Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Natasha Korecki2017-11-18T11:28:00-06:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/natasha-korecki/rss2017-11-18T11:28:00-06:002019-04-17T21:17:28-05:00Rahm headlines Fioretti fundraiser — alderman camp says not ‘payback’
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-960003" name="image-960003"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8a9fcbd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+28/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FDUWEOjZ53QQXU70IP2a3Vcbqdhk%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x630%2F1024x630%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x315%3A513x316%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16148014%2Ffioretti_cst_053015_1_52848531.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/becdcab/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+28/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FDUWEOjZ53QQXU70IP2a3Vcbqdhk%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x630%2F1024x630%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x315%3A513x316%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16148014%2Ffioretti_cst_053015_1_52848531.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3a2bfc7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+28/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FDUWEOjZ53QQXU70IP2a3Vcbqdhk%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x630%2F1024x630%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x315%3A513x316%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16148014%2Ffioretti_cst_053015_1_52848531.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="fioretti_cst_053015_1_52848531.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3a2bfc7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+28/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FDUWEOjZ53QQXU70IP2a3Vcbqdhk%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x630%2F1024x630%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x315%3A513x316%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16148014%2Ffioretti_cst_053015_1_52848531.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c3b5e64/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+28/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FDUWEOjZ53QQXU70IP2a3Vcbqdhk%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x630%2F1024x630%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x315%3A513x316%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16148014%2Ffioretti_cst_053015_1_52848531.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3a2bfc7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+28/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FDUWEOjZ53QQXU70IP2a3Vcbqdhk%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x630%2F1024x630%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x315%3A513x316%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16148014%2Ffioretti_cst_053015_1_52848531.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Mayor Rahm Emaunel received Ald. Bob Fioretti’s endorsement after the first round of mayoral voting. | Kevin Tanaka/For Sun-Times Media</p></figcaption></div>
</figure>
<p>A fond farewell or a major mayor payback?</p><p>A longtime vocal critic of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/477945/ald-bob-fioretti-endorsing-rahm-emanuel-mayor" target="_blank" >Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) sharply raised eyebrows </a> in the mayoral race when he endorsed the man he repeatedly warned the city not to support.</p><p>Fioretti did so after his failed bid in the first-round mayoral race.</p><p>Now, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned that the mayor will be featured as the “special guest” at a Thursday fundraiser for Fioretti at Manny’s Deli where tickets cost $200 to $10,000. Also listed as hosts: Ald. Ed Burke and Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. The event at Manny’s Deli is billed as a retirement party of sorts.</p><p>“Thank you for your service, Bob Fioretti,” the fundraiser invitation states.</p><p>On the eve of the Feb. 24 city election, Fioretti told the Sun-Times he would support “anybody but Rahm” if Emanuel didn’t get the majority vote he needed to avoid Chicago’s first ever mayoral runoff. He later retracted support for Emanuel challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and put support behind Emanuel.</p><p>When asked at the time if Emanuel would help Fioretti retire his campaign debt, the mayor responded: “Of course. I don’t have a problem with that.”</p><p>On Tuesday, a Fioretti spokesman said the endorsement was never contingent on a promise for money and the mayor has not promised any money. ”No he has not. Nor have we asked him for any money. He will simply be attending the event,” Fioretti spokesman Michael Kolenc said. ”Bob has been very clear that he has outstanding debt from his campaigns and would like to make everyone whole. He has been working since the election to raise funds, and we hope that the event this week is successful.”</p><p>Fioretti finished fourth in February, with 7.4 percent of the vote. He said he shifted positions to back Emanuel because he supported his fiscal policy. Activists accused Fioretti at the time of selling them out.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2017/11/18/18454313/rahm-headlines-fioretti-fundraiser-alderman-camp-says-not-paybackNatasha Korecki2015-09-19T14:20:44-05:002019-05-09T09:35:23-05:00Amid stalemate, 1 lawmaker after another leaving Springfield
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-f50002" name="image-f50002"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eb19565/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FkQs23IWB6QKN46Zv_2ZV0-26RnU%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16224374%2FKOTOWSKI_999x666.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d8975e4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FkQs23IWB6QKN46Zv_2ZV0-26RnU%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16224374%2FKOTOWSKI_999x666.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c549e81/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FkQs23IWB6QKN46Zv_2ZV0-26RnU%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16224374%2FKOTOWSKI_999x666.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="KOTOWSKI_999x666.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c549e81/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FkQs23IWB6QKN46Zv_2ZV0-26RnU%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16224374%2FKOTOWSKI_999x666.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/24e29ac/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FkQs23IWB6QKN46Zv_2ZV0-26RnU%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16224374%2FKOTOWSKI_999x666.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c549e81/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FkQs23IWB6QKN46Zv_2ZV0-26RnU%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16224374%2FKOTOWSKI_999x666.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>State Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge, speaks to lawmakers earlier this month. | AP</p></figcaption></div>
</figure>
