Democrats Fail To Undo Rauner's Child Care Cuts; Governor Backs Off Anyway | WNIJ and WNIU

 

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner is standing by his decision to backtrack on cuts to a low-income daycare program.

Child-care advocates confront Rep. Ken Dunkin over his decision to go back on a promise to support legislation they favored.

 

 

Credit Amanda Vinicky / WUIS

That comes even as Democrats in the Illinois House failed to pass legislation that would have forced Rauner to undo his changes to the state’s Child Care Assistance Program.

The program is meant to help parents out of poverty by subsidizing daycare, so they can work or go to school.

Rauner unilaterally slashed eligibility this summer. After months of outcry and a Democratic threat to pass legislation undoing his changes, Rauner announced on Monday he'd back off most of the cuts.

But Democrats, like Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth of Peoria, still wanted the legislation. She says parents and daycare owners need certainty Rauner won't change his mind again.

"We have already seen over 70,000 children either rejected or kicked out of this program," Gordon-Booth said in debate.

Democrats fell one vote short of forcing Rauner's hand. In a statement, the governor indicated he'd still reverse most of his reductions to the program.

Democrats Fail To Undo Rauner's Child Care Cuts; Governor Backs Off Anyway | WNIJ and WNIU

Rauner announces changes to EDGE tax-credit program | FOX2now.com

 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ Gov. Bruce Rauner has announced changes to state business tax-credit programs after he suspended them earlier this year.

Rauner announced late Tuesday he is restarting the credits known as Economic Development for a Growing Economy, or EDGE, and the Film Tax Credit.

The first-year Republican says changes he’s made include eliminating agreements that favor companies with money to attract deals. The change also eliminates credits for job retention in favor of granting them only for new job creation.

The plan also restricts the way jobs are counted, prohibits multiples credits for the same facility, and would market the state’s benefits, not just offer incentives.

The state will not offer any new tax credits until there’s a budget agreement

Rauner announces changes to EDGE tax-credit program | FOX2now.com

The Koch Brothers Aren't Supporting Anyone in Republican Primary

 

Some Republican presidential contenders are probably disappointed.

The Koch Brothers are arguably the most important donors in the Republican Party, and they won’t be backing any of the current candidates in the primaries, reports USA Today.

Charles Koch, who leads Koch Industries with his brother David, told the paper that he “has no plans” to pick a candidate to back financially in the primaries, perhaps signalling that he isn’t happy with the current state of his party.

The brothers have been on a bit of a media tour this fall, and this isn’t the first time they have expressed disappointment about how the primary has been going.

“If they start saying things we think are beneficial overall and will change the trajectory of the country, then that would be good, but we have to believe also they’ll follow through on it, and by and large, candidates don’t do that,” Charles Koch said to the paper.

Koch did concede that he will likely help the eventual Republican nominee in the general election.

Charles Koch and his brother David aren't picking a Republican horse.

The Koch Brothers Aren't Supporting Anyone in Republican Primary

Enbridge Energy shows support for Boone County

 

By Kathryn Menue

Editor

BOONE COUNTY – On Monday, Nov. 9, Enbridge Energy Company Inc. traveled to the Rock Valley College (RVC) Woodward Technology Center (WTC) at 9 a.m. to “dedicate a new scholarship at Rock Valley Community College.”

“The new scholarship, known as the Enbridge Energy Company Pipeline Industry Awareness Scholarship, will award five $1,000 scholarships to students in Boone County,” Enbridge Energy stated in their press release. “Enbridge has established similar scholarships at several other two-year schools throughout Illinois. This scholarship at Rock Valley Community College will now mark an Enbridge scholarship established at every community college along its Illinois system.”

Rep. Joe Sosnowski (Ill.-69), Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain, and Enbridge Energy created the scholarship alliance to support students from Belvidere and Boone County who want to enter into an engineering or trade program at Rock Valley College.

“The reason we call it the ‘Pipeline Industry Awareness Scholarship,’ is because for too long, our industry was ‘out-of-sight and out-of-mind’ in our communities,” John Gauderman, Enbridge Director for Chicago Region Operations said. “By building great partnerships like the ones we have with Rock Valley College, we’re hoping to change that.”

At the scholarship presentation, Gauderman stated that the newly founded scholarship was a “great opportunity for Enbridge to show how we operate in the communities. We are very happy to have five $1,000 scholarships at Rock Valley.”

Rock Valley College was very appreciative of their support as well.

“It couldn’t have come at a better time,” RVC President Mike Mastroianni said. He explained that this scholarship will be a great start for the engineering program RVC plans to establish in the upcoming years in the WTC. The new engineering program will allow students to receive a four-year engineering degree from RVC at a more affordable rate than at state universities.

“This is wonderful news for the community and it exemplifies how the Belvidere/Boone County area is positively impacted by Enbridge Energy,” Neeley Erickson, legislative aide to Rep. Sosnowski, said.

Enbridge Energy shows support for Boone County