New power rules may preserve Exelon nuclear plants in Illinois | Reuters

 

New rules for U.S. electricity providers could save two money-losing nuclear power plants in Illinois from shutting down and may amount to a $10 billion bonanza to U.S. power producers.

A system of rewards and penalties is part of a requirement approved last month by federal energy regulators that applies to a power auction next month.

It may benefit some costly nuclear reactors in the PJM power region, which stretches from New Jersey to Illinois, that have had a tough time competing against the growing use of wind turbines and power plants fired with cheap natural gas.

That is particularly true for two plants operated by Exelon Corp, the biggest U.S. nuclear power plant operator. It has warned it might be forced to shut its Quad Cities and Byron nuclear plants in northern Illinois, unless the reactors' revenues increase.

Other generators expected to benefit from the new requirements, including those with nuclear plants located far away from the Midwest wind farms, include Dynegy Inc, NRG Energy Inc, Public Service Enterprise Group Inc and Talen Energy Corp.

Thanks to the growth of alternative power sources and abundant gas from shale formations, PJM power prices have fallen an average of 20 percent over the past five years to around $50 per megawatt hour compared with the prior five years.

The regulation should provide generators with more money for keeping their units ready to operate when most needed to avoid unexpected power plant outages like those that pushed the system to the brink of blackouts as homes and businesses cranked up their heaters during the polar vortex winter of 2013/2014.

The rule creates a niche for nuclear plants, which run consistently, unlike breeze-dependent wind turbines, and do not need potential upgrades to withstand harsh winter temperatures like gas plants.

Under so-called capacity performance requirements, generators will receive higher fees to keep plants available but face stiff penalties if their units don't deliver power when needed during system emergencies. Fines for an average 100-megawatt plant would be around $350,000 an hour.

One megawatt can power about 1,000 homes.

PJM will hold the auction starting August 10 for power capacity for the June 2018-to-May 2019 time period that will include the capacity performance standards.

Capacity performance prices for the 2018-2019 delivery year are expected to increase by about 25 percent over last year's rates to around $150 to $165 per megawatt day, according to analysts, which could total about $10 billion for the power resources sought in the auction.

If analysts' estimates are correct and all ten of Exelon's reactors in northern Illinois are selected to provide capacity in the auction, the company could receive around $600 million for those reactors during the 2018-2019 delivery year.

"We expect the vast majority of our nuclear units will clear the auction," Joseph Dominguez, Exelon's executive vice president for government and regulatory affairs told Reuters, meaning the company expects most of its reactors in PJM to receive capacity payments for the 2018-2019 delivery year.

He would not speculate on what might happen with Quad Cities and Byron in Illinois and Oyster Creek in New Jersey, which did not clear last year's auction for the 2017-2018 delivery year that did not include the capacity performance standards.

Exelon has already said it planned to retire Oyster Creek in the fourth quarter of 2019, but has not set a closure plan for the Illinois plants.

With the new capacity standards in place, some analysts said Byron and Quad Cities, which are located in Exelon's Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) power delivery zone in northern Illinois, will make the grade for continuing to operate.

"Byron and Quad Cities will clear the 2018-2019 auction because we think the ComEd zone will price at a higher level than the rest of PJM," said Prajit Ghosh, research director North America power, at Wood Mackenzie, an energy consultancy.

Exelon has lost close to $1 billion over the past five years on its nuclear operations - about $350 million at Quad Cities alone. It expects those losses to continue, based on forward power prices, Dominguez said.

Even if Byron and Quad Cities clear the auction, Dominguez said they still face the risk of shutdown unless federal, state and regional policy makers find ways to compensate generators for the environmental and reliability benefits that non-carbon emitting nuclear plants provide.

In the meantime, extra revenues from the capacity auction could keep the money losing reactors operating for a few more years until possible new carbon standards are available.

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Jessica Resnick-Ault and Alden Bentley)

New power rules may preserve Exelon nuclear plants in Illinois | Reuters

Boone County leaders: 'We've got to figure out how to grow the economy' - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

• BELVIDERE — Since the recession hit in late 2007 and early 2008, a few hard realities have surrounded Boone County budget issues: a dwindling tax base, a stagnant economy, a larger tax burden shifting to property owners.

  In 2008, the combined value of all Boone County properties was more than $1.2 billion. That year, the typical homeowner paid 69 cents for every $100 of a property's assessed value in property taxes. By 2014, the combined property value in the county had fallen 31 percent, to about $880 million. But the amount of money the typical homeowner paid in taxes for every $100 of assessed value increased to $1.26.

  To balance its budget and compensate for its shrinking tax base, the county increased the amount of money — from $8.6 million in 2008 to $10.9 million in 2014 — it collects in property taxes each year, even as values plummeted.

  “The economics of our county were beat up in the recession and have not recovered," County Administrator Ken Terrinoni said. "But you can’t, every single year, put it on the backs of the property taxpayer. ... We’ve got to figure out how to grow the economy."

  To turn things around, the Boone County Strategic Plan Task Force — a collection of county department heads coordinated by Terrinoni, his assistant Justyn Miller and County Board members — has been meeting in "focus groups" to brainstorm ideas to revitalize the economy.

  County Board members Sherry Giesecke and Jeff Carlisle hatched the idea during a board retreat in January; for the past five months, the group has been meeting to identify issues, goals and objectives.

  "We've never done a formal process like this," Terrinoni said.

  The task force is organized into three focus groups: Public Safety and Justice, Operations, and Infrastructure and Economic Development. It has drafted five goals:

  Promote intergovernmental collaboration and communication.

  Promote economic development to support new and existing businesses.

  Maintain and enhance community safety through an integrated law enforcement and criminal justice system.

  Integrate the functions of county departments, including technology, to promote effective and efficient government.

  Plan, develop and invest in the community to enhance quality of life with a focus on infrastructure and transportation.

“Inflation plus new business is the only way to grow revenue," Gieseke said Tuesday during a Public Safety and Justice focus group meeting. "What we really want to do is not just look for money, but we want to look for improving quality of life and increasing revenue to do that."

The Public Safety and Justice group includes representatives from the sheriff's office, the county jail, emergency management, the coroner's office, the probation department, the public defender's office, the state's attorney's office, the 17th Judicial Circuit Court, the clerk of the circuit court's office and information technology.

Page 2 of 2 - The group discussed sending surveys to residents and more aggressively seeking state and federal grants for economic development and infrastructure projects. The most detailed discussion, however, was about figuring out the county's 21st-century identity and "rebranding."

One rebranding idea is to promote and encourage specialty businesses and boutique shops in the area, such as The Complete Sheep Shoppe on Caledonia Road, the McEachran Homestead Winery in Caledonia and Edwards Apple Orchard in Poplar Grove.

"It’s very interesting. It’s a great idea," said Jane Zeien, who owns The Complete Sheep Shoppe with her husband, Paul Zeien Jr. "I don't know very much about it. But I’d like to help out any way I could. ... There’s a lot of things the area has that are positive."

Zeien, whose shop specializes in wool and sheepskin products, pointed to the county fair, the local 4-H club and the county's willingness to promote local businesses as examples.

But retail alone may not be enough.

"We’re never going to solve our basic problems, like kicking the can down the road, not doing this, not doing that, until we’ve solved our tax base," Terrinoni said. "And by that I mean making it more diverse and resilient. You need a little bit of everything. A little (retail), but you need the larger industry that brings in jobs.”

The task force's operations focus group will meet next at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 7 at the Belvidere Township building, 8200 Fairgrounds Road. A meeting for the Infrastructure & Economic Development group has not been scheduled.

