By Caitlin Rydinsky
The House voted Friday in favor of allowing Illinoisans to voice their opinion on the November ballot about a proposal to tax income over $1 million at a higher rate.
House Speaker Michael Madigan sponsored House Bill 3816, which would allow for a advisory ballot question to ask voters what they think of a proposed additional three percent tax on income over $1 million. The revenue would be distributed to schools based on the number of students. Madigan proposed the tax as a constitutional amendment but was unable to get the support needed for it to pass.
Homewood Democratic Rep. William Davis, who is chairman of the House education budgeting committee, said cutting more money from education would hinder the children within schools throughout the state. “This bill is a moderate request of those who earn billions, hundreds of millions, from the people of our state.”
Republican Rep. Mike Bostf Murphysboro questioned if the potential revenue would actually be used for education. He said: “Folks, we taxed the people of the state, and from what I have seen it has not been invested in education of the state. And yet we want a referendum to tax millionaires in the state. It is easy to target the millionaires of the state.” Republicans say that such a tax would result in job lose and a decrease in revenues generated to the state because of closures, layoffs or large businesses not coming to the state.
Republicans said that because the original amendment did not have the support to pass, there is no reason to take the issue the public. But Madigan says he is confident that voters would respond differently than lawmakers on the nonbinding ballot question. “I think the Illinois voter is an intelligent and informed voter, and more than willing to participate in the electoral process.” Madigan said that the question would allow voters to help legislators make a decision on the bill after the election.
Rep. Ron Sandack, a Republican from Downers Grove, said that the ballot question and with another proposal from Madigan that would ask voters about increasing the minimum wage are politically motivated to get Democratic voters out to the polls in November. He said that Madigan's efforts to allow for voter input were sincere, the two citizens’ initiatives for constitutional amendments would not be facing a court challenge filed by a lawyer with close ties to Madigan. Groups supporting term limits and a change to the way the state draws it legislative districts both collected signatures to put proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot. The groups’ petitions are currently being reviewed by the Illinois State Board of Election.
If the legislation passes the in Senate and is signed by Gov. Pat Quinn, voters will be able to weigh in on the additional tax for the affluent during the November election.
Showing posts with label election 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label election 2014. Show all posts
Friday, May 23, 2014
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
House approves minimum wage ballot question
By Jamey Dunn
The House passed legislation that would allow voters to weigh in on the state’s minimum wage.
House Bill 3814 would place a question on the November general election ballot asking voters if the state’s minimum wage for workers over 18 years old should be raised to $10 an hour by 2015. Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Pat Quinn back an increase, but House Speaker Michael Madigan said last month that he did not have the vote to pass one. “It became apparent that there were some significant differences in opinion regarding this issue,” Madigan said on the House floor Tuesday. The referendum would not be legally binding, making it little more than a poll of voters on the issue. However, Madigan said that the results of a ballot questions could provide supporters with “evidence” that they could use to get an increase passed in the future. “It’s clear that we need to do more to help reduce economic inequality,” he said. “There’s just no way to support a family on a minimum wage of $8.25 an hour.”
Senate President John Cullerton has said that he has the support to pass a wage increase in his chamber, so it is likely that the ballot question would pass in the Senate. Quinn has repeatedly called for an increase, so it seems probable that he would sign the bill. Also, such a ballot question might help with Democratic get-out-the-vote efforts in November— especially considering that the national party and President Barack Obama have been focusing on the issue recently.
Republicans said that a minimum wage increase could hurt job growth in the state. Some argued that lawmakers were shirking their responsibility by putting the question to voters. “Folks, do we really want to become California? The California legislature can’t make a tough decision without saying, ‘Oh, we’ve got to put it on the ballot,’” said Rep. David Harris “We, the legislature, are supposed to decide on these tough public policy issues.” However, a group of Republicans from both chambers introduced legislation to include an advisory ballot question about a proposed extension of the current income tax rates. “We’re asking the Democrat majority, ‘Before you break your promise and make your job-killing tax hike permanent, why not ask the people how they feel,” said Palatine Republican Sen. Matt Murphy. When the proposal came up on the floor during the debate over the minimum wage question, Madigan said, “On this side of the aisle, we’re working our way through the question of extending the income tax increase.” Madigan says he is lobbying House Democrats to extend the current tax rates, which are scheduled to begin stepping down next fiscal year. He told reporters yesterday that the plan is “significantly” short of the support needed to pass.
The House passed legislation that would allow voters to weigh in on the state’s minimum wage.
House Bill 3814 would place a question on the November general election ballot asking voters if the state’s minimum wage for workers over 18 years old should be raised to $10 an hour by 2015. Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Pat Quinn back an increase, but House Speaker Michael Madigan said last month that he did not have the vote to pass one. “It became apparent that there were some significant differences in opinion regarding this issue,” Madigan said on the House floor Tuesday. The referendum would not be legally binding, making it little more than a poll of voters on the issue. However, Madigan said that the results of a ballot questions could provide supporters with “evidence” that they could use to get an increase passed in the future. “It’s clear that we need to do more to help reduce economic inequality,” he said. “There’s just no way to support a family on a minimum wage of $8.25 an hour.”
Senate President John Cullerton has said that he has the support to pass a wage increase in his chamber, so it is likely that the ballot question would pass in the Senate. Quinn has repeatedly called for an increase, so it seems probable that he would sign the bill. Also, such a ballot question might help with Democratic get-out-the-vote efforts in November— especially considering that the national party and President Barack Obama have been focusing on the issue recently.
Republicans said that a minimum wage increase could hurt job growth in the state. Some argued that lawmakers were shirking their responsibility by putting the question to voters. “Folks, do we really want to become California? The California legislature can’t make a tough decision without saying, ‘Oh, we’ve got to put it on the ballot,’” said Rep. David Harris “We, the legislature, are supposed to decide on these tough public policy issues.” However, a group of Republicans from both chambers introduced legislation to include an advisory ballot question about a proposed extension of the current income tax rates. “We’re asking the Democrat majority, ‘Before you break your promise and make your job-killing tax hike permanent, why not ask the people how they feel,” said Palatine Republican Sen. Matt Murphy. When the proposal came up on the floor during the debate over the minimum wage question, Madigan said, “On this side of the aisle, we’re working our way through the question of extending the income tax increase.” Madigan says he is lobbying House Democrats to extend the current tax rates, which are scheduled to begin stepping down next fiscal year. He told reporters yesterday that the plan is “significantly” short of the support needed to pass.
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Legislative panel plans probe of Quinn's anti-violence initiative
By Jamey Dunn
A legislative commission that reviews state audits voted today to activate its subpoena power to look into Gov. Pat Quinn’s troubled anti-violence program.
A scathing audit from Auditor General William Holland thrust the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative (NRI) into the spotlight earlier this year. According to the report, the program did not use a competitive bidding process to select the providers and dole out grants but instead relied on recommendations from Chicago aldermen. Auditors found that at least $2 million was unaccounted for and necessary documentation was missing, including timecards for workers.
Since the audit, the U.S. attorney's office and the Cook County prosecutor's office have both begun investigating to program. Republicans have accused the governor of using the $54 million program as a “political slush fund.” The bulk of the money for the program came from discretionary spending Quinn is allowed under the state budget. Contracts for the program were signed shortly before Quinn narrowly won the 2010 race for governor, and some of the funding began to go out shortly after Election Day.
Quinn says that he shut the NRI down as soon as he became aware that it had problems. “When it wasn’t going in the right direction, when it wasn’t doing what we wanted it to do, I shut it down completely and stopped it cold,” Quinn said today. “I didn’t sweep anything under the rug. I acted on behalf of the public and shut the program down.” Quinn is also advocating for the passage of House Bill 3820, which would require more oversight for state grants. The House passed the bill last month. “I’m ready to sign it into law. I think that that certainly is something that is an important mission.”
Sen. Jason Barickman, a Bloomington Republican, brought a motion to the Legislative Audit Commission today that would allow the bipartisan panel to subpoena witnesses or information pertaining to the NRI. The commission, which is made up of members of both chambers, reviews audits, holds public hearings with state agency heads and sometimes recommends changes to the law as a result of audit findings. “Given what we know today about this program, given the many questions that many of us have about this program, the statute makes clear that we need to further investigate, find out what facts exist and make our recommendations accordingly,” said Barickman. “It’s clear that we have more work to do to get to the bottom of this.”
The proposal received bipartisan support; however, several Democrats on the commission voiced concerns that a probe from the commission would at best produce nothing beyond what will come out during the ongoing criminal investigations and would at worst impede them. “What’s the value at the end of the day that we’ll be putting on the table?” asked Hoffman Estates Democratic Rep. Fred Crespo, who sponsors HB 3820. “What can we do that they cannot do?” Crespo and others said that the commission does not have the resources to launch a major investigation.
Barickman, who chairs the committee, and co-chair Rep. Frank Mautino, a Democrat from Spring Valley, would both have to sign off on any subpoenas issued. Mautino was the sole vote against the motion. He argued that the information the committee needs is already available and that subpoenas may be unecessary. He noted that Holland’s office has several boxes of documents related to the audit and that no legislative staffers have gone through them at this point. Mautino said that the panel should first ask for the information and witnesses it is seeking instead of resorting to subpoena powers.
Holland said he would provide the commission with any information they want. “You don’t have to subpoena the records, and you don’t have to FOIA the records. You make an appointment, you come in and you take a look. That’s the way we do business,” He said. Holland also said that state agencies are required by law to comply. Barickman said that because the agency that oversaw the program has been dissolved and some of the people who worked on the NRI have since left state government, the commission may need the legal power to compel them to cooperate.
Barickman said that today’s action would give the committee “every tool available” to look into the issue in the coming months. “We’re not scheduled to meet [again] until late August or September of 2014. So this gives us all of the tools necessary to continue with our duties over the summer.” If the commission decides to bring forward any revelations about the NRI at that next hearing, it would be pretty inopportune political timing for Quinn’s reelection bid.
Quinn called Brickman’s motion politically motivated. “Politcs as usual. It’s a political time of year. We shut the program down. That’s the bottom line. We did it two years ago.”
Barickman said Quinn has been trying to “rewrite the facts” in recent media appearances. He said that the commission’s vote today “demonstrated wholeheartedly” that “this absolutely is not a partisan issue.” But whether the power will actually come into play is yet to be seen. Mautino would have to agree to subpoenas and an equally balanced bipartisan subcommittee would then have to draft them and approve them by a majority vote. Democrats on the commission went along with today’s vote, for the most part, but they may not be as accommodating when and if the subpoenas begin to fly.
A legislative commission that reviews state audits voted today to activate its subpoena power to look into Gov. Pat Quinn’s troubled anti-violence program.
A scathing audit from Auditor General William Holland thrust the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative (NRI) into the spotlight earlier this year. According to the report, the program did not use a competitive bidding process to select the providers and dole out grants but instead relied on recommendations from Chicago aldermen. Auditors found that at least $2 million was unaccounted for and necessary documentation was missing, including timecards for workers.
Since the audit, the U.S. attorney's office and the Cook County prosecutor's office have both begun investigating to program. Republicans have accused the governor of using the $54 million program as a “political slush fund.” The bulk of the money for the program came from discretionary spending Quinn is allowed under the state budget. Contracts for the program were signed shortly before Quinn narrowly won the 2010 race for governor, and some of the funding began to go out shortly after Election Day.
Quinn says that he shut the NRI down as soon as he became aware that it had problems. “When it wasn’t going in the right direction, when it wasn’t doing what we wanted it to do, I shut it down completely and stopped it cold,” Quinn said today. “I didn’t sweep anything under the rug. I acted on behalf of the public and shut the program down.” Quinn is also advocating for the passage of House Bill 3820, which would require more oversight for state grants. The House passed the bill last month. “I’m ready to sign it into law. I think that that certainly is something that is an important mission.”
Sen. Jason Barickman, a Bloomington Republican, brought a motion to the Legislative Audit Commission today that would allow the bipartisan panel to subpoena witnesses or information pertaining to the NRI. The commission, which is made up of members of both chambers, reviews audits, holds public hearings with state agency heads and sometimes recommends changes to the law as a result of audit findings. “Given what we know today about this program, given the many questions that many of us have about this program, the statute makes clear that we need to further investigate, find out what facts exist and make our recommendations accordingly,” said Barickman. “It’s clear that we have more work to do to get to the bottom of this.”
The proposal received bipartisan support; however, several Democrats on the commission voiced concerns that a probe from the commission would at best produce nothing beyond what will come out during the ongoing criminal investigations and would at worst impede them. “What’s the value at the end of the day that we’ll be putting on the table?” asked Hoffman Estates Democratic Rep. Fred Crespo, who sponsors HB 3820. “What can we do that they cannot do?” Crespo and others said that the commission does not have the resources to launch a major investigation.
Barickman, who chairs the committee, and co-chair Rep. Frank Mautino, a Democrat from Spring Valley, would both have to sign off on any subpoenas issued. Mautino was the sole vote against the motion. He argued that the information the committee needs is already available and that subpoenas may be unecessary. He noted that Holland’s office has several boxes of documents related to the audit and that no legislative staffers have gone through them at this point. Mautino said that the panel should first ask for the information and witnesses it is seeking instead of resorting to subpoena powers.
Holland said he would provide the commission with any information they want. “You don’t have to subpoena the records, and you don’t have to FOIA the records. You make an appointment, you come in and you take a look. That’s the way we do business,” He said. Holland also said that state agencies are required by law to comply. Barickman said that because the agency that oversaw the program has been dissolved and some of the people who worked on the NRI have since left state government, the commission may need the legal power to compel them to cooperate.
Barickman said that today’s action would give the committee “every tool available” to look into the issue in the coming months. “We’re not scheduled to meet [again] until late August or September of 2014. So this gives us all of the tools necessary to continue with our duties over the summer.” If the commission decides to bring forward any revelations about the NRI at that next hearing, it would be pretty inopportune political timing for Quinn’s reelection bid.
Quinn called Brickman’s motion politically motivated. “Politcs as usual. It’s a political time of year. We shut the program down. That’s the bottom line. We did it two years ago.”
Barickman said Quinn has been trying to “rewrite the facts” in recent media appearances. He said that the commission’s vote today “demonstrated wholeheartedly” that “this absolutely is not a partisan issue.” But whether the power will actually come into play is yet to be seen. Mautino would have to agree to subpoenas and an equally balanced bipartisan subcommittee would then have to draft them and approve them by a majority vote. Democrats on the commission went along with today’s vote, for the most part, but they may not be as accommodating when and if the subpoenas begin to fly.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Waiting in the dark for doomsday
By Jamey Dunn
Gov. Pat Quinn is not releasing details ahead of his budget speech tomorrow, but Republicans say they expect him to paint a picture that is more negative than it needs to be.
UPDATE 3/26/2014: The Chicago Tribune has reported that Quinn plans to propose making the temporary income tax increase permanent and offering property tax relief for homeowner. The story cites anonymous sources. Quinn's budget staff refuses to share any details of his plan with the press. His budget office did not give reporters a customary budget briefing that typically takes place the night before the speech. However, his campaign released a statement this morning blasting Republican candidate for governor Bruce Rauner for wanting to roll back the tax increase, an indication that Quinn will advocate for keeping the current rates. His campaign says allowing the tax rates to roll back would be devastating to education, making it seem likely that the governor's speech today will focus on funding schools. “Rauner’s sales pitch to run Illinois like a business would run our state straight into the ground,” Deputy Press Secretary Izabela Miltko said. “It's clear his plan would take a sledgehammer to education, lay off tens of thousands of teachers and leave Illinois’ students at a huge disadvantage. His inability to provide real solutions for our state makes it clear he can’t be trusted to run Illinois.” Quinn is required by law to present a budget based on current statute. But there is nothing stopping him from calling on lawmakers to make the tax increase permanent as he does that, as long as his budget document is not based upon the proposal.
Quinn is breaking from tradition in a few ways when it comes to this year’s budget. He intends to present a five-year plan to lawmakers tomorrow instead of the typical one-year proposal. Quinn asked lawmakers to give him extra time to prepare his budget, pushing the speech until after last week’s primary. Staff was reportedly still putting final tweaks on it through he weekend. Quinn is facing wealthy Republican businessman Bruce Rauner in the November general election, and politics will tinge every aspect of the rollout of his proposal. Rauner has already released an ad attacking Quinn in anticipation of the budget speech and is expected to come to Springfield tomorrow.
While lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have said that they would support longer-range budget planning, some are suspicious of Quinn pitching a budget that might last longer than his time in office. They see the new format as a possible way to spread out accounting tricks over several years and make what will be a difficult budget for Quinn politically an easier sell. “The governor is talking about completely changing the format that he presents this budget in from the way it’s been done in the past, and I think it is an intentional act on his part to confuse and distract,” said Sen. Matt Murphy, a Republican from Palatine. Republicans said that did not expect to receive an advance briefing on the budget. A press briefing is scheduled for tomorrow after the speech. When asked why they were pushing off the briefing, Quinn staffers said that the 5-year plan could be confusing and they wanted to ensure they would have enough time to answer all of reporters’ questions.
Murphy and the rest of his caucus say that Democrats are trying to make the situation look worse than it could be in order to justify continuing the current income tax instead of allowing them to step down as the are scheduled to beginning in 2015. Murphy said that Democrats started off with a more conservative revenue estimate and are ignoring some money that typical come in, such as revenue from unclaimed property. He also said they could consider transferring less money out of the general revenue fund for other spending, and could make a smaller payment to the fund for state employee health insurance. The insurance fund has been shorted in recent budget years. He said that less money could also be dedicated towards bills because there will likely be more revenue than expected at the end of the current fiscal year, and that could be used to pay down the backlog. “The Democrats’ approach this entire spring has been to try to create as dire a picture as possible,” he said. “You can make it a lot more plausible that you can fund core services and still allow the tax rate to go back down as the Democrats promised it would, but they don’t want people to see that. They don’t want that argument out there because they want to continue to get the money that they’ve been getting.”
