phone interview Wednesday night. “We tend to have a lot of high priced consultants that the average candidate in the local race can’t afford in their campaign. How about helping them raising money so they can buy some signs, some cards, put together some basic social media presence and help them go door-to-door?”
There’s a lot more to this story, including the likely upcoming court battle, so click here to read the rest.
But, here’s my beef: If the insurgent Shaw wants the party to focus on “grass roots” development, then why the heck were he and his allies so disorganized during the party county conventions last month?
* From a story about last month’s county-level meetings…
Among other charges, [Shaw supporter Bob Winchester] is expected to challenge the use of votes by acclamation in some counties — a move that gives the candidate with more than half of the votes the entire final tally, which violates party rules and may violate state law. […]
Results of the election show that Winchester received zero votes in nine of 33 counties, including four of the 10 most populated, a result that Shaw and others said would be impossible. […]
In all, 22 of 33 counties voted by acclamation, representing 63 percent of Rose’s vote and 59 percent of Winchester’s.
Just sayin’, but even a little bit of organizing could have prevented many of those acclamation votes.
* Related…
* IL GOP conservatives expect to pick new party leader Saturday, May 19th
* Tim Schneider Faces Challenge For State Party Leadership Post
15 Comments
|
It’s not as simple as it sounds
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Rauner administration’s latest “Illinois Economic and Fiscal Policy Report”…
State tax revenues will increase if Illinois’ economy grows at the national rate
* That’s obvious, but by how much? The Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois takes a look…
According to one estimate, significant additional state revenues could be attained if Illinois improved its economic growth to just the national average….an additional $5.4 billion in state revenue over 5 years if the economy were to grow at the national average.
In examining this type of statement we first look at the relationship among Illinois’ “big three” revenue sources (the taxes that generate the bulk of our own-source revenue: individual income, corporate income and sales taxes), Illinois gross state product (GSP), and gross domestic product (GDP). Why do we do this? Well, it is important to see if GSP is a good predictor of revenue growth in the first instance before considering what would have occurred if Illinois GSP had grown at the same rate as national GDP (the standard measure of national economic growth).
Figure 2 on page 7 compares growth in GDP and GSP over the period 1997-2016 (Illinois 2017 GSP is not yet available). This graph illustrates that GDP and GSP have tended to move together over this period, but the relationship has become weaker since around 2008, suggesting that the Illinois economy has not made a full recovery since the great recession.
However, it is not appropriate to use either GDP or GSP to try to predict “big three” revenue for the following reason: Illinois’ tax revenues are not closely aligned with movement in GSP, as illustrated in Figure 3 on page 8. As we note above GDP and GSP are measures of overall economic activity, but Illinois does not tax all economic activity. For example, economic activity related to services is included in GSP, but Illinois does not tax services. To the extent that the service economy has grown in Illinois, tax collections have not followed suit. There are other similar situations where items included in GSP are not taxed.
R-squared is a statistical measure that in this context represents the percentage of revenue growth that can be explained by changes in GSP. R-squared values range from 0 to 1 and are commonly stated as percentages from 0 to 100%. An R-squared of 100% would mean all movements in “big three” revenue are completely explained by movements in GSP. During the period 1998-2010 the actual R- squared value for this relationship is 44.6 percent, indicating that change in GSP is not much of a predictor in changes in “big three” revenue.
Without a doubt, economic indicators like GSP and GDP and their components are important measures of how robust various aspects of the economy are. Higher GSP growth is obviously a good thing, and our overall economic growth would have been higher if we had grown at the national average. However trying to turn either of these variables into predictors of revenue growth is wrong because they explain less than half the growth in “big three” revenues and should not be used to support any calculation of Illinois’ lost tax revenues attributable our less-than-stellar economic performance. This fact is acknowledged in the Governor’s Operating Budget where revenue forecasts for the “big three” are developed using forecasts for wages and salaries, dividends and interest, corporate profits and retail sales and not GDP or GSP.
