* 2:14 pm - Earlier today, Alexi Giannoulias’ US Senate campaign sent out a press release bashing Mark Kirk for taking money from Goldman Sachs employees…
On January 13, 2010, Kirk blew off four votes to attend a Wall Street fundraiser, raising more than $150,000 from Wall Street contributors. [FEC; HJRes 64, Vote 2, 1/13/10; HJRes 1002, Vote 3, 1/13/10; HRes 860, Vote 4, 1/13/10; HR 3892, Vote 5, 1/13/10]
Congressman Kirk has taken $54,010 from employees of Goldman Sachs, including $21,600 this cycle for his Senate campaign. In his career, Kirk has raised $1.26 million from the securities and investment industry, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
The company is being sued by the SEC for alleged fraud.
Congressman Mark Kirk said he plans to return campaign contributions from employees of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to his campaign for a U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama in Illinois.
“I will err on the side of caution,” Kirk said at a news conference in Chicago.
Kirk said his campaign is still determining how much Goldman employees donated to him.
I’ve always been leery of returning suspect contributions. It’s far better that they be given to charity. But, it’s good that Kirk is getting in front of this.
It’s also good to see that Kirk finally held a press conference.
* The congressman also did a bit of grandstanding on the Blagojevich case, urging $25 million in stimulus money be spent on corruption investigators…
Republican Mark Kirk wants to spend federal stimulus money to beef up corruption prosecutions although he didn’t vote for the stimulus package.
The congressman and U.S. Senate candidate says using the money in Illinois would be helpful because he says Illinois taxpayers pay a “corruption tax.” […]
Kirk wants $25 million annually for the Justice Department to increase investigators and public corruption prosecutions.
Maybe he could donate the Goldman cash to Fitzgerald. Just sayin…
* Congratulations to my father for getting out of the hospital tomorrow Thursday - nine seven days ahead of schedule. He worked hard on his stroke therapy and it paid off big. [My brother Doug informs me that the date has changed. It’s still a big positive, though.]
* Congratulations to Rep. Mike McAuliffe on the birth of his new baby son, Conor.
* Congratulations to David Dring for finishing the Boston Marathon today with a very respectable time of 3:45:41. Yeah, man.
* Best wishes to Josh Kalven, who is leaving his job as editor of Progress Illinois for other opportunities out West.
* Did I miss anything or anybody? Feel free to post your own best wishes, etc. in comments.
* Federal prosecutors filed a document today asking the judge to keep Rod and Rob Blagojevich mum about Chris Kelly’s suicide and more…
Prosecutors in Chicago are urging a federal judge to bar former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s lawyers from telling the jury at his corruption trial about his chief fundraiser’s suicide.
In court papers Monday, prosecutors say Blagojevich and his attorneys have made remarks suggesting they might bring up fundraiser Christopher Kelly’s suicide at the trial.
The motion shows that prosecutors are expecting a circus, and if the past is any guide, they’re right to be worried. More…
Among the issues, prosecutors want the defense barred from arguing to the jury that it should be able to play all the undercover recordings made of Blagojevich in the fall of 2008. Blagojevich has long called for all the tapes to be played, not just the ones preferred by prosecutors.
“For example, comments by counsel or witnesses along the lines, ‘If it was up to us, we would play all the tapes,’ are improper,” the government said.
Prosecutors also asked the judge to block the defense from making Blagojevich’s impeachment an issue at trial, arguing it has no bearing on the criminal case. The jury shouldn’t consider consequences of the government’s decision to charge the ex-governor, the prosecution argued. […]
Prosecutors also don’t want jurors told about positive actions by Blagojevich as governor because they are irrelevant to his criminal case.
And, while Rod Blagojevich on his radio show may spew tales of misdeeds by other politicians, he can’t do that at trial. The defense can’t ask jurors to acquit the former governor because it was just “politics as usual,” prosecutors argued.
“No one is on trial in this case other than the defendants, and the jury should not be presented with evidence and counter-evidence as to whether other individuals committed similar acts,” prosecutors wrote.
They also said the former governor can’t tell jurors it was a selective prosecution (they can argue that to a judge, not a jury) and can’t try playing on jurors’ sympathies by discussing what a conviction would do to the former governor’s family.
Sunday night, Illinois Republican Chairman Pat Brady told guests at the Kankakee County Lincoln Day dinner that Republicans are ahead in both the races for governor and U.S. Senator in Illinois, that they may pick up two congressional seats and that they could even take back the Illinois House.
* The Question: What do you think of Chairman Brady’s prediction that the House Republicans might actually win control of the Illinois House come November? Explain.
…Adding… The HGOPs would need to pick up at least 12 seats to win a majority. They picked up 13 in 1994.
* How big is Wednesday’s budget rally by AFSCME, SEIU, the teachers unions and others expected to be? Well, the Secretary of State’s office just sent out a memo asking employees not to leave the building during their lunch hour…
Please note it will be extremely difficult for you to leave the complex on this day during your lunch hour due to the number of people marching and the street closings. From approximately Noon to 1:30 p.m. it will be virtually impossible to leave in your vehicle due to the number of people marching and the parking lots being blocked by them.
Yikes. Organizers are predicting 12-15,000 people will show up, which will probably rank as the largest Statehouse demonstration ever.
Calling the state a “deadbeat entity,” the president of the Indian Prairie School Board is proposing the district not send the state the money it withholds from its employees for income taxes as long as Springfield continues to be delinquent on the money it owes the district.
The district sends the state $5 million to $6 million a year in state income taxes from its employees, with payments of about $500,000 sent every month.
“It’s incredibly ironic to me that we’re sending a deadbeat entity that owes us $13 million, a half million dollars per month,” board President Curt Bradshaw told fellow board members.
“Incredibly ironic” is right. Bradshaw said he’d like to see a law passed to allow the school board to withhold the cash, but that’s unlikely, of course.
* Once again, the Tribune editorializes in favor of slashing pension benefits for current employees…
Chicago law firm Sidley Austin, citing Illinois case law and a 1979 Illinois attorney general’s opinion, has concluded that the state can reduce pension benefits that employees will earn in future years. Former federal Judge Abner Mikva and former state appellate Judge Gino DiVito counter that Sidley is wrong, that employees are entitled to retire with the pension scheme that was in place on the day they were hired.
What we can conclude from all this is that … lawyers often don’t agree. We resolve these issues by going to court. For taxpayers, the stakes are enormous — potentially the difference between state government’s return to solvency and rising pension costs that choke spending on education, health and other priorities.
Aside from the wisdom of passing legislation that many feel is unconstitutional, shouldn’t the Trib disclose that Sidley is its $925 an hour attorney of record for its parent company’s bankruptcy? Far be it from me to suggest that Tribune Co. might be wanting to give a PR boost to a company that has billed it almost $25 million, but what about that “appearance of impropriety” that newspaper editorialists are always writing about?
…Adding… I didn’t notice this at the bottom of a Trib editorial today…
suppressing inconvenient facts is the best way to discredit your cause.
According to a Fox Chicago News source Former Lieutenant Governor candidate Scott Lee Cohen and House Speaker Mike Madigan had a private meeting Saturday morning on the South West Side. […]
At the 13th Ward Democratic headquarters, where party Chairman Mike Madigan has an office, we were initially told by an office aide that there was in fact a meeting between Madigan and Scott Lee Cohen Saturday. Then we were abruptly told by another office aide that, “No.”, there was not a meeting.
We asked, “Is it a secret meeting? You guys just have no answers? Is Speaker Madigan here right now?” We were told Madigan wasn’t in the office. After seeing his office door open and asking again, we were told he had just arrived. We were then told Madigan had no comment and the office was being closed for the day.
Madigan’s Spokesperson, Steve Brown had this to say about the alleged meeting, “Mr. Cohen resigned from the ballot. I am not aware of any meeting scheduled today. I am not even sure why there would be a meeting.”
After decades as the sharp-tongued, angry outsider of Illinois Republican politics, conservative businessman Jack Roeser is trying to get on the inside.
He’s given $50,000 to the state GOP. He’s seeking a leading role as the Illinois liaison to the Republican National Committee. And he’s even agreed to help with a big fundraiser honoring statewide Republican candidates, including a man he vilified before the February primary, U.S. Senate nominee Mark Kirk.
Ask the 86-year-old Roeser to explain the sudden change of heart, and he cites new party leadership and a desire to stop the circular firing squad the Illinois GOP had become.
“Very simply, the Republican Party is very different than it was a short while ago,” said Roeser, the wealthy founder of Otto Engineering, a Carpentersville, Ill., manufacturing firm.
“Although I will endorse his administration,” Delgado said of Quinn, “I will do so holding my nose.”
Delgado is still fuming about Quinn’s handling of the mess at the Department of Corrections, including the firing of Sergio Molina, whom Delgado said was made into a scapegoat.
* Republican state Sen. Randy Hultgren’s congressional campaign sent out a press release last week touting its fundraising success…
State Senator Randy Hultgren raised $281,000 in the reporting period ending on March 31, 2010. The figure represents the campaign’s best fundraising quarter to date since Senator Hultgren announced his candidacy in August.
The next day, though, Democratic Congresscritter Bill Foster topped him…
Today, the Bill Foster for Congress Campaign continued to demonstrate its political strength by raising $354,840 during the first fundraising quarter of 2010 (January 14 – March 31). His opponent, State Sen. Randy Hultgren, raised only $261,779. […]
With these first quarter results, the Foster Campaign has raised $1,783,537 for the 2010 cycle and has $1,268,889 cash-on-hand. Hultgren’s campaign has raised a total of $446,861 and has $108,097 cash-on-hand.
That cash-on-hand difference is striking, but can be overcome if the nationals dump bigtime bucks into the race.
Halvorson raised about $420,000 in the first three months of the year and had $1.25 million on hand. Kinzinger raised about $224,000 and had $299,000 in the bank.
Even so, Stu Rothenberg has moved the Foster/Hultgren campaign into the “Pure Toss-Up” category. The 10th CD was also moved into the category. Halvorson is also now on Rothenberg’s radar, although her race is in the “Democrat Favored” category. [Hat tip: Illinois Review.]
* I really find it repugnant that so many people appear to be so eager to get me to post about Garritt Cullerton’s DUI. Most of the deleted comments here and the e-mails I’ve received this morning were breathlessly excited about this development. Some were even gleeful.
He screwed up. Period. And it certainly didn’t help matters at all that he allegedly took the car assigned to his father the Senate President without authorization.
But if you think we’re gonna discuss this here, you’re out of your freaking mind. Go somewhere else. Maybe a newspaper site that doesn’t care what people post. I have no time to sift through what sure looks to be a flood of partisan schadenfreude. I had to delete several comments when a GOP state Rep. got popped for DUI earlier this year and I don’t want to go through that again today. Live and learn.
