We've been speculating on whether Rep. Naomi Jakobsson was intelligent or effective enough to actually secure some "member initiatives" (also known as pork) for Champaign-Urbana in exchange for her inexplicable vote to underfund the pensions of state employees.
The House Democrats quietly released the details of the pork projects, here. There are no - zero - Champaign County projects or organizations on the list.
It's interesting, though, all the things that Rep. Jakobsson voted to fund while not asking for anything for Champaign-Urbana. Some examples of worthy Chicago-based organizations whose legislators secured them some extra funding:
- I am Able Family Development Corp.
- Sinia Parenting Institute
- Family Focus
- Jamal Place
- Erie Health Center
- Esperanza School
- Tazwell and Fulton County - Department of Human Services
- Girl Scouts - CrossRoads Coucil
- Arden Shore Child & Family Services
- Chester Mental Health Center
- Choate Developmental Center
- "Meals on Wheels" - Chicago
- Centro Romero Community Org
- Rogers Park - Ceasefire
- Helping Hand Rehabilitation Center
- F.U.T.U.R.E
- Milestone Dental Clinic
- Brighton Park - Ceasefire
- North Suburban Special Recreation Association
- Anixter Center
- Garden Center Services
- Franciscan Outreach Association
- Orchard Village
- Rich Township
- Jubilee Center
- Carpenter's Place
- North Lawndale Community News
- Clara's House
- Morraine Valley Community College & Prairie State Community College
- N. Chicago - Ceasefire
- Community Care Provider Program
- Illinois Films
- Village of Olympia Fields
- Rosecrance Health Systems
- Prairie Center Health Systems
- Chicago State University
- St. Elizabeth's Hospital
- Chicago Youth Centers
- Blue Gargoyle Community Services
- Hyde Park Neighborhood Club
- South Side/Walbash YMCA
- Westlawn East Community & Neighborhood
- Heritage Behavioral Health Center
- Howard Brown Center & others
- Women's Resource Assistance Center
- Human Resource Development Institute
- Franklin Co. Juvenile Detention Center
- Latino Caucus
- Garth Youth Services
- Boulevard Arts Center
- S.E. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center
- Catholic Charities
- Hyde Park Arts Center
- Waukegan Township
- Hillsboro Area Hospital
- Big Buddies Youth Services
- After School Programs
- Project Hope
- Mary Brown Center
- Passages-New Covenant Church
- Lakeside Community Committee
- Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church
- Early Outreach
- Rockford - Ceasefire
- Brainerd Development Corp.
- Village of North Utica
I'll make my point again. Naomi Jakobsson is the least effective legislator - House or Senate, Democrat and Republican - in the General Assembly. She voted against the interests of her district and against the interests of the State of Illinois, and she's not even competent enough to get some minor scrap of funding - for Don Moyer, for Urbana's schools, even for the University - in return.
UPDATE: Prairie Center Health Systems, Inc., is listed above for a $200,000 grant from DCFS, to "treat child neglect or abuse specifically associated with the Methamphetamine popultion." I was wrong to say "not one dime for Champaign County." However, given the nature of the grant, I find it improbable that Jakobsson was the initiating legislator. Prairie Center covers most of East Central Illinois, methamphetamine abuse is an issue that Jakobsson almost never mentions, and Jakobsson almost never initiates anything in Springfield. And even if Jakobsson were going to ask for $200,000 for a local project, I doubt this would have been the one and only project for which she sought funding.
Even if I'm incorrect and she did request the funding, why did she choose this project over all the other funding needs in the district? I wonder how Urbana and Champaign schools feel about this, for instance. Or Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club? Or Habitat or Planned Parenthood or A Woman's Fund or Times Center, or, God forbid, the University of Illinois. And if she's going to take credit for pork, she'd better be willing to defend it: Was this $200,000 grant worth selling out the pension systems of the State of Illinois? Was it worth all the other Chicago pork that was included with it? Exaclty how much is her vote on a bad budget worth? Would she have sold out for $150,000? Why didn't she hold out for $250,000? Or $2,000,000?
Bottom line is that this budget was such a bad vote for her district that, even if she takes credit for this one grant, it's going to raise even more questions.
But, boy, she can return phone calls and emails like nobody's business! What more could liberals or democrats want in a state rep?
She does host coffees pretty regularly, which seems to be all Kate Clements cares about.
I guess it really shows you care when you return phone calls. Especially when you don't do jack squat to actually help your constituents.
She's gotta go.
I see things a bit differently.
With this budget and the U of I's shift to tuition-based income, Champaign County is slowly becoming independent of Springfield (and therefore Chicago.)
The less we have to rely on the state, the more irrelevant Naomi becomes.
After a couple years of being on a pork-free diet, tax-relief just might become a huge issue in these parts.
Then she's gotta go.
