Nice little graphic from the Senate GOP folks

It will be real interesting to see how Lisa Madigan's office comes down on this

Threatening to upend a pending state budget deal among Democrats, Republican state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka on Monday asked the attorney general to determine whether a plan backed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to divert $2 billion from state pensions was unconstitutional.

Also what happens if the AG says that Judy is right, how bad does Blago bug out.
OneMan

Helping Sneed do some investigative reporting on a Roskam sneedling

*The upshot: The driver, a longtime Democratic lobbyist, then filled out a check to the tune of $500 before heading on his way. Hmmm. Wonder who it was?

-- Well we could wait until either Roskam files his finance reports with the state or the feds, I think both make a $500 donation reportable.

So I guess we will not be wondering for too long who it was...

OneMan

Here is a question kids, why couldn't we have 'Significant Pension Structure Reform' and still have made the full contribution this year?

Stop laughing....

Seriously, it could have been a win for Rod without doing something stupid financially. Because running those numbers is going to make for some scarry TV comericals someday.

OneMan

Even if we use the number in the State Journal Register provided by the Democrat..

Rep. Robert Molaro, D-Chicago, said the proposal essentially diverts $1.8 billion over the next two years from pensions and into state coffers.

Instead of the Republican

However, Cross said the Republicans crunched the numbers and determined that the bill will actually divert $3.5 billion from the pension systems over the next five years

Can anyone explain how diverting 1.8 Billion (that's Billion with a B) from a pension system that is already really, really underfunded is even remotely a good idea. Unless of course you don't want to make hard decisions about revenues or expenses.

This whole idea is the antithesis of 'testicular virility'...

Giving Chicago a casino is even a better idea than this.

I think I may have come up with a solution to my property tax issues...
A property tax holiday...

Yet again another budget solution developed on the backs of my kids....

The linchpin of the agreement between Blagojevich, Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) and House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) revolves around plans to withhold $750 million in required payments this year and again next year into pension systems for retired state workers, teachers and university employees.

Because that's the solution for an underfunded pension program, don't make payments for a couple of years.If we are going to do that why not just eliminate the pension program on a go forward basis entirely? Then we can stop making payments to the fund that much sooner.

Cross is right about this whole deal it is Enron like...

Zorn has a column today about Richard Sherman, son of well know chicagoland athiest Rob Sherman. Who it appears to have been offered a job in the Palatine school distict then after some further questioning had the job offer revoked. This seems to have happened after they started asking about his 'famous dad'.

Zorn has his own thoughts on why this happened and I don't know if I disagree with them. I think sometimes Zorn likes to blame religon for a lot of things, sometimes unfairly but he is entitled to his own opinion.

That being said if this was done because of either who Richard's dad was or because of Richard's belifes or lack thereof it is wrong, plain pure and simple. It is wrong and those reposnsible should be punished. You shouldn't be denied a job because who you dad is and you shouldn't be denied a job as a teacher in a public school because of your religous belifes or lack thereof.

If he starts every day teaching by saying 'There is no God and if you disagree with me you are an idiot' then get rid of him as a teacher.

Remember kids if we don't protect the religous freedom of those who differ with us, we have no right to complain when they come after us.

OneMan

More adventures in real estate tax mathmagic land today, got the forms to show how the rate is calculated. The figure for the 'correction' for the previous year seems to come from either state statue or someplace....

The correction for the entire 308 segment of the district in Kane county to deal with the 0.43 difference between the 2003 rate (so 2002 taxes) was $1,900 thats right for over 275 homes and at least two commercial properties, about $9 a piece of land...

Can anyone recomend an attorney who deals with this sort of stuff that might be interested in at least explaining this to me pro-bono.

OneMan

How to write like Sneed

*Dem data: Sneed is told popular INSERT NAME OF STATE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER HERE camp is quietly giving thought to FIRST NAME OF STATE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER jumping into the Dem primary against Gov. Blago. Hmmm.