Also, if you want to test me on this, go ahead and post on another thread and I may just ban you.
If 60 is too old for a U.S. Supreme Court nominee, how about a 43-year-old attorney general who used to sit next to President Obama in the Illinois Senate?
Slate.com lists Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, 43, as one of its top 21 Supreme Court prospects.
Madigan at first laughed off her status as a hot prospect for the nation’s top court, saying “only if you have the longest list.” But she then said, “It’s flattering to even be mentioned as someone who might be considered. But we have some other fine people who would be extraordinary for the Supreme Court.”
Turns out, this is really old news. Slate has had AG Madigan on its “short list” since last year, before Sonia Sotomayor was picked. We even had a long discussion about it last May. Madigan remains on its list this year.
* Between December of 2000 and September of 2008, the FDIC seized just three Illinois banks. Since then, it has taken over 25 Illinois banks, mostly in the past 11 months. Something to think about as the Chicago media’s “Broadway Bank Death Watch” heats up.
“I don’t know what he’s thinking, to be honest. If you want to be governor and you don’t want to disclose your income tax return, I think you’re really letting the people down.”
Quinn is supposed to release his returns today. But last year, you had to make a reservation to review Quinn’s returns and couldn’t make copies…
Getting a peek at Gov. Pat Quinn’s taxes isn’t as easy as you might think.
Quinn didn’t make copies of them available today when he released the returns, instead requiring people to make appointments to see them at his Chicago or Springfield offices.
Other politicians, including President Barack Obama, e-mailed copies of their returns.
Quinn spokesman Bob Reed said in an e-mail that Quinn prefers viewers take notes from his original documents.
Brady has said that he won’t release his tax returns, but people can find out about his investments by checking his filing with the secretary of state. That filing doesn’t say a whole lot, but you can read it by clicking here.
“As he has done every year, he has filed an extension,” said a spokesperson. The campaign had no comment on why Giannoulias files late
* And what kind of tool tries to call the governor at 11 at night on New Year’s Eve? Patricia Quinn of Bloomington has been getting calls from folks thinking she’s the governor for months, including that one…
Her calls began in late fall, which is also when the “other” Pat Quinn set off national debate and international protests by announcing plans to sell a little-used Illinois prison to the federal government so it could hold terrorist suspects now held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
“The most amazing call,” says Pat, “had to be the one at 11 p.m. … on New Year’s Eve. The man said, ‘I’d like to talk to the governor about selling that prison,’ and I said, ‘This is a different Pat Quinn. You need to call Springfield.’ But he was from Green Bay, Wis., and he just kept talking to me about it.
“I’ve never met him,” Quinn says about the governor, “but I’ve been reading up on him. He’s had a lot of government offices in his life, so when he got to be governor, I was happy for him so he can fulfill his dreams.” She added, “I can tell you, too, he sure gets a lot of phone calls.”
* According to Crain’s, “Illinois toll rates are among the lowest in the country, averaging 3.3 cents a mile for passenger cars using the electronic toll lanes.” But a rate hike may be in the cards during an election year…
Faced with up to $4 billion in critical repairs on the I-90 tollway and $7 billion in debt already on the books, agency leaders are quietly considering what they previously declared unacceptable: raising tolls on passenger cars using the system’s electronic I-Pass lanes.
The agency is at a financial crossroads: Toll revenue is flat while expenses continue to rise, leaving less operating cash to meet mounting debt obligations. With I-90 and other improvements demanding attention, the authority has all but shelved a plan to devise “green lanes” for carpooling and mass transit, the capstone of its ambitious conversion to electronic, open-road tolling.
By all accounts, the agency needs more money. For starters, the 63-mile stretch of I-90 between O’Hare International Airport and Rockford needs fixing now. Tollway engineers say 80% of the road requires extensive work as soon as this year, and officials are proposing several options, from patchwork repairs to a massive reconstruction project that would include rail or bus service. The cost could run anywhere from $2 billion to $4 billion. Four new tollways, including a western bypass to O’Hare from Elgin, would add billions more to the authority’s expenses.
The unions that work at McCormick Place are the same unions employed at the Stephens Convention Center at Rosemont and the same unions that frequently dispatch members to work shows in Nevada and Florida. On an hourly basis, their members earn roughly the same in each of those locales.
But only in Chicago does the end customer — the trade show or convention — end up paying a ton more. Who gets the difference?
One chunk goes off the top to the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. “McPier” runs McCormick Place and collects a surcharge on just about everything within its halls but argues with some validity that it has cut costs way back lately.
Others point to the two big companies that manage shows for McCormick Place customers, or to the unions, which at times effectively dictate work rules and are divided here into bargaining units that each need to be fed.
But back to my question: Who’s to blame? “All of them,” answers one insider I trust. I suspect she’s right, and I’m guessing the Madigan plan will at least singe all of them.
• A commitment to slash its profit margins on food and electrical service, and potentially to give customers a choice of providers. Talk of privatizing electrical service hit a wall.
• Support for extracting work-rule concessions from the unions, either by making workers public employees or by pressuring the unions and their private employers to go back to the bargaining table. The board was divided on this matter, as well as on whether contractors should be required to document that they pass along any savings in labor costs to customers.
Electrical service profit margins are out of this world. That has to be a major focus. It’s extremely disappointing that they don’t want to even require contractors to disclose whether they are passing along savings to exhibitors, let alone make pass-through reductions a requirement. As I’ve pointed out here before, Rosemont’s convention center (which is in the top ten nationally) is its own contractor and they don’t have any complaints about over-pricing, despite using the same unions as McPier.
* In other economy news, Chuck Sweeny has an interesting column about how downstate gas prices almost spiked way upwards, but how Gov. Pat Quinn and others stepped in to block new IL Dept. of Agriculture rules.
Also, the Peoria Journal-Star supports a bill backed by Attorney General Lisa Madigan to regulate the burgeoning credit debt settlement industry. But the Sun-Times thinks Madigan’s bill goes too far and supports legislation backed by “responsible” members of the industry.
* Daily Herald: Lawmakers, please don’t forget jobs
* Can Cook County homeowners save their homes?: Under the program being rolled out in the county, where foreclosures this year spiked 16 percent over the same period last year, homeowners will be able to meet with their lender to try to work out a modification or other agreement.
* The Fair Map Coalition originally thought it could gather 288,000 valid petition signatures by April 1st. That didn’t happen, so it extended the deadline until last Friday, April 16th. But that deadline has been missed as well…
A coalition wanting to change how the state draws its legislative districts lacks the signatures needed to get a constitutional amendment on the November ballot but is pressing ahead.
Jan Czarnik with the Fair Map Coalition said [Friday] that based on the “volume” of petitions filed so far, they don’t have the required 288,000 signatures to get the item on the ballot.
The coalition chose [Friday] as its self-imposed deadline to receive petitions after extending the deadline from April 1. The official deadline to submit petitions for the ballot to the secretary of state’s office is May 3.
“It’s only mid-April,” she said of the deadline. “There are two weeks left.”
Jan Czarnik, executive director of the Illinois League of Women Voters, which is spearheading the petition drive, said support for the petitions has been strong.
But, Czarnik said, “We don’t have the 300,000 signatures yet.”
Some Republicans planned to spend the coming days ramping up their collection of signatures. Czarnik said some churches plan to become active in the signature process thisweekend.
[Mary Schaafsma, issues and advocacy coordinator with the League of Women Voters] said the group expects petitions from a wide variety of organizations to come in this week. “We’ll have a better count then,” she said. “I think at the end of the week, or early the following week, we’ll have a good idea of where we are.”
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column is about the remap process…
Almost nothing frightens state legislators more than redistricting. The drawing of new legislative district maps after every census causes more bouts of heartburn than just about anything else.
Take a look at the day after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when several state Senators flocked to a secure computer room to check on their district boundaries just ahead of a critical map-making deadline. The rest of us were still in shock, but those Senators were taking care of business. Their business.
The ultimate goal in redistricting for legislators is not only to get a map that allows them to remain in their current homes and discourage competition from the other political party, but also to draw a district that eliminates primary opponents and includes their strongest precincts and closest allies.
It doesn’t always work out that way. Former Democratic state Rep. Judy Erwin was a highly respected legislator, but the last remap - controlled by her party - put her in the untenable position of running against colleagues and/or running in a lot of unfamiliar turf. She chose retirement. She wasn’t alone.
Legislative leaders look at the map-making process a different way. They please whom they can (or want) and do everything possible to draw maps that guarantee their party’s dominance. This, of course, is much easier for Democrats in Illinois than Republicans because the state has leaned Democratic for so many years. Even though the Republicans drew the map in 1991, the House Democrats controlled the chamber for eight out of 10 years. And the Senate Democrats came within several hundred votes of winning their chamber in 1996.
The Democrats won the right to draw the current map in the 2001 lottery. Since then, their party has dominated legislative elections, mainly because the party has done so well statewide.
Besides completely turning around their party’s fortunes and tweaking some of the more evenly divided districts, the best way legislative Republicans can get back into the game is to trap the Democrats in Chicago as much as possible and keep them from splitting up suburban Cook County towns and strategic Downstate communities into tiny pieces.
The Democrats have successfully used “spoking” to extend their Chicago districts into the Cook County suburbs. Spoking simultaneously dilutes suburban Republican votes and adds to the number of city-centric Democrats who can be elected. Trap the Democrats in Chicago and make sure suburban and Downstate towns are kept whole, and the Republicans might possibly be able to draw maps that give them a halfway decent shot at winning their chambers.
That’s a big reason the Democrats are turning thumbs down on a remap proposal by the Republicans and good government groups such as the League of Women Voters. The “Fair Map Amendment” would all but prohibit mapmakers from crossing municipal boundaries. It’s a GOP dream come true, the Dems say, and the good government types fell for it.
The “Fair Map” authors also have steadfastly denied Democratic accusations that their proposed constitutional amendment would dilute minority rights. But during a state Senate committee hearing last week, the proponents admitted they were working on changing their legislative proposal to satisfy groups such as the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund which had objected to the measure.
The “Fair Map” group also is trying to gather signatures to put the proposal on the ballot this fall, and it’s far too late to change the wording on that initiative’s race and ethnic provisions. Last week’s all but admission that their language falls short of protecting minority rights could be used against their petition effort as the submission deadline draws near.
The Senate Democrats passed their own alternative last week, and it has its flaws as well. Far too often, district maps are drawn to allow legislators to choose their voters, rather than the other way around. The Senate Democratic proposal doesn’t really do anything to address this very real problem.