That’s basically been the argument for a service tax over the past several decades. We can’t “capture” enough growth without it.
9 Comments
|
* The Washington Post’s Radley Balko takes on a topic we discussed yesterday: The future of drug dogs if marijuana is legalized. Here’s part of his take…
I’ve written quite a bit about drug dogs in Illinois, and it turns out they’re pretty terrible at detecting drugs. In 2011, the Chicago Tribune published a review of drug dog searches conducted over three years by police departments in the Chicago suburbs. Just 44 percent of dog alerts led to the discovery of actual contraband. For Hispanic drivers, the success rate dipped to 27 percent. The following year, I obtained the records of an Illinois State Police drug dog for an 11-month period in 2007 and 2008. In nearly 30 percent of cases where the dog “alerted” no drugs at all were found. In about 75 percent of cases, the dog alerted either to no drugs or to what police officers later described as “residue,” which basically means no measurable quantity of a drug and not a significant-enough amount to merit criminal charges. Only 10 percent of the alerts resulted in a seizure of a large-enough quantity of drugs to charge someone with a felony.
This is pretty consistent with statistics from other states, as well as one fascinating academic study, which have shown that drug dogs are far more likely to merely confirm the hunches and suspicions of their handlers than they are to independently detect illicit drugs. The dogs’ high error rates often make them no more accurate than a coin flip. The problem of course is that the entire purpose of the Fourth Amendment is to protect us from searches based solely on a government official’s hunch or suspicion. There’s a reason some legal scholars call drug dogs “probable cause on a leash.”
The K9 trainers I’ve interviewed over the years have told me that drug dogs could actually be trained to only alert when there is a significant quantity of an illicit drug — that is, to ignore “residue.” The reason they aren’t is that police departments don’t want them trained that way. They want dogs that alert as often as possible. They want the dogs to err on the side of false alerts.
Why would police want a dog that falsely alerts? That’s the exact question the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia asked in a drug dog case a few years ago. The answer is incentives. Searches can lead to evidence of other illegal activity. One incentive is that police officers, particular those in drug enforcement, often evaluated based on the raw numbers of arrests. More searches mean more opportunities to make arrests.
But the more important incentive is civil-asset forfeiture. If the police find even the slightest bit of pot, sometimes even just residue, they can often justify taking a driver’s cash, jewelry or even the car itself. The owner of the property — even if completely innocent — then must endure a number of legal and procedural barriers to getting the property back.
*** UPDATE *** Thanks to a commenter for pointing this out…
The police dog trainer who said he believed drug-sniffing dogs would have to be euthanized has retracted his statement, according to his police chief.
Decatur Police Detective Chad Larner told the Bloomington Pantagraph earlier this week that if marijuana is made legal, the dogs trained to detect narcotics would have to be euthanized because they could not be retrained.
However, many experts have stated this is not the case, and Decatur Police Chief James Getz Jr. told the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday that Larner wishes he hadn’t made the statement, calling it “a bad choice of words.”
16 Comments
|
“The Democratic Machine’s New Monarch”
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rauner campaign…
On Wednesday, Chicago Magazine published “The Democratic Machine’s New Monarch: How J.B. Pritzker’s bottomless pockets could spell business as usual in state politics.”
The piece centers on how Pritzker and Madigan are working together to maintain the status quo of higher taxes and more corruption.
Check out the highlights from Chicago Magazine’s piece:
Nonetheless, the Democratic candidate has been embraced by House speaker Michael Madigan, Illinois’s most powerful machine boss, in no small part because a win for Pritzker would allow Madigan to thrive.
Madigan never formally endorsed Pritzker. But as the News-Gazette of Champaign-Urbana wrote in an opinion piece during the primary: “It’s common knowledge—as well as a source of considerable resentment—that Madigan is backing Pritzker. Madigan is depending on the billionaire to use his family fortune to win an overwhelming victory that will return Illinois to one-party rule and ensure that he will again be able to gerrymander state legislative districts after the 2020 Census.” Pritzker, whose political philosophy is, shall we say, not fully developed, is also seen by political professionals as easier to influence than the experienced politicians he defeated in the primary.
