Blagojevich

Blagojevich's Climate Change Summit

Adam Doster — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:20:54 -0800

With grim economic news piling up, it's not surprising that Gov. Rod Blagojevich chose to skip town for the West Coast. But Blago's trip to Southern California isn't just an escape -- it might actually be constructive.

Frustrated with the Bush administration's disregard for the dangers of climate change, Blagojevich and four other governors -- Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), Charlie Crist (R-FL), Jim Doyle (D-WI) and Kathleen Sebelius (R-KS) -- are hosting the Governor's Global Climate Summit, a two-day conference in Beverly Hills where participants hope to find common ground with developing nations on global warming policy. Officials from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the European Union are expected to attend.

There's sure to be a fair amount of grandstanding at the event, as is typical at these blue-ribbon type affairs. Schwarzenegger will tout his state's plan to slash emissions across every industry while other state leaders will discuss their climate change initiatives.

Nonetheless, early collaboration with representatives from developing nations could have a long-term impact by easing tensions between countries wary of mandated carbon reductions (such as China and India), European nations already operating under a cap-and-trade system, and an incoming American president more focused on environmental protection than his predecessors. Considering that diplomats will gather in Poland next month to begin negotiating a successor to the 2005 Kyoto Protocol, now is as a good a time as any to hack away at the significant obstacles that still inhibit global climate change legislation:

Rob Bradley, director of the international climate program at Washington-based World Resources Institute, said differences between emerging economies such as China and India and developed nations like the U.S. and those in Europe will have to be overcome during UN negotiations.

``I think the conference in California should certainly explore to what extent those things can be moved forward but we shouldn't expect any quick and massive breakthroughs,'' Bradley said.

On a practical level, the Los Angeles Times reports that Illinois, Wisconsin, and California will sign an agreement with two states in Indonesia and four in Brazil to work on tropical forest preservation. Schwarzenegger will also issue a declaration to share technology and cooperate on reducing global-warming emissions from high-polluting industries, a proposal that's been endorsed by 12 U.S. governors and regional representatives from Brazil, Canada, India, Indonesia, and Mexico.

Meanwhile, President-elect Barack Obama showed his dedication to the issue by sending the a surprise video message to the conference:

Foster Care Payments Face Delays

Angela Caputo — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:46:22 -0800

We've already written about how drug treatment programs, social services and child welfare have fallen victim to the dysfunction in Springfield. This afternoon we confirmed some news that cements just how bad things have gotten.

Despite being one of the wealthier states in the nation, Illinois officials are scrambling to figure out how they'll cut the checks that foster families rely on to buy food, clothing, and other necessities for the children they look after.

We're waiting on the comptroller and the governor's budget office to fill us in on the details. Apparently the pending payments are lumped in with the multi-billion backlog in bills. Included in that backlog are 316,000 unpaid vouchers, some of which date back to August 13, according to Alan Henry, a spokesman from Comptroller Dan Hynes' office.

"We're working with DCFS to work something out," is all Henry would say about the potential delay of foster care aid this afternoon. More details should be forthcoming Tuesday morning, he said.

As of last June, 16,160 children were in Illinois' foster care system, according to a state website. It's not clear what the tally is now. Whatever the figure, the state's child welfare system is under a lot of financial stress this year.

As we noted last week, 179 state child welfare workers are facing layoffs on Nov. 1. The money needed to keep those staffers on is there. Or at least it was when the legislature approved sweeping $221 million from earmarked accounts to restore those and other cuts earlier this fall. Gov. Blagojevich has yet to sign a companion appropriations bill to release the money.

In the meantime, Gladys Boyd, a foster parent and the president of the Illinois Foster Adoptive Care Association says she and others may have to go it alone.

"Who are you gonna call?" she said. "You're in a boat with no paddle."

Gutierrez On Obama's Senate Seat: Race Or Ethnicity Shouldn't Be Considered

Josh Kalven — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:45:22 -0800

Following a moving immigration-related event in Chicago's Pilsen neigborhood today, Rep. Luis Gutierrez responded to speculation surrounding Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat, scheduled to be officially vacated tomorrow. Gutierrez, who is reportedly on Gov. Blagojevich's short-list of possible replacements, described himself as "honored and humbled to be considered" and said that he plans to talk to the governor on Monday about what "he expects of the next senator from Illinois." He added that he's "not looking for a promotion," thought it's clear he's interested.

When asked about Sen. Dick Durbin's statement Friday that race shouldn't be the only consideration in picking Obama's successor, Gutierrez wholeheartedly agreed: "The quicker we get away from ... simply referring to elected officials by the color of their skin and their national origin the better [for] this country." Watch it:

We'll have more coverage of the event itself on Monday.