In the end, though, all this may be for naught. The reformers and the Republicans haven’t been able to convince the Democrats to adopt their plan, and the word is that their petition-gathering operation isn’t up to snuff. The House Democrats are one vote shy of a three-fifths majority required to pass constitutional amendments, so it’s unlikely that they could pass the Senate-approved measure even if they wanted to. What we have here is probably an empty debating exercise with no real future.
* Related…
* Nancy Marcus: Stop the politicians; support Fair Map Amendment
Since Daley created the Graffiti Blasters program in 1993, city workers have erased or painted over nearly 2 million graffiti tags, Streets & San spokesman Matt Smith says. At a total price tag of about $9 million a year, that means it’s costing Chicago taxpayers about $76 a blast.
But with City Hall groaning under the weight of a record budget deficit, graffiti removal has declined every month since last October — which also happens to be when the city lost its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.
“It’s anybody you might see driving on (Interstate) 55. It’s business travelers, it’s leisure travelers,” said Marc Magliari, a spokesman for Amtrak in Chicago.
Rank and file officers will get an average raise of 2 percent each year for the next five years. However, that is less than the offer Mayor Daley pulled off the negotiating table more than one year ago when the police union pushed for more.
Police officers have been working without a contract since June 2007.
Police had been offered 16% over five years during bargaining a couple of years ago, but refused it. Mr. Daley withdrew the offer in 2009 as the economy soured and the matter went to arbitration.
* Chicago police raises to average 2 percent as City Hall wins arbitration
* Chicago’s Police Union Says Wage Increase Should Be Higher
Donna Dunnings will be paid $79,000 a year to run the Cook County Stimulus and Revitalization Project, which provides funds to help developers return to the tax rolls properties they buy with large delinquent property tax bills, said Eric Herman, spokesman for Assessor James Houlihan.
The last time the city conducted a health insurance audit, roughly 5,700 people suspected of being falsely listed as dependents of city employees were cut off.
* New city watchdog: Employees rigged hiring, failed to disclose free trip
* Do you think Gov. Pat Quinn might’ve been trying to send a message today by mentioning Jim Edgar’s name more often than he did Abe Lincoln’s during his State of the State address? What with all the dissing Edgar’s been doing of Bill Brady lately, Quinn would be foolish to pass up that chance. NBC5 had a little fun with the governor’s Chicago press conference. Take a look…
* As a follow-up to a post I did a ways back, my dad is being released from the hospital next Tuesday, which is nine days early. He’s been working hard with his therapy since the stroke and he’s responding quite well. Good for him, and good for my mom, who has been under more than a little stress lately as well.
* I remember the day my dad brought home Janis Joplin’s Pearl album, shortly after the posthumous record was released. He played it over and over and over and I loved every minute of it. Wow, what an album that was.
Since Pearl was released after Joplin’s death, I didn’t realize that she had the chance to play any of the tracks live. But Janis was a guest on the Dick Cavett show two months before she died and the tape survives. So here’s My Baby…
And when they tell me love is pain
I said it might be true for you, honey,
But not for Janis no more, no, no, no, no.
She did another song from Pearl on the Cavett show that day. It’s here.
* We’ve had some back-and-forth here about what the real reason was behind the refusal of a federal underage drinking grant by the Champaign city council and its mayor. The first time I wrote about the refusal in February, I quoted a council member questioning the “morality of accepting federal grant money for local purposes.” Champaign Mayor Jerry Schweighart appeared to agree with that logic at the time.
Several commenters questioned their reasoning, pointing out the large number of U of I students living in Champaign and the local taverns that depend on their underage drinking.
Then, last month, the city council voted to accept a big federal broadband grant, which the mayor had said the council ought to be “careful” about accepting back in February. So, we all figured it was about the booze.
But, now, a new CBS2 report has me wondering whether the first take may have been correct…
You can count Champaign Mayor Jerry Schweighart among those who doubt President Barack Obama’s citizenship.
The third-term Republican was asked Thursday at a Tea Party gathering in Champaign what he thought of Obama and answered, “I don’t think he’s an American, personally.”
“You know, if you’re not willing to produce an original certificate, a birth certificate, then you’ve got something to hide,” he added. “If he doesn’t have something to hide, produce it.”
His statements echo doubts raised by the so-called “birther” movement that has long claimed Obama was born in Kenya and is not eligible to serve as President of the United States.
* Impressive. From a Quinn administration press release…
Participating retailers are reporting they have expended approximately $3 million dollars, or half of the available funds, in ENERGY STAR appliance rebates as of noon today, the first day of the program. A total of $6.2 million in rebates is available through the program. At least $20 million in new appliances were sold in the first four hours of the program.
Consumers are visiting their local participating retailers to take advantage of a 15 percent rebate (up to $400 per appliance) on ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, dishwashers and room air conditioners. The program is designed to help Illinoisans reduce their energy consumption and provide a boost to local economies.
The state has designated approximately $6.2 million in rebates for the appliance portion of the program. The appliance rebate was made available today starting at 8 a.m.
Illinois received a total of $12.4 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to implement both phases of the program. The first phase, which is no longer available, offered rebates on water heaters and heating and cooling equipment. Since the start of the rebate program on January 31, over $35 million in water heater and HVAC sales have been pumped into the Illinois economy.
The Illinois ENERGY STAR Appliance Rebate Program is being managed by the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) on behalf of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). DCEO has also partnered with the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) to enroll and coordinate the retailers in the program. Over 600 retailers throughout the state have signed up to participate in the program.
10) UIS students being asked to pay for construction of student center
* Pick a story and briefly say why you’d like a separate post on that topic later this afternoon. Let’s make the deadline for votes 3:30 so I have time to write it.
Friday, Apr 16, 2010 - Posted by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Entrepreneurs and business leaders across the state are calling for telecommunications policy modernization this year to sustain investment in broadband, which will create jobs for Illinois residents at no cost to taxpayers. ITP sat down with several of them to get their thoughts on HB 6425, the Broadband Investment and Consumer Choice Act.
The legislature is moving in the right direction to update our state’s 25-year old telecommunications laws, and we need to make sure all harmful regulations that are hindering investment in our state’s broadband infrastructure are removed. This will spur business growth and provide more consumers with access to new technologies at affordable prices.
* Results of a new poll on raising the cigarette tax by a buck a pack has generated some coverage…
Of the 502 people surveyed by the Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco, 74 percent said they support raising taxes on cigarettes by $1 — from 98 cents per pack to $1.98 per pack.
Despite the public support, a measure to raise cigarette taxes is about 10 House votes shy of approval, said Rep. Karen Yarbrough, D-Maywood.
* I asked for the toplines and received all but one of them. Check out the “right track/wrong track” numbers when respondents are asked how they “think things in your area of Illinois are generally headed”…
Right Direction 23%
Wrong Track 64
Don’t Know 13
That ain’t great. Sure would like to see the regional crosstabs.
* Next question: “Now, as you may know, Illinois is facing a significant budget deficit, estimated to be over thirteen billion dollars. I’m going to read several options that have been proposed to help address the budget deficit. After each one that I read, please tell me if you would Support or Oppose that option to help reduce the state’s budget deficit…
[Click the pic for a larger image.]
Notice that huge majorities are opposed to service cuts and an income tax hike, but 70 percent say they could back increasing the tobacco tax.
* There ain’t much downside for candidates on this issue, either. Here are the results from a question about whether respondents would be more or less likely “to support candidates for state or local public office in Illinois if you knew that they supported raising the Illinois Cigarette tax by one dollar per pack”…
Much More Likely 15
Somewhat More Likely 14
Somewhat Less Likely 3
Much Less Likely 8
No Difference 58
Don’t Know 2
* And here’s what happened when they were asked how they wanted the money from a new cigarette tax to be spent. Again, click the pic for a larger image…
* Some internals from the cig tax hike question via the pollster’s memo…
• Support for the tax is similar in all areas of the State, including Chicago (76% support), the Cook County suburbs (72% support), the collar counties (75% support), North (74% support) and South (70% support).
• Voters < age 50 (74% support) and age 50+ (73% support) hold similar opinions. This remains consistent among men and women, with a noticeable upward spike in support among women under age fifty (80% support, 70% strongly).
• Support is high among white voters (71%) and minorities (82%).
• Those with college degrees are strongly in favor of the tax (79% support) while support is high among those without degrees (69%). Those making < $75k per year are as supportive as all voters (71%) while those making more than $75k per year are strongly in favor of it (81%).
• Republicans (71% support) and Independent (68%) voters are solidly in favor of the $1 per pack increase, with Democrats even more supportive (81%). This pattern of strong support among partisans remains consistent among liberals (76% support), moderates (79% support) and conservatives (68% support).
• Even four of ten (42%) smokers support the tax. [Emphasis added.]
That last point is kinda fascinating.
* 80 percent said they supported “taxing other tobacco products such as cigars and smokeless, or chew tobacco at comparable rates as cigarettes” and 77 percent said they were concerned “about smoking and other tobacco use among young people in Illinois.
* Methodology…
The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids commissioned the survey. Fako & Associates, Inc., of Lisle, Illinois conducted the survey by telephone on April 5 - 7, 2010 using professional interviewers. F&A interviewed a random sample of 502 registered voters that are likely to vote in the November 2, 2010 General Election in the State of Illinois. A strict screening process was used to ensure that only likely voters in the November 2010 General Election participated in the survey. The interviews lasted an average of 10 minutes. Scientific sampling techniques using a listing of registered voters were used to give all registered voters living in a telephone-equipped household within the State an equal chance of being interviewed. The interviews were conducted in proportion to gender and regional shares of the vote based on past election data and known demographics. Weighting was applied to age to bring this group closer into proportion with known demographics. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 4.32% at the 95% level of confidence. This means that if the survey were replicated the results would be consistent for 95 out of 100 cases. The margin of error is higher among the various sub-groups.
Among the reasons his lawyers gave was that Rob’s alleged involvement was “approximately 5% of the 84-month conspiracy.” The “spill over” effect from evidence and testimony against his younger brother could also prevent the jury from “making a reliable judgment” on the case.
Rob’s lawyers went on to object to the “the expense of having to sit through a lengthy trial” would be too burdensome. And they provided an estimate of the trial’s length…
This trial will take approximately 5 months.
Five months? I hadn’t seen that estimate before. The last I checked the early June trial was supposed to take three months. But if it lasts five months, that means it’ll be wrapping up on election day. Not good at all for the Dems.
* On Wednesday, Scott Lee Cohen posted a message on his Facebook page…
Just a reminder that I will be speaking at the Erie Cafe at 7pm tonight. The group is reform Chicago NOW, I can’t think of a better event to speak at. I hope to see some of you there.
