High turnover in Rauner’s Administration—what does it mean?

 

ILLINOIS -- Governor Bruce Rauner's administration hasn't gone on unscathed in Illinois's budget crisis.

In the first year and a half, around a half dozen top aides or agency directors have left their positions. While turnover can be normal in a governor's term in office, some of these departures have been anything but.

UIS political science professor and former Illinois Board of Elections director Ron Michaelson said it’s not a great sign when a number of key officials leave unexpectedly.

"This is quite a few replacements or departures I should say when you're only not only halfway through your term,” Michaelson said.

In a number of cases, the departures have been for greener pastures. Former Rauner chief of staff Mike Zolnierowicz left to help the Illinois Republican Party in the fall elections.

Not all goodbyes were equally as smooth,

The most chaotic of departures involved the governor's appointees for director of the Department of Agriculture Phil Nelson and state fair manager Patrick Buchen. The resignations came shortly after last year's fair when numbers appeared to be significantly lower.
Buchen publicly criticized the Rauner team for unprofessional behavior and accused his office of cronyism and interference. The Governor's Office said Buchen had been involved in threatening a staffer during the affair.
More recently and much more professionally, chief operating officer Linda Lingle resigned her post last week. The governor had put her in charge of transforming state government.
Michaelson said the state's budget climate has likely not been an easy one to work in.

"It certainly drains people who have been working on this night and day for weeks and months,” Michaelson said, “And to have a result like we had which is an imperfect or impartial result can cause discouragement or disillusionment."
Lingle was one of two highly paid officials involved in helping fix the state financially. She earned $198,000 a year as COO.

Another official, Donna Arduin, was tasked with helping craft a budget last year. She was paid between $15,000 and $30,000 a month for about half a year in 2015. Arduin, unlike Lingle, was under a contract which the governor chose not to extend.

The Governor’s Office issued the following statement in response to this story.

It read:

"Like any large corporation, organization or governmental office there will always be turnover.”

Above is from:  http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/capitol-news/turnover-in-gov-rauners-turnaround-administration

Don Ellingson’s comments on GLB RR and a printed response

 

 

Posted Jun. 29, 2016 at 3:01 PM

This is a copy of a letter I sent to the Surface Transportation Board regarding the Great Lakes Basin Railroad Project. To nyone reading this who agrees with this, please send your thoughts to the Surface Transportation Board. Comments may be submitted to stb.dot.gov. Several voices are much more influential than one voice. The deadline for such letters was June 15, but it has been extended to July 15.

To the Surface Transportation Board:

I know that you as a federal board has the power to OK or reject the application of the Great Lakes Basin Railroad Project. Neither I, nor anyone else, knows what your decision will be. However if, and I said if, you decide that the railroad project can go forward, I have one imperative suggestion that you should require of the group planning the railroad.

That suggestion is: All the crossings of roads and railroads must be an overpass. At first mention this may shock you, but if you give it real serious thought, I think you will agree. It sounds extreme, but, yes, I said all of the crossings. Some crossings today may seem insignificant, but who knows about a few years from now. Once a railroad is built, changes are rare. This will cost a lot of money, but it is worth it.

Crossing accidents between trains and cars, trucks and buses are not real common, but they are still too common and usually result in fatalities. As the number of trains and highway traffic increases, the chances of accidents and fatalities also increases. And everyone knows that traffic will increase as the years go by and the population grows.

The railroad project is not planned for the past 100 years. It is planned for the next 100 or more years. I said it would be costly, but spread over 100 or more years it is not so costly. If one, five, 10 or more lives are lost, what is the cost?

If, as in the past when all crossings had waiting times, it would not only be a great inconvenience for thousands of motorists and vehicles on the highways, but for the fire trucks on the way to fight a fire, or an ambulance rushing to help someone in dire need or rushing someone to the hospital.

Remember, population is ever increasing or you would not be considering new railroads, but so is traffic. No one can predict what the increase will be in the long-term future, but you can be confident it will be a great amount.

