A Legislative Perspective on Reform in Illinois

Much has been said about the reform process in Illinois recently. Here are my thoughts on the topic, please feel free to weigh in. As always, I thank you for your interest!




As a senator in the Illinois General Assembly, a long-time fighter and advocate for reform and transparency, and a member of the Joint Committee for Reform, I believe it is appropriate to provide a legislative perspective to the current reform debate, as outlined by the Illinois Reform Commission, chaired by Patrick Collins.

First, let me say Patrick Collins (former Assistant U.S. Attorney and a prosecutor who made the case to convict Governor George Ryan) is right to press for the solid changes his Commission has recommended on how we “do business” in Illinois. The recommendations describe an appropriate agenda for beginning reform. As a reminder, with the help and guidance of the Reform Commission, legislation was passed to clamp down on state contracting; heighten transparency and provide more accessibility on the inner-workings of government (FOIA); and ensure that the public be informed when state employees are involved in misconduct.

Additional and even more critical changes must be considered as well. As an example, we must certainly dig deep into the process of appointments by governors to influential boards and commissions throughout the state. The flaws in this process have been made obvious in the course of indicting Governors Ryan and Blagojevich. We have yet to address fixing the system that allowed the Tony Rezko’s, Stuart Levine’s and William Cellini’s to manage and maintain their control and power throughout the terms of both Republican and Democratic administrations for decades. We must fix the process to prevent the continuation of abuses stemming from unchecked insiders who manage to stay in power and even maintain a seat at the table for decisions on awarding contracts, doling out kickbacks, and recommending patronage positions. Throughout the last several years, regardless of the party in power, they somehow continued to thrive.

So, although we are making a start and have much yet to address, most attention has been focused on reforming state campaign finance. I agree with the Reform Commission’s directive to put the brakes on the ability for elected officials to rake in unlimited dollars to fund their campaigns. In fact, no one disagrees.

The campaign finance bill that passed both chambers imposed contribution limits of $5,000 instead of the $2,400 as requested by the Reform Commission. It also didn’t go as far as the Commission recommended regarding restrictions on how funds can be distributed to campaigns. The passed bill represents a compromise; it is clearly an improvement. No one is saying we are finished. It’s a start. I will continue to work on this effort. In fact, the Senate has filed SB 2458, which designates a task force to continue to address and work on this issue. The passed bill does not go into effect until 2010 – we certainly have time to make more improvements. And we will.

I am committed to continue our quest for changing a system that begs for more accountability and transparency. But let’s not lose sight of the goal: while our reform process has been characterized as a sprint to the finish, the way to accomplish real sustainable reform is to work together long enough to make sure we win the right race. It will take some more time to achieve the goal. It might also include some careful analysis and even some compromise. It will certainly take more than a few weeks. Legislators and reform groups need to work with, not against one another to hammer out necessary solutions. Let’s all keep in mind that although commissions can make recommendations, we all have to work together to pass these recommendations into law.

It is important that we continue to keep the doors open in order achieve the long-term results our citizens deserve. Progress can’t end on May 31, 2009, but instead must continue for many more months. As Mr. Collins pointed out, this may be a cultural change – it will take some time.

Considering Congress

Just a "heads-up" on an Pioneer Press article that will be appearing in local newspapers. I'd love to know your thoughts and get your input as I weigh this very important decision.


Garrett mulls run for Kirk's seat

April 13, 2009
By JOHN ROSZKOWSKI

State Sen. Susan Garrett said she is seriously considering a bid for 10th Congressional District seat in 2010 should U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk decide to run for U.S. Senate or governor.

Garrett, D-29th, of Lake Forest said she has been contacted by national Democratic Party officials in Washington to consider the 10th District post if it becomes an open seat.

Garrett said she's torn over the decision at this point but is weighing a bid.

"I'm giving it serious consideration, but it's been difficult for me because I love my job as a state senator," she said. "Yet, I understand the opportunity to provide representation to my constituents at the federal level."

Garrett said she plans to make a decision as soon as possible, perhaps in early May. She may take a trip to Washington, D.C. so that she better understands the job requirements of serving in Congress.

"I'd rather make the decision sooner rather than later," said Garrett. "It's a very exciting opportunity, but it requires very careful consideration and thought."

Garrett said she thinks defeating Kirk, a fifth-term Republican congressman from Highland Park, would likely be an uphill battle so Kirk's decision on whether to seek higher office would be a factor in her decision.

"I'm looking at it now because Congressman Kirk is seriously looking at running for U.S. Senate or governor of Illinois," she said. "If it were to be an open seat, it would be much more attractive to run for that office."

Speculation has swirled in recent weeks that Kirk may run as a Republican candidate for governor or for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Roland Burrus, but so far he has made no formal announcement. Kirk could not be reached for comment prior to Pioneer Press' Monday deadline.

Garrett said other factors would play into her decision.

"There are a lot of things to consider that are weighing on my mind," she said. "I am happy where I am in the state senate. I would have to make sure my family would be supportive of any major campaign I'd be involved in ... If I do run, I would work to reach out to every constituent in the 10th Congressional District to let them know that I believe this position is extremely important and I would give it my all."

Garrett said she would also likely face other candidates in the Democratic primary, including possibly Dan Seals, who ran unsuccessfully against Kirk in 2006 and 2008.

"I expect Dan Seals will be strongly considering this as well," she said.

Lauren Beth Gash, chairwoman of the Tenth Congressional District Democrats, said Garrett would certainly be a strong contender for the 10th District seat should she choose to run.

"Susan is a tremendous candidate who is very popular with the voters," she said.

Impeached!

CLTV

January 29, 2009

Dear Friends,

As you may know I voted this afternoon along with 58 of my colleagues to remove the Governor from office.

I understand if you feel frustrated, distrustful, and disillusioned with your state government. But I want to say that I believe that the worst is behind us. Our new Governor, Pat Quinn, truly is the best person at this juncture to lead our state during such a difficult time. He will not only be refreshing, but he will help Illinois regain its reputation that has been severely tarnished in recent years.

For all of you who have lent me your words of confidence and advice, I want you to know that it did make a difference. Below is a summary of my comments from the Blagojevich impeachment. And as always, feel free to keep in touch!




Based on the evidence I heard and read, I believe that the Governor wanted to have it both ways-when it comes to innocence and guilt-both in his position as Governor over the last six years, and as an impeached Governor as he delivered his final speech to the Senate today in Springfield

On one hand he proclaims and defines his innocence by association to popular populist issues such as providing low-cost prescription drugs, flu vaccines and health care to uninsured families in Illinois. He looks at himself as a savior to the poor and needy.

On the other hand, he denies his guilt by association to lobbyists and others who were willing to participate in the pay to play games, explaining that he did nothing to break the law.

In my mind, I believe that as he continued his mission to resolve problems for those that are powerless, he clearly lost his way. He became obsessed with assuming more and more power and monetary rewards for himself and his future aspirations. In the end, his quest for power, his quest for financial returns for simply doing his job, overrode his commitment to honesty and realistically helping the poor and powerless.

In the end, his personal desire for power and influence left him powerless, and left us with the responsibility to resurrect the office of Governor in the State of Illinois.

The Governor must go!

Since the news on Governor Blagojevich broke Monday, my office has been inundated with phone calls, emails and faxes requesting the Governor's impeachment and furthermore, that he be stripped of all authority to appoint anyone to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-Elect Barack Obama.

I am in agreement with these requests, and am working to find a realistic solution, leading to both an impeachment and a way to ensure the appointment process is transparent, ethical and cost-effective. I do worry about a special election - based on two problems: First, The Governor can delay the signing of the bill for sixty days, which would in effect prevent the paperwork and the filing of petitions to be completed before the February Primary date. And second, the cost to administer such an election will be about $50 million, an amount which the state does not have in reserve at this time. I have recommended establishing a special nominating panel that would be comprised of non-legislators, and of citizens across the state of the highest reputation and ethical standards. This panel would develop criteria, interview candidates and eventually make the appointment. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn could be chairman of this panel, as an example.

Either way, I am for moving Illinois out of this quagmire and into a new era, away from political arrogance and corruption.

As many of you know, I have stood up against the Governor and many of his political cronies for years, and most recently pushed back on legislators receiving a 14% pay increase. This was not a popular move with many of my colleagues, but as I said then, and will continue to say today, "We are public servants, working FOR the citizens of the state. Our responsibility is to work on behalf of Illinois taxpayers, and we should never lose sight of that ideal."

An article appeared in the Chicago Tribune on March 2, 2008, "Trial knocks on governor's door." I want to share my quote, just over nine months ago:

"The governor came here riding a white horse as our new ethics czar - but he definitely does not deserve a pass (on the alleged corruption). But I think it is really more important that we as legislators and leaders look into why this continues to happen over and over again."

As always, I appreciate your thoughts and comments.

One week to go!

With just seven days to go I wanted to share with you this ad that has appeared in our local papers. Your support is very much appreciated!


P.S. Please click the ad image to make larger.

Water-quality hearing

I think we can all agree that clean water is our most precious resource. Because of recent water testing that has indicated trace amounts of pharmaceuticals appearing in our drinking water, I've decided to hold a hearing on this issue. At this point the United States EPA has not deemed these results harmful; currently our water is safe to drink. Our goal is to find a way to safely and easily dispose of unused medications, rather than have them flushed down toilets or thrown into the garbage, and to ensure that the amounts of medications found in water decreases rather that increases. We will be working closely with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and are optimistic that we will find a simple long-term solution. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts and ideas.




Water-quality hearing Tuesday

State Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest, will conduct a hearing on water quality and the level of pharmaceuticals in drinking water Tuesday in Chicago.

The hearing, before the Illinois Senate Committee on Public Health, which Garrett chairs, will be held at 10 a.m. in the James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph St., Chicago.

Public health officials, drug company representatives and environmental representatives are expected to attend the hearing.

Garrett said she expects the hearing to draw attention to water quality and to address potential legislative action on the issue.

"We expect to receive testimony from the pharmaceutical industry, as well as counties throughout Illinois who have successfully offered programs to safely discard medications," she said. "Our goal is to eliminate pharmaceuticals from our water supply."

Some seeking new school funding opportunities

Education funding has been a major issue in Illinois for decades. While there have been attempts to find a more fair funding mechanism, legislatures over the years have always come up empty handed. I believe, because of grass-roots activists, for the first time we will address this issue for a long-term, permanent solution. As always I appreciate your thoughts, ideas and comments.




Suburban leaders still seeking viable funding change

Is there a better way to fund public schools in Illinois? Suburban leaders say yes, even though they haven't seen a workable solution so far.

State Sen. James Meeks, a Chicago Democrat, brought nearly 2,000 Chicago students to the North suburbs Tuesday to protest what he believes is an unfair school-funding system in Illinois, one that favors rich areas over poor ones.

Suburban educators understand Meeks' frustration. But they're not willing to let local districts get hurt in the quest for a solution.

"When people raise questions about the equity of school funding - these are real issues that should be discussed," said Tom Leonard, superintendent of Barrington Area Unit District 220. "But when you're talking about solutions, the concepts we've seen so far tend to fall apart when you look at the nitty-gritty details."

Some have suggested, for example, that local property tax revenue be supplemented with revenue from a statewide tax, like an income or sales tax. Now, Illinois schools derive the bulk of their money from property taxes, which gives property-rich areas an advantage.

Suburban educators, though, say such a "tax swap" would force them to cede some of their resources and control to the state, something they vehemently oppose.

"There's a belief out here that such a plan wouldn't leave suburban districts with enough resources," Leonard said.

State Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, said lawmakers should consider taking a regional approach to the issue, establishing slightly different funding mechanisms for the city, the suburbs and downstate districts.