Earlier in the day, Cohen had posted a link to Michael Sneed’s item about how Cohen was mulling a bid for governor as an independent and about how he would be speaking that night at the RCN event.
But then, less than 90 minutes before the event, Cohen FB’d this…
I’m dissapointed the meeting tonight at reform Chicago now has been cancelled.
“I was planning on talking about what happened … and what the future holds,” Cohen said during a phone call.
Cohen didn’t give a specific reason why he didn’t show. But William Kelly, who is organizing the Reform Chicago Now movement, says The Erie Cafe, where Cohen was planning to speak, was concerned it would lose its liquor license.
“I can say with 100 percent certainty that the Erie Cafe would not cancel any event for fear of repercussions from any official,” restaurant manager John Brom told me.
Brom said he wasn’t even aware that Cohen was the featured speaker. He said reservations at the restaurant, in the River North neighborhood just east of the Chicago River, are made by “whoever picks up the phone.”
This isn’t the first time Cohen mysteriously failed to show for an event. It may not be the last, either.
* Meanwhile, Cohen linked approvingly yesterday to a Huffington Post blog item demanding that Democratic US Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias step aside…
* Sen. Brady spoke before the Republican Renaissance PAC of Illinois not long ago, and they’ve posted the video…
* A spot of good news, finally, for Democratic US Senate Alexi Giannoulias. Mayor Daley spoke forefully on his behalf the other day. The event received scant media coverage, however. Watch…
* Giannoulias’ Poor Fundraising Part of National Democratic Trend: Kirk’s comrades in GOPdom, former Reps. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) have doubled and quadrupled the amounts of their rivals, respectively.
* Last year’s “tea party” rallies around Illinois featured few if any GOP speakers. National GOP Chairman Michael Steele was refused his request to speak, for instance. This year, there appeared to be lots more politicians getting into the act…
[The Oswego rally] welcomed speakers like Dan Koukol, running for Kendall County Board, and Keith Wheeler, who ran against State Rep. Kay Hatcher, 50th District.
State Sen. Chris Lauzen, R-Aurora, riled up the crowd on the issues of state pension reform and a cap on property taxation. Randy Hultgren, Republican candidate for the 14th Congressional District seat, was scheduled to close the rally.
In Chicago, three Republicans running to unseat Democratic House members appeared before a rally of thousands at a plaza outside City Hall. One, Joel Pollak, sang a song he wrote, with the verse: “Don’t tax our freedom away.”
Adam Andrzejewski and Dan Proft also spoke in Chicago. Proft was in Naperville as well. GOP congressional candidate Adam Kinzinger appeared at the Joliet rally. Republican State Sen. Kyle McCarter spoke in Decatur.
* Local GOP organizations are taking advantage of the new synergy…
(T)ea party activists have already begun work at the local level in Lake and Will counties, where they have taken control of some GOP precinct committeemen positions, which help slate candidates, influence party policy, and interact with voters on a face-to-face level.
“One of the big things today, at the Joliet tea party, was (people saying) ‘OK, the rallies have been great, now what do we do?’ ” said Bill Walker, coordinator of the Will County Tea Party. “So we are recruiting people to get involved at the local level. That is the key to victory in November 2010.”
Richard Kavanagh, chairman of the Will County Republican Party, said about one-third of the vacant precinct positions he has filled since March have gone to those active in the tea party.
Bob Cook, chairman of the Lake County Republican Party, said his organization was having some difficulty filling vacancies until they reached out to the tea party activists. Now, Cook said, he has filled nearly half of the 60 vacant precinct positions with those who are active in the movement.
Bill Brady’s campaign worked the Chicago rally. Brady said yesterday that he was in tune with the ralliers…
“I believe that what they’re about is limited government, more efficient, effective government that’s responsive to the people. Ending career politicians,” Brady said. “They’re looking for the same clean break from the politics of the past.”
Democrat-turned-independent Forrest Claypool’s campaign workers gathered hundreds of Tea Party signatures for Claypool’s Cook County Assessor bid on clipboards that said, “Are your taxes too high? Vote for Forrest Claypool.”
Mad Hatter former Democrat Forrest Claypool’s campaign joins with the Tea Party to get on the ballot. Is this his idea of a “big tent”. Do NOT circulate petitions for third parties and do NOT sign for them.
[ *** End of Update *** ]
* Also of note, some of the crowds were smaller and less visceral. Oswego attendance was way down…
Compared to last year when the bridge was filled from end to end with signs and American flags, about one-fourth of the stretch was filled.
Peoria’s turnout was estimated by organizers at around a thousand, which is down from 3,000 a year ago. The Naperville estimate of 500 is the same as last year. Chicago’s official estimate was 1,500, which appears to be smaller than last year. Less than 100 attended the Decatur rally.
* For the past few decades, Illinois’ unemployment rate has tended to track with the national rate, but just a bit higher. The bad news in the newly released unemployment numbers is that we’re now diverging from the national trend, and not in a good way…
The jobless rate in Illinois rose slightly to 11.5 percent in March and the state was ranked 9th nationally for its foreclosure rate in the first three months of the year, according to data released Thursday that economists say indicate the state’s recovery is sluggish at best.
But state officials say there are signs the economy is improving.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security said the state added 3,000 jobs in March, the third consecutive month that Illinois saw job growth. However there still were 765,000 people out of work.
The 11.5 percent seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Illinois was a tenth of a percentage point higher than in February, but 2.3 percentage points higher than March 2009. The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate for March was 9.7 percent.
The latest numbers show that 148,500 fewer people were employed in Illinois in March than in March 2009.
* The state’s foreclosure rate - which is in the nation’s top ten - is at least partially a reflection of those numbers…
Illinois home foreclosure activity during the first quarter of 2010 fell 4.6 percent from the previous quarter, but was still higher than the first quarter of 2009.
A report released Thursday by Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac shows Illinois with 45,780 foreclosure filings in the first quarter of 2010. Filings include default notices, auction-sale notices and bank repossessions.
The filings represent one in every 115 housing units in the state. That rate is nearly 17.5 percent higher than in the first quarter of last year and 9th-highest nationally.
* Daley: Banks should foot bill for foreclosure crisis: Chicago taxpayers spent $7 million last year to board up and secure abandoned properties, Mayor Daley said today, demanding that banks foot the bill for the foreclosure crisis. Daley wants the General Assembly to approve Chicago-only legislation putting banks on the hook for board-up and security costs. He also wants state lawmakers to sharpen the definition of “abandoned” properties to let banks take possession sooner so they can secure buildings sooner.
* Illinois’ report card: We’re No. 44: The state ranks 44th in federal spending, totaling $14.84 per person, on projects deemed “pork” by Citizens Against Government Waste, a non-profit that describes itself as “America’s No. 1 taxpayer watchdog.” Illinois ranked 45th last year. Hawaii ranked first in the current report, at $251.78 per person.
* Homes, businesses for former South Side steel mill site get thumbs up
* Will board approves fee waiver: The board approved a resolution allowing municipalities — meaning townships, villages or cities — to skip paying the zoning application fee when seeking a zoning change on a piece of unincorporated property. The waiver will be capped at $2,500.
DCFS officials say they have issued “potentially thousands” of such letters to caregivers declaring that they have custody of children, with the expectation that they will soon get a judge’s approval. But because the letters are undated, and because DCFS did not always follow up, some guardians such as Lowe have had years-long custody with no court oversight.
Mayors from Addison and Carol Stream said the proposal is an “overreaction” to the commission’s financial problems and dubbed state Sen. Dan Cronin’s bill a “nuclear option.”…Cronin, who’s running for DuPage County Board chairman, said his proposal is a matter of consolidation as well as transparency. It was approved 39-5.
“If you look at the situation of what’s been happening in DuPage County, this appointed body of government has run amok,” Cronin said.
* DuPage Water Commission OKs budget filled with uncertainty
The $110 million worth of expenses hinges on the financially strapped agency receiving a $40 million loan and a water rate of $2.08 per 1,000 gallons. If the commission is unable to secure the loan, the body will have to increase the rate significantly to cover shortfalls created by the misappropriation of the commission’s $69 million reserve funds. Only Commissioner Liz Chaplin voted against the budget proposal Thursday.
Some commissioners attempted to increase next year’s water rate an additional 24 cents, but the initiative failed.
The Illinois Commerce Commission, which sets customer rates for utility companies throughout the state, voted unanimously to allow Illinois American to collect an extra $41 million annually in revenue, according to a press release issued Thursday. The decision allows Illinois American an overall rate of return of 8 percent, which means the company’s profits on the money it puts into plants, pipes and other infrastructure can’t be higher than that amount.
With Homer Glen now looking to do something similar through a partnership with a few other Will County towns, Illinois American has peppered mailboxes with mailings singling out Felton as an example of public control gone wrong.
At best, the city says it’s something we can’t afford right now. At worst, it’s a $7 million program in violation of state law. They’ve already spent $400,000 on the new technology, and not a single ticket has been written.
Burlock said parents haven’t been given enough information to know if a college prep rejection was due to a technical error.
A letter stating her son won admission to his second choice included his overall admission score but never explained what score was needed at each college prep, said Burlock, a member of the Black Star Project PTA.
Plus, she said, the letter never explained which one of four economic tiers her son’s address fell into. An address incorrectly entered could put a kid in a tier that requires higher scores.
Under the new policy, 40 percent of students at each college prep were picked in rank order of their admission scores on a 900-point scale. The remaining 60 percent were chosen from one of four economic tiers, based on how their scores stacked up against others in their tier.
Officials with both Mayor Richard Daley’s administration and the Fraternal Order of Police said they expect to receive the decision by 8 a.m. Friday. Both sides said they plan to brief reporters later in the day.
* IL Fire Departments Awarded $1 Million FEMA Grants
* Illinois Senior Insurance Program Gets $1.4M Grant
* Sen. Bill Brady had a press conference today to unveil a new website, StopThePatQuinnTax.com. He also took questions from reporters. My intern Dan Weber asked him about the criticisms lobbed at him by former GOP Gov. Jim Edgar…
* And while we’re posting videos, here’s an unedited video of my intern Barton Lorimor trying to ask Gov. Quinn a couple of questions outside an event last night. Barton didn’t have much luck at first, but he got it done..
…Adding… Brady was also asked what he was doing to reach out to minority communities…
Jeralyn Camp waited until the last minute to file her taxes, but she thought it would be no problem because she would just use TurboTax software and submit it online to the state of Illinois.
Until she actually tried to do it.
“I went to the website to apply for a pin to submit my taxes and the site was down,” Camp said. “Then I called the numbers they gave me and they were all busy.”
Camp said she called three different 800 numbers 10 times apiece and got a busy signal each and every time.