One final thought — overpasses will not only guarantee safety, but also help to prevent noise. Instead of a train whistle at every crossing, which could be almost nonstop, the area would be reasonably and peacefully quiet.

Please think long and seriously about this — the future safety of many depends on it.

— Donald Ellingson, Poplar Grove

• Posted Jul. 6, 2016 at 10:00 AM

  In response to the July 3 “My View,” titled “Overpass for the GLB Railroad”: First and foremost, the information we have seen about the proposed Boone County route shows absolutely no benefit to Boone County.

  As to Mr. Ellingson’s proposal for an overpass at every county road crossing, very diabolical! Great Lakes Basin Transportation Inc. is considering the Boone County route because the Winnebago route would cost $1 billion more due to environmental issues that have to be addressed. An overpass at every road crossing in Boone County would easily add $1 billion to the cost, plus, years of construction delays — not so brilliant! If there is one positive about the GLB issue, it is that the Boone County board finally realizes the value of our prime farmland and the county’s comprehensive plan. Add to this the fact that an overpass at every crossing would probably destroy twice as much farmland. Further, has there been an estimate of the cost of raising the six-lane Interstate 90 to cross over the proposed GLB track? This would not be at the expense of Illinois taxpayers. Right? — Richard Gadke, Capron

Cathy Ward’s Update on food permits for not for profits

Cathy Ward

20 hrs ·

BOONE COUNTY NOT-FOR-PROFITS FOOD PERMITS - Fee hikes for not-for-profit food events are not expected to be voted on at the monthly Boone County Board Health Committee meeting Thursday (July 7) , Health Committee Chair Jeff Carlisle said today (Tuesday). The Health Board, by a vote of 8-1, approved seeking fees for all not-for-profits last week, but Carlisle wants more time to review their proposal. Good news. I have been opposed to this for years, but it keeps coming back from the health board. Carlisle voted against the proposed hikes a few months ago, too. To be approved, the majority of the full board must approve this proposed hike. Unless other county board committee members push for approval, it will not come before the full board this month. I will continue to oppose this.

Above statement is from FACEBOOK

Boone County opposes GLB RR

Jim Dayton

Illinois county votes to oppose proposed railroad

Thursday, June 30, 2016

 

 

BELVIDERE, ILL.--Boone County, Illinois, has joined six other counties in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin in opposing the proposed Great Lakes Basin Railroad, according to the Rockford Register Star.

The county board's resolution, approved during a special meeting Wednesday, says the proposed line “would cut across prime farmland in Boone County.”

Great Lakes Basin Transportation wants to build a 275-mile railroad line that would begin near Milton, run south around Chicago and connect to La Porte, Indiana. The project would “expedite freight movements across the nation and … provide additional capacity for growing railroad traffic,” according to the company's website.

Boone County joins Wisconsin's Rock County, Indiana's Lake and Porter counties and Illinois counties Grundy, LaSalle and Lee in opposition to the rail line. Three counties in Illinois and one in Indiana along the proposed route have so far taken no action.

Above is from:  http://www.gazettextra.com/20160630/illinois_county_votes_to_oppose_proposed_railroad

 

Bill Brietsprecher questions Newhouse’s anti-GLB RR position

Email from June 30.  Mr. Brietsprecher has circulated numbers anti-GLB RR articles and other submissions

