Saturday, October 24, 2015

UAW gives GM Sunday night deadline on U.S. labor contract - Yahoo Finance

 

By Bernie Woodall

DETROIT, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers union set a Sunday night deadline for General Motors Co to agree to a new four-year contract, setting up a possible strike of GM's U.S. operations.

GM and the union have been in talks since July and have for the last several days intensified negotiations to reach a deal. The UAW and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV have a new contract that goes into effect on Monday, while Ford Motor Co has yet to enter intensified talks with the union.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Richard Chang)

UAW gives GM Sunday night deadline on U.S. labor contract - Yahoo Finance

Interesting article regarding township assistance and excess reserves

Take a look at Cal Skinner’s McHenry County Blog:  http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2015/10/23/ten-townships-welfare-costs/#comments   There is quite a discussion about the levy for general assistance, its administration and the large reserves.  Some of our townships in Boone County may have similar situations.

image

 

Ten Townships’ Welfare Costs

Posted on 10/23/2015 by Cal SkinnerOctober 19, 2015

Found this comparison of Township General Assistant handed out and accompanying administrative costs.

Twp General Assistance most townships

Information about township General Assistance payments, fund balances and

You don’t have to guess that it came from Bob Anderson

Posted in Alden Township, Burton Township, Coral Township, Dorr Township, General Assistance, Greenwood Township, Hartland Township, Hebron Township, Richmond Township, Riley Township, Salary, Seneca Township, Township, Township Supervisor permalink

Post navigation

← Two More State Reps. React to “Retirement Tax”

A Former County Board Candidate Views on Valley Hi →


Comments
Ten Townships’ Welfare Costs — 19 Comments
  1. Steve Reick on 10/23/2015 at 10:42 am said:

    Since the number of people in need isn’t going down, this may be more due to the fact that people don’t realize that aid is available from the townships.

    Attributing the Supervisor salary to just this one item, when townships have other functions that the Supervisor oversees is another straw man.

  2. Crusher on 10/23/2015 at 11:27 am said:

    Burton fund 211 years over funded, lol!!

    and they raised taxes to build a building because they want what Richmond has.

    wah wah wah!

  3. The Nob on 10/23/2015 at 11:29 am said:

    Where are the rest of the townships numbers?

    Where are the comparative numbers to other welfare programs administered by other gov agencies like the county, state and fed?

    Maybe a study should look into all the costs of the Supervisors office to see what percentage goes to what functions?

    On the surface a adjustment in that area of Township gov is needed, but without more info, how do we know the facts?

    Maybe it would benefit us all to have all welfare/assistance administered at the township level.

    After all it’s easier to see the cheats locally than it is off in Woodstock, Springfield, or DC.

  4. Honest Abe on 10/23/2015 at 11:43 am said:

    The more businesses that are run out of Illinois due to oppressively
    high taxes, regulations and government corruption, the more jobs those
    employers will be taking with them.

    Leave now if you can, before Illinois becomes a Section 8 state and
    you are stuck here paying for it.

  5. Charles Nelson on 10/23/2015 at 12:13 pm said:

    The Supervisor’s salary must, by law, come out of the Town Fund.

    The administrative expenses put through the General Assistance are usually offsets to pay for staff and office expenses of the Supervisor’s Office.

    The General Assistance Fund is to provide assistance for those who do not qualify for other governmental assistance but have “demonstrable need”.

    Emergency Assistance is for immediate and life or health emergencies.

    The grant is limited to once every 366 days.

    This is the most widespread scam in the state, as those who know the system milk it by designing emergencies, most likely, they stop paying utility bills for several months until they get a shut off notice (on or after the 366th day.)

    The shut off notice is brought to the Supervisor, who then pays the bills up to the maximum grant.

    This is widely known as the “13th monther program”.

    My predecessor in Nunda Township had several acquaintance families on this when I took over (one family had done it for 13 straight years).

    I ended it completely by requiring Workfare before any benefits were paid.

    You should have seen how fast they hit the door going out.

  6. inish on 10/23/2015 at 12:14 pm said:

    There is NO demonstrated need for these funds.

