Board of elections may provide primary info

By Jamey Dunn

Voters may soon look to the State Board of Elections for information on candidates in primary races.

Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, a Chicago Democrat, said that her bill, which would require the board of elections to create voter guides for the primary, is not a direct response to this month’s election and noted that she filed the legislation in January.

However, she did say the election, with its tight races and low voter turnout, underscored the need for voters to be more informed about the candidates. She said including primary candidates in the voter guides — which contain basic information submitted by each candidate — that the board of elections now provides for general elections would be a good start.

“It’s a starting place for voters who want to know more — to figure out that there is a crowded field and who looks like a candidate I might want to support,” Currie said.

The Republican primary race for governor, with a field of six candidates, has yet to produce a winner. Sen. Bill Brady from Bloomington leads Sen. Kirk Dillard from Hinsdale by about 400 votes. Counties finish the count of all their absentee and provisional ballots today, but Dillard said he is not making a decision about concession until the votes are officially reported to the board of elections next Tuesday.

Two relatively unknown candidates won their parties’ nominations for lieutenant governor. The Republican candidate, Jason Plummer, is 27 years old, and some have questioned his experience. The former Democratic nominee, Scott Lee Cohen, announced he would step aside last week after allegations of domestic violence in his past created a storm of controversy. Currie’s fellow Democrats have since been criticized for not properly vetting Cohen.

HB 4842 passed in the House with no opposition today. If it passes in the Senate and is approved by the governor, the board of elections would have to add primary races to the voter guides it already publishes on its Web site. The races the board is required to include are for the presidency, U.S. Congress and statewide constitutional offices.

Daniel White, a spokesman for the board of elections, said that adding more entries to the guide should not add cost because it is published online and the candidates are responsible for submitting their information.

“We’re looking at it in terms of providing another tool for voters. … It certainly would be a good place for voters to begin taking a look at the candidates,” he said.

Budget address moved back to March

By Jamey Dunn

Gov. Pat Quinn will be give his budget address next month instead of next week.

Quinn signed a bill today that bumps the date for the address back from next Wednesday to March 10.

Quinn will post general fiscal information on a Web site by February 24. He will accept suggestions about the budget from the legislature and the public via the Web site. Quinn’s budget director, David Vaught, said the governor hopes to allow for more participation in the process, as well as make it more transparent.

Rep. Roger Eddy, a Hutsonville Republican, said he is worried that local governments will not have enough time to plan their budgets because of the delay. He said school districts, which will lose millions in stimulus funding in the 2011 fiscal year, could be especially hurt by the decision.

“That makes it more difficult for providers, and especially school districts who face other statutory deadlines, to make the decisions that they need to make. ... We need the information as soon as possible, and this puts off what is an inevitable bleak picture,” he said.

Eddy added that while he supported making the budgeting process more open, he said he thinks the real intent of the bill is to push difficult decisions to a later date.

“It’s just an attempt to put off and deflect the responsibility for this to others rather than assuming the leadership role. Present a budget in a timely manner so others can make decisions that are appropriate regarding services that they can provide at the local level.”

Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, a Chicago Democrat, said that moving the address back a few weeks will not have a negative effect on the process. “It’s not unusual. Many governors over the years have asked for this opportunity. …We’ve certainly had budget addresses later than March 10. I think this legislature can do its job under the timetable this bill proposes.”

House Speaker Michael Madigan said that after a hard-fought primary election, it is understandable that Quinn might need a little more time.

“This is a reasonable request from a governor who has just come through a contested primary election, where the difference between he and his challenger was one point. So obviously his attention has been somewhat diverted because of the elections,” he said.

Senate moves to postpone budget address

By Jamey Dunn

A proposal to give Gov. Pat Quinn some extra time to work on his budget address has become the first partisan budget showdown of the session.

The Senate approved HB 2240 this afternoon. If approved by the House, the legislation would move the budget address from February 17, which is currently required by law, to March 10.

The bill would require Quinn to make some budget information available to the legislature and the public via a website by February 24. That information includes:

• Total revenue for fiscal year 2010, including estimates for the remaining months.
• Total spending for fiscal year 2010, including estimates for the remaining months.
• Estimated revenue for fiscal year 2011.
• The state’s obligations, such as interest on debts and pension payments, for fiscal year 2011.

Legislators, and anyone else in the state, could then use the website to make suggestions regarding the budget until March 10.

Senate Democrats said that they approached the governor’s office to request more transparency and input in the process. They tout the bill as an unprecedented cooperative approach to budgeting.

“We’re going to have, for the first time, the two major points. We’re going to have the information about how much money we’ve brought into this state so far this year and where we spent it. That’s never been officially reported,” said Senate President John Cullerton, the sponsor of the bill. “Secondly, we are going to have the official starting point for next year. We’re going to know how much money the governor says we have available to us and how much our obligations are for next year before he comes up with his budget.”

However, Republicans said the transparency measures were only included in the bill as an excuse to buy Quinn more time. “There’s a lot of good ideas in here, but when you boil it all down … this really is nothing more than window dressing to justify putting off the budget address. The fact of the matter is, there’s really nothing new that couldn’t have come out this week or last week,” Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno said. She added that moving the address back would unnecessarily "compress" budget negotiations into a shorter time period.

Cullerton responded by saying the budget will be completed on time, and the process will actually begin once Quinn starts receiving input on the website.

“I think this is going to be a dramatic change. We still have to pass a budget by the same day. …We’re going to meet that deadline. We’re actually going to try to get out of Springfield three weeks earlier than we have in the past. And we’ll still have enough time to have [appropriations] hearings,” he said.

Republicans said that because the state is in a fiscal crisis, Quinn should be prepared to give his address on time. “This is now anarchy. This is fiscal anarchy,” said Aurora Republican Sen. Chris Lauzen. “If the governor does not know what he is going to say, on schedule, then we are truly lost.”

Blagojevich pleads not guilty

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich pleaded not guilty today in Chicago at his arraignment on new federal charges.

After leaving the courthouse, Blagojevich addressed reporters. He called on prosecutors to publicly play all taped conversations they have relating to his corruption case.

“I challenge the government. If you are on the side of truth and justice, as you say you are, and if this was a crime spree like you claim it was, then don’t hide behind technicalities. Play the tapes,” he said. Blagojevich’s lawyers filed a motion that would allow them to play as much of the tapes at the trial as they choose.

Blagojevich’s trial is set for June.

Public universities looking to borrow

By Jamey Dunn

Some state universities are turning to a plan that would allow them to borrow to fund their operating budgets. The bill was originally written just for Southern Illinois University, and less than a month ago many other public universities said they were not considering the option. But, after trying to budget around millions of dollars in late payments from the state, other universities are looking to jump on to the legislation.