“What I’ve learned from my staff that I inherited six months ago is a lot of frustration, especially with county government," Sheriff Dave Ernest said. "We plan and we plan, but nothing ever seems to go anywhere. ... We're at a point where that absolutely has to change.”

Ben Stanley: 815-987-1369; bstanley@rrstar.com; @ben_j_stanley

By Ben Stanley
Rockford Register Star

 

Boone County leaders: 'We've got to figure out how to grow the economy' - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Boone County prosecutor says County Board chairman wrong to talk to judge - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

By Georgette Braun
Rockford Register Star

Posted Jul. 30, 2015 at 3:59 PM
Updated Jul 30, 2015 at 4:53 PM

BELVIDERE — Boone County State's Attorney Michelle Courier told Boone County Board members this week that Chairman Bob Walberg had inappropriately told a judge handling a case against Plote Construction Inc. that he "did not approve of the lawsuit against Plote."

Courier said in a letter posted on the Boone County Community Forum Facebook page that "while there is a pending case, judges are forbidden to have ex parte communications about that case." She said Walberg's actions were "inappropriate." Courier said that Judge Rob Tobin had said in court Tuesday that he told Walberg he couldn't talk about the case and ended the conversation.

Walberg said today that he had called Tobin to talk about politics and the economy as he does sometimes but that his conversation "wasn't anything with the case. ... I didn't realize there was a problem." He said Courier, a Republican who is seeking re-election, is making the situation a political one.

Tobin asked Courier and an attorney for Plote whether they wanted him to withdraw from the case. Courier said in her letter to County Board members that she didn't. Courier could not be reached for further comment. Courier said in the letter that Plote's attorney had asked for a new court date to discuss the offer with Plote. An attorney for Plote could not be immediately reached for comment today.

Hoffman Estates-based Plote operates a quarry at 1050 Ecs Way, Belvidere. Courier had filed a lawsuit against Plote for operating beyond the hours approved by the County Board. She obtained a temporary restraining order that was violated, and she said in the letter that she had filed a motion for sanctions that was set to be heard Tuesday.

Above is from:   Boone County prosecutor says County Board chairman wrong to talk to judge - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

TO SEE THE ACTUAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM Judge Tobin and States Attorney Courier GO TO:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/07/actions-by-chairman-walberg-may-affect.html

Rauner Called Out Over Gender Balance - Journal & Topics Newspapers Online: News

 

Several groups are calling out Gov. Bruce Rauner claiming some of his political appointments fail to comply with a state statute that demands state boards and commissions be balanced with regard to gender.

Specifically, the National Council of Women’s Organizations, a Washington D.C.-based group representing more than 200 women’s groups, the Illinois Green Party and Buffalo Grove activist Rob Sherman want members of the Illinois Senate to deny the governor’s Illinois Tollway Board nominees. Their gripe is that each of the tollway board’s nominees is male, which violates state law in the Gender Balanced Appointments Act.

The act states, “All appointments to boards, commissions, committees and councils of the State created by the laws of this State and after the effective date of this Act shall be gender balanced to the extent possible and to the extent that appointees are qualified to serve on those boards, commissions, committees and councils. If gender balance is not possible, then appointments shall provide for significant representation of both sexes to boards, commissions, committees and councils governed by this Act.”

The appointment of an all-male tollway board, “is a social injustice as well as a statutory violation,” Vito Mastrangelo of the Illinois Green Party (ILGP) said. “The ILGP urges the Illinois Senate to refuse to confirm appointments that are not gender balanced in accordance with Illinois law.”

National Council of Women’s Organizations Corporate Accountability Project Director Martha Burk urged tollway board nominations be withdrawn as they do not conform to the law or “basic principles of fairness and good governance” in a June 21 letter to Rauner and Assistant Senate Majority Leader Antonio Munoz (D-1st) who sits on the executive appointments committee.

“Fifty percent of the members the governor has appointed or reappointed to the tollway board are minorities, so to insinuate that the administration hasn't made diversity a priority is misguided,” Rauner’s Press Secretary Catherine Kelly told the Journal & Topics in the first of several email exchanges on the issue.

“The law is about gender equity,” said Burk. “The governor’s office is to be commended on race (racially diverse appointments), but the law is not relevant to race and it is insulting for them to try to change the subject.”

Kelly said in a later email: “Gov. Rauner has increased the number of women serving on boards and commissions requiring senate confirmation. Fourteen boards have seen the number of women members rise under Gov. Rauner compared to the previous administration. Women now lead the Human Rights Commission, the Illinois Criminal Justice and Information Authority, the Illinois Liquor Control Commission and the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, which has its first woman chair since Gov. Thompson’s administration.”

State Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-57th) pointed out that the former chair of the Illinois Tollway Board and its former director under Gov. Pat Quinn were both women.

“Illinois is a diverse state, it (the tollway board) should reflect the state, so appointing women and minorities should be a priority,” Nekritz said.

Ethnicities are not listed on a state website listing the names of board and commission appointees, nor are genders. The Journal & Topics requested the governor’s office provide a breakdown of appointees by gender and race. The governor’s office did not supply that information as of press time late Monday, July 27. The Journal looked at a number of higher profile board and commission appointee lists to determine their makeups. While determining race is not possible by those lists, determining common use of names by gender is.

The Journal found mixed results in a random sampling of state boards and commissions. Besides the tollway board, the Illinois Gaming Board consists of four members with one vacancy, all of them appearing to be male. The Illinois Labor Relations Board is comprised of eight members, six appointed by the governor and one each appointed by the Cook County board president and Chicago mayor. All eight are male.

Some boards appeared more mixed. The Illinois Commerce Commission is made up of what appears to be three men and two women. The Illinois Board of Education appears to be made up of six men and three women. The Illinois Board of Higher Education includes what appears to be seven women and five men. The Illinois Human Rights Commission is chaired by a woman and appears to have seven women and five men on its board. The Illinois Housing and Urban Development Board has what appears to be five women and four men.

Above from:   Rauner Called Out Over Gender Balance - Journal & Topics Newspapers Online: News

Mrs. Rauner’s group joins “formal complaint,” request for investigation

 

Mrs. Rauner’s group joins “formal complaint,” request for investigation

Thursday, Jul 30, 2015

* Check out the groups listed at the end of this press release…

Today, Voices for Illinois Children, along with other early childhood education advocates, submitted a formal complaint and request for an official investigation into the harmful cuts to Illinois’ child care program enacted unilaterally by Governor Rauner and the Illinois Department of Human Services. The complaint and request for an investigation were submitted to the Department of Human Services and the Members of the Joint Committee on Administrative rules, the body responsible for assessing the validity of the rulemaking process.

“The Department of Human Services, under the direction of Governor Rauner, failed to follow procedures required by the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act when they radically changed the child care system in Illinois,” said Emily Miller, Policy and Advocacy Director at Voices for Illinois Children.

On July 1, 2015, Governor Rauner improperly used emergency rulemaking to change the Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP. The purpose of CCAP is to ensure that low-income, working families have access so safe, quality early learning environments for their children.

As a direct result of the Governor’s actions, 90% of low-income families who apply for CCAP are being denied.

“We hope that once the Governor reflects on the detrimental impact his actions continue to have on our families and communities, he will voluntarily rescind the rule,” concluded Miller. “If the Governor fails to stop the cuts to child care, we request that JCAR complete their investigation, object to the rule, and require the Department of Human to rescind it.”

Children’s Home and Aid, Illinois Action for Children, the Ounce of Prevention Fund, and Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law joined Voices for Illinois Children in filing the complaint and request for investigation.

 

You gotta respect that woman’s guts.