Julie Newhouse & Illinois Farm Bureau recently released a statement on
eminent domain -- it does have some important stuff, BUT do not count on
her or the bureau as meaningful allies.
Boone County Chair Bob Walberg, according to good sources I have, is who
brought Frank Patton's GLBT RR over from Winnebago as proposed earlier.
While some say it is the Sugar River and wetlands that created this move,
this is not true.  There is no real difference between wetlands on the
west edge of Winnebago and the east edge of Boone and it is laughable to
state otherwise.  I am sourcing this story and will publish if we print an
August Greal Lakes Basin Rail: News & Views.
Julie Newhouse is tight with Walberg -- she has repeatedely insisted
directly to me that Walberg is against GLBT!  That is a lie, she knows it,
and you know it too.  Walberg, at advise from his attorney, abstained from
voting -- but he jacked the resolution around for many weeks and even
tried to prevent Toria Funderberg from speaking last night.
I met Walberg in April and it was clear to me he was going to do what he
could to promote GLBT.  The only reason his attorney would tell him to
abstain from voting on anything is because he has a serious conflict of
interest which potentially would make it criminal (Remember, he invited
GLBT to Boone and said he could get the county to approve).
Walberg and the Newhouse families own lots of land and will make fortunes
selling out to Patton at a premium (probably MORE than $20,000 per acre),
which would help GLBT buy the rest of the property for minimal market
value -- probably no more than $5,000 per acre.
Julie Newhouse is not on our side and, like Walberg, will play a game to
appear to be listening to us while undermining our work.  The Farm Bureau
directly told me in April that they would take no stand on GLBT and would
support it under certain conditions.
I have seen people promoting a recent eminent domain article by the Farm
Bureau -- it is not actually helpful and it will be a mistake to think
that they will do anything meaningful to stop GLBT.  Newhouse is a board
member and there is too much money to make selling less-powerful people
out.
If we do not stand together, GLBT will be built, not to reroute 25% of
Chicago's through rail freight, but to get the most hazardous and
dangerous carloads out of Chicago Metro and through YOUR community.  This
will also allow the rest of the rail & oil industry to massively increase
crude-by-rail shipments.
Currently, no Class 1 carrier will admit this -- they cannot, because if
there was a rail accident in Chicago Metro, they would be held responsible
for shipping hazardous materials through a corridor they knew and
acknowledged is unsafe and dangerous to tens-of-thousands.
If GLBT is built, they may start routing crude along Patton's line and
will have no choice if that is what the crude oil shippers demand.  If
GLBT develops tank farms and a refinery in the excessive 25 square mile
rail port by Kankakee, all crude coming to that would have to come through
your community as well.
Do not count on the Farm Bureau!
Bill Breitsprecher
608.556.2062

By Adam Poulisse
Staff writer

Posted Jun. 29, 2016 at 10:32 PM

BELVIDERE — Eleven of 12 Boone County Board members tonight approved a resolution that states the community's opposition to the proposed Great Lakes Basin Railroad.

Board Chairman Bob Walberg abstained.

After the meeting, Boone County Board member Cathy Ward posted on her Facebook page:

"Finally. It took months to get our board to approve this resolution, but thanks to all of you who stood your ground for all of us. It helps a lot to have people come to our meetings. You do make a difference."

The one-page resolution states that the $8 billion, 275-mile rail line slated to cut through Boone and several other counties in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana would "cut across prime farmland in Boone County." The railroad route was proposed to provide quicker freight rail surface and bypass Chicago.

"Farmland preservation is the focal point of the Boone County Comprehensive Plan, which includes strategies and goals to protect nonrenewable farmland and natural resources ..." the resolution reads.

The resolution will be sent to the U.S. Transportation Board along with a three-page letter from the county, which outlines objections to the project in such areas as land loss, safety, water quality, geology and soils, noise and insurance costs. The letter was approved during a County Board meeting May 18.

Ward said the resolution was crafted because "the state's attorney told us it is a more formal letter of opposition."

With the resolution, Boone County has followed suit with LaSalle County, Illinois, and Lake County, Indiana, two other potentially affected communities that have drafted resolutions.

Rock County Board last month also approved an official resolution stating the 200-foot wide rail corridor would remove 570 acres of prime farmland, and would result in a $608,615 annual loss of agricultural production.

Staff writer Chris Green contributed to this report.

Adam Poulisse: 815-987-1344; apoulisse@rrstar.com; @adampoulisse

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/news/20160629/boone-county-board-oks-resolution-against-railroad

 

Would the vote have been 11-0-1 without the huge crowd?