…If he succeeds, Pritzker will get the title “governor” in front of his name, Madigan will get control of Springfield back, and both money and the machine will be served.
* From the beginning of the piece…
In the early 1960s, a businessman named Arnold Maremont decided he wanted to run for U.S. Senate. So he made the pilgrimage all aspiring Democratic politicians were required to make in those days: to meet with Mayor Richard J. Daley. Daley wasn’t sure whether the Baptists of Little Egypt would vote for a Jewish candidate, so he told Maremont to go downstate and find out. Maremont reported they would, and so Daley slated such a candidate: Rep. Sidney Yates, a machine Democrat.
Maremont felt used, but, as Mike Royko points out in his biography of Daley, “he wouldn’t have even tried had he ever heard Daley explain why he is so dedicated a party man: ‘… The rich guys can get elected on their money, but somebody like me, an ordinary person, needs the party. Without the party, only the rich would be elected to office.’ ”
Back then, millionaires needed the party. Today, the party needs millionaires—or even billionaires.
42 Comments
|
Rauner takes more heat on Quincy veterans’ home
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sept. 18, 2015…
Illinois officials admit they were caught off-guard by the wave of Legionnaires’ at their veterans’ home in Quincy. […]
“August 21st we shut down the water, we removed aerators from all the showers, we shut down our fountains, we started issuing bottled water. We wanted to be sure our residents were safe,” [said Illinois Veterans’ Affairs Director Erica Jeffries].
* WBEZ last night…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s own administration formally rebuked the state agency overseeing the Quincy veterans’ home for how it told staffers about the fatal Legionnaires’ disease outbreak after workers there got sick in 2015.
The workplace safety reprimand issued by the state Department of Labor, first obtained by WBEZ, focused on a pair of emails Illinois Veterans Home administrators blasted out to state workers that seemed to downplay the threat of the disease.
The agency reproached the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, which oversees the home, saying it “failed to effectively notify all employees” about the outbreak just as it was taking hold.
That Feb. 8, 2016 finding undercuts the insistent public claims by outgoing Veterans’ Affairs Director Erica Jeffries that her department was “very clear” in its Legionnaires’ warnings to staff in Quincy.
But the Aug. 22, 2015 mass email to Quincy workers — which Jeffries has pointed to as proof the home’s workforce was informed early about the outbreak — downplayed the severity of the epidemic and failed to alert staff that two Legionnaires’ cases had already been confirmed by that time.
* From that August 22nd e-mail to Quincy veterans’ home workers, sent the day after the remediation began…
l’m sending this email to answer questions and concerns staff have had regarding UNCONFIRMED Legionnaires’ Disease at the Elmore building. Please reassure staff that this in is an UNCONFIRMED diagnosis and precautions are being taken per directive. I want to reassure all staff that if we truly felt there was an issue with Legionella we would not put the Residents or Staff at risk. I ask that you please not panic and do not discuss this with the residents.
* From the Illinois Department of Labor’s findings…
The employer failed to effectively notify all employees of the outbreak or instructed them as to proper precautions to avoid or eliminate exposure in a timely manner. It was discovered that although a mass email was sent to employees informing them of the outbreak, not all employees had email, and subsequently were not able to be informed until sometime after the first email was sent.
* DGA…
A few months ago, Governor Bruce Rauner appeared before the Herald & Review Editorial Board and criticized recent Quincy Veterans Home workers’ testimony as “false” and “politically motivated attacks.” Workers testified the state failed to inform them about the 2015 Legionnaires’ outbreak at the home, which they learned about from media reports.
(Watch Rauner before the Herald & Review Editorial Board)
“Question: But I think, maybe what we’re getting at is that the staff found out on media reports in Quincy, right? That was some of that testimony.
