By Jamey Dunn
The General Assembly today approved legislation to address the funding shortfall in pensions systems for Chicago city workers.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposal to stabilize the two systems fell flat last week, but sailed through the House and Senate today. The key factor that helped spur action was the removal of a provision that would have authorized city council members to approve a property tax increase. The new version of Senate Bill 1922, which is sponsored by House Speaker Michael Madigan, allows the city to pay for the plan with property tax money or any other available revenue.
Gov. Pat Quinn is running for re-election on a budget plan that would extend the current income tax rates instead of allowing them to sunset. The potential upside to his plan for some Illinoisans is that is would also offer a $500 annual credit for homeowners that Quinn has billed as property tax relief. Quinn made negative comments about the highly unpopular tax at most public appearances lately. Needless to say the governor opposed Emanuel’s push for a property tax increase blessed by state lawmakers. He panned it yesterday by calling it a “lousy tax” and saying that the proposal was “a sketch” not a clear plan.
But Emanuel described the proposal to reporters in Chicago as: “an honest compromise between leaders of organized labor and the city to secure the pensions; secure it in a way that city can afford it and make sure that to the 61,000 people who have come to relay on it, that it will be there.” Under the measure, workers would be asked to contribute more toward their retirement and would see reductions to their cost of living increases. Retirees would not get increases in 2017, 2019 and 2025. However, retirees with pension payouts of less than $22,000 annually would receive a minimum of 1 percent increase each year and would still get an increase during the skipped years. “If you do nothing, these plans are loosing money everyday. They’re going to go belly up within a decade,” Emanuel says.
As the legislation made its way through the process today, Quinn was unwilling to say whether he supported the bill. “I have to see the final bill. I’ll take a look at it. That’s what I do with all bills.”
He did tell reporters that he was encouraged by the removal of the property tax components. “I think they got the message yesterday that [the] provision in the bill was not the way to go, and I’m glad they recognized that.” However, Quinn conceded that the city would have to find money somehow to cover the cost associated with the plan. “If they have any kind of pension reform, they need to have revenue to pay for it, but there’s many different creative ways to do that.”
Republicans in the House backed the plan, saying that it has to be done. “If we do nothing—we already have the roadmap for that. It’s called the city of Detroit,” said Elmhurst Republican Dennis Reboletti. “We can’t let the city of Chicago fail. And if the aldermen there chose to do nothing or choose to raise taxes, that’s their business.” The systems are governed by state law, so the General Assembly must sign off on changes. However, the revenue component of the plan can be handled at the local level.
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin echoed that sentiment. “Doing nothing is not an option,” he said during floor debate. “We can’t ignore the fact that the city of Chicago is the economic engine of this state.”
Senate Republicans did not see the issue the same way. They called on the Democrats in their chamber to put the breaks on the legislation, which they say moved too quickly. “It will be here in two weeks, and we’re happy to partner with you, but it must be a true partnership,” said Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno. Senate Republicans say they want to know what the plan is to deal with the city’s other underfunded pensions systems for teachers, firefighters and police officers. “What’s the plan? The place is on fire up there,” Palatine Republican Sen. Matt Murphy said. Murphy said that members of his party are worried that they city might look to the state’s coffers to bail out those systems.
Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said that it is unrealistic to wait around for an omnibus bill that addresses all the systems because different bargaining units are working out their own negotiations with the city. But he said that if the city can work out a deal with labor, like his bill, lawmakers should approve it. “It’s irresponsible for us not to act when...labor and employer, labor and the city, has come to the table [on this bill],” he said. Raoul said that 31 out of the 34 bargaining representing those affected by the plan have offered no opposition to the bill.
Speaker Madigan had a busy day on the House floor today as the chamber also approved a constitutional amendment that he is sponsoring. House Joint Constitutional Amendment Resolution 52 prohibits denying the right to vote based on a person's race, color, ethnicity, status as a member of a language minority, sex, sexual orientation, income national origin or religion.
Madigan said the amendment sends the message, “that in Illinois we believe that every legal voter should be treated equally and have the ability to vote for the candidate of their choice.”
