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An “appearance of backroom deals” likely just a case of “lost in the shuffle”

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* Yesterday at the Illinois Policy Institute…

Andrew Hamilton has made millions through an obscure economic development tool that has flown under the radar of Illinois government watchdogs for years.

Recent actions by Gov. Bruce Rauner, the Illinois House of Representatives and Kane County officials suggested that cash flow could soon come to an end. But the Illinois Senate appears to be sitting on its hands – a concerning response to an official under fire for profiting from public influence.

The bill in question is SB2367 and it’s sponsored by Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake). Her original bill as sponsored was dependent upon the passage of two other bills, only one of which actually passed, so Bush apparently lost track of it when the House did a last-minute gut and replace on the final day of the spring session.

Sen. Bush was clearly surprised when I showed her the Illinois Policy Institute story yesterday and told me she had no idea that the bill had been amended in the House and said she would remove her name as its sponsor.

* From the governor’s office…

Dear Senator Cullerton,

It has come to our attention that the bipartisan reforms of the state’s regional economic development authorities contained within SB2367 as amended have not moved from the Senate Assignments committee since July.

As you know, the reforms of the Regional Economic Development authority were passed out of the Illinois House unanimously, with a vote of 108-0 on May 31st; the bill was then placed on the Senate calendar of concurrence on June 7th before being sent to the Senate Committee on Assignments on July 8th.

The reforms contained in this bill were highlighted in a letter our administration sent to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity highlighting the apparent conflicts of interest and lack of transparency contained within the RDA system. House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie praised the reforms by noting that: “The regional economic development authorities are not as transparent as they should be, are not as open to the public as they must be.” Adding, “the Governor’s reform proposals are excellent. The idea that there should be no conflict of interest, within these agencies that they should have to report their activities, that people know what kind of financing they’re arranging, I think that makes excellent sense.”

When simple commonsense reforms like these get buried in a Senate committee it gives the appearance of backroom deals cut by insiders in Springfield to stop reforms intended to serve the taxpayer instead of special interests. I believe the public is owed a prompt concurrence vote in the Senate, this week, on these good government reforms. A vote this week will show the public that the Illinois Senate is dedicated to protecting the taxpayer from conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and government waste

Sincerely,
Bruce Rauner
Governor, State of Illinois

…Adding… The more I think about this, the more it sticks in my craw. If the governor had a properly functioning legislative liaison staff, Sen. Bush would’ve been notified months ago about the amendment and maybe she could’ve either handed off the bill to another sponsor or moved it to the governor’s desk in the first week of the veto session. Instead the governor makes some charge about backroom deals at the end of the last week of veto session.

Typical.

…Adding More… As we’ve already discussed, the governor just met with Senate President Cullerton yesterday. Perhaps he could’ve brought it up then? Or did he only discover the problem when the Illinois Policy Institute wrote its story? And what does that say about him?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 12:27 pm

Comments

Yeah Bruce we’ll get right on it. Would you like anything else?

Comment by Trapped in the 'burbs Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 12:33 pm
Dear Governor,
And what was the story on the old Barney’s furniture store lease?

Comment by A Jack Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 12:39 pm
Please provide a link to the Illinois Policy Institite story.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 12:49 pm
Anonymous, the link is there. Open your eyes. If you cannot use a blog, don’t come here.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 12:52 pm
= it gives the appearance of backroom deals cut by insiders in Springfield =

Which infringe on the insider deals he wants to cut.

Go away Bruce.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 12:55 pm
This Governor was never interested in really passing legislation. He had no staff or infrastructure or strategy to get bills passed. It was all about yelling and playing to the cameras. Good riddens. (And I voted for him the first time!)

Comment by Not It Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 12:58 pm
===If the governor had a properly functioning legislative liaison staff===

This Administration’s contempt for governing, except where damage can be inflicted… if it can’t legislatively be done… is seen time and again, this time in the process of legislation.

Rauner tries to place blame when a normally functioning relationship should exist between the two branches, party not an issue.

I won’t miss this administration.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:00 pm
– the governor just met with Senate President Cullerton yesterday. Perhaps he could’ve brought it up then? —

As you can see from the photo, Bruce wasn’t wearing the Carhartt jacket of courage so he didn’t feel up to asking any tough questions.

Comment by Tom Threat Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:07 pm
And I worked for him the first time…

Comment by Political Animal Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:08 pm
Dear Governor Rauner:

You’re still here?