    There is no criteria for the awards other than the opinion of hte supervisor.

  7. Charles Nelson on 10/23/2015 at 12:34 pm said:

    Inish:

    Unfortunately, you are close to right.

    Mrs. Sherwood would give transients $25 gas vouchers just to get them out of the office.

  8. rawdogger on 10/23/2015 at 1:45 pm said:

    Conservative Republican head-scratcher:

    Do we hate the Burton Township Supervisor for not doing his/her job or do we celebrate him/her for being a prudent guardian of taxpayer dollars?

    Could be on par with the chicken-egg problem.

  9. Charles Nelson on 10/23/2015 at 2:11 pm said:

    To rephrase your question,

    “Should we market free money to people who will take other people’s money just because the government will give it to them?”

    Kudos to the Burton Township Supervisor for watching over the people’s money like he does his own.

    Please remember, the Township Supervisor has other duties by law.

    Steve Reich is correct; Bob Anderson does not always let the facts get in the way of his statements. We would never have heard of him if he had successfully bullied his Assessor into valuing his house at a fraction of its worth.

  10. rawdogger on 10/23/2015 at 3:15 pm said:

    The difference is that the Burton Township super still collects the same amount of tax dollars regardless of whether s/he spends them.

  11. Grumpy grandpa on 10/24/2015 at 7:51 am said:

    How foolish to take the whole salary and apply it to G A.but then it did come from the wonder lake barber who obviously is an expert on townships.

  12. Watcher1940 on 10/24/2015 at 10:37 am said:

    Let’s see…Steve who?thinks not enough people know to apply for this money…if they did, these excessive balances would be justified.
    Nob wants some comparative studies because he’s always so open-minded when it comes to townships. (Lol)
    Nelson denigrates Bob Anderson for making the numbers public…Anderson must have done it because he appealed his taxes, Sure makes sense to me!!!
    I’m so glad this venue is available for all these intelligent comments.

  13. Preston Rea on 10/24/2015 at 12:45 pm said:

    Townships must keep a surplus in General Assistance since there is no way to anticipate the demand in the coming year. One or two applicants that are qualified for health coverage can drain $30,000 from GA overnight. Since the Township is required by law to administer the program, the monies are required to be paid even if the GA fund is empty. One liver or kidney transplant, heart attack or other serious illness can destroy the finances of the Township.

  14. Evert Evertsen on 10/24/2015 at 3:01 pm said:

    How much time have the County GOP elected officials – committeemen / board members (S. Salgado, McCleary, R. Salgado, Anderson, Kurtz, Walkup, Gasser, Wheeler, Shorten, Skinner, plus others) spent on Township Consolidation? They still continue to spend time on this topic. A topic proven to increase property taxes. The initial proposal for Consolidation claimed a reduction of $40 million in property taxes over ten years.
    How much time are those same people spending on the fight against school board property tax increases caused by increases in union contracts? None of the Townships in McHenry County are yet unionized.
    How much time are they spending on fighting for the reduction of the Valley Hi TAX?
    How much time are they spending on the elimination of the Conservation District Police force?
    How much time are they spending on drawing attention to the ‘negotiated’ County Board contracts with the various Sheriff’s unions and other County employee unions? The County claims it is holding expenses level but how is this possible when the Board keeps approving salary increases? There are only two options:
    1. Increase other sources of revenue
    2. Reduce the number of employees
    One method results in higher costs to residents and businesses while the other results in poorer protection by the Sheriff’s Department and reduced services in other departments.

