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* Nothing yet from the governor’s office, but could Gov. Rauner lose yet another town?…

The members of the Litchfield City Council met on Thursday, April 30, at Corwin Hall for the city’s monthly committee meetings.

Among the items on the agenda were two motions to rescind the previous votes on resolutions to urge Governor Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly to protect full funding of Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) reserves and to support Governor Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” for local Government Empowerment and Reform.

Both motions to rescind would pass by a 5-2 margin with Alderman Tim Hancock absent. Final vote on the two rescinded motions will come on Tuesday at the full council meeting. During the discussion of the “Turnaround Agenda” resolution, Mayor Steve Dougherty asked the council to consider supporting the agenda, saying that he would rather have the governor think positively of the city than negatively.

* From the Illinois AFL-CIO…

Evanston to consider Rauner anti-worker resolution tonight.
6 p.m., Council Chambers, 2100 Ridge Avenue […]

Alert for upcoming meetings concerning the Rauner anti-worker resolution;

Kane County Board Executive Committee, Wednesday, May 6, 9 a.m in County Board Room, 719 S Batavia Ave, Geneva. Bldg A

Village of Cambridge (Henry County), May 11, 6 p.m., Committee of the Whole, Village Administrative Offices located at 124 West Exchange Street

Iroquois County Board, May 12, 9 a.m., 1001 East Grant Street, Watseka

* In other news, Bernie wrote yesterday about this letter to the governor…

Dear Governor Rauner,

It seems that we, the Canaryville Veterans Riders Association, should have provided you with a little history about the members of this organization.

The majority of us come from immigrant parents, grandparents, or great grandparents, who settled in the area just east of the Chicago stock yards. Our ancestor’s had a tough row to hoe. They mostly worked in the meat industry. They had horrific working and living conditions because the meat barons used them as slave labor until they had had enough and took a stand.

With the help of father Dourney they negotiated a work contract that helped a little with working conditions. Ever since that time we have fought to make sure that workers have rights. That being said, it saddens us that you would pick a fight and blame the state woes on the good working class citizens of our state.

It seems big businesses can spend millions of dollars to buy politicians and their votes so they can skirt rules and regulations while working class people, Union or not, only have one voice in the political arena and that is organized labor.

You may or may not know this but most of our troops and Veteran are working class people. Kids from wealthy families don’t join the military and they don’t go to war. During the draft children of the wealthy had ways to avoid going to war, during your campaign it seemed you understood that. Apparently we fell for more political rhetoric.

You say people should have a right to choose if they want to be Union or not they already have that choice. If you don’t want to be a Union member don’t apply for that job. If you are in a Union shop there is a process you can take if you are not satisfied. First you can elect new officers, second you can vote to decertify. When you say that you’re giving people a choice they already have its a democratic choice.

When we as Veterans signed our name and raised our right hand we swore to uphold and protect our constitution not to uphold executive orders and that goes for both sides of the aisle. There is a Democratic system in place. When we took the oath we did not swear to protect a dictatorship and again that goes for both sides of the aisle.

With that being said it is a consensus amongst the Canaryville Veterans Riders Association that we request the return of our patches that we honorably bestowed upon you. This is an open letter that will be posted in an open forum that will be sent out to other Veterans groups and like minded associations.

You can contact me and I will give you an address or if you like I can send a self address postage paid package to you.

Thank you ,
Tom Russ
President
Canaryville Veterans Riders Association

* Bernie’s piece…

Catherine Kelly, spokeswoman for Rauner, said via email that the governor wanted to meet with the group after the letter was posted and did so in March.

“And while they agreed they don’t see eye-to-eye on some issues, the group was honored the governor took the time to speak with their members and they came to a mutual agreement on the vest,” Kelly wrote. “They have plans to ride together in the future.”

Via the Canaryville group’s website, I sought response from Russ. I received a response from a Michael Tracy, who said the group had no comment at this time.