The Department of Revenue’s pin application website is down all day today because of a traffic overload, so you have to call an 800 number to get a pin, but that 800 number is perpetually busy because of a traffic overload. The Department’s response…
“What can I say: It’s April 15th,” said IDOR spokeswoman Sue Hofer. “This is why we encourage everyone in the state to file early.”
Sheesh.
* Despite all the jobs created or saved by the capital construction program, Illinois government is still one of the bigger drags on the state’s economy. More evidence…
Officials at one Illinois hospital say they are going to stop delivering babies because the state isn’t paying its bills.
Kewanee Hospital in Henry County says it will close its birthing center this summer.
The hospital claims it has lost $2 million over the past three years because the state isn’t covering its share of the cost.
They say 73 percent of the babies born there were covered by Medicaid or other public aid.
That means, of course, that lots of poor women will have to go elsewhere to have their babies. Wonderful, eh? Also, there’s just one other hospital in Henry County. [Via]
* There is a huge amount of rhetoric on both sides of the redistricting reform battle. From yesterday’s Senate debate…
Republicans like Senator Kirk Dillard say they oppose Raoul’s plan because, as in the current process, lawmakers get first crack at drawing the map.
DILLARD: Your plan is the politician’s choice.
Dillard supports an alternate plan that would give initial mapmaking power to a commission appointed by the four legislative leaders. But Democrat Raoul dismissed that proposal, which he says would consolidate power instead of keeping it in the hands of lawmakers elected by the voters.
RAOUL: The people get to choose who would draw the map under this scenario, not the legislative leaders.
Sen. Raoul is right that giving the leaders even more authority is probably not the way to go. But it would be an equally divided commission, plus a chairman elected by the commission. Instead of just two leaders from the same party drawing the map, it would be all four plus an independent chairperson.
But there are legions of problems with the GOP/reformer’s proposal. New maps would have to be approved by two-thirds majorities. The only way that will happen is if the maps actually protect huge numbers of incumbents. It’s also doubtful that the bipartisan commission could even elect a chairman. Failing all that, the process moves to the Supreme Court, which would be given unprecedented legislative powers to draw the new maps.
The Republicans have the luxury of an alliance with the reformers. They don’t have to actually pass anything because they know they can jam the Democrats no matter what. So, they can pretty much say whatever they want, and the more incendiary, the better.
The editorial pages are heavily invested in the “Fair Map” proposal and some blasted away at the Senate Democrats for approving the Raoul measure, called “Citizens First.” The Champaign News-Gazette was particularly harsh…
Citizens First ought to be titled Citizens Last because its real intent is to keep the current majority party in power for another 10 years no matter what the voters want. The proposed amendment is the functional equivalent of lipstick on a pig. It’s a ruse, a ploy, a con designed to placate legitimate public anger over the state of the state of Illinois.
Nothing will change if the politicians who created the state’s current dysfunctional politics are charged with coming up with solutions. But that, of course, is the idea.
The Daily Herald called out suburban Democratic Senators by name today, claiming they had “failed their constituents” by voting for the amendment…
Taking the map-drawing power away from those who seek to serve is a crucial and necessary step toward fixing the problems that have fostered corruption, centralized power and almost guaranteed incumbents’ re-election regardless of performance.
The edit boards always forget about the Republican map that was drawn in 1991. The House Democrats managed to hold their majority for eight out of ten years under that GOP map. The Senate Democrats came this/close to picking up the majority in 1996. And there was huge turnover in the House in both 1994 and 1996. Yes, the new map is strongly Democratic, but this state has moved solidly into the “D” camp since it was drawn in 2001. The fact that House Speaker Madigan is so frightened of passing a tax hike this year ought to be some indication that he’s worried he could lose his gavel again.
* John Bambenek points out another problem with the Senate-approved proposal via press release…
Surely, someone could file suit to challenge redistricting like this you say? “Citizens First” however, limits who can file suit to challenge redistricting. In fact, only one person would be allowed under the state constitution to sue if the maps broke state law… the Attorney General. Do any of you think Lisa Madigan will sue dear old dad over redistricting? Me either. Illinois would be the ONLY state in the entire country that only allows the Attorney General to sue to protect the rights of citizens under redistricting. Here is the text from Citizens First that accomplishes this:
“(h) The Supreme Court shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over actions concerning redistricting the House and Senate, which shall be initiated in the name of the People of the State by the Attorney General.”
For all the bluster during [yesterday’s] floor debate, the amendment has an uncertain future as it moves to the House. Constitutional amendments must pass each chamber by a 3/5 majority, a margin Democrats don’t control in the House.
* Quinn signs pension reform into law: Quinn said he doesn’t know what his action will cost him in terms of union support in this fall’s election, but said “the public will be appreciative of someone, a governor who never flinched from doing something really meaningful.”
Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig said highway and bridge projects valued at $5 billion will be launched in the state this year.
Speaking Tuesday at the annual meeting of Corridor 67 Inc., Hannig said a capital construction program approved last year will keep contractors and Illinois Department of Transportation crews busy for several years.
An adjustment made during last fall’s veto session will allow IDOT to get started on work, even though some parts of the capital program’s revenue package have been delayed by court challenges or administrative hurdles.
“The Legislature voted to let us use road fund dollars for bonds” and requires that the road fund be repaid, Hannig said.
The article is a bit misleading. That $5 billion includes projects which were started last year and will be continued this year, plus projects that start this year and won’t be finished this year. But next year there will be more contracts let.
The governor and Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig held a Statehouse press conference to announce the program today. Among other things, Quinn was asked how the local opt-out of video gaming would hurt the construction rollout. Here’s the Q&A…
Governor Pat Quinn was joined by Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) officials today to unveil a $12.84 billion Multi-Year Highway Improvement Program for Fiscal Years 2011-2016. The proposed program aims to preserve and maintain the state’s highway system of roads and bridges, upgrade facilities for congestion mitigation and safety improvements and expand the system to help spur economic development in Illinois. The entire Multi-Year Plan (MYP) is expected to create an estimated 167,000 direct jobs over the next six years. […]
The $12.84 billion highway improvement program for FY 2011-2016 MYP is based upon conservative estimates of federal, state and local funding, with $7.292 billion in federal funds, $4.888 billion in state funds including $142 million in bonds from the Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jump Start Capital Plan, $2.49 billion for the Illinois Jobs Now! bond program and $660 million in local funds.
The six-year highway improvement program includes $10.103 billion for improvements to the state highway system with $2.737 billion available for local roads.
An initiative pushed by southern Illinois law enforcement that targets people who inhale chemicals to get high gained overwhelming support from a Senate panel Wednesday.
Members of the Criminal Law Committee voted 8-0 to endorse a measure that takes aim at “huffing” — a practice in which fumes from paint and other chemicals are inhaled. Under the legislation, a second huffing offense would be increased to a Class A misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of up to one year in prison.
It is being pushed by law enforcement in Williamson County who complain they see the same abusers over and over again.
Is this stuff harmful and dangerous? Heck, yes. But if the only tool you ever use is a hammer, every problem will look like a nail. There’s gotta be a better way.
* The Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation banning so-called “e-cigarettes.” The devices are plastic tubes that look like cigarettes, often emit a visible vapor that looks a bit like smoke, and deliver nicotine to the user. The problem is that most of those e-cigs are made in China, so the ingredients are often unknown to users. But a House committee decided yesterday it needed more time to study the issue…
Former smokers who use the products and retailers who supply them objected to an outright ban, suggesting that lawmakers should look at regulation of e-cigarettes first. Several former smokers said they tried every FDA-approved smoking cessation tool but still couldn’t quit the habit until finding the e-cigarettes.
State Rep. Constance Howard, D-Chicago, said she also was a former smoker and understood how difficult quitting could be.
“I just wish there was something like these around before my mother died,” she said, to applause from the assembled e-cigarette proponents.
Sponsoring state Rep. Marlow Colvin, D-Chicago, said the FDA hasn’t approved the products yet and have found examples of carcinogens and other chemicals in the cartridges. He and lobbyist Kathy Drea with the American Lung Association said the state should prevent people from buying the e-cigarettes until the FDA has ruled on their safety.
* As we’ve discussed before, the state constitution imposes a limit on the number of constitutional amendments that can be voted on during election years. Republicans have been saying for weeks that the Democrats are attempting to pack the ballot to make sure there is no room for the GOP-backed redistricting reform proposal. The House Republicans helped kill a proposal by House Speaker Michael Madigan a few weeks ago to mandate minimum requirements for judges using that argument, and they did it again yesterday to a different measure on victims’ rights…
House lawmakers Wednesday short-circuited another proposed constitutional amendment, this one on crime victims’ rights, because of concerns about filling up the ballot.
House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 19 received only 65 of the needed 71 ‘yes’ votes for approval, but its sponsor used a parliamentary move to bring it up for a later vote.
This amendment would strengthen the rights provided to crime victims, especially in criminal cases on appeal. Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, said the intent of the measure should make it overwhelmingly popular with lawmakers.
“Public policy demands that we do the right thing on this amendment,” Lang said.
Republicans brought up the ballot-packing allegations, but Lang angrily pointed out that he’s been working on this issue for a long time…
“You think that two years ago I decided to spend two years of my life working on this amendment just so you could vote no on it because you think there’s some conspiracy is really kind of insulting.”
* Related…
* State Capitol Q&A: Crime victims’ rights subject of amendment proposal
* Legal reformers want to derail lawsuit lending bill
* One of the more interesting revelations in yesterday’s prosecution proffer on Rod and Rob Blagojevich was how cash was funneled to the First Lady…
Starting in the Fall of 2003, top Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko cooked up several ways to make it look like he was putting Patti to work as a real estate broker, money she didn’t earn.
In August 2003, Rezko’s company paid Patti $14,369, made to look like a commission on the sale of property Rezko owned.
From October 2003 to May 2004, Rezko paid Patti a whopping $96,000, or $12,000 a month as a retainer for her services. Then, in January 2004, Rezko made a separate $40,000 payment to Patti Blagojevich, supposedly for sale of a West Loop property.
Not long after depositing that $40,000 check, Patti Blagojevich allegedly wrote a check for more than $38,000 to pay for renovations to the Blagojevich home.
In all, she got $150,369 from Rezko, but what did she do to earn that money? Prosecutors contend she did practically nothing.
The Sun-Times disclosed the remodeling work in 2007, pointing out that a Rezko company, Chicago Construction Services, oversaw it. “The renovations . . . were paid for by the Blagojeviches through their personal checking account,” Rod Blagojevich’s then-spokesman told the Sun-Times in 2008.
Do you remember how former Gov. Rod Blagojevich reacted when the news media first started questioning his wife Patti’s business dealings, in particular how she had collected real estate broker commissions from the sale of properties involving his political pals?