"That way, each region can raise money in a way that works best," Garrett said. "In the suburbs, we'd retain control of our own system. The money that we pay in taxes would continue to go to our own schools."

For his part, Meeks has proposed a $120 million program that would establish four school clusters in the state and study how they perform in a variety of areas, data that could be used to overhaul the state's funding system down the road.

Robert LeFevre, school board president in Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211, agrees that new funding systems should be discussed, but he said that money isn't the only factor that determines the quality of education in a particular area.

"The family, for instance, is also important," he said. "As to how you address that issue statewide, I'm not sure. But the entire discussion shouldn't just focus on money."

A lower drinking age?

Many of you may have read recently that colleges and universities across the country are asking individual states to review the drinking age. They argue that the drinking age should be moved from 21 to 18. This is a provocative debate, as well as a very important issue in our communities. Below is an article from the Pioneer Press focusing on this idea. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts and opinions.




Lake Forest College's president is among more than 100 college presidents and chancellors nationwide who signed an initiative to open discussion on lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18.

College presidents signed on with Amethyst Initiative to start public discussion on how well the 21-year-old drinking policy is working. The three-person staff of the Virginia-based Amethyst Initiative have fielded calls, e-mails and interview requests from small-town newspapers to Time Magazine to the London BBC since the story was leaked to the press one month ahead of schedule, according to Grace Kronenberg of the Amethyst Initiative.

"This is the best evidence we have of the need for discussion. People have sat up and taken notice," she said.

Locally, Lake Forest College President Stephen Schutt said in a written statement that he joined with Amethyst Initiative to "help start a conversation about the way the laws surrounding drinking in our country could work more effectively," he said. "I have not decided that lowering the drinking age is the right course of action for our society to take, but I do believe that it should be given full and serious consideration, and this is what a genuine national conversation could produce."

State Sen. Susan Garrett said she, too, thinks a debate on the topic is a good idea, but admitted she has "mixed feelings about" lowering the drinking age.

"I fought so hard to be sure parents have so much more responsibility to prevent underage drinking," Garrett said last week.

Amethyst Initiative and college presidents argue that the higher drinking age promotes binge drinking on college campuses, which college's might be better able to handle if the drinking age were lowered to 18.

"Lowering the drinking age to 18 could make it possible for colleges and universities to model responsible drinking behavior on campus," Schutt said in his statement.

Garrett is not convinced.

"Would that eliminate binge drinking? I don't know. I'm not an expert. We need to bring experts together to have that discussion. I say, let's open it up, let's discuss it, let's weigh the pros and cons," Garrett said.

Lake Forest Police Chief Joe Buerger has no qualms about stating his opinion on lowering the drinking age.

"As a law enforcement executive, I don't support the lowering of the drinking age," Buerger said. "Statistics show there were fewer accidents and fewer young adults killed after the drinking age was raised."

The International Association of Chiefs of Police said in a statement issued Friday that raising the drinking age to 21 has saved more than 25,000 lives since 1984, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics.

"Lowering the minimum drinking age to 18 is both misguided and dangerous," IACP President Ronald Ruecker said in the statement. "Lowering the national drinking age would inevitably lead to more tragedies for more families."

According to the IACP, research shows young drivers (age 16 to 21) comprise 7 percent of all drivers in the U.S., yet they are involved in 15 percent of all alcohol-related fatalities -- a trend they believe would increase if the drinking age were lowered.

Jared Fox, a senior at Lake Forest College, thinks it is unfair that he can "sign up to die in a war" at the age of 18 but "cannot have a beer with my friends."

He supports the Amethyst Initiative to open discussion on lowering the drinking age.

"Reducing the drinking age to 18 or another lower number would decrease the current drinking atmosphere. Currently, students are binge drinking in high levels," he said. Fox said minors are more likely to binge drink because alcohol consumption is illegal for them.

"Minors will obtain alcohol and try to drink as much of it as they possibly can in a small time" because they don't know when they will have the opportunity to drink again, he said. "If the age was lowered, colleges would be able to talk about the issue with students who are currently identified as minors and to instill good drinking habits in them.

"Right now, you can't tell these individuals how to drink because they aren't supposed to be drinking anyway. The fact is, though, most of them have formed drinking habits much earlier than college."

My e-waste legislation makes USA Today!

As many of you know, I have been working for two years to ensure that the residents of Illinois have an environmentally-acceptable program in which to dispose of cell phones, T.V.s, printers, computers and other electronic devices. The Bill (SB 2313) has passed both chambers and is awaiting the Governor's signature. I'm pleased and proud that USA Today has featured this legislation and its importance across the country. Please feel free to comment or provide your input!





States: Keep old TVs out of landfills
A survey conducted this year by the Consumer Electronics Association indicates only 12% of households with analog TVs say they will buy a new digital TV. About 48% of respondents said they plan to buy a converter box.

As the switch to digital TV nears, concern about old TVs piling up in landfills has prompted state and local governments to develop recycling programs.

New York City and 11 states have passed laws, including four this year, to set up television recycling programs paid for by manufacturers, according to the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, an alliance of non-profit groups that promote responsible recycling. And California has a law that requires people to pay for TV recycling.

On Feb. 17, TV broadcasts will switch from analog signals to digital. The switch, mandated by Congress in 2005, will be the biggest change in TV technology since the leap from black-and-white to color a half-century ago.

To avoid a blank screen, households with analog TVs will need to do one of three things: Subscribe to cable or satellite service, get a converter box or buy a digital TV. About 70 million TVs nationwide could be affected because they rely on antennas to receive free over-the-air signals.

In Illinois, the TV switch helped win support this year for a bill that requires manufacturers to pay for the recycling of TVs and computers, said the bill's sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Susan Garrett. It passed the Legislature last month, and Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected to sign it, spokesman Lucio Guerrero said.

We Did It!

State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) and Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) (right) leave a meeting before the Senate voted down a measure to boost lawmakers' pay by 7.5 percent.


Thank you for all your help and your support. I am proud to say that the pay raise has been rejected, finally, by my colleagues in the Senate. I appreciated all of your emails and phone calls and in the end, it "paid off"! Below is the complete article from The Chicago Tribune on the vote.




State Senate votes against pay raises
President Emil Jones, who had said, 'I need a raise,' votes 'present' with 2 others

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Senate rejected a 7.5 percent pay increase Tuesday in the face of withering criticism from voters who feared lawmakers would sneak the raises through after they were safely re-elected in November.

But don't cry too hard for state lawmakers—they just got a 3.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment July 1. The mere possibility that they could so quickly raise their own pay again served as a focal point for citizen outrage.

Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) had angled for more money this spring, unabashedly declaring: "I need a pay raise. I need a pay raise." But with lawmakers unexpectedly in town this week, Jones changed his mind and allowed the vote.

After a resounding round of denunciations, senators voted 47-0 to kill the proposal. The House already had rejected the raises. Had the Senate not done the same thing, the new 7.5 percent salary increase would have taken effect automatically by next summer.

Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest), who spearheaded the push to block the raises, said accepting them would send the wrong message to taxpayers when the reeling economy has left "people hurting and losing their jobs."

The opposition also extended to Republicans.

"It is truly not the time for us to have our hands out," Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) said. "I personally think the state government is in shambles. Nothing's getting done."

A few months ago, Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago) used his role as Senate Rules Committee chairman to prevent a vote on the pay raises. But Hendon offered a different message Tuesday, saying it is not the "right time" for a salary boost.

Lawmakers should not get pay increases when they have failed to approve school funding reforms or pass a statewide construction program, Hendon said, citing the reasons Gov. Rod Blagojevich called them into special session.

Three Chicago Democrats—Jones and Sens. Kwame Raoul and Donne Trotter—voted "present," the political equivalent of taking a pass.

Jones had left open the option that senators would wait until after the Nov. 4 election to vote on the pay hikes. That's what they did two years ago. This year, pay raise opponents pressed him for a vote.

Yet Jones emphatically dismissed the notion that senators had caved to public pressure.

"Let's stop playing games with this issue," said Jones, who lashed out at outspoken pay raise critics like Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn for "hypocrisy, game-playing, grandstanding."

So for now, rank-and-file lawmakers will make $67,833 a year for what's billed as a part-time job and legislative leaders will pull in close to $100,000.

Blagojevich summoned lawmakers to the Capitol specifically to debate education funding. But without any legislation to consider, the House adjourned after 21 minutes and the Senate mostly met privately.

Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) called it "appalling" and "disappointing" that Blagojevich failed to present an education reform plan Tuesday. The senator, pastor of a large South Side church, has called for a boycott by Chicago Public Schools students on Sept. 2—their first day of school—saying they should try to enroll in the wealthy north suburban New Trier Township High School District. The governor instead headed in late afternoon to the Illinois State Fair cattle barns for the annual grand champion auction—a decision that angered lawmakers.

"He did not call a special session to deal with cows," Meeks said. "He called a special session to deal with kids."

Blagojevich defended his school-funding efforts.

"It was time for them to put up or shut up," Blagojevich said. "And, unfortunately, they talked a big game but didn't put their money where their mouths are."

New law OKs GPS to enforce protection orders

The Governor signed an important piece of legislation into law on Monday that will further protect citizens from people violating restraining orders with the help of GPS devices. I think this is an important step forward after the terrible tragedy revolving around Cindy Bischof. I sponsored this legislation (Senate Bill 2719) and worked very closely with the Bischof family to ensure that we addressed all aspects of potential tragedies as they relate to domestic violence. As you can see, (check left side of above photo) I attended the bill signing ceremony in Chicago yesterday. The full article from the Sun-Times is posted below.




The Cindy Bischof Law | Woman killed after judge had no authority for device

Harassed by an ex-boyfriend who constantly violated court orders of protection, Cindy Bischof once asked a judge to make her stalker wear a GPS device that could warn authorities if he approached her home or job.

The judge said he didn't have the authority to do so, and on March 7th of this year, Bischof was shot to death in a parking lot outside her place of work in Elmhurst. Her assailant then killed himself.

On Monday, 150 days later, Gov. Blagojevich signed the Cindy Bischof law, which gives judges the power to impose GPS monitoring on anyone violating an order of protection.

The devices will automatically notify a monitoring service if the wearer violates "geographic exclusion zones" such as homes or workplaces, as determined by the court.

Monitors, in turn, will notify local law enforcement and send warnings via text or cell phone to potential victims.

"She was gunned down at work," said Bischof's brother Michael, whose family had worked to get the law passed. And though Bischof said nobody can be sure if this new system would have prevented his sister's death, "She would have been notified in advance and known he was in the area."

The new law could also give victims of domestic violence peace of mind, according to Bischof, who added that before his sister was killed she was terrorized for nine months and had to move several times.

"From this day forward, victims of stalking and harassment will gain back some of their personal freedom by finally placing the burden of movement on the offender rather than the victims themselves," Bischof said.

Blagojevich, who signed the bill in a ceremony at the Jane Addams Hull House Uptown Center, also dropped hints that he will soon be making extensive use of his amendatory veto power.

Problem gamblers need more help, lawmakers say

As Illinois considers awarding its 10th casino license, I believe that casinos must cover the cost of dealing with gaming and gambling addictions as a result of the presence of local casinos. Other states have appropriated much more funding to this issue than Illinois has. The Daily Herald has been investigating this issue, below is the most recent in a series of articles. Additional articles from the week are linked below the printed story. As always, I'd be interested in your views on this matter.




Several suburban lawmakers are hoping to expand treatment options for gambling addicts and study the impact of casinos after a Daily Herald analysis of the state's gambling industry.

"This is really sad," said state Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, regarding what the three-day series revealed.

Among the findings:

• Casinos are rolling out tighter slot machines to keep revenue up in the face of declining foot traffic, ensuring continued profits and higher tax revenue to the state.