“Rauner: Well you see that’s false. You see there’s a lot of misinformation and I think politically motivated attacks going on. I don’t want to get into that. The reality is, we took strong immediate action. Communicated with employees and that was put out, Erica Jefferies put out that clear statement about how they communicated. There’s a lot of politics getting played right now.”
Last night, WBEZ dropped a bombshell report that directly contradicts Rauner’s assertations. The station reported that Rauner’s own Department of Labor investigated and “formally rebuked” the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for failing to “effectively notify” staff members about the outbreak. Emails at the time “downplayed the severity” of the outbreak and reassured staff that they “would not put the residents or staff at risk” if they felt there “was an issue” with Legionnaires’. Since 2015, 8 home workers have fallen ill with and 13 home residents died of Legionnaires’ disease.
“Bruce Rauner got caught lying about what his own administration knew was true — they botched the response to the deadly Quincy Legionnaires’ outbreak,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner’s knee-jerk need to deflect blame only does a disservice to the 13 people who died at the Quincy Veterans Home.”
* Pritzker campaign…
While Bruce Rauner continues to deny wrongdoing and cover up his fatal mismanagement of the Quincy Veterans’ Home, a newly-released report details his own Department of Labor’s recognition of the administration’s failure.
After two sickened Quincy workers filed complaints with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Rauner’s Labor department was forced to begin an investigation that found Rauner’s VA staff “failed to immediately notify employees of the outbreak” and even misled them on the severity of the crisis. A health expert told WBEZ, “That’s not how you manage an outbreak… [it’s] a breach of ethical standards.”
“Bruce Rauner’s own administration knows the Legionnaires response was an abject failure that cost 13 people their lives and jeopardized many more,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Staff on the frontlines were left in the dark, the administration downplayed a crisis spiraling out of control, and heroes and spouses died because this governor failed.”
13 Comments
|
Once again, it’s all or nothing for Gov. Rauner
Thursday, May 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a February 20th Northwest Herald story…
“What I stand for is local control,” [Gov. Bruce Rauner] told the Northwest Herald Editorial Board on Friday morning as he visited McHenry County to pitch why voters should elect him for a second term. “The people of McHenry should be empowered to make their own choices very easily.” […]
State Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, filed a bill in January that would give voters an opportunity to eliminate township government with a majority vote. The move would shift the services provided by townships to local municipalities and the county. […]
Rauner stands behind efforts such as McSweeney’s.
“Let’s empower local residents to figure it out,” Rauner said. “Let’s free up the people of Illinois and give power to the people to decide, and I’ll think we’ll get to a good solution.”
* Rep. McSweeney’s HB4637, which passed the House 80-22-1…
Provides that the board of trustees of any township located in McHenry County may submit a proposition to dissolve the township to the township electors or township electors may petition for a referendum to dissolve a township.
* Northwest Herald last night…
Rauner spent part of his Saturday at an invitation-only roundtable with members of the McHenry County Republican Party. A focus of discussion was House Bill 4637 – a proposed consolidation bill from state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills. […]
Rauner spoke in general terms about the bill and commented that he usually does not support bills that focus on one county in particular. He prefers legislation that carries statewide effect, GOP sources who attended the meeting said.
Unreal.
To be clear, there are some issues with the bill that are being worked on by its Senate sponsor, Sen. Terry Link. And Rep. McSweeney is an avowed Rauner opponent. But, c’mon. He doesn’t want to sign McSweeney’s bill because it’s only about one county? Seriously?
18 Comments
|
|
Comments Off
|
Hippies are gonna make us kill all our dogs!!!
Wednesday, May 9, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Oh, for Pete’s sake…
If Illinois legalizes marijuana for recreational use, law enforcement officials fear job losses for hundreds of officers — specifically, the four-legged ones.
Agencies spend thousands of dollars and months of training to teach their dogs how to sniff out and alert officers to the presence of marijuana, heroin, cocaine and other drugs. If pot use becomes legal, the dogs would likely either have to be retrained — which some handlers say is impossible or impractical — or retired. […]
Training a K-9 can take anywhere from eight to 16 weeks and cost between $3,000 to $5,000, not including the time commitment, overtime costs or advanced training. Depending on the dog’s breed, training and purpose, the price of an animal can range anywhere from $8,000 to $16,000 each. […]
Because many K-9s are trained not to be social so that their work won’t be affected, Larner said a number of dogs would likely have to be euthanized.