I sure do.
“Sexist,” complained the governor. “Neanderthal,” he roared.
How dare anyone suggest that Patti Blagojevich’s financial success was anything other than the result of her own accomplishments as an independent businesswoman.
The situation was so stinky that, according to the proffer, “Mr. Blagojevich was concerned that there might be the perception that his wife was a ghost payroller if she did not go into Rezko’s office.”
So, Patti Blagojevich was told to show up. “The problem with that approach however,” the proffer says. “was that Blagojevich’s wife was taking care of their infant daughter.”
* Keep in mind when reading the stuff about Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. that this is Blagojevich talking. He’s a professional liar, so take it with a grain of salt. Still, it ain’t good for the congressman…
Thwarted in efforts to trade the Senate appointment for an Obama cabinet post, ambassadorship or a million-dollar job, Blagojevich turned his attention back to the ambitions of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., the proffer says.
One recorded conversation has the former governor describing Jackson as the only one left who “wants it badly and desperately and he’s the only one who’s willing to, like, offer stuff.”
It was one of a series of Dec. 4, 2008, calls in which Blagojevich described his disdain for Jackson, but his appreciation of the $1.5 million Jackson supporters had promised in campaign cash in exchange for appointing Jackson.
* To advisers about snagging a presidential Cabinet post: “So [Valerie Jarrett’s] holding Health and Human Services, and I’m holding a U.S. Senate seat. OK? She’s holding hers with two hands, just kind’a clinging to, you know, little pieces of it. Me, I’ve got the whole thing wrapped around my arms, mine, OK? . . . I’m willing to trade the thing I got tightly held to her for something she doesn’t hold quite as tightly.”
As an aside, let me mention that from my reading of the government filing, I don’t believe prosecutors envision a speaking role for Rezko at Blago’s trial.
Although Rezko is known to have been cooperating with authorities since going to prison, all the government’s assertions about matters related to him appear to be based on testimony that would be provided by other witnesses. This may be due to the fact Rezko has offered numerous and conflicting accounts about his dealings with Blagojevich and complained that he was being unfairly pressured by prosecutors, all of which would make him a lousy prosecution witness.
Prosecutors appear to be planning to rely instead on a former chief financial officer of Rezko’s company to supply key details about his arrangements with Patti Blagojevich.
* Cellini…
Bill Cellini’s connections to fundraisers for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich at one point left the politically powerful Springfield developer a “nervous wreck,” a new court document says. […]
The charges relate to an alleged attempt by Blagojevich fundraisers Antoin “Tony” Rezko and Christopher Kelly, along with Stuart Levine, then a member of the Teachers’ Retirement System board, to get a $1.5 million donation to Blagojevich’s campaign or a $2 million finder’s fee from a principal in a firm that wanted to manage TRS funds.
Cellini spoke to the would-be money manager, Thomas Rosenberg, but to no avail, the document says.
In a May 8, 2004, call to Levine that was recorded by investigators, Cellini allegedly said Rosenberg was angry about what he saw as a shakedown.
“Cellini told Levine about how Rezko and Kelly had been ‘essentially hammerin’ people’ to make political contributions in order to win State of Illinois contracts, how Cellini was a ‘nervous wreck’ about it, and how Cellini and Levine needed to talk with Rezko and Kelly about Rosenberg’s threats,” the document says.
In the end, the investment firm got its allocation without having to pay the finders fees or campaign contributions.
The last time Illinois saw a year-over-year decrease in foreclosures was in November 2008.
“But that was followed by substantial year-over-year increases in subsequent months,” said Daren Blomquist, a spokesman for the Irvine, Calif.-based research firm.
Either way, Illinois was No. 9 during the quarter and No. 10 during March nationwide in terms of the number of foreclosures.
The employee callbacks, which are based on seniority in specific job categories, are needed to maintain the reduced service levels imposed in February, Rodriguez said, and they do not mark an end to the agency’s budget crisis.
Ald. Joe Moore, 49th, however, said he had heard from many massage therapists opposed to the ordinance.
“This is a legitimate business, and they have a right to operate a legitimate business without going through undo hurdles,” Moore said, saying the proposed ordinance was too broad. “I think it’s like swatting a mosquito with a fly sledgehammer….There are enough regulations on business in this city.”
Ald. Mary Ann Smith, 48th, said she supported delaying a final vote on the ordinance because it would create a burden for the physical therapy businesses that are proliferating in her North Side ward.
Aldermen didn’t ask Chico any questions, not even about his lobbying business.
* Ald. Beale — who irritated cops — to head City Council’s Police Committee
Although he has cozied up to Daley recently in his push to develop Pullman Park, Beale was elected to the City Council in 1999 with the staunch support of State Sen. James Meeks and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-Il.), longtime Daley critics.
And Beale has turned himself into a political punching bag with a series of proposals viewed as anti-police.
* Daley picks Beale to lead City Council police and fire panel
* Aldermen sign off on Daley’s choice for park board president
Liquor sales would be cut off at 10 p.m. at 23 of the 25 locations, one hour earlier than is currently allowed.
But the booze could flow for an extra hour — until midnight — at Northerly Island, apparently to accommodate the popular outdoor concert venue there. Liquor sales already continue until midnight at Millennium Park.
Daley also wants to allow liquor sales at the South Shore Golf Course, the Ohio Street Beach in Olive Park, Calumet Beach House in Calumet Park, Diversey Driving Range and Miniature Golf Course, DuSable Harbor Building, the South Shore Cultural Center, the 31st Street Boathouse in Burnham Park and the 87th Street Harbor.
* At a time when the governor is cutting the State Police, human services and schools, this has to rank as one of the goofier hires of all time…
A longtime advisor to Gov. Pat Quinn has been hired to be the state’s first canoe czar.
Claude Walker, who has served as an aide to Quinn dating back two decades, will coordinate kayaking and canoeing for the cash-strapped state Department of Natural Resources.
He will earn $85,000 annually.
The new job for the 57-year-old self-described kayaking enthusiast raised eyebrows among some lawmakers, who are in the midst of debating how to keep the state afloat during though budget times.
Claude is a great guy. But Quinn cannot claim on one hand that the state is broke and then pay somebody $85K to be a “canoe czar.”
*** UPDATE *** That didn’t last long. From a DNR spokesperson…
I wanted to reach out to you and let you know that the watertrails coordinator position has been recinded at the request of the Governor’s office today. The IDNR realizes that while watertrails are an important and growing aspect of outdoor recreation in Illinois, the timing was just not right in these tough fiscal times.
* 1:03 pm - The US Attorney’s Rod and Rob Blagojevich prosecutorial roadmap will be made public, despite objections by defense attorneys…
U.S. District Judge James Zagel just issued an order granting “immediate access” to an evidentiary document in the [Blagojevich corruption] case and denies the defense’s request to black out portions of it. […]
Zagel says in his ruling: “The case for redaction has to be proven not presumed. It is not proven here. If the excerpt of a conversation would have a different meaning if more of the conversation were to be reproduced, the defendants here can reproduce it if either believes that the additional language would help defeat the claim of admissibility made by the prosecution.”
The events which are the subject of this case are not those which make a lasting impression on the mind of readers. The words in papers and magazines and the words read by an anchor on radio or television will not be retained in significant detail by members of the public.
I expect that many members of the jury pool will have an impression about the case to be tried. Many have such impressions even now. I do not expect that the printed words in the proffer reprinted or read aloud by news readers will affect the ability of a significant number of potential jurors to comply fully with the rule that they must decide the case on the basis of the evidence heard in court without any reliance on whatever they remember that they read in or saw on the news.
For the foregoing reasons, the motion by Sun Times Media LLC, Associated Press, and Chicago Tribune Company to intervene and for immediate access to the Santiago proffer filed under seal is granted.
* 1:22 pm - A spokesman for the US Attorney’s office says the proffer will be distributed as soon as it is publicly docketed. That should be pretty soon. Stay tuned.
Blagojevich, Rezko, Kelly, and Monk had conversations, individually and collectively, about how the four of them could make money from their control over the State of Illinois government. In those conversations, Blagojevich, Rezko, Kelly, and Monk discussed a number of specific ideas for making money, such as through operating businesses that would get state money in different ways or receiving fees from people who did business with the state. Blagojevich, Rezko, Kelly, and Monk did not expect to have to invest significant money in any of these deals; instead, they were simply looking to collect money from the deals in the form of a finder’s fee or from revenue that might be generated from the deals. As a general matter, Rezko was the one who was trying to set up the money-making arrangements and Kelly and Rezko were the most knowledgeable about how the plans would work. Blagojevich and Monk would then use their power and authority in state government as needed to assist whatever plans Rezko and Kelly put in place. […]
There were occasions after Blagojevich became Governor that Blagojevich, Kelly, Monk, and Rezko all met to discuss their efforts to make money from state action. For example, the four men met in a conference room at the offices of one of Rezko’s businesses in about mid to late 2003.
During the meeting, Rezko led the discussion, standing at an easel or chalkboard and listed at least three or four different ideas or plans to make money being developed by Rezko that involved some kind of state action. At times, Kelly got up during the meeting and clarified or added to things that Rezko was saying. Blagojevich mostly listened during the meeting, but was engaged. As Rezko talked, he indicated how much money Blagojevich, Kelly, Rezko, and Monk could hope to make from the different ideas. The amounts that were associated with the different ideas were typically in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per deal, which would be evenly split four ways.
* The Bear Stearns pension obligation deal, you will recall, involved an $809,000 finders fee for then-Republican National Committeeman Bob Kjellander from Bear Stearns. Kj loaned $600,000 of that to an associate of Tony Rezko, who then paid Kj back from the proceeds of another loan Rezko helped obtain “from another associate of Rezko’s who did business with the State of Illinois.”
Sheesh.
Chris Kelly was apparently upset that Rezko was dipping into the finders fee cash because that money was supposed to eventually be split among the big players, including Gov. Blagojevich…
In about 2004, Kelly told Monk that Kelly was “pissed off” at Rezko because Rezko needed $100,000 and took it from the Individual A account. Kelly indicated that he was upset because he thought Rezko’s withdrawal of the money would somehow alert the authorities to the existence of the account, so Kelly said he told Rezko to put the money back. Kelly was not concerned that Rezko was taking money that belonged to Blagojevich, Monk, Rezko, and Kelly, but that Rezko’s taking of the money might alert the authorities. Kelly mentioned on more than one occasion to Monk that he was upset with Rezko over this matter. Kelly subsequently indicated to Monk that Rezko put the money back in the account.