<p><a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/markbrowncst" target="_blank" >Follow @natashakorecki</a></p><p>They’re dropping like flies.</p><p>Last week, state Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge, became the latest state lawmaker to announce he’s leaving the Illinois Legislature.</p><p>Kotowski, who helps oversee state budget matters, is resigning effective Oct. 5 to become president and chief executive officer of ChildServ, which provides foster care and services for children who were victims of trauma and abuse.</p><p>Kotowski’s news followed that of Ed Sullivan, R-Mundelein, who says he won’t seek re-election.</p><p>Neither will Republican Rep. Mike Tryon of Crystal Lake.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item">
<div class="BlockQuote" >
<blockquote><p>ANALYSIS</p></blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/natashakorecki" target="_blank" >Follow @natashakorecki</a></p><p>Ditto state senators John Sullivan, D-Rushville, and Dan Duffy, R-Lake Barrington.</p><p>Then, there are Rep. Adam Brown, R-Champaign, Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville and Sen. Mike Noland, D-Elgin, who’s making a run for Congress.</p><p>It’s easy to pin the motive for the departures on the state’s devastating financial condition. Every day, it’s another horrible headline about billions of dollars in unpaid bills and billions more of mounting debt. Add to that a punishing, unending summer legislative session, with weekly trips to Springfield – and no movement on the state budget.</p><p>In interviews and statements, these outgoing lawmakers say they have their own specific reasons for leaving.</p><p>But make no mistake: Illinois lawmakers are in the midst of an epic, partisan battle between Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.</p><p>If you’re staying in, you really gotta be all in.</p><p>Luechtefeld says his decision wasn’t about the budget and was made easier by the fact that he was redrawn out of his own district.</p><p>But he has his own frustrations about the Democrats.</p><p>“I just believe what Madigan has done is unconscionable,” Luechtefeld says. “I’m sorry, I don’t say things like that normally. I don’t know how you look people in the eyes when you’ve been in charge for 12 years, to say it’s somebody else’s fault. Right now, the things Rauner wants are doable. They simply are. Madigan is trying to teach him who really is the boss. And in the process, there are people suffering.”</p><p>There’s another side to that. Democrats say what Rauner wants isn’t doable for them, and they blame him for holding the state hostage over his non-budget demands. Rauner says his demands directly reflect the state’s economic troubles.</p><p>And around and around we go.</p><p>Which brings us back to the fact that being a state lawmaker in Illinois right now is a thankless job.</p><p>Kotowski doesn’t blame the budget mess for his departure but, rather, the allure of another opportunity. Kotowski has two kids, and his new job will be a mile and a half from his home.</p><p>Also, running for re-election isn’t cheap. Last time around, he raised $2 million. Imagine what he could raise for disadvantaged kids instead of running for re-election, he says.</p><p>“I feel very proud of my record and what I’ve been able to achieve,” says Kotowski, pointing to changes in the law he spearheaded that include allowing the campaign assets of politicians convicted of corruption to be confiscated and creating greater transparency in how the state doles out contracts.</p><p>Ed Sullivan says his reasons are personal. He has young kids, ages 6 and 7. And his being diagnosed with Type II diabetes also helped reshape his thinking about his future.</p><p>“I’ve been through all these overtime sessions before,” he says. “The ’07 session went to mid-August. There’s certainly frustrations. The frustrations of session did not enter my mind. I’m one of the people who believes the state must go through this to get true reforms.”</p><p>In 2013, Sullivan was one of two Republicans to vote in favor of a same-sex marriage law in Illinois — a vote that’s dogged him.</p><p>“At some point, my constituents need to get beyond this whole marriage equality issue,” Sullivan says, adding that he’d continue to face opposition because of his stance on that issue.</p><p>David Yepsen, the director of the Paul Simon Institute of Politics, doesn’t see seven or eight announced departures out of 118 House members and 59 senators as anything abnormal.</p><p>“I think it is true in both the U.S .Congress and in the Illinois Legislature: It’s tough to serve these days,” Yepsen says. “It’s frustrating. You spend a lot of time away from your family and your business.”</p><p>Wouldn’t Republican lawmakers at least be emboldened by the fact that they finally have a same-party governor with deep pockets and the willingness to challenge Madigan?</p><p>“No,” says Yepsen. “I know of no one in politics that suggests there’s a realistic possibility that the Republicans will take over a chamber. Rauner has made it very clear to Republicans that he’s making the decisions. Some see his [campaign] money as a threat.”</p><p><b>Fond farewell</b></p><p>I am departing the Sun-Times for another opportunity after having the honor of working at this great paper nearly 12 years. Thank you for your years of loyalty. Also thanks to my co-workers and editors, who work tirelessly to give readers the best each day.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2015/9/19/18540438/korecki-1-lawmaker-after-another-leaving-springfieldNatasha Korecki2015-09-11T16:26:32-05:002019-05-09T10:07:11-05:00Korecki: Springfield power shift means shift in responsibility, too - Chicago
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-bf0002" name="image-bf0002"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0062837/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FII6ZfeIhEIBpuZLx3CRY6ljJ0k4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16226416%2FAX192_0FC9_9_999x665.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f75e0db/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FII6ZfeIhEIBpuZLx3CRY6ljJ0k4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16226416%2FAX192_0FC9_9_999x665.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9381a62/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FII6ZfeIhEIBpuZLx3CRY6ljJ0k4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16226416%2FAX192_0FC9_9_999x665.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="AX192_0FC9_9_999x665.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9381a62/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FII6ZfeIhEIBpuZLx3CRY6ljJ0k4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16226416%2FAX192_0FC9_9_999x665.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b174a99/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FII6ZfeIhEIBpuZLx3CRY6ljJ0k4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16226416%2FAX192_0FC9_9_999x665.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9381a62/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FII6ZfeIhEIBpuZLx3CRY6ljJ0k4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16226416%2FAX192_0FC9_9_999x665.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Gov. Bruce Rauner. | Rich Hein / Sun-Times </p></figcaption></div>
</figure>