He presented a few scenarios, one of which he said would actually give the state $13 million more to spend on discretionary costs and one that would require a $700 million cut. Murphy said that Republicans are not necessarily advocating for all of these ideas, but he says they illustrated that there are more options out there besides devastating cuts or a tax increase. “We’re not suggesting that you do this,” he said. “It’s just an exercise to illustrate that they’re kind of gaming the numbers to create a doomsday scenario.” Some of the options Murphy outlined would require changes to law.
Senate Democrats strongly disagree with Murphy and his party’s take on the budget. “These are real numbers. This is the impact that we see. This is the reality that we’ve been dealing with,” Park Ridge Democratic Sen. Dan Kotowski said at a hearing budget earlier this week. Senate Democrats asked state agencies to present the potential fallout from a 20 percent cut. Kotowski said today of Murphy’s scenarios, “That’s just wrong. If you look at the numbers that we presented, the group health [insurance] number represents the actual costs.” He said that under the budget starting point that is currently being used by lawmakers, total obligations to the health insurance plan are being underfunded. He also said that much of the money that is put aside for overdue bills would go toward Medicaid obligations and capture federal matching funds. He also said that Quinn’s plan to present a five-year proposal is a step in the right direction because it allows the governor to indicate his vision for the future instead of potentially using creative accounting to scrape through one tough fiscal year. He said government should adopt more long-term budget planning tactics, which are commonplace in the private sector. “It depoliticizes the budget process because you’re looking at five years.”
Democrats note that levels of state staffing and core services have been cut in recent budget years, and under the $34.495 billion revenue projection approved by both chambers, that trend would continue. That amount is about $1.5 billion less than the revenue projection approved for the current fiscal year. House committees have already been told what numbers they are working with based on the revenue projection and they are considering 14 percent reductions. Chicago Democratic Rep. Greg Harris, who is chairman of the House human services budgeting committee, said that under the revenue projection his committee would have $719 million less to work with this year. He said that all programs that are not mandated by court orders or other requirements could be eliminated “and then we’ll have to cut 200 million more.” Childcare for low-income parents, in-home care for seniors and addiction treatment and prevention programs would all be on the chopping block. Meanwhile, he said that a proportionally equal cut for education would lead to the layoffs of thousands of teachers. “In order to balance the budget and provide the services and undo our backlog of bills, we need to be responsible in how we budget. That means controlling our expenses, but it also means having necessary revenue.” He said that putting off bills and underfunding obligation is not the way to go.
When asked what he hoped to see from Quinn tomorrow, Harris said: “I would like to see just a really bold and powerful explanation of the fiscal realities that face our state and how we must be responsible to pay down our back log of bills. So we need the revenue to do that, to meet our current obligations and to be sure that we are not cutting aid to education, that we’re not discontinuing meals on wheels to seniors, that we are not cutting substance abuse programs.”
Arlington Heights Republican Rep. David Harris said he hopes to hear the opposite. He says he would like Quinn to say that he agrees with the House’s revenue estimate, which he helped craft as part of the House revenue committee, and that the state can live within that amount. Harris agrees with Murphy that some costs could potentially be shifted to make the situation a little easier and bring the cuts down to a few hundreds of millions of dollars instead of billions of dollars. “Do you mean to tell me that we can’t have a reduction of $700 [million] to $800 million and not run sate government? I don’t buy that.” He said he is concerned that Quinn instead is going to propose some costly initiatives, such as an increase to the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income workers.
Murphy said he is not expecting much out of the speech tomorrow. “He’s got a real divide in his party about whether to raise taxes or not, and I think he’s going to try to get out of tomorrow without saying anything concrete and hope nobody notices.” He, and other lawmakers, said that he has heard that Quinn's budget office, which originally had a larger revenue estimate than the one lawmakers approved, is revising its estimate down. Murphy reads this as indication that Quinn may follow the Senate Democrats' lead in framing the budget as a “doomsday” scenario.
Rep. Greg Harris said that whatever Quinn presents, his committee will meet the next day to continue with the budgeting process they, and other budgeting committees in the House and Senate, have started.
Rep. David Harris said that so far, Democrats and Republicans in his chamber have been able to work together to agree on a spending number. But once the debate comes down to how to spend the money, things may not remain so amicable. “The fireworks will start on Thursday,” he said.
Gov. Pat Quinn is not releasing details ahead of his budget speech tomorrow, but Republicans say they expect him to paint a picture that is more negative than it needs to be.
UPDATE 3/26/2014: The Chicago Tribune has reported that Quinn plans to propose making the temporary income tax increase permanent and offering property tax relief for homeowner. The story cites anonymous sources. Quinn's budget staff refuses to share any details of his plan with the press. His budget office did not give reporters a customary budget briefing that typically takes place the night before the speech. However, his campaign released a statement this morning blasting Republican candidate for governor Bruce Rauner for wanting to roll back the tax increase, an indication that Quinn will advocate for keeping the current rates. His campaign says allowing the tax rates to roll back would be devastating to education, making it seem likely that the governor's speech today will focus on funding schools. “Rauner’s sales pitch to run Illinois like a business would run our state straight into the ground,” Deputy Press Secretary Izabela Miltko said. “It's clear his plan would take a sledgehammer to education, lay off tens of thousands of teachers and leave Illinois’ students at a huge disadvantage. His inability to provide real solutions for our state makes it clear he can’t be trusted to run Illinois.” Quinn is required by law to present a budget based on current statute. But there is nothing stopping him from calling on lawmakers to make the tax increase permanent as he does that, as long as his budget document is not based upon the proposal.
Quinn is breaking from tradition in a few ways when it comes to this year’s budget. He intends to present a five-year plan to lawmakers tomorrow instead of the typical one-year proposal. Quinn asked lawmakers to give him extra time to prepare his budget, pushing the speech until after last week’s primary. Staff was reportedly still putting final tweaks on it through he weekend. Quinn is facing wealthy Republican businessman Bruce Rauner in the November general election, and politics will tinge every aspect of the rollout of his proposal. Rauner has already released an ad attacking Quinn in anticipation of the budget speech and is expected to come to Springfield tomorrow.
While lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have said that they would support longer-range budget planning, some are suspicious of Quinn pitching a budget that might last longer than his time in office. They see the new format as a possible way to spread out accounting tricks over several years and make what will be a difficult budget for Quinn politically an easier sell. “The governor is talking about completely changing the format that he presents this budget in from the way it’s been done in the past, and I think it is an intentional act on his part to confuse and distract,” said Sen. Matt Murphy, a Republican from Palatine. Republicans said that did not expect to receive an advance briefing on the budget. A press briefing is scheduled for tomorrow after the speech. When asked why they were pushing off the briefing, Quinn staffers said that the 5-year plan could be confusing and they wanted to ensure they would have enough time to answer all of reporters’ questions.
Murphy and the rest of his caucus say that Democrats are trying to make the situation look worse than it could be in order to justify continuing the current income tax instead of allowing them to step down as the are scheduled to beginning in 2015. Murphy said that Democrats started off with a more conservative revenue estimate and are ignoring some money that typical come in, such as revenue from unclaimed property. He also said they could consider transferring less money out of the general revenue fund for other spending, and could make a smaller payment to the fund for state employee health insurance. The insurance fund has been shorted in recent budget years. He said that less money could also be dedicated towards bills because there will likely be more revenue than expected at the end of the current fiscal year, and that could be used to pay down the backlog. “The Democrats’ approach this entire spring has been to try to create as dire a picture as possible,” he said. “You can make it a lot more plausible that you can fund core services and still allow the tax rate to go back down as the Democrats promised it would, but they don’t want people to see that. They don’t want that argument out there because they want to continue to get the money that they’ve been getting.”
He presented a few scenarios, one of which he said would actually give the state $13 million more to spend on discretionary costs and one that would require a $700 million cut. Murphy said that Republicans are not necessarily advocating for all of these ideas, but he says they illustrated that there are more options out there besides devastating cuts or a tax increase. “We’re not suggesting that you do this,” he said. “It’s just an exercise to illustrate that they’re kind of gaming the numbers to create a doomsday scenario.” Some of the options Murphy outlined would require changes to law.
Senate Democrats strongly disagree with Murphy and his party’s take on the budget. “These are real numbers. This is the impact that we see. This is the reality that we’ve been dealing with,” Park Ridge Democratic Sen. Dan Kotowski said at a hearing budget earlier this week. Senate Democrats asked state agencies to present the potential fallout from a 20 percent cut. Kotowski said today of Murphy’s scenarios, “That’s just wrong. If you look at the numbers that we presented, the group health [insurance] number represents the actual costs.” He said that under the budget starting point that is currently being used by lawmakers, total obligations to the health insurance plan are being underfunded. He also said that much of the money that is put aside for overdue bills would go toward Medicaid obligations and capture federal matching funds. He also said that Quinn’s plan to present a five-year proposal is a step in the right direction because it allows the governor to indicate his vision for the future instead of potentially using creative accounting to scrape through one tough fiscal year. He said government should adopt more long-term budget planning tactics, which are commonplace in the private sector. “It depoliticizes the budget process because you’re looking at five years.”
Democrats note that levels of state staffing and core services have been cut in recent budget years, and under the $34.495 billion revenue projection approved by both chambers, that trend would continue. That amount is about $1.5 billion less than the revenue projection approved for the current fiscal year. House committees have already been told what numbers they are working with based on the revenue projection and they are considering 14 percent reductions. Chicago Democratic Rep. Greg Harris, who is chairman of the House human services budgeting committee, said that under the revenue projection his committee would have $719 million less to work with this year. He said that all programs that are not mandated by court orders or other requirements could be eliminated “and then we’ll have to cut 200 million more.” Childcare for low-income parents, in-home care for seniors and addiction treatment and prevention programs would all be on the chopping block. Meanwhile, he said that a proportionally equal cut for education would lead to the layoffs of thousands of teachers. “In order to balance the budget and provide the services and undo our backlog of bills, we need to be responsible in how we budget. That means controlling our expenses, but it also means having necessary revenue.” He said that putting off bills and underfunding obligation is not the way to go.
When asked what he hoped to see from Quinn tomorrow, Harris said: “I would like to see just a really bold and powerful explanation of the fiscal realities that face our state and how we must be responsible to pay down our back log of bills. So we need the revenue to do that, to meet our current obligations and to be sure that we are not cutting aid to education, that we’re not discontinuing meals on wheels to seniors, that we are not cutting substance abuse programs.”
Arlington Heights Republican Rep. David Harris said he hopes to hear the opposite. He says he would like Quinn to say that he agrees with the House’s revenue estimate, which he helped craft as part of the House revenue committee, and that the state can live within that amount. Harris agrees with Murphy that some costs could potentially be shifted to make the situation a little easier and bring the cuts down to a few hundreds of millions of dollars instead of billions of dollars. “Do you mean to tell me that we can’t have a reduction of $700 [million] to $800 million and not run sate government? I don’t buy that.” He said he is concerned that Quinn instead is going to propose some costly initiatives, such as an increase to the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income workers.
Murphy said he is not expecting much out of the speech tomorrow. “He’s got a real divide in his party about whether to raise taxes or not, and I think he’s going to try to get out of tomorrow without saying anything concrete and hope nobody notices.” He, and other lawmakers, said that he has heard that Quinn's budget office, which originally had a larger revenue estimate than the one lawmakers approved, is revising its estimate down. Murphy reads this as indication that Quinn may follow the Senate Democrats' lead in framing the budget as a “doomsday” scenario.
Rep. Greg Harris said that whatever Quinn presents, his committee will meet the next day to continue with the budgeting process they, and other budgeting committees in the House and Senate, have started.
Rep. David Harris said that so far, Democrats and Republicans in his chamber have been able to work together to agree on a spending number. But once the debate comes down to how to spend the money, things may not remain so amicable. “The fireworks will start on Thursday,” he said.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Madigan proposes millionaire tax for education
By Jamey Dunn and Caitlin Rydinsky
House Speaker Michael Madigan proposed today a constitutional amendment to impose a higher tax on millionaires, which would bring in an additional $1 billion for school funding.
Under the proposal, Illinoisans would pay an additional 3 percentage points surcharge on any income they made over $1 million. The revenue generated, which Madigan estimates could be $1 billion, would be given to each district throughout the state based on the number of students. He estimates that schools would get an additional $550 per pupil. “Over the last several years, every area of Illinois has experienced school closures, teacher layoffs, and classroom cuts due to reduced education funding that has been forced by a crowding out of state revenues,” Madigan said in a written statement. “This is not a complete solution to our education funding issues, but it is a fair and equitable way to reverse a decline brought on by the national economic problems and will help address a number of spending pressures that vary among school districts.”
If both chambers approve the plan by May 5, voters will have the deciding factor of whether millionaires’ should be taxed the additional amount during this November election. Illinoisans’ may also see an amendment to add term limits for lawmakers placed on the ballot from the efforts of Republican governor candidate and multi-millionaire businessman Bruce Rauner. In addition to running for governor, Rauner has launched a campaign to get term limits on the ballot by collecting signatures through a citizens’ initiative. There is also a push to get an amendment on the ballot to change the way the state draws its legislative districts. If either proposal gets the needed signatures, they would likely also have to survive a court challenge to make it to the ballot.
If Madigan’s plan appears on the November ballot and gains the necessary support from voters, schools could expect to see additional funds in 2015, he said. “Given the drastic cuts to education in recent years, and the threat of cutting nearly $1 billion more in this year’s budget, we are encouraged by the speaker’s proposal to invest more money in public education for our children,” Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery said in a written statement.
For the last three years, the state has failed to meet the per pupil funding level required by law of $6,119. Illinois’ temporary income tax increase is scheduled decrease in 2015 from 5 percent to 3.75 for individuals. The lost revenue means that lawmakers are looking at a tough task as they try to craft next fiscal year’s budget. Early projections indicate that almost $1 billion could be cut from schools. Meanwhile, the Illinois State Board of Education requested a funding increase of $1.08 billion for next fiscal year. The bulk of the request, $879 million, would be needed to meet foundation level funding.
Opponents to the amendment say it is nothing more than a political move meant to polarize voters in an election year. They also suspect it is a distraction from what they believe Madigan’s real intent is—to make the temporary income tax increase permanent. Madigan has not taken a stance on what the state should do about the income tax increase; he says the two topics are not linked. “That’s a separate issue. This is separate from the question of whether the income tax increase would be extended. It’s not related.” Madigan said that his plan is not meant to fill in the gaps of potential cuts. “I think that what we are doing here is calling upon people in Illinois that are well equipped to provide support for education which is available to everybody in the state,” he said.
Conservative groups say that the proposal would drive wealth people out of the state. They also note that it could hurt small businesses that file their taxes as individuals. “With the second highest unemployment rate in the nation, one would think the Democrat[ic] leaders of Illinois would want to grow jobs for our families. Unfortunately, yet again they choose to pursue policies that will push more jobs out of the Land of Lincoln by punishing job creators,” David From, the Illinois state director of Americans for Prosperity, said in a written statement. Madigan, who acknowledged that there are some years in which he would earn enough to have to pay the surcharge, said of millionaires in the state: “If they’re in Illinois today, they’re probably so much in love with Illinois that they’re not going to leave, and they’ll be grateful for this opportunity to support lower (grade level) education.” Madigan estimates that in 2011, there were 13,675 millionaires in Illinois.
Rauner ‘s campaign shot back with a statement highlighting his personal giving to schools and education reform efforts. “Bruce is happy to pay more to support education—in fact he's been doing that personally for decades, but he doesn’t support what looks like a first step towards empowering Mike Madigan and [Gov.] Pat Quinn to raise taxes on the middle class, small businesses and family farms,” said a prepared statement from campaign manager Chip Englander.
House Speaker Michael Madigan proposed today a constitutional amendment to impose a higher tax on millionaires, which would bring in an additional $1 billion for school funding.
Under the proposal, Illinoisans would pay an additional 3 percentage points surcharge on any income they made over $1 million. The revenue generated, which Madigan estimates could be $1 billion, would be given to each district throughout the state based on the number of students. He estimates that schools would get an additional $550 per pupil. “Over the last several years, every area of Illinois has experienced school closures, teacher layoffs, and classroom cuts due to reduced education funding that has been forced by a crowding out of state revenues,” Madigan said in a written statement. “This is not a complete solution to our education funding issues, but it is a fair and equitable way to reverse a decline brought on by the national economic problems and will help address a number of spending pressures that vary among school districts.”
If both chambers approve the plan by May 5, voters will have the deciding factor of whether millionaires’ should be taxed the additional amount during this November election. Illinoisans’ may also see an amendment to add term limits for lawmakers placed on the ballot from the efforts of Republican governor candidate and multi-millionaire businessman Bruce Rauner. In addition to running for governor, Rauner has launched a campaign to get term limits on the ballot by collecting signatures through a citizens’ initiative. There is also a push to get an amendment on the ballot to change the way the state draws its legislative districts. If either proposal gets the needed signatures, they would likely also have to survive a court challenge to make it to the ballot.
If Madigan’s plan appears on the November ballot and gains the necessary support from voters, schools could expect to see additional funds in 2015, he said. “Given the drastic cuts to education in recent years, and the threat of cutting nearly $1 billion more in this year’s budget, we are encouraged by the speaker’s proposal to invest more money in public education for our children,” Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery said in a written statement.
For the last three years, the state has failed to meet the per pupil funding level required by law of $6,119. Illinois’ temporary income tax increase is scheduled decrease in 2015 from 5 percent to 3.75 for individuals. The lost revenue means that lawmakers are looking at a tough task as they try to craft next fiscal year’s budget. Early projections indicate that almost $1 billion could be cut from schools. Meanwhile, the Illinois State Board of Education requested a funding increase of $1.08 billion for next fiscal year. The bulk of the request, $879 million, would be needed to meet foundation level funding.