* Mrs. Blagojevich…
In around October 2003, Blagojevich’s wife entered into a contract on behalf of her company with Rezmar in which Blagojevich’s Wife’s Firm agreed to perform unspecified real estate brokerage services to Rezmar in exchange for a monthly retainer of $12,000 plus the possibility of additional commissions depending on the amount of deals brokered. Beginning in October 2003, at Rezko’s direction, Individual B prepared a series of $12,000 checks pursuant to that agreement, which Individual B delivered to Rezko or his assistant. Ultimately, Rezmar issued 8 separate $12,000 checks, totaling $96,000, to Blagojevich’s Wife’s Firm on approximately a monthly basis from October 2003 through May 2004. Those checks were deposited into a bank account held by
Blagojevich’s Wife’s Firm. […]
Blagojevich was concerned that there might be the perception that his wife was a ghost payroller if she did not go into Rezko’s offices. Monk had conversations with Blagojevich and his wife about the need for her to actually go into the office to work on a regular basis. The problem with that approach, however, was that Blagojevich’s wife was taking care of their infant daughter.
More…
At the closing of the two units, on January 19, 2004, a check for $40,000 was made payable to Blagojevich’s Wife’s Firm. That check was sent back to the title company with instructions that the check be issued to Rezmar. On January 21, 2004, the title company issued a new $40,000 check to Rezmar Realty. After Rezmar received the $40,000 check, Rezko directed Individual B to deposit the check into a Rezmar account and to write a $40,000 check to Blagojevich’s Wife’s Firm. On January 22, 2004, Individual B wrote a check to Blagojevich’s Wife’s Firm for $40,000. The check stub indicates that it was “assignment of funds.” On January 23, 2004, that check was deposited into a bank account held by Blagojevich’s Wife’s Firm. On the same day, Blagojevich’s wife wrote a $40,000 check to herself from her company’s bank account and deposited the check into her personal bank account. On or about January 24, 2004, Blagojevich’s wife then wrote a series of checks totaling $38,010 from her personal bank account to a number of vendors who had performed work on the Blagojevich home.
Disgusting.
* The despicable attempt to sell Obama’s Senate seat…
Blagojevich complained to Deputy Governor A that Blagojevich’s “upward trajectory” was stalled because of Obama’s election. Blagojevich told Deputy Governor A that Blagojevich had made “decisions at the expense of [his] family’s best interests for . . . [his] job as governor.” Blagojevich informed Deputy Governor A “now is the time for me to put my f___ing children and my wife first, for a change.” […]
Harris suggested that Blagojevich tell Labor Union Official that Blagojevich wanted to accommodate the president-elect, but also wanted to take care of the people of Illinois. Blagojevich responded by stating “Yeah. And, and, and my, and me, do I say me.” Harris stated “Right, by, by keeping me strong.” Blagojevich responded to Harris “But I don’t want that. I’m not looking for that. I’d like to get out, the f___ outta here.” Shortly thereafter, Blagojevich stated that “the objective is to, to get a good gig over there.” […]
Based on Harris’s prior conversations with Blagojevich, Harris informed Blagojevich that Harris had told Deputy Governor A that they were looking for a “reasonable ask” in exchange for the Senate seat that “takes care” of Blagojevich’s family and keeps Blagojevich’s future political ambitions open. […]
Deputy Governor A stated that the director of one foundation was “on two corporate boards and makes around $250,000 a year on the, in addition to her salary.” Blagojevich responded “Yeah, see that’s what we’d want. That’s it.” Deputy Governor A told Blagojevich that Blagojevich should make clear during the negotiations for the Senate seat that being on other boards “would be another part of the game.” Blagojevich responded “That’s right.” […]
Blagojevich’s wife had trouble finding the salary information on-line. Blagojevich responded “Don’t worry about it. Yeah, that’s, you negotiate that. I’d like a 4-year contract for a million a year or somethin’. . . . Or 750 or whatever. It’d have to be good. Obama’s got excess money, he just gives them more money.” […]
Later on November 12, 2008, Blagojevich talked to Robert Blagojevich about filling the Senate seat. Regarding filling the Senate seat, Robert Blagojevich stated his advice was that Blagojevich “make sure it’s tit for tat, man you get something. I wouldn’t give anything away.”
But the tapes will clear him. Right.
* The clearest indication yet that Blagojevich is lying about his constant refrain that he really wanted to appoint Attorney General Lisa Madigan to the vacant Senate seat in order to cut a deal with Speaker Madigan on the capital bill and health care…
During the meeting, Labor Union Official advocated that Senate Candidate B be named to the Senate seat. In response, Blagojevich lied and informed Labor Union Official that Blagojevich was in “active” discussions with Individual L and her father about making Individual L the senator. […]
Blagojevich asked whether the Change to Win idea was better than trying to work out a deal to provide the Senate seat to Individual L. Advisor A indicated the Change to Win idea was better to help Blagojevich financially and his future politically. Blagojevich agreed. […]
Blagojevich stated that he was still leaning towards choosing Individual L for the Senate seat because it would help get things done for the people of Illinois, but complained “there’s nothing left there for me” regarding filling the Senate seat. Blagojevich noted “[Senate Candidate A] wants it badly and desperately and he’s the only one who’s willing to, like, offer stuff.”
Shortly thereafter, Blagojevich spoke to Deputy Governor A. Blagojevich told Deputy Governor A that he was trying to elevate Senate Candidate A with the Washington D.C. establishment to help with getting Individual L named senator, although Deputy Governor A believed that Blagojevich was lying to him. Blagojevich told Deputy Governor A he was not “gonna completely” rule out naming Senate Candidate A.
Approximately seven minutes later, Blagojevich spoke to Robert Blagojevich. Blagojevich told Robert Blagojevich that Blagojevich was elevating Senate Candidate A.
*** 4:02 pm *** Statement by Rod Blagojevich…
“There is nothing new. It’s the same old false allegations and lies. I’m looking forward to trial so the truth comes out and everyone will see that I am innocent.”
* The photo below was published in 1971 as part of a story about how SIU student Steve Brown had been named “Outstanding Graduate in Journalism” by the SIU chapter of Sigma Delta Chi…
Brown’s selection was based on character, scholarship and competence to perform journalism tasks, according to William Epperheimer, SDX chapter adviser.
Brown is, of course, the longtime press secretary for House Speaker Michael Madigan. He is no stranger to controversy.
* As I told you last week, former Gov. Jim Edgar is keeping up the public pressure on Sen. Bill Brady’s proposal to cut state spending by 10 percent across the board. But the report I linked to didn’t include this quote by Edgar about the Brady plan…
[Edgar] does not agree with the Republican candidate for governor Bill Brady’s “across-the-board 10 percent cuts in programs. It’s too simplistic.”
A governor must set priorities, Edgar said.
“Some programs are just more essential than others. (But) every section of society will be affected and pay part of the price for the fiscal mismanagement for the past 10 years,” he said.
Edgar offered up a mixed review of Gov. Quinn…
Edgar said he has come around to thinking that Quinn has pretty good first instincts.
“His second instincts are lousy. He needs to say, ‘Here’s what I think we ought to do,’ and stick with it. The last thing (the legislature) wants from a governor is unpredictability,” Edgar said.
He’s absolutely right about that. The constant flip-flopping is a nightmare.
Auditor General William Holland reported Tuesday that as of last June 30, the state was renting office space in 116 locations where its leases had expired. That’s 22 percent of the state’s 525 leases. Ten percent have been “holdovers” for five years or more, Holland said. […]
Procurement reform that took effect Jan. 1 prohibits any holdover lease of more than six months. Beginning July 1, the comptroller is to withhold payment for any rented space where the lease has been expired that long.
All but 19 of the 116 holdover leases as of June 30 had expired at least six months previously. Fifty-seven had been expired at least five years. The oldest had run out in 1998. […]
“The [Department of Central Management Services] has not assessed effective utilization of the space and has not negotiated terms that may be more favorable to the state,” Holland wrote.
CMS is supposed to be a manager. It’s supposed to help the state save money with its huge purchasing powers. Screwups like this are just inexcusable.
* The United Republican Fund is using frustration over a proposed tax hike to build its cellphone call list. From a press release…
When it comes to Pat Quinn’s tax hike, Republicans don’t just need to be the party of “No.”
We need to be the party of, “Hell, no!”
After mortgaging our state’s future through eight years of pension schemes, Big Labor giveaways, waste, fraud and abuse — it’s simply wrong that the Democrats in Springfield want to punish us in a bad economy with higher taxes.
By texting “NO” to 77007, you will receive an immediate link on your phone allowing you to immediately call Pat Quinn’s office.
We’ve already sent him thousands of emails in the past few months — now it’s time to hit the phones.
* Related and a roundup…
* Lots of Questions Still Need Answers in Youth Prison Merger
* Andy Shaw, the executive director of the Better Government Association, has penned a new Tribune op-ed…
The Better Government Association doesn’t endorse political candidates but we heartily embrace good government reform principles of fairness, accountability, integrity, transparency and honesty — the acronym is FAITH.
Then he goes on to gush about Claypool…
That’s why we’re excited about Forrest Claypool’s decision to run as an independent candidate for assessor of Cook County. If he collects enough valid signatures to get on the ballot, voters will be treated to the kind of campaign they deserve.
Assessor James Houlihan is stepping down after three impressive terms. He has repeatedly incurred the wrath of power brokers by putting taxpayers and transparency ahead of politics and patronage. That’s virtually unprecedented in an office with a history of corruption. So when Houlihan says Claypool is infinitely more qualified than Democratic nominee Joseph Berrios, our ears perk up.
And he thoroughly disses Berrios…
Could it be that House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton were sympathetic to the lobbying pitch [by Berrios for video poker] because they moonlight as tax lawyers whose firms ask Berrios to reduce the tax bills of their well-heeled corporate clients? And who gets hit with higher tax bills when Berrios decides to reduce the tax liability of the clients of Madigan and Cullerton? Could it be the rest of us? Duh.
This is all perfectly legal in Illinois, but it’s also eminently unethical and a giant conflict of interest. Anyone who games the system instead of reforming it is suspect. And that means Joe Berrios.
* The Question: Did Shaw, who runs a non-partisan group that isn’t supposed to get into campaigns, go too far here, or was he justified in pointing out the issues and players as he sees them? Explain.
* Gov. Pat Quinn plans to sign the new pension reform bill into law today. But the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club claims a new study shows the pension funds will be insolvent in 10 to 14 years unless something is done about the benefits of current employees ASAP…
According to former Illinois Tool Works chief W. James Farrell, all of the funds definitely are headed toward insolvency, “we estimate by 2020 to 2024.”
The study used fund values as of June 30, 2009 for its estimate, which was pretty near to the bottom of the stock market. Stocks have risen sharply since then. The study also didn’t include changes made by the bill about to be signed into law.
