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* This is why there will be no veto of the McCormick Place reform bill…
“I can’t imagine the governor not signing it. If for some reason he got confused and vetoed the bill, we would quickly go back to Springfield and override his veto and make it the law of the land,” said Sen. John Cullerton, Illinois Senate president.
Cullerton hasn’t yet transmitted the bill to the governor. Subscribers know why.
* There’s no doubt that Quinn will sign the bill…
About 10 trade show leaders met with Quinn at his Chicago office Thursday. They emerged from the more than hourlong session saying Quinn had concerns about the bill but that they expect him to sign it.
* Not the real reason for the delay…
Mr. Quinn is “working intensely on it,” said Mia Rampersad, a vice-president of the International Housewares Assn., who attended the meeting. “It’s complex legislation, and they’re doing what they can to get it done as soon as possible.”
The reason they’re looking so closely at the bill is to find a way to justify the delay…
The legislation designates Jim Reilly, a former chief executive of the agency that runs McCormick Place, as a trustee to oversee an 18-month restructuring. But there is no succession plan in the event Reilly cannot serve out that term, and that concerns Quinn, meeting participants said.
But since there will be no veto, he will try for a trailer bill and use that above language problem to justify helping his friends in labor…
The reform bill puts Quinn in a tough position. Some unions oppose the work-rule changes it would impose at McCormick Place, and Quinn could use their money and volunteers in the fall.
But the General Assembly could just pass a trailer bill cleaning up that one provision and ignoring the rest.
* And Bill Brady is finally weighing in via press release…
“Pat Quinn needs to stand up for jobs instead of standing in the way of reform for McCormick Place.
“This is a prime opportunity to be on the side of growth and to make a clean break from the insider politics of Illinois. Pat Quinn failed the children of Chicago by opposing the Meeks voucher bill, and he is failing the people of the Pullman neighborhood who want jobs and opportunity in their community. Let’s hope he gets this one right. Governor Quinn should sign the reform bill today.”
* In other economics-related news, Sen. John O. Jones wants the STAR bonds bill expanded to other counties…
A Mount Vernon lawmaker says it’s not too late to consider other communities for special tax districts, as is being done with Marion with a proposed destination development.
State Sen. John O. Jones, R-Mount Vernon, offered these comments in response to an article in the Friday edition of the Southern Illinoisan.
Jones challenged Democratic Marion Rep. John Bradley’s notion it was too late to include Mount Vernon in the STAR bonds district. The creation of the district - which is outlined in Senate Bill 2093, now awaiting action in the Illinois Senate - would allow a portion of sales tax revenue generated by business patronage in the development site to pay off construction bonds.
The expansion push is happening even faster than I thought it would.
* Related and a roundup…
* State unemployment falls; census hiring a factor
* Quinn won’t use budget power to raise state retiree insurance rates: “It’s very difficult legally and we think the best way to approach that is with a collective bargaining approach with the union instead of trying to do it unilaterally through the emergency budget act,” Vaught said during a meeting with The State Journal-Register editorial board.
* Will officials angry about new state law: Will County officials are furious about a new state law that allows the dumping of construction debris in local quarries.
* Public projects biggest TIF beneficiaries: While the Daley administration has caught heat for its use of tax increment financing for private developments, it’s likely that public projects and educational buildings were the biggest recipients of TIF money in the past decade.
* Nine school districts back Marion plan
* Court: Illinois can profit from unclaimed property: The state Supreme Court says Illinois is doing nothing wrong when it makes money off of unclaimed property.
* State can keep interest on unclaimed property
* In Blue Island Office, Seeing Recession’s Toll
* Adoption records to be opened up under new Illinois law
* MAP money gone, aid applications increase
* UI Extension consolidates
* HIV/AIDS advocacy groups fear loss of funding to programs
* Cook County must restrict spending
* Preckwinkle’s wobble
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:49 pm
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and he is failing the people of the Pullman neighborhood who want jobs and opportunity in their community.
Huh??
Comment by George Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:03 pm
Rich:
Do you think Jones’ effort to expand STAR a move to delay/kill the Bill by trying to create and upswell of a “me too” clause?
Comment by Ronbo Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:03 pm
I wonder what Brady the no more govt or tax increase developers position is on transfering sorley needed state revenue to privat developers for no risk govt backed developments.
Comment by Ghost Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:05 pm
The fact is that the plan to significantly increase the cost (to the retirees) of currently free state retiree health insurance was beyond stupid. In 2014 the whole health care landscape will change dramatically. Retirees under 65 will no longer have the legitimate excuse that they can’t obtain insurance. To some extent, health insurance will be subsidized under the new health care plan based on income. The state could still subsidize, I suppose, and probably will, since state legislators get this perk too. But we the taxpayers shouldn’t have to shoulder the entire cost for those who choose to retire early. They can buy on the private market.
Another Quinn/Vaught flip flop. And haven’t they learned yet to get their facts straight before they start making demands on employee unions. Those AFSCME negotiators do this negotiation stuff for a living. Quinn and Vaught…the rankest amateurs.
Meanwhile, I wonder what is happening with free senior rides.Will Quinn be signing that. No unions involved but perhaps some annoyed seniors.
Comment by cassandra Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:10 pm
Ghost:
I wish I knew since he will be voting on SB 2093.
Bradley/Forby keep pushing misinformation saying that only a portion of state sales tax will be used when 100% of the destination project’s taxes will be used.
Comment by Ronbo Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:16 pm
As a state retiree, I think I pay about $165/mo for my health insurance. I don’t know what percent that is of the total cost.I’m pretty certain I don’t pay anything for the health coverage (essentially a Medicare supplement plan) provided by the state. I probably should.
Comment by steve schnorf Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:31 pm
Quinn’s been playing for this Mac Place bill. It’s the only thing virtually every party in the equation has agreed to.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 21, 10 @ 4:31 pm
==The expansion push is happening even faster than I thought it would.==
Sad, really really sad. Mt. Vernon wants to give away its piece of the pie, too…
Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, May 21, 10 @ 8:56 pm
Jones is simply trying to block passage of the STAR bonds bill.
Comment by HW Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:04 pm
The Star Bond legislation is a disaster waiting to happen for the entire state. It is about one thing - making a handful of developers rich quick. Up to 900,000 square feet of regular/tradtional retail with the developer getting all of the local sales tax generated for over 20 years and 25% of all of the state sales tax for over 20 years. Plus, if they build a “destination” retailer the developers get 100%, yes 100%, of the state sales tax for potentially 30 years ! Let’s see how many of our bonehead legislators vote for the largest tax dollar gievaway ever ! And we wonder what this state is in a financial disaster.
Comment by Stop Star Bonds Saturday, May 22, 10 @ 12:52 am