Opponents to the amendment say it is nothing more than a political move meant to polarize voters in an election year. They also suspect it is a distraction from what they believe Madigan’s real intent is—to make the temporary income tax increase permanent. Madigan has not taken a stance on what the state should do about the income tax increase; he says the two topics are not linked. “That’s a separate issue. This is separate from the question of whether the income tax increase would be extended. It’s not related.” Madigan said that his plan is not meant to fill in the gaps of potential cuts. “I think that what we are doing here is calling upon people in Illinois that are well equipped to provide support for education which is available to everybody in the state,” he said.
Conservative groups say that the proposal would drive wealth people out of the state. They also note that it could hurt small businesses that file their taxes as individuals. “With the second highest unemployment rate in the nation, one would think the Democrat[ic] leaders of Illinois would want to grow jobs for our families. Unfortunately, yet again they choose to pursue policies that will push more jobs out of the Land of Lincoln by punishing job creators,” David From, the Illinois state director of Americans for Prosperity, said in a written statement. Madigan, who acknowledged that there are some years in which he would earn enough to have to pay the surcharge, said of millionaires in the state: “If they’re in Illinois today, they’re probably so much in love with Illinois that they’re not going to leave, and they’ll be grateful for this opportunity to support lower (grade level) education.” Madigan estimates that in 2011, there were 13,675 millionaires in Illinois.
Rauner ‘s campaign shot back with a statement highlighting his personal giving to schools and education reform efforts. “Bruce is happy to pay more to support education—in fact he's been doing that personally for decades, but he doesn’t support what looks like a first step towards empowering Mike Madigan and [Gov.] Pat Quinn to raise taxes on the middle class, small businesses and family farms,” said a prepared statement from campaign manager Chip Englander.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Primary election resources
Here are some resources for today's primary.
See Illinois Issues' rundown of the governor's race and legislative primaries to watch. Also, yesterday's primary preview is here.
Illinois Issues Statehouse Bureau Chief Jamey Dunn will be participating in The Count 2014's Google Hangout from 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm tonight. A few longtime statehouse observers will be calling in, and some reporters may also drop in, schedules permitting. Participants can ask questions and share comments. You can follow this link to join. (You must make a Google profile, if you do not already have one.)
Other resources:
WUIS and Illinois Public Radio will have live coverage starting at 7:00 pm. (Click the Listen Live button at the top of the page.)
The Chicago Sun-Times' Early and Often political team has a primary live blog.
You can also check out the Chicago Tribune's Election Center.
The State Journal-Register will have several election-related features on its homepage.
Lee Enterprises has coverage from its papers throughout the state consolidated on its elections page.
For news on the governor's race and legislative races in the Chicago suburbs, go to the Daily Herald's Election 2014 webpage.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
GOP candidates square off in Springfield debate
By Jamey Dunn
Republican candidates for governor traded barbs at tonight’s debate but avoided attacking state Treasurer Dan Rutherford, who has been battling sexual harassment allegations.
Hinsdale Sen. Kirk Dillard was the most aggressive when it came to criticizing his opponents. When candidates were given an opportunity at the end of the debate to make clarifications, Dillard took the time to list why he believes the other Republicans would not do well in the general election. He brought up venture capitalist Bruce Rauner’s business connections to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s crony, Stuart Levine, who is currently serving time in federal prison. Levine was a key witness for the feds in the case against Blagojevich and others charged with political corruption. He received a shortened sentence as part of a plea deal.
“He’s very very much someone with a pattern of pay-to-play politics in his personal, professional and political life,” Dillard said of Rauner after the debate at the Hoogland Center for the Arts in Springfield. Dillard also noted Bloomington Sen. Bill Brady’s very conservative social views and a recent story calling into question whether Brady took a vote on a tax issue that benefited members of his family. “I only bring up things that have been on the front page of statewide newspapers,” Dillard said when asked by reporters about going on the offensive.
Brady reaffirmed during the debate that he does not support abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, and that he does support allowing school districts to opt to teach creationism. But he said those issues are not the focus of his campaign. He also said that as governor, he would not have the power to end abortion in the state. “I do also realize there’s something called the U.S. Constitution,” Brady said “No governor in this country can eliminate a women’s right to choose, but I am not going to back away from my pro-life beliefs. I believe government has an obligation to protect innocent human life.”
After the debate, Brady dismissed Dillard’s negative comments as “desperate.” “He’s at the bottom of the polls. He’s got a fledgling campaign that’s just not getting off the ground, and he’s going to try to bring up things whether they make sense or not,” Brady said.
While Brady and Dillard were critical of each other and Rauner, they avoided beating up on Rutherford, who is facing a harassment lawsuit. Edmund Michalowski, who worked for Rutherford from 2011 until he resigned this month, is suing Rutherford and his chief of staff, Kyle Ham. Michalowski alleges that both men pressured him to do campaign work on state time, including fundraising for Rutherford. He also claims that Rutherford sexually harassed him by groping him and offering him advancement for sex. Rutherford has denied all the allegations and called into question some of the timeline presented in the case. He has also accused Rauner of being behind the allegations, which come at a politically inconvenient time for Rutherford. However, Rutherford, who is from Chenoa, said during the debate that he has no proof that Rauner is involved.
“It’s very unfortunate,” Brady said after the debate. “If Dan Rutherford‘s innocent, this is a bizarre and terrible situation. If he’s not innocent, it’s a bizarre and terrible situation.”
Rauner, who is leading in the polls, refrained from going negative and generally ignored the comments that his opponents made.
In a segment of the debate that ran counter to many conservative talking points, three of the candidates spoke positively about public employee unions. “Illinois is not Indiana. We’re not Wisconsin. We are a state that has a proud organized-labor history,” Dillard said. The Illinois Education Association, a teacher’s union, recently endorsed Dillard. He noted that endorsement during tonight’s debate. Dillard said the way to get fair deals with unions is to talk with them, not to “demonize” them.
“Certainly public and private sector unions have done a lot to assist in enhancing the quality of life for the people they represent,” Brady said. “They’ve been a pillar of our country, and they’ve been important to us.” Brady said that unions “provide for” the “skilled workforce” that is needed to run state government.
“I happen to believe in the right to collectively bargain, both in the private sector and in public sector,” Rutherford said. Dillard, Brady and Rutherford all agreed that as the percentage of union employees has grown, some jobs in state government have been unionized that should not be.
The venue of the forum may have been a factor in the praise. According to statistics from the city of Springfield, state government is the largest employer in the city by far. In fact, the state workforce has nearly as many Springfield residents as the rest of the top nine largest employers in the area.
Rauner, who frequently derides “union bosses” in his campaign ads, said, “I’m not against the existence of government unions, but workers should be free to choose whether to be in a union or not.” But Rauner also said: “When a government union boss has power with taxpayer-funded union dues to influence politicians through campaign cash and campaign workers that are free but actually paid or by taxpayers ... it’s a conflict of interest, and it’s a corrupting influence. And the result of it is, spending goes up, taxes go up and businesses leave our state.”
Rauner, who is from Winnetka, was the only of the four who did not stick around to talk to reporters after the debate. Rutherford fielded questions about his legal troubles. Most of the queries pertained to why he would not release the results of an independent investigation he initiated when he first went public with the fact that he was being accused of improper behavior by an employee. The treasurer vowed to make the findings of the investigation public but then did not because he said his lawyers advised him not to as long as he is the subject of a federal lawsuit. “I am absolutely not frightened,” Rutherford said of the findings of the investigation. However, he says that neither he nor his campaign advisers have read the report. “I have not read. I have not asked for it. No, I am not going to read the report right now.” He admitted that the suit has cast a shadow over his bid for governor. “I will say that our candidacy has a challenge, and I understand that. I would be better off, I believe, if this report was released.”
Republican candidates for governor traded barbs at tonight’s debate but avoided attacking state Treasurer Dan Rutherford, who has been battling sexual harassment allegations.
Hinsdale Sen. Kirk Dillard was the most aggressive when it came to criticizing his opponents. When candidates were given an opportunity at the end of the debate to make clarifications, Dillard took the time to list why he believes the other Republicans would not do well in the general election. He brought up venture capitalist Bruce Rauner’s business connections to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s crony, Stuart Levine, who is currently serving time in federal prison. Levine was a key witness for the feds in the case against Blagojevich and others charged with political corruption. He received a shortened sentence as part of a plea deal.
“He’s very very much someone with a pattern of pay-to-play politics in his personal, professional and political life,” Dillard said of Rauner after the debate at the Hoogland Center for the Arts in Springfield. Dillard also noted Bloomington Sen. Bill Brady’s very conservative social views and a recent story calling into question whether Brady took a vote on a tax issue that benefited members of his family. “I only bring up things that have been on the front page of statewide newspapers,” Dillard said when asked by reporters about going on the offensive.
Brady reaffirmed during the debate that he does not support abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, and that he does support allowing school districts to opt to teach creationism. But he said those issues are not the focus of his campaign. He also said that as governor, he would not have the power to end abortion in the state. “I do also realize there’s something called the U.S. Constitution,” Brady said “No governor in this country can eliminate a women’s right to choose, but I am not going to back away from my pro-life beliefs. I believe government has an obligation to protect innocent human life.”
After the debate, Brady dismissed Dillard’s negative comments as “desperate.” “He’s at the bottom of the polls. He’s got a fledgling campaign that’s just not getting off the ground, and he’s going to try to bring up things whether they make sense or not,” Brady said.
While Brady and Dillard were critical of each other and Rauner, they avoided beating up on Rutherford, who is facing a harassment lawsuit. Edmund Michalowski, who worked for Rutherford from 2011 until he resigned this month, is suing Rutherford and his chief of staff, Kyle Ham. Michalowski alleges that both men pressured him to do campaign work on state time, including fundraising for Rutherford. He also claims that Rutherford sexually harassed him by groping him and offering him advancement for sex. Rutherford has denied all the allegations and called into question some of the timeline presented in the case. He has also accused Rauner of being behind the allegations, which come at a politically inconvenient time for Rutherford. However, Rutherford, who is from Chenoa, said during the debate that he has no proof that Rauner is involved.
“It’s very unfortunate,” Brady said after the debate. “If Dan Rutherford‘s innocent, this is a bizarre and terrible situation. If he’s not innocent, it’s a bizarre and terrible situation.”
Rauner, who is leading in the polls, refrained from going negative and generally ignored the comments that his opponents made.
In a segment of the debate that ran counter to many conservative talking points, three of the candidates spoke positively about public employee unions. “Illinois is not Indiana. We’re not Wisconsin. We are a state that has a proud organized-labor history,” Dillard said. The Illinois Education Association, a teacher’s union, recently endorsed Dillard. He noted that endorsement during tonight’s debate. Dillard said the way to get fair deals with unions is to talk with them, not to “demonize” them.
“Certainly public and private sector unions have done a lot to assist in enhancing the quality of life for the people they represent,” Brady said. “They’ve been a pillar of our country, and they’ve been important to us.” Brady said that unions “provide for” the “skilled workforce” that is needed to run state government.
“I happen to believe in the right to collectively bargain, both in the private sector and in public sector,” Rutherford said. Dillard, Brady and Rutherford all agreed that as the percentage of union employees has grown, some jobs in state government have been unionized that should not be.
The venue of the forum may have been a factor in the praise. According to statistics from the city of Springfield, state government is the largest employer in the city by far. In fact, the state workforce has nearly as many Springfield residents as the rest of the top nine largest employers in the area.
Rauner, who frequently derides “union bosses” in his campaign ads, said, “I’m not against the existence of government unions, but workers should be free to choose whether to be in a union or not.” But Rauner also said: “When a government union boss has power with taxpayer-funded union dues to influence politicians through campaign cash and campaign workers that are free but actually paid or by taxpayers ... it’s a conflict of interest, and it’s a corrupting influence. And the result of it is, spending goes up, taxes go up and businesses leave our state.”
Rauner, who is from Winnetka, was the only of the four who did not stick around to talk to reporters after the debate. Rutherford fielded questions about his legal troubles. Most of the queries pertained to why he would not release the results of an independent investigation he initiated when he first went public with the fact that he was being accused of improper behavior by an employee. The treasurer vowed to make the findings of the investigation public but then did not because he said his lawyers advised him not to as long as he is the subject of a federal lawsuit. “I am absolutely not frightened,” Rutherford said of the findings of the investigation. However, he says that neither he nor his campaign advisers have read the report. “I have not read. I have not asked for it. No, I am not going to read the report right now.” He admitted that the suit has cast a shadow over his bid for governor. “I will say that our candidacy has a challenge, and I understand that. I would be better off, I believe, if this report was released.”
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Quinn lays out five-year plan in State of the State address
Gov. Pat Quinn gave an upbeat State of the State address today, touting his accomplishments and laying out a five-year plan for economic recovery.
Quinn, who was sworn in as governor after former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office, recounted the problems he faced when he became governor and the progress he said the state had made in the interim. “Exactly five years ago this day, I was sworn in as governor, at Illinois’ darkest moment. We were facing an unprecedented triple crisis of government corruption, economic collapse and financial instability,” Quinn said. “It was a perfect storm, and it left destruction in its path. We all knew that repairing the damage that had been done over decades would not happen overnight. But over the past five years, we’ve rebuilt one hard step at a time. And we’ve been getting the job done. Illinois is making a comeback.”
Quinn presented broad strokes of a plan that focused on education programs and economic issues. “It’s a blueprint that recognizes that a truly strong economy relies not just on jobs, but also on fairness and inclusion,” he said. “If we follow this blueprint, we’ll do three things: create more jobs, deliver stronger education and build an economy that works for everyone.” Not surprisingly, Republicans vying for the chance to challenge Quinn in this year’s general election were not impressed by the speech. Their criticisms were similar.
“This afternoon, we heard an election year campaign speech from a governor who’s failing the people of Illinois,” said Bruce Rauner. “We’re one of the worst-run states in America. We have entered an economic death spiral, and Gov. Quinn is trying to cover it up and put a rosy picture on it.” Rauner brushed off questions from reporters regarding negative stories that have recently surfaced about his former investment firm, GTCR Golder Rauner. The company has been linked to neglect cases at nursing homes it invested in.
The venture capitalist from Winnetka today borrowed a line from President Barack Obama. “The attacks, we’ll have plenty of time to talk about them. ‘There’s no there there.’ We’ll be attacked every day in the race. That’s part of politics.” Obama used the “There’s no there there” quote from Gertrude Stein when questions about his administration’s handling of a terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, continued to hound him. “There's no there there. The fact that this keeps on getting churned up, frankly, has a whole lot to do with political motivations,” Obama said at a White House news conference.
Sen. Kirk Dillard, who is from Hinsdale, said Quinn should have addressed the state’s temporary income tax increase, which is set to begin stepping down in 2015, taking billion of dollars of revenue with it. “We’re overtaxed. We are greatly overregulated,” he said to the ideas Quinn put forward.
“That’s not a playbook for success,” Bloomington Sen. Bill Brady said of Quinn’s speech. “Ranking among the worst in the nation is the record of the current administration and the Democrats’ hostility toward the private sector. I didn’t hear any talk about reducing burdensome regulations or lowering the cost of doing business in Illinois through further reforms in our workers' compensation program. I certainly didn’t hear anything about his commitment to cut taxes by allowing his 67 percent income tax increase to expire next year.”
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford, who is from Chenoa, said Quinn’s speech was about what he had expected. “It was what an incumbent governor’s State of the State should be in an election year. It was very optimistic, very positive.” He said that creating a long-term plan is not a bad thing. “I don’t fault long-term planning. As I’ve said more than once on the circuit out there, strategic long-term planning for our state facilities, our capital assets, is extremely important.” However, he said Quinn should have focused more on creating an environment that would encourage private-sector job growth.
While responses to Quinn’s speech were generally tepid. Some Democrats were enthusiastic about the governor’s ideas. “I thought it was an excellent speech,” said Sen. Dan Kotowski of Park Ridge. “I thought the governor did a great job of communicating a vision of what it’s going to take in our state to make sure we address these challenges that are out there, so that we can create jobs and maintain the ones that we have. But also make sure we prepare our young people for a future. He’s identified the challenges we face in our state, and I agree with him. He’s taking them head on.”
But the verdict from other Democrats was less glowing. “It’s just talk. So the legislature will begin the process of crafting the budget and trying to work through these issues. We’ve already started. The people of the state of Illinois are tired of talk. They want action,” said Rep. John Bradley, a Democrat from Marion. Bradley is chair of the House Revenue and Finance Committee, which has preempted Quinn in the past on fiscal issues by proposing a spending cap for the budget before the governor gives his budget address.
Economic Issues
By Jamey Dunn
Quinn pitched several measures targeting businesses and workers, including a proposal to increase the state’s minimum wage. “This year, we really need to get the job done for our fellow citizens who are making the minimum wage of $8.25 per hour. Our minimum wage workers are doing hard work. They’re putting in long hours. Yet in too many instances, they are living in poverty,” he said. “That’s not right. That’s not an Illinois value. And that’s not a fair shake. This is all about dignity and decency. So I said it last year. and I’ll say it again: It’s time to raise Illinois’ minimum wage to at least $10 an hour.”
Quinn called for an increase to the minimum wage last year during his State of the State address. “I’m pleased that the governor is continuing his message on the minimum wage,” said Maywood Democratic Sen. Kimberly Lightford, who sponsors legislation that would increase the minimum wage. She said she has been negotiating the issue for month with business groups.