The Senate Seat Tight Rope (UDPATED)

Josh Kalven — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:16:30 -0800

Crain's Greg Hinz on the maneuvers surrounding Obama's soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat:

If I read the smoke correctly, [Valerie] Jarrett backed out of the Senate derby at least in part because G-Rod overplayed his hand, insisting that Mr. Obama more or less publicly request the favor of a Jarrett appointment. Mr. Obama, who’s not about to seek favors from a governor who is under investigation in a federal corruption probe, ended the boomlet.

While it is all smoke at this point, Hinz's take sounds about right.

Using backchannels and leaks, the Obama camp appeared to signal last week that the president-elect favored Jarrett as his successor. Blagojevich then spooked them somehow, either by asking Obama to formalize the request (as Hinz suggests) or trying to get something else in return. Regardless, Obama backed away. He announced he wanted Jarrett with him in the White House, then Jarrett withdrew her name from consideration.

By the way, if Blagojevich did press the president-elect behind the scenes, you can be sure there are a lot of Obama allies who are upset with him right now.

Hinz goes on to suggest that none of the other potential Senate replacements are "as qualified" as Jarrett (not sure I agree) and finally wonders if Blagojevich will "return Obama's hardball with a soft lob." Read the whole thing to find out what that means.

UPDATE (5:54 PM): From Lynn Sweet:

Valerie Jarrett will be named at the senior advisor and assistant to the President for Inter-government relations and Public Liaison in the Obama White House. I reported in the Thursday Chicago Sun-Times that Jarrett, a confidante of President-elect Obama and wife Michelle, was headed towards a senior White House position.

CBS 2: Sources "All But Rule Out" Jackson Jr. As Obama Replacement

Josh Kalven — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:39:34 -0800

CBS 2's Mike Flannery sorted through the speculation about Obama's U.S. Senate replacement last night and offered up some interesting -- and unsourced -- developments. According to Flannery, the top three names on Gov. Blagojevich's shortlist are Tammy Duckworth, Emil Jones, and Rep. Luis Gutierrez. He further reported that former 10th District congressional candidate Dan Seals is perhaps being considered and that sources "all but rule out Jesse Jackson Jr." as a potential pick. Finally, Attorney General Lisa Madigan distanced herself from the process. Watch it:

Meanwhile, Sen. Dick Durbin indicated yesterday that he's hoping to meet with Blagojevich to discuss the matter today:

“If I could meet with the governor — and we’re trying to set that up right now — I want to keep it confidential between us,” Durbin said. “(Planning a meeting) has been a little more difficult than I thought, but I think we’re going to be able to do it tomorrow.”

Durbin said some of his picks are not on the lists circulating through the media. His main concerns, he said, are finding someone who can represent all of Illinois’ 102 counties and can work well with him in Washington, D.C.

By all accounts, Durbin and Blagojevich have an icy, distant relationship, so it will be interesting to see if this meeting actually occurs.

(H/T HuffPo Chicago)

DCFS Workers Try To Beat Back Layoffs

Angela Caputo — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:51:38 -0800

When Fred Pennix (right) was hired 15 years ago as a state child welfare investigator in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood -- arguably one of the nation's most devastated communities -- he thought the job would be tough. Turns out, he was right.

Poverty there runs deep and drugs or violence are always lurking around the corner. For many children, Pennix says, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is their best hope for protection. And he's determined not to let that change.

Today he stood with hundreds of child welfare workers at the Thompson Center to pressure the governor to sign a languishing appropriations bill that would spare 179 child welfare jobs and some other social programs, which will otherwise be eliminated in just 18 days.

Earlier this fall, the General Assembly approved tapping other state funds to inject $220 million into the state's operating budget. But, Gov. Blagojevich -- who made the cuts to help shore up $1.4 billion shortfall -- has yet to sign off on releasing the money.

If the governor fails to act by Oct. 31, scores of caseworkers, investigators, and other front-line workers will be sent packing. Many are frustrated by the governor's unwillingness to explain why he's not signing the bill. But most of all, the employees we spoke with wonder how the agency will manage.

"There used to be a concern that if you had 10 pending investigations, kids were at risk. The it went up to 15. Now it's 20," Pennix said. "There's no spreading the work around. There's no one to spread it to."

Employees who have seniority under a contract negotiated by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union -- such as caseworker JoAnn Washington-Murry -- will have the chance to transfer into vacant jobs should theirs be cut.

One way or another, a net loss of 179 jobs will be realized, according to DCFS spokesman Kendall Marlowe. Just how the transition will shake out remains an unknown, he said.

"DCFS says they have a plan. We don't know what it is," Washington-Murry says. "Ultimately the service cuts are going to hurt our families."