Durkin also backed the speaker’s amendment, but others on his side of the aisle panned it as unnecessary. “This is a constitutional amendment looking for a problem,” said Rep. David Reis, a Republican from Willow Hill. Reis is a sponsor of legislation that would require voters to present identification at the polls. Madigan describe such requirements as “voter suppression” during the debate of his amendment.
If the Senate approves the proposal, which seems likely, it will appear before voters on the November ballot. While Madigan has not shared any ulterior motive for the amendment, some see the proposal as geared toward brining out the Democratic base for the general election.
Showing posts with label Rahm Emanuel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rahm Emanuel. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
Monday, April 07, 2014
Quinn says gaming expansion talks "on the right path," pans Chicago pension plan
By Jamey Dunn
Gov. Pat Quinn today weighed in on some issues potentially facing lawmakers this spring session. The governor had some positive comments about a possible gambling expansion but criticized Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to address the underfunded pension systems for city workers.
Quinn has been viewed as the roadblock to long-proposed racetrack and casino gambling expansion in the state. While the governor signed off on allowing video poker in bars, truck stops and restaurants across Illinois as part of funding for the capitol construction plan, he has twice vetoed gambling expansions for casinos and horse-racing tracks that have been sent to his desk. But he told reporters in Chicago today that he thinks some progress has been made on the topic. He said that he would not support any gambling expansion unless it has strong ethics rules and oversight from the Illinois Gaming Board. A proposed Chicago casino, which would be owned by the city, has been the target of Quinn’s scrutiny. He says he backs the idea, but so far has not liked the way lawmakers have proposed structuring the oversight of a city casino. “You’ve got to have strong ethical standards, and I think they need to be enforced, and it has to be done by the independent Illinois Gaming Board,” Quinn said today. “I think we have kind of ironed that out. I think we’re on the right path.” The governor has also said in the past that he would not support an expansion unless the revenues went to fund education.
Quinn said he is willing to meet with those supporting an expansion bill and then said he thinks the “issue could come up this year.”
The governor had less than positive things to say about Emanuel’s proposal to reduce the city’s $19.5 billion unfunded liability for its workers pensions. The plan would ask employees to pay a larger portion toward their retirement benefits and reduce their annual cost of living adjustments. The city would also increase local property taxes to bring in an additional $50 million per year for five years beginning in 2016. Pensions for police, firefighters and teachers are not included in the plan. If those systems are added in, the city’s unfunded liability is more than $29 billion.
House Speaker Michael Madigan is sponsoring the measure, which passed in committee but failed to make it to a floor vote last week. As part of his budget proposal for next fiscal year, Quinn pitched a plan to offer property tax relief to many homeowners while extending the current income tax rates. Today, Quinn said he was not impressed by the mayor’s proposal. “I wouldn’t call a bill; I would call it a sketch. It kept changing by the hour,” he said. Quinn said he wants to see a “comprehensive” proposal to address the shortfall in the city’s pension systems, but he would not offer specifics. “If they think they’re just going to gouge property taxpayers, no can do. We’re not going to go that way,” he said. “Chicago has to address its own situation with respect to pension reform, but I think they need to be a whole lot more creative than I have seen so far.”
Emanuel has pitched the concept as a hard-fought compromise worked out with unions. However, some labor groups do not support the bill. “We finally have a model that brings both reform and revenue together,” Emanuel told reporters at a different Chicago news conference today. “It was never anyone’s intention to have Springfield deal with that. That’s our responsibility. But I do believe, to actually give the 61,000 workers and retirees the certainty they deserve, you need reform and revenue. And we’ll deal with our responsibility.” The city’s pensions are governed by state law, so the General Assembly must approve any change. However, the city can increase the property tax on its own. A major sticking point in getting the bill passed is whether the increase will be included in the legislation. State lawmakers do not want to take the hit for a tax increase they believe should be approved at the local level. But unions want the security of knowing that the revenue would come with the benefit reductions instead of counting on city officials to approve the tax increase after their members’ benefits have already been cut.
Gov. Pat Quinn today weighed in on some issues potentially facing lawmakers this spring session. The governor had some positive comments about a possible gambling expansion but criticized Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to address the underfunded pension systems for city workers.