Lightford said she knows that it is nearly impossible to expect that the business lobby will support the proposal. “There’s nothing that we can do for a corporation to agree with a minimum wage increase. There will be nothing that you can do. There is no happy medium on an increase.” But she said she has worked to revamp her legislation to give some consideration to businesses. In perhaps the only surprise in the speech, Quinn also called for workers to get at least two paid sick days. Quinn also said he wants to double the Earned Income Tax Credit, which goes to low-income working families, over the next five years.
Doug Whitley, president and chief executive officer of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, said he was glad the governor’s speech focused on the economy. But he said that adding more business regulations would not help job growth. “I was pleased with the themes [of the governor’s speech], but I was not impressed with the details,” he said. Whitley said the minimum wage is not meant to sustain a family. He said those jobs are intended to be for young people, students and those looking to supplement their incomes with part-time work. He said he is concerned that if Illinois increases its minimum wage, which is already greater than many other states, it will hurt its ability to compete. “I would rather see the [U.S.] Congress do it than individual states do it,” Whitley said.
Republican leaders agreed. “The minimum wage doesn’t lift people out of poverty. I think the minimum wage is the wrong discussion,” said Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno. “We’re not unsympathetic to the fact that people are making very low wages, but the questions are: Why aren’t people moving into higher wage jobs? How do we create those jobs? And how do we match the talent to get those jobs? So I think focusing only on the minimum wage is a distraction from the real work we need to be doing.”
But proponents say that those living on low wages often also receive help from safety net programs, so taxpayers are in effect being asked to subsidize the cost of workers for private businesses. “Those people will be on government benefits. And they will be relying more on government, and they’ll be relying more on government for services and that costs everybody money,” Kotowski said. “I think people recognize that if you’re working full-time hours but making wages that don’t allow you to feed your family and take care of yourself and pay for the basic necessities of life, there’s something fundamentally wrong.”
Quinn also called for cutting the cost for incorporating a limited liability corporation from $500 to $39. Whitley called that idea “creative and fresh.” But he said: “I’m sure that small businesses will appreciate that. But the magnitude of an increase in the minimum wage and additional required days off will dwarf any savings that that LLC might actually have from a reduction in the fee.”
Some lawmakers said the change might not be realistic, given the state’s budget situation. “What’s the cost to the state of doing that? It’s a great thing to say in a speech, but what’s it going to cost the state?” asked Bradley. “I mean, we’re staring at a really ugly budget scenario coming up and a really difficult fiscal and revenue situation coming up in the near future, and he’s talking about getting rid of money that’s coming in.”
Education initiatives
By Caitlin Rydinski
As part of his address today, Quinn proposed expanding early childhood programs and a college scholarship program, but lawmakers question where the funding for his plans would come from.
Quinn’s “Birth to Five Initiative” looks to provide prenatal care to low-income families, increase access to childhood early education and offer programs that provide parental support. Quinn said his initiative would help taxpayers avoid paying for the cost of medical needs, early intervention, remedial education and grade repetition.
Lightford said Illinois already focuses on early childhood programs from age 3 to 5, so adding prenatal care to age 3 may not be difficult. “It’s really not as difficult of a challenge getting there,” Lightford said. “I think that the area of the wrap-around services that [Quinn has] included with the prenatal care and the parent involvement piece — I think those are good areas to focus on.”
But Lebanon Republican Sen. Kyle McCarter and other legislators are concerned with where funding will come from. “I think it’s a great idea, but if you can buy parental support, we would have bought it decades ago. I don’t know how you buy that. That’s a cultural problem,” McCarter said. “Given the situation we are in with the tight budget, he is going to have to cut something else in order to pay for this.”
Wheaton Republican Sen. Michael Connelly said education is important, but he wants to focus on the economy to give students access to better jobs. “I’ve got a constituent that has a child that is going into a graduate program, and other states … are basically saying Illinois is done. Come to our state. … This is where the future is,” Connelly said of states not only persuading jobs to leave Illinois but also college students. Quinn also proposed to double the funding for Monetary Award Program scholarships that currently about 140,000 students receive.
Many lawmakers want to see both of those programs funded but are concerned they may lose out to other competing budget interests. “I hope that we can find a way to fund that program, as well as the MAP grant,” Lightford said, adding that the MAP program helps keep Illinois competitive with other states in having an educated workforce. While Quinn’s initiative is a five-year plan, Lightford said she hopes the MAP funding increase can happen sooner.
With Western Illinois University and several community and private colleges in his district, Sen. John Sullivan said he supports the doubling of MAP grants. “We know that there’s huge demand there. We talked about actually doubling the scholarships. ... I think most people are supportive of that, but I think the next speech that the governor gives will be the budget address. And so, how is he going to pay for some of these new initiatives like the prenatal program,” he said of the budget issue with the state and the ending of the temporary income tax increase. “The governor has introduced some new perspective and new programs, and I’m going to be interested in how he is going to pay for them.”
Many lawmakers and advocates said they want to know more about how the state will be able to provide the finances for Quinn's education proposals and still maintain the programs Illinois has now. “I think it’s really encouraging to have the governor advocating early childhood education,” said Emily Miller, policy and advocacy director for Voices for Illinois Children. But she said she is waiting for the budget address in February to find out how much funding Quinn will propose for education and early childhood programs.
Quinn, who was sworn in as governor after former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office, recounted the problems he faced when he became governor and the progress he said the state had made in the interim. “Exactly five years ago this day, I was sworn in as governor, at Illinois’ darkest moment. We were facing an unprecedented triple crisis of government corruption, economic collapse and financial instability,” Quinn said. “It was a perfect storm, and it left destruction in its path. We all knew that repairing the damage that had been done over decades would not happen overnight. But over the past five years, we’ve rebuilt one hard step at a time. And we’ve been getting the job done. Illinois is making a comeback.”
Quinn presented broad strokes of a plan that focused on education programs and economic issues. “It’s a blueprint that recognizes that a truly strong economy relies not just on jobs, but also on fairness and inclusion,” he said. “If we follow this blueprint, we’ll do three things: create more jobs, deliver stronger education and build an economy that works for everyone.” Not surprisingly, Republicans vying for the chance to challenge Quinn in this year’s general election were not impressed by the speech. Their criticisms were similar.
“This afternoon, we heard an election year campaign speech from a governor who’s failing the people of Illinois,” said Bruce Rauner. “We’re one of the worst-run states in America. We have entered an economic death spiral, and Gov. Quinn is trying to cover it up and put a rosy picture on it.” Rauner brushed off questions from reporters regarding negative stories that have recently surfaced about his former investment firm, GTCR Golder Rauner. The company has been linked to neglect cases at nursing homes it invested in.
The venture capitalist from Winnetka today borrowed a line from President Barack Obama. “The attacks, we’ll have plenty of time to talk about them. ‘There’s no there there.’ We’ll be attacked every day in the race. That’s part of politics.” Obama used the “There’s no there there” quote from Gertrude Stein when questions about his administration’s handling of a terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, continued to hound him. “There's no there there. The fact that this keeps on getting churned up, frankly, has a whole lot to do with political motivations,” Obama said at a White House news conference.
Sen. Kirk Dillard, who is from Hinsdale, said Quinn should have addressed the state’s temporary income tax increase, which is set to begin stepping down in 2015, taking billion of dollars of revenue with it. “We’re overtaxed. We are greatly overregulated,” he said to the ideas Quinn put forward.
“That’s not a playbook for success,” Bloomington Sen. Bill Brady said of Quinn’s speech. “Ranking among the worst in the nation is the record of the current administration and the Democrats’ hostility toward the private sector. I didn’t hear any talk about reducing burdensome regulations or lowering the cost of doing business in Illinois through further reforms in our workers' compensation program. I certainly didn’t hear anything about his commitment to cut taxes by allowing his 67 percent income tax increase to expire next year.”
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford, who is from Chenoa, said Quinn’s speech was about what he had expected. “It was what an incumbent governor’s State of the State should be in an election year. It was very optimistic, very positive.” He said that creating a long-term plan is not a bad thing. “I don’t fault long-term planning. As I’ve said more than once on the circuit out there, strategic long-term planning for our state facilities, our capital assets, is extremely important.” However, he said Quinn should have focused more on creating an environment that would encourage private-sector job growth.
While responses to Quinn’s speech were generally tepid. Some Democrats were enthusiastic about the governor’s ideas. “I thought it was an excellent speech,” said Sen. Dan Kotowski of Park Ridge. “I thought the governor did a great job of communicating a vision of what it’s going to take in our state to make sure we address these challenges that are out there, so that we can create jobs and maintain the ones that we have. But also make sure we prepare our young people for a future. He’s identified the challenges we face in our state, and I agree with him. He’s taking them head on.”
But the verdict from other Democrats was less glowing. “It’s just talk. So the legislature will begin the process of crafting the budget and trying to work through these issues. We’ve already started. The people of the state of Illinois are tired of talk. They want action,” said Rep. John Bradley, a Democrat from Marion. Bradley is chair of the House Revenue and Finance Committee, which has preempted Quinn in the past on fiscal issues by proposing a spending cap for the budget before the governor gives his budget address.
Economic Issues
By Jamey Dunn
Quinn pitched several measures targeting businesses and workers, including a proposal to increase the state’s minimum wage. “This year, we really need to get the job done for our fellow citizens who are making the minimum wage of $8.25 per hour. Our minimum wage workers are doing hard work. They’re putting in long hours. Yet in too many instances, they are living in poverty,” he said. “That’s not right. That’s not an Illinois value. And that’s not a fair shake. This is all about dignity and decency. So I said it last year. and I’ll say it again: It’s time to raise Illinois’ minimum wage to at least $10 an hour.”
Quinn called for an increase to the minimum wage last year during his State of the State address. “I’m pleased that the governor is continuing his message on the minimum wage,” said Maywood Democratic Sen. Kimberly Lightford, who sponsors legislation that would increase the minimum wage. She said she has been negotiating the issue for month with business groups.
Lightford said she knows that it is nearly impossible to expect that the business lobby will support the proposal. “There’s nothing that we can do for a corporation to agree with a minimum wage increase. There will be nothing that you can do. There is no happy medium on an increase.” But she said she has worked to revamp her legislation to give some consideration to businesses. In perhaps the only surprise in the speech, Quinn also called for workers to get at least two paid sick days. Quinn also said he wants to double the Earned Income Tax Credit, which goes to low-income working families, over the next five years.
Doug Whitley, president and chief executive officer of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, said he was glad the governor’s speech focused on the economy. But he said that adding more business regulations would not help job growth. “I was pleased with the themes [of the governor’s speech], but I was not impressed with the details,” he said. Whitley said the minimum wage is not meant to sustain a family. He said those jobs are intended to be for young people, students and those looking to supplement their incomes with part-time work. He said he is concerned that if Illinois increases its minimum wage, which is already greater than many other states, it will hurt its ability to compete. “I would rather see the [U.S.] Congress do it than individual states do it,” Whitley said.
Republican leaders agreed. “The minimum wage doesn’t lift people out of poverty. I think the minimum wage is the wrong discussion,” said Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno. “We’re not unsympathetic to the fact that people are making very low wages, but the questions are: Why aren’t people moving into higher wage jobs? How do we create those jobs? And how do we match the talent to get those jobs? So I think focusing only on the minimum wage is a distraction from the real work we need to be doing.”
But proponents say that those living on low wages often also receive help from safety net programs, so taxpayers are in effect being asked to subsidize the cost of workers for private businesses. “Those people will be on government benefits. And they will be relying more on government, and they’ll be relying more on government for services and that costs everybody money,” Kotowski said. “I think people recognize that if you’re working full-time hours but making wages that don’t allow you to feed your family and take care of yourself and pay for the basic necessities of life, there’s something fundamentally wrong.”
Quinn also called for cutting the cost for incorporating a limited liability corporation from $500 to $39. Whitley called that idea “creative and fresh.” But he said: “I’m sure that small businesses will appreciate that. But the magnitude of an increase in the minimum wage and additional required days off will dwarf any savings that that LLC might actually have from a reduction in the fee.”
Some lawmakers said the change might not be realistic, given the state’s budget situation. “What’s the cost to the state of doing that? It’s a great thing to say in a speech, but what’s it going to cost the state?” asked Bradley. “I mean, we’re staring at a really ugly budget scenario coming up and a really difficult fiscal and revenue situation coming up in the near future, and he’s talking about getting rid of money that’s coming in.”
Education initiatives
By Caitlin Rydinski
As part of his address today, Quinn proposed expanding early childhood programs and a college scholarship program, but lawmakers question where the funding for his plans would come from.
Quinn’s “Birth to Five Initiative” looks to provide prenatal care to low-income families, increase access to childhood early education and offer programs that provide parental support. Quinn said his initiative would help taxpayers avoid paying for the cost of medical needs, early intervention, remedial education and grade repetition.
Lightford said Illinois already focuses on early childhood programs from age 3 to 5, so adding prenatal care to age 3 may not be difficult. “It’s really not as difficult of a challenge getting there,” Lightford said. “I think that the area of the wrap-around services that [Quinn has] included with the prenatal care and the parent involvement piece — I think those are good areas to focus on.”
But Lebanon Republican Sen. Kyle McCarter and other legislators are concerned with where funding will come from. “I think it’s a great idea, but if you can buy parental support, we would have bought it decades ago. I don’t know how you buy that. That’s a cultural problem,” McCarter said. “Given the situation we are in with the tight budget, he is going to have to cut something else in order to pay for this.”
Wheaton Republican Sen. Michael Connelly said education is important, but he wants to focus on the economy to give students access to better jobs. “I’ve got a constituent that has a child that is going into a graduate program, and other states … are basically saying Illinois is done. Come to our state. … This is where the future is,” Connelly said of states not only persuading jobs to leave Illinois but also college students. Quinn also proposed to double the funding for Monetary Award Program scholarships that currently about 140,000 students receive.
Many lawmakers want to see both of those programs funded but are concerned they may lose out to other competing budget interests. “I hope that we can find a way to fund that program, as well as the MAP grant,” Lightford said, adding that the MAP program helps keep Illinois competitive with other states in having an educated workforce. While Quinn’s initiative is a five-year plan, Lightford said she hopes the MAP funding increase can happen sooner.
With Western Illinois University and several community and private colleges in his district, Sen. John Sullivan said he supports the doubling of MAP grants. “We know that there’s huge demand there. We talked about actually doubling the scholarships. ... I think most people are supportive of that, but I think the next speech that the governor gives will be the budget address. And so, how is he going to pay for some of these new initiatives like the prenatal program,” he said of the budget issue with the state and the ending of the temporary income tax increase. “The governor has introduced some new perspective and new programs, and I’m going to be interested in how he is going to pay for them.”
Many lawmakers and advocates said they want to know more about how the state will be able to provide the finances for Quinn's education proposals and still maintain the programs Illinois has now. “I think it’s really encouraging to have the governor advocating early childhood education,” said Emily Miller, policy and advocacy director for Voices for Illinois Children. But she said she is waiting for the budget address in February to find out how much funding Quinn will propose for education and early childhood programs.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Fact check: Republicans on the budget
By Jamey Dunn
If one of the Republican primary candidates ultimately wins the race for governor, he will face some challenging budget conditions. The temporary income tax increase, which was approved in 2011, will begin to sunset during the last half of next fiscal year. Projections from Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget office estimate that Illinois will have a $2 billion budget deficit by the end of Fiscal Year 2015 and $7.5 billion in unpaid bills.
During the Republican debate last week, GOP candidates shared some of the ideas and qualifications they would bring to the table when looking to address the state budget.
Sen. Kirk Dillard touted his experience working under former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar. “We inherited a $1 billion deficit in a recession and left a $1.5 billion surplus, all without an income tax increase,” Dillard said. He noted that during Edgar’s time in office, the state’s credit rating went up and the backlog of overdue bills was paid down.
It is true that Edgar’s administration started off with a budget deficit and left office with a budget surplus and paying the state’s bills on time. Edgar made some difficult budget choices, including cuts to Medicaid. The income tax did not increase. However, after being elected in 1990, Edgar made a temporary income tax hike permanent. He told Illinois Issues at the time that the cuts that would be needed to allow the increase to sunset would have been too deep. “There's no way you can make that amount of cuts without cutting into programs that I think everyone agrees are necessary.” Making the increase permanent was part of the platform Edgar ran on. "I won with everybody knowing my position. Nobody can be surprised on that one,” he said.
The budget recovery was also helped along by the economic boom of the mid-1990s. When Edgar took office, the country was in recession and Gross Domestic Product growth was nonexistent. By the time he left in 1999, GDP growth was almost 5 percent. Over the same period, the federal government went from a $269.3 billion deficit to a $125.6 billion surplus. Economic growth could go a long way toward improving the state’s current fiscal condition, but the kind of economic bubble the country experienced in the '90s is not likely to reoccur in the foreseeable future.
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford said he plans to conduct a performance review of all state agencies, similar to one he did when he entered his current office. Rutherford pointed to budget cuts he has made as treasurer. “I cut the budget of the state treasurer’s office by 2 percent, next fiscal year 3 percent and then 5 percent — a total of 10 percent. I’ve got the experience to do that,” he said.
Rutherford has not yet made that 5 percent cut but plans to call for it under his budget for next fiscal year. He has managed to cut his office’s budget over the last few years. Some of the substantial reductions include closing the treasurer’s satellite offices throughout the state, reducing staff through attrition, cutting the vehicle fleet and reducing phone lines. The general fund budget for the treasurer's office in the current fiscal year is about $9 million. To call it a drop in the bucket of the overall General Revenue Funds budget would be an overstatement. While Rutherford’s cost-saving measures do seem to be effective for his office, many state agencies have made similar moves to cut costs. There are only so many cars, phone lines and employees you can get rid of and still do the business of state government. Agencies that provide social programs, such as Medicaid, must have offices throughout the state that applicants can reach. To bridge the revenue gap that will follow the sunset of the tax increase, it will take more than such nibbling around the edges of the budget.
