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* All of this site’s current advertisers are stirring things up in Illinois. For instance, I received this same robocall the other day, which offers to connect you to your state legislator…
State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, is among those targeted by the phone campaign. His office has been flooded with about 100 calls a day this week from people who were contacted by a group called “Illinois Is Broke.”
Brady said some people believe he’s the one initiating the calls.
“They think this is coming from my office. It’s not,” Brady said. “I have nothing to do with it. They are extremely misleading.” […]
Like Brady, state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, said his office phones have been clogged by callers on both sides of the pension question.
“They are running people scared,” Bost said. “This is pretty extreme stuff.”
* Americans for Prosperity and the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago are partners on the “Illinois is Broke” campaign, which is running radio ads …
* It’s Our Problem… Click to download
* Springfield Math… Click to download
* The Sweet Deal… Click to download
* And on the other side…
In Illinois, where pensions have been underfunded for decades, Democratic House Speaker Michael J. Madigan says it’s time to consider cutting benefits. Senate President John Cullerton, also a Democrat, is backing a bill to make retirees pay a bigger share of premiums for health care and to force school districts to shoulder more of the teacher-retirement costs. Republican Governor Pat Quinn has said that he would prefer negotiating with unions to win concessions, but has not threatened to veto legislation to cut benefits. Lawmakers may act before the legislative session ends on May 31. “We paid our share for the pension, and the politicians did not put in their fair share,” says Kathy Reno, 55, a certified nurse’s aide at the state-run LaSalle Veterans Home, who makes about $38,000 a year. “Why should we be punished for something they didn’t do?”
To fight the proposed changes, a coalition of public and private labor groups called We Are One Illinois has launched a $1 million ad campaign. “All I have is the pension I paid for,” says one voice in a 30-second spot featuring a firefighter, teacher, and police officer. “But the politicians broke their promise, failed to make payments. And now they want to punish me for their mess?”
* We have advertisers on both sides of this issue as well…
The battle over reshaping the way Central Illinois families and businesses are charged for electric and natural gas service is coming down to the wire with no clear winner in sight.
At issue is House Bill 14 in the state legislature that would allow Ameren Illinois and Commonwealth Edison to receive annual delivery cost rate hikes for electricity and natural gas that would be subject to review only after they go into effect. […]
But the bill’s stance may be undergoing some voltage fluctuations. An amended version is in the works that apparently would make the bill more palatable to the governor and other critics. This tweaked version wasn’t made public as of Thursday, but opponents already fear it will offer only cosmetic alterations in an attempt to make Quinn put down his veto pen. […]
Ameren counters by saying the critics are misrepresenting how the new delivery fee system would work. It said the proposal would be more efficient than the present system, which dates to the 1920s, and ensures a more reliable and timely revenue stream for utilities to recoup their costs and investment. But the company said that does not mean it gets an blank check to charge whatever it wants.
* More news about yet another advertiser…
Though the state ranked second in most new wind added in 2010, Illinois wind farm development could come to a halt this summer.
According to the American Wind Energy Association, the state’s industry faces a substantial financial hurdle if Illinois’ in-state preference expires as scheduled June 1, 2011.
The in-state preference requires the Illinois Power Agency, which is responsible for meeting the state’s rising requirement to use electricity from renewable sources, to procure that electricity from facilities located in Illinois. Only if such in-state power is exhausted can the IPA buy from outside, first from states that adjoin Illinois, then from elsewhere.
“If the General Assembly does not extend the geographic preference, the industry could lose momentum,” said Brad Lystra, director of the AWEA. “If developers can’t finance projects, then we can’t put shovels in the ground.”
* The SJ-R editorialized about an advertiser’s issue…
We have grown incredibly weary of the casinos’ whining about having to operate within the laws of this state. In fact, Illinois went to great trouble to change its laws 20 years ago to allow casinos to operate here at all. The state has done nothing in the years since but make it easier for the gambling industry here.
The Illinois Clean Indoor Air act protects all employees and patrons of businesses in Illinois. That includes those in casinos. This is a public health issue, not a money issue.
* And SEIU Healthcare’s ads against cuts to various state programs were recently scrutinized…
“(But) because it’s so removed from the outcomes, groups are usually reluctant to take that kind of effort, to put those resources in that kind of effort, when it’s much more direct for them to send their lobbyists over to talk to a public official,” Morrison said.
These messages sometimes lose focus.