Quinn has been viewed as the roadblock to long-proposed racetrack and casino gambling expansion in the state. While the governor signed off on allowing video poker in bars, truck stops and restaurants across Illinois as part of funding for the capitol construction plan, he has twice vetoed gambling expansions for casinos and horse-racing tracks that have been sent to his desk. But he told reporters in Chicago today that he thinks some progress has been made on the topic. He said that he would not support any gambling expansion unless it has strong ethics rules and oversight from the Illinois Gaming Board. A proposed Chicago casino, which would be owned by the city, has been the target of Quinn’s scrutiny. He says he backs the idea, but so far has not liked the way lawmakers have proposed structuring the oversight of a city casino. “You’ve got to have strong ethical standards, and I think they need to be enforced, and it has to be done by the independent Illinois Gaming Board,” Quinn said today. “I think we have kind of ironed that out. I think we’re on the right path.” The governor has also said in the past that he would not support an expansion unless the revenues went to fund education.
Quinn said he is willing to meet with those supporting an expansion bill and then said he thinks the “issue could come up this year.”
The governor had less than positive things to say about Emanuel’s proposal to reduce the city’s $19.5 billion unfunded liability for its workers pensions. The plan would ask employees to pay a larger portion toward their retirement benefits and reduce their annual cost of living adjustments. The city would also increase local property taxes to bring in an additional $50 million per year for five years beginning in 2016. Pensions for police, firefighters and teachers are not included in the plan. If those systems are added in, the city’s unfunded liability is more than $29 billion.
House Speaker Michael Madigan is sponsoring the measure, which passed in committee but failed to make it to a floor vote last week. As part of his budget proposal for next fiscal year, Quinn pitched a plan to offer property tax relief to many homeowners while extending the current income tax rates. Today, Quinn said he was not impressed by the mayor’s proposal. “I wouldn’t call a bill; I would call it a sketch. It kept changing by the hour,” he said. Quinn said he wants to see a “comprehensive” proposal to address the shortfall in the city’s pension systems, but he would not offer specifics. “If they think they’re just going to gouge property taxpayers, no can do. We’re not going to go that way,” he said. “Chicago has to address its own situation with respect to pension reform, but I think they need to be a whole lot more creative than I have seen so far.”
Emanuel has pitched the concept as a hard-fought compromise worked out with unions. However, some labor groups do not support the bill. “We finally have a model that brings both reform and revenue together,” Emanuel told reporters at a different Chicago news conference today. “It was never anyone’s intention to have Springfield deal with that. That’s our responsibility. But I do believe, to actually give the 61,000 workers and retirees the certainty they deserve, you need reform and revenue. And we’ll deal with our responsibility.” The city’s pensions are governed by state law, so the General Assembly must approve any change. However, the city can increase the property tax on its own. A major sticking point in getting the bill passed is whether the increase will be included in the legislation. State lawmakers do not want to take the hit for a tax increase they believe should be approved at the local level. But unions want the security of knowing that the revenue would come with the benefit reductions instead of counting on city officials to approve the tax increase after their members’ benefits have already been cut.
Wednesday, April 02, 2014
Statehouse roundup
By Jamey Dunn
There was plenty going on at the Statehouse today, and it’s only the first week of April. A House committee approved a bill to reform Chicago’s pension system for city workers; a group of Democratic senators filed legislation that would make sweeping changes to the way the state funds schools; and the Senate voted in favor of allowing children with epilepsy to use medical marijuana. Here’s a rundown of what happened:
Chicago pension changes
Two days after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel presented his proposal to stabilize the city’s pension systems for workers, a House committee approved the plan. It would ask workers to contribute more to the system and would reduce their cost of living increases. The city would increase local property taxes to bring in an additional $250 million in property taxes. The legislation is intended to cut the city’s unfunded pension liability of $19.5 billion in half over 40 years. The General Assembly must approve the plan because the city’s systems are governed by state law.