So far we have seen one of these for Danny and Lisa Madigan so using my Sneed Crystal Ball I see the following comming

*Dem data: Sneed is told popular Lt. Gov Pat Quinn camp is quietly giving thought to Pat jumping into the Dem primary against Gov. Blago. Hmmm.

*Dem data: Sneed is told popular Sen. Dick Durbin camp is quietly giving thought to Dick jumping into the Dem primary against Gov. Blago. Hmmm.

*Dem data: Sneed is told popular Ald. Mell camp is quietly giving thought to Dick jumping into the Dem primary against Gov. Blago. Hmmm.

*Dem data: Sneed is told popular Mike Ditka camp is quietly giving thought to Mike jumping into the Dem primary against Gov. Blago. Hmmm.

*Dem data: Sneed is told popular Oprah Winfrey camp is quietly giving thought to Oprah jumping into the Dem primary against Gov. Blago. Hmmm.

Feel free to play yourself.

Some folks are upsetthat their kids will be going to Waubonsie Valley instead of Neuqua Valley.

I had a big rant here but nuked it. Suffice to say I think most people would be happy to have their kids go to a high school of the quality of either Waubonsie Valley or Neuqua Valley.

I am also reminded in reading this why school board members should be given access to a n open bar during meetings.

OneMan

Via Archpundit..

Five Salvis consider run vs. Bean

Because that's how you unseat a moderate in a strong Republican area, with a conservative...

Yeah, if you belive this then OneMan and Mr Hand have a question for you What are you, people? On dope?

I have been listening to the state house for the last couple of hours. I think I have a new hero Reb. Black. If he doesn't blow a gasket on the floor first.

OneMan

From the Lewis Lazare column in the Sun Times today
(the bolding is mine)

Amid all the controversy swirling around the Illinois Lottery and its general-market ad agency of record, R.J. Dale Advertising and Public Relations/Chicago, the one party we expected to hear from -- Lottery director Carolyn Adams, the person who awarded R.J. Dale the now hugely controversial general-market ad account -- has been notably silent.

Repeated calls to Adams' publicist last week were not returned.

In recent weeks, questions about how R.J. Dale has handled the $20 million account it won in a "review" nearly a year ago, have intensified. As has the state's inquiry into the mess.

Since when to government officials (department heads no less) have 'publicists' seriously I think that one line kind of summarizes the Blagozo regime in a nutshell. I have heard of press secretaries but publicists, is the Illinois taxpayer paying for this?

Yeah nothing like responding to the media and the Illinois taxpayer by hiding. That's bold leadership.

Same as it ever was...

OneMan

The Beacon had something yesterday about a proposal from Tom Cross that he is putting forward to require Joliet to give half of their casino revenues to the local schools and the story also mentioned how he may push the same idea for Aurora and Elgin.
How do I put this. No. If the state would like to give my schools money to deal with growth fine, do it with the states cut of the casnio revenues, not Aurora's cut.
I understand Cross is trying to help. I respect him for that, but this is not the way to do it. The next step will be the state to start taking even more of the cities cut for various other 'good causes' until there is nothing left. Part of the deal in agreeing to have one of these in our towns was we would be seeing some tax revenues. Don't change that agreement now.
How do you do that calculation in Aurora? With sq miles as a pct of the city per school district? As a function of growth of the district. If so it would not help the two districts that have the growth issues in the city Indian Prarie and Oswego as much as it would help the Aurora school districts.

"Cities like Aurora that are making these aggressive expansion decisions that are impacting the school districts"

Are cities suposed to stop growth because the local district can't deal with it or are not ready for it. If growth is an issue for the school district they should work with the local entites to increase impact fees. It's not my fault the Indian Prarie school district didn't approve their tax increase. Option B to pay for the new high school there is not to take money from the city of Aurora.
Keep your hands off my cities portion of the casino revenues.

OneMan

Were getting closer to having that Video Game bill on the books.