Sen. Bill Brady pointed to recent pension reform legislation as a good start on tackling Illinois’ budget troubles. “It will save the taxpayers $190 billion,” he said.
Brady has his savings number wrong. In reality, the plan was originally estimated to save about $160 billion over 30 years. But new estimates from the retirement systems now peg the savings at about $145 billion. The new law will have to survive a court challenge to produce any savings.
Brady also said he would eliminate the Illinois State Board of Education.
Again, ISBE’s spending makes up a small fraction of overall education costs. Brady said he would create a department under the governor’s office to oversee education. Such a department would presumably have staff, need office space, phone lines, even a travel budget. So the spending now going to ISBE would not be totally eliminated. When former Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed a similar idea, his department of education would have cost about 80 percent as much as ISBE did at the time. Brady said his idea is not just about the savings but would “end the bureaucratic red tape that harms our children’s educational opportunities every day.”
He failed to mention however, that most of the mandates imposed on schools are voted into law by the Illinois General Assembly.
Bruce Rauner said he would focus on fighting union bosses, who he says are driving up the cost of government operations. He said he wants to use creative negotiating tactics, such as those employed by former Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Daniels put a merit pay system in place in Indiana and effectively ended collective bargaining for public employees through an executive order in 2005. He was able to do that because the collective bargaining provisions were originally put in place through a previous executive order in 1989. Indiana lawmakers voted to codify Daniels' move in 2011, so future governors would not be able to restore collective bargaining with their executive power. Daniels signed that legislation into law. “He used executive order and the power of the government office to stand up to the power of the government union bosses that control the state governments around the nation and are driving up costs and driving down productivity,” Rauner said. Since collective bargaining rights are written into Illinois law, such a move may not be so simple, or even possible, here.
Rauner, along with the other candidates, said he would find savings in the state’s Medicaid program, which he called “broken” and “corrupt” “Based on studies that have come to light recently, it looks like close to half of the enrollees in our Medicaid system aren’t entitled to receive the benefits they’re getting, based on the report so far.” As part of sweeping Medicaid changes passed last year, the state is checking on Medicaid recipients to make sure they are eligible to receive benefits. So far, 315,000 cases have been reviewed, and 40 percent of those were found to be ineligible. But the first cases being tested were ones that were suspected of not being qualified for benefits. The benefits in most of these cases were canceled because there was no response to the requests for verification. The department does not expect the number to remain that high as it continues the verification process. “The cancellation rate is expected to come down because the reviews started with cases that had been flagged for having a discrepancy,” said a statement from the department.
While much of what the Republican candidates said about the budget during last week's debate was true, or mostly true, none of the candidates has offered a comprehensive plan for how he would address the budget shortfalls that will come as the tax increase steps down.
To be fair, neither has presumptive Democratic candidate, Gov. Pat Quinn. So far, Quinn has refused to talk about whether he would support an extension of the tax increase. By law, Quinn is required to propose an FY 2015 budget that is based on current revenues. His budget address is scheduled for February 19.
If one of the Republican primary candidates ultimately wins the race for governor, he will face some challenging budget conditions. The temporary income tax increase, which was approved in 2011, will begin to sunset during the last half of next fiscal year. Projections from Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget office estimate that Illinois will have a $2 billion budget deficit by the end of Fiscal Year 2015 and $7.5 billion in unpaid bills.
During the Republican debate last week, GOP candidates shared some of the ideas and qualifications they would bring to the table when looking to address the state budget.
Sen. Kirk Dillard touted his experience working under former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar. “We inherited a $1 billion deficit in a recession and left a $1.5 billion surplus, all without an income tax increase,” Dillard said. He noted that during Edgar’s time in office, the state’s credit rating went up and the backlog of overdue bills was paid down.
It is true that Edgar’s administration started off with a budget deficit and left office with a budget surplus and paying the state’s bills on time. Edgar made some difficult budget choices, including cuts to Medicaid. The income tax did not increase. However, after being elected in 1990, Edgar made a temporary income tax hike permanent. He told Illinois Issues at the time that the cuts that would be needed to allow the increase to sunset would have been too deep. “There's no way you can make that amount of cuts without cutting into programs that I think everyone agrees are necessary.” Making the increase permanent was part of the platform Edgar ran on. "I won with everybody knowing my position. Nobody can be surprised on that one,” he said.
The budget recovery was also helped along by the economic boom of the mid-1990s. When Edgar took office, the country was in recession and Gross Domestic Product growth was nonexistent. By the time he left in 1999, GDP growth was almost 5 percent. Over the same period, the federal government went from a $269.3 billion deficit to a $125.6 billion surplus. Economic growth could go a long way toward improving the state’s current fiscal condition, but the kind of economic bubble the country experienced in the '90s is not likely to reoccur in the foreseeable future.
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford said he plans to conduct a performance review of all state agencies, similar to one he did when he entered his current office. Rutherford pointed to budget cuts he has made as treasurer. “I cut the budget of the state treasurer’s office by 2 percent, next fiscal year 3 percent and then 5 percent — a total of 10 percent. I’ve got the experience to do that,” he said.
Rutherford has not yet made that 5 percent cut but plans to call for it under his budget for next fiscal year. He has managed to cut his office’s budget over the last few years. Some of the substantial reductions include closing the treasurer’s satellite offices throughout the state, reducing staff through attrition, cutting the vehicle fleet and reducing phone lines. The general fund budget for the treasurer's office in the current fiscal year is about $9 million. To call it a drop in the bucket of the overall General Revenue Funds budget would be an overstatement. While Rutherford’s cost-saving measures do seem to be effective for his office, many state agencies have made similar moves to cut costs. There are only so many cars, phone lines and employees you can get rid of and still do the business of state government. Agencies that provide social programs, such as Medicaid, must have offices throughout the state that applicants can reach. To bridge the revenue gap that will follow the sunset of the tax increase, it will take more than such nibbling around the edges of the budget.
Sen. Bill Brady pointed to recent pension reform legislation as a good start on tackling Illinois’ budget troubles. “It will save the taxpayers $190 billion,” he said.
Brady has his savings number wrong. In reality, the plan was originally estimated to save about $160 billion over 30 years. But new estimates from the retirement systems now peg the savings at about $145 billion. The new law will have to survive a court challenge to produce any savings.
Brady also said he would eliminate the Illinois State Board of Education.
Again, ISBE’s spending makes up a small fraction of overall education costs. Brady said he would create a department under the governor’s office to oversee education. Such a department would presumably have staff, need office space, phone lines, even a travel budget. So the spending now going to ISBE would not be totally eliminated. When former Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed a similar idea, his department of education would have cost about 80 percent as much as ISBE did at the time. Brady said his idea is not just about the savings but would “end the bureaucratic red tape that harms our children’s educational opportunities every day.”
He failed to mention however, that most of the mandates imposed on schools are voted into law by the Illinois General Assembly.
Bruce Rauner said he would focus on fighting union bosses, who he says are driving up the cost of government operations. He said he wants to use creative negotiating tactics, such as those employed by former Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Daniels put a merit pay system in place in Indiana and effectively ended collective bargaining for public employees through an executive order in 2005. He was able to do that because the collective bargaining provisions were originally put in place through a previous executive order in 1989. Indiana lawmakers voted to codify Daniels' move in 2011, so future governors would not be able to restore collective bargaining with their executive power. Daniels signed that legislation into law. “He used executive order and the power of the government office to stand up to the power of the government union bosses that control the state governments around the nation and are driving up costs and driving down productivity,” Rauner said. Since collective bargaining rights are written into Illinois law, such a move may not be so simple, or even possible, here.
Rauner, along with the other candidates, said he would find savings in the state’s Medicaid program, which he called “broken” and “corrupt” “Based on studies that have come to light recently, it looks like close to half of the enrollees in our Medicaid system aren’t entitled to receive the benefits they’re getting, based on the report so far.” As part of sweeping Medicaid changes passed last year, the state is checking on Medicaid recipients to make sure they are eligible to receive benefits. So far, 315,000 cases have been reviewed, and 40 percent of those were found to be ineligible. But the first cases being tested were ones that were suspected of not being qualified for benefits. The benefits in most of these cases were canceled because there was no response to the requests for verification. The department does not expect the number to remain that high as it continues the verification process. “The cancellation rate is expected to come down because the reviews started with cases that had been flagged for having a discrepancy,” said a statement from the department.
While much of what the Republican candidates said about the budget during last week's debate was true, or mostly true, none of the candidates has offered a comprehensive plan for how he would address the budget shortfalls that will come as the tax increase steps down.
To be fair, neither has presumptive Democratic candidate, Gov. Pat Quinn. So far, Quinn has refused to talk about whether he would support an extension of the tax increase. By law, Quinn is required to propose an FY 2015 budget that is based on current revenues. His budget address is scheduled for February 19.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Republican candidates retract their claws for Peoria debate
By Jamey Dunn
Republican candidates for governor toned down the personal attacks and played up their experience and electability during a primary election debate this evening.
When the four candidates came together last week, they spent much of the time going after each other. Tonight’s debate, held in Peoria, was more subdued. The candidates covered a lot of old ground, such as questions over the minimum wage. They also fleshed out some of their policy visions, which included eliminating the Illinois State Board of Education and cutting state funding for Amtrak train service.
Venture capitalist Bruce Rauner focused on what he says are his four priorities: improving the economy, cutting government spending, reforming education and imposing term limits on state elected officials. In addition to running for governor, Rauner is backing a push to put a constitutional amendment on the general election ballot that would limit legislators to eight years in office.
Rauner said that if elected, he would advocate for moving state workers into 401(k)-type retirement plans. He also said workers should receive merit pay for increasing productivity and meeting goals. He said he thinks former Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels was the “the best governor in America.” Rauner said: “He brought 30 superstars from the Indiana business community to the state capital, allocated responsibility and had them oversee the government. I will do exactly the same thing here.”
Daniels put a merit pay system in place in Indiana and effectively ended collective bargaining for public employees through an executive order in 2005. He was able to do that because the collective bargaining provisions were originally put in place through a previous executive order in 1989. Indiana lawmakers voted to codify Daniels' move in 2011, so future governors would not be able to restore collective bargaining with their executive power. Daniels signed that legislation into law.
“He used executive order and the power of the government office to stand up to the power of the government union bosses that control the state governments around the nation and are driving up costs and driving down productivity,” Rauner said. Since collective bargaining rights are written into Illinois law, such a move may not be so simple, or even possible, here.
While Rauner said the recent pension reform legislation was marginal and called it a “Band-Aid on an open wound,” Sen. Bill Brady said his vote in favor of the bill illustrates his ability to make difficult decisions. “I know what it’s like to take the tough vote. That was meaningful. You know, it wasn’t easy to tell people who paid in the system, we’re going to cut the way their pension grows.” But Brady said it would save taxpayers money and ensure that benefits are there for retirees in the future.
When asked what else he might do to cut government spending, Brady, who is from Bloomington, said he would eliminate the Illinois State Board of Education. “Partly because it saves money. But mostly because it will end the bureaucratic red tape that harms our children’s educational opportunities every day,” he said of the proposal. Brady said he would instead form a smaller education agency that would work directly under the governor. Former Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich had a similar plan. While he was able to reduce the size of the workforce at ISBE and other state agencies, he was never able to fully eliminate the agency.
Brady did take some digs at his fellow candidates. But he did so while rarely naming names and in a way that would have likely passed by the casual political observer. He did call out Rauner and Sen. Kirk Dillard on their stances on the minimum wage. Brady said the debate over the minimum wage that has gone on during the primary campaign has “damaged the brand’ of the Republican Party in the state. “Even businesses don’t want to see a cut in the minimum wage. They don’t want to see their employees' morale reduced and pay cut.” He added that the state cannot afford to increase the minimum wage.
Rauner, who is from Winnetka, has said in the past that he wanted to lower the minimum wage. He later reversed that statement, saying he would support an increase under certain circumstances. “It’s a double-edged sword ... and we need to be very thoughtful and cautious in our consideration of it,” he said during tonight’s debate. “Raising the minimum wage can help struggling families. However, raising the minimum wage can hurt small-business owners and can cause them to leave or close their doors or replace workers with machines. And that can end up hurting the very struggling families, struggling workers, it's designed to help.” He said he would back an increase if it came coupled with “comprehensive pro-business reforms,” such as worker's compensation changes and tax reforms.
Dillard said he does not support an increase to the minimum wage. However, he said that local marketplaces should “set the upper limits of the minimum wage.” He said, “It is clearly needed to be higher in places like Chicago than it would be in rural Tennessee.” Dillard added, “No one should be raising a family on a minimum wage.” He said elected officials should instead work to ensure that better paying jobs are available.
Gov. Pat Quinn, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor, supports increasing the minimum wage.
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford agreed with Dillard. “We don’t want to have this be the base to which people try to aspire to, just to be at minimum wage.” Rutherford said he does not think the minimum wage can be increased now but said he is not closed off to the idea of discussing an increase in the future. “The idea of where we go in the future on the minimum wage is going to be contingent upon many other factors out there: where we are in the growth of this economy, where we are in regards to other business factors going on out there, where we are in regards to other taxes on our businesses.”
Generally Rutherford, who is from Chenoa, was the one candidate who discussed leaving room for negotiating most major issues if he becomes governor. He said he does not want to see the current income tax increase, which is due to begin stepping down in 2015, extended. However, he said he would come to the office with “everything on the table” so he could try to hammer out some major reforms. On the flip side, Brady vowed to veto any extension of the increase if he ends up behind the governor’s desk.
Rutherford did seem certain of at least one thing: He is unhappy with Amtrak. “There’s too many times you’re sitting there in a cold gravel parking lot waiting for a train that is four hours late,” he said when asked about state funding for the train service. Rutherford said that unless Amtrak could make its trains run on time, he does not support the state funding it.
When it came to making the case for their ability to win the general election, Rutherford was the most animated. He said he is a moderate who has won a statewide election and can reach out to diverse communities of voters. “I’m a reasonable Republican," Rutherford said. “I am not a Republican with horns and a tail.”
Brady said he could build off the name recognition he created with voters during his failed general election run against Quinn in 2010. He said his message could resonate with voters of all political stripes. “I don’t care if you’re an independent, Democrat or Republican, you can’t be happy with the highest unemployment [rate] practically in the nation,” Brady said of this race, “We’ll finish the job this time.”
Dillard, who is from Hinsdale, said his suburban connections, along with his ties to downstate -- he attended Western Illinois University and was married in central Illinois -- make him the ideal candidate. He also played up his executive experience as former Gov. Jim Edgar's chief of staff. Dillard said he is the only GOP hopeful who can win the general election. “I can guarantee you that all four of us up here us agree on one thing, and that’s that Pat Quinn needs to go, and that for too long, this state’s been controlled by one party and one city. We need to restore the political balance of Illinois.”
In the one of the most direct attacks during the debate, Dillard said that the negative press Rauner has begun to receive makes him a risky candidate. Most recently, court documents have surfaced tying Rauner’s former company, GTCR Golder Rauner, to neglect cases in nursing homes the company had invested in. In once case, a Florida jury awarded a $1 billion settlement to the family of Arlene Townsend, who died in one of the nursing homes at 69 years old after suffering more than a dozen falls and a hip fracture that went untreated for a week. “The drip, drip, drip, drip of stories day in and day out about Mr. Rauner’s business dealings and his history of pay-to-play activity will wash away our chances as a party to ever get rid of Pat Quinn in November,” Dillard said.
Rauner did not respond to Dillard’s statement. Instead, he emphasized his business pedigree without going into the specifics of his business dealings and alluded to his vast wealth as a positive. “I’m not out looking for political career. I don’t need a job. I can’t be bought, intimidated. bribed, influenced. I can just stand up and fight for taxpayers, schoolchildren, homeowners, small-business owners,” he said. “I am not the problem. Everyone that I am running against has been part of the problem for decades.”
Republican candidates for governor toned down the personal attacks and played up their experience and electability during a primary election debate this evening.
When the four candidates came together last week, they spent much of the time going after each other. Tonight’s debate, held in Peoria, was more subdued. The candidates covered a lot of old ground, such as questions over the minimum wage. They also fleshed out some of their policy visions, which included eliminating the Illinois State Board of Education and cutting state funding for Amtrak train service.
Venture capitalist Bruce Rauner focused on what he says are his four priorities: improving the economy, cutting government spending, reforming education and imposing term limits on state elected officials. In addition to running for governor, Rauner is backing a push to put a constitutional amendment on the general election ballot that would limit legislators to eight years in office.
Rauner said that if elected, he would advocate for moving state workers into 401(k)-type retirement plans. He also said workers should receive merit pay for increasing productivity and meeting goals. He said he thinks former Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels was the “the best governor in America.” Rauner said: “He brought 30 superstars from the Indiana business community to the state capital, allocated responsibility and had them oversee the government. I will do exactly the same thing here.”
Daniels put a merit pay system in place in Indiana and effectively ended collective bargaining for public employees through an executive order in 2005. He was able to do that because the collective bargaining provisions were originally put in place through a previous executive order in 1989. Indiana lawmakers voted to codify Daniels' move in 2011, so future governors would not be able to restore collective bargaining with their executive power. Daniels signed that legislation into law.
“He used executive order and the power of the government office to stand up to the power of the government union bosses that control the state governments around the nation and are driving up costs and driving down productivity,” Rauner said. Since collective bargaining rights are written into Illinois law, such a move may not be so simple, or even possible, here.
While Rauner said the recent pension reform legislation was marginal and called it a “Band-Aid on an open wound,” Sen. Bill Brady said his vote in favor of the bill illustrates his ability to make difficult decisions. “I know what it’s like to take the tough vote. That was meaningful. You know, it wasn’t easy to tell people who paid in the system, we’re going to cut the way their pension grows.” But Brady said it would save taxpayers money and ensure that benefits are there for retirees in the future.