While Emanuel says he has union support for his plan, not all labor organizations are on board. John Cameron, political director for AFSCME Council 31, called the plan “clearly and indisputably unconstitutional.” Senate Bill 1992 seemed to be set up to move quickly thought the legislature today. House Speaker Michael Madigan popped his amendments onto the bill shortly before the hearing, and the Senate held its own hearing shortly after the House panel voted. But the House adjourned before taking a vote. Republican leaders said that they could not support the proposal because they had not had time to digest its contents, and they said that they would rather see a plan that included the city’s retirement systems for police, firefighters and teachers, too. “We careen from one crisis to the next,” said Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno. “Absent a long term plan, I couldn’t advise our caucus to be in favor of this.” But supporters said that the city is talks with with those groups, too. “You can say we’ve piecemealed, but they’re different entities,” said Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul. “This is about solving a very serious problem that impacts the city of Chicago. ... This is a product of negotiations. It’s been indicated that other negotiations are ongoing and things don’t just come to a point of resolution magically at the same time.”
Medical marijuana for epilepsy
The Senate approved SB 2636, which would allow children with epilepsy access to marijuana as a treatment under the state’s medical cannabis pilot program. Some families have found that a liquid form of the drug helps control the disease in children with frequent seizures. Parents say marijuana oil has helped their children, who may have hundreds or thousands of seizures a day, to cut the number down to just a few. Last month, an Arizona judge ruled that two parents in the state could continue treating their son with the drug. Parents of epileptic children are pushing for legislation similar to SB 2636 in other states.
Campus smoking ban
The House approved SB 2202, which would ban smoking on public college campuses. The measure would apply to all university property and would let universities decide what the penalty would be for those who violate the ban. Opponents to the proposal argued that smoking policy decisions should be left to university trustees.
Education funding
After a committee spent more than a year scrutinizing the way the state distributes funds to schools, Democratic lawmakers unveiled a proposal to revamp the education funding formula today. Bunker Hill Democratic Sen. Andy Manar, who chaired the committee, said that currently only about 44 percent of the state education spending is doled out based on local need. He said SB 16 would change that so financial need would come into play when distributing about 90 percent of funds. The proposal would also eliminate the individual block grant that is given to Chicago schools, something Republicans on the committee have supported. The plan would also require more spending transparency at the district level. Maywood Democratic Sen. Kimberly Lightford said that the debate around school funding has to move away from focusing on which districts would be funding “winners” and which would lose out on funds. “We all win. We all win. All the school districts win when dollars are going to the areas that need it the most,” she said.
Manar agreed. “The idea that we can have a few premier school districts in the state that exceed every expectation ... and have an incredible number that lag behind and call that a win in the state system is not a win in my book.” Both said that they were introducing the bill now as a jumping point for debate. “We could have waited until the last week of may negotiated behind closed doors, popped a bill out and then had a vote. That’s not the way to do this,” Manar said. “I’m hopeful that we will have a bipartisan set of cosponsors on this bill.”
Republicans in the Senate said that they had not been invited to today’s press conference and that they had not seen the 400-page bill until it was filed last night. “We welcome the discussion of fair education funding. We believe Illinois school children deserve every opportunity for a quality education — in every school in Illinois,” said a statement from Senate Republicans. “Our 2013 look at school funding found Illinois’ current funding formulas to be outdated, skewed to benefit Chicago and not performing as designed by law. We are reviewing the legislation just filed. At first blush — we have dozens of questions and comments to contribute to the discussion as it is reviewed in the Senate and perhaps the House of Representatives. We want educators, superintendents, schools boards and other education professionals to have that opportunity as well.”
Constitutional amendment for victims’ rights
Skokie Democratic Rep. Lou Lang has been pushing for years to get rights for crime victims enshrined into the state’s Constitution. The House today approved his constitutional amendment to do just that. The amendment is part of a crowded field of efforts to get changes to the document before voters. House Speaker Michael Madigan is sponsoring two amendments. One would prevent discrimination against voters in the state and another would charge a 3 percent income tax surcharge on income over $1 million. The revenue from the additional tax would be used to fund education. Both of Madigan’s amendments have been approved by House committees. There are also two separate pushes to put amendments on the ballot through a citizens initiative. One, which is spearheaded by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner, would impose term limits on legislators. The other, which is backed by a well-funded committee, would change the way the state draws its legislative maps by taking the task out of the hands of lawmakers.