• Illinois lags far behind other Midwestern states in providing treatment options for gambling addicts.

• Lawmakers have not spent any money to study the impact of legalized gambling since introducing the lottery or casinos, though they continued to push for even more expansion.

• A disproportional amount of gambling addicts who ban themselves from casinos live in cities with casinos, suggesting a local pattern of problem gambling.

Lawmakers from across the suburbs, and across the aisle, reacted to the series by saying the state should do more to keep an eye on the casino industry and provide help for gambling addicts.

"It is shameful," said state Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Hinsdale Republican. "If we are raking in billions of dollars in revenue from compulsive gambling, we need to take care of those people who need our help."

State Rep. Ruth Munson, an Elgin Republican, said she has requested the House research team investigate Illinois' safety net for problem gamblers. She also is asking for research on video-based slot machines that withhold more money from gamblers.

"The decision was made in this state to fund state programs with gambling, and with that comes a responsibility to ensure there are programs for those who are harmed," Munson said.

Similar concerns were expressed by state Reps. Fred Crespo, a Hoffman Estates Democrat; Elaine Nekritz, a Des Plaines Democrat; and Mark Beaubien, a Barrington Hills Republican, as well as state Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat. They also said it will be hard to find money for more treatment with a $2 billion budget shortfall, despite the more than $1 billion that legalized gambling brings the state.

For her part, Garrett said casinos should pick up the tab.

"This isn't about whether you are for or against casinos," she said. "We need to determine how we can better assist people with a severe gambling addiction problem."

Meanwhile, Senate President Emil Jones Jr. and House Speaker Michael Madigan, both Chicago Democrats, refused to address the issues raised by the Daily Herald.

Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe declined an interview request. A board spokesman said the issues raised by the newspaper didn't fall within his purview.

A spokesman for Gov. Rod Blagojevich insisted the state is "always looking for ways to determine the effects gaming has on communities in Illinois."

When asked for an example, spokesman Dave Rudduck couldn't provide one. There is no public record of any state spending on such research.

Rudduck said the governor supports treatment funding for gambling addicts and that is why he didn't cut any of the $960,000 set aside for such programs despite budget problems this year.

Blagojevich and Jones have pushed for a dramatic expansion of legalized gambling in Illinois as a way to fund a major public works program. At the same time, the state is preparing to auction off a 10th casino license in the coming months.


Other related stories:
Where do problem gamblers live? (7/22)
Is Illinois gambling with addiction? (7/21)
What's problem gambling? (7/21)

The pay raise issue continues

As you know, I have been an outspoken critic of legislators receiving a pay raise this year. Including a cost of living increase (COLA), legislators will receive almost a 14% pay hike which I believe is unacceptable, especially given our Illinois economy and the fact that we haven't balanced the budget and are requesting other state employees and agencies to accept major budget cuts. I intend to submit legislation in the Fall that will reform how legislators receive and vote on future pay raises.

Below is a Chicago Tribune article on the matter published last week, and please click here to read the latest Chicago Tribune editorial on legislative pay raises.

I welcome your insight and input and any comments you may have on this issue.




Senators avoiding Statehouse to protect post-election pay raises
Returning to Springfield would force them to vote on 7.5% wage hike

By Ray Long and Jeffrey Meitrodt


SPRINGFIELD — The House is back this week to fight Gov. Rod Blagojevich's budget cuts, but the Senate is avoiding the Statehouse in a move that protects lawmakers' chances of getting a post-election pay raise.

Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) has said there is no need for the Senate to meet because his chamber, unlike the House, has already approved funding plans that would alleviate the need for the governor's veto of $1.4 billion in spending from the new state budget.

But critics said returning to Springfield also would force the Senate to vote on whether to boost base salaries for lawmakers next summer by 7.5 percent, to $72,985. Jones has not scheduled the Senate to return until after the November election, when it would be less volatile for lawmakers to take a vote.

A consistent advocate of boosting legislative salaries, Jones made his position clear this year when he told reporters: "I need a pay raise. I need a pay raise."

Legislative leaders, already paid more, would receive more than $100,000. The hefty salaries of the governor, other statewide officials and judges would rise too.

Sen. Susan Garrett (D- Lake Forest), who has fought the pay raise and wants a pre-election vote, contended the Senate is shirking its responsibility to tackle budget issues now because some senators want to protect salary hikes.

"Some people in leadership would rather us not be in Springfield because we would not have to address the pay raise," she said.

Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer denied that the pay-raise issue is why the Senate is not planning to come back until after the election.

Illinois has a quirky system designed to give lawmakers political cover. Both the House and Senate must reject the pay raises recommended every two years by a special commission or they automatically take effect. In some cases, that can result in proposed pay raises coming one right after another.

That's the case this year. Lawmakers got a 3.8 percent cost-of-living increase to their base salary of $65,353 as part of the new state budget that took effect July 1.

The ball is in the Senate's court. The House already voted down the pay hike.

Two years ago, Jones did not allow proposals to reject pay raises to be voted upon until after the election. Safely re-elected, Jones and his colleagues defeated a move to turn down the pay raises, which then took effect.

Rep. Fred Crespo (D- Hoffman Estates) led the House's effort to oppose pay raises and wants senators to vote before the election.

"If they don't," he said, "I really have to question their motives."

Garrett to introduce ethics bill

As legislators begin the Summer recess from session, it is important that we reflect on what we've done and what we need to get done next Fall. I like to take the opportunity of time away from Springfield to really brainstorm on how I can introduce more effective, more sweeping, and more thoughtful legislation during the next General Assembly. The Des Plaines Journal spoke with me about ethics legislation I plan on introducing next Fall. The full article is posted below. Your comments, as always, are welcomed.



Garrett to introduce ethics bill
In the wake political fundraiser Tony Rezko’s conviction last week on 16 counts of government corruption, Ill. State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29th) told the Journal she plans on introducing sweeping ethics reform legislation when the state legislature re-convenes next fall.

“I don't think anyone is proud of our government at this moment. The real question is how can we prevent future Rezkos?” said Garrett.

In an earlier press conference last week before the conviction Garrett told reporters she would introduce legislation to overhaul the Ill. Compensation Review Board that sets pay for lawmakers. She said the review board members needed to be better vetted and disqualified for conflicts of interest. Garrett has been down this reform road before. In 2003 Garrett saw her ethics reform legislation made law.

“I believe there should be zero tolerance in the Illinois General Assembly and the State of Illinois for these types of corrupt, self-dealing schemes,” said Garrett.
“Personally and professionally, I feel deceived. In 2003, I sponsored the most sweeping and comprehensive ethics bill for government officials and employees in the history of the General Assembly, and this is what we have to show for it.”

Garrett said she is seeking constituent feedback and will formulate legislation during the legislature’s break. Prosecutors said Rezko hand picked people to serve on state boards. Through these boards state contracts were then alleged to have been awarded to contributors to Rod Blagojevich’s campaign for governor. Garrett said the governor and top legislative leaders appoint members of state boards and commissions with no real vetting process. She said legislators are given a list of appointees the same day they vote for them on the floor of the legislature.

“There must be a vetting process so the Rezko’s and Stewart Levine’s can’t influence the process,” said Garrett.

Garrett said she has received a lot of constituent feed back on the issue since Rezko’s conviction last week. Rezko said he would appeal his conviction but would begin serving his sentence immediately. Gov. Blagojevich has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Highland Park Township High School District 113 gets green gas

As the country begins to evolve away from the use of gasoline, both because of costs and because of the environmental effects, it's interesting to see how local communities are taking action. Highland Park's School District 113 has recently unveiled a new fueling station that dispenses alternative fuel E85—which is considered cleaner and cheaper than traditional gasoline. This is the fourth E85 station in Lake County and available to 113 school district vehicles that are fitted for flex fuels. This is something I am happy to support and hope to see more of in the future, especially when it can have an impression on students. For more information on E85 fuel and vehicles, click here. I've also posted the full Chicago Tribune article below.



Highland Park Township High School District 113 gets green gas
System gets E85 station to help curb fuel costs

School board member Harvey Cohen opened the gas tank of a Chevy Suburban on Thursday, flipped the lever on a gleaming new fueling station and dispensed 40 gallons of E85, an alternative fuel praised as cleaner and cheaper than traditional gasoline.

It was part of the unveiling of what Highland Park-based Township High School District 113 says is only the fourth E85 station in Lake County, and the first dedicated for use by a school district. With more local governments turning to alternative fuel, district officials said, it became apparent that the vehicles needed somewhere nearby to fill up.

E85 is so-named because it's a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. The new fuel station isn't open to the public, though the district will allow municipalities within its boundaries, like the Village of Deerfield, to fill up at the station at the market price.

As for what that market price is, district spokeswoman Carol Votsmier said she's not sure yet, as the district hasn't gotten its first bill. Votsmier said the district expects the fuel to cost about 25 percent less than regular gasoline.

E85 can be used only in flexible fuel vehicles, which the school district began buying in the past year, including the Chevy Suburban. The SUV isn't exactly the image of environmental consciousness, but Votsmier said the nine-passenger vehicle is used for transporting smaller clubs and teams. The other option would be using a school bus to transport a handful of students, she said, which would be worse.

The fuel is not perfect, critics say, with some finding it getting less mileage than regular gas.

A 2007 Stanford University study focusing on E85 found ethanol fumes could cause more health problems than gasoline, especially for people with respiratory problems or asthma.

But on Thursday, the focus was on reducing petroleum dependency—something Highland Park received attention for in 2005, when the city began switching its old police cruisers to Toyota Priuses.

"This is what school is all about, practicing what you preach, leading by example," said State Sen. Susan Garrett (D- Lake Forest). Shedrove to the event in a Hybrid Escape.

Deerfield High School sophomore Tim Letten, 15, watched the fueling as he waited for his driver's education class to start and was pleased by what he saw.

"I think it's great the district took the initiative. We talk about global warming so much in class, and this shows you can live a green life," Letten said.

Helping the homeless in Lake County

[Photo: North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham, State Rep. Eddie Washington and Senator Susan Garrett at a press conferece to highlight the need for funding PADS Homeless Shelter]

As Cook County's northerly neighbor, most think of Lake County as a quieter, gentler, more suburban county. Still, many in Lake County face homelessness and need the resources to help them improve their situation. I am leading an effort to raise about $350,000 for PADS Crisis Services Inc., the county's homeless shelter. PADS was founded in 1972 as a crisis hotline. The mission of PADS has evolved to combat chronic poverty, welfare dependency, and homelessness among individuals and families; by providing emergency shelter and crisis services throughout northeast Illinois—housing no less than 160 people per night, October – April. We cannot ignore this problem, just because it is nearly invisible. Please click here to make a donation to Lake County PADS, a registered 501(c)(3) charity.




Helping the homeless in Lake Co.
PADS asks for donations, says they've seen 17% increase in clients in last year

There always will be those who for one reason or another find themselves homeless, but economic realities are boosting the numbers in Lake County.

"In Lake County, people don't think we have a problem. We sort of contain the issue, we don't talk about it," said state Sen. Susan Garrett of Lake Forest.

Garrett, who is leading an effort to raise about $350,000 for PADS Crisis Services Inc., the county's homeless shelter, was joined by several political leaders Tuesday for a press conference at PADS headquarters in North Chicago.

The agency is short on money because of local, state and federal funding cuts. With no extra help expected from those sources, Garrett and others are taking the matter public.

"The statistics are growing and they'll continue to grow unless we start right here, right now," said North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr.

On a given night, there are about 400 homeless people in Lake County. PADS runs emergency shelters from Oct. 1 through April 30 but offers a variety of other services that are being stretched thin.

During the past year, PADS has provided nearly 25,000 nights of emergency shelter and more than 327,000 meals. Officials emphasized the problem is not confined to less affluent areas.