Um, maybe they could just sell the dogs to lesser evolved states and then don’t train replacement dogs to sniff out pot?
They’re making such a weak argument.
* For instance, just last year, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association among others backed this bill…
Creates the Police Dog Retirement Act. Provides that a police dog, which is deemed no longer fit for public service, may be offered by the county, municipality, or State law enforcement agency to the officer or employee who had custody and control of the animal during its service. If the officer or employee does not wish to keep the dog, it may be offered to another officer or employee in the agency, or to a non-profit organization or a no-kill animal shelter that may facilitate an appropriate adoption of the dog.
That bill is now law. So, spare me the scare tactics.
Besides, if military dogs can be adopted, why not these? Oh, wait, they can be adopted. Who knew?
* From a Seattle Times report after Washington legalized marijuana…
The dogs will get a good home, police Chief Tim George promised. They definitely would not be euthanized, he said.
I mean, seriously, of all the “consequences” of legalizing marijuana, this is what the cops come up with?
C’mon, man.
* Meanwhile…
It’s being heralded by Democrat gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker as a potentially giant revenue maker for Illinois, but recreational marijuana has produced “limited” tax revenues in two states that have legalized it — with little of that money flowing to the state or city’s general fund.
Those are among the findings in a new report from Moody’s Investors Service.
That’s so incredibly misleading. Just because most of the pot money isn’t funneled into their General Revenue Fund, doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of cash coming in.
* From the Moody’s report...
Marijuana revenues generally make up only a relatively small share of state general fund revenues, and therefore provide only modest budget relief. Colorado’s gross revenues from recreational and medical sales in fiscal 2017 equaled only 2.0% of total general fund revenues. Washington state’s gross marijuana revenues for the 2015-17 biennium equaled only 1.2% of general fund revenues.
Furthermore, in most states, voters or statute have earmarked most marijuana revenues to special programs and only a small portion is available for general fund spending. In Colorado, almost half of state fiscal 2018 marijuana revenues are directed to the Marijuana Tax Cash Fund where they are used for a variety of marijuana-related programs including enforcement, regulation and prevention, as well as substance abuse programs; 40% is earmarked for K-12 education including capital assistance for school construction; and 7% is distributed to local governments. Only about 5% is directed to the general fund, representing only 0.1% of state general fund revenues(see Exhibit 2). In Washington, only about one-third of state marijuana revenues are directed to the state’s general fund, representing only 0.6% of general fund revenues in the 2017-19 biennium.
Moody’s is looking at state GRF, but K-12 is getting a goodly amount of money from Colorado’s legalization…
Total state tax revenues from medical and recreational sales on a cash basis grew by 118% to $223.5 million in fiscal 2017 from $102.4 million in fiscal 2015, the first full fiscal year of legal recreational sales. The state projects total state marijuana revenues to grow to $258.6 million (budget basis) in fiscal 2018
That’s $258.6 million for a state with much less than half the population of Illinois.
49 Comments
|
Loyola’s Sister Jean comes to Springfield
Wednesday, May 9, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
The Illinois House and Senate are in session. Loyola University’s Sister Jean (and some players) will be at the Capitol for lawmakers to honor the basketball team’s NCAA tournament run.
I’m told she’s delivering the opening prayer in the Senate today. Expect a packed gallery.
7 Comments
|
* WGN TV…
ICC investigators concluded Lincoln Towing conducted 462 unauthorized tows in a seven month period they examined.
“Lincoln’s pattern and practice of conducting unauthorized relocations harms the public and demonstrates that Lincoln is incompetent and unworthy to hold a relocator’s license,” ICC staff concluded.