There was plenty going on at the Statehouse today, and it’s only the first week of April. A House committee approved a bill to reform Chicago’s pension system for city workers; a group of Democratic senators filed legislation that would make sweeping changes to the way the state funds schools; and the Senate voted in favor of allowing children with epilepsy to use medical marijuana. Here’s a rundown of what happened:
Chicago pension changes
Two days after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel presented his proposal to stabilize the city’s pension systems for workers, a House committee approved the plan. It would ask workers to contribute more to the system and would reduce their cost of living increases. The city would increase local property taxes to bring in an additional $250 million in property taxes. The legislation is intended to cut the city’s unfunded pension liability of $19.5 billion in half over 40 years. The General Assembly must approve the plan because the city’s systems are governed by state law.
While Emanuel says he has union support for his plan, not all labor organizations are on board. John Cameron, political director for AFSCME Council 31, called the plan “clearly and indisputably unconstitutional.” Senate Bill 1992 seemed to be set up to move quickly thought the legislature today. House Speaker Michael Madigan popped his amendments onto the bill shortly before the hearing, and the Senate held its own hearing shortly after the House panel voted. But the House adjourned before taking a vote. Republican leaders said that they could not support the proposal because they had not had time to digest its contents, and they said that they would rather see a plan that included the city’s retirement systems for police, firefighters and teachers, too. “We careen from one crisis to the next,” said Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno. “Absent a long term plan, I couldn’t advise our caucus to be in favor of this.” But supporters said that the city is talks with with those groups, too. “You can say we’ve piecemealed, but they’re different entities,” said Chicago Democratic Sen. Kwame Raoul. “This is about solving a very serious problem that impacts the city of Chicago. ... This is a product of negotiations. It’s been indicated that other negotiations are ongoing and things don’t just come to a point of resolution magically at the same time.”
Medical marijuana for epilepsy
The Senate approved SB 2636, which would allow children with epilepsy access to marijuana as a treatment under the state’s medical cannabis pilot program. Some families have found that a liquid form of the drug helps control the disease in children with frequent seizures. Parents say marijuana oil has helped their children, who may have hundreds or thousands of seizures a day, to cut the number down to just a few. Last month, an Arizona judge ruled that two parents in the state could continue treating their son with the drug. Parents of epileptic children are pushing for legislation similar to SB 2636 in other states.
Campus smoking ban
The House approved SB 2202, which would ban smoking on public college campuses. The measure would apply to all university property and would let universities decide what the penalty would be for those who violate the ban. Opponents to the proposal argued that smoking policy decisions should be left to university trustees.
Education funding
After a committee spent more than a year scrutinizing the way the state distributes funds to schools, Democratic lawmakers unveiled a proposal to revamp the education funding formula today. Bunker Hill Democratic Sen. Andy Manar, who chaired the committee, said that currently only about 44 percent of the state education spending is doled out based on local need. He said SB 16 would change that so financial need would come into play when distributing about 90 percent of funds. The proposal would also eliminate the individual block grant that is given to Chicago schools, something Republicans on the committee have supported. The plan would also require more spending transparency at the district level. Maywood Democratic Sen. Kimberly Lightford said that the debate around school funding has to move away from focusing on which districts would be funding “winners” and which would lose out on funds. “We all win. We all win. All the school districts win when dollars are going to the areas that need it the most,” she said.
Manar agreed. “The idea that we can have a few premier school districts in the state that exceed every expectation ... and have an incredible number that lag behind and call that a win in the state system is not a win in my book.” Both said that they were introducing the bill now as a jumping point for debate. “We could have waited until the last week of may negotiated behind closed doors, popped a bill out and then had a vote. That’s not the way to do this,” Manar said. “I’m hopeful that we will have a bipartisan set of cosponsors on this bill.”
Republicans in the Senate said that they had not been invited to today’s press conference and that they had not seen the 400-page bill until it was filed last night. “We welcome the discussion of fair education funding. We believe Illinois school children deserve every opportunity for a quality education — in every school in Illinois,” said a statement from Senate Republicans. “Our 2013 look at school funding found Illinois’ current funding formulas to be outdated, skewed to benefit Chicago and not performing as designed by law. We are reviewing the legislation just filed. At first blush — we have dozens of questions and comments to contribute to the discussion as it is reviewed in the Senate and perhaps the House of Representatives. We want educators, superintendents, schools boards and other education professionals to have that opportunity as well.”
