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* I’m having one of those mornings, campers. So, talk amongst yourselves for awhile and I’ll be back as soon as I can. Keep it Illinois-centric and be nice because I don’t have time this morning to police your comments. Thanks.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:12 am

Comments

I find that despite politics, Illinois is still one of the best states to raise a family.

Comment by Pleasantly surprised Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:16 am
ACLU really going to sue Cook County assessors office? What impact on 2018 elections would that have, if any?

Comment by Just Visiting Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:17 am
@Pleasantly surprised

Thanks for starting off the thread on a positive note. I definitely enjoyed growing up here & I have no plans to leave this great state.

Comment by Chicago_Downstater Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:18 am
It’s opening day of shotgun deer season here in Southern Illinois

Comment by Saluki Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:19 am
Happy Friday to all

Comment by Dirty Red Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:19 am
@pleasantly surprise

Agreed. On this topic, I find Illinois Policy’s rhetoric so ironic…they are legitimately advocating for people to leave the state… And the people who are listening are the same people who would vote in line with Illinois Policy anyway. So does IP want to make Illinois better or get everyone to move out? Then Rauner adds to the narrative with the governor’s commercial. We need a renewed sense of pride in this state! There’s a lot of good here!

Comment by Northside Southerner Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:20 am
It’s been harder to get signatures this year. A lot of people say they’re sick of politics.

I also wonder if the word is getting out that by signing a petition you’re putting yourself at risk of getting subpoenaed and having to miss a day of work to testify at the Board of Elections.

Comment by Grand Avenue Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:21 am
Former State Rep Lisa Dugan (D) may try to reclaim her old seat in the 79th against Freshman Rep Lindsay Parkhurst (R).

I say Dugan’s going to run and Proft will have to sent big $ defending the seat.

Dugan wins it.

Comment by We'll See Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:25 am
Used to work with a lot of deer hunters whom I swapped many a log of sausage for canned items, my forte. Got into a discussion yesterday about the difference in shooting a deer to feed your family and finding a herd of elephants in Africa and shooting one so they can lop off the head for a wall mounted trophy back here. He just couldn’t see the difference…

Comment by Mouthy Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:25 am
1. Hey, Rich. Hope you’re feeling O.K., and your absence is just a cluster pileup on the schedule.

2. @Saluki: Call the Sheriff!; the deer are shooting back!..oh, wait…you mean…uh…nevermind!

Comment by rivvedup Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:26 am
===Hope you’re feeling O.K===

I feel fine. Just frustrated at my apparent inability to finish the Fax today.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:32 am
Bless you, @Pleasantly surprised and @Chicago_Downstater. Amid all the (often justified) criticism of our state, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the good things.

Comment by Crispy Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:33 am
First day of firearm season. Be careful driving, deer act especially squirrely this time of year.

Comment by efudd Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:34 am
BIG NEWS - Danny Davis just said on WBEZ he’s endorsing for Governor on Sunday and people might be surprised

Comment by Grand Avenue Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:42 am
===It’s opening day of shotgun deer season here in Southern Illinois===

Which also means it’s an optional attendance day in many of the school districts.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:43 am
This is what frusterates me, I’ve been to many other states and countries - IL is great!! The public schools are really bad in other states - so I don’t mind paying property taxes for not only good schools; but all the other local services. Why do people want a Cadillac system while only wanting to pay a Ford Fiesta basic model no upgrades price?? They will gladly pat $1,000 for a new iPhone without blinking. Whosethe entitled class??

Comment by Scott Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:44 am
“I find Illinois Policy’s rhetoric so ironic…they are legitimately advocating for people to leave the state… And the people who are listening are the same people who would vote in line with Illinois Policy anyway.”

Not a good way to grow the brand, is it?

Comment by a drop in Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:46 am
Serious question: Does anyone know if the state can or has made monetary settlements in sexual harassment cases involving legislators, executive branch employees or the judiciary?

I ask after the revelation a couple of days ago that
Congress has secretly paid settlements involving lawmakers to the tune of $17M.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:47 am
=I feel fine. Just frustrated at my apparent inability to finish the Fax today.=

Send you’re working draft over to me, I’ll finish it up for you.

Comment by Colin O'Scopey Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:48 am
Rich: stay focused on the Fax. We’ll play nice over here and stay light.

Accordingly, here are some soft QOTDs:

Who is the one true God ?
Cubs: beat franchise in baseball or in any sport ?
Trump. Trump ? Trump !
Madigan. Madigan ? Madigan !

Comment by Scott Cross for President Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:50 am
I marked my calendar with December 13 as the deadline for Bruce and ILRB to appeal the step increases decision. I wonder what they’ll say. Any guesses?

Comment by Frank Grimes Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:51 am
=Does anyone know if the state can or has made monetary settlements in sexual harassment cases involving legislators, executive branch employees or the judiciary?=

While I may have missed it discussed here, there is a tempest brewing in Iowa (that’s our neighbors to the west for those new to the state). The State of Iowa had to pay out a 7 figure settlement after the courts ruled in favor of a Republican Senate staffer who sued over sexual harassment from a fellow staffer. It’s getting messy over by there.