“Advocacy groups are often times providing information in a way that is advantageous to their organization and loses the broader context,” said Philip Habel, a professor at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
SEIU Healthcare is advocating the state’s Community Care Program, Childcare Assistance Program and the Home Service Program be fully funded. And the advertisement campaign will play a part in getting that done, Seibert said.
* Related…
* The Truth About The Pension Fight
* Mike Carrigan: Labor groups unite to spread word on pensions
* Legis.ature ends controversial county pension program
* Environment Illinois Highlights Efficiency Efforts in State
* Illinois Wind Power Said Mostly Untapped
* Wind Power’s Future May Depend On Gas Fracking’s Fate: Panel
* Wind turbines still in the forecast for Sangamon County
* SEIU Healthcare Illinois Releases Ad Fighting For Disability Services
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 13, 11 @ 12:25 pm
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“Republican Governor Pat Quinn”? Bwahaha, BusinessWeek.
Comment by SockPuppet Friday, May 13, 11 @ 12:33 pm
I didn’t catch that. Pretty funny, indeed.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 13, 11 @ 12:34 pm
Welcome to “Pile on State Worker Session” where the state worker gets the blame for everything!
Com-Ed and Excellon lobbied HARD against the Tenaska Taylorville project for a lot of the same reasons they are now trying to get. I hope this does not get overlooked. They cost central Illinois a 1+ BILLION dollar project along with 1000’s of jobs, now they want to pad their pocket….Wait, its the state workers fault!
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Friday, May 13, 11 @ 12:53 pm
Oh one other point, the Civic Club of Chicago is made up of CEO’s of industry….Why don’t they show us their benefits package and salaries….
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Friday, May 13, 11 @ 12:55 pm
==Republican Governor Pat Quinn==
I know he switches his position a lot, but this one is a bit much. LOL
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, May 13, 11 @ 1:13 pm
“civic committee of the commercial club of chicago” can’t they just say commercial club of chicago?
Comment by Shore Friday, May 13, 11 @ 1:20 pm
I too would like to see what the salaries and benefits are for the members of the Commercial Club of Chicago. I still haven’t figured out how tax cuts equate to more jobs when the people at the top keep all the money. If the wealthiest 5% accumulate all the money is it any shock that the economy is in the tank because 95% of everyone else doesn’t have a dime to spend. But what the heck…they won, right?
Comment by DoubleD Friday, May 13, 11 @ 1:25 pm
Why are the elected politicos using the public employees as the “whipping boy” of the day?
Rather than encouraging people to become public employees, the politicians driving talanted and dedicated people away public service.
My daughter wants to be an english teacher, given the toxic conditions, I just shake my head and wonder if whe will ever see her dream come true.
My last comment has to do with the pension problem. Why are the public employees, who have their share of the pension deducted from their pay check, being blamed for the pension problems when it was the GA that never funded the state’s share of the pension?
Comment by Huh? Friday, May 13, 11 @ 1:25 pm
I’d argue that the public employees should have been paying a lot more all along, but instead their contributions were based on a lot of wishing and hoping and wanting to keep them happy on election day, which is not a good way to run an actuarially sound pension. Unfortunately, they didn’t know that, and I’ll bet their union reps didn’t want to tell them. So what do we do know?
Comment by lakeview Friday, May 13, 11 @ 1:30 pm
- DoubleD - Friday, May 13, 11 @ 1:25 pm:
“I too would like to see what the salaries and benefits are for the members of the Commercial Club of Chicago. I still haven’t figured out how tax cuts equate to more jobs when the people at the top keep all the money. If the wealthiest 5% accumulate all the money is it any shock that the economy is in the tank because 95% of everyone else doesn’t have a dime to spend. But what the heck…they won, right?”
Increasing wealth is the only method to improve everyone’s standard of living. You may find these two facts illuminating:
The wealth do not have gold bars buried in their back yards. It is invested in job creating industries, for the most part.
And, quite frankly, the money the wealthy have is theirs, not yours, not mine, and not the government. They can do with it as they please.
You would be better focusing on the various tax breaks and subsidies given to various entities.
Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, May 13, 11 @ 4:03 pm
Rich,
Do you need to be more selective of your advertisers?
;-{)>
Have a good weekend!
Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, May 13, 11 @ 4:25 pm
===Do you need to be more selective of your advertisers?===
I’m very selective. They have to be able to afford it.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 13, 11 @ 5:12 pm