“The members of the Senate from southern Illinois from both parties are in favor of the bill because it provides Southern Illinois University with a mechanism to avoid the damage that closing its doors would cause,” Alton Democrat Sen.William Haine, the sponsor of the bill, said. He said that the plan would not rely on bonding but would instead allow universities to borrow against the money that the state owes them. He likened it to an “emergency” line of credit. The decision to borrow would be left up to each institution’s board of trustees.

Haine pointed out that community colleges already have the power to borrow to fund their budgets. They have property tax revenue to use as collateral for loans.

Haine said that Western Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University and Northern Illinois University have expressed interest in being included in the legislation. “University of Illinois is not on the bill. They’re not against the bill. They’re just ok where they are,” Haine said.

Dave Steelman, director of governmental relations for Western, said the school is considering seeking borrowing power.

“Joining the bill would be done very very reluctantly. We don’t think we should be at this point in the first place,” he said.

Steelman added that universities are concerned that the bill might be seen as a partial solution to the state’s overstretched checkbook, and it could slow down payments to them even more. “We all have horrible mixed feelings about having the bill out there to begin with…There are some legislators that will say, well [universities] can just go and borrow.” However, Steelman said the schools considering the plan are also trying to keep from closing their doors mid-semester.

Calls made to Eastern and Northern to confirm their interest in the plan were not returned. UPDATE: Eastern Illinois University President William Perry confirmed that Eastern is planning to seek borrowing power.

Haine says the bill will be amended to include other schools, and he hopes to get it called for a vote this week.

Meanwhile, university leaders called on the state at a Chicago news conference today to develop a payment schedule for doling out money to higher education—and to stick to it.

“No amount of cutting and sacrifice can make up for the absence of hundreds of millions of dollars in state appropriation payments. Without full funding of our appropriations in a timely manner, we will be forced to take even more drastic actions that will diminish the educational opportunities of our students and our service to the people of Illinois,” a news release from Northern Illinois University and the University of Illinois said. The group sent a letter to Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes asking them to commit to a payment schedule.

“The comptroller’s office would love to pay every bill as it arrives at its door. Unfortunately, revenues are lower than the governor and legislature projected and the state is continuing to spend more money than it takes in…We do our best to balance all the needs with the limited resources that are available. We’ve tried to work with the universities to address payment emergencies as we have with those who provide goods and services across this state who are waiting months and months to be reimbursed,” Hynes spokeswoman Carol Knowles said in an email.

Less good-time credit for DUI offenders

By Rachel Wells

Some DUI offenders could face longer prison times if legislators succeed in limiting their eligibility for good behavior time off.

Under HB 4776, prisoners convicted of aggravated driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol would accumulate no more than 4.5 days of good behavior time off for every month of incarceration. Previously, the 4.5-day limitation applied only to DUI offenders who had caused someone’s death.

“We have to provide significant and severe penalties to people who cause great bodily harm and disfigurement as well,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat. “[This will] strengthen our laws and be just one more tool that we can use out there in our communities to convince people that they should not get into their cars when they’re drunk.”

The measure, approved on Tuesday by the House, stems from northern suburb law enforcement recommendations, Lang said, but a recent early release controversy probably helped it gain momentum. In December, the Associated Press revealed that the Department of Corrections had released offenders, some of them convicted for violent crimes, after they’d spent only a few weeks in prison. The secret program was called Meritorious Good Time Push, or "MGT Push."

“I think, yes, the ‘MGT [Push]’ issues that are out front and center probably helped people realize that we need to do this, but I’m fairly sure that this bill would have passed anyway.” No House members voted against the bill.

Democrats must pick new lt. gov candidate

By Rachel Wells

Now that Scott Lee Cohen’s tumultuous run for public office is over, party members must choose a replacement lieutenant governor candidate for the Nov. 2 Democratic ticket.

Cohen, a pawnbroker who was accused of domestic battery, announced his withdrawal from the race Sunday evening at a Chicago tavern.

The Democratic State Central Committee is charged with selecting the new candidate and may wait to do so after the State Board of Elections certifies election results, said Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker and party chairman Michael Madigan. The number of Democratic ballots cast in each committee member’s congressional district determines the weight of his or her vote in the selection process. Those numbers aren’t official until March 5. Whether the committee chooses a candidate before or after that date, Brown said the process would be “incredibly transparent.”

While leaders will likely aim for a quick decision, “what’s important is that they have the best candidate – that they look at all the options, all the alternatives,” Brown said.

In a Chicago news conference this morning, incumbent gubernatorial candidate Pat Quinn said he wants a running mate with “progressive values,” but the process of identifying him or her should be a team effort. Phone calls placed to Quinn’s campaign this afternoon were not immediately returned.

Brown would not speak to the topic of potential candidates. Speculation has included Madigan-endorsed Chicago state Rep. Art Turner, who came in second in the primary, or possibly a downstate candidate to better round out the Democratic ticket. A phone called placed with Turner’s campaign was not immediately returned. Waukegan Sen. Terry Link, East Moline Rep. Mike Boland, Elmhurst electrician Thomas Castillo and Chicago Sen. Rickey Hendon were also lieutenant governor candidates in the primary.

A look back at recount and the lt. gov's office

UPDATE: Scott Lee Cohen stepped down as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor Sunday evening. The Illinois Democratic party will chose his replacement. Check back in the coming days for more updates.

Recount

By Jamey Dunn

Illinois laws relating to recounts may soon be implemented in a state race for the first time since they were passed.

While state Sen. Kirk Dillard from Hinsdale has not called for a recount yet, he is not giving up, either. He said he wants to wait until all the votes are counted before he decides. Dillard is vying with Sen Bill Brady from Bloomington for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

"All of the votes aren't in, and there could be between 5,000 and 10,000 votes still out there," Dillard said at a Chicago news conference today.

The last time a candidate requested a recount was in the 1982 governor's race. Republican candidate Jim Thompson led Adlai Stevenson III by a little more than 5,000 votes. Ron Michaelson, executive director of the Illinois State Board of Elections from 1976 to 2003, said that gap worked out to less than half of a vote per precinct at the time. “It was an incredibly close election. Probably the closest general election in the history of Illinois,” he said.

Instead of making a decision on Stevenson’s request, the Illinois Supreme Court found the recount law unconstitutional, leaving Stevenson with no recourse. Thompson became governor. The legislature changed the law, and it became what we have today.

“The law was fixed, but for state races, it has really never been used since then,” Michaelson said. He added that Dillard does not have to make up his mind about recount right away. “We’ve got a little time for everybody to figure out if they want to pursue it."