Constitutional amendment for victims’ rights
Skokie Democratic Rep. Lou Lang has been pushing for years to get rights for crime victims enshrined into the state’s Constitution. The House today approved his constitutional amendment to do just that. The amendment is part of a crowded field of efforts to get changes to the document before voters. House Speaker Michael Madigan is sponsoring two amendments. One would prevent discrimination against voters in the state and another would charge a 3 percent income tax surcharge on income over $1 million. The revenue from the additional tax would be used to fund education. Both of Madigan’s amendments have been approved by House committees. There are also two separate pushes to put amendments on the ballot through a citizens initiative. One, which is spearheaded by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner, would impose term limits on legislators. The other, which is backed by a well-funded committee, would change the way the state draws its legislative maps by taking the task out of the hands of lawmakers.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Quinn signs same-sex marriage bill into law
By Jamey Dunn
As Gov. Pat Quinn signed the law legalizing same sex-marriage in Illinois today, supporters clapped, waved rainbow flags, a symbol of the gay rights movement, and cheered in celebration.
“It’s time to stop planning rallies and start planning weddings. Congratulations,” Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon said at the Chicago event.
“Today we’re here to celebrate family, commitment, love, courage and community,” said Rep. Greg Harris, the sponsor of Senate Bill 10. “This was a labor of love, and it was a mammoth undertaking.” The Illinois Senate approved the legislation in February, and the House voted in favor earlier this month.
Republican state Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka said that voting for the bill was politically difficult for many, especially those in her own party. Four Republican lawmakers, including former House Minority Leader Tom Cross, voted in favor of the law. “History, I think, will show that we got it right on this one.” She said the new law means that the state will not discriminate against loving couples who want to start a family, which she said is “a beautiful thing.” Topinka added, “I am available to be a flower girl, and I’ll even waive the fee.”
Speakers at the event acknowledged the historic nature of the day and used the opportunity to call on other states to follow suit. “This new law is an epic victory for equal rights in America. Illinois is moving forward. We are a model for our country. If the Land of [President Abraham] Lincoln can achieve marriage equality, so can every other state in the nation,” said Gov. Pat Quinn. The governor signed the bill on a desk that belonged to the 16th president, who is a favorite source of quotations for Quinn.
“We’ve realized that to have a forward-moving state, you can’t have backward-looking laws,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I hope that the leaders across the county follow the lead that we are taking here in Illinois.”
While the day was historic, it was also personal for many. Jim Darby is a Korean War veteran. He and his partner, Patrick Bova, want to be buried next to each other in the Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, and Bova said the new law will allow them to be. “We have been together for over 50 years. I can remember so many times when I was celebrating family’s and friends’ anniversaries and thinking how wonderful it would be to celebrate my marriage to Jim. Finally that day has come,” Bova said. “Today is the day when we can look back on our five decades together and say, 'We can finally be newlyweds.'”
As usual, House Speaker Michael Madigan kept his comments short. He thanked those lawmakers who were involved in the passage of the bill and simply said, “I’m very happy to join with everyone in the celebration.”
While it was a time of celebration for many, some opponents also recognized the day. The head of Springfield’s Roman Catholic Diocese, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, presided over “prayers of supplication and exorcism” at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield today. In a statement issues last week, Paprocki called political supporters of same-sex marriage “morally complicit as co-operators in facilitating this grave sin.”
But supporters of the new law say they are moving on. Harris said, paraphrasing Lincoln, “Sometimes we walk slowly, but we never walk back.” The new law will go into effect on June 1. However there is a bill filed that could potentially move up the effective date. Lawmakers will not be able to take action on that bill until after January 1.
As Gov. Pat Quinn signed the law legalizing same sex-marriage in Illinois today, supporters clapped, waved rainbow flags, a symbol of the gay rights movement, and cheered in celebration.