Love and kisses,

John

Comment by DougChicago Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:09 pm
= If the governor had a properly functioning legislative liaison staff.. =

They resigned/were purged and work for the House Republicans now.

= And what does that say about him? =

Comment by Dirty Red Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:10 pm
This little story is a great metaphor for Governor Rauner’s tenure. It tells you pretty much all you need to know about his approach to governing and his penchant for explaining why problems are never his fault. He’s just a bystander, helpfully pointing out where others did something wrong.

Illinois’s Blamer in Chief.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:11 pm
This is very typical of those who are corrupt and amoral. Always publicly accuse your opponents of the very activity you in which you are engaged.

Comment by Al Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:16 pm
Does anyone believe the IPI anymore?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:22 pm
Never governed. Why start now?

Can’t pass up a chance to lecture and criticize

Comment by Langhorne Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:23 pm
47th, I concur on almost everything except the “Illinois’s” thing. No need for that extra “s” at the end.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:24 pm
Auto correct. I never use the extraneous s on the possessive of Illinois.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:26 pm
Anon at 1:22 missed the point.

IPI is credible and broke a story about internal legislative workings that was unknown to the Governor or the bill sponsor.

Comment by Political Animal Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 1:29 pm
I find it interesting that the story and many of the people commenting pile the blame upon Gov Rauner instead of the person / people who amended the bill without notifying the sponsor.

Comment by Interesting Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 2:02 pm
===instead of the person / people who amended the bill without notifying the sponsor===

BFC sponsors a kabillion bills. If Rauner wanted it passed, it’s up to Rauner to do something. All they had to do was pick up the phone for 2 minutes in like six months.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 2:06 pm
Yes, let’s blame the governor for actions taken in the House. I’m really worried about who Rich is going to hate once Rauner leaves office.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 2:51 pm
===let’s blame the governor for actions taken in the House===

I’m not blaming him for the House action. What a completely ludicrous thing to say.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 2:55 pm
@Anonymous, there’s probably plenty of “blame” to go around for this bill to almost fall through the cracks. And yeah, some of it falls on Rauner. Get over it.

Comment by Perrid Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 2:57 pm
Actually it is unlikely GovJunk knows anything about all this stuff — as usual. Credit should go to some former DCEO hacks who want to control things.
Funny the “local control” team still thinks they should be able to tell locals what they can control and how to control it.
BTW any earnings came from fees from financings and not tax dollars

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 2:57 pm
==let’s blame the governor for actions taken in the House==

He wasn’t. He was blaming the Governor for his inability to govern. Stuff like this shouldn’t be that hard. This is one of many examples of his failures in the governing process.

==I’m really worried about who Rich is going to hate once Rauner leaves office.==

I’m really worried about all of you victims.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 3:37 pm
And let’s not kid ourselves … Uncle Brucie doesn’t even know any of this is going on much less what it all means. This is just some last gasp effort by one of his petty little ineffective staffers to be relevant before they head to the dustbin of history.

Comment by DougChicago Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 3:51 pm
In corrupt one-party rule counties like Whiteside, these regional development authorities are being utilized as a weapon to break up and destroy family farms by replacing them with wind turbines and solar arrays. Whiteside county board chairman Jim Duffy serves as The Great Helmsman to guide the working classes towards their glorious future on the corporate plantation. Duffy passes as the resident intellectual, he was a high school teacher.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 4:55 pm
Having worked with these organizations, this is another instance of the Governor and his appointees looking to put their thumb on everything.

First, IPI says Andrew Hamilton has made millions, but their own article says it is a total of 2,080,892 over 8 years, meaning he’s made 260k per year. Not a bad salary, but hardly running away with the bank.

Second, as for lack of transparency: all the RDA’s are subject to transparency laws governments are. In addition to that, the group I worked with had a county appointee from each of the counties it covered, and a Governor’s appointee from each of the counties it covered. Guess how often a Governor appointment happens? Only when a county asks the Governor to appoint someone there.

Third: all members have to fill out economic interests forms that are filed with the County Clerks Office.

Finally, as another person pointed out, these organizations only get revenue from their services. Their services are offering the ability for the bank financing the project to tap into tax exempt industrial bonds. Meaning industrial projects are slightly cheaper to do in the State of Illinois.

Anyone I ever talked to who’s worked with an RDA has always said they are a great thing for the State.

Comment by Anon2 Wednesday, Nov 28, 18 @ 6:27 pm