<p><a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/markbrowncst" target="_blank" >Follow @natashakorecki</a></p><p>For more than a week now, Gov. Bruce Rauner has been roundly viewed as the victor after a major Springfield showdown with Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.</p><p>Madigan, D-Chicago, who carefully chooses his words when he speaks publicly, had vowed he’d have the 71 votes needed to override the governor’s veto of a pro-union bill that allowed arbitration in ongoing negotiation talks with the AFSCME union.</p><p>Madigan rarely predicts a political victory if he isn’t certain of it.</p><p>But he lost. He lost after a much-publicized build-up over who really holds the upper hand in Springfield. He lost after Rauner and his aides put on a full-court press, including working Democrats to vote against an override.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item">
<div class="BlockQuote" >
<blockquote><p>ANALYSIS</p></blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/natashakorecki" target="_blank" >Follow @natashakorecki</a></p><p>When the vote came, despite Madigan’s long-held reputation of having tight-fisted control over his members, he fell three votes short of an override.</p><p>One Democrat, Scott Drury, voted against the bill. State Rep. Jack Franks, often a wild card on controversial issues, voted “present.” And, most famously now, a third, state Rep. Ken Dunkin, D-Chicago, was out of town at the time of the vote.</p><p>This is all seen as a possible sign of a new era in Springfield. </p><p>But even as Rauner revels in his victory, he’s faced with a new challenge.</p><p>The Democrats’ failure to override undermines an argument Rauner has made since he first launched his gubernatorial campaign and again as recently as last week: that Madigan controls all his members.</p><p>A week after Madigan’s major loss in Springfield, Rauner was in Chicago putting the blame for the ongoing budget stalemate on Democrats’ shoulders.</p><p>“If you want to refuse any structural reform, then you’ve got to just go ahead and do your budget and do your tax hike,” Rauner said. “You gotta choose — but it’s going to be your tax hike. You want me to raise taxes, I’ll do it. But I’m gonna do it with reforms. You don’t want any reforms with it, you do the tax hike, you’ve got a supermajority.”</p><p>It’s true Democrats have rejected Rauner’s turnaround agenda. For instance, House Democrats have repeatedly voted for one of Rauner’s proposals — to freeze property taxes — but say they are philosophically against the second tenet of Rauner’s property-tax proposal that would also strip collective-bargaining rights from local governments.</p><p>There appears to be little movement on either side, even as a slew of human service agencies have flagged they’re headed for a crisis since they haven’t been paid yet this budget year.</p><p>The state hasn’t had a budget since July 1. And while some bills have been paid, money isn’t going toward services affecting seniors, day-care centers and early intervention services, to name a few.</p><p>Rauner said it was “outrageous” that the state was in this position.</p><p>“My heart’s broken when I see the potential suffering and the actual suffering that’s going on right now. It’s outrageous,” Rauner said. “This should not be allowed to have occurred. We should have had this resolved months ago.”</p><p>But if we really are entering a new era of shared power and shared leadership in Springfield, then Rauner can no longer shift all the blame for the state’s troubles onto Madigan. He will have a much more difficult time pinning inaction in Springfield on a Democratic supermajority.</p><p>The conversation has now shifted: If Rauner could ensure that schools opened on time and that state workers are paid on time — <i>and</i> kill an override to his veto of the AFSCME arbitration bill — then he has the power to do more. </p><p><i>Follow Natasha Korecki on Twitter:</i> <a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/natashakorecki" target="_blank" >@natashakorecki</a><br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2015/9/11/18545438/korecki-springfield-power-shift-means-shift-in-responsibility-tooNatasha Korecki2015-09-10T19:01:35-05:002019-05-09T11:24:14-05:00Rauner: Illinois can't help most vulnerable if not competitive
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-5e0002" name="image-5e0002"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d090971/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FnU1vMSCQYjyAE44lnL_hjThwm5M%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16231027%2FRAUNER_091115_04_55944977_999x666.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/321a3b8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FnU1vMSCQYjyAE44lnL_hjThwm5M%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16231027%2FRAUNER_091115_04_55944977_999x666.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0c5d1bc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FnU1vMSCQYjyAE44lnL_hjThwm5M%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16231027%2FRAUNER_091115_04_55944977_999x666.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="RAUNER_091115_04_55944977_999x666.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0c5d1bc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FnU1vMSCQYjyAE44lnL_hjThwm5M%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16231027%2FRAUNER_091115_04_55944977_999x666.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1a25977/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FnU1vMSCQYjyAE44lnL_hjThwm5M%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16231027%2FRAUNER_091115_04_55944977_999x666.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0c5d1bc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FnU1vMSCQYjyAE44lnL_hjThwm5M%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16231027%2FRAUNER_091115_04_55944977_999x666.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday talks about a survey by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that ranked Illinois 48th of 50 states for “lawsuit climate.” | Rich Hein/Sun-Times </p></figcaption></div>
</figure>
<p>Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday said his administration was “pushing as hard as we can” to address an impending human services funding crisis in Illinois, but said ultimately the state needs to be competitive or “we can’t be compassionate.”</p><p>Rauner spoke to reporters after a Thompson Center news conference in which he advocated for lawsuit reform as a way to make the state more friendly to businesses.</p><p>His remarks came a day after his hand-picked comptroller, Leslie Munger, warned that Illinois’ unpaid bill backlog could run up to more than $12 billion if the Legislature and the governor can’t agree on a budget.</p><p>The state has gone without a budget since the new fiscal year started July 1. While Rauner signed off on education money and fought for state workers to receive paychecks, he was asked why he’s remained largely silent as money stopped flowing to agencies serving severely developmentally disabled adults, Early Intervention services for delayed children as well as day care subsidies. Democrats in Springfield on Wednesday blasted Rauner as lacking leadership on the issue while finding money to keep state fairs in Illinois open.</p><p>“We are pushing as hard as we can. It’s a tragedy to have human services run out of money. I have been pushing on this issue relentlessly, I will never give up. I am dedicated to having Illinois have the best, most thoughtful, most supportive social services safety net in America,” Rauner said. “Here’s our challenge: we can’t be compassionate to help the most vulnerable if we’re not competitive. We just won’t get there.”