State House

Democrats continue challenge to Calabrese:

The Republican candidate for the 103rd District seat faces another challenge.

Chicago attorney Michael J. Kasper has filed a request for judicial review of the papers for University of Illinois student Frank Calabrese, who is running against incumbent state Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, D-Urbana.

Jakobsson has said she has nothing to do with the challenges.

First, Jakobsson absolutely is involved in the challenges.  She's not signing the papers, and she knows less about election law than even I do, but these challenges are being managed on her behalf by her political master, House Speaker Michael Madigan and his staff.  For the media to keep repeating this mantra of "Jakobsson isn't involved," is just silly, and insulting to anyone who has ever paid attention to politics.  Her largest, most dominant donor, who also supplies both her campaign and legislative staff, is behind the challenge.  Let's not pretend she's not involved; everyone knows better.

Second, in this year, with the massive Obama tidal wave expected among young and more-highly-educated voters, in a district dominated by the UI campus, are the Democrats really iso worried about a 21-year-old GOP candidate that they feel they need to do this?  What are they so worried about?

This, Sen. Mike Frerichs and Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, is why it's irresponsible to pass a budget that is so badly out of balance that you must rely on Gov. Blagojevich to cut things in order to balance it.  Does anyone really expect, when the Governor is considering where to cut, that the University or local legislative districts will be treated well? 

But at least our local legislators can sleep easy knowing they have done their masters' legislative leaders' bidding.

Normally, I wouldn't comment on such a pointless media pop, but something about yesterday's press conference by State legislators in front of Lincoln Hall demanding Speaker Mike Madigan pass a capital plan rubbed me the wrong way:

State Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville said the state was in danger of losing millions in federal matching funds if it did not move forward.

First, Rep. Hoffman is lying about losing federal matching funds if the state doesn't pass a capital plan.  From Rich Miller at Capitol Fax Blog:

Nobody has yet been able to prove to me that this “We’re gonna lose $9 billion” statement is a fact. Yet, it is contantly passed along by reporters as if it is true.

Second, Hoffman's dear friend and close political ally, Gov. Rod Blagojevich, promised the funding to renovate Lincoln Hall way back in 2003, when then Sen. Rick Winkel agreed to break with Republicans and vote for Blagojevich's bond refinancing proposal.  Blagojevich has yet to deliver on the promised funding from five years ago, so for Hoffman to stand up and demand that Madigan do something to fund Lincoln Hall is the height of chutzpah. 

If Hoffman really wants to help renovate Lincoln Hall, he should call on Blagojevich - again, they are very close friends personally and thisclose politically - to keep his promises, as the reason there has been no real capital plan is because nobody trusts the Governor to honor the funding promises which would be included in one.

UPDATE:  Here's the recent quote from Sen. Winkel, which I was having difficulty locating earlier:

In exchange for his vote in 2003 - and for which he got a lot of heat from other Senate Republicans - Winkel was supposed to get a commitment from Blagojevich to undertake the long-awaited renovation of Lincoln Hall on the University of Illinois campus.

It still hasn't happened.

"I found out who I was working with," Winkel said. "From my experience I wouldn't do it again."

First, he said he wouldn't trust Blagojevich. He isn't alone, of course, the General Assembly is full of members who believe they've been burned by the governor and his administration.

Second, Winkel said he didn't like the way political insiders, including GOP heavyweight Robert Kjellander, profited from the bond deal.

"I wouldn't do it again," Winkel said. "Besides, who's vote to give him a ton of money that he could use as a discretionary fund?"

ANOTHER UPDATE:  Here's another example of this tired trick:

Poor Joe White. The University of Illinois president apparently really believes Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the governor's claim - in a press release anyway - that if a big gambling expansion bill gets the Legislature's OK it means the UI's Lincoln Hall will finally, finally, finally get a long-promised $55 million makeover.

Where have we heard that promise from Blagojevich before?

Well, just four years ago.

Unfortunately, Joe White wasn't at the UI then. So maybe he can be forgiven for drinking the Blagojevich Kool-Aid and allowing himself to be used last week as a prop in the governor's latest stunt - sending deputies and assistants around the state to appear with local officials to promote a $25 billion capital improvements plan financed with proceeds from gambling expansion.

But even if the money for Lincoln Hall stays in the bill, and even if the bill passes, and even if the bill is signed by the governor, and even if the project is authorized that still doesn't mean the money would be released by the governor. This governor doesn't work that way. Deals are aborted. Promises are forgotten.

That's why a lot of state lawmakers don't trust Blagojevich, and why Joe White shouldn't either. The UI president is only setting himself up for a $55 million disappointment.