Cathy Ward

June 29 at 9:05pm ·

TRAIN TALKS - 11 of the 12 Boone County Board members voted tonight (Wednesday) to send a resolution to the feds saying we OPPOSE the proprosed freight train in our county. Chair Bob Walberg abstained. Boone County resident Toria Funderberg read a detailed statement of why this train is a bad idea for our county and suggested strongly that board members who have supported the train or have tried to stop discussion to this resolution should resign from the board. The board roo...m was full. Walberg tried to stop Toria's statement, but the crowd urged her on and she received loud applause after her strong statement. Finally. It took months to get our board to approve this resolution or even be allowed to discuss it, but thanks to all of you who stood your ground for all of us. It helps a lot to have people come to our meetings. You do make a difference.

Green Bay area study on low frequency sound from wind turbines?

 

Shirley Wind Farm opponents see ray of hope

Doug Schneider, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin 8:35 p.m. CDT July 3, 2016

A group of Brown County lawmakers has given initial approval for items sought by Shirley-area residents who say low-frequency sound from the farm's eight turbines is making them sick

Buy Photo

The Brown County Health Board declared the Shirley Wind Farm operated by Duke Energy Renewables poses a health risk to its neighbors in the Town of Glenmore, which is in the southern part of the county. (Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

GREEN BAY - It wasn't the definitive answer they were looking for, but people concerned about potential health impacts from the Shirley Wind Farm have been given a glimmer of hope.

A group of Brown County lawmakers has given initial approval for items sought by Shirley-area residents who say low-frequency sound from the farm's eight turbines is making them sick. The committee is recommending the county seek an independent review of findings saying insufficient evidence exists to link the turbines to health problems, and that the county consult the state attorney general to clarify its rights in the matter.

"There are concerns that our Health Department doesn't properly investigate the windmills," said Guy Zima, who with fellow Supervisor Patrick Evans is pushing for the county to be more aggressive in assessing the potential health impacts of the wind farm. He likened living near the turbines, for some, to "Chinese water torture."

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Guy Zima, District 9 Green Bay City Council meeting at City Hall in downtown Green Bay on Tuesday, April 19, 2016. (Photo: Evan Siegle/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Zima suggested forming committees, holding hearings and buying additional equipment for the health department as ways the county could better address Shirley-area residents' concerns.

Some people in the Shirley area, though, believe the county should do more than Zima is suggesting.

They insist that the county board should reject a December ruling by then-Health Director Chua Xiong that there is insufficient evidence to link the turbines and illnesses, alleging that it could have negative impacts well beyond the county's borders. They say Xiong didn't follow scientific protocols and delegated two much research work to an assistant they say wasn't qualified to do the work.

"The consequences of this are are not just benign. And they are global," said Jim Vanden Boogart, who heads a citizens' group calling for more regulation of the turbines. "Wind developers are taking the decision by Chua Xiong and using it … Brown County's Health Department is going to be personally responsible for harm to public health across the globe."

Some people living near the wind farm have complained of sleep problems, headaches, nausea and irritability and other issues they say are caused by the turbines and low-frequency sound, or infrasound, they emit. The farm's operator, Duke Energy Renewables, points to studies saying there is no clear link between turbines and the health issues claimed by people who live near them.

Xiong resigned in March to take another job. Since her ruling, the county has discussed several options, amid debate about what to do next. Lawmakers in February discussed a proposed task force devoted to wind-farm issues — but saw the idea withdrawn a week after it was introduced.

A recommendation by the county's Human Services Committee last week means the wind issue will next be considered by a second committee — Administration — which will consider whether the county should bring in an independent reviewer to examine Xiong's ruling. Human Services, meanwhile, will give the issue further consideration when it meets again in late July.

At issue now is how much authority a group of lay supervisors might have to reject the ruling of a health professional. While several supervisors have indicated they'd like to overturn Xiong's conclusion, doing so might open up another can of worms, one of their colleagues warned.