</p><p>Rauner shifted the blame to Democrats who he said have refused to institute his reforms and instead want to discuss revenue options to pay the bills. Rauner pointed to a Democratic supermajority in both chambers, saying if they wanted to pass a tax hike, they should. He made clear that would be Democrats’ decision to own the hike – not his.</p><p>“If you want to refuse any structural reform, then you’ve got to go ahead and do your budget and do your tax hike. You’ve gotta choose but it’s going to be your tax hike. You want me to raise taxes, I’ll do it. But I’ll do it with reforms,” Rauner said. “You’ve proven you can do it without my support – do your unbalanced budget and then raise taxes and budget.”</p><p>However, Democrats last week seemed to prove they won’t walk in lock step, even when the pressure is on. Illinois House Democrats failed to override a Rauner veto of a labor bill, falling three votes shy of the 71 needed.</p><p>One Democrat voted against his party, another voted present and a third, state Rep. Ken Dunkin, D-Chicago, was out of town at the time of the voting on the bill. The measure would have revamped contract negotiations involving public sector unions to allow either side to seek arbitration and ban strikes or lockouts during the arbitration process.</p><p>Rauner fought vigorously against the bill override, saying it would have blocked his influence over contract talks.</p><p>Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has said he is striving for a budget that includes both cuts and new taxes. Democrats have roundly rejected Rauner’s reform package, calling them initiatives to lower wages and diminish the power of unions.</p><p>Rauner denied having a role in Dunkin’s controversial no-show last week in Springfield.</p><p>“I have known Rep. Dunkin for a number of years. We have talked fairly frequently. He and I share a passion around economic empowerment, especially in the black community, and we share a passion around education equality and education choice,” he said. “We worked together on those issues for a long time. We actually see eye to eye on a number of necessary reforms. I did not have any influence [on Dunkin’s absence]. I did not discuss him being out of town or encouraging him to be gone.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2015/9/10/18557610/rauner-illinois-can-t-help-most-vulnerable-if-not-competitiveNatasha Korecki2015-09-09T18:41:55-05:002019-05-11T08:33:03-05:00Dems call on Rauner for 'leadership'; GOP says: Pass his reforms
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-4f0002" name="image-4f0002"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2af2c22/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+55/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FH-0Z30B2tk8DDEzfocdEU_QWyh8%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x684%2F1024x684%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x342%3A513x343%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16241880%2FHEROIN091015_999x667.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/935d0bc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+55/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FH-0Z30B2tk8DDEzfocdEU_QWyh8%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x684%2F1024x684%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x342%3A513x343%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16241880%2FHEROIN091015_999x667.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/796154b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+55/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FH-0Z30B2tk8DDEzfocdEU_QWyh8%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x684%2F1024x684%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x342%3A513x343%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16241880%2FHEROIN091015_999x667.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="HEROIN091015_999x667.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/796154b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+55/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FH-0Z30B2tk8DDEzfocdEU_QWyh8%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x684%2F1024x684%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x342%3A513x343%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16241880%2FHEROIN091015_999x667.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/35c4631/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+55/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FH-0Z30B2tk8DDEzfocdEU_QWyh8%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x684%2F1024x684%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x342%3A513x343%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16241880%2FHEROIN091015_999x667.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/796154b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+55/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FH-0Z30B2tk8DDEzfocdEU_QWyh8%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x684%2F1024x684%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x342%3A513x343%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16241880%2FHEROIN091015_999x667.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>On Wednesday, State Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine (pictured in March 2015), said Gov. Bruce Rauner still stands ready to bring in new revenue — but not without his reforms. | Brian Jackson/For The Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
</figure>
<p>Gov. Bruce Rauner’s leadership came under attack on Wednesday by Senate Democrats who said they felt compelled to pass a piecemeal budget to fund critical state services.</p><p>Senate Republicans hit back, telling Democrats to pass Rauner’s reform package, and the budget stalemate would be settled.</p><p>The argument unfolded as the state Senate debated passing measures that provided critical services but necessitate a funding stream not available as the state is without a budget.</p><p>Earlier in the day, Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger said the state doesn’t have the funds to back up spending that courts are ordering the state to pay up.</p><p>The Senate advanced SB2046, which would pump $1.8 billion to human services like Early Intervention, which has not received payments since July 1. The chamber also voted to override Rauner’s veto of funding for heroin addiction treatment.</p><p>“Governor, I hope you’re listening. It’s time to bring the four caucuses together and sit down and have a discussion about this budget. It’s gone on too long,” state Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, said as applause built in the chamber. “Show some leadership. Bring them down, sit down and let’s work this out.”</p><p>State Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, called the Democrats’ actions “Groundhog Day,” saying they were looking to spend another almost $2 billion the state didn’t have without instituting reforms.</p><p>“The only thing that can explain this action in my mind right now, there’s pressure building in your districts and people want to see that you’re actually doing something,” Murphy said. “Just appropriating money that isn’t there, it isn’t giving comfort to people, it’s leading them down a path because somebody isn’t going to get the money.”</p><p>Murphy said the governor still stood ready to bring in new revenue but not without his reforms.</p><p>Other Democrats said it was hypocritical for the governor to keep state fairs functioning while not covering costs of programs such as Early Intervention.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2015/9/9/18579697/dems-call-on-rauner-for-leadership-gop-says-pass-his-reformsNatasha Korecki2015-09-04T12:18:32-05:002019-05-11T08:40:00-05:00Korecki: What Springfield can learn from Chicago - Chicago