Lincoln Towing’s tactics have been the subject of complaints for decades. Folk singer Steve Goodman recorded a song in 1972 referring to the towing outfit as the “Lincoln Park Pirates.” At various times politicians have promised to shut the company down. After WGN Investigates reported the towing firm’s more recent troubles in January 2017, the ICC investigation intensified. Dozens of hearings took place as investigators and a lawyer for Lincoln Towing traded accusations.
“If I explained to you how many tows a year and how few violations we have, it’s like .0003 percent of 1 percent,” Lincoln lawyer Allen Perl told WGN in 2017. “Literally every 500 cars is a violation. That’s a pretty good record.”
The staff recommendation on whether the company should lose its license is here. The matter now goes before an administrative law judge.
26 Comments
|
* Northwest Herald…
A state lawmaker is lambasting Gov. Bruce Rauner after Illinois’ top leader met in private during the weekend with members of the McHenry County Republican Party.
Rauner spent part of his Saturday at an invitation-only roundtable at the McHenry County GOP’s Crystal Lake headquarters – an event featuring a who’s who of party insiders, including McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim, McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally and County Board member Jim Kearns.
But state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, took issue with someone else in attendance at the meetup: the local Republican Party’s new chairwoman, Diane Evertsen, who at one time served as president of the Minutemen Midwest – an organization the Southern Poverty Law Center designated a “nativist extremist” group.
“The governor should apologize for meeting with a known extremist,” said McSweeney, who heard about the meeting after it happened.
McSweeney pointed to Evertsen’s association with Minutemen Midwest, which the SPLC named several times on its annual list of nativist extremist groups between 2007 and 2010.
* A blog popped up in 2010 that saved deleted posts by Evertsen like this one…
An invasion is taking place. Whether by means of legal or illegal immigration, the third-world hordes are invading the first world, and they are taking no prisoners. If this is not stopped now, America within one generation will be a third-world sewer.
Invaders from the Orient, Asia, Africa, Central and South America are invading the first world, and they are intent only upon conquest. (cut) Americans have been duped by the left-wing notion of a “proposition nation” and by myths about third-world assimilation, neither of which will occur. Historically, nations have been built upon blood and soil, kith and kin, ancestral rites, and genealogical ties. A real nation is but an extension of a tribe, and this realization should be shared by all traditionalists, conservatives, paleolibertarians, patriotic liberals, union democrats, and moderates. The “creedal nation” (one only has to believe in propositions to be a good citizen) is a lie; it is but a Trojan horse to implement the third-world invasion of America.
That’s quite a county party chair they have up there.
…Adding… DGA…
Yesterday, the Northwest Herald reported that Governor Bruce Rauner recently met with McHenry Country GOP leaders, including Diane Evertsen, former President of the “nativist extremist” group Minutemen Midwest. The Southern Poverty Law Center labeled them a “nativist extremist” group from 2007 to 2010 for writings that warned of a “conspiracy afoot to merge the U.S. and Mexico” by a “shadow government” and claimed “most Mexicans…are not Western; genealogically, they are Asiatic, and they despise the West.”
Rauner’s clandestine meeting is not out of line with his overall record - Rauner’s done little to push back on President Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and refused to protect the 42,000 DACA recipients in Illinois facing deportation. But Rauner’s cozying up to the far-right risks alienating other Republicans like state Representative David McSweeney who called on the governor to apologize for agreeing to the meeting.
“Bruce Rauner is showing his stripes by cozying up to anti-immigrant extremists and silently supporting Donald Trump’s agenda,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “After failing to protect Illinoisans from President Trump, Rauner’s giving the far-right a voice in Springfield.”
…Adding… Democratic Rep. Sam Yingling…
Instead of negotiating in good faith to pass a state budget or working to reduce local property taxes, Bruce Rauner spent last weekend meeting with the former leader of Minutemen Midwest, a group the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled a “nativist extremist” group. There’s no place in for the fear-mongering tactics and conspiracy theories these extremist groups espouse in our state, and I applaud Representative Dave McSweeney, a Republican from McHenry County, for demanding an apology from Bruce Rauner, the head of the Illinois GOP. I join my colleague across the aisle in demanding an apology from this failed governor and hope other local elected officials and candidates will as well.