- Posted by Rich Miller

FROM:  Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Mrs. Rauner’s group joins “formal complaint,” request for investigation

Gov. Rauner signs bill broadening eligibility for food stamps - News - Journal Star - Peoria, IL

 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — More Illinois families will be able to receive federal food stamps under expanded eligibility signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Legislation endorsed Tuesday by the first-term Republican governor raises the income limit for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Illinois to 165 percent of the poverty level, effective Jan. 1. The previous cap was at 130 percent.

Families that include someone who is elderly or disabled can receive food stamps if their income doesn't exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law in Chicago estimates that the change will bring an additional $60 million in federal money into the state.

Gov. Rauner signs bill broadening eligibility for food stamps - News - Journal Star - Peoria, IL

Rauner, AFSCME reach another contract extension; governor vetoes bill to prohibit strike, lockout - News - The State Journal-Register - Springfield, IL

 

• Doug Finke, State Capitol Bureau

  Posted Jul. 29, 2015 at 3:54 PM
  Updated Jul 29, 2015 at 9:04 PM

  Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration and the largest state employees union have agreed to a two-month contract extension while negotiations continue on a new labor agreement.

  At the same time, the Republican governor vetoed a bill that would prohibit either a strike or lockout and provide for an independent arbitrator to resolve the contract talks.

  Rauner said the bill would put the fate of the contract into the hands of an unelected arbitrator "to impose billions of dollars of new costs on our taxpayers without any involvement of the executive branch, the General Assembly, or those taxpayers."

  The agreement was signed Wednesday between the administration and Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents about 38,000 state workers.

  The agreement says that "neither side will resort to strike, work stoppage, work slowdown, or lockout between August 1, 2015 and September 30, 2015, or until impasse is reached, whichever comes later."

  It also says that if a new labor agreement is not reached by the end of September, both sides will meet no later than September 29 "in order to negotiate whether this agreement should be modified and if so how."

  The agreement means the terms of the old contract that expired June 30 remain in effect. However, the agreement also says the state and AFSCME disagree about whether the state is obligated to pay step increases and semi-automatic promotion increases (known as longevity raises) while a new contract is not in place. The raises are not currently being granted.

  AFSCME issued a statement saying the agreement will allow the two sides to continue working toward a permanent contract.

  "Even so, the parties remain very far apart on many basic issues as a result of the Rauner administration's continued extreme demands that would undermine public services, strip the rights of public service workers, reduce access to health care and make it impossible to keep pace with the rising cost of living," AFSCME said.

  In an update about bargaining sent to members last week, AFSCME said the administration wants to freeze wages for the term of the contract and restructure health care benefits, which would result in a 500 percent increase in out-of-pocket costs.

  The union on Wednesday also noted that "reports revealed that the Rauner administration is soliciting strike breakers, including retired state employees and potentially the Illinois National Guard."

  "These actions suggest the Rauner administration is planning a work stoppage that would be counter to the public interest," AFSCME said.

  The State Journal-Register reported Sunday that state agencies have contacted some retirees asking if they would be willing to return to work on short-term contracts in the event of a strike.

  Page 2 of 2 - A memo to agency directors from Rauner's general counsel, Jason Barclay, obtained by the SJ-R, denied the administration has any intent to lock out workers.

  "Contrary to incendiary comments in AFSCME's newsletters that have been reported publicly, with or without a (extension agreement) the governor will not lock out state employees," Barclay said in the memo. "We have told AFSCME that, but they have refused to inform their members."

  Rauner said he vetoed Senate Bill 1229 because it is "undemocratic, it is bad for our budget and it is unconstitutional."

  "Senate Bill 1229 is also based on a false premise that our administration has been unreasonable in labor negotiations and wants to lock out employees or prompt an employee strike," Rauner's veto message said. "Nothing could be further from the truth. We have negotiated in good faith with AFSCME since shortly after I took office."

  Rauner said the administration has made "significant concessions" since its initial proposal. He also again raised an agreement the administration reached with a Teamsters union local in Cook County that included a wage freeze for the life of the contract and provisions for a 40-hour workweek.

  "The Teamsters, to their credit, were realistic about the state's dire financial condition," Rauner wrote.

  Rauner said AFSCME's contract proposal would cost the state $1.6 billion in salary and pension expenses and eliminate $500 million in health care savings. In his memo, Barclay said AFSCME is seeking an 11.5 percent pay increase over four years, five weeks of vacation and a 37.5 hour workweek. He said the union also wants more expensive health care benefits.

  "Because they are unelected and unaccountable, arbitrators can decide to impose on the state the union's proposals without regard to the dire impact those proposals will have on our fiscal stability," Rauner said. "If an unaccountable arbitrator awards AFSCME's contract, the clear losers will be the state's taxpayers."

  Lawmakers could attempt to override Rauner's veto, but it may be difficult. The Senate passed the bill with enough votes to override, but the House did not.

  — Contact Doug Finke: doug.finke@sj-r.com, 788-1527, twitter.com/dougfinkesjr.

»

Rauner, AFSCME reach another contract extension; governor vetoes bill to prohibit strike, lockout - News - The State Journal-Register - Springfield, IL

Harley an awkward ride for 'union-busting' Republican Walker - Yahoo News

 

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - For Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, there's something awkward about the Harley-Davidson motorcycles that he has been posing on at presidential campaign stops: each one bears a sticker on its frame that reads "Union made in the USA."

Walker has made the iconic American brand a centerpiece of his campaign kick-off tour this month, visiting four dealerships and sometimes showing off his own 2003 Harley Road King as he seeks to harness its appeal to older white male voters.

But there is another side to Harley that the Republican candidate has been less vocal about - it is a leading example of a successful company that has a strong relationship with labor unions.

Walker, by contrast, has made his union-busting credentials the foundation of his White House bid, touting it as the prime example of his leadership success and as evidence of how he can defeat powerful vested interests and even foreign enemies.

It's not clear how he can reconcile his love of the powerful, deep-rumbling bikes known as "hogs" with the strong union loyalties of those who build them.

Some of the people who build Harleys - more than a thousand of whom are unionized workers in Wisconsin - are fuming over Walker's prominent use of the bikes in his campaign.

"He's trying to make a name for himself by saying 'I took on 100,000 union workers' - and he's on our bikes," said Andy Voelzke, 57, who works at Harley's plant just outside Milwaukee and is a member of the United Steelworkers union.

"It's just such a contradiction."

View gallery

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker shows off his motorcycle driver's license before a "Roast & …

As governor, Walker passed legislation over strong Democratic opposition to limit collective bargaining for state employees. He took another swipe at organized labor this year with a bill that forbids unions within private firms from forcing workers to pay dues.

Like other candidates in the crowded Republican primary field, Walker is hoping to connect with voters in the "Harley-Davidson" demographic, jokingly referred to as "old fat guys" and who are perceived to be mostly conservatives.

Walker may already have some ground to make up among Harley lovers. Ten out of a group of 11 riders approached by Reuters in downtown Milwaukee on Tuesday named front-runner Donald Trump as their early favorite in the race for the Republican nomination.

Seven of the riders, none of whom were from Wisconsin, said they hadn't heard of Walker.

Harley’s unions in Wisconsin could be affected by Walker's "right to work" reform passed this year. Voluntary membership could leave unions with less money to pay for negotiators and lawyers. The company will also have more power to fire employees for not agreeing to additional tasks, such as overtime shifts.

"Governor Walker believes individual workers should be free to decide on their own – without the influence of union bosses – whether they’d like to join a union and pay dues and that’s why he signed a law making Wisconsin a right-to-work state," said AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for Walker's campaign.

A spokeswoman for Harley-Davidson, which has enjoyed solid global sales and whose share price has doubled over the past five years, declined to comment, saying its management wanted to remain neutral.