AFSCME, however, told Crain’s that it agreed with the general outlook of the study. The funds are, indeed, heading towards insolvency relatively soon.
* But what to do? AFSCME wants a tax hike and more money pumped in. The civic committee wants deep cuts to current employee benefits. They say it can be done, but Eric Zorn has a long and very good report this week about how that can’t be done.
The analysis, compiled by a former appellate justice for the Quinn administration, looks at Constitutional Convention debates and case law to pretty much demolish the notion that benefits for current employees can be cut. From one such ruling, which was eventually adopted by the Illinois Supreme Court…
In affirming the trial court, the Illinois Appellate Court rejected that argument and held that “a Pension Code modification changing the basis upon which pension benefits are directly determined cannot be applied to diminish the benefits of those who became members of the system prior to the statute’s effective date.” See Kraus, 72 Ill. App. 3d at 850. This holding unambiguously forecloses the analysis in the Sidley Austin memorandum.
The Civic Committee will spend “millions of dollars” this year to raise awareness among voters and put pressure on officials running for office, Farrell said.
* The Illinois Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill last month that effectively deletes a decades-old moratorium on new nuclear power plants. Proponents said the legislation would create new jobs and help Illinois capture bigtime federal money. Opponents aren’t so sure…
“Everybody can create all these imaginary ‘horribles,’ ” said state Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, who has sponsored legislation to allow new plants in the state. “We should be thinking about how we can ensure that Illinois, with its leadership in nuclear power, keeps that.”
But opponents worry that the state, already home to the nation’s highest nuclear capacity, would become a natural destination for nuclear waste from other parts of the country if more plants are added.
“There shouldn’t be any more new ones until you’ve dealt with the waste from the old ones,” said Dave Kraft, director of the Nuclear Energy Information Service, a nuclear power watchdog group in Chicago. The ban, Kraft noted, “was put in place to protect us from becoming a de facto nuclear waste dump. … The (ban) has done its job.”
The feds just awarded $8 billion to help a new nuclear plant get going in Georgia and is looking at 12 more sites. Jacobs’ bill would put Illinois in the running for those federal subsidies. Interestingly enough, Sen. Jacobs claimed that the need for subsidies was one reason he opposed wind power legislation…
A bill that extends for 5 years a preference for Illinois wind has stalled in the General Assembly’s Energy Committee, headed by Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline. Jacobs says electricity customers shouldn’t be forced to subsidize an industry that can’t stand on its own.
“I’m not anti-wind, … but the industry can’t survive without subsidies,” Jacobs said. “There’s plenty of room for everybody. If the wind farms make sense, then build it.”
* A massive jobs and technology bill or a consumer ripoff that will provide an excuse not to upgrade the state’s communications networks? Those are the questions being posed by AT&T’s push to throw off state laws that have required it to invest big money into its landline network. The rewrite of the state’s Telecommunications Act has been put off for several years, but now AT&T is pushing hard for changes this session.
Progress Illinois has a pretty good look today at what’s at stake. AT&T points out that cellphones, Voice Over Internet Protocol, cable companies, etc. have sharply reduced the need for landlines. A quarter of households don’t even have landlines today, but state law still requires big investments in that “legacy” technology…
According to AT&T, the Telecommunication Act’s quality control standards require local phone carriers like themselves to make investments in older technologies when they would rather spend that money on new digital or wireless infrastructure.
These “legacy regulations” (as the Illinois Technology Partnership calls them) also deter burgeoning tech companies from entering the local market. A study commissioned by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and some of its allies estimates that easing regulations across the board would create or save 105,622 jobs while boosting what ITP’s Lindsay Mosher calls “consumer choice” and helping to ease the state’s persistent digital divide.
Consumer groups are urging more caution. For starters, they argue that the landline quality control standards are in the public interest, particularly for vulnerable Illinois residents — namely the poor and elderly — who aren’t yet linked into the digital world and still face a limited choice of providers.
The consumer advocates also challenge the notion that complete deregulation of the telecom network — which ITP is basically pushing for (PDF) — will automatically create jobs. “AT&T has tried to pitch this as a jobs bill,” says Citizen Utility Board Executive Director David Kolata. “I think this is Orwellian at best.” Indeed, during testimony yesterday at a joint hearing down in Springfield, AT&T Illinois President Paul LaSchiazza could not specify how many jobs would be created if his favored regulatory reforms were enacted.
On the issue of jobs, Kolata provides a contrary perspective. He says that when the General Assembly mandated that AT&T follow standards for their landline systems, the company was given a financial incentive to hire more workers to maintain that system. Service improved, too.
CUB thinks the state ought to update current law and broaden it to include investment requirements in new technologies. Without that requirement, some feel that AT&T won’t have any real incentives to put the bucks into the systems.
AT&T is holding a Statehouse press conference today to unveil its plan and push for passage. From a press release…
The Illinois Chamber, Chicagoland Chamber, and more than 30 additional Chambers call to modernize Illinois’ outdated telecommunications laws in order to create jobs and attract economic investment to fuel Illinois economy.
* Perhaps the most important player in all this is the attorney general. Without her OK, it’s doubtful that Speaker Madigan will move the legislation ahead. At the moment, the AG’s office isn’t exactly thrilled with the AT&T plan…
Illinois does not regulate either cells phones or the Internet. The law being proposed, with backing from AT&T, would focus on land lines and service.
Susan Satter with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office said that’s the problem. She said loosening regulations could allow telephone companies to essentially abandon customers who don’t want to buy higher-priced cell phone/Internet bundles while also charging them more.
Satter told lawmakers there is a need to update Illinois’ telecom law, but not at the expense of nearly 40 percent of customers across the state.
“I think we can get to where we want to get to, in terms of modernizing, without so radically the structure.”
The proposed re-write does include protections for land line only customers, and requires phone companies to continue service to those customers. But Satter fears other changes would allow the companies to offer poorer service.
* And the governor isn’t fully on board as of yet…
Gov. Pat Quinn said his goal is to help negotiate a proposal that improves service but also helps boost investment in telecommunications.
“We want to have more jobs in telecommunications and we have to make sure we protect consumers,” Quinn said.
* Related…
* Quinn signs tax credit for new hires at small businesses
* Quinn approves tax credit for small businesses that add employees
Sneed hears rumbles former lieutenant governor candidate Scott Lee Cohen is angling for a comeback. The millionaire pawnbroker is “intending to run again for high public office” in Illinois, a source said.
Word is Cohen is eyeing a bid to run for . . . governor on an independent ticket!
Ya gotta be kidding?
• But hold on: Cohen spent $2 million on a well-orchestrated race, which he won. After getting bareknuckled by top Dem partymeisters, Cohen — saddled with scandal — withdrew.
A candidate for whom a nomination paper has been filed as a partisan candidate at a Primary Election, and who is defeated for nomination, is prohibited from being listed on the ballot at the General Election as an independent candidate or as a candidate of another political party, and may not file a Declaration of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate at that General Election.
Cohen won the primary, so the “sore loser” provision doesn’t apply to him. If he does run, he’ll need to file 25,000 valid signatures by Monday, June 21.
Candidates for Illinois governor and lieutenant governor would run as a team in their party’s primary under legislation that gained unanimous support from a Senate panel Tuesday.
The Senate Elections Committee endorsed a measure by an 8-0 vote Tuesday to pair the two candidates rather than allowing them to run separately in the primary. The House earlier approved the measure, and it now moves to the full Senate.
The move comes just months after Chicago pawnbroker Scott Lee Cohen, the initial Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, withdrew from the race after embarrassing revelations surfaced about his private life. […]
Raoul passed an identical bill out of the Senate, which is awaiting a vote in the House. As a result, he expects this bill to have little resistance in the Senate.
There won’t be another SLC-like saga again, unless a gubernatorial candidate picks an unvetted running mate.
* Suspended Daley aide lands new six-figure gig at police department
As a deputy director, Picardi will oversee the police department’s general support division, which includes the city auto pound, equipment and supply, and document services and graphics, according to police department spokesman Roderick Drew.
The new gig comes after Mayor Richard Daley suspended Picardi without pay for three months in January for contracts involving Central Auto Body in the Logan Square neighborhood. The shop’s owner, John Szybkowski, was convicted nearly 30 years ago of faking work orders on police department vehicles and giving kickbacks to city workers.
The post the aldermen want to create would be so ineffectual that it can achieve little beyond attracting ceaseless scorn. As Ald. Joe Moore, 49th, told the Tribune, “It is probably worse than doing nothing at all. It tries to give the impression that we’re doing something, and I think that just breeds public cynicism because it’s transparently a paper tiger.”
Thirty-first Ward Alderman Ray Suarez says most massage parlors are legit, but he’s proposed an ordinance to eliminate the questionable ones by banning new massage businesses in areas that are mostly residential.
Crawford and its sister station, the Fisk Generating Plant in nearby Pilsen — a decidedly Mexican neighborhood — date back to the 1920s, making them the “oldest, dirtiest plants located in any urban neighborhood” in America, according to the Chicago Environmental Law and Policy Center.
The investigation, led by the Internal Revenue Service, charges that Robert C. Blum, 57, bought a 37-foot yacht and built his personal home in New Lenox with money from his business. Blum claimed they were business-related expenses, charges say….In 2005, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Blum — a friend and business associate of the late Chris Kelly, who was Blagojevich campaign fund-raising chief at the time — had been awarded nearly $25 million in state contracts.
* Contractor Robert Blum slapped with tax fraud charges
* Hainesville votes to outsource police protection
Hainesville Mayor Linda Sota cast a tiebreaking vote Tuesday night in favor of shutting the village’s 2-year-old police department and contracting for patrol service from Grayslake or the Lake County sheriff’s office.
* Mark Kirk’s US Senate campaign takes a big whack at Alexi Giannoulias. The Internet spot is called “Downplay - A Brief History of Broadway Bank.” Rate it…
* The Giannoulias campaign ridicules Kirk’s claims that he’s an “independent” in its brief video. Rate it as well…
Mayor Richard Daley defended Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias [yesterday], saying the candidate should not step aside despite revelations about family-owned Broadway Bank.
“Why should he step aside? Tell me,” Daley said. “He went through the primary.”
“Everybody knew that, what was happening to the bank, so why?” the mayor added.
Daley then made a pointed reference to Scott Lee Cohen, whom Daley also defended during the post-primary debacle….
“You forced one candidate out for Lt. Governor because you didn’t like his profession or his personal life, so are we going to? It’s interesting, really interesting how people go through a primary, and they have to step aside because we don’t like what happened. Everybody knew that was happening to the bank, right? So why?”
While the Daley defense was likely welcomed news at Camp G, dredging up Cohen probably stung more than a bit.