    There are actions that can be taken locally to reduce property taxes (eg. Conservation District Police) but the changes required to reduce the cost of Township government MUST come from Springfield. We, the taxpayers can insist that County Board members cease and desist from approving wage increases for all County employees (union and non-union). Next year is an election year. Before you decide to support a County Board member, check to see how they voted on salary increases.
    Springfield passed the law which does not permit a reduction of a Road Commissioner’s salary.
    Springfield passed the law which requires Township Assessors to use a rolling three year average sale price of homes to assess properties but the COUNTY REVIEW BOARD can use current sales prices. This has created a phenomenal amount of work (and income) for County Attorneys who work on Property Tax Appeals.
    Springfield passed the Prevailing wage laws which increase the cost of all Public sector work in Illinois.
    The voters of the State of Illinois passed a new Constitution in 1970. The new Constitution and the continued overspending in Springfield by using tax dollars collected for pensions to support other government ‘handouts’ have resulted in the current standoff in Springfield.
    This is Cal’s blog and he is kind enough to let us post our opinions here. However, I have had my fill of postings by Anderson and Walkup attempting to impose their agendas on the rest of us. We need to shakeup Springfield and quit wasting time on the Townships which accounted for 1.1 % of County Property tax and Road Districts which accounted for 2.11 % of 2014 County Property tax.
    The County plus the Conservation District accounted for 12.09 % of 2014 Property taxes.
    Public school districts accounted for 63.74 % of 2014 property taxes.
    MCC alone accounted for 3.3 % of County 2014 property taxes which is more than all the Townships together.

  15. Watcher1940 on 10/24/2015 at 3:03 pm said:

    I have no knowledge of what the law is pertaining to general assistance but if what Mr. Rhea says is true I think it would behoove the township supervisors to petition their state representatives to change that part of existing law. As with most aspects of township government there may have been a time this was a valid need but it should be no longer. It would be interesting to see the history of McHenry County general assistance applications and see how many times the public has used township funds for the extreme cases listed above. The ridiculousness of this premise, if valid, speaks to the reason we are being taxed out of our homes…that we should have to finance this type of extreme health emergency through township application. And if that is indeed the law, the existing balances should be multiplied many times to be sufficient.

  16. Watcher1940 on 10/24/2015 at 3:27 pm said:

    I see everetsen just wants the townships left alone…what else is new?????????????

  17. Evert Evertsen on 10/24/2015 at 3:40 pm said:

    With Townships being responsible for 3.21 % of all property tax in 2014, it is quite a stretch to state: “the reason we are being taxed out of our homes”
    For the record, General Assistance taxes collected for the entire
    County for 2014 totaled $543,650.31 which represents seven one hundredths of one percent.
    Most of the time spent with applicants for General Assistance is spent on educating people as how to best use the services of the more than one hundred agencies involved in supporting the less fortunate in the County. How many of these agencies exercise the due diligence which Townships must by law? How many of these agencies verify legal presence in the U.S.A.?

  18. Evert Evertsen on 10/24/2015 at 3:41 pm said:

    Don’t leave Townships alone, run for office and change what you do not agree with! I did.

  19. Watcher1940 on 10/24/2015 at 3:54 pm said:

    My error…”one of the reasons”. Are we supposed to congratulate you…if your ego needs it, congratulations

Campaign Financing for Tricia Smith for Boone County State’s Attorney

To review earlier filings and contributions go tohttp://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/10/campaign-financing-for-tricia-smith-for.html and  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/08/campaign-filings-for-tricia-smith.html

image

image

Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney
D-2 Quarterly Report
7/1/2015 to 9/30/2015
This report has 8 itemized Individual Contributions totaling $4,760.00

 

Contributed By
Address
Amount
Description
Vendor Name
Vendor Address

EAGLESON, DENNIS
Occupation: RETIRED
Employer: RETIRED
3905 GREAT REPUBLIC RD
CHERRY VALLEY, IL 61016
$1,000.00
9/3/2015
Individual Contribution

Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney

LAMBRECHT, BRYCE
11865 BANCHARY RD
BELVIDERE, IL 61008
$300.00
9/4/2015
Individual Contribution

Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney

LARSON, KYLE
2502 SPRING CREEK RD
BELVIDERE, IL 61008
$300.00
8/10/2015
Individual Contribution

Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney

LAW OFFICES OF JOHN MAVILLE
600 S. STATE
BELVIDERE, IL 61008
$500.00
9/1/2015
Individual Contribution

Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney

SHOOK, TERRY
507 COMMANDER PL
BELVIDERE, IL 61008
$160.00
9/4/2015
Individual Contribution

Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney

SMITH, SHIRLEY
Occupation: RETIRED
Employer: RETIRED
1009 KRUPKE RD
CALEDONIA, IL 61011
$2,000.00
9/1/2015
Individual Contribution

Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney

STEVENS, JOSEPH
2121 WINDING CREEK DR
BELVIDERE, IL 61008
$250.00
9/4/2015
Individual Contribution

Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney

ZEIEN, PAUL
10828 CALEDONIA RD
BELVIDERE, IL 61008
$250.00
9/4/2015
Individual Contribution

Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney

 

 

The above information is from:  http://www.elections.state.il.us/CampaignDisclosure/D2Quarterly.aspx?id=588797

Campaign Financing disclosure for Michelle Courier

To review earlier filings and contributions go to:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/08/campaign-filings-for-michelle-courier.html

image

imageimage

 

 

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier
D-2 Quarterly Report
7/1/2015 to 9/30/2015
This report has 21 itemized Individual Contributions totaling $5,402.50

Print this list

Contributed By
Address
Amount
Description
Vendor Name
Vendor Address

Citizens to Re-elect Louis Bianchi
1115 E. Palmer Court
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
$250.00
8/31/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Ellsworth, Stanley
20799 Free Church Road
Caledonia, IL 61011
$100.00
8/12/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Ellsworth, Stanley
20799 Free Church Road
Caledonia, IL 61011
$50.00
9/19/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Ellsworth, Stanley
20799 Free Church Road
Caledonia, IL 61011
$190.00
9/22/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

hare, john
2846 Karr Road
Belvidere, IL 61008
$105.00
9/22/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

hare, john
2846 Karr Road
Belvidere, IL 61008
$50.00
9/17/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Hunt, Laura
Occupation: website designer
Employer: self
519 E. Lincoln Avenue
Belvidere, IL 61008
$50.00
9/22/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

I.U.O.E. Local 150
6200 Joliet Road
Countryside, IL 60525-3957
$1,000.00
7/8/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Keegan, Dan
Occupation: Sales
Employer: Volvo
8180 Shaw Road
Belvidere, IL 61008
$50.00
9/20/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Keegan, Dan
Occupation: Sales
Employer: Volvo
8180 Shaw Road
Belvidere, IL 61008
$462.50
9/22/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Kelm, Greg
6042 Dar Mae Lane
Belvidere, IL 61008
$60.00
9/22/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Kelm, Greg
6042 Dar Mae Lane
Belvidere, IL 61008
$100.00
8/28/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Lindsay, Casey
Occupation: Owner
Employer: Lindsay Auto Parts
400 Rowland Avenue
Marengo, IL 60152
$250.00
9/4/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Lindsay, Casey
Occupation: Owner
Employer: Lindsay Auto Parts
400 Rowland Avenue
Marengo, IL 60152
$15.00
9/22/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Lindsay, Casey
Occupation: Owner
Employer: Lindsay Auto Parts
400 Rowland Avenue
Marengo, IL 60152
$255.00
9/22/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

McCurdy Tool & Machining Company
1912 Krupke Road
Caledonia, IL 61011
$500.00
9/11/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Neil, Jack
2525 Threeforks Road
Belvidere, IL 61008
$200.00
7/7/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Randall, Howard
2873 Townhall Road
Belvidere, IL 61008
$165.00
9/22/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Randall, Howard
2873 Townhall Road
Belvidere, IL 61008
$50.00
9/22/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Rush Power Systems, LLC
3793 Flora Church Road
Kirkland, IL 60146
$1,000.00
9/23/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Yoder, Amos
2304 Stoneridge Close
Rockford, IL 61107
$500.00
8/10/2015
Individual Contribution

Citizens to Elect Michelle Courier

Records 1 to 21 of 21

The above is from:  http://www.elections.state.il.us/CampaignDisclosure/D2Quarterly.aspx?id=586988

Illinois Gov. Rauner and Democratic leaders may meet next month to talk about budget impasse

 

By JOHN O'CONNOR and SOPHIA TAREEN
Published: 10/23/15 7:17 pm EDT - Updated: 10/23/15 7:17 pm EDT

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois — A meeting between Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislative leaders to discuss the four-month-old budget impasse could occur next month — and in public.