“It’s time to stop planning rallies and start planning weddings. Congratulations,” Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon said at the Chicago event.
“Today we’re here to celebrate family, commitment, love, courage and community,” said Rep. Greg Harris, the sponsor of Senate Bill 10. “This was a labor of love, and it was a mammoth undertaking.” The Illinois Senate approved the legislation in February, and the House voted in favor earlier this month.
Republican state Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka said that voting for the bill was politically difficult for many, especially those in her own party. Four Republican lawmakers, including former House Minority Leader Tom Cross, voted in favor of the law. “History, I think, will show that we got it right on this one.” She said the new law means that the state will not discriminate against loving couples who want to start a family, which she said is “a beautiful thing.” Topinka added, “I am available to be a flower girl, and I’ll even waive the fee.”
Speakers at the event acknowledged the historic nature of the day and used the opportunity to call on other states to follow suit. “This new law is an epic victory for equal rights in America. Illinois is moving forward. We are a model for our country. If the Land of [President Abraham] Lincoln can achieve marriage equality, so can every other state in the nation,” said Gov. Pat Quinn. The governor signed the bill on a desk that belonged to the 16th president, who is a favorite source of quotations for Quinn.
“We’ve realized that to have a forward-moving state, you can’t have backward-looking laws,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I hope that the leaders across the county follow the lead that we are taking here in Illinois.”
While the day was historic, it was also personal for many. Jim Darby is a Korean War veteran. He and his partner, Patrick Bova, want to be buried next to each other in the Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, and Bova said the new law will allow them to be. “We have been together for over 50 years. I can remember so many times when I was celebrating family’s and friends’ anniversaries and thinking how wonderful it would be to celebrate my marriage to Jim. Finally that day has come,” Bova said. “Today is the day when we can look back on our five decades together and say, 'We can finally be newlyweds.'”
As usual, House Speaker Michael Madigan kept his comments short. He thanked those lawmakers who were involved in the passage of the bill and simply said, “I’m very happy to join with everyone in the celebration.”
While it was a time of celebration for many, some opponents also recognized the day. The head of Springfield’s Roman Catholic Diocese, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, presided over “prayers of supplication and exorcism” at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield today. In a statement issues last week, Paprocki called political supporters of same-sex marriage “morally complicit as co-operators in facilitating this grave sin.”
But supporters of the new law say they are moving on. Harris said, paraphrasing Lincoln, “Sometimes we walk slowly, but we never walk back.” The new law will go into effect on June 1. However there is a bill filed that could potentially move up the effective date. Lawmakers will not be able to take action on that bill until after January 1.
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
Chicago mayor jumps into Statehouse pension debate
By Jamey Dunn
As lawmakers look to scale back retirement benefits for state employees, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel asked them to also consider cutting benefits for workers in his city.
Emanuel presented the broad strokes of his proposal to change the city’s six pension systems to an Illinois House committee today. He proposed:
The mayor’s proposal would have to be approved by the General Assembly, and it would apply to Chicago’s pension systems for laborers, municipal employees, teachers, police officers, firefighters and park employees.
Emanuel estimated that his plan would eliminate about 40 percent of the city’s $20 billion unfunded pension liability. He said that growing pension costs are crowding out other vital services. “Our taxpayers cannot afford to chose between pensions and police officers or pensions and paved streets or pensions and public health,” he said. “Our pension payment will eventually squeeze out every essential that residents require and a city must provide.”
Emanuel projected that if nothing is done to scale back benefits for city employees, property taxes would have to be increased by 150 percent to keep up with the cost. “I do not believe that property taxes should go up 150 percent. No business will come to the city of Chicago or Chicago land area, and no family will relocate [there].”
He praised Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to reform the state’s pension system and acknowledged similarities in the underfunding that Chicago pensions and state pensions are facing. He said taxpayers and workers are not to blame. The mayor said that politicians have not been honest with the public in the past about the magnitude of the problem and have made promises to workers that they cannot keep. While his plan shares some components with Quinn’s, he said Chicago has different needs. “We are facing problems that a one-size fits all framework will not fit.”