"I would have no confidence that any agreement would be honored or kept," said former state Sen. Rick Winkel - now a UI faculty member - who was burned by a Blagojevich "agreement" when he was in the Legislature. The pact was that if Winkel broke from his Republican caucus and voted for a $10 billion pension bond sale that Blagojevich wanted, Winkel would get construction money for Lincoln Hall and two other projects, the Post Genomic Institute and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

How many times will Lincoln Hall be used as bait by Gov. Blagojevich as his allies to get gullible legislators to go along with his budget schemes?  Rep. Hoffman is the Governor's buddy, so his motives are transparent, but Rep. Black and Rep. Rose should know better than to participate in this.  Why are they standing with Blagojevich on this when they know he cannot be relied upon to fulfill commitments made more than five years ago?

And, at some point, it would be nice if the media attending one of these press conferences actually reported on the number of times Lincoln Hall funding has been promised and withdrawn by this Governor.

YET ANOTHER UPDATE (and bumped to the top):  Someone saw this post today, and wanted to send along this poll recently conducted in Rep. Hoffman's 112th District, a fairly Democratic district down by St. Louis.

Client: PRIVATE BY REQUEST
Date of Poll: June 11, 2008
Polling Area: 112th House District
Number of Participants: 3,772
Margin of Error: ± 1.57%

1.  Do you think it is appropriate for the Illinois Legislature to form a special impeachment
committee? - 65.46 percent

2.  Do you want your local legislators to support the formation of that special impeachment
committee? - 65.67 percent

3. Based on what you know about Gov. Blagojevich, do you think the legislature SHOULD attempt
to remove him from office? - 56.81 percent

Cross-tabs are at the link above.  Can someone please explain to me why the House Republicans are standing with Rod Blagojevich to call for this $34 billion capital plan, when nobody trusts him, even in Democratic district represented by his staunchest ally?

DISCLAIMER:  I built the campaign website for Hoffman's opponent several months ago, but I don't have any ongoing involvement with that campaign.  I didn't talk to them about this post, didn't get any information for it from them, and did not get the poll from Hoffman's opponent or his campaign.

This may be just a little bit over-the-top. 

Instead, we have the political equivalent of a roadside bomb, a dangerous weapon dropped off anonymously and in the dead of night. If Illinois government is to take such a drastic and unprecedented step, shouldn't the Speaker of the House, the man suggesting impeachment proceedings, be accountable and answerable? Not, apparently, in Speaker Madigan's world.

Roadside bomb?

I wonder how long it will be before Rep. Naomi Jakobsson starts talking about impeachment?  Speaker Madigan has already issued the talking points, so that should be all the direction she needs.

Notice as well that Senate President Emil Jones is opposed to impeachment:

I think it’s wrong for the Democratic Speaker and Democratic Party Chairman to promote the impeachment of a Democratic Governor. Impeachment is unwarranted in my opinion, and should not be used as a political tool. It is a serious state action that should not be used to divert attention from the issues at hand which are the operating budget and passing a capital bill.

And it's worth remembering that Jones' statement and position nullify the positions and opinions of every other Senate Democrat, including "tough and independent" Sen. Mike Frerichs.

Random thoughts about the boondoggle state budget passed by the House and Senate Democrats over the weekend:

• The budget is so badly out of balance ($2 billion?!?) that someone - the Legislature expects it to be the Governor, and vice versa - will have to make severe cuts.  I hope it's the legislature, because I disagree with so many of the Governor's spending priorities.  And I still don't understand how the legislature can abdicate so much authority and discretion to a Governor whom none of them trust.
• You will see lots of stories claiming that the UI got such-and-such funding increase, and lots of mail and press releases from Rep. Naomi Jakobsson and Sen. Mike Frerichs claiming that they secured that increase.  But all they've really done is ask the Governor to make $2 billion in spending cuts, and they know that higher education will be one of his first targets.  So take all the bragging with a huge grain of salt until the UI actually receives the increased funds.
• Speaking of Sen. Frerichs, he voted against the gaming expansion and lottery sales which were to fund the $34 billion capital plan, but voted present on the spending portion of that plan.  That's a great example of consistent, principled, "tough and independent" leadership, eh?
• I'm glad that no Republicans voted for this budget, unlike last year, when so many were lured by the siren song of pork.

UPDATE:  Sen. Frerichs says that the deficit isn't that bad:

State Sen. Mike Frerichs (D - Champaign) said the governor has the power to balance the budget himself by vetoing the specific expenses he deems unnecessary and doubts the size of the deficit is as large as Blagojevich claimed Monday morning.

"According to our budget staff, it is not that large," Frerichs said.