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-4e0002" name="image-4e0002"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4abb520/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9jLzuXZKmEnrbL7qOiFiGZwDiy4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16242348%2FBX142_0E85_9_999x665.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/38eef85/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9jLzuXZKmEnrbL7qOiFiGZwDiy4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16242348%2FBX142_0E85_9_999x665.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/47b9414/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9jLzuXZKmEnrbL7qOiFiGZwDiy4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16242348%2FBX142_0E85_9_999x665.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="BX142_0E85_9_999x665.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/47b9414/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9jLzuXZKmEnrbL7qOiFiGZwDiy4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16242348%2FBX142_0E85_9_999x665.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8954acd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9jLzuXZKmEnrbL7qOiFiGZwDiy4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16242348%2FBX142_0E85_9_999x665.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/47b9414/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9jLzuXZKmEnrbL7qOiFiGZwDiy4%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x682%2F1024x682%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16242348%2FBX142_0E85_9_999x665.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Jesus “Chuy” Garcia campaigning with his wife Evelyn on the Southwest Side in April. | Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times files</p></figcaption></div>
</figure>
<p><a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/markbrowncst" target="_blank" >Follow @natashakorecki</a></p><p>Recall the tale-of-two-cities runoff election that saw a humbled Mayor Rahm Emanuel don a sweater and confess that, yes, he’s prickly, but he can get things done.</p><p>Emanuel repeatedly hit opponent Jesus “Chuy” Garcia as weak on finances: <i>A Mayor Garcia would mean bankruptcy. It would mean huge tax hikes. The city needed a real leader like Emanuel to steer Chicago back on a path to fiscal stability.</i></p><p>So here we are again with a Mayor Emanuel and a probable massive tax hike. The city’s bond ratings are at junk level. Emanuel has relationships with the governor and the powerful speaker of the House but has been unable to leverage either friendship to get what he needs for the city.</p><p>Last week, our City Hall reporter Fran Spielman broke the news that Emanuel was proposing to hit homeowners with the largest property-tax increase in years — $500 million. That’s after Springfield, facing its own issues, refused to bail him out. Post-Emanuel’s reelection, the city and Chicago schools underwent additional bond-rating downgrades. A garbage fee is now on the table.</p><p>You know who’s feeling vindicated right now?</p><p>Chuy Garcia.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item">
<div class="BlockQuote" >
<blockquote><p>ANALYSIS</p></blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/natashakorecki" target="_blank" >Follow @natashakorecki</a></p><p>“They vindicated my positions,” Garcia told the Chicago Sun-Times.</p><p>He pointed out what came after Emanuel’s reelection. The revelation — one week later — that CPS was in the midst of a federal investigation involving the $20.5 million SUPES no-bid contract. Subsequent bond-rating downgrades. Hunger strikes to avoid a Dyett school closing.</p><p>Emanuel shut down controversial tax-increment financing districts that Garcia had railed against in his campaign.</p><p>Garcia said the fact that Emanuel was in the midst of a budget listening tour when his property-tax proposal was leaked is a sign that the mayor is employing the same old tactics even though he promised to change. And to listen.</p><p>Because of all those things, Garcia predicts a tough sell for Emanuel’s budget plan.</p><p>“I think it’s a really difficult decision,” Garcia said. “Some of his allies ran on no-new-tax pledges or are reticent to going down that road. If there had been more dialogue and engagement of Chicagoans in neighborhoods throughout the city, there might be more open-mindedness on the part of city residents.”</p><p>If Emanuel wasn’t straight with voters when he ran for reelection, there’s no question now what Chicago faces: a daunting $30 billion pension crisis and a junk city bond rating, making borrowing more costly. The city needs at least $754 million in new money to balance the 2016 budget and shore up police and fire pensions.</p><p>The city’s dire finances and the tough consequences shouldn’t come as a surprise. But admitting a tax increase is needed in the midst of a campaign is akin to political suicide.</p><p>Just ask Pat Quinn — the <i>former</i> governor.</p><p>Quinn told lawmakers they would have to make a temporary income-tax increase permanent to avoid a fiscal freefall in 2015. The higher income tax was part of Quinn’s proposed budget, which failed.</p><p>Bruce Rauner smacked around Quinn for putting the tax on the table, ridiculing him as “Quinnocchio.” The Democratic-controlled Legislature refused to extend the temporary tax — or come up with a new revenue stream before Rauner took office or after.</p><p>Now, the state is entering its third month with no budget — an impasse that has only underscored Illinois’ revenue problems and put some of the state’s most vulnerable at risk.</p><p>Neither Emanuel nor Springfield politicians has a perfect approach. </p><p>But at some point, elected officials must fall on their swords and risk political suicide to bring the constituents they represent salvation. </p><p><i>Follow Natasha Korecki on Twitter:</i> <a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/natashakorecki" target="_blank" >@natashakorecki</a></p><p> </p><p> <br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2015/9/4/18580970/korecki-what-springfield-can-learn-from-chicagoNatasha Korecki2015-08-31T13:25:09-05:002019-05-11T10:51:09-05:00Attorneys: Illinois could and should have made disability payments
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-ed0002" name="image-ed0002"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e2dd04e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FEbFUbtAwK1dqVosUU-1PABzOSFo%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250191%2FMUNGER_070315_11_54684337.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f3995f3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FEbFUbtAwK1dqVosUU-1PABzOSFo%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250191%2FMUNGER_070315_11_54684337.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cdbeaf1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FEbFUbtAwK1dqVosUU-1PABzOSFo%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250191%2FMUNGER_070315_11_54684337.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="MUNGER_070315_11_54684337.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cdbeaf1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FEbFUbtAwK1dqVosUU-1PABzOSFo%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250191%2FMUNGER_070315_11_54684337.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ad2cf82/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FEbFUbtAwK1dqVosUU-1PABzOSFo%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250191%2FMUNGER_070315_11_54684337.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cdbeaf1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FEbFUbtAwK1dqVosUU-1PABzOSFo%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250191%2FMUNGER_070315_11_54684337.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