THE HOG CASE STUDY

View gallery

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (L), talks with Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) before starting a motorcyc …

Harley-Davidson's relationship with its workers' unions isn't just decent; it's studied as an example of how corporations can benefit from organized labor.

"They've had disputes in the past, but Harley has never tried to kill the union and the union has always taken the attitude that it wants Harley to succeed," said Paul Osterman, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management.

"It's a successful example of labor-management cooperation."

Flags representing the United Steelworkers and the International Brotherhood of Machinists fly alongside the U.S. flag and Wisconsin's state flag at the entrance to Harley's plant on Pilgrim Road, just outside the Milwaukee city limits. Harley's global headquarters is in the city.

The plant's union leaders told Reuters they work closely with management to fine-tune production, eliminate waste and collaborate on new manufacturing initiatives.

The union is credited in the Harley-Davidson museum in Milwaukee, which is run by the company, for helping to save the firm from bankruptcy in the early 1980s.

The two sides haven't always gotten along. There have been worker strikes as recently as 2007, and Harley has experimented with efforts to offshore parts of its production.

But employees interviewed by Reuters said the company has, within the past five years, repatriated some production after workers argued it would improve efficiency.

Among the Harley riders interviewed by Reuters, Walker had a fan in William Welp Jr., 60, a retired Navy commander who now teaches at a public high school in Fort Lauderdale.

"When I first heard Scott Walker and saw him I thought: 'There's a guy who thinks just like I do,'" said Welp, who had ridden from Florida with three of his friends.

Welp said he had already donated to Walker and was against unions, even though he joined one voluntarily.

Erin Spengler, 40, a Harley rider who works at Pilgrim Road, described her anger when, in 2013, Walker climbed on a Harley to lead a motorcycle rally as part of Milwaukee's Military Appreciation Day Parade.

Spengler was supposed to participate, but at the last minute, she said, decided to stay home.

"I am not going to let this guy lead me through town like a circus when he's against everything I stand for," she said.

(Reporting By Emily Flitter: Additional reporting by Alexia Shurmur in Las Vegas; editing by Stuart Grudgings.)

Above is from:  Harley an awkward ride for 'union-busting' Republican Walker - Yahoo News

Actions by Chairman Walberg may affect Plote Construction law suit

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following was sent July 28, 2015 to the Boone County Board

 

Subject: Boone County v. Plote

As you may already be aware, I filed suit against Plote for operating beyond the hours approved by the County Board.  We obtained a temporary restraining order against Plote from Judge Tobin, and they since violated that order.  As such, we filed a motion for sanctions which was set to be heard today.

At the beginning of the hearing, Judge Tobin announced that he had an ex parte communication he needed to disclose to the parties.  In sum, he described a phone call that Chairman Bob Walberg made to him.  He said that as Chairman it was not unusual for Bob to call him, especially in regards to budget issues.  So, he saw nothing inappropriate about taking the call.  The content of the call, however, was inappropriate.  Judge Tobin described that Bob advised him that he (Bob) did not approve of the lawsuit against Plote.  At that point, Judge Tobin told Bob that he could not talk to him about the case and ended the conversation. 

He assured the parties that he was not political.  While Bob Walberg ran as a Republican, Judge Tobin ran as an Independent and did not owe anyone anything.   He then asked the parties whether they wished him to step down from the case.  I indicated that I did not wish for him to step down.  Plote’s attorney asked for another date to discuss it with his client.   An order was entered, a copy of which is attached.  

The purpose of this email is to keep the County Board apprised of what occurred in this case as it was the county board who passed the ordinance that restricted Plote’s hours of operation.  It is also to advise all members that actions such as this are inappropriate.  While there is a pending case, judges are forbidden to have ex parte communications about that case.  

Sincerely,

Michelle J. Courier

Boone County State's Attorney

 

 

 

 

Judge TOBIN

************************************************************************

 

 

If you think Chairman Walberg was “out on bounds” you may wish to call your county board members: 

 

 

Illinois House agrees to eliminate FY 2016 lawmaker raises - Yahoo News

 

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Illinois House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill stopping a cost-of-living increase for state lawmakers in the current fiscal year, which continues to lack an approved budget.

 

The 101-1 bipartisan vote sends the measure to the Senate, which is scheduled to return to session Aug. 4.

Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has publicly criticized Democrats who control the legislature for allowing their paychecks to grow, while Illinois struggles financially.

Despite the near unanimous vote, the standoff continues between Rauner and Democrats over a budget for fiscal 2016, which began July 1.

House Speaker Michael Madigan, who sponsored the bill, said despite making "a good faith effort to meet the governor half way," the impasse continues. He said the bill follows other actions by the House to accommodate some of the governor's so-called turnaround agenda, which includes worker compensation reforms and a local property tax freeze.

"We are involved in a historic struggle between two branches of government," he said on the House floor.

The bill removes a $1,350 per legislator pay increase, saving the state $238,950. Following the vote, Rauner's office released a statement making it clear that he is still pushing for structural reforms. Last month, he vetoed most of the $36 billion budget passed by Democrats because it was short about $4 billion in revenue.

Illinois has a chronic structural budget deficit, as well as the lowest credit ratings and worst-funded pension system among the 50 states.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Michael Madigan's daughter, is keeping the state's options open regarding a 2013 cost-saving pension reform law voided by the state supreme court in May on constitutional grounds.

Lisa Madigan asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday for an extension until Sept. 10 to file a possible appeal of the ruling by the state's high court, which rejected Illinois' argument that it needed to invoke police powers and cut pension benefits to deal with a fiscal emergency.

"With the decision in the City of Chicago's pension case late last week, we are continuing to consider all of the arguments and the best next step,” her office said in a statement.

A Cook County Circuit Court judge on Friday struck down a 2014 law aimed at shoring up the shaky finances of two Chicago retirement systems. That ruling also cited protections for public worker pensions in the Illinois Constitution.

(Reporting by Karen Pierog; Editing by Matthew Lewis

Illinois House agrees to eliminate FY 2016 lawmaker raises - Yahoo News

Top Republican donor takes back call for Kirk to quit - Chicago Tribune

 

Hours after reportedly calling on U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk to halt his re-election bid, a major Republican fundraiser backtracked Tuesday and hailed Kirk as the party's best candidate for one of the nation's most hotly contested Senate seats.

lRelated

John Kass

See all related

8

Kirk's re-election bid complicated by controversial statements

 

Republican businessman and fundraiser Ron Gidwitz told Crain's Chicago Business that Kirk's recent misstatements and gaffes have put the Illinois GOP on the defensive. "I call on him to step aside and allow other Republicans to seek his seat," Gidwitz told Crain's.

Asked about the comments later, Gidwitz told the Chicago Tribune he believes "Mark Kirk is the strongest candidate to win the seat. I fully support his re-election." Crain's also acknowledged that Gidwitz sought to retract his earlier comments.

Still, Gidwitz's initial comments underscore the uncertainty many Republicans have privately expressed toward Kirk's re-election chances in 2016 — a presidential year in which Illinois traditionally trends Democratic.

Illustrating the early intensity of the Senate contest, Kirk has found himself facing criticism over a series of controversial statements. In February, Kirk said "coffins" should be placed outside Democratic offices if the Department of Homeland Security were to be shut down in a budget dispute.

Last month, Kirk joked over an open microphone that his colleague, Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., was a "bro with no ho" because he  was unmarried

This month, Kirk questions at a Senate panel made it sound as though he thought the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was collecting personal data on Supreme Court justices and members of Congress. Shortly before that, Kirk, an outspoken opponent to the multination Iran nuclear deal led by the White House, accused President Barack Obama of wanting to "get nukes" to the country.

Kirk apologized for the Graham comment and acknowledged that his Obama Iran comments were just "me being too carried away with" his opposition.