It's not just the bacon-free return home from Springfield, it's her complete passivity on the pension raid. I sat and watched her tell 200-plus union folks in May in a union hall "I'm on your side" and "we need to fully fund the pensions" and "the problem is that the State hasn't funded pensions in the past." (All are her direct quotes) Then she sits on her hands while $2 billion is robbed from the funds. As long as Chambana is populated by state and UI employees, I beg to differ with you Brent that we are becoming "independendent of Springfield." She's gotta go.
Tax-relief IS a huge issue in these parts. That's a big reason why Jakobsson supported the budget -- it addressed a serious budget crisis without raising taxes or cutting critical state services. (It also provides an extra $1.5M for C-U schools, which is probably the single best investment we could make with state dollars.)
Tax-relief IS a huge issue in these parts. That's a big reason why Jakobsson supported the budget -- it addressed a serious budget crisis without raising taxes or cutting critical state services. (It also provides an extra $1.5M for C-U schools, which is probably the single best investment we could make with state dollars.)
Now that's some creative spin. You actually made me spit out my coffee.
Are you on Madigan's payroll?
IP...You drink PM coffee? Decaf or Reg.?
She's the worst downstate legislator, perhaps the State. She's an emabarassment to the C-U community. We miss Stan Weaver.
IP...You drink PM coffee? Decaf or Reg.?
You trying to track me down based on my coffee-drinking now?
You know how many emails I get every day saying, "Be careful. Varble is trying to out you." Yesterday I got one from Springfield.
Get a life.
Ummm..Sorry for making light of your coffee drinking..Maybe you need some more (regular, not decaf)since you're reply was a little crabby there.
She's the worst downstate legislator, perhaps the State.
The only thing I can say about that is that if you are a democrat from Urbana-Champaign and the DI doesn't endorse you, then you really stink, no matter how many calls you return or how many coffees you hold.
Actually, Prairie Center Health Systems has a branch in Champaign (maybe even a headquarters).
The only thing I can say about that is that if you are a democrat from Urbana-Champaign and the DI doesn't endorse you, then you really stink, no matter how many calls you return or how many coffees you hold.
Funniest and most true statement I've read on this blog.
The only thing I can say about that is that if you are a democrat from Urbana-Champaign and the DI doesn't endorse you, then you really stink, no matter how many calls you return or how many coffees you hold.
Well, may be it means you stink, but it doesn't mean you lose. Laurel Prussing wasn't endorsed by the DI in the Mayor's race. Neither was Vote No At-Large (ok, thats obviously not a democratic candidate, but it was a position worked on by many of them).
In both of those races, the DI couldn't make up their mind and didn't endorse at all. I'd say its the DI that stinks.
Mark is right, IP, and your original post is simply false.
The Prairie Center (of Champaign) received $200,000 to work with the University of Illinois School of Social Work to help families affected by meth abuse.
You wrote: "There are no - zero - Champaign County projects or organizations on the list." That is absolutely false.
Before you (predictably) argue that it's not much money, or not the right way to spend money, or whatever, please admit that you were absolutely wrong when you made the above statement.
It took me about 30 seconds of looking at your link to find the Prairie Center. I wonder how you missed it....
Thanks for the correction, IP.
I don't believe Jakobsson's been bragging about the Prairie Center funding. I just think that if you're going to attack someone -- even an elected official -- you need to be factually accurate.
I certainly didn't expect the correction to change your overall opinion of Naomi or the budget. But I do appreciate the correction -- thanks again!
I try to be upfront I'm wrong. I feel a little silly that I didn't recognize the Prairie Center when I went through the lists, but I'd never heard of them.
Thanks for pointing out the error.
IP,
If you oppose Naomi just because she's Naomi or just because she's a democrat, okay.
But your logic on this is way wacky.
First, it's okay to vote for the pension short, if you get some pork for CU (preferably U of I).
(I'm helping with the "outing" here. My assumption is that you are a UIUC employee.)
Then, oops, we did get some pork, but not the best pork (of course, should have gone to the U of I).
Then, well maybe the pension short was a bad deal in the first palce.
How about taking a consistent anti-waste position. ALL pork is bad and the U of I (as all other public institutions) have gone way beyond their academic missions (golf domes, etc.) and are taking taxpayer money away from legitimate educational expenses.
[...] [...]
You guys are right. Naomi Jakobsson is a great legislator because she secured $200,000 for the Prairie Center - money that will go to families of Meth users.
But, you have one small problem with that logic. Champaign-Urbana has close to zero meth users. All the meth users that use Prairie Center services are from surrounding areas - the rural areas that are invested with meth.
I am sure Chapin Rose loved this pork - since meth is the number problem in his district - and I'm sure Bill Black and Shane Cultra loved it too. Because the meth users in their district go to the Prairie Center for help.
Great...Jakobsson helped everyone else but her constituents. But, you cant blame her because she didnt even know the Prairie Center was getting the money.