How large is it?  And why did Sen. Frerichs vote for an unbalanced budget, trusting the Governor to make such important budgetary decisions?

From today's News-Gazette:

The Illinois House on Tuesday passed legislation appropriating $25 million for the design and construction of the school, which would be the first of its kind in the state. The bill now goes to the state Senate.

"We're excited to get to this step," said Greg Wolfe, Oakwood School Board president. "It's what we've been hopeful for and working towards. ... We can't foot this on our own. It's critical that we have state assistance."

State Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, introduced House Bill 628 in February 2007. It originally appropriated $15 million for the project, but the amount was increased to $25 million.

In 2006, Black laid the groundwork by spearheading the passage of a law that makes cooperative high schools eligible for some of the same incentive funding offered to districts that consolidate.

Didn't I just see a letter to the editor from the Vermilion County Democratic Chairman stating that Bill Black was too old to effectively serve in the legislature?

As expected:

Illinois Rep. Bill Black officially hits the campaign trail today after Champaign and Vermilion county Republicans slated him Wednesday night as their candidate for representative of the 104th District.

"Let me assure you, the campaign starts at 6 a.m." today, Black told precinct committeemen of both counties' Republicans parties Wednesday night just after they unanimously approved him as the person to replace the former candidate, Danville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer.

Discuss.

http://thecapitolfaxblog.com/2008/04/16/question-of-the-day-504/#comments

95 hilarious comments to go with it!  (the one about negative space is pretty good...)

From the UIUC News Bureau:  Poll: Most still undecided about constitutional convention for Illinois

"Support is lagging for Illinois’ first constitutional convention in four decades, but could get a boost from growing unrest over political in-fighting that many citizens fear has paralyzed state government, according to a new University of Illinois poll.  Nearly 40 percent of respondents in the Institute of Government and Public Affairs survey support a convention to draft a new state constitution, well short of the majority needed when the question goes to voters in the Nov. 4 election.  But with 43 percent still undecided – coupled with strong support for reforms such as a California-style recall for top state officials – there’s plenty of room to swing the balance..."

“Given how little discussion we’ve had in the media and in general, it’s no big surprise that most people don’t know if they want a convention,” Gaines said. “But I think if someone tries to build a case for a convention, there’s a fairly receptive public. People don’t seem to think our current constitution is working great.”

“In the end, there has to be a Pat Quinn figure who’s pretty good at whipping up a crowd who seizes on the idea, using issues like recall and term limits and telling people this is how to get them,” Gaines said.   “If nobody has touched it by August, I think it will be too late,” he said. “There’s no way that you can get people to think about it and make a decision that quickly when there’s a presidential election, a war and possibly a recession overshadowing it.”

No better way to get the conversation ignited...

State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson has an opponent - UI student Frank Calabrese.

A University of Illinois junior majoring in history, Calabrese supports the recall of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 28, preserving the state pension system and advocating for higher education issues.

He's especially interested in the school he attends.

"On so many different fronts, the UI has been given the short end of the stick," he said, suggesting Jakobsson has not performed as well as she might.

"It's not a strength of hers" to protect the Urbana campus' interests, Calabrese said.

Frank Calabrese is an occassional blogger on IP.com.

UPDATE:  The DI story:

Calabrese, junior in LAS, announced his candidacy Tuesday and said he is running to represent the University in Springfield.

"This district is heavily dominated by the University," he said. "Literally almost half the population of the 103rd are U of I students."

He referred to the district as "the University district" and said the participation of his peers will play a large role in determining whether he wins the seat.

"If anything, me being a student just ties the University more into the district," he said. "Students can basically decide the outcome of this election."

On her part, Jakobsson said that, although she does not know much about Calabrese, she is not overly concerned by his candidacy.

"He has a right to run," she said. "He's certainly a young man, and that's really all I know about him."

Rumored for weeks, Tom Kacich confirms it:

Sources confirmed today that Danville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer intends to announce next week that he is dropping out as a candidate for state representative in the 104th District....

Eisenhauer won the February primary but has campaigned very little, if at all, since that time. Party officials have expressed concern about his commitment to the race....

Black, who is out of the state this week, could not be reached for comment. But it is expected that he will once again run for re-election -- if the Vermilion and Champaign county GOP chairmen appoint him.

Hopefully, given the lateness of the switch, Rep. Bill Black will consider running for another term.

From the Daily Illini:

Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, Michael Madigan, announced Monday that the House will hold a series of public hearings regarding the Illinois state budget.

The 19 hearings are designed to give private citizens the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns regarding the $59 million budget. They will take place in various locations throughout the state and are scheduled to begin Monday, March 10.

