Boone County Watchdog

Friday, June 10, 2016

GLB RR: Notice of Extension of Comment Period for the Draft Scope of Study to July 15

45270

OEA

SERVICE DATE - JUNE 10, 2016

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD NOTICE STB Docket No. FD 35952

GREAT LAKES BASIN TRANSPORTATION, INC - AUTHORITY TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE A RAIL LINE IN INDIANA, ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN

Decided: June 10, 2016

Notice of Extension of Comment Period for the Draft Scope of Study

The Surface Transportation Board's (Board) Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a Draft Scope of Study, and a notice of scoping meetings in the above-captioned proceeding on March 18, 2016 and published it in the Federal Register on the same day. In the NOI, OEA invited public comments on the Draft Scope of Study, potential alternative routes for the proposed rail line, and environmental issues and concerns by May 16, 2016. In response to a number of comments and the extensive scope of the proposed construction, OEA issued a Notice on April 8, 2016 to advise the public and all interested parties that the comment period would be extended until June 15, 2016. OEA has received a number of requests for a further extension of the comment period and is issuing today's Notice to advise the public and all interested parties that the comment period will be extended again an additional 30 days. Comments are now due by July 15, 2016. No further extensions of time will be granted.

OEA will issue a Final Scope of Study for the EIS after the close of the scoping comment period. Any comments previously submitted on the NOI and Draft Scope of Study need not be resubmitted.

Scoping comments may be submitted electronically on the Board's website, www.stb.dot.gov by clicking on the "E-FILING"link on the homepage and then selecting "Environmental Comments." Please refer to Docket No. FD 35952 in all correspondence, including e-filings, addressed to the Board. Scoping comments are now due by July 15, 2016.

Project specific information may be found on the Board's website at www.stb.dot.gov under "Environmental Matters," then click on the "Key Cases" button in the dropdown menu and then select "Great Lakes Basin." For additional information about the Board's environmental review process and this EIS, you may also visit a Board-sponsored project website at www.GreatLakesBasinRailEIS.com.The website for the Board is www.stb.dot.gov.

By the Board, Victoria Rutson, Director, Office of Environmental Analysis.

The actual decision is available at: http://www.greatlakesbasinraileis.com/documents/OEA_Decision_45270_GLB_Comment_Period_Extension_06102016.pdf

RMAP drafts letter in support of Great Lakes Basin Railroad

What is the position of Boone County on the Great Lake Basis RR? It appears that Chairman Walberg wants to “eat his cake and have it too”.

To see the actual RMAP letter go to: http://www.boarddocs.com/il/boone/Board.nsf/files/AASMCE5570B5/$file/RMAP%20Great%20Lakes%20Basin%20Railroad%20Letter_201606100948.pdf

By Adam Poulisse
Staff writer

Posted Jun. 10, 2016 at 7:58 PM

ROCKFORD — A regional planning organization has put its support behind the proposed Great Lakes Basin Railroad, but says more information on the project is needed.

Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning, better known as RMAP, voted 5-0-1 Thursday to send a letter to the Surface Transportation Board that supports the rail line.

"We agree with the project concept," the two-page letter drafter today reads, "but do not have enough information from GLBRR to fully understand how the current route will affect the existing transportation, agricultural land use, and environmental asset-mapping plans for the region."

Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain, Machesney Park Village President Jerry Bolin, Loves Park Mayor Darryl Lindberg, Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen and Rockfort City Administrator Jim Ryan — in Mayor Larry Morrissey's stead — all approved the letter. Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg abstained.

The two-page letter states that the 278-mile railroad, which would transport cargo around Chicago traffic and include a spur to the Chicago Rockford International Airport, would address key economic development needs in the region.

It also states the agency is "particularly interested in discussing adjustments to the proposed route that garner the largest cross-section of public support."

"We believe the final route needs to take into account the many interests that benefit from and can be affected by a project of this scale," the letter reads.

Though Walberg voted to approve a letter of opposition during a Boone County Board meeting last month, he abstained from Thursday's vote because the letter was more opinion-based, whereas the County Board's opposition was based on research and a series of meetings that collected public input, he said.

"I felt it's what I should do," Walberg said. "I'm real sensitive about it and wouldn't want to abuse my position being chairman of the County Board."

The railroad, in its current incarnation, would cut directly through Boone County and disrupt personal property and farmland. It's received staunch opposition from officials and citizens alike, some of whom have banded together to let their voice be heard.

Cathy Ward, a District 2 board member, said she disagreed with RMAP drafting the letter without having all the information.