"I want you to know it's in Deerfield, too," said Julie Morrison, supervisor of West Deerfield Township. "PADS is just not here in this building."

According to the agency, the number of unduplicated new clients rose 17 percent the past year and included a 48 percent increase in children. About 63 percent of those who entered the program came from the streets, parks, bus or bus stations.

A rise in foreclosures, higher gas and food prices and increasing unemployment are adding to the need, officials said. More families, children and veterans have been seeking help.

"It touches all of us. All of us, our families and friends at one time or another have fallen on hard times," said Audrey Nixon, a Lake County board member whose district includes North Chicago.

Those seeking help have included people like Chicago resident Joan Evans, who about two weeks ago suddenly found herself homeless.

"My landlord lost the building. We didn't have a choice," she said. "No notice. No anything."

She said she's staying in a PADS family center in Waukegan with her three children aged 2, 3, and 4 while looking for a job.

The fundraising effort will focus on public and private resources, including corporations and foundations.

Those interested in donating are asked to contact Cathy Curran, PADS executive director, at (847) 689-4357, Ext. 122; at Ccurran@lakecountypads.org; or by visiting the Web site, www.lakecountypads.org.

The Rezko verdict: Guilty

I believe there should be zero tolerance in the Illinois General Assembly and the State of Illinois for these types of corrupt, self-dealing schemes. Personally and professionally, I feel deceived. In 2003, I sponsored the most sweeping and comprehensive ethics bill - for government officials and employees - in the history of the General Assembly, and this is what we have to show for it. I don't think anyone is proud of our government at this moment. The real question is, how can we prevent future Rezkos? Check the full Sun-Times article by clicking here or read below. Your comments, as always, are welcomed.




The Rezko verdict: Guilty
Political fund-raiser's conviction gives Gov. Blagojevich plenty to worry about

In a crushing blow to Gov. Blagojevich and a potentially damaging one to presidential hopeful Barack Obama, Tony Rezko -- a fund-raiser for the two men and an ex-gubernatorial confidant -- was convicted of far-reaching corruption Wednesday.

The verdict quickly raised questions about whether the state's chief executive will be the next target of federal prosecutors.

A federal jury in Chicago on Wednesday convicted Tony Rezko on 16 of 24 charges he faced in a political corruption trial that cast a harsh light on the Blagojevich administration.

"We're moving at full speed," a source with knowledge of the probe said. Authorities investigating the Blagojevich administration "will be knocking on doors as early as [this] morning."

A fast food entrepreneur and real estate developer, Rezko once lived a life of North Shore opulence, hosting dignitaries and fund-raisers in his Wilmette mansion. Rezko, 52, now faces the prospect of a lengthy prison term.

After deliberating over 12 days, the jury of 10 women and two men convicted Rezko on 16 of 24 counts that accused him of corrupting two state boards and using his influence in Blagojevich's inner circle to squeeze cash from firms seeking state business.

The two-month trial laid bare an ugly underbelly of Illinois politics, in which high-rollers and powerbrokers secretly called the shots on state deals.

"What the jury did was vindicate the interests of the citizens of Illinois and honest government," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said.

Jurors said their verdict had nothing to do with Blagojevich or Obama -- neither of whom was charged in the case.

Before the verdict was read, Rezko entered the courtroom smiling, wearing a crisp, taupe suit and the same red tie he wore the first day of trial, his two sons at his side. But from the first reading of "guilty," Rezko's smile faded, his hands clasped tightly before him, his face, at times, flushed.

He turned his gaze away from jurors and later appeared to swallow back emotion after mouthing a message to one of his sons. Minutes before turning himself in to federal custody, Rezko moved to a bench to sit between his sons, their eyes swollen from crying, their arms around their father.

Family and friends filled two courtroom benches, some wiping tears as the verdict was read. His wife and daughter were not there. The prosecution sought to revoke Rezko's $8 million bail. But Rezko surrendered voluntarily, releasing dozens of properties belonging to family and friends.

"Mr. Rezko, on his own, decided that if he was convicted he wanted to immediately start serving his sentence," said Rezko lawyer Joseph Duffy, who said he'll appeal.

The conviction ratchets up the pressure on Rezko, who's set to be sentenced Sept. 3, to cooperate with authorities.

It also gives the feds the green light on separate probes involving the governor's finances and hiring practices. Already, investigators have subpoenaed his campaign fund, scrutinized his donors, looked into his wife's real estate dealings and questioned witnesses on whether they were promised perks for cash, sources told the Sun-Times. A 2006 letter from Fitzgerald revealed his office was probing "allegations of endemic hiring fraud" in state government.

The verdict is an embarrassment to Blagojevich, who vowed to transform the corrupt ways of his predecessor, the now-imprisoned former Gov. George Ryan. But witnesses invoked Blagojevich's name repeatedly in Rezko's trial, saying he talked to them about winning state business, jobs or access after they anted up to his campaign.

Blagojevich said he was sad for Rezko and his family. "The jury's decision is yet another reminder that ours is a system of government that is ruled by laws, and not by men," the governor said.

Obama was a tangential figure at the trial, mentioned only a few times as a beneficiary of Rezko's fund-raising. But Republicans are already exploiting the Democrat's long friendship with a now-convicted felon.

Rezko carried out his crimes with onetime Republican party insider Stuart Levine, who served on two state boards. Levine has pleaded guilty to fraud charges tied to Rezko and testified against him, in hopes of winning a 67-month sentence.

Witnesses testified Rezko used his influence to stack the Illinois health planning board and teachers pension board. Rezko then directed dealings through a middleman who at times passed out index cards with voting instructions.

Witnesses said Rezko was influential in Blagojevich's administration, trumping others when it came to getting state appointments. In all, Rezko raised more than $1.3 million for the governor.

Rezko's fall came as dramatically as his rise. The Syrian immigrant came to Chicago in the 1970s and amassed a fortune from real estate dealings and Papa John's and Panda Express fast-food franchises. That world came crashing down as Rezko found himself deep in debt, facing lawsuits, foreclosure and three criminal cases.

Lawmakers want pay hike system scrapped

In addition to my belief that our legislative pay-raise should be rejected, I am also committed to reforming the entire pay-raise process. After much research, I have decided to introduce legislation that will do the following:

-Insure that raises are not automatic.
-Establish standards and criteria on which to base raises.
-Insure that the board members who oversee the raises have no conflict of interest with legislators, judges, state's attorneys and the executive branch of Illinois government.
-Create a website where minutes of the meeting are posted and the hearing on pay-raises are covered via webcast.

In Springfield on Thursday I participated in a press conference where I outlined this reform package. As you can see, some of the media has already picked it up. Your comments, as always, are welcome.

Lawmakers want pay hike system scrapped

While Senate President Emil Jones and his new chairman of the Senate Rules Committee have so far managed to avoid holding up-or-down votes on a pair of resolutions aimed at blocking legislative pay raises, the topic continues to rile up lawmakers who don’t think it’s appropriate to receive an 11.7 percent salary hike during a recession.

Fifteen lawmakers from the House and Senate gathered Thursday to denounce Jones' tactics and demand a Senate vote on the issue. The pay increases would push lawmakers’ base yearly salaries to $73,000 and also boost the pay of judges and statewide officials such as Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) said the actions of Jones and Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago), the rules chairman, are a "great illustration of the abuse of power" in Springfield, and he urged his colleagues to support a bill he plans to reintroduce next year that would free bills trapped in Hendon's committee if a majority of lawmakers in the chamber have signed on as co-sponsors.

Lawmakers noted that such a measure would have allowed the Senate to take a vote on the pay raises because Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) has gathered 29 co-sponsors for her resolution opposing the hikes, or enough to pass the measure. Hendon told committee members last week he would not let Garrett’s resolution come up for a vote this spring. The rules committee is often described by lawmakers as a place where bills go to die if they are not supported by legislative leaders.

The House already has rejected the pay raises, which will take effect automatically unless the Senate also votes them down in six session days, according to Garrett and Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates).

Garrett and other lawmakers said the ruckus over raises shows that the system of awarding the pay hikes is flawed and needs to be reformed. The most obvious thing that needs to happen, they said, is that lawmakers should be required to cast an affirmative vote to get the raises. Under a complicated process designed to insulate lawmakers from political fallout, the raises are set by a state review board and take effect unless both the House and Senate reject the recommendation.

Thanks to all who help out the vets

From the Civil War to the current war in Iraq, Memorial Day has been celebrated for well over one hundred years. We honor U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country for making the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom. Now more than ever it is crucial that we can do everything possible as legislators to try and give back to veterans and families for their heroic service. I was able to pass the Returning Warrior Homestead Exemption Act—a law that provides qualifying Veterans a one-time $5,000 reduction to their home’s equalized assessed value (EAV). Qualifying Veterans who return from active duty in an armed conflict involving the U.S. armed forces can file an application upon their return home to receive this exemption. It is scratching the surface in an effort that the government, both state and federal, needs to make in increasing benefits and standards for the military and its veterans. I hope everybody had a safe and reflective holiday weekend.





As we approach Memorial Day, I would be remiss as the superintendent for the Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County if I did not recognize the many efforts being conducted on behalf of veterans by veterans in Lake County.

During this past year the veterans have contributed over 16,000 hours of volunteer time to North Chicago VAMC and to their local community.

Congratulations to Rick Coombe of Winthrop Harbor as he completes his year as the Illinois Department Commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Rick had a successful year at the state level as well as Rich Henry, the 5th VFW District Commander for Lake County and Jean Keehn, the American Legion 10th District Commander. The benefactor of their efforts has been the veterans at North Chicago VAMC.

I need to thank the many member posts of the Veterans Assistance Commission for their efforts in bringing the Virtual Vet Program to our office.

Johnnie Allen continues to serve the veterans by representing our office two days a week at North Chicago VAMC and I thank Director Pat Sullivan and his staff for making his efforts possible at the Medical Center.

The VAC joined CLC for a ceremony Friday to honor the 19 service members from Lake County who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wayne Maczko and his fellow committee members have done a superb job in preparing the ceremony and the start of work on their veterans memorial.

On the legislative front, I need to thank state Sen. Susan Garrett for her efforts in passing legislation to make technical changes to the Returning Warrior Homestead Exemption Act. The changes were brought to our attention by the staff of the Lake County Assessment Office. This was an excellent example of state and county officials working together for the benefit of our veterans.

Two other officials are U.S. Representatives Melissa Bean and Mark Kirk. Together they are sponsoring an amendment to HR 5658, the Fiscal Year 2009 National Defense Authorization Act. Their amendment will waive out-of-pocket expenses for military retirees who would use North Chicago VAMC.

An issue that is not resolved is funding for staff at our state-managed veterans homes. We have empty beds at Manteno and LaSalle due to shortage of staff. At the same time, we have a waiting list for both facilities. Please join me in urging our legislature and the governor to fully fund these facilities. These facilities will be the final home for many of our greatest generation, they have earned and deserve the best we can give them.

I want to thank my staff: Johnnie Allen, my mentor who has served the veterans of Lake County for the past 16 years as superintendent; Mary Ann Kornau-Bandurski and Sherry Kruse who recently completed the USERRA Training Program to assist Guard and Reserve Members with their re-employment rights and the delegates to the VAC who are the ultimate volunteers.

Michael P. Peck Superintendent,

VAC of Lake County

Pharmaceutical waste in drinking water

Nationwide there is growing concern about pharmaceutical residues in drinking water. In Chicago, recent tests found small amounts of a number of pharmaceutical compounds in water. Some of these residues reach the water supply through human waste, whereas others come from inappropriate disposal of unused medications.

I have been working with the local solid waste agencies, SWALCO in Lake County and SWANCC in Cook County, to examine the options for safe disposal of medicine. SWALCO offers disposal of pharmaceuticals as part of its Household Chemical Waste program. For details visit SWALCO's website. SWANCC has a special medicine dropoff program; click here for information on that.