An employee of one of the state schools calls BS on the idea that the proposed pension changes will not effect current state employees or retirees.

The Tristano thing, seriously how could anyone think this sort of behavor is or was ok.

OneMan

As pointed out by Rich they are sharing some Dem on Dem love for Governor Gonad at Daily Kos

From Tomorrow Never Dies and perhaps a conversation Governor Groin could have with someone.

Admiral Roebuck: With all due respect, M, I think you don't have the balls for this job.
M: Maybe. But the advantage is, I don't have to think with them all the time.

Remember Governor Enzyte if you really have em, you show it, not talk about it.

OneMan

As pointed out by Archpundit Carol Marin has a good column about what might have been the reaction if a female had made a Governor Groin type comment. One thing however Carol

Mell is a wheeler-dealer par excellence who last year was helping one of his wife's relatives who was the operator of a questionable Downstate landfill.

I don't know what the Sun Times style guide says but Joliet is not downstate.

OneMan

Governor Groin defended his statements yesterday. If I was him I would be more worried about other, things.

Same as it ever was...

OneMan

Lots of interesting things about the one with the powerful testies today on the web. You do get more hits on Testicular virility now via google and technoroti than a few days ago. He also has a new theme song.

Perhaps Enzyte can take part in the state sponsorship program, they could sponser the Governor's... nah. Then again the way the sponsorship program has been working out so far it might be better to pick another product...

The Sun Times shares how the our dear Blagozo can be so tough...

Gov. Blagojevich made his father-in-law sound like a monster-in-law Monday, blaming virtually all of his administration's problems on Ald. Richard Mell.

And he said "testicular virility had given him the fortitude to shake things up in Springfield and stand up to Mell (33rd)

-- Perhaps we should start calling him Governor Enzyte. I now know why he uses the name Rod.

Because it is obvious that failing schools, the inability to pass a budget, the inability to show up to anything on time including funerals or memorial services, the inability to get along with your fellow constitutional officers. All of that is your Father-In-Laws fault.
Lets not forget, doctors leaving the state. Ald. Mells fault. The people who gave big money to Friends on Enzite and then ended up of the facilities board, Mells fault.
We are lucky to have a governor with testicular virility who can stand up to all of this. I can't imagine how useless he would be if he was not so virile in a testicular way.
Did he really think that regardless of how clean he thought he and is folks are/was that at some point he wasn't going to have the feds looking at his administration. Dude this is Illinois, get used to it.

Hey do the state a favor, enjoy your testicular virility all you want, just don't use your virile parts to do your thinking.

FYI even Sec. Of State Albright thought it was ok to use the word cojones in a speech to the UN. Trust me it will play better south of the Wisconsin border than testicular virility.

Is the Malice standard of libel for public officals is good thing?

Newspaper wars in Aurora (at least the 'Villages' area)

The Daily Herald is not available in my neighborhood. So not only did I get a free Sunday paper from the Beacon News by 10:00 AM yesterday I got a free Sunday paper around 4:00 PM and again between about 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM Monday (yes the Daily Herald gave me two Sunday papers for free).

Giving me the same paper free on two different days, yeah that's effective.

OneMan

Right
We need to have these serious alligations investigated. In order to prove to the citizens of Illinois that the appointment process of this administration has been above board. That the Governor has really been working and has had success in changing the culture of corruption in Illinois.
Something like that which appears to be what you king of said but since you couldn't shut up you move into the world of the wrong thing to say.
Wrong to continue on with

"It's no secret the investigation is the result of false accusations by Ald. Mell, accusations that he has since acknowledged were lies,'' Jackson said. "But let's be clear, all of this is a result of one man's pathological behavior.''

-- What happens if the grand jury finds someone else making these claims. You look stupid, that's what happens. Remember your guys poll numbers are looking bad. Your message gets lost as a governor under investigation lashes out at father-in-law story simply because you couldn't shut up.

OneMan

That sound you hear is Brad screaming...