Several government-reform groups invited Republican Rauner and leaders of the General Assembly — including Democrats Michael Madigan, the House Speaker, and John Cullerton, president of the Senate — attempting to bring the two sides together. Later, the Union League Club of Chicago offered space on Nov. 18.

Late Friday, Rauner wrote to the leaders and acknowledged he's free, but would host the meeting in his office and allow it to be public.

"While we appreciate the advocacy groups' desire to be involved, we will pick up the organization of the meeting from here," Rauner wrote.

Rauner and the Democrats have been at odds over a budget which should have taken effect July 1. The first-year governor wants changes to the business and political climates, such as tighter workers' compensation rules and term limits for officeholders — what he calls his "turnaround agenda." Democrats want more revenue, mixed with cuts, to provide for vital services, and say Rauner shouldn't hold up the spending plan over non-budget issues.

"Over four months, it's become clear that there are not enough votes to pass a tax increase in the General Assembly without also enacting much-needed structural reforms," Rauner wrote. "In order to solve this budget impasse, we must come together to agree on a package of structural reforms that can save taxpayers billions alongside a balanced budget."

The governor said he would circulate an agenda for a Nov. 18 meeting in Chicago or Springfield.

Republican leaders said they'll be there. Spokesmen said Madigan and Cullerton, both Chicago Democrats, will attend.

Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said there's hope for a breakthrough "provided the plan comes to fruition, everybody attends and there's a willingness to actually work on a resolution. A lot of conditions need to actually come in line before that happens."

One of those is the items up for discussion. If Rauner isn't willing to budge from his turnaround agenda, Democrats likely won't be willing to deal.

"The most important thing is to find out what he's willing to discuss," Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said.

Rauner and lawmakers saw their chance when about half a dozen good-government groups contacted them this week. They include the Better Government Association, the League of Women Voters of Illinois and the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.

Phelon said the five leaders haven't been in a meeting together since late May.

"The objective is to get them all together to talk," said Susan Garrett, chairwoman of the Campaign for Political Reform.


Illinois Gov. Rauner and Democratic leaders may meet next month to talk about budget impasse

ENERGY POLICY: Kochs among top donors to industry ally Ryan -- Friday, October 23, 2015 -- www.eenews.net

 

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), now officially running for speaker of the House, is awash in energy industry donations, an indication of his policy views and allegiances.

But observers on both sides of the aisle and in the lobbying world are watching whether the policy wonk on issues like entitlements and taxes will have a major impact on energy and environmental policy if, as expected, he succeeds Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) as speaker.

"I would like to think that our colleagues in the House share the imperative that we certainly have on this side that energy issues, that energy policies are outdated. They need to be reformed and modernized," said Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski.

The Alaska Republican said it may take some time for Ryan to get things together in the House. "I think we need to give them a chance to put that organizational structure in place," Murkowski said.

Ryan was hesitant about leading a fractured Republican caucus but, after hearing from colleagues and finding signs of unity, said in a letter to colleagues last night that he is "ready and eager" to be speaker.

Koch Industries Inc., led by billionaire mega-donors Charles and David Koch, has been among Ryan's top lifetime contributors, giving the Wisconsin politician more than $80,000 between the 1998 and 2016 election cycles, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

In the current election cycle, Koch Industries has given Ryan $2,500, the American Gas Association has contributed $2,000 and Chesapeake Energy Corp. donated another $2,500.

Exelon Corp. this summer gave Ryan $5,000. Exxon Mobil Corp. contributed $2,500, Dominion Resources Inc. donated $1,000, DTE Energy Co. chipped in $2,500, and Wisconsin Energy Corp. gave $2,500.

Other energy donations include $2,500 from Halliburton Co., $2,000 from Duke Energy Corp., $5,000 from the Action Committee for Rural Electrification, $1,000 tied to Southern Co. and $1,500 from PG&E Corp.

Ryan has not been among the top recipients of coal mining dollars, but that may change if he is elected speaker. Boehner has been a top coal beneficiary.

New speaker, same math

Republican strategist Mike McKenna, who has also been an energy lobbyist, doesn't see a change on energy and environmental policy if Ryan becomes speaker. The leader may change, McKenna said, but not the Republican Party's math.