Kirk, who suffered a major stroke in January 2011, already was facing a difficult bid for a second term for a seat that Democrats view as one of their top targets next year.

Kirk has enlisted the resources of the Illinois Republican Party to help with his re-election, and he has the backing of GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner, whom he actively campaigned with last year.

Seeking the Democratic nomination are two-term U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates and Andrea Zopp, former chairman of the Chicago Urban League. Duckworth has been endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, a move criticized by Zopp and her supporters.

Top Republican donor takes back call for Kirk to quit - Chicago Tribune

Gov. Rauner Asks Retirees, National Guard to Work in Case of Strike | NBC Chicago

Rauner's administration and AFSCME have been negotiating a new agreement, but the one-month extension expires Friday

By Mary Ann Ahern

 

Getty Images

Updated at 4:48 PM CDT on Monday, Jul 27, 2015

Retired state employees and members of the National Guard may be called upon by Gov. Bruce Rauner to step up in case of a workers' strike.

The governor's administration has called some retired state employees to determine if they are willing to come back on short-term contracts if workers represented by AFSCME — the state's largest union — decide to strike.

•  

Anders Lindall, a spokesperson for AFSCME, denied the union is planning to strike, but he said the governor's attempts to reach out to "strike breakers" suggests he wants a fight.

"To see the governor out there trying to recruit strike breakers suggests he wants confrontation, he wants a crisis, he wants disruption," Lindall said.

•  

Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly did not deny that the office reached out to retired state workers and the National Guard, saying the administration is "pursuing all options."

"We are actively pursuing all options to continue important state services in the event that AFSCME chooses to strike, rather than agree to proposals similar to those recently ratified in the Teamsters," Kelly's full statement reads.

•  

Rauner's administration and AFSCME have been negotiating a new agreement, but the one-month extension expires Friday.

Above is from:  Gov. Rauner Asks Retirees, National Guard to Work in Case of Strike | NBC Chicago

Gov't: Fiat Chrysler must offer to buy back 500,000 pickups - Yahoo News

 

DETROIT (AP) — Fiat Chrysler must offer to buy back from customers more than 500,000 Ram pickup trucks and other vehicles in the biggest such action in U.S. history as part of a costly deal with safety regulators to settle legal problems in about two dozen recalls.

The Italian-American automaker also faces a record civil fine of up to $105 million. In addition, owners of more than a million older Jeeps with vulnerable rear-mounted gas tanks will be able to trade them in or be paid by Chrysler to have the vehicles repaired.

The settlement is the latest sign that auto safety regulators are taking a more aggressive approach toward companies that fail to disclose defects or don't properly conduct a recall.

The Ram pickups, which are the company's top-selling vehicle, have defective steering parts that can cause drivers to lose control. Some previous repairs have been unsuccessful, so Fiat Chrysler agreed to the buyback, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Owners also have the option of getting them repaired, the agency said in documents released Sunday.

The older Jeeps have fuel tanks located behind the rear axle, with little to shield them in a rear crash. They can rupture and spill gasoline, causing a fire. At least 75 people have died in crash-related fires, although Fiat Chrysler maintains they are as safe as comparable vehicles from the same era.

Both the Jeep and Ram measures are part of a larger settlement between the government and the automaker over allegations of misconduct in 23 recalls covering more than 11 million vehicles. Besides the civil penalty, which was reported Saturday by The Associated Press, Fiat Chrysler agreed to an independent recall monitor and strict federal oversight. It's another step in NHTSA's effort to right itself after being criticized for lapses in some highly-publicized safety recalls.

"Today's action holds Fiat Chrysler accountable for its past failures, pushes them to get unsafe vehicles repaired or off the roads and takes concrete steps to keep Americans safer going forward," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in the statement.

In a separate statement, Fiat Chrysler said it accepted the consequences of the agreement "with renewed resolve to improve our handling of recalls and re-establish the trust our customers place in us."

NHTSA has been involved in vehicle buybacks in the past, but never one of this size. A buyback usually happens when a problem is so serious that it can't be fixed and the vehicles need to be removed from service.

Under the agreement, Fiat Chrysler has to buy back the Ram trucks for the purchase price, minus depreciation.

It's unclear just how many Rams the automaker will have to repurchase, but the cash outlay could be substantial. According to Kelly Blue Book, a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 — one of the smaller, less-expensive trucks involved in the recalls — could fetch $20,000 in a dealer trade-in, assuming the truck has 60,000 miles on it and is in "good" condition. At that rate, if Chrysler had to buy back even a quarter of the trucks at issue, it could spend $2.5 billion.

Fiat Chrysler said more than 60 percent of the trucks already have been fixed, and the company is allowed to repair and resell the trucks it buys back.

The Jeep trade-ins could add to the tab, but they also could generate more new vehicle sales by getting customers into showrooms. Still, the total could strain the parent company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV. The company posted a first-quarter net profit of $101 million and had more than $20 billion in cash and securities on March 31.

The consent order that Fiat Chrysler agreed to requires it to notify owners who are eligible for buybacks and other incentives.

Models included in the buyback offer are certain Ram 1500s from 2009 to 2012; the Ram 1500 Mega Cab 4 by 4 from 2008; and the Ram 2500 4 by 4, 3500 4 by 4, 4500 4 by 4, and 5500 4 by 4, all from 2008 through 2012. Also part of the offer are 2009 Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango SUVs and the Dodge Dakota pickup from 2009 through 2011.

The fine against FCA beats the old record of $70 million assessed against Honda Motor Co. for lapses in recalls of air bags made by Takata Corp.

Fiat Chrysler also received a $70 million fine, and must spend at least $20 million to meet performance requirements detailed in the agreement. Another $15 million could come due if the recall monitor finds any further violations.

Earlier this month, the safety agency held a rare public hearing where regulators detailed a litany of shortfalls: failure to notify customers of recalls, delays in making and distributing repair parts and in some cases failing to come up with repairs that fix the problems. Some of the recalls date to 2011.

___

Gov't: Fiat Chrysler must offer to buy back 500,000 pickups - Yahoo News

Rauner administration asking if state retirees would work in event of strike - News - Journal Star - Peoria, IL

 

By Doug Finke of GateHouse Media Illinois

Posted Jul. 25, 2015 at 9:04 PM

SPRINGFIELD — The administration of Gov. Bruce Rauner has been contacting retired state employees to determine if they would be willing to return to work on short-term contracts in the event of a strike.

The calls apparently have been made over the last several weeks as the Rauner administration and the largest state employee union, Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, have continued negotiations on a new labor agreement.

David Scheina, 65, of rural Sangamon County said he got a call from an administrator at the Department of Children and Family Services about two weeks ago. He was not available to take the call, and the employee left a voice mail message.

“The message asked me to call her back if I was interested in going to work should the possibility occur that the employees go out on strike,” Scheina said.

Scheina said he did not return the call.

“I was somewhat appalled by it,” he said. “I feel it was wrong, an employee on state time trying to line up retirees to cross a potential picket line that I didn’t see being suggested. I thought it wasn’t bargaining in good faith.”

Scheina retired three years ago after a 25-year career in state government. Most of that time he worked at DCFS. He said that during his career he’s held positions that were both union and non-union.

“I think it’s important that the retirees also understand that these negotiations have an impact on their future also,” Scheina added. “Our medical and dental and vision care benefits could still be on the table.”

Rauner administration asking if state retirees would work in event of strike - News - Journal Star - Peoria, IL

10 States to Earn a Bigger Paycheck

 

10 States to Earn a Bigger Paycheck

1. Illinois

 

 

 

With an adjusted-average income of about $42,000, Illinois grabs the top spot as the best state for making a living . While the state’s unemployment rate remains high at 8.9 percent, Illinoisans benefit from reasonably high average wages, low state taxes, and a below-average cost of living.