"You should defer this to next month and get a legal opinion … as to what you can and cannot do," Supervisor John Van Dyck said. "if you just look at this from a view that is one-sided, then the conclusion you draw is going to be called into question."

The issue has even divided members of the county Board of Health, a panel that previously had labeled the turbines "a human health hazard." Board Chairman Jay Tibbetts, a retired physician, said last week that Xiong's ruling must be overturned.

"I don’t believe this was done right, so it's important that it cannot stand," he said. "It’s going to harm people all over the place. It’s going to harm people."

But new board member Jim Crawford said Xiong's ruling was "a wise decision."

"To reverse her decision would be a step back to the voodoo of the Middle Ages," Crawford said. "The medical community does not support the infrasound theory. Neither should Brown County."

Duke bought the wind farm in 2011. Electricity produced at Shirley, which can power an estimated 6,000 homes, is sold to Wisconsin Public Service Co.

dschneid@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow him on Twitter @PGDougSchneider

above is from:  http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2016/07/03/shirley-wind-farm-opponents-see-ray-hope/86490066/

Boone County considering food fees for non-profits (again)

 

Last time—members of the County Board left the meeting and voted “abstain” so as to defeat the increase.  What are the chances for the proposal this time?

 

The Rhubarb

2 hrs ·

URGENT NEWS ALERT! If you are a member of a not-for-profit, the Boone County Health Department is at it again wanting to charge you fees. It has not even been a year (September 2016) since their last request. The Rhubarb will be posting articles published last year in the Belvidere Daily Republican on the issue. The Rhubarb wonders if Mr. Hatfield has a another insightful suggestion other than food items? Last September he suggested, "They could sell Popsicle sticks." Below is the explanation Mr. Hatfield provided last September to the Rockford Register Star and republished in the Belvidere Daily Republican. You will also find a post from Boone County Board Member Cathy Ward included in this news alert.

It should also be noted that at yesterday's Boone County Board of Health meeting it was announced that Administrator Cynthia Frank is retiring as of September 1 and Bill Hatfield will be retiring as of December 31, 2016 as he also is retiring.

Two Boone County Board of Health members are running for Boone County Board in November. Dr. Bernard O'Malley Dist. 2 and Marshall Newhouse Dist. 1. Yesterday the health board voted in favor of the fees. Dr. O'Malley voted against the request while Marshall Newhouse voted in favor. Information provided by Bill Pysson who attended the meeting.

"In an article published Sept. 13 in the Rockford Register Star and written by Staff Writer Ben Stanley, BCHD Director of Environmental Services Bill Hatfield provided the following explanation as to the need of the fees for NFP’s.

'One of the things that’s getting overlooked here is this is a user fee,” Hatfield said.

'A not-for-profit is choosing to drive down the food highway, and there’s rules, and inspections. They could choose to drive down a road that is not food. They could sell sports equipment. They could sell Popsicle sticks.

They could do whatever kind of fundraiser they want and not even have to worry about a food permit. But they’re choosing to do food, and the general public needs to have assurance that the food that’s being offered meets the public health code … and there are expenses involved.

Hatfield said the cost of health inspections has risen over the past 40 years as health codes expanded and more stringent rules were put in place.

Posted yesterday on FB by Boone County Board Member Cathy Ward.

"BOONE NOT-FOR-PROFIT -- Red ALERT again. The Boone County Health Board today voted 8-1 to start charging ALL not-for-profit groups food permit fees. This was turned down by the county board a couple months ago, but they won't take no for an answer. Makes no sense to me. These groups are the lifeblood of our county. Board claims they need the money. I claim they need the not-for-profit groups to be healthy far more. Every penny the Health board takes makes it harder for not-for-profit groups to do good in this county. This will come back to the full county board in a few weeks for a final vote. So frustrating. I think they want to slip this in quick."