"The configuration of the Republican caucus isn't going to change just because Ryan is speaker," he said. "If you fire the coach and keep the 52 guys in place, it's the same football team."

McKenna went on, "He's no different than anybody else in House leadership -- he's solid on energy issues, and weak and dilatory" on the renewable energy production tax credit. Ryan is chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee with jurisdiction over taxation.

The bulk of Ryan's environmental record comes from the budget proposals he's helped craft in the House. His last version had provisions to cut federal climate funding and boost oil drilling. It would have also sold public lands for deficit reduction and cut "non-core" energy research.

"Unilateral restrictions on domestic energy production are not only harmful to our economy, but would actually hinder the environmental goals these actions promise to achieve," Ryan wrote in a 2009 op-ed.

Coal, nuclear and natural gas have been major sources of Wisconsin energy production. The state is home to NextEra Energy Resources LLC's Point Beach nuclear plant, with one of the oldest operating reactors in the United States, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Wisconsin is not a major mining or drilling state. But it generated roughly 474 million gallons of ethanol in 2012 and was eighth in national production in 2014. Ryan, who represents a district south of Milwaukee, has not been deeply involved in biofuel issues.

While much of the focus has remained on Ryan's handling of federal issues, six years ago he lobbied the Department of Energy for tens of millions of dollars in stimulus grants only later to attack the program as needless spending. The apparent contradiction generated controversy for Ryan and other Republicans.

At issue was a series of letters Ryan sent to then-Energy Secretary Steven Chu in 2009, pushing for grant money for the Energy Center of Wisconsin's geothermal proposal, which later received more than $20 million.

Ryan critics pointed out how the congressman harshly criticized and ultimately voted against the president's stimulus program, dubbing it a "wasteful spending spree." Ryan later said the request for stimulus grants was a "constituent issue" that his staff handled.

Despite the lawmaker's pro-production views, McKenna said energy issues are not necessarily Ryan's thing, nor does he have a deep bench of aides who are experts on the subject. McKenna suggested Ryan keep Boehner's energy policy adviser, Maryam Brown, on staff.

Cultivated relationships

Still, Ryan has cultivated relationships with colleagues involved in energy policy. Earlier this year, for example, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) reached out to Ryan for support for his bill to lift the decades-old ban on crude oil exports.

The two met over dinner to discuss the measure in detail and then followed up with several conversations on the House floor before the bill passed the chamber earlier this month, Barton said.

Ryan showed an interest in the budget and tax aspects of the crude ban before ultimately voting for the legislation, Barton added. "He saw some of the economic benefits," he said. "He's very much a details guy, a numbers guy."

Barton continued: "As a congressman from a pro-energy producing and consuming state, like I am, I don't see any downside to him as speaker."

Other House Republicans said they've had less interaction with Ryan on energy issues. Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power, said he hasn't hashed over energy policy with Ryan.

But Whitfield, who is retiring at the end of next year, said he thought as speaker Ryan would create a more open process for energy bills and other legislation in the House.

"He's going to be a person who wants the committees to do their work and wants everybody regardless of their opinions to offer amendments and debate it out," Whitfield said.

Tax issues

One question mark remains on the fate of the dozens of expired tax breaks, including the production tax credit for renewables, and an assortment of other alternative energy and efficiency incentives.

Sentiment against tax breaks for renewables runs deep in the House, and Ryan is no exception. His last budget rescinded unspent funds in the Energy Department's loan guarantee program while calling for scaling back "corporate subsidies" in the energy sector.

"The administration continues to penalize economically competitive sources of energy and reward their uncompetitive alternatives," the budget plan stated.

The Senate Finance Committee in July passed a tax package that extends the PTC and other energy credits for two years (E&ENews PM, July 21), but the House's so-called tax extenders package advanced by Ryan's Ways and Means Committee last month omits the energy provisions (E&E Daily, Sept. 17).

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the ranking member on Finance, said yesterday he has not spoken to Ryan recently but is holding out hope that extenders find a path to the president's desk before the end of the year.