Michaelson pointed out that depending on the final numbers, other candidates also could ask for recounts. “Literally, even today, votes are still being counted,” he said. Concessions do not legally bind anyone to dropping out of a race. However, he said he doesn’t think it likely that anyone who has already conceded will ask for a recount.

Winners in all the races will not be declared until the votes are certified on March 5. Candidates then have five days to request a discovery recount.

Candidates can choose up to 25 percent of precincts for consideration, and they must foot the bill for the discovery recount. The Illinois Supreme Court then decides if the results warrant a sate-wide recount. If the Supreme Court gives the go ahead, the burden of cost then falls on the state.

Dillard said he doesn't think waiting to make a decision will hurt party unity. On the contrary, he said it is a plus for Republicans that the party has two candidates to carry its message.

Lieutenant governor

By Rachel Wells

Walker/Hartigan, Stevenson/Fairchild, Blagojevich/Quinn, and now Quinn/Cohen: Governors in Illinois, with a few exceptions, run a streak of less-than-happy lieutenant governor pairings.

So, while shocking, the latest pairing of incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn -- historically portrayed as a squeaky clean reformer -- and political newcomer Scott Lee Cohen -- a pawnshop owner accused of domestic battery -- isn’t entirely surprising. It’s history repeating itself, and we should have seen it coming, a few political observers agree.

“It could have been avoided,” said Mike Lawrence, retired director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. “When the current Constitution was enacted in 1970, it allowed the General Assembly to determine that the governor and lieutenant governor could be nominated jointly. The legislature has never followed up on that.”

Soon after the Constitution was ratified, alarm bells should have sounded in 1973 with the election of Neil Hartigan and Dan Walker, Lawrence said. As an anti-organization candidate, Gov. Walker clashed with Lt. Gov. Hartigan, a Chicago Machine ward committeeman.

Another warning that has since become infamous came in 1986. Although a slew of candidates organized by extremist Lyndon LaRouche Jr. failed to file complete petitions, the Democratic party, whose banner they were running under, put up no protest. The candidates, including eventual lieutenant governor nominee Mark Fairchild, were not seen as threats. To political onlookers’ surprise, Fairchild won the primary and was automatically paired with powerful former U.S. Sen. Adlai Stevenson III. Rather than partner with Fairchild, Stevenson ran under a specially minted party banner but lost to Republican Jim Thompson.

“It was a nightmare for the Democratic Party,” said Michaelson, the former director of the Illinois State Board of Elections. “Of course, the Republicans swept everything.”

“There was a wake up call in 1986, and the General Assembly continued to sleep,” Lawrence said. “I think it’s absolutely irresponsible that something wasn’t done about this a long time ago.”

Lawrence said tying the two positions together for the primary would be ideal. If the legislature doesn’t take action, Lawrence said, the lieutenant governor’s seat should be eliminated and the line of succession reorganized. Either way would help ensure a smooth transition if the governor became unable to serve.

Constitutional convention delegate Dawn Clark Netsch, now a professor at Northwestern University School of Law, said there was discussion in 1970 of eliminating the position, but the idea didn’t gain enough traction. “Probably the argument most made was [the lieutenant governor’s seat] provided another opening … for allowing people who maybe were not part of the establishment … another place for them to get their feet wet,” Netsch said. But, “I think it’s not that useful in that respect. We’ve got enough state elective offices. It certainly does lend itself to occasional problems, like now.”

“I can’t remember why we were not able to pass it after the ‘86 fiasco,” said Netsch, a former state comptroller and Democratic nominee for governor. “I’m sure there are political motivations, but I honestly don’t know what they are.”

Reaction to the 1986 race wasn’t about changing election policy, though, Michaelson said. “Most of the conversation revolved around the ineptness of the Democrats during the primary season.” Between blaming of the media and the party organization for not exposing Fairchild’s flaws, election policy didn’t get enough attention to effect change. The scandal over Cohen’s nomination is panning out in a similar way. Time will tell if it will move past finger-pointing to statutory change.

Besides the Quinn-Cohen situation, the 2010 primary had the potential for other tumultuous pairings because Republican lieutenant governor candidate Matt Murphy unofficially ran with governor candidate Andy McKenna. Former Gov. Jim Edgar on Thursday explained the problems at a post-election analysis:

Edgar insisted that a governor should have confidence in his lieutenant governor for the position to be at all functional.

In the same forum, David Yepson, current director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, called both Cohen and young Republican lieutenant governor nominee Jason Plummer “a bullet in a chamber.”

“Apparently nobody was paying attention to the office of lieutenant governor, and that allowed people to just go their own way and allowed somebody to put enough money (into the race),” Netsch said. “I think they’re going to be paying a little more attention (now). Of course, I thought that in 1986.”

Michaelson expects to hear more talk of abolishing the lieutenant governor seat. “The state is in a terrible position, but I don’t think it is because there is no lieutenant governor ”

Forsyth Republican Rep. Bill Mitchell is the sponsor of a constitutional amendment to eliminate the lieutenant governor's office. He said the fact that the office has been empty since Quinn became governor shows that it is unnecessary.

“I can think of no compelling reason to keep the office,” Mitchell said. “That being said, I think that recent events make my legislation all the more important.”

UPDATE: Voters would also have the chance to eliminate through constitutional amendment the lieutenant governor position, under a resolution introduced by House Speaker Michael Madigan February 10.

If lawmakers approve HJRCA 50, the measure could appear on the Nov. 2, 2010, general election ballot. The bill calls for abolishing the position in 2015 and would make the Attorney General next in line for the Governor’s seat.

Blagojevich indicted, again

Federal prosecutors indicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich a second time today.

The eight new charges in the indictment do not allege any new criminal behavior. The indictment upholds all the previous charges but also alleges that Rod Blagojevich, Rob Blagojevich and former chief of staff John Harris’ actions violated additional laws.

Prosecutors hope to ensure that an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling relating to some of the original charges will not delay Blagojevich’s trial

Michigan asks for locks to be closed, again

By Rachel Wells

Michigan is once again asking for Chicago-area navigational locks to be closed immediately to protect Lake Michigan from Asian carp.

The U.S. Supreme Court already dismissed the matter once, despite Michigan’s claims that the invasive and ecologically damaging fish would destroy its lake-based industries.

In the new filings, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox pointed to DNA test results that were previously omitted. The tests showed evidence that Asian carp had likely advanced to Calumet Harbor. Cox also alleged that the estimated economic costs of closing the locks were exaggerated in earlier court documents.

The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to consider permanent lock closure. February 19 is the deadline for interested parties to file positions on the case.