* Related…

* Smiddy, Rauner debate on Turnaround Agenda won’t happen: Smiddy answered that the debate wasn’t his idea, but since he’d been called out, the two men might as well air it out in public. “I didn’t go looking for this. I was invited and asked to give my views, and I did,” he said.

* Tribune Editorial: The union ties that bind: Rauner will have a significant say in negotiations on the AFSCME contract, which expires this year. This state can’t afford a status quo in which a supervisor can’t pitch in on a problem. It can’t afford to tell well-intentioned volunteers to go away. It can’t afford to waste one dollar on outdated work rules. Not when it faces a $100 billion pension liability. Not when scores of people fear the impact of state spending cuts on services.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 4, 15 @ 11:12 am

Comments

Just because the Governor emails you a resolution does not mean you need to consider it at all. Put the thing in the “trash” folder, then click the “permanently delete” button.

Comment by John A Logan Monday, May 4, 15 @ 11:15 am
===he would rather have the Governor think positively of the city than negatively==

OK then. Whatever he wants.

Comment by walker Monday, May 4, 15 @ 11:24 am
“Hi, um, ‘ck’,…yeah, um, this is Mike Schrimpf and I was wondering… if you had those ‘Tournaround Resolution” reports done… and, um, If you can get that to me… yeah, that would be great…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 4, 15 @ 11:27 am
Retribution for political actions worked well for another governor. A governor who supported our current governor.

Gee, maybe DOT can tear out the 55 ramps. Hard to see the Rt. 66 museum if you can’t get into the city.

Comment by Norseman Monday, May 4, 15 @ 11:31 am
So the Tribune is in favor of allowing higher paid workers to perform work that could and should be performed by someone at a lower rate of pay.
In DOC, correctional officers are assigned to do clerical work because of the lack of office staff. They are paid considerably more, but past administrations would rather hire security personnel because it “looks better”, even though it is more expensive. Sounds like it is the Trib defending the status quo by not arguing to hire people for the jobs which need to be performed

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 4, 15 @ 11:58 am
– What of all the resources wasted on grievances and overtime disputes that could be going to health care or child care or public safety?–

What in.the world is this goof talking about?

The whole Tribbie edit is one non-sequitur after another, starting with the anonymous, unsourced anecdote at the beginning.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, May 4, 15 @ 12:11 pm
I’ll add some of Mayor Dougherty’s comments that appeared in Friday’s Litchfield paper. He says “the turnaround agenda is meant to improve local government power to work for their citizens.” He also confessed “he feels that if Litchfield would ever need help then having those resolutions of support would be in Litchfield’s favor.”

Dougherty is basically going exactly how Rauner wants him to. Dougherty has already had to backtrack on earlier comments that he is fully supportive of Rauner’s proposed budget.

He seems to not want to be an owl. He prefers to be a bobblehead (yes, yes, yes) at this point. My guess is that he hopes this will line him up for bigger and better things as a thanks for his support.

Comment by historic66 Monday, May 4, 15 @ 12:33 pm
Rauner supports the veteran bike riders and hopes to get their families back working in the meat industry soon. Ince he gets rid of prevailing minimium wages and unions, they can live just like their immigrant parents did under the new barons of Chicago…. Well they woukd be the Barons of Chicago but they have so many places to live they are not really tied to one city anymore……

Upton sinclair sequel, the jungle 2, the return to the goold
Old days!

Comment by Ghost Monday, May 4, 15 @ 12:39 pm
I think that Rauner should really pick the low hanging fruit first regarding unions, then move on from there.

Cases in point? Prohibiting teacher and other public worker strikes and ending “Prevailing Wage”

I think the citizens would overwhelmingly support those protections for their children and communities.

Comment by Arizona Bob Monday, May 4, 15 @ 1:24 pm
==ending “Prevailing Wage”==

You think that’s low hanging fruit? There’s no way Prevailing Wage goes away in Illinois. Ain’t. Gonna. Happen.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, May 4, 15 @ 1:27 pm
@Arizona Bob - your not in Arizona.