SEE MORE GO TO:  10 States to Earn a Bigger Paycheck

AFSCME: Rauner pushing for work stoppage | The Rock River Times

 

The state’s largest employees’ union says Gov. Bruce Rauner wants to try and force a strike or lockout while the union works to enact legislation to block a work stoppage and bring in a third party arbitrator.

That’s according to an AFSCME Council 31 bargaining update posted to the Capitol Fax blog as a contract extension nears an end with no agreement in sight.

Among the issues the Rauner administration is pushing, according to the AFSCME bulletin, are no wage or step increases for the entire term of the contract, and a restructuring of the group health insurance plan the union says would increase out-of-pocket costs by 500 percent.

The union also decries several items including elimination of all restrictions on subcontracting or personal service contracts, reduced pension benefits for those voluntarily agreeing to move to tier 2 and the elimination of the Upward Mobility Program in its entirety.

A previous Illinois News Network investigation found the state spends nearly $4 million, which includes administration costs, on the program that offers taxpayer funded college education for state employees.

The current contract expired at the end of June but both sides announced a one-month extension. The bulletin says AFSCME has proposed another extension.

The bulletin also urges union members to take financial steps now to buffer any potential work stoppage they claim the Governor is trying to force. Meanwhile the union says a strike is a last resort but something they’re willing to take.

The document encourages union members to put pressure on Republican Representative Raymond Poe to support Senate Bill 1229, a vote they say would be needed to override any potential veto of the measure that would bring in a third party arbitrator.

The Governor’s office says they were able to reach an agreement with the Teamsters several weeks ago and are continuing to negotiate in good faith with AFSCME to ensure all of their members get paid during the budget impasse.

AFSCME: Rauner pushing for work stoppage | The Rock River Times

Rauner campaign handed out pre-paid gift cards to volunteers

Read the rest of the article by clicking on the following:  Rauner campaign handed out pre-paid gift cards to volunteers

Final environmental report filed for license renewals of Byron S - WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader

 

BYRON (WREX) -

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC has published its final report over the environmental impacts of renewing the operating licenses of the Byron Station nuclear power plant. The report states that the plant's impact on the environment isn't great enough to halt the renewal of the licenses.

Byron Station has two pressurized water reactors in Byron 17 miles southwest of Rockford. The NRC held public meetings in Byron to receive public comment on rules and renewal guidance.

The operator of the Byron Station, Exelon Generation Co. LLC, submitted a renewal application May 29, 2013. The application would extend the plant's licenses for 20 more years past their original expiration dates, Oct. 31, 2024, and Nov. 6, 2026.

The application included alternatives to the Byron Station, including a new plant, natural gas plants or a combination of wind, solar, and natural gas generators. Another option submitted was no renewal of the license.

If a hearing is granted, the renewal application will be evaluated by the commission. You can view the application by clicking here.

Final environmental report filed for license renewals of Byron S - WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader

Mitsubishi plans to stop work at Illinois plant, find buyer NORMAL, Ill. (AP) --

 

Mitsubishi Motors says it plans to stop U.S. production at its facility in central Illinois and sell the plant.

Dan Irvin, tthe company's North American spokesman, said Friday that the Japanese automaker reviewed its global supply chain and decided it was necessary to end production at the plant and find a buyer.

The plant in Normal, Illinois, employs more than 1,200 workers. Irvin says Mitsubishi's board will make a formal decision soon and hopes to find a buyer who'll maintain employment.

The plant's annual production has fallen from more than 200,000 vehicles in 2002, to 64,000 vehicles.

The announcement follows Japanese media reports that Mitsubishi wants to focus on Asian markets.

The company sold only 82,000 vehicles in the U.S. last year, less than one percent of the total market

Pantagraph.com | News from Associated Press

Governor Rauner says he can hold as many secret meetings on public time as he wants | Bleader | Chicago Reader

Governor Bruce Rauner believes he can hold secret meetings on public property.

He also maintains that taxpayers have no right to know who he's consulted, even long after the conferences are over and policies have been enacted as a result.

A lawyer for Rauner staked out those positions in a letter last week to the office of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

It was submitted as part of a battle with the Reader over whether copies of the governor's past calendar and meeting schedule should be released to the public. I requested the records in May under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, but Christina McClernon, an assistant general counsel for Rauner, says he has the right to keep them private.

"The Governor's Office was under no obligation to provide the requested appointment calendars to Mr. Dumke because these documents are not 'public records' under FOIA," she wrote in a July 16 letter to the Public Access Bureau, a division of the attorney general's office that rules on FOIA disputes.

If the governor's position is upheld, it would be a setback for anyone who thinks taxpayers should get to know who has access to public officials conducting business with public funds. The letter suggests the calendars and meeting schedules of every other public official in Illinois could also be kept secret.

I'm writing about the back and forth to keep the legal dispute open and public.

During his $57 million campaign for governor, Rauner promised to bring a new level of openness to state government, painting incumbent Pat Quinn as a product of the corrupt Democratic machine that conducted public business in backroom deals. "This is about transparency and accountability," Rauner declared.

Since taking office, though, Rauner has worked to conceal how he operates.

He's made good on vows to fight for a probusiness "turnaround" agenda that would tighten the rules for union organizing, worker's compensation, and filing lawsuits. Since Democrats have rejected the proposals, Rauner has refused to work with house speaker Michael Madigan and senate president John Cullerton on a budget deal, resulting in a state shutdown during which the governor has remained largely out of public view.

At the same time, he has refused to disclose who has access to his office, let alone what he's working on. In some cases, he also won't say who's being compensated with taxpayer money to do work for the state.

In May I submitted a FOIA request intended to see who has Rauner's ear. Specifically, I asked for copies of his daily schedule and meeting calendar from his inauguration in January through early May.

The governor's office eventually provided copies of the schedules, but more than 150 appointments were blacked out—an average of more than one secret meeting a day, as Ben Joravsky and I wrote last month.

An attorney for Rauner argued that the redactions were justified because the information was "preliminary" and protected by attorney-client privilege, two loopholes in the FOIA frequently invoked by officials to avoid releasing records.

We then asked the public access bureau to weigh in, arguing that citizens have a clear right to know what the governor is up to. We stressed that we never asked what was said at the meetings—only who was in on them—so it was illogical to claim that releasing the information would reveal confidential discussions.

But last week the governor's office responded that the public doesn't have the right to see his daily schedules in any form.

In a five-page letter, McClernon—Rauner's assistant general counsel and freedom of information officer—cited old cases from federal court, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in arguing that the governor's schedules and calendars are off limits. She also claimed that releasing the documents could violate the governor's security, even long after the events are over.

But the letter also indicated that the governor simply doesn't want the public to know who has access to him. The calendars "reveal the identities of people with whom he has met and consulted and thus can be read to determine the substance and direction of his judgment and mental processes," McClernon wrote.

The arguments have a familiar ring. Five years ago I went through a similar battle with lawyers for the city of Chicago over schedules for then-mayor Richard M. Daley. They argued that releasing them would be too "burdensome" and could endanger the mayor.

But the attorney general's office eventually rejected those claims and determined that the mayor's schedule and meeting calendar were indeed public records. "The public has a legitimate interest in learning of its Mayor's public meetings held in City Hall," wrote an assistant attorney general.

I cited the ruling in a lawsuit against the city over its FOIA denials. City officials now cough up Mayor Rahm Emanuel's schedule when asked.

Yet Rauner's administration is fighting over more than copies of his meeting calendar. Previously it's refused to disclose which legislators attended policy planning meetings.