Republican primary in retrospect

By Rachel Wells

In the Republican gubernatorial primary, the lone downstate candidate, Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, reaped the benefits of Chicago-land vote-splitting, former Gov. Jim Edgar said Thursday at a post-primary election analysis during a Thursday luncheon event in Springfield.

Starting with Jim Ryan’s decision to enter the race, Edgar addresses the Republican primary in the video below:

Throughout the primary campaign, Edgar said, Brady stood out as the only downstate Republican candidate against Adam Andrzejewski and Sen. Kirk Dillard, both of Hinsdale; Andy McKenna, Dan Proft and Jim Ryan, all of Chicago; and DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, who dropped out of the race but remained on the ballot.

He compared the situation to 1991, when Carol Mosely Braun took the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination after a three-way battle between Braun, incumbent Alan Dixon and political unknown Al Hofeld. The campaign scene turned negative between Dixon and Hofeld, with Braun relying on a chaotic but positive campaign. Braun took the majority of Chicago and pluralities in suburban Cook County and the collar counties. While Dixon was a downstater, Hofeld’s attacks and a general anti-incumbent mood left the two-term senator with only 49 percent of the downstate vote. Braun took 20 percent and Hofeld took 31 percent.

In Edgar’s opinion, negative campaigning played a role in McKenna’s defeat, too.

As of Thursday afternoon, Dillard was only a few hundred votes behind Brady and had not conceded. McKenna conceded Thursday afternoon. Edgar endorsed Dillard for the nomination last fall.

Edgar and David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, spoke Thursday on a number of election-related topics including: Republicans and the Hispanic vote, polling, voter turn-out, the U.S. Senate race and party unity. Check back over the next several days for more post-primary coverage and commentary from Edgar and Yepsen.

Thursday's event was sponsored by the Institute for Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois and the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois Springfield.

Supreme Court strikes down med-mal caps

By Jamey Dunn

The Illinois Supreme Court ruled today that caps set by the legislature on how much money juries can award victims of medical malpractice are unconstitutional.

The 2005 law limited jury awards for pain and suffering at $500,000 for doctors and $1 million for hospitals. The court upheld a Cook County Circuit Court’s ruling that the law violated the separation of powers between the branches of government. In essence, the court said the General Assembly cannot limit the decision-making power of juries when it comes to awarding money for pain and suffering because it was one branch of government, the legislature, encroaching on the power of another, the judicial.

“It doesn’t matter if somebody thinks it’s a really good idea, or some people thinks it’s wise or some people think there might be something good coming out of it. If it encroaches upon … the three separate branches of government … the [Illinois] Supreme Court is the ultimate decider of whether that violates the Constitution,” said Keith Hebeisen, former president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.

This is the third time the court has found caps on damages unconstitutional.

Hebeisen added the caps created a “one-size-fits-all limit,” and it is impossible for the legislature to determine what is fair without considering the merits of each individual malpractice case.

The law also contained some insurance reforms that were struck down because of a provision that said if part of the statute were found unconstitutional, all of it would be void. Patients' rights advocates and trial lawyers say the reforms should be put back through new legislation.

Rep. John Fritchey, a Chicago Democrat, said that any legislator who supported the caps should now support restoring the insurance reforms.

House Minority Leader Tom Cross said that he would probably support putting some of the reforms back in place. However, he said that bringing back the insurance reforms on their own will not go far enough to lower the cost of medical malpractice insurance for doctors. He added that Republicans are considering proposing a constitutional amendment to make the caps work.

Supporters of the caps say the rising costs of medical malpractice insurance, due in part to lawsuits, was driving doctors out of the state.

“We had a crisis before we passed this bill, so we are going to react and come up with some ideas where we think we can get back to finding a way to keep doctors in Illinois,” Cross said.

Advocates for medical professionals said the ruling will weaken Illinois’ health care system and make it more difficult for Illinois citizens to find treatment.

“Overturning this law further strains our state’s already-ailing health care system,” Dr. James Milam, president of the Illinois State Medical Society, said in a news release. “Losing medical lawsuit reform heaps even greater pressure on patients and doctors. Something has to give.”

For further background on the topic, see an article written by former bureau chief Bethany Jaeger in 2004.

Quinn says Cohen must explain his past

Gov. Pat Quinn said at a news conference in Chicago today that his Democratic running mate, Scott Lee Cohen, "has a lot of explaining to do."

“It’s imperative that the lieutenant governor candidate speak up quickly… and completely about very serious matters that I think all of us are concerned about.”

Cohen was charged with domestic battery in 2005. The charges were dropped when Cohen’s then-girlfriend did not appear in court. The police report alleges that Cohen pushed the woman against a wall and threatened her with a knife. Cohen denies the allegations. In the same month as the alleged incident, the woman pleaded guilty to an unrelated prostitution charge, and Cohen has said that he was unaware that she was a prostitute.

“It was a difficult time in my life. I was going through a divorce, and I fell in with the wrong crowd. I was in a tumultuous relationship with the woman I was dating. We had a fight, but I never touched her. She called the police, however, she never came to court, and the charges were dismissed. I realized this relationship was not healthy for me. I ended it, and we parted amicably,” Cohen said in a written statement.

Quinn said he found out about Cohen’s past yesterday morning. Cohen, a Chicago businessman, was the surprise winner of the Democratic primary. He has no prior political experience and his campaign was almost completely self-funded.

Quinn said that Cohen should be given the chance to explain his past, but if the issue becomes too much of a distraction, he should drop out of the race.

“If the explanations are unsatisfactory, if the conduct is inappropriate, the only way to go is to step aside.”

Since Cohen's past was brought to light, rumors have been swirling that Quinn's campaign may try to pressure him off the ticket. Quinn denied this and said he thinks Cohen will "do the right thing."

Hynes concedes

By Jamey Dunn

Comptroller Dan Hynes conceded the Democratic nomination for governor to Gov. Pat Quinn this morning.

“Well, the people have spoken. And the votes have been counted. … We rose up but fell just a little short,” Hynes said at a news conference in Chicago. He said he called Quinn this morning to congratulate him.

An emotional Hynes pledged his support to Gov. Pat Quinn. He said after ethics scandals and financial turmoil, the state needs unity and should “choose peace.”

In reference to a competitive primary that produced attack ads on both sides, Hynes said: “It’s true that we had a few disagreements in this campaign. But that’s what happens in a spirited discussion about our future”

Hynes choked up while thanking his friends and family. He called on Illinois officials to work together and give Illinois a government “that just does the simple things that make our lives better.”

Quinn had already claimed victory in the primary. A call to his campaign was not immediately returned. UPDATE Quinn echoed Hynes' call for party unity at a news conference in Chicago this morning.