What a surprise Blago says no thanks to Judys offer.

Also took you long enough to come up with a copy of McCain-Fiengold. Just waiting until something really bad came up before you 'rocked the world'...

OneMan

Nothing to see here

Facing disciplinary hearings that could yank its license to operate a riverboat in Illinois, the bankrupt Emerald Casino has hired as its defense counsel high-powered Chicago attorney Robert Clifford, a generous contributor to Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the private attorney for the governor's chief fund-raiser.

Judy calls out Rod on finance (better?) Reform (via CBS2)

Now, Judy Baar Topinka's challenging him to honor the fundraising ethics proposal he offered yesterday by giving to charity the record-breaking millions he's raised under Illinois' current wide-open rules.

“He could do it tomorrow,” Topinka said. “And if he gives all his money to charity, I will be right behind him and I will give all my money to charity. And we will all start. And then we will truly rock the system.”

Topinka spoke a day after Blagojevich's public relations staff released an outline of a proposed ethics plan, with donor limits of $5,000 per candidate for political action committees and political parties; $2,000 for individuals; and $0 for labor unions and corporations.

I think at some level Judy just cut him off at the knees. Also nice 'Blagojevich's public relations staff' line, it makes the thing look like a ploy (which it is).

Also here is an interesting thought, what if this got passed, was signed and Blair Hull decideds to challenge Blagozo? Do the limits change if someone self funds?

Then again without an actuall bill how do we know.

The Cross guys have some stuff about the Bait And Switch with Med-Mal.

Nothing much on Blagos 'ethics reform' yet. I look forward to seeing an actual bill vs. a press release. Also the 'no union or corporate donations' sounds nice. But does that prevent AFSCME from going out and working for a candidate on their own? Does it prevent a company from sending out it's own mailing?


OneMan

I just saw a 'clean coal' ad from GE that has a bunch of sweaty models mining coal. Just struck me as a bit strange.

OneMan

Big Update so I am placing it at the top

Just got back from that School District 308 meeting. They did a very good job explaining what is going on.

Basically what it comes down to as I understand it is since Kendall county can't get their estimate of their assessed valuations to the other counties on time. So the other counties 308 spans (308 spans Kane 1.4% of total assessed value, Will 22% of assessed value and Kendall 63% of assessed value (or something like that) Kane and Will have to estimate what the Kendall number is.

So. Will takes last years number and adds 3%, Kane just uses last years number. What we end up with us in Kane paying a higher rate. Folks like me in Kane county have been basically getting the shaft for the last 3 years.

More tomorrow.

Update: The Beacon has the story here, the Board presentation is here.
If you look at page 12 of the board release you will see

Year	Kane	Kendall	Difference
2001	4.87	4.87	0
2002	5.33	4.95	0.38
2003	5.23	4.80	0.43
2004	5.48	4.99	0.49

So for the last 3 tax years I have ended up paying 1.3 more than if I had the exact same home 2 blocks south of my current location to the SAME SCHOOL DISTRICT. 1.3 is just a shade less than I pay to the city of Aurora in proprerty taxes (1.39) for both the city line and the city pension line. Or in another way of looking at if the 1.3 was a single line item for this year lets call it The Kendall cant get their assesments done on time tax it would be the second highest single line item on my tax bill this year.

The 0.49 delta between what I am going to pay and someone in Kendall county is going to pay this year would be third highest single line item on my tax bill. Right after the School district and the City of Aurora. It would be roughly the same as I pay to (Kane County, Kane Count Pension, Kane Forest Preserve and Kane Forest Preserve Pension combined). So the Kendall County can't get their assesments done on time tax is going to cost me this year alone about what I pay to Kane County in property taxes!

Thanks Kendall County!

I don't mind paying taxes, I vote for both tax increases. I do however feel I should pay the same rate as other folks IN THE SAME TAXING DISTRICT.