Comment by Colin O'Scopey Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:52 am
If there is a document it should be FOIA able Word. Unless house and Senate exempted their documents

Comment by David Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:53 am
I grew up near Chicago, worked in San Diego and Virginia, came back to Illinois. I like it here.

Comment by OldIllini Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:55 am
Wordslinger I am aware of a few judicial based ones

Comment by Ghost Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 9:58 am
Word, I read 15 million; however, the report I read said it did not all represent sexual harassment settlements and that it was a very onerous process to determine the figure for that.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:00 am
== I find that despite politics, Illinois is still one of the best states to raise a family. ==

Illinois isn’t anywhere as bad as the current Governor makes it out to be. Mostly affordable housing outside Cook and the collars.

Big city crime has started to creep out and downstate, but I have to wonder how much of that is a result of the social services collapse? It’s only in pockets; most of the State is still safe.

We all gripe about the weather, but let’s be honest … we may not have warm sunny skies every day, but we also don’t have the extreme heat, forest fires, devastating earthquakes, and hurricanes with flooding the coasts have, just the occasional tornado.

Could Illinois be better?

Yes. The biggest problem is the debt and tax structure. But that won’t get fixed until we have a Governor that wants to build the State up instead of year it down and sell it off.

I’m hopeful the next Governor and General Assembly will tackle the two major issues: progressive taxation and state level school funding. Still think one or more of the candidates should be pushing an income tax / property tax swap.

Comment by RNUG Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:04 am
Since the lid has been blown off the sewer line (“Weinstein Effect”), we will see some major ugly yet to come, and ultimately, it will be a positive, painful positive.. One aspect is the gross hypocracy of those who have pointed fingers and called for justice, when they themselves have been guilty. I have not been guilty of the more egregious crimes noted, but my youth was during the 50s and 60’s, and the verbal culpability (jokes, come on’s, whistles, - yep, I’ve been there). Hugh Hefner, Mad Men, the culture invited, if not encouraged, the behavior that is now - properly - being condemned. I won’t weep over my sins, or go to rehab, or climb up my own cross. I was wrong, it was wrong, try not to repeat it.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:13 am
I met Jesse White for the first time last night, he was at the Addison Library for a Family Reading Night event– Rep. Kathleen Willis was there as well. The audience was mostly Hispanic kids, Sec. White knew some Spanish phrases, talked about how he was invited to Spring Training for the Cubs but went in to the Army instead, and talked about reading– man was he smooth. That was his 7th event of the day, he said he goes to bed at 2am and wakes up at 6am everyday.

Comment by Lunchbox Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:19 am
McCarter endorses Jeanne Ives

Comment by DuPage Bard Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:23 am
Grand Avenue,

If you’ll excuse my ignorance, why would one be subpoenaed for signing a petition? And how often does that happen.

I’ve signed quite a few the past week.

Comment by pto Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:27 am
Well Said RNUG..

Comment by Shake Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:32 am
Listen. Illinois has appeal on many levels. I have to differ with those that comment on affordable living. Housing? Maybe. Property taxes? No no no. $6k a year on a $220k home is ridiculous. This alone will push me out when I retire in a few years.

Comment by Wait a sec Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:40 am
Why would an r congress critter from illinios sign off the gop tax overhaul if its worse for their constituents? I saw NJ and Cal r’s get away from it but not so much Illinois?

Comment by ? Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:41 am
If an objector alleges that the signature isn’t yours or that a circulator didn’t circulate the sheet, you might find yourself subpoenaed to answer some questions to that effect.

Comment by Grand Avenue Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:56 am
If Jeanne Ives pulls out a victory here… that could be a big of an upset as any in recent memory.

The monies she’s got to start with, let’s see how she spends that cash.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:00 am
Ghost, thanks. Did those judicial payouts require legislative/executive approval? Were they publicly disclosed?

From memory, the only Illinois government sexual harassment payout that comes to mind is when Cook County had to shell out mid-six figures to settle a lawsuit brought against Marty Walsh, who was Sheriff Sheahan’s patronage chief and top political payroller.

I had mutual friends with Marty back in the day and we’d occasionally end up in the same group at the Goat, Rossis or Pat Harans. The dude was out of control.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:20 am
I hope Ives is able to pressure Rauner into a debate before the primary. That alone would be a victory for her. There is no chance she gets over 30% however.

Comment by poe Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:25 am
The Ives/Rauner debate question is an interesting one.

My guess is if Ives makes the ballot Rauner will pretend like she doesn’t exist, in order not to raise her very low name recognition.

Ives will call him chicken-hearted, but I think there’s no way Rauner would agree to debate her. She’d force him off-script and beat him like a rented mule, reducing him to a stuttering, muttering mess. He’s hopeless off-script.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:35 am
== I have to differ with those that comment on affordable living. Housing? Maybe. Property taxes? No no no. ==

Primarily because of the State’s lack of school funding support. If you fix that as I suggested, the local property taxes could probably be cut anywhere from 35% to 70% … depending on how far the State increased their support.

Comment by RNUG Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:58 am