When asked what else he might do to cut government spending, Brady, who is from Bloomington, said he would eliminate the Illinois State Board of Education. “Partly because it saves money. But mostly because it will end the bureaucratic red tape that harms our children’s educational opportunities every day,” he said of the proposal. Brady said he would instead form a smaller education agency that would work directly under the governor. Former Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich had a similar plan. While he was able to reduce the size of the workforce at ISBE and other state agencies, he was never able to fully eliminate the agency.
Brady did take some digs at his fellow candidates. But he did so while rarely naming names and in a way that would have likely passed by the casual political observer. He did call out Rauner and Sen. Kirk Dillard on their stances on the minimum wage. Brady said the debate over the minimum wage that has gone on during the primary campaign has “damaged the brand’ of the Republican Party in the state. “Even businesses don’t want to see a cut in the minimum wage. They don’t want to see their employees' morale reduced and pay cut.” He added that the state cannot afford to increase the minimum wage.
Rauner, who is from Winnetka, has said in the past that he wanted to lower the minimum wage. He later reversed that statement, saying he would support an increase under certain circumstances. “It’s a double-edged sword ... and we need to be very thoughtful and cautious in our consideration of it,” he said during tonight’s debate. “Raising the minimum wage can help struggling families. However, raising the minimum wage can hurt small-business owners and can cause them to leave or close their doors or replace workers with machines. And that can end up hurting the very struggling families, struggling workers, it's designed to help.” He said he would back an increase if it came coupled with “comprehensive pro-business reforms,” such as worker's compensation changes and tax reforms.
Dillard said he does not support an increase to the minimum wage. However, he said that local marketplaces should “set the upper limits of the minimum wage.” He said, “It is clearly needed to be higher in places like Chicago than it would be in rural Tennessee.” Dillard added, “No one should be raising a family on a minimum wage.” He said elected officials should instead work to ensure that better paying jobs are available.
Gov. Pat Quinn, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor, supports increasing the minimum wage.
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford agreed with Dillard. “We don’t want to have this be the base to which people try to aspire to, just to be at minimum wage.” Rutherford said he does not think the minimum wage can be increased now but said he is not closed off to the idea of discussing an increase in the future. “The idea of where we go in the future on the minimum wage is going to be contingent upon many other factors out there: where we are in the growth of this economy, where we are in regards to other business factors going on out there, where we are in regards to other taxes on our businesses.”
Generally Rutherford, who is from Chenoa, was the one candidate who discussed leaving room for negotiating most major issues if he becomes governor. He said he does not want to see the current income tax increase, which is due to begin stepping down in 2015, extended. However, he said he would come to the office with “everything on the table” so he could try to hammer out some major reforms. On the flip side, Brady vowed to veto any extension of the increase if he ends up behind the governor’s desk.
Rutherford did seem certain of at least one thing: He is unhappy with Amtrak. “There’s too many times you’re sitting there in a cold gravel parking lot waiting for a train that is four hours late,” he said when asked about state funding for the train service. Rutherford said that unless Amtrak could make its trains run on time, he does not support the state funding it.
When it came to making the case for their ability to win the general election, Rutherford was the most animated. He said he is a moderate who has won a statewide election and can reach out to diverse communities of voters. “I’m a reasonable Republican," Rutherford said. “I am not a Republican with horns and a tail.”
Brady said he could build off the name recognition he created with voters during his failed general election run against Quinn in 2010. He said his message could resonate with voters of all political stripes. “I don’t care if you’re an independent, Democrat or Republican, you can’t be happy with the highest unemployment [rate] practically in the nation,” Brady said of this race, “We’ll finish the job this time.”
Dillard, who is from Hinsdale, said his suburban connections, along with his ties to downstate -- he attended Western Illinois University and was married in central Illinois -- make him the ideal candidate. He also played up his executive experience as former Gov. Jim Edgar's chief of staff. Dillard said he is the only GOP hopeful who can win the general election. “I can guarantee you that all four of us up here us agree on one thing, and that’s that Pat Quinn needs to go, and that for too long, this state’s been controlled by one party and one city. We need to restore the political balance of Illinois.”
In the one of the most direct attacks during the debate, Dillard said that the negative press Rauner has begun to receive makes him a risky candidate. Most recently, court documents have surfaced tying Rauner’s former company, GTCR Golder Rauner, to neglect cases in nursing homes the company had invested in. In once case, a Florida jury awarded a $1 billion settlement to the family of Arlene Townsend, who died in one of the nursing homes at 69 years old after suffering more than a dozen falls and a hip fracture that went untreated for a week. “The drip, drip, drip, drip of stories day in and day out about Mr. Rauner’s business dealings and his history of pay-to-play activity will wash away our chances as a party to ever get rid of Pat Quinn in November,” Dillard said.
Rauner did not respond to Dillard’s statement. Instead, he emphasized his business pedigree without going into the specifics of his business dealings and alluded to his vast wealth as a positive. “I’m not out looking for political career. I don’t need a job. I can’t be bought, intimidated. bribed, influenced. I can just stand up and fight for taxpayers, schoolchildren, homeowners, small-business owners,” he said. “I am not the problem. Everyone that I am running against has been part of the problem for decades.”
Friday, November 08, 2013
Quinn picks school reformer Vallas as running mate
By Jamey Dunn
Gov. Pat Quinn announced an unexpected pick for his running mate today — former Chicago Public Schools chief Paul Vallas.
Vallas is known as an expert at turning around failing school districts, but along with his managerial choices has come controversy. His firings of teachers and support of charter schools and alternative teaching programs, such as Teach for America, could raise some eyebrows among Quinn’s union supporters. He was superintendent of New Orleans schools as the district tried to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina and also served as the head of Philadelphia schools. Vallas made an unsuccessful bid for governor in 2001, when he was defeated in the Democratic primary by now incarcerated former-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
“I’ve known Paul Vallas for 30 years, and he’s never been shy about fighting for education, reform and opportunities for working people,” Quinn said in a news release officially announcing his choice for lieutenant governor. “We have made great progress these last few years, but serious challenges remain, and our mission is not yet accomplished. Paul is an independent problem solver with a proven record of reform. He will be a strong lieutenant governor for the common good.”
Quinn’s decision to tap Vallas as his running mate comes as a surprise, as many assumed the governor would appeal to his liberal base and might also pick a candidate who was a racial minority. Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul and Stephanie Neely, Chicago city treasurer, were both rumored to be on Quinn’s short list. “It really doesn’t add anything to the ticket electorally. You can’t talk about him as [a draw for] downstate or Chicago or Hispanic voters or African-American voters or suburban voters,” said Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield. But Redfield said he remembers Vallas, a key budget staffer in the General Assembly in the 1970s, as “a serious person who cares about policy.” This is the first time that gubernatorial candidates have picked their lieutenant governor candidates under a new law. In the past, primary winners were paired up to run in the general election.
Redfield said while Vallas may not fit the demographic profile many were expecting, he does have a background that could be useful on the campaign trail. “I don’t view it as a negative. It doesn’t expand the electorate in terms of a particular group of voters. It doesn’t solidify the base in terms of a particular group of voters. But it’s certainly a qualified person,” he said.
Christopher Mooney, director of the Institute for Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, agreed that Vallas brings some leadership credentials to the ticket. “He’s got serious executive experience,” he said. “It shows that [Quinn] can get somebody on his ticket that’s got a little bit of heft.” Mooney said the pick may reveal more about which Republican candidate Quinn most thinks he will face. He pointed out that the governor might want to tout his running mate’s executive experience in contrast with a less-experienced candidate — such as Republican candidate Bruce Rauner’s choice, Evelyn Sanguinetti. Both Rauner and the Wheaton City Council member are working to cultivate the image of political outsiders. And Mooney notes that any issue union members might have with Vallas would likely be overshadowed by their concerns about Rauner, who was one of a group of deep-pocketed business leaders backing recent education reforms in the state. “The unions are not going to have a problem with Quinn when faced with Rauner.”
But whether Vallas’ experience would be put to use if he were elected is another matter. Quinn is known for keeping his inner circle tight and not seeking outside help on issues. “It’s a question of, will the governor use him and how does it mesh with Quinn’s governing style?” Redfield said. The lieutenant governor’s position has been infamous in Illinois history for being relatively powerless and at times boring. “That position has been a source of frustration for most people who have held it,” he said. “There’s certainly a question of, why did this make sense to Paul Vallas?” Given his record of trying to revive troubled school districts, perhaps he is drawn to a state with so many problems, Redfield said. “If you want a challenge, this is certainly that place to come.” He added that a win would allow Vallas to return to Illinois politics with an eye toward running for a different office down the road. Current Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is challenging Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.
“I am honored to join forces with the strongest reform governor in the country,” Vallas said in a news release. “Since taking the oath of office, Governor Pat Quinn has rescued the state of Illinois from the verge of fiscal and ethical disaster following decades of bipartisan corruption. This governor has been getting big things done since he got here. Unlike his predecessors, Governor Quinn tackled the hard issues and has made the right decisions to get Illinois back on track.”
The fact that Vallas is battling for his job in Bridgeport, Conn., is likely a factor. An activist, along with parents of students, sued to have him removed because they say he did not meet the certification requirements for the job. A judge ordered Vallas to step down in June, but the case is pending before the state’s supreme court.
Quinn’s choice of Vallas is certainly causing a lot of waves among political observers today. “If you made a list of 100 people that he might pick, he would not have been on most people’s list of 100,” Redfield said. “It shakes things up. Adds a little drama” to what has been an uneventful governor’s race so far, Mooney says. But Redfield noted that most people outside of Chicago probably have no idea who Vallas is and care little about lieutenant governor candidates in general. Mooney said that lieutenant governor candidates are unlikely to sway voters one way or the other when they are considering their pick for governor.
Gov. Pat Quinn announced an unexpected pick for his running mate today — former Chicago Public Schools chief Paul Vallas.
Vallas is known as an expert at turning around failing school districts, but along with his managerial choices has come controversy. His firings of teachers and support of charter schools and alternative teaching programs, such as Teach for America, could raise some eyebrows among Quinn’s union supporters. He was superintendent of New Orleans schools as the district tried to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina and also served as the head of Philadelphia schools. Vallas made an unsuccessful bid for governor in 2001, when he was defeated in the Democratic primary by now incarcerated former-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
“I’ve known Paul Vallas for 30 years, and he’s never been shy about fighting for education, reform and opportunities for working people,” Quinn said in a news release officially announcing his choice for lieutenant governor. “We have made great progress these last few years, but serious challenges remain, and our mission is not yet accomplished. Paul is an independent problem solver with a proven record of reform. He will be a strong lieutenant governor for the common good.”
Quinn’s decision to tap Vallas as his running mate comes as a surprise, as many assumed the governor would appeal to his liberal base and might also pick a candidate who was a racial minority. Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul and Stephanie Neely, Chicago city treasurer, were both rumored to be on Quinn’s short list. “It really doesn’t add anything to the ticket electorally. You can’t talk about him as [a draw for] downstate or Chicago or Hispanic voters or African-American voters or suburban voters,” said Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield. But Redfield said he remembers Vallas, a key budget staffer in the General Assembly in the 1970s, as “a serious person who cares about policy.” This is the first time that gubernatorial candidates have picked their lieutenant governor candidates under a new law. In the past, primary winners were paired up to run in the general election.
Redfield said while Vallas may not fit the demographic profile many were expecting, he does have a background that could be useful on the campaign trail. “I don’t view it as a negative. It doesn’t expand the electorate in terms of a particular group of voters. It doesn’t solidify the base in terms of a particular group of voters. But it’s certainly a qualified person,” he said.
Christopher Mooney, director of the Institute for Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, agreed that Vallas brings some leadership credentials to the ticket. “He’s got serious executive experience,” he said. “It shows that [Quinn] can get somebody on his ticket that’s got a little bit of heft.” Mooney said the pick may reveal more about which Republican candidate Quinn most thinks he will face. He pointed out that the governor might want to tout his running mate’s executive experience in contrast with a less-experienced candidate — such as Republican candidate Bruce Rauner’s choice, Evelyn Sanguinetti. Both Rauner and the Wheaton City Council member are working to cultivate the image of political outsiders. And Mooney notes that any issue union members might have with Vallas would likely be overshadowed by their concerns about Rauner, who was one of a group of deep-pocketed business leaders backing recent education reforms in the state. “The unions are not going to have a problem with Quinn when faced with Rauner.”
But whether Vallas’ experience would be put to use if he were elected is another matter. Quinn is known for keeping his inner circle tight and not seeking outside help on issues. “It’s a question of, will the governor use him and how does it mesh with Quinn’s governing style?” Redfield said. The lieutenant governor’s position has been infamous in Illinois history for being relatively powerless and at times boring. “That position has been a source of frustration for most people who have held it,” he said. “There’s certainly a question of, why did this make sense to Paul Vallas?” Given his record of trying to revive troubled school districts, perhaps he is drawn to a state with so many problems, Redfield said. “If you want a challenge, this is certainly that place to come.” He added that a win would allow Vallas to return to Illinois politics with an eye toward running for a different office down the road. Current Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is challenging Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.
“I am honored to join forces with the strongest reform governor in the country,” Vallas said in a news release. “Since taking the oath of office, Governor Pat Quinn has rescued the state of Illinois from the verge of fiscal and ethical disaster following decades of bipartisan corruption. This governor has been getting big things done since he got here. Unlike his predecessors, Governor Quinn tackled the hard issues and has made the right decisions to get Illinois back on track.”
The fact that Vallas is battling for his job in Bridgeport, Conn., is likely a factor. An activist, along with parents of students, sued to have him removed because they say he did not meet the certification requirements for the job. A judge ordered Vallas to step down in June, but the case is pending before the state’s supreme court.
Quinn’s choice of Vallas is certainly causing a lot of waves among political observers today. “If you made a list of 100 people that he might pick, he would not have been on most people’s list of 100,” Redfield said. “It shakes things up. Adds a little drama” to what has been an uneventful governor’s race so far, Mooney says. But Redfield noted that most people outside of Chicago probably have no idea who Vallas is and care little about lieutenant governor candidates in general. Mooney said that lieutenant governor candidates are unlikely to sway voters one way or the other when they are considering their pick for governor.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Durkin: Pension reform plan must include GOP ideas to get GOP votes
By Jamey Dunn
New House Minority Leader Jim Durkin said today that if Democratic leaders want Republican votes on pension changes, they will have to include some proposals from Republicans in the final bill.
“I think it’s interesting that the Democrats have said there has to be Republican participation in a vote, but they need to take our suggestions as well. This isn’t a matter of Senate Democrats and House Democrats negotiating amongst themselves. If they want our participation — they want our votes — they will need to take our considerations and incorporate them in a bill,” Durkin said in an interview with Illinois Issues. He added: “Otherwise, they’ve got 71 in the House, and they’ve got 40 in the Senate. They can pass a bill on their own. Good luck. Go do it.”
Durkin said he thinks the work of a conference committee on pensions has moved the process forward on finding legislation that could pass in both chambers. But he and other Republicans want to see some tweaks made to cut pension costs further. “I think what is promising is that there has been progress made. There needs to be more progress, and there needs to be an additional uptick in the savings. But that’s still open for negotiation.” He said that annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs) would likely have to be the target for more savings. The committee has been considering a proposal that would tie the COLAs to inflation. Employees currently receive a 3 percent annually compounded COLA. “The COLA, I think, is the most important part of the pension reform. I would say the most strain on the system has been through the 3 percent compounded COLA. To me, that is where a majority of the savings are going to be made.”
Durkin said he thinks it “may be a bit lofty” to expect that the issue will be tackled in the six session days that are scheduled for veto session. “I’ve been down here for a few terms, and one thing that I know about veto sessions is that they are generally overhyped,” he said. “This issue has such a profound impact on the state of Illinois — its residents, its employers — to just arbitrarily say that we have to get this thing done within six days in October and the first week of November, I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to do. I want to do it right, and I want to do it once. If it takes us a little bit more time to get there, so be it.” But he said he does not want to see the issue go to far into the spring legislative session without a resolution because he said that next year’s elections could create a political climate that would make it difficult to get a bill passed. He said he is also concerned that the state could face another downgrade of its credit rating if lawmakers take too long to approve a plan.
The minority leader said he has met with House Speaker Michael Madigan and hopes to work with him. “My job is not to be someone who is the minority blocker or the minority agitator. The issues are too profound and too robust and too challenging for people in Illinois for the Republicans just to be the party of no. I want to work with the Democrats, whether it’s the Senate president or the speaker, to get the issues done,” he said. Durkin said he and Madigan have always had a “cordial” relationship. “I’ve met with him. And right now, I think we’re just trying to get to know each other a little bit more. It’s different when you’re a member and on the other side. But I look forward to working with him on the right issues.”
In his own party, Durkin said, he plans to be a flexible leader and does not expect members of his caucus to vote in lockstep with him. For instance, he does not support same-sex marriage. However, he said: “It’s up to the individual members to make a decision of how it plays out in their district, and that’s all I ask them to do. It’s a deeply personal [and] very emotional issue. And I think that each member needs to make a decision about how it best works and fits in their district, and I just advise them to vote their conscience.” Durkin, a Catholic, said he has received calls from church leaders in the state asking him not to support the bill. He said that the state already has provisions, such as civil unions, that protect same sex couples.
But Durkin said he plans to back incumbents in primaries next year, regardless of how they vote on the issue. “I’m supporting every one of my colleagues who’s here, no matter how they vote on this issue, or any other issue. We are a caucus that is diverse, and we’re not going to agree on every issue. But my pledge to every one of them when I was elected two months ago was that I want each and every one of them to be returning with me when we get sworn in. ... I will support every one of my incumbents who have a primary challenge, no matter what [side of an] issue they take or whatever vote may prompt a primary.”