“The primary is over. Primaries are always difficult for everyone…but when it’s all over it’s like a family. We put aside differences.”

Self-funded candidates find some success

By Rachel Wells

Historically, self-funded campaigns have not been successful in Illinois, but Tuesday’s ballot numbers show they’re not doomed to failure.

“There are real serious limits to self-funders, but obviously if you can get the right set of circumstances you can buy an election,” said political scientist Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois Springfield and director of the Sunshine Project, a nonprofit campaign contribution database connected to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.

When polls closed Tuesday, vote totals slowly started pointing to relative success for three state-wide primary candidates.

Independently wealthy businessman and former party chairman Andy McKenna failed to obtain sufficient support to earn the Republican nomination for governor, but he didn’t fall too far behind Bloomington state Sen. Bill Brady and Hinsdale Sen. Kirk Dillard. Brady, Dillard and McKenna all garnered roughly 20 percent of the vote, but by Wednesday morning, party officials had discounted McKenna, several thousand votes behind but still not conceding, as a contender.

McKenna’s $5.6 million campaign relied heavily on self-funding, with $2.5 million coming from the candidate’s own pocket or from personal loans, according to the Sunshine Project database.

“McKenna shows the limitation,” Redfield said. “You’ve got to have a certain amount of money, but you have got to have content as a candidate as well.”

McKenna was repeatedly blasted by other candidates for being a no-show at debates. “All he was was a TV ad. Nobody knew who he was as a person,” Redfield said.

A phone call placed to the McKenna campaign Wednesday afternoon was not immediately returned.

Garnering even better results than McKenna were two lieutenant governor candidates almost entirely reliant on self-funding.

For the Democrats, businessman Scott Lee Cohen beat out long-time state Rep. Art Turner. Republican businessman Jason Plummer edged out Sen. Matt Murphy, who -- like his unofficial running mate, McKenna -- has not yet conceded the race.

According to the Sunshine database, Cohen personally supplied 98 percent of his $1.9 million of available funds. Plummer and family provided 95 percent of his $1.1 million.

“They were in the perfect situation,” Redfield said of Plummer and Cohen. “No one cares or knows what the lieutenant governor does.” The fewer voters who care about an office, the more likely they are to vote simply by name recognition, Redfield said.

But Plummer’s campaign said its success was not bought, nor was the low profile of the position a factor, campaign spokesman John Pastuovich said.

“Clearly, financial resources are necessary to be successful, but you also have to have a message and a vision to motivate the electorate,” Pastuovich said. Plummer said he hopes to make the position relevant by using it as a bully pulpit. He also said he would not take a paycheck until the state’s unemployment rate returns to single digits.

“[Self-funding] was one way he could guarantee he would be able to maintain his independence,” Pastuovich said, adding that the finance strategy was planned. “I think voters saw self-funding as a good thing. … Jason Plummer more than anything else brings a new brand of leadership both to the Republican Party and to politics in general in Illinois. Jason Plummer was very committed to that in his campaign, and part of that commitment was exhibited through his commitment to self-fund.”

Cohen campaign manager Phil Molfese also touted the flexibility of self-funding. “It allows him not to be beholden to special interest groups. I think in this climate, with the unemployment rates so high and the problems we’ve had in Illinois with corruption, the public was looking for someone who’s not a career politician.”

Molfese said the idea of self-funders “buying an election” isn’t fair. “They point to [Cohen] pulling money out of his pocket, but look at [the other] guys, they’re getting money from all these different groups. … If someone is willing to put their personal money in to make a difference, I don’t see what’s wrong with that.”

Molfese argues that money alone cannot make a campaign successful.

“Money is a vehicle. It’s a vehicle to get the message out, and our message is what won the election. … You can spend all the money talking about the wrong thing. … That’s what a lot of guys have done in the past.”

He added that Cohen built support by holding career fairs and targeting the appropriate voters. He also started the group “Rod Must Resign” before former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached.

Low voter turnout and possible recounts

By Jamey Dunn

Illinois voters didn't flock to the polls for yesterday’s primary election, and multiple recounts may be the result.

As of this morning both Republicans and Democrats do not have an official candidate for governor.

The gap between Sen. Bill Brady, from Bloomington, and Sen. Kirk Dillard, from Hinsdale, is about 750 votes, with Brady holding a slight lead.

Gov. Pat Quinn leads Comptroller Dan Hynes by slightly more than 7,000 votes. Quinn has declared victory but Hynes has not conceded.

Cook County Clerk David Orr shut down vote counting last night. Tallying resumed at 9 this morning with 24 precincts still to be counted. In order to demand a preliminary recount, the losing candidate must be within 5 percentage points of the winner.

According to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, voter turnout for the city was 26 percent. Political scientist Kent Redfield said that the early primary was probably the main reason for low voter interest. “A month is probably too short,” he said. “Some people stayed home because they just didn’t have any idea. They didn’t have any strong preferences.”

The close races stumped many pollsters. However, at least one contest went as expected. Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk will be battling for President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.

Check back for results and further analysis.

FutureGen gets new backer

By Jamey Dunn

FutureGen, a “clean” coal plant proposed for construction in Mattoon, got backing today from an Illinois utility company. Exelon, based in Chicago, has joined the group of investors, known as the FutureGen alliance, that support the project.

As originally proposed the plant would use a first-of-its kind combination of technology to capture carbon emissions created from burning coal and trap them underground. (For more information on clean coal and FutureGen see Illinois Issues May 2009.)

The project stalled in January 2008, when former President George Bush’s administration pulled support because of concerns about growing costs and increasing risks to taxpayers. A federal report by the Government Accountability Office, however, later indicated that accounting errors overestimated the cost by $500 million.

“People were upset. Upset that we went through five years of competition for this coal research project and they pulled the rug out from under us as soon as Illinois won,” U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said at a Chicago news conference.

The project awaits approval of more than $1 billion in stimulus funds from the U.S. Department of Energy. Including the cost of materials, recent estimates have said the total price could exceed $2 billion. The feds asked the alliance to find cost savings to reduce that price and more private investors to back the plan. Durbin said that is why support from Exelon helps the plant’s chances for moving forward.

“Exelon — in joining the FutureGen alliance — not only brings more credibility to the project, more resources to the project, they bring their expertise to the project and move us closer to approval,” Durbin said.

Two investors, Electric Power Co. and Southern Co, dropped out of the project last year, citing concerns over rising costs. With Exelon on board, the alliance is up to 10 members.

The goal of the plant is to capture 90 percent of the carbon emissions by the third year of a five-year test period, according to the Department of Energy.