"The end of the year presents extraordinarily important challenges, particularly on economic issues that the Finance Committee and Ways and Means Committee deal with," he told E&E Daily. "I hope there's an agreement that the next few months are going to focus on governance."

Wyden noted that last year's extenders package expired just weeks after enactment, leaving the PTC and other key credits off the books for the current year. "The last tax bill had a shelf life shorter than a carton of eggs," he said. "That would be really bad for the American public."

Asked whether he was comfortable with Ryan leading the House, Wyden noted Ryan's deep interest in policy. "The fact is these big issues that are coming up, these are the issues that Chairman Ryan spent his time on," he said.

Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) yesterday acknowledged a tough road ahead for extenders but praised Ryan as someone who can rise above the infighting that has plagued the House GOP conference.

"I think he'll be personally interested in it, and it will probably get through," he told E&E Daily. "Anything he does is going to be better than what most others can do. He's a very fine man. And I think they've just got to grow up and realize that nobody is going to completely [get] everything that they want."

Michigan Rep. Sander Levin, top Democrat on Ways and Means, said he would miss having Ryan sitting next to him on the dais. "Paul and I have been able to have a relationship of cordiality and friendship," he told reporters yesterday.

But Levin said, "We need to have a very serious discussion about all of the tax extenders and also the duration. And we haven't had that."

'Kochtopia'?

Environmentalists have excoriated Ryan for his record, particularly when he was the Republican nominee for vice president in 2012.

The League of Conservation Voters gave him a 3 percent 2014 score and a 12 percent lifetime score. It once accused Ryan of promoting "unfounded conspiracy theories about climate scientists" and called his budget proposal an energy giveaway.

Greens are watching with trepidation as major issues may soon fall into Ryan's lap, including spending talks and discussion on potential riders to block Obama administration environmental priorities.

But at least some environmentalists also have hope there could be some movement in their direction. They see more Republicans open to discussing climate change, pushing for reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and challenging party leaders on issues like the Export-Import Bank.

And at 12 percent, Ryan's LCV lifetime score is higher than Boehner's at 2 percent. Ryan, LCV officials say, has been more to their liking on issues like flood control and agricultural subsidies.

"Should he become speaker, Paul Ryan has an opportunity for a fresh start. We hope he would heed the fact that there is widespread support for climate action, clean energy, clean water, and protecting our lands and wildlife and agree to a government spending deal that is free of harmful, ideological riders and adequately funds these popular priorities that are critical for our health and our future," said Sara Chieffo, LCV government affairs vice president.

Many environmentally minded Democrats are holding at least some of their fire on Ryan. They have described him as a man who would be a good speaker.

"I respect Paul Ryan. I know he has a lot of talent. I want him to succeed," said Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a former House colleague of Ryan's. He added that "the overwhelming majority of Americans want a Congress that adds to the environmental record of our nation, they want us to be leaders globally on climate change, they want us to be leaders on clean water and clean air."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) touted Ryan's role in developing a 2013 bipartisan spending compromise with Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) when the two were the respective leaders of their chambers' budget committees.

But Reid added on the Senate floor yesterday, "I said the Ryan budget would lead to a 'Kochtopia,'" referring to the Koch brothers. "I believe that to be true now more than ever."

Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva, top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee and a stalwart environmentalist and skeptic of development on public land, echoed Republican strategist McKenna, but in less positive terms.

"I don't seriously think that we're going to see any change in terms of [the House GOP's views] on regulatory issues, EPA or extraction of resources on public lands," Grijalva said. "I just don't see it changing."

Reporter Kevin Bogardus contributed.

ENERGY POLICY: Kochs among top donors to industry ally Ryan -- Friday, October 23, 2015 -- www.eenews.net

Ted Cruz disappoints deep-pocketed Koch brothers | New York Post

image

Charles and David Koch, who forked over $15 million to GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s Super PAC, knocked him by name for not backing a bill they support that could give thousands of federal prisoners a chance at early release.

“We are disappointed that some members, including Senator Cruz, who have supported the need for reform and been strong supporters of the Bill of Rights, did not support this bill,” according to the Koch Industries company Web site.

Ted Cruz disappoints deep-pocketed Koch brothers | New York Post