23 Comments
|
* From the Rauner campaign…
Democrats Refuse to Give Revenue Estimate for Budget Negotiations
When Illinois families sit down to hammer out their budgets, the conversation starts with a simple question: “how much money is coming in?”
It is the starting point for any discussion of how to allocate their money.
Since his budget address in February, Governor Rauner has asked time and again for the General Assembly to provide a revenue estimate as a basis to negotiate, but Democrats have failed to produce one. It’s time to be honest with taxpayers about how much of their money is expected to flow into state coffers to pass a balanced budget.
Um, they could also just use the governor’s own revenue estimate if they want to base the negotiations on something. From the Civic Federation’s new report…
Going into FY2019, revenue forecasts by the executive and legislative branches are $99 million apart—less than 0.3% of expected revenues and among the closest they have been in recent years. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) forecasts General Funds revenue of $37.96 billion in FY2019, while the legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) forecasts $37.87 billion. The relatively small differences between the two estimates are offsetting. COGFA estimates $164 million less individual income tax revenue than GOMB and $76 million less sales tax revenue, but $77 more in corporate income tax.
* WCIA TV…
“I believe that Democrats are strongly in favor of actually finally getting a real budget done before the May 31st deadline,” Pritzker said. “It seems clear to me that the governor is not, but we will see over the next couple of weeks whether he is willing to actually work with them to get the job done.”
Pritzker would not comment on the necessity of a revenue estimate, which Republican leaders have insisted is a crucial starting point to any budget negotiation, required by state law. […]
Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) chimed in too, calling the morning meeting an “important step” toward closing the gap that divides the two parties.
“I think we’ve all agreed that the CoGFA numbers are a realm to begin with,” Brady said, referring to bipartisan analysis from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. “We’d like for [Democrats] to solidify that,” but said there was “nothing we can do” about “their reluctance to do so.”
Brady has the right attitude here.
* Tribune…
Still, lawmakers likely are facing a budget gap of several billion dollars. The legislature’s forecasting arm predicts the state will have roughly $37.8 billion to spend this year, down $2.7 billion from the $40.6 billion it has currently. That’s because several one-time revenue sources can no longer be relied upon.
Yeah, but that’s still up from the $31 billion or so the state took in last fiscal year.
* Related…
* Rep. Keith Wheeler: How Speaker Madigan elbows aside Illinois taxpayers
22 Comments
|
|
Comments Off
|
* This sort of thing may be one reason why the governor’s office is asking for a supplemental approp for IDOC…
A Peoria murder trial was delayed this week after the Illinois Department of Corrections said it was short of gas money.
This week, an official at Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mount Sterling sent an email to the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office saying it couldn’t bring an inmate, who was slated to be a witness in a murder trial, because it was “having difficulties with making fuel purchases at the current time.”
The official then asked the state’s attorney’s office to push the trial back later in May “when the probability is more likely that we will be able to obtain fuel while on the road if needed.” […]
The delay is significant because Samuel T. Clay Jr.] has been in custody since the fatal shooting [of October 2015 shooting of 14-year-old and has only days left before the 120-day limit for the Speedy Trial Act. While he’s been in custody for well more than that, the clock is stopped when he asks for or agrees to continue the proceedings.
His attorney Maureen Williams had initially agreed to the continuance Monday but then vigorously opposed it on Tuesday, saying it was within the power of the state’s attorney’s office to get the prisoner to Peoria — a notion that both Judge John Vespa and prosecutor David Gast contested.
Oy.
*** UPDATE *** From Lindsey N. Hess at IDOC…
While the Department acknowledges it is in desperate need of additional appropriation authority from the General Assembly, I want to make it clear that no offenders have missed scheduled court appearances because of a fuel shortage. The IDOC has no record of the offender who was named in the article being required to attend court on May 8. The Department will transport him, and all other offenders who have court appearances, on the dates they are scheduled.