No agenda posted as of yet on June 28, 2016.
Meeting Type:
Health & Human Services Committee
1212 Logan Ave., Belvidere, IL 61008
Date & Time:
Thu, 07/07/2016 - 6:00pm

Agenda will posted at:  http://www.boonecountyil.org/upcoming-meetings

Redistricting reform won't save Illinois

RICH MILLER ON SPRINGFIELD

Redistricting reform won't save Illinois

By Rich Miller

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Photo by Crain's/ThinkStock

Illinoisans are undeniably furious about the way their government has been running (or, more accurately, not running). They're looking for solutions, and some are grasping at anything within reach.

A downstate newspaper editorial the other day attempted to pin the blame for just about all of our state's fiscal and economic problems on the way politicians in this state draw legislative district maps.

That's just silly.

Reforming the process by taking away map-drawing duties from politicians and handing it to a nonpartisan commission is definitely a good idea. But, don't kid yourself that reforming this one process, where politicians choose their voters instead of voters choosing their politicians, will suddenly make Illinois great again, or whatever.

First of all, it may not work like some think it will. When editorial writers and pundits talk about redistricting reform, they usually focus on the man who draws many of the legislative district maps: Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, one of the most disliked politicians in all of Illinois, and the man who is blamed by many for much (or even all) of our problems. Take that power away from him and you'll do away with Madigan, the theory goes.

OK, but take a look at the Illinois Election Data website, which has the 2014 gubernatorial election results by Illinois House district. Those districts were drawn, of course, by Speaker Madigan.

Bruce Rauner won 50.8 percent of the popular vote in 2014. Yet, by my count, Rauner also won 69 of Illinois' 118 House districts that same year, or 58.5 percent.

In other words, the Republican candidate for governor won 22 more House districts than the House Republicans.

That's why Gov. Rauner thinks he has a real shot at picking up some House seats this year. His operation is focusing like a laser on the districts he won.

Why didn't Republican House candidates do as well as Rauner?

Let's step back a couple of years. The House Democrats picked up seats in 2012 after they drew the new map in 2011, but besides creating districts that certainly favored their candidates, the wins were also due to '12 being a hugely favorable (to them) presidential election year. Democrats do much better here in presidential years.

And once people are elected, it's difficult to knock them out. By the time the national GOP wave swept through two years later, in 2014, it ran smack dab into Democratic incumbents who'd been working their new districts hard for two years. That's always something to remember about Madigan. In exchange for his monetary and staff support, he demands rigorous door-to-door work by his candidates. Once they're in, they tend to stay in.

This year, the presidential election means the national trend will likely be the Democrats' friend yet again. If Rauner doesn't net some gains, he'll likely blame Madigan's map, but that won't be totally true.

And just because one party draws the map doesn't mean it has a lock on it. For instance, the Republicans currently control three U.S. House districts that were actually drawn to favor Democrats.

Also, go back to 1991, the last time the Republicans drew the legislative district map. Madigan's Democrats managed to hold on to control in the very next election, when Bill Clinton and Carol Moseley Braun swept the state. But Madigan's Democrats lost the majority two years later in a huge national GOP landslide. Madigan learned some hard lessons in 1994. He regained the majority in 1996, when President Clinton ran again, and managed to hold onto it until he could draw his own map in 2001.

Yet the Senate Republicans held their majority throughout that very same 10-year period.

The lesson here is that getting rid of Madigan, or even clipping his wings, ain't going to be as easy as it looks.

Again, I think that a nonpartisan, independent remap process would be a good thing no matter the Madigan-related outcome. But so would California's open primary system, where the top two vote-getters battle it out in November even if they're from the same party. I'd love to see that brought to Illinois.

There are lots of things we can do to reform the process. But I highly doubt that this one reform will solve all our problems. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise because they're living in an overly simplistic cartoon world. I prefer the real world.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

Above is from: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160624/NEWS02/160629877/redistricting-reform-wont-save-illinois