For more on the veto session, which begins today, see our preview here.
New House Minority Leader Jim Durkin said today that if Democratic leaders want Republican votes on pension changes, they will have to include some proposals from Republicans in the final bill.
“I think it’s interesting that the Democrats have said there has to be Republican participation in a vote, but they need to take our suggestions as well. This isn’t a matter of Senate Democrats and House Democrats negotiating amongst themselves. If they want our participation — they want our votes — they will need to take our considerations and incorporate them in a bill,” Durkin said in an interview with Illinois Issues. He added: “Otherwise, they’ve got 71 in the House, and they’ve got 40 in the Senate. They can pass a bill on their own. Good luck. Go do it.”
Durkin said he thinks the work of a conference committee on pensions has moved the process forward on finding legislation that could pass in both chambers. But he and other Republicans want to see some tweaks made to cut pension costs further. “I think what is promising is that there has been progress made. There needs to be more progress, and there needs to be an additional uptick in the savings. But that’s still open for negotiation.” He said that annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs) would likely have to be the target for more savings. The committee has been considering a proposal that would tie the COLAs to inflation. Employees currently receive a 3 percent annually compounded COLA. “The COLA, I think, is the most important part of the pension reform. I would say the most strain on the system has been through the 3 percent compounded COLA. To me, that is where a majority of the savings are going to be made.”
Durkin said he thinks it “may be a bit lofty” to expect that the issue will be tackled in the six session days that are scheduled for veto session. “I’ve been down here for a few terms, and one thing that I know about veto sessions is that they are generally overhyped,” he said. “This issue has such a profound impact on the state of Illinois — its residents, its employers — to just arbitrarily say that we have to get this thing done within six days in October and the first week of November, I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to do. I want to do it right, and I want to do it once. If it takes us a little bit more time to get there, so be it.” But he said he does not want to see the issue go to far into the spring legislative session without a resolution because he said that next year’s elections could create a political climate that would make it difficult to get a bill passed. He said he is also concerned that the state could face another downgrade of its credit rating if lawmakers take too long to approve a plan.
The minority leader said he has met with House Speaker Michael Madigan and hopes to work with him. “My job is not to be someone who is the minority blocker or the minority agitator. The issues are too profound and too robust and too challenging for people in Illinois for the Republicans just to be the party of no. I want to work with the Democrats, whether it’s the Senate president or the speaker, to get the issues done,” he said. Durkin said he and Madigan have always had a “cordial” relationship. “I’ve met with him. And right now, I think we’re just trying to get to know each other a little bit more. It’s different when you’re a member and on the other side. But I look forward to working with him on the right issues.”
In his own party, Durkin said, he plans to be a flexible leader and does not expect members of his caucus to vote in lockstep with him. For instance, he does not support same-sex marriage. However, he said: “It’s up to the individual members to make a decision of how it plays out in their district, and that’s all I ask them to do. It’s a deeply personal [and] very emotional issue. And I think that each member needs to make a decision about how it best works and fits in their district, and I just advise them to vote their conscience.” Durkin, a Catholic, said he has received calls from church leaders in the state asking him not to support the bill. He said that the state already has provisions, such as civil unions, that protect same sex couples.
But Durkin said he plans to back incumbents in primaries next year, regardless of how they vote on the issue. “I’m supporting every one of my colleagues who’s here, no matter how they vote on this issue, or any other issue. We are a caucus that is diverse, and we’re not going to agree on every issue. But my pledge to every one of them when I was elected two months ago was that I want each and every one of them to be returning with me when we get sworn in. ... I will support every one of my incumbents who have a primary challenge, no matter what [side of an] issue they take or whatever vote may prompt a primary.”
For more on the veto session, which begins today, see our preview here.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Durkin steps in as House minority leader
House Republicans elected Durkin in August as their new leader after former leader Tom Cross announced he would be stepping down. Cross kicked off his campaign for state treasurer last week. He will continue to serve out his term in the House. “Tom Cross was a good leader. I wish him the best in his future endeavors and thank him for service to our caucus,” Durkin said in a written statement. “It is a privilege to have been selected the new House Republican leader by my peers, and I’m anxious to get to work. Illinois is a great state facing serious challenges. House Republicans have solid ideas on how to solve our fiscal crisis and get residents back to work. Like our neighbors, we want safe schools and neighborhoods, and an end to government corruption. We want to restore pride in Illinois — working together we can get the job done.”
Durkin served in the House from 1995 to 2002. He made a failed bid for U.S. Senate against Sen. Dick Durbin and then returned to the House in 2006. He has also worked as a Cook County state’s attorney and an assistant Illinois attorney general.
Durkin is taking over during a challenging time for the caucus. Republicans in both chambers suffered losses in the 2012 election that gave Democrats veto-proof majorities. Both caucuses have struggled with election fundraising, something Durkin says he plans to address.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Brady picks former suburban mayor as running mate
By Jamey Dunn
Republican state Sen. Bill Brady officially tapped a suburbanite with a conservative pedigree as his running mate in the governor's race this afternoon.
Brady’s choice, Maria Rodriguez, served two terms as mayor of the village of Long Grove in Lake County. She made her debut as a lieutenant governor candidate at an event with Brady today in Chicago. “Maria will bring a fresh perspective, a new ethic and a new energy to Springfield,” Brady said in Chicago. Rodriguez ran for the U.S. House in 2010 but was beaten in the Republican primary by Joe Walsh, who went on to win the seat. Walsh lost his 2012 bid for the House to Democrat Tammy Duckworth. Rodriguez went on to be the executive director for former Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrzejewski’s watchdog organization, For the Good of Illinois. Andrzejewski was one of several candidates that Brady defeated in the 2010 gubernatorial primary. Hinsdale Republican Sen. Kirk Dillard, who is also running for governor, lost to Brady by fewer than 200 votes in 2010. Brady went on to a narrow loss to Gov. Pat Quinn in the general election.
“We have the infrastructure, the resources and, most of all, that Midwestern heart and work ethic to become a magnet state for business and commerce,” Rodriguez told reporters. “What we don't have is leadership.”
This is the first race under a new law that requires governor hopefuls and lieutenant governor candidates to run together in the primary election. Dillard picked Quincy Republican Rep. Jil Tracy. Treasurer Dan Rutherford, from Chenoa, chose former Republican attorney general candidate Steve Kim, who is from Northbrook. Quinn and Republican venture capitalist Bruce Rauner have yet to pick their running mates.
In other Republican campaign news, outgoing House Minority Leader Tom Cross plans to formally announce his bid for state treasurer as he travels the state during the next two days to kick off his campaign. Cross will run against Republican DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan. The winner of that primary will face off with Champaign Democratic Sen. Michael Frerichs in the general race.
Republican state Sen. Bill Brady officially tapped a suburbanite with a conservative pedigree as his running mate in the governor's race this afternoon.
Brady’s choice, Maria Rodriguez, served two terms as mayor of the village of Long Grove in Lake County. She made her debut as a lieutenant governor candidate at an event with Brady today in Chicago. “Maria will bring a fresh perspective, a new ethic and a new energy to Springfield,” Brady said in Chicago. Rodriguez ran for the U.S. House in 2010 but was beaten in the Republican primary by Joe Walsh, who went on to win the seat. Walsh lost his 2012 bid for the House to Democrat Tammy Duckworth. Rodriguez went on to be the executive director for former Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Andrzejewski’s watchdog organization, For the Good of Illinois. Andrzejewski was one of several candidates that Brady defeated in the 2010 gubernatorial primary. Hinsdale Republican Sen. Kirk Dillard, who is also running for governor, lost to Brady by fewer than 200 votes in 2010. Brady went on to a narrow loss to Gov. Pat Quinn in the general election.
“We have the infrastructure, the resources and, most of all, that Midwestern heart and work ethic to become a magnet state for business and commerce,” Rodriguez told reporters. “What we don't have is leadership.”
This is the first race under a new law that requires governor hopefuls and lieutenant governor candidates to run together in the primary election. Dillard picked Quincy Republican Rep. Jil Tracy. Treasurer Dan Rutherford, from Chenoa, chose former Republican attorney general candidate Steve Kim, who is from Northbrook. Quinn and Republican venture capitalist Bruce Rauner have yet to pick their running mates.
In other Republican campaign news, outgoing House Minority Leader Tom Cross plans to formally announce his bid for state treasurer as he travels the state during the next two days to kick off his campaign. Cross will run against Republican DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan. The winner of that primary will face off with Champaign Democratic Sen. Michael Frerichs in the general race.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
House minority leader considering run for treasurer
By Jamey Dunn
House Minority Leader Tom Cross is mulling a run for state treasurer.
House Minority Leader Tom Cross is mulling a run for state treasurer.
Cross was considering running for attorney general but scrapped that idea after Attorney General Lisa Madigan decided to seek reelection. Madigan had said she was considering a run for governor but later announced she would not seek the office as long as her father, House Speaker Michael Madigan, retained his leadership position in the legislature.
Cross reportedly held a conference call this morning to discuss his plans with members of his caucus. Cross told his members that he plans to serve out his term in office, but he would give up his leadership position this fall. He has been minority leader since 2002.
“As I consider the challenge of serving Illinois at a higher level, I did ask my colleagues in the House Republican caucus to begin the process of a succession plan so that a new leader may be chosen in preparation for the 2014 elections,” Cross said in a prepared statement. He said he will officially announce his plans in the next two weeks.
Champaign Sen. Mike Frerichs, whose candidacy for treasurer was recently endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party, did not waste time striking out at Cross.
Champaign Sen. Mike Frerichs, whose candidacy for treasurer was recently endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party, did not waste time striking out at Cross.
“State House Republican Leader Cross has been a Springfield insider for over two decades, during which he contributed to many of the most hazardous fiscal decisions leading to our current financial crisis,” said a statement from Frerichs’ campaign. “Leader Cross has championed a Republican caucus which has lost touch with the middle class and has sought to cut to the core the very programs that working families across Illinois depend on, like public schools and programs to protect Illinois’ seniors. I look forward to a vigorous and exciting debate about how best to protect the retirement security and college savings of working- and middle-class families.”
DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan and DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, both Republicans, are also exploring bids for treasurer. Chicago businessman Michael Scott Carter, a Republican, is also running. A request for comment from Grogan was not returned, a campaign staffer for Schillerstrom declined to comment and Carter could not be reached for comment.
DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan and DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, both Republicans, are also exploring bids for treasurer. Chicago businessman Michael Scott Carter, a Republican, is also running. A request for comment from Grogan was not returned, a campaign staffer for Schillerstrom declined to comment and Carter could not be reached for comment.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Lt. Gov. Simon enters race for state comptroller
By Jamey Dunn
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon kicked off her campaign for state comptroller with a series of evens throughout the state today.
Simon announced in February that she would not run for lieutenant governor again. At the time she said, “I want to serve the people of Illinois in a role where I can have an even greater impact.” Since then, political observers have speculated about which constitutional office she would seek. “Because I want to shine a light on corruption, blow the whistle on waste and be the fiscal watchdog that we so desperately need, I am running for comptroller,” Simon said today.
Simon has served as a prosecutor and worked as a law professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She served on Carbondale’s city council and made an unsuccessful bid for mayor of the city against incumbent Brad Cole in 2007. She served on an ethics commission chosen by Gov. Pat Quinn to make reform recommendations after former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office.
Quinn picked Simon as his running mate after Scott Lee Cohen, a pawnshop owner with a checkered past, was pressured off the ticket. Cohen won the primary as a relatively unknown candidate, but allegations of drug use and domestic violence sunk his hopes of being a candidate in the general election. The state Democratic State Central Committee voted in Simon, the daughter of the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, as his replacement. In her role as lieutenant governor, Simon has focused on education policy, college affordability, rural issues and recently concealed carry of firearms.
Quinn will pick his running mate for his current bid for governor. Under a new law, all the candidates will pair up with their choice for lieutenant governor and run as pairs in the primary. The law, which will be used for the first time this race, came after the Cohen fiasco.
Simon could face a primary challenge: Will County Auditor Duffy Blackburn has voiced interest in the comptroller’s office. If Simon makes it through the primary, she will likely face a difficult race against incumbent Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, who has also served as a legislature and the state’s treasurer. Topinka unsuccessfully challenged Blagojevich for the governor’s office in 2006. So far, Topinka has Simon outgunned on fundraising with $805,000 to Simon’s $272,000 at the end of the second quarter.
Though Simon lacks solid financial experience on her resume, she says there is more to the job of handling the state’s checkbook than being a whiz with numbers. “It’s time for a comptroller who provides not just accounting but accountability,” Simon said. “Voters need someone they can trust. That’s why I’ve held myself to a higher standard. I don’t accept contributions from state contractors, state employees or their spouses, and I don’t take contributions from my own staff.” Simon said she would adhere to the same policies as comptroller.
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon kicked off her campaign for state comptroller with a series of evens throughout the state today.
Simon announced in February that she would not run for lieutenant governor again. At the time she said, “I want to serve the people of Illinois in a role where I can have an even greater impact.” Since then, political observers have speculated about which constitutional office she would seek. “Because I want to shine a light on corruption, blow the whistle on waste and be the fiscal watchdog that we so desperately need, I am running for comptroller,” Simon said today.
Simon has served as a prosecutor and worked as a law professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She served on Carbondale’s city council and made an unsuccessful bid for mayor of the city against incumbent Brad Cole in 2007. She served on an ethics commission chosen by Gov. Pat Quinn to make reform recommendations after former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office.
Quinn picked Simon as his running mate after Scott Lee Cohen, a pawnshop owner with a checkered past, was pressured off the ticket. Cohen won the primary as a relatively unknown candidate, but allegations of drug use and domestic violence sunk his hopes of being a candidate in the general election. The state Democratic State Central Committee voted in Simon, the daughter of the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, as his replacement. In her role as lieutenant governor, Simon has focused on education policy, college affordability, rural issues and recently concealed carry of firearms.
Quinn will pick his running mate for his current bid for governor. Under a new law, all the candidates will pair up with their choice for lieutenant governor and run as pairs in the primary. The law, which will be used for the first time this race, came after the Cohen fiasco.
Simon could face a primary challenge: Will County Auditor Duffy Blackburn has voiced interest in the comptroller’s office. If Simon makes it through the primary, she will likely face a difficult race against incumbent Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, who has also served as a legislature and the state’s treasurer. Topinka unsuccessfully challenged Blagojevich for the governor’s office in 2006. So far, Topinka has Simon outgunned on fundraising with $805,000 to Simon’s $272,000 at the end of the second quarter.
Though Simon lacks solid financial experience on her resume, she says there is more to the job of handling the state’s checkbook than being a whiz with numbers. “It’s time for a comptroller who provides not just accounting but accountability,” Simon said. “Voters need someone they can trust. That’s why I’ve held myself to a higher standard. I don’t accept contributions from state contractors, state employees or their spouses, and I don’t take contributions from my own staff.” Simon said she would adhere to the same policies as comptroller.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Madigan's announcement ripples the political pond
By Jamey Dunn
Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s decision to seek reelection instead of running for governor will have a ripple effect on the state’s political landscape.
Of course, Madigan decision not to run will affect the governor’s race. The popular attorney general has done well in the polls and was expected to be the front runner if she jumped into the governor’s race. Madigan announced yesterday that she would run again for her current office. In her written statement she cited her father Michael Madigan’s position as House speaker as one of the reasons for her decisions.
“For the last several months, I have considered the best way to continue serving the people of Illinois. Deciding whether to seek reelection or to run for governor has not been easy. I love my job as attorney general and continue to be excited about the important work we are doing and what we can do for people and families in the years ahead. I considered running for governor because of the need for effective management from that office and the frustration so many of us feel about the current lack of progress on critical issues facing Illinois,” Madigan said. “Ultimately, however, there has always been another consideration that impacts my decision. I feel strongly that the state would not be well-served by having a governor and speaker of the House from the same family and have never planned to run for governor if that would be the case. With Speaker Madigan planning to continue in office, I will not run for governor.”
Gov. Pat Quinn has said in the past that a Madigan in the governor’s office and a Madigan as speaker would be a conflict of interest. He did not reiterate that opinion today when asked about Lisa Madigan’s decision. Instead, he praised her service as attorney general, the job she has held since 2003. “I think it was well-said,” Quinn said in Chicago today of Madigan’s statement.
With Madigan out of the way, Quinn’s only challenger is former White House chief of staff Bill Daley. Daley served as chief of staff under President Barack Obama and commerce secretary under former President Bill Clinton. Despite his connections to national politics, most Illinois probably know him best from his family ties. He is the brother of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, the longest serving Chicago mayor to date, and son of former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, the second-longest serving mayor.
Quinn's comments today indicate that he may try to present Daley, who has also worked as a lawyer and a banker, as a rich insider while paying up his own populist credentials. “I think I’m quite a bit different than Bill Daley. He has a better tailor than I do.” Quinn said of himself: “I’m a people person. I think that anybody who has ever worked with me in public life knows that I interact with everyday people. I’m not going to be a champion of millionaires — everybody knows that. I fight hard for folks who don’t have lobbyists, who don’t have political action committees, who aren’t in high places, but they’re the heart and soul of Illinois.”
But when it comes to campaign funds, so far Quinn is Mr. Moneybags. According to campaign filings due yesterday, he raised $1 million between April 1 and June 30 and has $2.3 million to spend. Daley has raised more than $796,000. “I think that they understand we’re doing a good job,” Quinn said of his donors. “I think we ran a campaign in 2010 in a pretty tough environment and I won the primary won the general election. That’s what’s going to happen next year, too.”
Meanwhile, Daley has painted Quinn as an ineffective leader. “General Madigan's decision not to run now gives voters a clear choice between a proven leader who gets things done and a governor who can't seem to get anything done,” Pete Giangreco, spokesman for the Daley campaign, said in a written statement in reaction to Madigan’s announcement Monday.