This week in Springfield I am meeting with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which represents the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. We will be talking about ways to make collection and safe disposal of unused pharmaceuticals easier without adding expense for consumers. I think this is an important issue to begin to address pro-actively, since we are still in the process of learning about the extent of the problem and what the possible impacts may be.

I will keep you informed about progress on this issue as it develops.

Update from $pringfield: Lawmakers' payraise debate turns personal

Earlier in the week I blogged about my disapproval for raises for State Legislators. There's clearly a difference of opinion between me and a few members in the Senate Leadership. I can barely believe what I've been hearing in Springfield today. The Daily Herald article below says it all. As always please leave your comments about this issue!




Lawmakers' payraise debate turns personal
By John Patterson

SPRINGFIELD - Lawmakers and other state officials are likely to get pay raises because the Democratic leadership in the Illinois Senate does not plan to let members vote on whether to block the increases, lawmakers confirmed Thursday.

State Sen. Rickey Hendon, a Chicago Democrat, said he thinks the rejection effort is flawed and claims state House members are using the Illinois Senate as a political fall guy on the issue. Hendon said the Illinois House votes to reject the raises all the while expecting the Senate will block rejection and everyone ends up with more money.

"They want to use the Senate and pimp us, and they keep taking the money," Hendon said. He suggested the proposal be changed so anyone voting against the raises won't get them, even if they are ultimately approved.

As chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, Hendon controls whether the plan to reject the raises ever sees the light of day.

Hendon also took issue with state Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, leading the push to reject the raises.

"People should not miss out on the fact that she's a millionaire. She don't need it. Have you seen her house? Mind-boggling," Hendon said. "So it just blows my mind how the filthy rich are always the ones saying, we don't need the raise. No she don't."

Before talking to reporters, Hendon had gone over to Garrett on the Senate floor and suggested she should sign over her expense check to him.

"If she signed her name, I would have took it. She don't need it," Hendon said, calling Garrett the "esteemed senator from Richville."

Told of Hendon's comments, Garrett said the issue should not be personal.

"He's making this personal and that's unfortunate. We're not here to draw distinctions between wealthy legislators and non-wealthy legislators. We're here to make sure that what we do here in Springfield is above board and that the taxpayers are made aware of how we vote on crucial issues such as this," she said.

In the middle of Garrett talking to reporters, Senate President Emil Jones Jr., a Chicago Democrat who supports the raises, walked past and loudly quipped that he needed to get some "food stamps."

Garrett had this to say in response.

"Let me just say that some of the legislators have missed the point if they think that they need the raise because they're not making $150,000 a year," Garrett said. "We are here as public servants. We're not here to assume that we should be entitled to be receiving major increases every year when the rest of the state and other state employees are suffering."

The Illinois House voted Wednesday to reject the raises, but the Senate must approve the exact same proposal else the raises are automatic.

Demand for water expected to grow

Over two years ago I worked with the Governor to get support for funding a water supply study because of sincere concerns about the sustainability and rapid depletion. Included in the study will be an implementation program to determine how we can protect our water supply in Northern Illinois. Even though Illinois is on the shores of Lake Michigan, one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world, there are Supreme Court decisions that restrict states in how much water they can remove per year. I am continuing to monitor the study and look forward to the next step‚ a proposal of how we can conserve water. Below is an article that outlines the nature of the problem in Northern Illinois, I will keep you posted with the solutions.



Demand for water expected to grow
Conservation needed now, expert says

May 3, 2008

BY ED COLLINS

LIBERTYVILLE -- The availability of fresh water, which we often take for granted, is finally getting the environmental attention it deserves, planners say.

"To protect our future, we need to start talking about water conservation now," said Randy Blankenhorn, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, who opened a water supply planning briefing for county elected officials Friday at the county's Libertyville governmental campus.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says almost 16 billion gallons are used throughout the state daily, with 2 billion gallons not replenished.

Population growth projections for the 11-county Chicago metropolitan region through 2050 indicate that water will be in strong demand for both industry and households.

To prepare for these challenges CMAP is carrying out a state planning grant on regional water supply initiatives to project future estimates on water demand, prepare public conservation plans, and suggest environmental protections to preserve water quality.

State Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest, called the subject "a huge, huge issue that needs to be addressed from a regional standpoint."

Garrett has been a legislative leader in fighting E. coli pollution of Lake Michigan's beaches. She told the group she was concerned about recent news reports regarding possible prescription drugs and toxic matter found in Lake Michigan drinking water.

Nearly 77 percent of residents in northeastern Illinois drink lake water daily. Another 19 percent use wells. Statistics show that the average person consumes or uses nearly 150 gallons of water daily.

Tim Loftus, a CMAP senior environmental planner who presented an update on water usage over the next 40 years, said it could range from an optimistic 2 percent growth rate to 59 percent.

Pay raises for legislators!?

Last week I proposed a Resolution to reject any kind of pay raise for state legislators. When we can't balance the State budget and a down-turning economy is affecting many Illinoisans, I see no justification for state legislators to approve a pay raise whatsoever. I also believe that on the heels of the Recall bill (which did not pass, but which I voted for) a pay increase would send the wrong message to Illinois citizens who are understandably already fed up. The entire article is posted below. Your comments, as always, are welcomed.



Garrett decries legislator raises
An Illinois Senate resolution rejecting a proposed raise for state legislators was introduced Friday by Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest.

The resolution rejects a 2008 report of the Compensation Review Board recommending a 3.8 percent cost of living adjustment increase in fiscal year 2009 for members of the executive and legislative branches.

Garrett said the Compensation Review Board report also recommends that the Legislature accept two previously rejected cost-of-living allowances that would result in a significant salary increase for Illinois public officials.

"I strongly believe every legislator should be of the mindset to completely reject another salary increase as the state faces hard economic times," said Garrett, who has been a member of the General Assembly since 1999. "This state can't pay its own bills, and there are thousands of people out of work.

"Those who are employed are not being offered raises. I don't believe there is any justification for a pay increase for state legislators," she said.

The General Assembly has 30 session days after the House and Senate next convene following the filing of the report to reject it in whole or reduce it.

Using the current session calendar, May 29 would be the 25th day, leaving five additional session days within which the report could be rejected, Garrett said.

Update from Springfield: The Recall Effort

This week in Springfield has been extraordinarily intense and busy because the recall effort (known to lawmakers as SJRCA 70) has been passing back and forth between the House and Senate. This amendment proposes to amend the Suffrage and Elections Article of the Illinois Constitution and provides for elections to recall not just the Governor and State executive branch officers, but also members of the General Assembly, and supreme, appellate, and circuit judges as well as sets forth requirements for petitions and elections. It also allows the General Assembly, by law, to provide for recall of officers of units of local government and school districts.

I am in favor of the recall. I believe it is a sound process to have in place when and if an elected official needs to be removed before they are up for re-election. I am concerned, however, that the addition of local government (i.e. alderman, local mayors, school district officials). The reason the House and Senate are trying to put a recall process in place is because of concern about corruption and competency within the Governor's office. I personally do not think the amendment should include aldermen, mayors, local judges and school officials because our goal as state lawmakers should be to first address the state officials, not local government. Additionally this could cause the amendment not to pass.

As of 9 a.m. this morning I believe this amendment has a good chance of passing, and I will vote for it despite the fact that it has been weighed down with these extra local provisions. The bigger picture is extremely important to the citizens of Illinois who are fed up and want to have a say into whether or not our Governor should continue to hold office.

A good source for the latest information on the recall can be found on The Capitol Fax Blog, which has been live-blogging the Recall initiative. I've also posted an up-to-date article below regarding this issue. Please feel free to send me your comments on this important issue.



Lawmakers think recall effort will die

April 29, 2008
By ANDREW HELLPAP

Democratic and Republican state lawmakers worried this week that senators will derail legislation aimed at removing Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office.

The Illinois Senate has until Sunday to vote on legislation for a state constitutional amendment. The same bill already passed the House.

State Sen. Donne Trotter, D-17, of Chicago, who picked up the bill for the Senate, must submit the same version or an amended bill this week because the deadline for the amendment to appear on the November ballot is Sunday, May 4.

Several local lawmakers, however, think Trotter's delay or any proposed changes to the bill will effectively kill it.
"Whether they can get it done today, the chances are zero," said Rep. Paul Froehlich, D-56, of Schaumburg.
Froehlich co-sponsored the House version of the bill.

If a Senate bill is introduced this week with changes, the bill would give the House until Sunday to approve it. However, the bill must first pass out of a committee and the full Senate.

The problem is the House isn't in session Friday through Sunday. Even though the House could call an emergency session, a new Senate recall version would still require three readings.

"He (Trotter) should have called for a vote two weeks ago when it was in committee," Froehlich said.
For the House to pass a Senate version, the body would have to do it today, he said.

Froehlich isn't alone in his lack of optimism for a recall amendment for both the executive and legislative branches.

"I personally have concerns," Sen. Susan Garrett, D-29, of Lake Forest said. "I have seen how this process can be manipulated."

"If they are trying to give the appearance they want to get this legislation passed and if they aren't engaged, then the recall won't be a constitutional provision," Garrett said.

Garrett is confident in the ability of the legislature to handle complex bills like a budget, she said.

To get the process moving, she planned to call a caucus to discuss the issue, Garrett said Tuesday.

Still, if changes are being considered, Garrett would like to see a higher voting threshold, around 50 percent, to recall a politician, she said.

In 2003, California Gov. Gray Davis was recalled. According to California law, residents had to gather signatures equaling 12 percent of the number of votes cast in an official's previous election. For Davis that meant 900,000 signatures.

Garrett is also worried about campaign spending. For example, a person with a lot of money to spend on a campaign could run against the recalled official who might not have had time to raise money for a campaign, Garrett said.

Discussion alone wouldn't slow the amendment, but Sen. Carole Pankau, R-23, of Roselle said, any changes to the House version would have the same effect as a new bill introduced by Trotter.

"It must pass the House and the Senate in the same form," she said.

Introduction of a new bill is simply a means of defending a fellow Democrat, namely Blagojevich, while maintaining the appearance of supporting a popular movement to recall him and other politicians, Pankau said.

"In an election year, they (the Democrats) are running from their own governor," she said.

Trotter's move is "bill-jacking," Froehlich said. Once a bill is passed out of the House, a senator must fill out a form to claim the bill, which Trotter did for the recall, Froehlich said. Then, submit it to the appropriate committee.

If Trotter doesn't do anything with the bill the recall dies, but any changes won't likely be approved in time anyway, Froehlich said.

Garrett authors bill to try to get park funds for Lake Forest, others

As Spring is in full bloom, the parks throughout the state are starting to get more and more visitors. Many of them however, are not able to start on new projects and improvements because grant information has not been released. While I was in Springfield last week I authored a Senate Resolution calling for an audit of the Department of Natural Resources program that issues grants to park districts. I did this to learn how much money the state has for the grants and how much has already been spent—information the Blagojevich administration has held up releasing. My colleague Jeff Schoenberg clearly sums up the issue with his statement, "The park districts are ready to go [with new projects], but they are paralyzed because the Blagojevich administration will not formally tell them what they already know...if the parks could at least get formal notice that the money is coming, they could then borrow against the grant or manage their cash flow to begin their projects now." I've posted the full article which appeared in the Pioneer Press. As always feel free to leave comments or questions.




Garrett authors bill to try to get park funds for Lake Forest, others

April 24, 2008
By RANDY BLASER

Area legislators are pressuring the Blagojevich Administration to release state grants that are earmarked for improvements to parks in the suburbs and across the state.