</figure>
<p>Attorneys representing 10,000 developmentally disabled adults in Illinois argued in a Monday court filing that Illinois could have — and should have — complied with a court order to pay for services, because it had the money.</p><p>Lawyers called the state’s accounting of its payments “incomplete and inaccurate” and further argued that the state tapped its cash flow to pay bills that weren’t due on a certain date or not required by a court order.</p><p>“Payments the State claims ‘compete’ with the payments ordered by this Court — were not pursuant to court orders, and over 85% of these so-called competing payments were not pursuant to a federal court order,” attorneys with Equip for Equality wrote.</p><p>The latest development comes as U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman threatened to hold the state of Illinois in contempt for failing to comply with her order to pay for services for the severely developmentally disabled.</p><p>Plaintiffs’ attorneys also question the state’s assertion that it didn’t have the available cash to comply with Coleman’s order to make a first round of back payments — about $120 million — owed for clients’ services by Aug. 21.</p><p>“The State’s own documents make it appear that on Friday, August 21, the State had $120 million of unused available resources to make the mandated payments to comply with this Court’s Order and simply failed to do so. If the State has an explanation for this apparent inconsistency, it should provide it to this Court,” the plaintiff’s attorneys said in the filing.</p><p>Attorneys for the disabled adults asked the judge to order the state to regularly disclose how and when it’s making its payments. They say that some facilities had not been paid for services from the last fiscal year.</p><p>“Since the information provided by the State appears to be incomplete and inaccurate, we request this Court to order a mechanism to ensure that complete and accurate information about payments by the State is provided to this Court, the Court Monitor, and Counsel for Plaintiffs and Intervenors so that they can evaluate compliance with the Consent Decree and this Court’s Orders,” plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.</p><p>The filing comes after Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger’s office, which is charged with paying the state’s bills, detailed to Coleman last week which checks the state wrote and to whom during the time her office was to make court-ordered disability payments.</p><p>The two sides are expected in court again Tuesday, when Coleman will decide whether the state deserves to be held in contempt of court.</p><p>Last week, Munger’s office told the Chicago Sun-Times it couldn’t comply with the court order because of a “severe cash shortage.” The next day, the state made a $71 million payment. A spokesman said the office made the payment as soon as cash was available.</p><p>The state last week gave a lengthy accounting of which bills it paid, saying most of the demands stem from other court orders or fiscal mandates. “Payments in this case do not exist in a vacuum. The compete against the state’s other obligations, many of which are also covered by court orders,” Munger’s filing stated. </p><p>Munger released a statement last week saying she has worked to prioritize payments to nonprofits and services affecting the elderly, disabled and children.</p><p>But attorneys for the plaintiffs, who suffer from disabilities so severe many cannot use the toilet, clothe or feed themselves without assistance, say the state was wrong to make payments to schools, payroll and other vendors before complying with the court’s order. Even if Munger is compelled to make some payments by state court order, attorneys argued that the federal order takes precedence.</p><p>Coleman’s order is just one example of how Illinois is paying its bills — by court mandate — since Illinois lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner were unable to reach a budget agreement.</p><p>Rauner vetoed a Democrat-authored financial plan in June, saying it was out of balance by about $4 billion. The new fiscal year came and went on July 1 without a new plan in place. Both sides say they’re willing to negotiate, but they remain deadlocked. Rauner wants a series of changes to benefit businesses and weaken unions in Illinois. Democrats oppose the proposals and say they shouldn’t be attached to a budget.</p><p>A recent analysis by Senate Democrats indicates that because of various contracts, decrees and court orders compelling spending, the state had already committed 90 percent of its revenues and was on pace to be $5 billion in the hole.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2015/8/31/18605735/attorneys-illinois-could-and-should-have-made-disability-paymentsNatasha Korecki2015-08-31T11:58:46-05:002019-05-11T10:51:37-05:00Moody's: Reinstating Illinois income tax hike not enough
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-2f0002" name="image-2f0002"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/993b843/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FU3YP6XfOmUKOBgw6XBmD9QpTx6Q%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250218%2FRAUNER_081815_01_55474355.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e73b55d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FU3YP6XfOmUKOBgw6XBmD9QpTx6Q%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250218%2FRAUNER_081815_01_55474355.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/882dff1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FU3YP6XfOmUKOBgw6XBmD9QpTx6Q%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250218%2FRAUNER_081815_01_55474355.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="RAUNER_081815_01_55474355.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/882dff1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FU3YP6XfOmUKOBgw6XBmD9QpTx6Q%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250218%2FRAUNER_081815_01_55474355.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/41289ae/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FU3YP6XfOmUKOBgw6XBmD9QpTx6Q%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250218%2FRAUNER_081815_01_55474355.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/882dff1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x281+0+26/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FU3YP6XfOmUKOBgw6XBmD9QpTx6Q%3D%2F0x0%3A500x333%2F500x333%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28250x166%3A251x167%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16250218%2FRAUNER_081815_01_55474355.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Gov. Bruce Rauner talked to reporters Monday, Aug. 17, 2015 about a property tax freeze and school funding reform bill he is proposing. | Rich Hein/Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
</figure>