Both candidates were likely happy to learn that Madigan is opting out of the race. Both face their own unique challenges in the Democratic primary: Quinn his unpopularity and Daley his unfamiliarity among voters outside of the Chicago area. “Daley has to go out and make public opinion, and Quinn has to change it,” said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield.
At face value, Madigan’s decision seems to most benefit Daley, who can now paint himself as the only alternative to a governor many in the state dislike. However, he is an as of yet unproven candidate. If Daley was to fall in his face, all Quinn would have to do is step over him to secure the Democratic nomination now that Madigan is out of the picture. “It may be a huge plus for Quinn if Daley crashes and burns,” Redfield said.
For the Republicans, Redfield says Madigan’s decision may give all the four candidates a slight morale boost. “This may add a little bit of energy on the Republican side in general for the governor’s race because everybody sees a clearer path to being governor,” he said. But he cautioned, “If the Republicans eat each other alive and beat each other to death, so that it’s the last man standing, it may not make that much difference.”
Some members of the legislature may now be planning to stay put. “Where we thought we were going to open up a bunch of musical chairs here, open up a bunch of seats, it really kind of freezes everybody,” Redfield said. House Minority Leader Tom Cross had said he was weighing a run for the attorney general’s office if it were open. Now that it is not, he may need to work to soothe a caucus after many members have been vying behind the scenes to replace him. But since no clear successor exists, it appears likely he will hang onto his leadership position. “I think Cross probably maintains his leadership role, but again, that’s dependent on nobody becoming a viable alterative that can really bring everybody together,” Redfield said.
Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul was also considering a bid for Madigan’s office if she left. Raoul has been at the center of the two premier legislative debates of the spring session, concealed carry of firearms and finding a solution to the public employee pension crisis. He is chair of the conference committee that is working to draft pension legislation that the group hopes can pass in both chambers. Raoul publicly sparred with Quinn in recent weeks over Quinn’s attempted rewrite of concealed-carry legislation and the governor’s move to suspend lawmakers' pay until pension changes are passed. While the two agree on many policy points, Raoul has taken issue with Quinn’s leadership style. The populist moves that Quinn is playing up for the governor’s race are the decisions that are putting him at odds with lawmakers. Raoul called Quinn’s veto of lawmakers pay unconstitutional grandstanding. “Listen, I like the governor. I like the governor, but I just don’t like the communication I have experienced over the last few weeks,” he said after a recent conference committee hearing.
With Madigan out of the governor’s race, the Illinois political rumor mill is churning at full speed and spitting out names of potential Democratic candidates, Raoul among them. He says he weighing his options. But a gubernatorial bid from Raoul might risk his status as a rising star in the Senate for a long-shot bid at higher office. “He’s for sure going to be in the majority and for sure going to be an important player in the Senate,” Redfield said. He said that Madigan’s decision not to run could open the door for another Democrat to join the race, but he can’t think of an obvious candidate. “I’m hard-pressed to think who that would be. Is there an opportunity for someone who is not a white male from Chicago? Sure. But I don’t know who that is,” he said. “A state legislator is at a huge financial deficit in terms of being able to put together a campaign — not having name recognition, not having any kind of statewide network, not having any kind of statewide fundraising in place.”
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon was also reportedly mulling a run for the attorney general’s office. Several Chicago media outlets have reported today that she will instead announce a bid for state comptroller in the near future. She will be challenging incumbent Judy Baar Topinka, which could be an uphill climb, especially considering that Simon’s fundraising totals have been lackluster so far. “She needs to have a clear field [in the primary] and the support of the Democratic Party,” Redfield said about Simon. “Once you get into the general [election], then obviously the party is going to help you.”
Madigan’s bombshell announcement Monday will no doubt have a lasting impact on Illinois politics — for one thing it indicates her powerful father isn’t going anywhere — and the outcomes of the 2014 general election. But the results are nearly impossible to see as campaigns are just beginning to kick off. Perhaps Quinn said it best when asked today if he was taken aback by Madigan’s announcement. “I’m not surprised about anything in Illinois politics.”
Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s decision to seek reelection instead of running for governor will have a ripple effect on the state’s political landscape.
Of course, Madigan decision not to run will affect the governor’s race. The popular attorney general has done well in the polls and was expected to be the front runner if she jumped into the governor’s race. Madigan announced yesterday that she would run again for her current office. In her written statement she cited her father Michael Madigan’s position as House speaker as one of the reasons for her decisions.
“For the last several months, I have considered the best way to continue serving the people of Illinois. Deciding whether to seek reelection or to run for governor has not been easy. I love my job as attorney general and continue to be excited about the important work we are doing and what we can do for people and families in the years ahead. I considered running for governor because of the need for effective management from that office and the frustration so many of us feel about the current lack of progress on critical issues facing Illinois,” Madigan said. “Ultimately, however, there has always been another consideration that impacts my decision. I feel strongly that the state would not be well-served by having a governor and speaker of the House from the same family and have never planned to run for governor if that would be the case. With Speaker Madigan planning to continue in office, I will not run for governor.”
Gov. Pat Quinn has said in the past that a Madigan in the governor’s office and a Madigan as speaker would be a conflict of interest. He did not reiterate that opinion today when asked about Lisa Madigan’s decision. Instead, he praised her service as attorney general, the job she has held since 2003. “I think it was well-said,” Quinn said in Chicago today of Madigan’s statement.
With Madigan out of the way, Quinn’s only challenger is former White House chief of staff Bill Daley. Daley served as chief of staff under President Barack Obama and commerce secretary under former President Bill Clinton. Despite his connections to national politics, most Illinois probably know him best from his family ties. He is the brother of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, the longest serving Chicago mayor to date, and son of former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, the second-longest serving mayor.
Quinn's comments today indicate that he may try to present Daley, who has also worked as a lawyer and a banker, as a rich insider while paying up his own populist credentials. “I think I’m quite a bit different than Bill Daley. He has a better tailor than I do.” Quinn said of himself: “I’m a people person. I think that anybody who has ever worked with me in public life knows that I interact with everyday people. I’m not going to be a champion of millionaires — everybody knows that. I fight hard for folks who don’t have lobbyists, who don’t have political action committees, who aren’t in high places, but they’re the heart and soul of Illinois.”
But when it comes to campaign funds, so far Quinn is Mr. Moneybags. According to campaign filings due yesterday, he raised $1 million between April 1 and June 30 and has $2.3 million to spend. Daley has raised more than $796,000. “I think that they understand we’re doing a good job,” Quinn said of his donors. “I think we ran a campaign in 2010 in a pretty tough environment and I won the primary won the general election. That’s what’s going to happen next year, too.”
Meanwhile, Daley has painted Quinn as an ineffective leader. “General Madigan's decision not to run now gives voters a clear choice between a proven leader who gets things done and a governor who can't seem to get anything done,” Pete Giangreco, spokesman for the Daley campaign, said in a written statement in reaction to Madigan’s announcement Monday.
Both candidates were likely happy to learn that Madigan is opting out of the race. Both face their own unique challenges in the Democratic primary: Quinn his unpopularity and Daley his unfamiliarity among voters outside of the Chicago area. “Daley has to go out and make public opinion, and Quinn has to change it,” said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield.
At face value, Madigan’s decision seems to most benefit Daley, who can now paint himself as the only alternative to a governor many in the state dislike. However, he is an as of yet unproven candidate. If Daley was to fall in his face, all Quinn would have to do is step over him to secure the Democratic nomination now that Madigan is out of the picture. “It may be a huge plus for Quinn if Daley crashes and burns,” Redfield said.
For the Republicans, Redfield says Madigan’s decision may give all the four candidates a slight morale boost. “This may add a little bit of energy on the Republican side in general for the governor’s race because everybody sees a clearer path to being governor,” he said. But he cautioned, “If the Republicans eat each other alive and beat each other to death, so that it’s the last man standing, it may not make that much difference.”
Some members of the legislature may now be planning to stay put. “Where we thought we were going to open up a bunch of musical chairs here, open up a bunch of seats, it really kind of freezes everybody,” Redfield said. House Minority Leader Tom Cross had said he was weighing a run for the attorney general’s office if it were open. Now that it is not, he may need to work to soothe a caucus after many members have been vying behind the scenes to replace him. But since no clear successor exists, it appears likely he will hang onto his leadership position. “I think Cross probably maintains his leadership role, but again, that’s dependent on nobody becoming a viable alterative that can really bring everybody together,” Redfield said.
Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul was also considering a bid for Madigan’s office if she left. Raoul has been at the center of the two premier legislative debates of the spring session, concealed carry of firearms and finding a solution to the public employee pension crisis. He is chair of the conference committee that is working to draft pension legislation that the group hopes can pass in both chambers. Raoul publicly sparred with Quinn in recent weeks over Quinn’s attempted rewrite of concealed-carry legislation and the governor’s move to suspend lawmakers' pay until pension changes are passed. While the two agree on many policy points, Raoul has taken issue with Quinn’s leadership style. The populist moves that Quinn is playing up for the governor’s race are the decisions that are putting him at odds with lawmakers. Raoul called Quinn’s veto of lawmakers pay unconstitutional grandstanding. “Listen, I like the governor. I like the governor, but I just don’t like the communication I have experienced over the last few weeks,” he said after a recent conference committee hearing.
With Madigan out of the governor’s race, the Illinois political rumor mill is churning at full speed and spitting out names of potential Democratic candidates, Raoul among them. He says he weighing his options. But a gubernatorial bid from Raoul might risk his status as a rising star in the Senate for a long-shot bid at higher office. “He’s for sure going to be in the majority and for sure going to be an important player in the Senate,” Redfield said. He said that Madigan’s decision not to run could open the door for another Democrat to join the race, but he can’t think of an obvious candidate. “I’m hard-pressed to think who that would be. Is there an opportunity for someone who is not a white male from Chicago? Sure. But I don’t know who that is,” he said. “A state legislator is at a huge financial deficit in terms of being able to put together a campaign — not having name recognition, not having any kind of statewide network, not having any kind of statewide fundraising in place.”
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon was also reportedly mulling a run for the attorney general’s office. Several Chicago media outlets have reported today that she will instead announce a bid for state comptroller in the near future. She will be challenging incumbent Judy Baar Topinka, which could be an uphill climb, especially considering that Simon’s fundraising totals have been lackluster so far. “She needs to have a clear field [in the primary] and the support of the Democratic Party,” Redfield said about Simon. “Once you get into the general [election], then obviously the party is going to help you.”
Madigan’s bombshell announcement Monday will no doubt have a lasting impact on Illinois politics — for one thing it indicates her powerful father isn’t going anywhere — and the outcomes of the 2014 general election. But the results are nearly impossible to see as campaigns are just beginning to kick off. Perhaps Quinn said it best when asked today if he was taken aback by Madigan’s announcement. “I’m not surprised about anything in Illinois politics.”
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Coalition pushes changes to redistricting process
By Meredith Colias
Groups wanting to revamp the state’s redistricting process hope to get enough popular support to add a constitutional amendment to the November 2014 ballot.
They are looking to bypass the legislature, where another citizens’ initiative for a proposal for a constitutional amendment failed in 2010. Voters can approve an amendment to be added to the Constitution by popular referendum, but supporters of the change would first need to collect at least 300,000 signatures to add it to the ballot. Reform groups attempted to collect the required signatures to get such a change before voters in 2010, but the effort fell short.
“This is the year,” said Ryan Blitstein, president of Change Illinois!, the main organization behind the latest push. Supporters believe this time have a better chance of success because they are giving themselves more time, they are better financed and have a broader coalition. Common Cause Illinois, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform and other groups are backing the effort. The requirements under the state’s Constitution are spare for how legislative and congressional districts should be drawn once every decade. As long as districts are basically equal in population, they only have to be “compact” and “contiguous.” Those who want to change the current process say that the political party in power uses the Constitution’s vague requirements to draw the districts to give itself an unfair advantage to win elections. During the last process, Democrats held the power to draw the maps. If no single party holds both legislative chambers and the governor's office, the ability to set the boundaries is been determined several times by literally drawing a name out of hat.
Kent Redfield, a political science professor emeritus at the University of Illinois Springfield, said allowing one party to draw districts to its advantage was creating a more partisan environment at the Statehouse by “eliminating the middle” of the political spectrum. The reform group is proposing that the lines for legislative districts be drawn by a commission that does not include lawmakers, constitutional officers or political appointees. (Read the commission's proposed amendment here.) “Redistricting in Illinois is still a back-room process, one that fails to give the people of Illinois the transparency and accountability they deserve,” board member Sylvia Puente, executive director of the Latino Policy Forum, said in a prepared statement. “Our nonpartisan redistricting commission would bring the process out into the open, where it belongs, clearing the way for a more diverse candidate pool of public servants to lead,” said Puente, who also serves on the Illinois Issues Advisory Board.
Senate Republicans publicly backed the proposal to change the redistricting process that failed in 2010. Patty Schuh, a spokeswoman for Senate Leader Christine Radogno, said Republicans are supportive also support the renewed push. “We welcome their effort,” she said. “If they need our assistance, I’m sure they will be reaching out.”
Sen. Kwame Raoul, a Chicago Democrat who spearheaded the drafting of the current legislative map said, “It’s a healthy process to let citizens and advocates do just what they are doing.” He said he was less supportive of following a model, such as the one California uses, that appoints an outside commission to approve the state’s redistricting plan. “I prefer a body that the people pick, versus some other designated person decides to pick,” he said. “Who picks the pickers? How do you ensure you have representation on whatever commission?” Raoul said that no matter what method the state uses, there would be complaints. “There’s no way that you can come up with a process and a map that all legislators are happy with.”
He said the issue was not as pressing at the moment. “We just went through a redistricting process. The map is set for the next 10 years,” Raoul said. He is more concerned about issues such as pensions and concealed carry that are expected to come up in the session’s final weeks, he said. “It’s not my top priority right now. I’d rather focus on … those things right now than something that’s going to happen eight years from now.” Redistricting helped the House and Senate Democrats both win supermajorities in their chambers in the last election.
Theoretically, if Democrats voted in a bloc, they are able to do things like override Gov. Pat Quinn’s vetoes and approve bonds for new spending without Republican support in either chamber. To see what Illinois could learn from redistricting experiences in other states, see “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” by Christopher Mooney in the January 2011 edition of Illinois Issues.
Groups wanting to revamp the state’s redistricting process hope to get enough popular support to add a constitutional amendment to the November 2014 ballot.
They are looking to bypass the legislature, where another citizens’ initiative for a proposal for a constitutional amendment failed in 2010. Voters can approve an amendment to be added to the Constitution by popular referendum, but supporters of the change would first need to collect at least 300,000 signatures to add it to the ballot. Reform groups attempted to collect the required signatures to get such a change before voters in 2010, but the effort fell short.
“This is the year,” said Ryan Blitstein, president of Change Illinois!, the main organization behind the latest push. Supporters believe this time have a better chance of success because they are giving themselves more time, they are better financed and have a broader coalition. Common Cause Illinois, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform and other groups are backing the effort. The requirements under the state’s Constitution are spare for how legislative and congressional districts should be drawn once every decade. As long as districts are basically equal in population, they only have to be “compact” and “contiguous.” Those who want to change the current process say that the political party in power uses the Constitution’s vague requirements to draw the districts to give itself an unfair advantage to win elections. During the last process, Democrats held the power to draw the maps. If no single party holds both legislative chambers and the governor's office, the ability to set the boundaries is been determined several times by literally drawing a name out of hat.
Kent Redfield, a political science professor emeritus at the University of Illinois Springfield, said allowing one party to draw districts to its advantage was creating a more partisan environment at the Statehouse by “eliminating the middle” of the political spectrum. The reform group is proposing that the lines for legislative districts be drawn by a commission that does not include lawmakers, constitutional officers or political appointees. (Read the commission's proposed amendment here.) “Redistricting in Illinois is still a back-room process, one that fails to give the people of Illinois the transparency and accountability they deserve,” board member Sylvia Puente, executive director of the Latino Policy Forum, said in a prepared statement. “Our nonpartisan redistricting commission would bring the process out into the open, where it belongs, clearing the way for a more diverse candidate pool of public servants to lead,” said Puente, who also serves on the Illinois Issues Advisory Board.
Senate Republicans publicly backed the proposal to change the redistricting process that failed in 2010. Patty Schuh, a spokeswoman for Senate Leader Christine Radogno, said Republicans are supportive also support the renewed push. “We welcome their effort,” she said. “If they need our assistance, I’m sure they will be reaching out.”
Sen. Kwame Raoul, a Chicago Democrat who spearheaded the drafting of the current legislative map said, “It’s a healthy process to let citizens and advocates do just what they are doing.” He said he was less supportive of following a model, such as the one California uses, that appoints an outside commission to approve the state’s redistricting plan. “I prefer a body that the people pick, versus some other designated person decides to pick,” he said. “Who picks the pickers? How do you ensure you have representation on whatever commission?” Raoul said that no matter what method the state uses, there would be complaints. “There’s no way that you can come up with a process and a map that all legislators are happy with.”
He said the issue was not as pressing at the moment. “We just went through a redistricting process. The map is set for the next 10 years,” Raoul said. He is more concerned about issues such as pensions and concealed carry that are expected to come up in the session’s final weeks, he said. “It’s not my top priority right now. I’d rather focus on … those things right now than something that’s going to happen eight years from now.” Redistricting helped the House and Senate Democrats both win supermajorities in their chambers in the last election.
Theoretically, if Democrats voted in a bloc, they are able to do things like override Gov. Pat Quinn’s vetoes and approve bonds for new spending without Republican support in either chamber. To see what Illinois could learn from redistricting experiences in other states, see “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” by Christopher Mooney in the January 2011 edition of Illinois Issues.
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