"Our hope is that these forums will increase the transparency of the budget-making process, complement the works of standing House appropriations committees and perhaps provide a new model for us to follow in the future," Madigan said in a press release.

This isn't the first time Speaker Mike Madigan has done something like this.  It will unsurprised, however, when some of the local media dutifully reports on the eventual Champaign hearing as being something unique orchestrated by Rep. Naomi Jakobsson rather than one of several dozen being held around the state by the Speaker's staff.

We'll post more about the Champaign-area hearing when the details are announced.

UPDATE:  Hearing details here.

ANOTHER UPDATE:  Some local media thought I was being unfair.  I should have said "...some of media dutifully reports..." above.  Corrected, and apologies.

Kevin posted this yesterday, but I'm a little slow getting back from vacation, and the NG has an article now:

Vermilion County Board member Lori DeYoung has agreed to be the Democratic Party's candidate in a run for the 104th District House seat held by retiring state Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville.

DeYoung, a Fithian resident and county board member in District 2, announced in January that she was considering the move.

Since then, DeYoung said, she has made sure this would be the right move for her personally, but she has also been researching statewide issues and talking to local officials about issues facing them.

On Monday, she officially announced that she will be the Democratic Party's candidate on the November ballot. DeYoung will face Danville Mayor Scott Eisenhauer, who won the Republican Party's nomination for state representative in the Feb. 5 primary.

I received a copy of the email below this morning.  I first met Lori when she ran for Vermilion County Board, and I can say with all confidence that she is a tireless campaigner, and will be a great champion for both Champaign and Vermilion Counties in Springfield.  I think Democrats have a lot of cause for celebration that Lori has decided to run.

(Text of email in first comment.)

From the NG:

State Rep. Shane Cultra probably wouldn't mind seeing every campaign conducted like the one he just completed with Champaign firefighter and Unit 4 school board President Dave Tomlinson as an opponent.

And not just because the Onarga businessman won handily in Tuesday's Republican primary for the 105th Illinois House District seat.

Cultra in an interview took time to compliment Tomlinson for sticking to issues in a campaign with nary any mud slung. Tomlinson, for his part, said he never considered doing it any other way.

"I just don't think it solves anything," he said.

Also from the NG this weekend:

For the first time in eight years, the state's most Republican House district has a contest.

The GOP primary for the 105th District seat pits third-term incumbent Shane Cultra, an Onarga businessman, against a political newcomer, Champaign firefighter and Unit 4 school board President Dave Tomlinson. Whoever wins will likely be unopposed in November, as there are no Democratic primary candidates.

Rich Miller had some polling for his subscribers last week that had this race at 52.4 percent for Cultra and 6.5 percent for Tomlinson.

The 105th District:

From today's News-Gazette:

Vermilion County Board member Lori DeYoung is considering a run for the 104th District House seat held by retiring state Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville.

DeYoung, a Fithian resident and native and Democratic county board member for District 2, said over the last month she has seriously considered becoming the Democratic candidate in November's election.

"This is something I thought would be in my future," she said. "It's always been an interest of mine to get as involved in the political process as possible. I think I have demonstrated an ability to advocate for my constituents in the county, and I think I could do a good job if I make that my final decision."

Discuss.

Rich Miller at CapFax has a long post about, among other things, the UI selling tickets to the Rose Bowl to elected officials.

Generally, I don't have a problem with any of this - the bigwigs are paying for the tickets, and if it can earn the University a little goodwill with the anti-Higher Education Democrats who run this state, I'm all for it.

I am amused, thought, that Senate President Emil Jones wanted four tickets.  I guess his disdain for all things related to the University doesn't extend to the football team's bandwagon.  (But, again, if that's what it takes to make him appreciate the larger mission of the UI, so be it.  I hope President Jones enjoys the game...)

From today's News-Gazette:

Illinois still has one of the most chronically underfunded state pension systems in the country, but a potentially bigger problem is looming: the health care bills for all those retirees.

According to a 50-state study released by Pew Charitable Trusts on Tuesday, Illinois' unfunded pension liability for state workers, judges, lawmakers, teachers and university employees was $41 billion in 2006, while its projected bill for retiree health care, dental and life insurance benefits was an estimated $48 billion for state workers alone.

"We produced this report because states' fiscal health relies in large part on their ability to wisely manage bills that are coming due, and this one is significant," said Susan Urahn, managing director of the Pew Center on the States.

For the first time, government accounting rules will require states to include estimated actuarial liability for nonpension benefits like health, dental and life insurance in their annual reports starting in 2008. But the analysis of Illinois' liability for those benefits is still being developed, and will not be ready until early next year. As a result, Pew used an estimate from the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago in its report.

Discuss.