Comment by Hyperbolic Chamber Monday, May 4, 15 @ 1:29 pm
I’m sure many if you saw this the SJR. Maybe he’ll return the patches then;)

http://m.sj-r.com/article/20150502/OPINION/150509910/2011/OPINION

Comment by Anon221 Monday, May 4, 15 @ 1:31 pm
===Cases in point? Prohibiting teacher and other public worker strikes and ending “Prevailing Wage”

I think the citizens would overwhelmingly support those protections for their children and communities.===

(Sigh)

“Low hanging fruit” - I don’t think it means what you think it means.

That. Won’t. Happen.

Low hanging fruit? Yikes.

“I think the citizens would overwhelmingly support those protections for their children and communities.”

A talking point doesn’t make it factually accurate.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 4, 15 @ 1:40 pm
Is there a tally being kept somewhere of the munis that have passed and not passed this agenda?
The issue is coming before my little village board’s agenda tomorrow and I was hoping for some stats.

Comment by Scholarlyish Monday, May 4, 15 @ 1:45 pm
- Scholarlyish -,

The wins are tallied by “ck” in the Governor’s Office.

The defeats or tabled resolutions are being tabulated by everyone but “ck” and the Governor’s Office.

It’s too deflating to have to send an email listing your defeats.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 4, 15 @ 1:52 pm
did Capt Fax mention that despite a personal begging spiel the Illinois Municipal League Board voted to table their own watered down version of the resolution?

Comment by Anonin' Monday, May 4, 15 @ 2:08 pm
Scholarlyish check here for a running tally- http://www.ift-aft.org/news/2015/04/13/rauner-s-turnaround-agenda-coming-soon-to-a-town-near-you

Comment by Anon Monday, May 4, 15 @ 2:19 pm
Anon,
Thank you! That is exactly what I was hoping for.

Comment by Scholarlyish Monday, May 4, 15 @ 2:24 pm
Everyday this stupid political stunt lives is another day this governor bleeds support in public.

When you not only get rejected across the state, you have local politicians would rather eat crow and be publically humiliated, jump off your band wagon - you got yourself into a lose-lose situation.

RTW has been debated, and it is a loser among those who voted for Rauner as well as those who voted for Quinn.

Rauner is peddling a skunk and calling it a mink. He looks ridiculous.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, May 4, 15 @ 2:42 pm
==Mayor Steve Dougherty asked the council to consider supporting the agenda, saying that he would rather have the governor think positively of the city than negatively.==

Shouldn’t a mayor have a heck of a lot more things to do and worry about than what the Governor thinks of his town?

Comment by btowntruth Monday, May 4, 15 @ 2:57 pm
And Bob,eliminating “Prevailing Wage” might not have the effect that you think it will.

And explain to us just how eliminating “Prevailing Wage” helps children and communities.

Comment by btowntruth Monday, May 4, 15 @ 2:59 pm
On prohibiinrg strikes, the union would secretly be all for legislation that prohibits strikes. If you prohibit strikes then then workers get the right to have an arbitrator select the terms of the contract if there is no agreement. So they could have an arbitrator grant all the pay raises etc.

Comment by Ghost Monday, May 4, 15 @ 3:31 pm
Look at Wisconsin… No strike and no arbitration.

Comment by Steve Monday, May 4, 15 @ 5:49 pm
- Steve -,

Illinois isn’t Wisconsin.

You’re welcome.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 4, 15 @ 5:56 pm
“I think the citizens would overwhelmingly support those protections for their children and communities.”

Yeah, no, if there’s one thing parents hate more than teachers’ unions, it’s school administrators.

Comment by Educated in the Suburbs Monday, May 4, 15 @ 6:34 pm
@Arizona Bob
You forgot to mention that Arizona has been sued for not funding education or paying their pensions like they are supposed to.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 4, 15 @ 8:27 pm
A couple of proposed bills would stop an arbitrator from considering taxes and/or future taxes when considering wages and benefits for public employee contracts.

Comment by Minnow Monday, May 4, 15 @ 9:47 pm