36 Comments
|
* Precariously…
A Chicago-based fiscal watchdog group said Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget proposal is “precariously balanced” and doesn’t do enough to pay down the state’s remaining backlog of bills.
The Civic Federation’s Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability, said in a report released Wednesday that Rauner’s budget plan released in February “is substantially closer to being balanced than his administration’s previous proposals.”
But it concluded Rauner’s plan relies on “aggressive assumptions” that may not come to fruition.
“Illinois residents were able to breathe a sigh of relief following the end of the unprecedented impasse, but the state is far from fiscal stability,” Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the possibility of renewed political stalemate hangs over Springfield and it would be financially reckless to wait until after the upcoming election to start working toward long-term stabilization.”
* Sun-Times…
The civic watchdog’s report says the group “cannot support” Rauner’s recommended budget because it is “only precariously balanced,” citing a projected surplus of $351 million that depends on “various aggressive assumptions” totaling $1.8 billion in savings or additional revenues.
“It is not clear whether these assumptions are backed up by contingency plans,” the report says.
The report says the budget again relies on the selling of the James R. Thompson Center for the third year in a row and on “speculative group health savings.”
The Civic Federation also says it doesn’t support a budget that doesn’t have a plan to eliminate the unpaid bill backlog. The surplus would go towards the bill backlog — which was at $6.88 billion on Tuesday — but it’s “unclear how the State will pay the remaining backlog in future years.”
* Trib…
There are some parts of Rauner’s plan the group supports, but it does not endorse shifting suburban and Downstate teachers’ pension costs to local school districts.
* From the report…
The Civic Federation is supportive of several initiatives in the Governor’s recommended FY2019 budget, including aligning responsibility for payment of current-service pension costs with decision making about workers’ salaries and reducing the State’s role in financing health insurance costs for teachers and university and community college employees and retirees. The Federation also supports the proposal to enact the “consideration model” of pension reform, while not applying any savings until it is certain that the reform is constitutional.
* Crain’s…
The federation also generally sided with mayors in arguing against Rauner’s budget proposal for the second year in a row to grab a portion of the municipal share of state income-tax receipts for his budget, rather than passing it on to cities and villages
More ominously, the federation noted that Illinois “narrowly avoided a (bond) downgrade to junk status” last year.
“Illinois residents were able to breathe a short sigh of relief following the end of the unprecedented impasse,” in which the state went two years without a full, normal budget, federation President Laurence Msall said. “Unfortunately, the possibility of renewed political stalemate hangs over Springfield…Another impasse could squander recent progress.”
Illinois needs a long-term plan for fiscal stability, Msall added. “This proposal does not accomplish that goal.”
15 Comments
|
* WCIA TV…
“No new taxes, truly balanced budget and for a full year, [and we should] not [be] waiting to deal with some of the difficult decisions until after the election,” Rauner said. “There was some expression within the conversations about ‘Maybe we should deal with some of these things post election.’ We should not let politics or elections get in the way of doing the right thing for the people of Illinois.” […]
“It’s apparently the kind of confusion [Rauner] is attracted to, for whatever reason,” Madigan spokesman Steve Brown responded, suggesting Rauner had perhaps seized on Cullerton’s public comments to reporters and not to any conversations that had occurred in private.
“What is true is that there’s an election in the middle of the fiscal year and we haven’t had that before,” Cullerton said, “so that might play a role in somebody’s motivation.” He quickly clarified the political calculations were “Not mine.”
The Senate Democrats agree with Brown’s claim that the topic of delaying decisions until after the elections wasn’t discussed during the leaders meeting.
I think Brownie may be right on this one. After previous meetings, the governor has watched BlueRoomStream.com’s live video of the leader avails and then reacted. So, Gov. Rauner could’ve been watching yesterday’s video feed of Cullerton’s post-meeting comments and heard that election mention and then said what he said afterward.
20 Comments
|
|
Comments Off
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
   
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|