OneMan

Got mail and an automated phone call today about SB600 from Lauzen today. He kind of my addressed my issues, but not totaly. Part of me still thinks this has to do more with Bob Kjellander than anything else. More on this tomorrow, that school board meeting went over 3 hours...

OneMan

Some indictments come down for stuff with the Health Facilities Board. Funny OneMan is getting some hits on this, this.

I would argue this just about kills any Jim Ryan statewide run.

OneMan

Via Rich and from the Chicago Tribune

The ceremony in Springfield on Thursday to honor slain police officers was appropriately solemn. But it turned downright silent when Gov. Rod Blagojevich's name was called and he wasn't there.

Several awkward seconds passed. Secretary of State Jesse White stepped forward as hundreds of police officers stood waiting with flags lifted. White announced he was not Blagojevich. The governor quietly arrived shortly thereafter and gave his speech.

Blagojevich said later that he wasn't given a specific time to pay his respects.

White declined to comment, but then said, "I think that his actions would speak for itself."

Blagojevich said later that he wasn't given a specific time to pay his respects.. Don't you has staff for this. Of course it wasn't your fault, it's never your fault... It's staff, or someone didn't tell me. Some video of that would make a great TV commercial.

Funny you were able to be at the Lincoln thing on time. Did the fact it was going to be on TV have anything to do with that.

OneMan

Some more in the Beacon News about the tax surprise in parts of the 308 school district.

Her bill jumped from about $7,400 last year to $8,200 this year — about $5,000 of which is slated to go to the Oswego School District.

My tax bill didn't go up nearly that much. My effective rate for 308 is 5.5 between the school and school pension tax. vs. about 5.2 last year. So my taxes didn't go up nearly that much. Trying to figure out whats up the folks who saw their taxes so up so much.

There is a school board meeting on Monday at 7:00 PM, I think I might go and check it out.

OneMan

Not really sure how I feel about SB600, that calls for the direct election of state central committee members and requires the party chair to be a central committeeman (as I understand it).

My concern, that the state central committeeman elections will either turn into a name recognition fests (get ready for a lot of state reps and state senators being central committeemen) or interest group fests resulting in their people getting in. Resulting in the state party being co-opted by some group(s).

However direct election is a nice idea, because well, it's direct election. Democracy in action. Which is nice

The way it works now is the committeemen have a weighted vote (I think I have something like 42 'votes') for the offices. So I essentially vote for the Republican voters in my precinct. When I vote for this office I know a little bit about the guys running for it. I know their level of involvement, etc...

On the other hand, most primary voters will have no idea about any of the candidates, and local influences (like a big primary in one part of a congressional district) will have an impact. Yes I know that's how democracy works...

Again, kind of torn on this one.

OneMan

To little, too late..

Department of Central Management Services Director Michael Rumman said Wednesday it was a mistake to attack Auditor General William Holland's integrity in the wake of a scathing audit that Holland completed on CMS.

In his official response to Holland's audit last week, Rumman said the report contained "inaccurate and misleading findings." He accused Holland of making "deliberately inflammatory suggestions of impropriety devoid of factual or logical basis." CMS also demanded contract documents from Holland, a move many lawmakers interpreted as an attempt by CMS to intimidate the state's top auditor.

All of that, Rumman told a Senate appropriations committee Wednesday, was a mistake.

-- Mistake as in your statements were incorrect, or mistake as in 'It made the governor look bad'?

Got some interesting e-mail today. It appears that due to some issues with the assessors office in Kendall county, the effective tax rate in the Oswego school district is higher than expected for SD residents in Kane (me) and Will counties. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I will put up the links tomorrow. For some scoop now follow the links at www.9thward.net


OneMan

Best metaphor about some Blaog budget stuff yet....

Gov. Rod Blagojevich has a plan for reforming teacher pensions that he says will save millions - millions the state can begin spending to balance next year's budget.

That idea, says the head of the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System, sounds more like it came from the mouth of a teenager.