With many suburban park districts eager to begin improvement projects, State Sen. Susan Garrett, D-29th, of Lake Forest authored a Senate Resolution April 16, calling for an audit of the Department of Natural Resources program that issues grants to park districts.

Called the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program, Garrett's home town of Lake Forest is one of 13 north and west suburban park districts in line for a grant. Lake Forest is expecting $400,000 for the development of the Route 60 Park.

Other suburban park districts in line for grants are Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Glenview, Grayslake, Hoffman Estates, Lake Forest, Lake in the Hills, Lake Villa Township, Lake Zurich, Morton Grove, Oak Park, River Forest and the Round Lake Area Park District.

Garrett said the point of the audit is to learn how much money the state has for the grants and how much has been spent. She said the Blagojevich administration has held up releasing the grants.

State Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, D-9th, who chaired a hearing on the issue April 16 in the Capitol, said the parks can't move forward on their projects without formal notification that the grant applications have been approved.

Evanston, in Schoenberg's district, is waiting for notification on a $400,000 grant for Foster Field redevelopment.
Danger of losing

"Park districts have gone out for bids on the projects, but can't open them because if they move ahead without the formal letter of approval, they lose the grant," he added. "The park districts are ready to go, but they are paralyzed because the Blagojevich administration will not formally tell them what they already know."

Schoenberg added if the parks could at least get formal notice that the money is coming, they could then borrow against the grant or manage their cash flow to begin their projects now.

"In this case, it is a classic 'Catch-22,'" he said.

The Open Space grants are funded through a real estate transfer tax, "so the money is already there," Schoenberg said.

However, the governor's office said the state doesn't have the money for the program. It is part of cuts Blagojevich wants to make to agriculture programs across the state, including the University of Illinois Extension Service.

Garrett said her recent calls to the governor's office have been unanswered, so she is seeking the audit. The audit would include the number and cost of grant applications between 2005 and 2007, and projects approved and completed during those years.

Statewide Electronic Recycling Program in time for Earth Day 2008

Today is the 38th annual Earth Day since U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on the environment. The Green movement has exploded in this decade both with the help of grass roots movements and state-sponsored action. I'm thrilled to announce that I was able to pass legislation in the Senate this week to establish a statewide electronic recycling program to be administered by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Senate Bill 2313 includes several measures that will provide an opportunity for Illinois consumers and businesses to go green. The legislation creates statewide goals for recycling and reuse of electronic devices. The legislation also bans the disposal of electronic devices covered by the Act in landfills or by burning beginning in the year 2012.

Many electronic products contain materials that pose environmental and health risks, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and others. The harm is that many computers, printers, and cell phones have toxic components, and when you put those toxic components into landfills they leach into the land and air.

Senate Bill 2313 now moves to the Illinois House of Representatives for further consideration. I will keep you posted on its status.

State hospital panel worries Rezko trial gives it a bad image

Yesterday Springfield's primary daily newspaper, The State Journal-Register, published the article State hospital panel worries Rezko trial gives it a bad image (which subsequently ran in other local publications across the nation). Many voters are watching what will unfold from the Rezko trial and becoming more and more disillusioned with State government. In this specific article a former member of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board has been accused of misconduct in conjunction with Rezko, who has been accused of pressuring firms seeking state business for kickbacks and split a $1 million bribe from a contractor looking to build a hospital. I am one of the co-chairs of a task force considering changes in the board's operations. Like many of my recent posts, my take is a strong need for transparency in Springfield. The entire article is posted below. Please comment with any concerns, questions, or opinions on this matter.



State hospital panel worries Rezko trial gives it a bad image
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The head of an Illinois hospital board is worried that being mentioned day after day in a government corruption trial will give people the wrong idea about the panel.

Susana Lopatka, chairwoman of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, said she is dismayed by the headlines and wants the public to know things are different now.

"I get asked on a daily basis, is that your board?" she told The (Springfield) State Journal-Register.

"It makes me heartsick to see this board beaten up in the newspapers every day."

A former member of the planning board is accused of misconduct in conjunction with Chicago businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who faces federal charges.

Former member Stuart Levine claims he and Rezko pressured firms seeking state business for kickbacks and split a $1 million bribe from a contractor looking to build a hospital.

And former board chairman Thomas Beck has testified he took "marching orders" from Rezko, although he has not been charged with a crime.

The planning board determines whether hospitals and other health facilities can expand. The trial adds urgency to discussions about whether the board is really needed.

"We can't help but take note of what happened in the past for this board," said Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest, who co-chairs a task force considering changes in the board's operations. "More than anything, the public wants the system to be as pure as possible."

The corruption described in the Rezko trial "can happen again," Garrett said.

Lopatka, however, insists that any problems were solved when former members were ousted in 2004 and a new, smaller version of the board was appointed.

Former panel chairman Glenn Poshard said he understands why the Rezko trial raises questions.

"If I were just a citizen out there reading what I've seen in the papers so far about this trial, I would have the very opinion that the board was still of a nature that was corrupt and inefficient and being used for personal gain and profit," said Poshard, president of Southern Illinois University.

"But the fact of the matter is the board has changed, and the board, in my judgment, is effective."

The Illinois Hospital Association wants some changes but supports the board's process of reviewing the need for new facilities and services, said senior vice president Howard Peters.

In contrast, the Illinois State Medical Society believes the board should be disbanded because it creates additional barriers to medical services.

Since 2000, the Illinois General Assembly has considered dismantling the board. Current law allows it to expire at the end of August, although legislation is pending to extend the deadline through next July.

How is that extra sales tax being used?

The mass transit bail-out plan has been one of the most reported-on and talked about issues in State government lately. This week in Springfield we unanimously passed legislation requiring the accounting of the sales tax. I understand many people are concerned about this issue, so I am extremely pleased that the Senate took this kind of solid action. I believe we as legislators and as leaders need to make our actions as transparent as possible. Specific to this issue, I believe it is important that we have oversight on how our taxes are spent for specific projects and that we not leave out citizens that depend on public transportation such as disabled residents. For more information please read the full article below or click here to be redirected to the online version.




How is that extra sales tax being used?
Lawmakers want suburbs involved in mass transit bailout to answer

By Nick Shields

SPRINGFIELD -- Suburban counties that received sales tax increases as part of a mass transit bailout earlier this year soon may have to detail to lawmakers how the money's being spent.

The state Senate passed legislation 56-0 on Wednesday requiring the accounting of the sales tax windfall for suburban leaders. The suburban tax increase was added to woo lawmakers' votes, especially among DuPage County lawmakers.

It worked, as a deal was narrowly approved in January to raise sales taxes in Cook and the suburban counties by a quarter percentage point, adding 25 cents to a $100 purchase. The legislation also said DuPage, Lake, McHenry, Kane and Will counties automatically get another quarter-point increase. County officials could then spend the money on transportation projects or public safety.

The follow-up plan approved Wednesday is designed to ensure the money is being properly spent. Annual reports would be required with the General Assembly.

Also, the legislation seeks to grant disabled people of certain economic levels free public transportation.

As a part of the mass transit bailout plan, Gov. Rod Blagojevich agreed to sign off on the sales tax increase despite a contrary campaign pledge, but only if lawmakers let seniors age 65 and older ride the buses and trains for free.

State Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, and sponsor of the follow-up legislation, said she felt it was important to have transparency when spending tax dollars. As lawmakers worked to stave off a transportation "doomsday" scenario, Garrett said she fielded concerns from the disabled community who felt they were forgotten.

The legislation now moves to the House for a vote. Garrett said she's optimistic it will pass.

"I can't imagine anybody voting against this, because everybody wants to make sure there's accountability when it comes to spending our tax money," she said. "And if anybody deserves a free ride, it certainly should be the disabled community."

IPA, IHSA settle use of photos dispute

On March 10, about one month ago, I posted about the dispute between the Illinois Sports High School Association (ISHA) which wanted to have an "exclusive" in selling sports photos to interested parties, likely the parents of the featured high school athletes, and local newspapers that argued that they also had the right to provide photos and charge for the cost. You can read that March 10th post by clicking here. The month-long dispute that went to both the courts and the general assembly is now settled. I always opposed the proposition as it not only created a monopoly and prevented free enterprise but it also prevented newspapers from having access to certain locations—barring freedom of the press. This was an interesting exercise in fundamental American principles on a local level. I'm glad it's settled. The entire article is posted below.



IPA, IHSA settle use of photos dispute

April 8, 2008
By LIZA ROCHE

A months-long dispute between the Illinois Press Association and the Illinois High School Association over the use of photographs and videos taken at sporting events has been settled.

Once partners in high school sports, the IHSA and the IPA found themselves in recent months as adversaries in circuit court -- and then in the General Assembly.

But the new plan, submitted in Sagamon County circuit court, allows Pioneer Press and other credentialed newspapers to document IHSA -sponsored events and use those images or video without regulation, much as they have in the past.

The fight started last year when the IHSA contracted with Visual Image Photography Inc. of Wisconsin for exclusive access to IHSA tournaments for photo opportunities. That agreement allowed newspapers to sell only the published pictures from all IHSA events.

Illinois newspapers, including Pioneer Press, have long made photos not published in the paper available for purchase to the public.

Legal action was pursued, and ultimately the IPA drafted legislation late last year after the IHSA refused to allow field access to five newspapers during the state high school football championships. Those newspapers refused to agree not to make their photos available for sale. Newspapers also were banned from floor access during wrestling and cheerleading tournaments.

Last week, the Illinois Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill that forbid elementary and secondary schools, as well as organizations that organize competitive events for them, from regulating the dissemination of news from those events.

The Illinois House was in the midst of considering a similar bill and was expected to be approved.

Throughout the dispute, the IPA simply sought a plan that allowed newspapers to operate as they always have, said Dave Bennett, executive director of the Illinois Press Association.

The attempted restrictions by the IHSA "creates a monopoly and I think that's what makes it unfair," said state Sen. Susan Garrett, D-29th, of Lake Forest, a co-sponsor of the senate bill. One single entity should not have the control of high school athletic photographs, she said.

Garrett, speaking before the news of the settlement, said the bill showed strong support for freedom of the press.

Among their concerns, IHSA officials warned school officials that if passed, the bill could end a tradition of providing live television coverage of March Madness and the IHSA Boys Football championship games because it would be unable to regulate the use of photos or other visual images.

Cancer Wellness Center

One thing I really love about my job is the opportunity I have to get out into the district on a regular basis to meet new people and learn about organizations that benefit the community. Today I went to the Cancer Wellness Center in Northbrook for a meeting with staff, board members and legislators. I was so impressed and touched by the free services they provide I felt it important to get the word out. The center was founded in 1989 to help people live better while they live with cancer. They help cancer patients feel more connected by becoming part of a comforting and comfortable community of people, provide counseling, offer programs for stress relief, and provide access to an extensive library. Again, all of this is free thanks to generous donors. Click here to go to the website to learn more.

215 Revere Drive
Northbrook, IL.
866-292-9355

If you are interested in making a donation contact Executive Director Nancy Laatsch by email at: nlaatsch@cancerwellness.org

Senate Voting Rights for the Homebound Bill Passes

SPRINGFIELD UPDATE:
While in session this week I was able to pass legislation out of the Senate which ensures that the right to vote isn't hampered by citizens who are homebound, sick or shut-in. Below is an desciption of the bill as well as excerpts from the press release sent out from my office.

Senate Bill 2314 expands the list of people eligible for a personally-delivered ballot. Under current law, people who have been admitted to a hospital, nursing home, or rehabilitation facility within five days of an election and are unable to travel to their polling place in order to vote are eligible for a personally-delivered ballot. Current law does not take into account the possibility of people who meet that requirement, but who have also been released from the facility before or on the day of the election, but are homebound due to their illness or injury.