“We can’t ignore the scientific consensus that suggests that we have to find a way to control carbon emissions if we are to move forward in combating global warming and climate change,” said Doyle Beneby, senior vice president of Exelon Power. “It’s clear that we need to do everything we can as an industry to make sure that coal continues to become part of the energy mix here and part of the mix in a low carbon future.”

A decision from the DOE is expected in February. Check back for further details.

Illinois gets money for high-speed rail

By Rachel Wells

Illinois politicians will travel tomorrow by plane to Amtrak stations in Chicago, Alton and Bloomington to unveil a $1.2 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act award for Illinois high-speed rail improvements.

The funds -- part of a 31-state, $8 billion program -- will go toward rail improvements on the existing Chicago-St. Louis corridor. The improvements will allow trains to travel up to 110 miles per hour and will reduce travel time between the two cities to four hours, a one-hour decrease. The award will also help pay for an environmental impact study regarding the possible construction of a second track along the route and for the streamlining of train traffic near Chicago.

"The federal funding creates benefits for Springfield and the state of Illinois by creating thousands of jobs, increasing economic activity, boosting tourism and reducing travel time between Chicago and St. Louis by over an hour," Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig said in a news release.

Illinois requested $4.5 billion for rail improvements, more than half of the $8 billion appropriated for improvements throughout the country. President Barack Obama has proposed spending an additional $1 billion on high-speed rail for each of the next five years. The proposal requires congressional approval.
Here's how Illinois' $1.2 billion award breaks down:
• $1.1 billion for track construction and signal, station and rolling stock improvements. The work will allow for three to five daily round trips between Alton and Dwight to travel at up to 110 miles per hour.
• $1.25 million for a supplemental environmental impact statement concerning construction of a second track between Chicago and St. Louis capable of carrying trains traveling at up to 110 miles per hour.
• $133 million for construction of a multi-layered train intersection at Englewood. The project would eliminate delays by carrying commuter lines over tracks that now carry intercity passenger services and freight services.
Among the officials appearing on the tour will be Gov. Pat Quinn, Federal Railroad Administrator Joe Szabo and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. Although the route slated for improvement runs through Springfield, Durbin's hometown, officials will not be stopping in the capital city.

High-speed rail has been a topic of controversy in Springfield, where local leaders once threatened legal action if a second track was built on Third Street, where originally planned, but later agreed to an environmental impact study of an alternative track route. At one point the Illinois legislature got involved when House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, filed a bill that would have denied state funds for a second track along the Third Street route.

Durbin spokeswoman Christina Mulka said Springfield likely just didn't fit into the officials' schedules. "I wouldn't read anything into that," she said. "We're not trying to avoid the area; it's Sen. Durbin's hometown.

"He wants to see high-speed rail in Springfield, and he wants to see it done in a responsible way. ... He'll probably be in Springfield soon enough to talk about high-speed rail and a whole number of other issues."

Springfield city spokesman Ernie Slottag said he didn't connect the exclusion of Springfield to the controversy, nor did he expect a public protest had officials planned a stop in the city. He said the city is waiting to learn more specific details of the award.

Other Illinois towns have also expressed concern about how high-speed rail could change their communities. For more information about high-speed rail, see the November edition of Illinois Issues.

Congressmen seek Asian carp funds

By Rachel Wells

As a lawsuit seeking to close two Chicago navigational locks remains under review by the U.S. Supreme Court, Great Lakes leaders on Wednesday agreed to seek $20 million for an Asian carp management and control plan.

According to Christina Mulka, press secretary for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, congressmen are seeking the money to study target specific poisons, advocate increased Asian carp commercial fishing and research pheromones and other technology that would lure the overbearing fish away from Lake Michigan.

Lawmakers have not proposed a specific source for the funding. The money could come from the $475 million in federal funds already appropriated for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a regional approach to invasive species and pollution, said Mulka.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' work in containing Asian carp includes the construction of underwater electric barriers. Since 1998, $41.2 million in federal funding has gone toward the barrier project. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has also spent $700,000 to kill Asian carp during barrier maintenance, according to news releases from Durbin's office.

"We're looking for a solution outside of the courtroom," Mulka said. With support from several other Great Lakes states, Michigan filed suit in December asking the Supreme Court to close two Chicago navigational locks to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan.

U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert also hosted today's meeting of Great Lakes leaders. Phone calls placed to Michigan legislators, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, were not immediately returned. Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox also could not be reached for comment.

Quinn makes deal with AFSCME to save jobs

By Jamey Dunn

Thousands of government employees whose jobs were threatened by budget cuts got a reprieve after the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 reached an agreement with Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration.

After a tax increase failed to pass last session, Quinn said that necessary cuts would force the state to lay off 2,600 workers. Almost 600 employees have already received layoff notices. Quinn originally proposed that workers take unpaid days off or a pass on yearly raises in order to cut back on the number of state employees who would lose their jobs. AFSCME did not agree to those terms and sued the state. A judge blocked the layoffs to allow more time for negotiations.

According to AFSCME, the deal that was reached will save about 400 jobs out of the 600. Quinn promised no more layoffs through June 2011, except those that would happen due to already planned facility closures. The agreement also calls for no new facility closures through 2011.

In return, the union will cut annual raises in half, from 2 percent to 1 percent, during the time period that Quinn guaranteed no new layoffs and will allow the administration to implement a voluntary furlough program. The state and the union plan to work together to trim $70 million out of the employee health care system by searching for efficiencies and changing purchasing practices.

According to the Quinn administration, the deal will save the state an estimated $200 million.

Republicans push for party spending limits

By Rachel Wells

House Republicans are pushing for continued campaign finance reform with new legislation that would limit the power of political parties and all four legislative leaders in general elections.

As proposed by House Minority Leader Tom Cross, HB 5008 would expand on campaign contribution limits that were passed along party lines during last fall's veto session. The campaign finance reform bill -- signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn exactly one year after then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges -- placed contribution limits on individuals, businesses, unions and political committees during both the general and primary election cycles but only limited legislative leaders and political parties during primary races.

Under the new bill, legislative leaders and political parties would be limited to giving $200,000 to statewide candidates, $125,000 to Senate candidates and $75,000 to House candidates during general elections, as they are now limited in the primaries.

Cross called the proposed legislation a solution to Illinois' "image issue" created in part by the consolidation of power in the hands of a few, the very same situation that could keep the bill from being heard at all.

"I think almost every member would tell you they're for this. The reform groups are for it, the public is for it, and it would be a shame to let two people (House Speaker Micheal Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton), in kind of evidence of the problem we're talking about, stop a piece of legislation like this. I would hope that it would get a vote and it would get a vote where people could actually vote their true feelings," Cross said.

Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat involved in last year's negotiations, said near unanimous approval of Cross' proposal is highly unlikely. "I can say with certainty that not all members would support that," Harmon said. "They believe the political parties exist for the purpose of electing members of their political party. That's their role, to elect Democrats or elect Republicans."

Madigan cited the same argument last fall in testimony against extending limits on parties to general elections.

Reform coalition Change Illinois supported the signing of last year's bill but says its members will continue to advocate for further contribution limits, like those proposed in HB 5008. "The contribution limits bill passed and signed last year was an historic step forward, and the next step should be enactment of limits on contributions from political parties and legislative caucus committees controlled by the four legislative leaders," the organization stated in a news release.

During the announcement, Cross was pressed concerning his endorsement of Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy McKenna, who was reprimanded by the Illinois Republican State Central Committee. As reported this morning by the State Journal-Register and described in the committee's ethics inquiry, then-chairman McKenna used party funds to commission a statewide poll measuring voter attitudes toward potential candidates. Although the poll included McKenna's name, he failed to disclose that fact at any point to the State Central Committee and failed to alert members of his potential for personal benefit in commissioning the poll.

Cross dismissed any connection between his endorsement of a candidate who violated party ethics codes and his call to weaken party power as a step toward reform. He said that critics of McKenna are using the controversy to score political points during an election year.

"People that are talking about this that don't want to talk about the fact that they're for tax increases and not talking about restraining spending and creating jobs. It's kind of a political 101 -- 'let's throw some dirt on an issue and not talk about the real issue,'" Cross said.

Public universities struggle to make payroll

By Jamey Dunn

Public universities in Illinois are considering different options to cope with the fact that the state owes them millions, and there is little sign of a light at the end of the tunnel.

The University of Illinois is considering a tuition increase, and Southern Illinois University is looking to borrow. In the meantime, smaller state universities are trying to find cost savings anywhere they can.

University of Illinois Interim President Stanley Ikenberry created a stir when he said at a board of trustees meeting in Chicago yesterday that a 9 percent tuition increase may be a best-case-scenario for the university system. Ikenberry said a decision about a possible tuition increase probably would not come until the summer. U of I has campuses in Urbana, Chicago and Springfield. The board also voted to increase student fees from $1,382 a semester to $1,421.

The U of I has already laid off some staff and instituted a hiring freeze and furlough days, unpaid days off that result in a salary cut for employees, as part of a plan to cut $82 million from its budget. The state owes the U of I more than $400 million. “Furloughs are the very painful and highly visible last resort,” university spokesman Thomas Hardy said. The U of I has created a task force to look for ways to save money in everyday operations.

Other cost reduction measures that state universities are taking include deferring maintenance projects, cutting department budgets and freezing their buying power for large purchases, cutting travel costs and slowing down payments to vendors. Those decisions impact surrounding communities as well as campuses.

David Gross, a spokesman for Southern Illinois University, said slowing down SIU’s payments to vendors has negative affects on local business in already economically depressed areas of southern Illinois. SIU has campuses in Carbondale and Edwardsville. He said the uncertain fiscal environment -- the state owes SIU $125 million -- is damaging university morale. “There has been a lot of angst on campus.”

Hardy said cutting down on maintenance led to the U of I laying off some maintenance employees as projects for them to work on dwindled.

While the U of I is considering a tuition increase, Gross said that it might not be a viable option for SIU. “We think we are at the end of our ability to raise tuition rates much, if any at all.” SIU has not instituted any layoffs or furlough days, and Gross said the university has no plan to at this point. SIU has given its existing budgeting committees the task of seeking out savings.

SIU is considering asking the legislature for borrowing power in case it gets in a tight spot and cannot meet payroll. Universities do not currently have the power to borrow money for their operating budgets. The U of I is not seeking the ability to borrow.

Illinois State University, located in Normal, has not had to face furloughs or layoffs yet. University spokesperson Jay Groves said that ISU would likely not make any decisions about a tuition increase until May. The state owes that university more than $60 million.

Western Illinois University, with campuses in Macomb and the Quad Cities, is taking a hard look at everyday efficiencies. CORRECTION The state owes Western $21.6 million. Spokeswoman Darcie Shinberger said that the university is doing all it can to avoid layoffs. “We are stressing that whether it’s $5 or $25, really take a hard look.”

Shinberger said a tuition increase could be in the works, but that decision will not be made until June. “It is likely we will be looking at a modest all-costs increase.”

Eastern Illinois University also has not instituted layoffs. It is implementing a hiring freeze, putting off maintenance projects and reducing spending to try to keep it that way. The state owes the university $39 million.

Representatives from all universities contacted agree that cost-cutting measures and dwindling funding for higher education are not new issues. However, the state’s inability to pay its bills has made the current situation much more dire. Finding the money to pay faculty and staff is a serious concern across the board.

“This is a bigger example, or a more critical example, of what’s been going on for several years with the sluggish economy and lack of funding to higher education,” Groves said

Judy Erwin, executive director of the State Board of Higher Education, said Illinois’ economic woes are all the more reason for the state to invest in education to train a competitive workforce. “Unless the state steps up to the commitment to fund higher education, Illinois will not be able to rebuild the state’s economy.”

Irwin said she doesn’t understand why legislators have not done more to get institutions of higher education the money they are owed. “What is it going to take to convince legislators that there is a very serious crisis that cannot be ignored…Do we wait until some colleges have to be shut down?”

Representatives of Northeastern Illinois University, Governor’s State University and Northern Illinois University could not be reached for comment.

Schillerstrom drops out of governor's race

DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom announced today that he is dropping out of the race for the Republican nomination for governor.

Schillerstrom threw his support behind former Attorney General Jim Ryan, a fellow DuPage country Republican.

“As Election Day nears, it is clear that we lack the financial resources necessary to communicate with voters statewide and win the February 2 primary. Given that reality, I have decided to end our campaign for governor,” Schillerstrom said in a news release. His withdrawal leaves six candidates in the running for the Republican nomination.

U.S. Supreme Court denies lock closure request

By Rachel Wells

Two Chicago locks will remain open for the time being, the U.S. Supreme Court announced today in response to Michigan’s request for immediate action to keep the invasive species Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

The rest of the lawsuit, still unaddressed by the court, calls for the reopening of a nearly century-old lawsuit about Chicago’s diversion of water from Lake Michigan and permanent closure of the locks.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan argued in a brief sent to the court January 5 that Illinois is not the appropriate defendant in the case because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers controls the locks. She said the Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction over the dispute because lock closure is not a state versus state issue. Madigan added that the Asian carp situation has nothing to do with water diversion, the basis of the original lawsuit.