"It's kind of like as if my 17-year-old daughter says to me, 'Dad, I might have a baby-sitting job a week from Tuesday, so could you give me 40 bucks now?'" TRS's Jon Bauman said. "It just never makes sense to spend money before you have it. And that, in effect, is what this is all about."

The whole plan reminds me a bit of Marking to Model or Mark to Market. The idea being that I can book the entire value of a contract as revenue to deliver a commodity even if the contract is 20 years in length. So you agree to pay me 100K a year for 20 years for me to deliver 100 tones of coal a year. So instead of booking 100K a year for 20 years a book all 2 million in year one. The only problem is I have no real idea (I might have a guess) about how much coal is going to cost me per ton in 2016. These can be legitimate accounting practices in the business world, however they leave a lot of room for problems (see Enron).

Then again it's better than Blago having to say no to more school funding or raising taxes.

OneMan

Former Aurora Alderman Jim Meisch plead guilty yesterday to a count of wire fraud. If you want see what the legacy of the Stover administration will be in Aurora, just consider the fact that the city employee who was the 'target' of the bribe basically instantly went to the authorities and everyone who needed to cooperate in city government did.

OneMan

The Sneeder has some Scoopsville that I am not buying

The big wind blowing through Springfield is that a major primary campaign is in the throes of being mounted against Gov. Blagojevich. Is a primary attack being forged by backers of Dem femme Attorney General Lisa Madigan?

-- Interesting idea, I have become a bit of a Lisa fan these last couple of years. But I just don't see if hapening this time around. But man would that be sweet to watch. Especally if it turns into a war with Mike and Rod during this Spring session.

OneMan

The Daily Herald Puts some smackdown on the Blago.

I am reminded of what they say over at CrossBlog, "Same as it ever was".

But seriously, does anyone who didn't give him money really like this guy.

OneMan

From Todays Beacon

Gov. Rod Blagojevich, visiting Mokena for Friday's dedication of the United Association Local 597 Pipefitters' Training Center, jokes that he arrived late because the state hasn't yet completed the Interstate 355 extension.

-- Perhaps it's just because he is late to all sorts of things...

Little noticed in the whole CMS audit thing was this

Warning of the potential for an embarrassing breach of security, state auditors said their recent review of used state computers warehoused for public sale found that nearly one-third had not had their hard drives wiped clean of information as required by Illinois law.
snip
15 of 50 computers offered for resale by Central Management Services and tested by auditors during a two-week period last year had not been cleaned. On five of those units, auditors still couldn't access the hard-drive data, but on 10 others, they could.

So 20% of the computers had data that was retrievable on them.

Not that should be scary, CMS's response

From the Audit response Pg 48a and 48b, CMS argues it's the departments surplusing the equipments responsibility to clear the equipment not CMS so therefore it's not CMS's fault. Also CMS responds that violations of the 'you have to clear the data' requirement could not lead of severe liability for the state.

The auditor had a nice response, here is mine on the basic point of 'uncleared hard-drives may not end up costing the state liability'...

Are you insane, seriously. Because if you are and some HR computer or department of public health computer has that information gets surpulsed without having it's hard-drive cleared and someone buys it using ibid or something and then reveals what they find on the drive. I don't see how the state can't be liable for damages?

I could see the attorney now.

plaintiff attorney. 'Bill lost his job because his boss found out he was manic-depressive from www.whatwasontheharddriveIboughtfromIllinois.com'
Attorney for CMS and the state. ' Don't see how that's our fault'
plaintiff attorney ' Didn't you sell that computer to that website'
Attorney for CMS and the state. ' Yeah '
plaintiff attorney 'Wasn't it supposed to have a sticker saying the drive had been cleared'
Attorney for CMS and the state. ' Yeah '
plaintiff attorney 'Did it'
Attorney for CMS and the state. ' Have you been talking to the state auditor'
Judge ' Just answer the question before I hold you in greater contempt than I already do'

Sometime later....

jury 'How many zeros do we need to put after that 1 on the check for Bill'