Senate Bill 2314 would add people meeting this additional criterion to the list of people eligible for a personally-delivered ballot.

"Temporary circumstances such as illness or injury should never deny anyone the right to vote," said Senator Garrett whom serves as Vice-Chair of Senate's State Government and Veterans Affairs committee. "We heard from constituents, who because of a homebound illness, were prevented from participating in the voting process. This measure ensures that even those who cannot get to the polls still have an opportunity to cast their vote."

Senate Bill 2314 now moves to the Illinois House of Representatives for further consideration.

Towns fear they won't be able to keep up with pensions

Yesterday I was quoted by the Daily Herald in regards to an issue I feel really strongly about. Throughout this decade state lawmakers have added to pensions of firefighters and police officials without regard to local taxpayers' ability to pay—which in turn puts many parties in undesired positions. Even the parties that stand to benefit from these measures, like the Associated Firefighters of Illinois agrees with me that everybody needs to know what the impact is going to be to our municipalities and, ultimately, to our taxpayers.

Below is the complete article, with my quote highlighted—or click here to be redirected to the story online.

Please feel free to leave a comment with your opinions on this important local economic matter.



Towns fear they won't be able to keep up with pensions
By David Beery

Illinois municipalities are losing ground in efforts to fully fund their pension plans for police and firefighters. That much is clear.

The question is why? And what can be done?

Municipal authorities and unions representing police and firefighters agree in part. Both call on state officials to relax regulations governing the ways in which police and fire pension funds can be invested.

But, emphasizing their point at a news conference Monday, municipal officials also call state legislators overly generous with other people's money. They say lawmakers -- bearing no fiscal responsibility themselves -- sweeten police and firefighter pensions without regard to local taxpayers' ability to pay.

Police and fire unions take issue on that point, saying lawmakers' changes reflect the importance and hazards of their work.

David Wickster, executive director of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council, has written on the council's Web site that local officials "want to get out from under their obligations altogether."

Not so, say Northwest Municipal Conference officials, who released a survey Monday showing that many member communities have lost substantial ground in funding pensions. For instance, the average funded ratio of their members' police pension funds declined from nearly 90 percent in 1999 to slightly over 70 percent in 2007.

This has occurred, village representatives said, even as they have boosted pension contributions as a percentage of their tax levies.

Municipal conference officials and several village presidents point to state-law changes taking effect in 2000 and 2001 that enhanced benefits. One change, for instance, made police and firefighters eligible for full pensions -- 75 percent of their working pay -- after 30 years of service instead of 35.

"This problem has pretty much exploded since '99," said Northwest Municipal Conference policy analyst Larry Bury.

While Monday's survey came from the Northwest group, village and city officials across the state are lobbying for change, an effort led in Springfield by the Illinois Municipal League.

Municipal officials want a series of measures in Springfield, from looser restrictions on pension-fund investments to a moratorium on benefit enhancements and a requirement that any proposed benefit boost be accompanied by an analysis of the resulting fiscal impact on at least 25 local pension funds.

Without such changes, Northwest Municipal Conference officials say, matters will get worse. They cited current Springfield proposals that would increase their pension load. One would boost firefighter pensions to 80 percent of pay, up from 75 percent. Another would grant retroactive pension increases to firefighters who retired before 1971.

City and village officials say they do not want to roll back existing benefits. They acknowledge that police and firefighters contribute substantial amounts -- 9.91 percent and 9.46 percent, respectively, of their salaries -- to their pension funds.

The problem, local authorities say, is that they have few available means to increase their contributions to meet growing pension obligations. Their options, they say, consist mostly of either increasing local property taxes or cutting municipal services. Both choices, they say, are unpalatable, particularly to local taxpayers who work in the private sector, where guaranteed pensions are increasingly rare.

For most communities, the situation is not immediately dire. Municipalities are meeting obligations to current retirees. State law mandates that all public-safety pension funds be fully funded by 2033. But local officials say trend lines are troubling and that the further they fall behind, the harder it will be to catch up.

When it comes to solutions, union and municipal officials alike point to local funds underperforming in contrast to returns realized by the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund. The Illinois fund does better, they say, because it enjoys a latitude on making investments that they don't have -- but want.

State Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, is sponsoring a measure that would require a fiscal-impact statement with any proposed benefit change.

"If nothing else, we need to put a fiscal note on these bills so that we and everybody else knows what the impact is going to be to our municipalities and, ultimately, to our taxpayers," she said.

On that point, the Associated Firefighters of Illinois agrees.

"We think it's prudent for everybody to understand what the impact of any change is gong to be on firefighters and on the fund," said Pat Devaney, legislative representative for the group. "Firefighters are interested in solvency and making wise decisions."

What union officials find objectionable, Devaney said, are those mayors who make public pronouncements blaming greed on the part of police and firefighters for municipalities' pension woes.

Misinformation makes finding jobs tough for physically disabled.

On the heels of my last post I read this article in yesterday's Daily Herald titled Misinformation makes finding jobs tough for physically disabled. The story highlights how Heather Barcal, a Vernon Hills resident who is blind, suspects it took her three years to secure a job because of her disability. The article also expands on how employment remains a difficult and elusive goal for many disabled residents—in fact the most commonly cited statistics indicate only 30% of the disabled are employed either full- or part-time. There are several reasons why the statistic is so low, but part of it is due to a lack of information. Employers, as well those with disabilities, may not be aware of their rights or available resources. In that regard employers may not know of federal tax credits that may be available when people with disabilities are hired and make accommodations. I've introduced a bill last year to try and extend those credits at the state level. Below is the direct quote I gave the paper:

"I'm optimistic (about its passage) but I don't think it's going to happen overnight," she said. "Our goal is to provide more opportunities for people with disabilities … and to encourage employers to hire people with disabilities."


I'm really interested in what citizens think about this issue and encourage your comments.

Northern Suburban Special Education District

Early this year I announced that I would donate my pay raise ($5,700) that the Governor signed into law last August—legislation I strongly opposed. After much consideration I decided to donate the money to the Northern Suburban Special Education District foundation, also known as NSSED.

As many parents in the district know, it's the season when high school seniors are checking the mailbox everyday looking for their acceptance letters from colleges. NSSED is a wonderful organization that provides scholarships to special needs students who plan to attend college as well as for students that would like to forge a career in special education.

Should anyone want more information about donating to the NSSED Foundation or about applying for a scholarship. Contact NSSED at (847) 831-5100 or click here to be redirected to the NSSED website.

Secrecy puts damper on ethics process

Springfield's primary daily newspaper, The State Journal-Register, published this article yesterday which I think accurately portrays the Ethics Legislation climate in the Capitol. Specifically it details how, although I passed SB 157 out of the Senate last year (which would require the Executive Inspector General to provide the Executive Ethics Commission with summary information about newly opened investigations), it got held up because of squabbling between the House and Senate. I know this is an issue that many citizens are deeply frustrated by. I hope I can continue to work to get this legislation signed into law and provide an open and accessible State Government.




Secrecy puts damper on ethics process

LAST WEEK was Sunshine Week, a time for reflecting on the importance of open government and the Freedom of Information Act.

Illinois in recent years has had its share of open government successes. Early in her first term, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan established an office specifically for educating and advising people in the public and private sectors on how to use and abide by the Freedom of Information Act. Comptroller Dan Hynes’ office posts records on a publicly accessible Web site so citizens don’t have to make formal requests for information.

But for all these gains, there remains one aspect of Illinois state government still almost completely hidden from public view. Under current Illinois law, the Illinois Executive Inspector General’s Office investigates and adjudicates allegations of ethics abuse by state employees in near complete secrecy. The nature of the offenses, names of offenders and their punishments — even when they are fired for their misdeeds — have so far never been made public.

THE OFFICE was created in 2003 to investigate allegations of ethics violations in state government. Each constitutional officer appoints his or her own inspector general. With subpoena power and independence to investigate allegations of wrongdoing at all levels of state government, the office is a powerful arm for reform. But the law that created it also made virtually all of its activities exempt from public review. Even the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission, created as the oversight body of the 2003 ethics law, almost never sees the results of its work.

“You look at (the ethics statute) and it looks like the commission is going to make rules for the inspectors general, which you would think would be largely self executing, and then sit in judgment of all these cases that are going to come forward,” says commission member Scott Turow, the author and lawyer whose appointment as the commission’s first chairman helped boost its profile. “In point of fact, the cases get resolved in secret between the IGs and the constitutional officer who appointed them and very little finds its way to the commission.”

TUROW BELIEVES the cases almost never reach the commission because it behooves each constitutional officer to accept the inspector general’s findings and let the case be resolved with no public attention. Only when there is a dispute between the inspector general and the constitutional officer for whom the inspector works does the commission hear a case. That means the cases stay secret. Turow is hardly alone in finding that ridiculous.

“Taxpayers have a right to know if there are problems going on at certain agencies and they have a right to know if they’ve been remedied,” says state Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Highwood, who sponsored a bill to bring some transparency to the inspector generals’ work. “We should be able to know how our government is working or not working and we should be able to know if it’s getting better or if they’re making efforts to make it better.”

OF HUNDREDS of investigations carried out, only six have come before the commission. In its first year alone, the EIG’s office terminated 25 state employees for ethics violations. Their names and the nature of their violations were never made public, effectively erasing any deterrent effect their discipline may have had on other state employees. Inspector General James Wright has said as much, and has supported efforts to allow public disclosure of his office’s work.

“It goes to the matter of the ethical climate,” says Chad Fornoff, executive director of the ethics commission. “As long as people aren’t aware of the discipline that is carried out, the climate is going to suffer. I think that is a problem we have in the state of Illinois.”

GARRETT'S BILL passed the Senate last year but was amended in the House. The Senate then didn’t like the House version, so the bill — SB 157 — is now languishing in the Senate Rules Committee. Garrett says her bill’s fate is indicative of the squabbling between the two houses in the last legislative session.

It’s fascinating that so many members of the General Assembly will freely advocate for ethics reform and open government, yet won’t stand up to pass a measure so obviously and urgently needed to ensure that Illinois’ ethics laws can not only ferret out violators, but deter future misdeeds.

It’s time the House and Senate got past their petty differences and removed the shroud of secrecy that now hides some of the most important work in cleaning up Illinois government.

Out of Town

I'll be out of town next week for some much needed R&R, so the blog won't be regularly updated. I'll try and send in a few posts when anything blog-worthy lands in my in-box while I'm gone though! Have a great weekend and happy St. Patrick's Day!
—Susan

Update from Springfield: E-Waste bill passes committee

I'm pleased to say that I was able to pass Senate Bill 2313 out of the Environment & Energy Committee Wednesday. This bill, dubbed the "e-waste bill", will make it easier for citizens to recycle computers, computer monitors, televisions, printers, cell phones and fax machines—all of which can contain toxic and hazardous materials that should be diverted from landfills. The bill requires manufacturers to cover the cost of the recycling not tax payer money. In some cases there will be a refurbishing component—and many of these items will be re-sold to secondary markets. I think the most important aspect of SB 2313 is that it gives consumers a way to safely recycle all of their electronics on a regular and convenient basis—something that I feel is not only necessary, but overdue.

While this bill passed the Senate Committee, some manufacturers are not on board. Apple, for one, wants this bill to be "killed" and is working diligently and aggressively to prevent its passage in the full Senate and the House.

I will be calling upon you for help with e-mails and petitions to ask Apple to help us in Illinois to find a safe and convenient way to recycle our electronics.

Many local business are either supporting this bill or have taken a neutral stance and I think it's important to call them out: The Illinois Recycling Association, AT&T, Motorola, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Environment Illinois, Waste Management, Sierra Club, Environment Law & Policy Center, Chicago Recycling Coalition, City of Chicago, Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, solid Wast Agency of Cook County, Kane County Waste Management, PC Rebuilders & Refurbishes, Illinois Retail Merchant's Association, Dell, Hewlett Packard, General Electric.