And last month I requested a list of private-sector law firms hired to do state work—that is, firms paid with taxpayer money. McClernon refused to provide that information either, saying it too was protected by attorney-client privilege.

Is the governor really claiming that the public doesn't have the right to know how taxpayer funds are spent? Public contracts are among the classic and longstanding examples of "information regarding the affairs of government" meant to be disclosed under the Illinois FOIA.

The public access bureau will have a chance to weigh in on both FOIA matters in the coming weeks.

So far, we know this much: Rauner is being transparent about what he thinks of open government.

Governor Rauner says he can hold as many secret meetings on public time as he wants | Bleader | Chicago Reader

Rauner, Madigan hit a wall on Illinois budget - Daily Egyptian: News

 

Posted: Monday, July 20, 2015 12:56 pm

Rauner, Madigan hit a wall on Illinois budget Monique Garcia | Chicago Tribune Daily Egyptian

After seven months, the legislative sausage-making process to put in place a new state budget has hit a wall: The governor proposed a spending plan and lawmakers passed one, but the governor vetoed it and lawmakers failed to override him.

The end result is that Illinois enters its fourth week without full authority to spend money, and there's no clear path through the political logjam that threatens to shut down parts of state government.

At this point, it's historically been up to the governor and legislative leaders to hash out a deal in private. While the occasional talks are taking place, signs are that they've been less than productive and don't appear likely to bring about a quick agreement.

"I don't necessarily presume that there will be some kind of deal put together between the governor and legislative leaders," powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan said last week.

For now, Madigan has indicated he'll keep sending Gov. Bruce Rauner piecemeal budgets to try to prop up critical social service programs, while Rauner maintains he won't sign them into law.

"Rather than passing one-month, out-of-balance budgets that hurt social service providers and the most vulnerable, Speaker Madigan and the politicians he controls should compromise with Gov. Rauner on passing a truly balanced budget along with much-needed reforms that will turn our state around," Rauner spokesman Lance Trover said in a statement.

The political enmity between Rauner and Madigan remains a major stumbling block. Rauner has aired TV ads to try to blame Madigan as the source of the state's problems, while the speaker repeatedly counters that the governor is "extreme" for connecting the budget-making process to approval of his agenda to help businesses and curb union power.

It's difficult to see peace talks progressing when two of the state's biggest politicians are still firing at each other. Frustration among many lawmakers is evident.

"We need a reset. We're back to square zero, we're back to square negative two," said Sen. Daniel Biss, D-Evanston. "It's an outrage, it's an embarrassment."

Part of the impasse is that not enough pressure has built up to force Democrats and Republicans to reach a deal. Rauner signed the education budget, so schools will have money to open on time this fall. The law is set up to keep pension checks and lawmaker salaries flowing, and judges have ordered that workers should get paid and the state's child welfare department must be funded.

Many social service agencies that care for the disabled, elderly and addicted are still getting money because the state is so far behind in paying its bills, but that spending authority will run out in the coming weeks as the comptroller gets around to making good on vouchers dated July 1 and beyond.

One immediate pressure point evaporated Friday when the Illinois Supreme Court opted not to quickly hear Attorney General Lisa Madigan's appeal of a pair of legal cases on whether state workers can be paid in full absent a budget. Rauner has assured employees they will get paid during the impasse, and so far he's found help in keeping that promise from the courts. A speedy court ruling that turned off the paycheck spigot would have hurt Rauner's leverage.

Another factor in the stalemate is that there's not much of a template of how to proceed. Illinois has had divided control of government before, but the legislature and governor eventually were able to compromise.

The most recent parallel to the current impasse is 2007, when then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was locked in a fight with fellow Democrats over his desire for a major increase in education spending and a massive expansion of state-subsidized health care. Speaker Madigan favored a smaller budget.

That year, the governor and lawmakers agreed to a one-month budget before Madigan teamed with then-Senate President Emil Jones Jr. to send Blagojevich a full-year budget that he eventually signed on Aug. 23. Blagojevich used his veto powers to cut $500 million from that plan. The House overturned that veto, but the effort was blocked in the Senate.

This time around, however, Rauner has vetoed much of the budget lawmakers sent him, but Democrats were unable to stick together to override him and put a spending plan on the books.

On its face, the two sides aren't terribly far apart on the budget. Both agree there need to be cuts. Democrats say a tax hike is necessary, and Rauner hasn't shut the door on the idea. It's how to get there that's the problem.

Rauner says he won't even consider raising taxes unless lawmakers also go along with his wide-ranging agenda, which includes freezing local property taxes, enacting term limits, curbing collective bargaining rights, reducing what businesses must pay injured workers and limiting awards in civil lawsuits.

Democrats are fundamentally opposed to many of those ideas, saying they will diminish the middle class at the benefit of corporate bosses. They've accused Rauner of hijacking the process to push ideas that have nothing to do with the budget, while the governor contends his plans are critical to putting the state on more sound financial footing.

"We're stuck, and here's the issue. I believe the math problem of the budget is not that difficult to solve," said Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont. "Where we're stuck is that we absolutely have to have some reforms in order for this state to get on, and more importantly, stay on a path to prosperity."

It's now become a case of which side will flinch first. As Rauner continues to pitch his stance as positioning Illinois for a better economic future, Democrats have focused on the human toll of the fight. They've held hearing after hearing featuring testimony from those with the most to lose, namely people who rely on social service groups that receive the bulk of their funding from the state.

Most will be able to stay afloat for a few more weeks because the state is still paying for services they provided in the last budget year. But once those payments become current and the comptroller can no longer cut checks, groups that provide everything from home care for seniors to autism therapy for children could lay off workers, cut services or close completely.

Democrats say they're focused on piecemeal budget bills to keep those groups afloat, though that approach also could put Rauner in a political trick bag in which he must choose to approve or reject funding for sensitive programs.

A spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, agreed a budget resolution doesn't appear to be in the "near term" but said it's time for all sides to get back to the bargaining table instead of focusing on political theater.

"The Senate president is at a place where he thinks we need to recognize that we've dialed back the clock to January or February, and it's time to get a credible budget plan on the table," spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said.

But as the last several months have proved, that's easier said than done.

"I've never seen anything like this," said Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Olympia Fields. "It's two different worldviews

Rauner, Madigan hit a wall on Illinois budget - Daily Egyptian: News

Governor's budget office review suffers in stalemate

The stalemate between Democrats who control the General Assembly and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has left Illinois in a state of suspended animation.

Although state troopers are still out patrolling the roads and prison guards are keeping an eye on the inmates, there are some functions of government that are simply not getting done.

Take the governor's budget office, for example.

In January, the governor issued an executive order calling for the budget office to review state personnel contracts to determine if any of them were wasteful or improper.

Figuring that enough time had elapsed for the review to be complete, I recently asked for a copy of the results. The governor's office said it hadn't been done.

I also asked about the purpose of the review. Spokeswoman Catherine Kelly did not respond to multiple inquiries.

My guess is that the review was triggered by stories and investigations, including one by the Better Government Association, about cronies getting lucrative state contracts, as well as retirees going back to work for the state on contract while they were earning a state pension.

There are dozens of these kinds of double-dipping arrangements at numerous agencies under the control of the governor. Many of them appear to have been in place before Rauner took over as chief executive in January.

In all, there are more than 1,500 contract workers spread across various state agencies. The man who earns the most as a contract worker is Essam El-Beik, a Texas-based telecom expert who is a consultant on a state-run broadband Internet service.

In the first half of this year, El-Beik has earned more than $163,000.

Of the top 25 contract earners, seven are former state workers who, on top of receiving their pension checks, also are earning money for their current work.