"I am very concerned that RMAP ... would vote to support this railroad even though they need more information. If they need more information, why not wait until they had all the information to vote on this."

Morrissey, who was out of town, said his administration generally "favors a route through Winnebago County, as opposed to the proposed Boone County route."

"We believe this would create better economic opportunities for our area as it would more directly connect with our airport and other industrial opportunities," he said via email.

Above is from: http://www.rrstar.com/news/20160610/rmap-drafts-letter-in-support-of-great-lakes-basin-railroad

House Democrats committed to compromise, but question Rauner’s refusal to fund vital needs

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. –(ENEWSPF)–June 8, 2016. House Speaker Michael Madigan released a statement following Gov. Bruce Rauner’s press conference Wednesday on the state budget:

“While Governor Rauner continues his campaign-style tour, laden with personal attacks against those with whom he says he wants to work cooperatively, we remain committed to finding a solution to the state budget crisis, including a temporary budget to ensure schools open on time.

“There are very real concerns within our caucus about the governor’s proposal that need to be answered. By not funding many critical programs and services, the governor is putting office supplies ahead of cancer prevention. He refuses to fund grants for college students in financial need, which would kick many students out of school. In his plan, the governor refuses to fund life-saving breast cancer screenings for women and programs for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. The governor’s plan fails to fund programs that provide care to frail elderly residents.

“The governor wants to fund many operations of state government, including the state’s vehicle fleet and office supplies instead of providing life-saving services for Illinoisans. We, and the people of Illinois that we serve, have very serious concerns with the governor refusing to fund these programs in his proposal. We are committed to negotiating with the governor to fund these programs within the temporary budget, but many questions remain.”

Source: Speaker Madigan’s Office

Above is from: http://enewspf.com/2016/06/09/house-speaker-michael-madigan-governor-rauner-chooses-office-supplies-over-life-saving-services-in-temporary-budget/

Thursday, June 9, 2016

How much did it cost Rauner to be governor

It appears that the number is $40,000,000 BUT WHAT IS THAT TO A BILLIONAIRE. see “Donations & Expenditures”

Note that Alpine Bancorporation WAS THE 15TH HIGHEST CONTRIBUTOR, donating $223.599.50.

Above information is from: http://illinoissunshine.org/committees/citizens-for-rauner-inc-25185/ This site also has available all expenses and contributions arranged by date.

Rauner delivers one school message in Chicago, another Downstate

A week after legislators left Springfield with no budget and no plan to fund education, Gov. Bruce Rauner began his Monday morning in Chicago, where he likened some of Chicago Public Schools to “crumbling prisons.”

By mid-day, the governor made his way to Ottawa — his third of three planned stops — where he again chose to pit Chicago against the rest of the state. There he reminded taxpayers to dial up their state representative —State Rep. Andy Skoog, a Democrat targeted by Republicans — to have him stand up against the “Chicago political machine

“They want your tax dollars to bail out Chicago,” Rauner said at an Ottawa courthouse. “That’s not right. It’s not fair to the people of LaSalle County or any other county in the state of Illinois. So we cannot allow that to happen. It’s not fair. But the super majority Democrats have said, publicly said, they want to hold up school funding. They want your schools not to open as leverage to try to force you to bail out the city of Chicago.”

The governor was met by dozens of union protesters, which forced a venue change in the town of about 18,500.

“I’m not anti-union. I’m pro-job creation, and I’m pro-taxpayer,” Rauner told the crowd, while reminding them his grandfather was a dairy farmer and union member.

It was a day of disparate messages for Rauner, who had set out to advocate for an education funding bill and a stopgap budget, but found himself calling Mayor Rahm Emanuel the “one major disappointment” during his 18-month term as governor, and also added “woeful” and “tragic” to his description of some CPS schools.

“The simple fact is that when you look objectively at the state of Chicago Public Schools, many of them are inadequate. Many of them are woeful, and some are just tragic. Many of them are basically almost crumbling prisons. They’re not a place a young person should be educated,” Rauner said.

The comments sparked outrage on Twitter, where CPS parents and students began a #notaprison campaign, detailing accomplishments at their schools.

It also brought out another Donald Trump comparison from Emanuel. Last week, Emanuel likened Rauner to the presumptive Republican presidential and condemned Rauner’s blame-game tour of the state.

On Monday, the mayor responded to Rauner comparing some CPS schools to “crumbling prisons” by escalating the war of words with his old friend, former business associate and vacation companion.