Stay tuned for ways in which you can help as citizens to ensure that Illinois has a proper electronic waste recycling program. No more unused old cell phones in your desk drawers...imagine!

Life's A Campaign by Chris Matthews

I'm a big fan of Chris Matthews, one of MSNBC's political pundits and the host of Hardball. I watch this program as often as I can, mostly to catch up on the 2008 presidential campaign. Matthews has had a rich career as both a journalist and political adviser (he was one of Jimmy Carter's speech writers), so I was excited to get my hands on his most recent book, "Life's A Campaign" which came out last October. The book has received only tepid reviews, but I just finished it last week and highly recommend it, especially for political junkies (you know who you are!). It's a fun and inspiring read and full of anecdotes. Each chapter features historical quotes that very much apply in today's political arena. One in particular I raised an eyebrow at is from Chapter 18:

"Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation. For it is better to be alone than in bad company."—George Washington

Pick up a copy at your local bookstore or click here to purchase it from Amazon.com.

Enjoy!

Susan

Law Letting Papers Sell High School Sports Photos Sails Through Ill. Senate Panel

This story appeared in Editor & Publisher (a journal that covers the newspaper industry) this morning and makes the point that the Illinois Sports High School Association (ISHA) wants to have an "exclusive" in selling sports photos to interested parties, likely the parents of the featured high school athletes. Newspapers argue that they also have the right to provide photos and charge for the cost. Herein lies the argument. I am supporting rights of newspapers to also provide photographs. I've pasted the editorial below, and you can also read it by clicking here. Let me know your thoughts!
—Susan

Law Letting Papers Sell High School Sports Photos Sails Through Ill. Senate Panel
By Mark Fitzgerald

CHICAGO A law that would guarantee Illinois newspapers can sell photos they take of high school sports tournaments appears to be on the fast track to passage in the state legislature.

An Illinois Senate panel sent the bill to the floor on an 8-1 vote late last week.

The legislation, pushed hard by the Illinois Press Association (IPA), comes in reaction to incidents this fall and winter in which newspaper photographers were not allowed close access to tournament games and matches because they would not promise not to sell the photos to the public. Photographers were barred from the sidelines. Some newspapers took photos from the stands, while others refused to run any photos from the tournaments, and told readers why.

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) imposed the rule to assure exclusive photo rights to the games by a Wisconsin business called VIP. IHSA argues VIP deserves the exclusive access because it also photographs less popular tournaments in sports such as chess or bowling. And it says the dispute with newspapers is about commerce, not the First Amendment.

But the IPA contends the IHSA's actions go the very heart of a free press.

The restrictions are the topic of the editorial in the current March print Editor & Publisher. "It's not just about sports photography," IPA Executive Director Dave Bennett told E&P for that piece, "it's about the right of newspapers to protect their product without government interference, which is a much larger issue."

The editorial also noted that attempts to give exclusive photo resale rights have been made by the prep sports association in Alabama. Arkansas newspapers have reported similar attempts in that state.

IPA has also sued the IHSA over the restrictions. In the lawsuit, the press association notes that the revenue stream from selling tournament shots to the public is tiny. According to The State Journal-Register in Springfield, sales of photo reprints from all IHSA tournaments last year amounted to just $454.

Parents have also complained about the policy to their representatives, Illinois lawmakers say.
For instance, Democratic Sen. Susan Garrett told the Daily Herald in Arlington Heights that she supported the law because the restrictions are a "roadblock" to families or schools who want to buy the newspaper photos.

"The more I hear about this, the more obvious this is to me that we need legislation," Garrett said, according to the account by Daily Herald reporter Amber Krosel.

With legislative hearings set and the lawsuit filed, the IHSA earlier this month temporarily lifted its restrictions during the boys and girls prep basketball state championship rounds.

*If you are a subscriber and would like to see the full blog, you can click the blue title or right here.

Green Business Conference and Luncheon

Oakton Community College, Harper College, the City of Des Plaines, and Green2B/Green2C Marketing are sponsoring a Green informational event for the public to learn more about Green opportunities from eco-experts. The program will include introductions by Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia, a featured speech by Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, and round tables from local business representatives.

Where: Oakton Community College, Business Conference Center
1600 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines, 60016

When: Friday, March 28th, 2008
Noon - 3:00 p.m.

Registration fee: $35
(fee includes luncheon, presentations and handouts)

Reservations: Call 847-635-1934

More information? www.oakton.edu/gogreen

Lt. Governor Pat Quinn speaking with Senator Garrett at the Green Governments Illinois press conference.

Feds concede vaccine linked to girl's autism

I caught this article in the Sun Times on Thursday, which has been in most major U.S. papers and reported on the news. It is especially interesting to many families in our district who have autistic children. A few years ago I introduced legislation requiring that all children two years of age and younger could not be given vaccines with thimerosal (a mercury-containing organic compound often included in vaccines as a preservative). For years, some experts have said thimerosal could be a cause of autism. This theory has been refuted, but today, for the first time, there seems to be some evidence that there could be a correlation. Click here to read to full Sun Times article.

As always, your thoughts are welcome.

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The Capitol Fax Blog

Our blog was linked today by Capitol Fax Blog. Capitol Fax and the Capitol Fax Blog cover Illinois politics and is read by legislators, lobbyists, corporate executives, union leaders, association directors, administration officials, reporters and citizens. Capitol Fax's founder Rich Miller also pens a weekly syndicated column that runs in newspapers throughout Illinois, as well as a regular column in the Chicago Sun-Times. Click here to check it out.

"Do Not Call" Registry (updated 3pm)

Earlier in the day we posted a link to the "Do Not Call" list because we were notified that cell phone numbers were going be released to telemarketers. We got a few comments pointing out that this "Do Not Call" list is an urban myth. We quickly took down the post to investigate further. Now we've put the link back up with more information, because the "Do Not Call" registry is in fact legit. The false information is that a number has to be registered before a certain date and the implication that all cell phones numbers will be released. Cell phone numbers will only be included in a public directory if you decide to opt in. You may register your land line at any time to get put on the "Do Not Call" list without any deadline restrictions. That list will get distributed to telemarketers which are then prohibited from calling anyone on it. Those failing to comply should be reported to www.DoNotCall.gov. To register your home phone number click here.

To clarify:
Myth: Cell phone users MUST register their numbers with the national 'Do Not Call' directory BY A GIVEN DEADLINE to PREVENT THEIR CELL PHONE NUMBERS FROM BEING RELEASED TO TELEMARKETERS

Fact: Cell phone numbers will never be added to the white pages directory unless user decides to be included.

Fact: Registering your home phone (land line) is effective and available anytime.

I hope this helps clear everything up.

President of NIU backs off plan to raze Cole Hall

I didn't think I would put up another post today as I just arrived in Springfield, but after reading today's Chicago Tribune article titled NIU president pulls back from call to raze Cole Hall I decided it was important to link it here. So many of you have e-mailed and called me stating your disapproval of the razing of Cole Hall, and the Governor's intent to rebuild it at a cost of $40 million to taxpayers. Initially, some legislators backed this idea, and the president of NIU was even for it. But, the electorate disagreed, and spoke out loud and clear that this type of spending wan unnecessary and inappropriate.

You can email your opinions directly to NIU at colehall@niu.edu. This is a perfect way for our District to be represented on this issue. And if you'd like to post your comments with us, please do!—Susan

Grading State Governments

A few days ago a constituent brought an interesting AP article titled Report Rates Worst, Best Government to my attention. Click here to download a pdf which charts how Illinois ranked among the other 49 states and here to be directed to The PEW website. Take a look and feel free to weigh in with your comments. I'll be in Springfield until Friday, but will be back with new posts when I return.—Susan

Report Rates Worst, Best Governments
By Ben Evans, AP

WASHINGTON (March 3) - Utah, Virginia and Washington state have the most effective state governments in the country, according to a scorecard released Monday by The Pew Center on the States.

WORST: New Hampshire
Overall state government grade: D+
Note: Rankings based on reviews by a panel of state government experts
The center ranked the states based on how well they manage their budgets, staffs, infrastructure and information.

The states with the highest scores have made accountability and innovation a priority, the report said.

Washington, for example, holds public meetings led by the governor to monitor how its programs are working, while Utah has a sophisticated financial tracking system that provides up-to-the-minute data. Virginia offers its employees incentives for meeting goals and improving service.

New Hampshire — which got the lowest score — is not closely monitoring its costs and performance, Pew said in a press release.

"Effective state government really matters," said Neal Johnson, director of Pew's Government Performance Project, citing infrastructure as evidence. "The Minnesota bridge collapse and the failure of the levees in New Orleans prove that few functions of state government have more direct impact on the daily lives of Americans."

The "Grading the States" report card was the fourth in a series of assessments issued by Pew's Government Performance Project and Governing Magazine. The last was released in 2005.

The rankings are based on reviews by a panel of state government experts.

States were graded on their recruitment and retention of qualified employees, their use of information and technology, management of budgets and purchasing systems, and planning for improvements to roads, bridges and other core infrastructure.

Susan Urahn, managing director of The Pew Center on the States, said the rankings are intended to give states objective information about how they can improve their performance.

At a panel discussion on the rankings in Washington, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said management practices may not be the sexiest of political issues, but they can significantly impact how efficiently tax dollars are used and how well a government delivers services.

"Although you can't run a government like a business, you can use the principles that work," said Perdue, whose state placed in the top tier in the rankings.

Newest Version of Tax Swap Proposal Coming from Springfield

At our Town Hall Meetings, a majority of the comments and questions I heard pertained to SB 2288, which has layers of taxes and tax credits. It would make major changes to tax and school funding laws by increasing income tax in order to lower property taxes. I have listed the key components for you to review and provide your input. While it’s lengthy, feel free to weigh in on all or separate sections.

I’m not supportive of this bill the way it is drafted, but I am ready to hear your thoughts and observations.

Increases in personal income tax to 5% (from 3%) and in corporate income tax to 8% (from 4.8%). Family Tax Credits are provided to single taxpayers earning less than $26,695 and married couples earning less than $53,694. (As a point of comparison, right now Illinois has the lowest personal income tax rate of the 41 states that have an income tax. Wisconsin’s is 6.75%, Michigan’s is 3.9%, Iowa’s is 8.98%.)

• Reduction in property taxes by $2.9 billion a year (with increases for inflation), with every property owner seeing at least 20% lower property taxes

• Funding of $1 billion a year for debt service on the pension debt and fees on bonds for capital projects throughout the State

• $300 million annually for grants for higher education

• Increases for early childhood education, ranging from $45 million in 2009-2010 to $180 million in 2012-2013

• Increases in the “foundation level” of school funding to $6,044 per student for 2009-2010 (from $5,734) up to $6,974 for the 2012-2013 school year

• Eliminates the question of expanding gambling to pay for schools

Let me know what you think by clicking the comments link below!

Lake County News-Sun article

On the heels of Saturday's town hall meeting in Highland Park, the News-Sun reports on one of the highlights: discussion about the state tax-swap bills. Click the link to the article for the full story:
Frosty reception for state tax-swap bills Garrett, May wary of harm to local schools.

Please add any comments or additional concerns by clicking on the comments link below.

Cited in Sunday's March 2nd Tribune:

The Chicago Tribune article "Trial Knocks on governor's door" quoted me with the statement below:

"The governor came here riding a white horse and he was our ethics czar and he definitely doesn't deserve a pass," said Sen. Susan Garrett (D- Lake Forest). "But I think it's really more important that we as legislators and leaders look into why this continues to happen over and over again."

What are your thoughts on this issue and do you agree? Click the comments link below to voice your opinions.