Revenues Low, Need For Stimulus High

Adam Doster — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:36:48 -0800

Angela highlighted it in the Early Bird, but it's worth emphasizing how little tax revenue the state is actually collecting. Since July, each of Illinois’ key revenue generators -- the individual income tax, corporate income tax, and sales tax -- have come in far below government estimates. David Ormsby has the grim details.

- IL Individual Income Tax Individual income tax was originally projected to grow 1.1 percent, but receipts are down 4 percent compared to projections. If this continues for the remaining eight months, Individual Income Tax receipts would be about $330 million below the estimates.

- IL Corporate Income Tax Corporate Income Tax was originally projected to grow 4.1 percent, but receipts are down 14 percent. If this continues for the remaining eight months, Corporate Tax receipts will be about $270 million below the estimates.

- IL Sales Tax Originally projected to grow at 1.6 percent, receipts are down 3 percent. If this pattern continues for the remaining eight months, Sales Tax receipts will be about $215 million below the estimates.

Last month, Gov. Blagojevich signed the $221 million funds sweep passed by the General Assembly in September, but he's yet to approve the supplemental spending bill which authorizes the individual agencies to appropriate the money.* Blagojevich spokeswoman Katie Ridgway told the State Journal-Register that her boss "agrees that there are some core services in the supplemental [budget measure], which is why it is still under review."

Facing the impending shortfall, it would be easy (and short-sighted) for the governor to hold back these funds much longer. He has until December 6 to move on the bill.

Yet even the sweeps won't do enough to plug the potential $800 million gap, as Blagojevich is well aware. That's why these new tax projections underscore the need for a broad and substantial federal stimulus package.

Illinois is not alone in this regard. Ormsby points to an Economy.com item that shows 32 states -- California, New York, Florida and Ohio among them -- experiencing comprable mid-year shortfalls. Without assistance, governors are going to take an axe to crucial programs, including expenditures on public health, education, and state employment. Such cuts would then deepen the recessionary pressures weighing on working people.

State leaders should absolutley scour the budget for inefficiencies, but $800 million won't emerge out of thin air. It's going to come from where it hurts.

*CLARIFICATION: This post originally suggested that Blagojevich is yet to sign the fund sweeps bill. In fact, he approved the bill in early October, but is yet to sign the accompanying spending measure.

Jarrett Out As Possible Obama Senate Replacement

Josh Kalven — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:02:34 -0800

Well, so much for that idea. CNN reports:

Two Democratic sources close to President-elect Barack Obama tell CNN that top adviser Valerie Jarrett will not be appointed to replace him in the U.S. Senate.

"While he (Obama) thinks she would be a good senator, he wants her in the White House," one top Obama advisor told CNN Monday.

My guess is this has more to do with Gov. Blagojevich signaling Jarrett isn't an option, than Obama deciding he wants her by his side in the White House. When the governor finally announces his pick, I think it's going to be pretty clear what he got in exchange. It's hard to see what he would gain by tapping Jarrett -- besides President Obama's good will, of course. And considering the dire straits Blagojevich finds himself in these days, that's probably not enough.

Majority Of Cook Co. Voters Support Recall

Angela Caputo — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:05:35 -0800

Just weeks after he was hit with a dismal job appproval rating of 13 percent, more bad news is emerging for Gov. Rod Blagojevich today.

Fed-up voters overwhelmingly backed a Cook County advisory referendum to add a recall amendment to the state constitution enabling lawmakers to send unpopular elected officials packing. The question asked: "Shall the State of Illinois Constitution be amended to establish a recall process for the office of governor and other statewide elected officials?" The measure passed by a 57-43 percent margin in the city and a 63-37 percent margin in the county, according to preliminary election authority results.

It took some sneaky political maneuvering by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn to get the question on the ballot. He quietly collected 900 signatures in favor of the recall amendment and delivered them to County Clerk David Orr earlier this year. More signatures are typically required, but because the petition flew under the radar, no one posed a challenge.

Ironically, it was the lieutenant governor who recently spearheaded a legal battle over problematic language pertaining to the constitutional convention referendum that made its way through a legislative committee and onto the statewide ballot.

For more on the issue of recall, check out Josh's skeptical thoughts on the subject last April.

Blagojevich's Search Committee

Josh Kalven — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:14:37 -0800

This is interesting. The Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet is reporting that, if Barack Obama wins tomorrow, Gov. Rod Blagojevich will create a search committee "to advise him on who he should appoint as his replacement in the United States Senate":

I'm told that Blagojevich will host a press conference later this week in Chicago in order to discuss the appointment, the criteria and give some insight into the process to replace Obama, elected to the Senate in 2004.

My prediction had been that, in the case of his election, the replacement would be announced swiftly, thereby allowing Obama to shed his Senate duties as soon as possible. But this sounds like a much more deliberate process.