<p>With Illinois facing financial duress on several fronts, Moody’s Investors Service on Monday suggested that even if officials reinstate an income tax increase that was allowed to sunset in January it won’t be enough to plug a $5 billion budget hole.</p><p>An income tax increase alone would only bring in about $2.4 billion; not enough to sufficiently address an anticipated $5 billion deficit, a report by the major ratings agency stated.</p><p>A report by Moody’s stressed that passing a budget was not Illinois’ biggest problem. The larger issue was creating a revenue stream and finding a way to tackle pension debt — a mammoth problem that has taken a backseat to the state’s budget impasse.</p><p>The report stated that in addition to increasing individual income tax rates to 4.75 percent from 3.75 percent and corporate rates to 6.75 percent from 5.25 percent, Illinois would still have to cut $1.7 billion in spending and find even more new revenue for the remaining $500 million.</p><p>“We’re looking at a narrowing window of opportunity for the state to implement the budgetary action to achieve balance,” said Ted Hampton, a Moody’s analyst in charge of Illinois.</p><p>“The state has gotten bogged down in trying to figure out fiscal (year) 16 and, as a consequence, that has distracted legislators and the governor’s staff presumably, to some degree, to finding solutions to the funding crisis.”</p><p>The report acknowledges the suggested cuts, while half of what Gov. Bruce Rauner laid out in his February budget proposal, are particularly politically unpalatable because the reductions would need to come in greater monthly increments, rather than spread out over the year.</p><p>Rauner, a Republican, strenuously campaigned against the income tax increase, first approved under Gov. Pat Quinn. He urged Democrats not to extend the temporary tax hike and Democrats, despite having a supermajority, allowed it to expire in January.</p><p>Illinois has the worst-funded pension system in the nation. The liability is eating up about 24 percent of the state’s budget, Moody’s said. Couple that with the expiration of an income tax increase earlier this year, and Illinois may soon spiral into the deep red. Supreme Court rulings have solidified protections of retiree pension payments and health care benefits, the report said.</p><p>“Continued political gridlock and the inability to reach an agreement by late September, the end of the state’s fiscal first quarter, will greatly increase the likelihood of the deficit moving from projected to actual,” the report states.</p><p>Rauner and the Democratic-controlled Legislature remain at loggerheads over a budget, which the governor has conditioned on the passage of his turnaround agenda. Democrats have rejected the agenda, saying much of it goes against their core party principles.</p><p>Rauner vetoed a budget sent to him by Democrats, saying it was out of balance. While powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has said he supports a balance of cuts and new revenue, Rauner remains steadfast against agreeing to new taxes unless he gets items on his agenda passed.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2015/8/31/18605802/moody-s-reinstating-illinois-income-tax-hike-not-enoughNatasha Korecki2015-08-28T15:20:02-05:002019-05-11T09:04:23-05:00State says it's fielding 5,000 calls a week from creditors - Chicago
<p>Illinois faces a bill backlog and cash shortage so severe, the state comptroller’s office juggles 5,000 calls a week from vendors asking for their money.</p><p>The competing demands for a piece of the state’s financial pie as it muddles through a budget crisis have kept the comptroller’s office from complying with a court order to pay for services for developmentally disabled adults on time, lawyers for the state told a federal judge Friday.</p><p>Those problems are tied to the fact that the state has operated without a budget for nearly two months but is compelled to pay out about $2 billion each month to comply with court orders or other mandated expenses, a filing in federal court stated.</p><p>The office last week made some $786 million in payments in other areas — including $188 million toward K-12 schools — as well as to pay off debt, state payroll, child care, foster care and Medicaid.</p><p>“Payments in this case do not exist in a vacuum. They compete against the state’s other obligations, many of which are also covered by court orders,” the filing indicates. “The state is operating at a deficit of a minimum of $300 million per month to make payments necessary to cover all of the state’s priority obligations.”</p><p>U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman ordered the state to explain which bills it paid before it paid social services agencies the money due to them.</p><p>Coleman’s order followed a failure by the state to pay by the Aug. 21 deadline the judge had set. She stopped short of finding the state in contempt of court, but demanded it providing an accounting of its bill paying Friday.</p><p>Advocacy groups went to court arguing the state’s failure to make payments to agencies providing services to those with disabilities put providers at risk of closure.</p><p>Closure could displace thousands of people with profound developmental disabilities.</p><p>The comptroller’s office cut a $71 million check on Tuesday to pay social service agencies. On Monday, the Sun-Times reported the state had not paid some $120 million it has owed, in violation of a court order.</p><p>In a filing Friday, the state said the comptroller’s office receives 5,000 phone calls a week from vendors asking for payment. Illinois must still pay $650 million in back payments from FY15.</p><p>“Because of the state’s cash-flow problems, the comptroller must evaluate on a daily basis the amount of cash on hand and determine which payments may be made,” the filing stated. “While the state will continue to diligently process payments to providers under the <i>Ligas </i>consent decree, it is not possible for the state to commit to making each of many specific payments on specific days.”</p><p>Attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the case said they will file a response with the court on Monday.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2015/8/28/18585939/state-says-it-s-fielding-5-000-calls-a-week-from-creditorsNatasha Korecki2015-08-28T15:10:53-05:002019-05-11T11:34:16-05:00Bruce Rauner vs. labor showdown coming in Springfield
<figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-170002" name="image-170002"></a>
<picture data-crop="medium">
<source type="image/webp" width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a80cfa4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+96/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9QXypFOBa4upy8NJksjt31Q32HM%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x766%2F1024x766%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x383%3A513x384%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16252566%2FAX131_7C9F_9_999x747.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8da9a94/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+96/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9QXypFOBa4upy8NJksjt31Q32HM%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x766%2F1024x766%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x383%3A513x384%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16252566%2FAX131_7C9F_9_999x747.jpg 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<source width="490"
height="275"