Two of them, Scott Deubel and Mark Stevens, are former state police employees who now work for the Illinois Gaming Board. Both retirees have been paid more than $70,000 from their contracts this year.

In what came as absolutely no surprise, Kelly hilariously blamed the governor's lack of compliance with his own executive order on the governor's nemesis, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago.

"Reviewing the employment contracts in state government is a momentous task, but before it can begin, (the budget office) is working on making sure the current fiscal year has a balanced budget in place," Kelly said.

A NEW WAY? In an unprecedented switch from his usually stealthy mode of operation, Madigan has been holding weekly news briefings.

the inmates, there are some functions of government that are simply not getting done.

Take the governor's budget office, for example.

In January, the governor issued an executive order calling for the budget office to review state personnel contracts to determine if any of them were wasteful or improper.

Figuring that enough time had elapsed for the review to be complete, I recently asked for a copy of the results. The governor's office said it hadn't been done.

I also asked about the purpose of the review. Spokeswoman Catherine Kelly did not respond to multiple inquiries.

My guess is that the review was triggered by stories and investigations, including one by the Better Government Association, about cronies getting lucrative state contracts, as well as retirees going back to work for the state on contract while they were earning a state pension.

There are dozens of these kinds of double-dipping arrangements at numerous agencies under the control of the governor. Many of them appear to have been in place before Rauner took over as chief executive in January.

In all, there are more than 1,500 contract workers spread across various state agencies. The man who earns the most as a contract worker is Essam El-Beik, a Texas-based telecom expert who is a consultant on a state-run broadband Internet service.

In the first half of this year, El-Beik has earned more than $163,000.

Of the top 25 contract earners, seven are former state workers who, on top of receiving their pension checks, also are earning money for their current work.

Two of them, Scott Deubel and Mark Stevens, are former state police employees who now work for the Illinois Gaming Board. Both retirees have been paid more than $70,000 from their contracts this year.

In what came as absolutely no surprise, Kelly hilariously blamed the governor's lack of compliance with his own executive order on the governor's nemesis, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago.

"Reviewing the employment contracts in state government is a momentous task, but before it can begin, (the budget office) is working on making sure the current fiscal year has a balanced budget in place," Kelly said.

A NEW WAY? In an unprecedented switch from his usually stealthy mode of operation, Madigan has been holding weekly news briefings.

Last week, he was asked how the never-ending impasse will be resolved if the Democrats who control the legislative branch and Rauner aren't meeting on a more regular basis.

“I don’t necessarily agree with the first part of your remarks, that in the end this will be negotiated between the governor and the leaders. I don’t necessarily agree with that,” Madigan said. “I don’t think you should proceed under any presumptions that are based upon what happened in the past. I don’t necessarily presume that there will be some kind of a deal put together between the governor and the legislative leaders.”

Madigan didn't elaborate on how that might work.

One way of getting a budget in place without Rauner's signature would be for the Democrats to approve a new spending plan and then use their supermajorities to override a veto by the governor.

That scenario, however, would imply that Madigan actually wants the budget impasse to be resolved.

NOT SATISFIED: The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported last week that the state's unemployment rate dropped to 5.9 percent in June. It was the first time the state jobless rate fell below 6 percent since 2008.

It wasn't a cause for celebration in the Rauner camp. Positive economic news doesn't fit with their theme that Illinois is a crappy place to do business and therefore needs drastic, pro-business, anti-union changes to boost the economy.

“As jobs continue to leave Illinois, we need to focus on enacting reforms to reinvigorate our business climate and create greater economic opportunities for all Illinois families,” Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Jim Schultz said

 

It should be noted that Schultz also is chairman of Rauner's campaign fund.

kurt.erickson@lee.net|(217) 782-4043

Governor's budget office review suffers in stalemate

Rock River Valley counties paying more in fees for jurors - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

By Susan Vela
Rockford Register Star

Posted Jul. 18, 2015 at 5:48 PM
Updated Jul 18, 2015 at 5:49 PM

ROCKFORD — Jury trials in the Rock River Valley have become more costly for counties.

Effective June 1, state law required that jurors be paid $25 for the first day of duty and $50 a day for each day thereafter. Previously, jurors got $13 a day.

As a result, the cost for a two-day trial with a 12-member jury, plus two alternate jurors, has jumped from $364 to $1,050.

County officials say it’s an additional unfunded state mandate that makes budgeting perilous.

“What are they, $6 billion upside their current budget?” Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen said, referring to a state budget deficit recently projected to be nearly $4 billion. “They’re worried about what we pay jurors. How absurd. How utterly absurd. Even if that’s a priority, then fund it.”

In budget discussions this fall, Thomas Jakeway, Winnebago County’s trial court administrator, said he’ll ask for up to $300,000 to pay for increased jury costs.

For now, his annual budget is about $385,000. That covers juror fees, the county jury commission's staff of two full-time and two part-time employees, three jury commissioners, mailing, copying and other office expenses.

“We’re bound by what the legislative body puts forth,” Jakeway said. “Certainly, the jurors are a critical function of what we as the courts need. They preserve every citizen’s right to a jury trial. Fair and reasonable compensation is important, but the balance here is county-funded.”

Jakeway also is trial court administrator for Boone County, where jurors had been receiving $12.50 a day. Because of the change, he’s expecting to request $127,000 in the next budget year to pay for jurors. That's up from $45,000 in this year's budget.

Boone County State's Attorney Michelle Courier said she’s willing to start earlier in the day and stay later to keep jury-trial days to a minimum. Start and end times for trials are up to the judge.

“It’s going to be a strain on our local budget, which is already strained,” she said. “But ultimately, that is going to be up to the courts to decide.”

Stephenson County Circuit Court clerk Nate Luy began tracking the increased costs when the state mandate took effect. In June, the county paid $12,050 to jurors, compared with $3,300 in June 2014, when the cost was $10 a day plus mileage.

He’s still not sure how that will affect his budget requests for next year.

Continue reading:  Rock River Valley counties paying more in fees for jurors - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

High court denies Lisa Madigan bid for ruling on state worker paychecks - Chicago Tribune

 

Illinois Supreme Court on Friday declined to take up the question of whether state employees can be paid in full during the ongoing budget impasse, setting the stage for what could be a lengthy legal battle as Republican Comptroller Leslie Munger continues sending out paychecks.

The decision dealt a blow to Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who had asked the court to intervene after judges in Chicago and downstate delivered contradictory rulings on the issue last week.

 

By declining Madigan's emergency motion, the high court effectively said that the matter will need to move through the lower courts first, and there are two cases in which that could happen.

One was filed in St. Clair County, where a judge ruled last week that failing to deliver paychecks would violate state workers' collective bargaining agreements. Madigan is appealing that decision, but Munger has used it to justify sending out full paychecks to state workers.

The other case was filed in Cook County, where a judge last week told Munger to pay only the $7.25-per-hour federal minimum wage until state government gets a budget in place. Munger argued that her office did not have the technical ability to make the payroll change. On Friday, an appeals court voided the ruling and sent the case back to the Cook County judge to consider "hardships" to Munger and taxpayers.

Munger said the appellate court's ruling "removes any conflict between court decisions and allows my office to continue paying all state employees for their work."

)

At any rate, the state Supreme Court's Friday decision not to immediately take up the two cases relieves pressure on Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who has tried to minimize fallout from his feud with ruling Democrats in the General Assembly by making sure paychecks keep flowing to workers.

Rauner and Democrats disagree over the new governor's pro-business, anti-union agenda, which has stalled a deal on a budget for the financial year that began July 1.

High court denies Lisa Madigan bid for ruling on state worker paychecks - Chicago Tribune

Letter to Editor: County Board & Animal Service Building