“Last week, I said his rhetoric of division and divisiveness — of targeting [and pitting] one group of people against another — was Trump-like. Now, it sounds like he’s auditioning to be Donald Trump’s running mate,” the mayor said.

Emanuel said Rauner “may have a stereotype that plays to his political philosophy, but those are not the results” in Chicago Public Schools under the mayor’s five-year watch.

“I would just say to him, ‘This is not about right-wing ideology. It’s about results.’”

“Now, I know you’re gonna try to play a political game and some rhetoric. [But] I ask all of you to do the responsible thing and put the data out about what the results are. It’s a University of Chicago report that talks about graduation rates, college attendance that are hitting remarkable highs,” the mayor said. The Sun-Times first reported the results Monday.

During his Chicago stop at technology hub 1871, Rauner talked about the failure of the General Assembly to pass a budget and said he is “deeply concerned” that schools might not open on time this fall.

While Rauner has said he’d put his “Turnaround Agenda” aside to fund education and get the state running, albeit temporary, he’s still advocating for changes in collective bargaining and workers compensation. Democrats say that will hurt the middle class. And Rauner has consistently said he won’t support a tax hike to balance the budget unless some of his favored reforms are attached.

Meanwhile, Democrats are trying to find a way to fund education and have long favored a complete reworking of the school funding formula. But for now, Rauner is pushing support for a bill to keep the doors open this fall that doesn’t include an overhaul of the formula.

Above is from: http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/gov-rauner-calls-some-cps-schools-are-like-crumbling-prisons/

Crucial points to remember about Illinois budget impasse

Wednesday, Jun 8, 2016

* Voices for Illinois Children…

The legislative session is over, and Illinois is about to enter its second year without a budget. Where does all of this leave the state?
Voices for Illinois Children’s Fiscal Policy Center offers eight takeaways to put matters in perspective and lead the way to a solution that gets Illinois back to making the public investments needed for the state to flourish.
1) Illinois is Dismantling the Foundations of a Prosperous, Compassionate State. As the Fiscal Policy Center has chronicled, the lack of a fully-funded state budget is causing our higher education system to fall apart, service providers to shut down, and our safety net to collapse.
2) Public Safety is Jeopardized. At a time when Illinois needs a coordinated, public health-centered approach to violence that plagues many communities, we are going in the opposite direction, cutting mental health and substance abuse treatment, after-school opportunities for youth, and programs like Redeploy that rehabilitate youth in their communities.
3) Lack of Resources Drives This Crisis. The real problem is Illinois doesn’t have the money it takes to meet public needs. After last year’s 25-percent tax cut, Illinois needs more than $7 billion in new revenue a year to return to the level of services of the 2015 fiscal year — the last year with a full budget.
4) Delay In Raising Revenue Means More Debt. Illinois is racking up debt even with deep cuts in spending, because the state must still pay for a variety of things mandated under state and federal law. Every day lawmakers and Governor Rauner fail to agree on raising critically needed revenue, Illinois’ finances worsen.
5) Debt = Less Investment in Future. Increasing the state’s backlog of unpaid bills not only means unfair payment delays to people providing goods and services. It also restricts what Illinois can do in the future. Debt must be repaid using future revenue, taking resources away from schools, transportation, public safety, and other building blocks of broad prosperity.
6) Without More Revenue, Increases to Public School Funding Crowds Out Other Investments. Without new revenue, the large proposed increases to public school funding mean that Illinois will further increase its debt and be forced to cut a range of services for children and families that support children’s healthy growth and development. We cannot continue to pit education against human services — children and families need both to succeed.
7) Short-Term “Emergency” Budget is Not a Solution. At best, a six-month emergency budget to get elected officials past the November elections only slows the deterioration of our higher education system and our social safety net. Much of any emergency six-month budget would likely just fill existing holes and would not sustain critical services into next fiscal year.
8) Governor Rauner Has Bill on His Desk that is Part of His Desired Six-Month Budget. The legislature passed by large bipartisan majorities Senate Bill 2038 to provide urgently needed funds to service providers owed $700 million by the state. The money sits in state accounts, unable to be spent until Governor Rauner signs the legislation he received nearly three weeks ago. More than 220 organizations, including Voices, have urged him to sign this bill.

To avoid further damage to our state, lawmakers and Governor Rauner must come together to enact a fully funded budget that raises billions of dollars in new revenue to support critical services and public investment in Illinois’ future. Anything else falls far short of strengthening our state.