Robyn Ziegler, spokeswoman for the attorney general, said the office is “pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision” not to immediately close the locks.

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox said he is “extremely disappointed” with today’s decision. Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin and the Canadian province of Ontario are backing Michigan’s efforts. President Barack Obama’s administration opposes the lawsuit, calling it premature.

Cox said he is stunned by Obama’s “indifference,” which he plans to address through public pressure and congressional action.

"President Obama said he would not tolerate new threats to the Great Lakes, yet he has left the front door to Lake Michigan wide open," Cox said. "Billions in economic activity and 800,000 Michigan jobs connected with the health of the lakes are at risk.”

The court has yet to decide whether to take up the remainder of the case. February 19 is the deadline for interested parties to file positions on the case.

 

Quinn signs cemetery regulation

By Jamey Dunn

Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill today that will overhaul regulation of the cemetery industry.

HB 1188 came in response to the Burr Oak cemetery scandal in July. Investigators revealed that bodies buried in Burr Oak, a historic African-American cemetery in Alsip, were moved and dumped into a mass grave in an apparent scheme to resell individual grave sites. Four cemetery employees have been charged in connection with the scam.

“It harmed the loved ones, and it also harms our sense of reverence and dignity for those who have been buried.” Quinn said about the incident. The governor created a task force to propose changes to industry oversight, and the new legislation follows most of its recommendations.

The law will shift oversight of cemeteries from the state comptroller’s office to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Anyone managing a cemetery or handling customer service and sales will have to be licensed by the department. They will be required to submit to background checks and take tests to get the license. Other cemetery workers will have to submit work histories and will receive “cemetery worker” cards from the department.

Cemeteries will have to keep records of every burial and submit them to a statewide database managed by the department. The new law also sets a standardized process for the department to investigate complaints and enforce the new regulations.

“We would like to think that [Burr Oak] was an isolated incident. We don’t know because no one has been watching,” said Chicago Sen. Donne Trotter, the sponsor of the bill.

The law also contains a consumer bill of rights and protection for whistle blowers. It phases out the state’s current cemetery and crematory regulation, which will be repealed in 2021. Brent Adams, secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional regulation, said his agency will begin issuing licenses in about nine months.

Quinn signs new laws

By Jamey Dunn

Gov. Pat Quinn signed three new bills into law that go into effect immediately.

The two bills Quinn signed today will assist Illinois in its pursuit of up to $500 million in competitive federal education grants.

SB 315 will make student performance the primary factor for evaluating teachers. Some school districts, including Chicago Public Schools, will implement the new standards in 2010, and the rest of the state will follow suit by 2016.

SB 616 allows nonprofit organizations, such as Teach for America, to offer alternative teacher certification programs independently of universities.

The sponsor of both bills, Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, an Aurora Democrat, said the new regulations will give the state a higher score on its application for the Race to the Top program, which is due Tuesday.

“[Race to the Top is] an opportunity for states to compete — for states to step up to the plate and say: ‘We want to turn around our struggling schools. We want highly qualified teachers to teach in underperforming schools. We want to close the achievement gap,’” said Maywood Democrat Sen. Kimberly Lightford, also a sponsor of both bills.

Quinn signed SB 1013 yesterday. That law puts into place the reforms to the Meritorious Good Time program that Quinn laid out earlier this month. Inmates now have to serve at least 60 days before they can receive any time off their sentences for good behavior.

The new law also requires the Department of Corrections to notify prosecutors 14 days before releasing an inmate early. These changes came in response to controversy over offenders, some of them violent, being released through the program after spending only weeks behind bars.

Legislative action

By Rachel Wells with Jamey Dunn contributing

Race to the Top
The legislature on Wednesday approved two measures that better position Illinois to receive up to $500 million for improving the performance of low-achieving schools through the federally funded "Race to the Top" program.

If signed by Gov. Pat Quinn, SB 315 would place student performance at the core of teacher, principal and superintendent evaluations. The evaluations would remain exempt from disclosure under Illinois' Freedom of Information Act, a point of contention in negotiations earlier this week.

Senate sponsor Kimberly Lightford, a Maywood Democrat, responded to critics in the House who said the bill might not benefit downstate schools. “Even if they're a smaller school district, they benefit versus a larger school district. In fact it's easier for the smaller school districts to implement versus the larger school districts. The city of Chicago, for example, we have to do a phase-in period for them," she said.

Sen. J. Bradley Burzynski, a Clare Republican, said he opposed the bill because the state currently has no plan in place for some of its requirements, such as state model teacher evaluations. "The devil's always in the details. The problem I have with this piece of legislation is exactly that," Burzynski said. He argued that the measure would leave much of the decision-making he felt the legislature should be responsible for up to the relatively few members of the state education board.

The second Race to the Top bill, SB 616, would allow for expanded alternative teacher certification for nonprofit programs such as "Teach for America." That bill passed both chambers without opposition.

In approving both bills, Illinois can more adequately fulfill Race to the Top application requirements. The application is due next week. Funding awards will be announced in April.

Cemetery regulation
The House also sent legislation to the governor's desk Wednesday. HB 1188, a response to the Burr Oak Cemetery scandal (see Illinois Issues, September 2009, page 13), calls for licensing and standardized record keeping in the industry.

Opponents took issue with part of the bill that requires cemetery owners to attempt to control traffic from funeral processions. Rep Bill Black, a Danville Republican, said it was not realistic to expect owners to orchestrate the traffic created by a large procession, especially if many vehicles were going into a small cemetery.

Black called the bill “reactionary” and said it would penalize small cemeteries for the acts of criminals who would have broken the law no matter what it was. “Evidently [the individuals involved in Burr Oak] didn’t care. The almighty dollar overruled any sense of common decency.”

Rep. Bill Brady, a Bloomington Republican and licensed funeral director, supported the bill. “It’s not perfect, but it’s a bill that did not paint all the cemeteries in Illinois with the same brush. And it has some real reforms, and it has reforms that I don’t believe are burdensome to those smaller cemeteries.”

"Meritorious Good Time”

Also in the governor's hands after today's legislative session is SB 1013, a measure calling for inmates to serve no fewer than 60 days before being given any time off for good behavior.

The bill is a response to the secret early release program "Meritorious Good Time Push" that let prisoners, some violent, free after spending only a few weeks in prison.

The legislature did not take up SB 1425, a plan to allow the state to borrow $250 million to pay Medicaid bills and leverage matching federal dollars, and a proposal to move Quinn’s budget address back from February to March. Lawmakers are expected to return to Springfield after the February 2 primary election.