data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/51b4a0c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+96/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9QXypFOBa4upy8NJksjt31Q32HM%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x766%2F1024x766%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x383%3A513x384%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16252566%2FAX131_7C9F_9_999x747.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
/>
<img class="Image" alt="AX131_7C9F_9_999x747.jpg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/51b4a0c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+96/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9QXypFOBa4upy8NJksjt31Q32HM%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x766%2F1024x766%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x383%3A513x384%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16252566%2FAX131_7C9F_9_999x747.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/036c307/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+96/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9QXypFOBa4upy8NJksjt31Q32HM%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x766%2F1024x766%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x383%3A513x384%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16252566%2FAX131_7C9F_9_999x747.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/51b4a0c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+96/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F9QXypFOBa4upy8NJksjt31Q32HM%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x766%2F1024x766%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x383%3A513x384%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16252566%2FAX131_7C9F_9_999x747.jpg" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4="
>
</picture>
<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Gov. Bruce Rauner has a showdown looming over labor power. AP file photo</p></figcaption></div>
</figure>
<p><a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/markbrowncst" target="_blank" >Follow @natashakorecki</a></p><p>A colossal battle is looming in Springfield this week.</p><p>It’s not over the budget, raising taxes, giving money to disabled adults or bailing out Chicago Public Schools.</p><p>No, this is pure Illinois labor vs. Gov. Bruce Rauner.</p><p>It distills a year’s worth of acrimony between the bitter rivals into one vote in the Illinois House, expected to come Wednesday.</p><p>At issue is whether House Democrats follow the Senate’s lead and override a Rauner veto of legislation that strips some of the governor’s negotiating powers in public sector union contracts. They’ll need a three-fifths majority to do that.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
<div class="Enhancement-item">
<div class="BlockQuote" >
<blockquote><p>ANALYSIS</p></blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/natashakorecki" target="_blank" >Follow @natashakorecki</a></p><p>The legislation, Senate Bill 1229, would prohibit unions like AFSCME from going on strike or from being locked out.</p><p>Instead, it would put negotiating power into the hands of a middleman through arbitration. According to the bill, if parties face an impasse, they’d first go to a mediator. If unable to reach an agreement after 30 days — plus extensions both sides can agree upon — either side could request an arbitrator.</p><p>An arbitrator would have the authority to pick one side’s proposal or the other side’s proposal.</p><p>The thinking behind a winner-takes-all approach: The threat of getting nothing is so great that both sides are forced to move closer to the middle to ensure they get at least some of what they want.</p><p>While contracts for public safety responders are written this way, Rauner vetoed the bill in late July, calling it the worst piece of legislation he had ever seen.</p><p>Since then, his office has put incredible effort — both publicly and privately — into killing a veto override. His administration has successfully lobbied editorial boards across the state for their support.</p><p>The governor’s office also has lobbied lawmakers, trying to persuade House Democrats to vote against Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago, who said he believes he can secure an override. The Illinois Republican Party has circulated petitions against an override. Robocalls have targeted various legislative districts.</p><p>After the Senate advanced an override last week, Rauner’s office released a scathing statement.</p><p>“Every senator who voted to overturn our veto chose special interests over the taxpayers,” it said. “They made it abundantly clear that they’d rather raise taxes than stand up to the politically powerful. It is now up to House members to take the responsible, pro-taxpayer position and uphold our veto.”</p><p>The state’s labor unions, meanwhile, have put a huge effort behind advancing the bill. Teachers, registered nurses, the AFL-CIO and others have all hands on deck.</p><p>Unions say they have reason to fear Rauner — who has called AFSCME “AFSCAMMY” and has crusaded the past nine months to curb union power and wages in Illinois. Rauner has repeatedly conditioned budget negotiations on legislation containing provisions that would strip unions’ collective-bargaining abilities.</p><p>“In a possible signal that the governor’s office is preparing to provoke a work stoppage, the Rauner administration has reportedly solicited retirees to serve as strike breakers and considered mobilizing the National Guard,” a coalition of unions said after the Senate veto override.</p><p>AFSCME is the state’s largest public-sector union, representing 38,000 employees.</p><p>In a memo to its members, it said Rauner wanted to freeze wages, step raises, cut holiday and vacation, change overtime calculations, move workers to a less attractive pension system and make costly changes to employee and retiree health insurance plans.</p><p>Rauner says AFSCME has asked for 11.5 percent pay increase over a four-year contract, which would cost the state an estimated $1.6 billion in salary and pension.</p><p>The legislation affects collective-bargaining agreements ending by June 30, 2019.</p><p>That’s after Rauner’s first term expires as governor.</p><p>“That’s just offensive,” says House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs. “What’s at stake is the executive power of the governor to negotiate with a labor union on behalf of the taxpayers. This would be a first, and it’s not a good first.”</p><p>State Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, will be among the “yes” votes. Harris points to a recent Senate analysis of past arbitration agreements, which showed that they’re evenly split in favor of and opposed to labor.</p><p>“I think impartial arbitration does make sense,” Harris says. “I don’t think having a strike or a lockout — and completely make a worse mess of what it already a mess — is good for our citizens.”</p><p>Durkin says even that analysis wasn’t enough.</p><p>“I’m not willing to roll the dice on $2 billion of additional spending from the state of Illinois when we don’t even have a budget,” he says.<b> “</b>Let the governor do his job. Let him negotiate.”</p><p><i>Follow Natasha Korecki on Twitter:</i> <a class="Link" href="https://twitter.com/natashakorecki" target="_blank" >@natashakorecki</a></p><p> <br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2015/8/28/18613128/korecki-illinois-faces-big-battle-over-labor-vs-executive-powerNatasha Korecki