House Speaker Michael Madigan agreed that Chicago and the state face similar problems when it comes to pensions. “Well, I think he delivered his message that the city pension systems need to be reviewed. They need to be examined. They’re not financially sustainable as they’re currently constituted. It’s very similar to what we’re doing here at the state level with the state pension systems. I’ve been very much involved in that. Same issues,” Madigan told reporters today.
The mayor came out strongly in favor of Quinn’s proposal to have school districts outside of Chicago take on some of the cost for teachers’ retirement. He said it is unfair that Chicago covers most of the cost for its teachers while school districts outside of the city do not. “Only taxpayers in Chicago pay for the pensions of their own teachers and those teachers statewide. If taxpayers in Northbrook or Springfield or Marion were faced with that kind of double duty, their mayors would not tolerate it. And as mayor of Chicago, neither will I.”
House Minority Leader Tom Cross said there are other funding inequities between Chicago and downstate that benefit the city, and any potential unfairness should be considered in the context of all state spending. Cross and other Republicans have been less than enthusiastic about the possibility of shifting costs to local school districts. Cross said it would do nothing to address the problem of the unfunded liability. Republicans who have been more vocally opposed have said that it would decimate school budgets. Besides the call for a cost shift, Cross was supportive of Emanuel’s plan. “I like his concept. I like the governor’s concept. I like our concept,” Cross said. “We’re ready to go. We need to do this now.”
Unions decried Emanuel’s plan, saying that he is blowing the situation out of proportion. “What he’s trying to do is alarm the tax payer and pit them against the Chicago Police officers and the fireman that protect our city every single day,” said Michael Shields, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge 7. “A guy does 30 years, 27 years down the road you can’t just change the rules of the game for the employee. It’s an individual contract between the employee and the employer and you cannot reduce those benefits. It’s against the constitution in Illinois.”
Union officials say Emanuel sprung the proposal on them during today’s hearing and voiced frustration about not being asked for input in the mayor’s plan. “The unions representing city employees have repeatedly conveyed to the mayor our willingness to work constructively to solve the pension funding problem. Yet he has never once met with us to hear our views or put forward the suggestions he unveiled today,” Henry Bayer, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, said in a prepared statement. “No one has a bigger interest in assuring the fiscal stability of city pension funds than the retirees and employees who depend upon them. Our union remains committed to working toward a solution that is fair and constitutional, but we need an administration that shares our commitment to a collaborative process and a genuine solution.”
Emanuel said his “framework” is just the start of a discussion over pension reform for Chicago. He said he would use all the political capital he may have with the legislature to help back reforms to both the state’s pensions systems and the city’s pensions systems through the legislative process this session. But, Emanuel said, getting something passed this spring is not a given. “I never underestimate — given that you’re about to make change — the difficulties surrounding it,’ he said. “Because details matter.”
As lawmakers look to scale back retirement benefits for state employees, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel asked them to also consider cutting benefits for workers in his city.
Emanuel presented the broad strokes of his proposal to change the city’s six pension systems to an Illinois House committee today. He proposed:
- A freeze on cost of living increases for 10 years. After 10 years, the COLAs would not be figured on a compounded basis.
- A phased in contribution increase for employees. Employees currently contribute between 8 percent and 9 percent of their pay depending on which system they are in. Under Emanuel’s plan, that would increase by a percentage point each year for five years. After five years, the average cost employees pay would be 14 percent.
- A five year increase in retirement age that Emanuel said would be phased in over time. This change would increase the age to 67 for most city workers and 60 for police officers and firefighters.
The mayor’s proposal would have to be approved by the General Assembly, and it would apply to Chicago’s pension systems for laborers, municipal employees, teachers, police officers, firefighters and park employees.
Emanuel estimated that his plan would eliminate about 40 percent of the city’s $20 billion unfunded pension liability. He said that growing pension costs are crowding out other vital services. “Our taxpayers cannot afford to chose between pensions and police officers or pensions and paved streets or pensions and public health,” he said. “Our pension payment will eventually squeeze out every essential that residents require and a city must provide.”
Emanuel projected that if nothing is done to scale back benefits for city employees, property taxes would have to be increased by 150 percent to keep up with the cost. “I do not believe that property taxes should go up 150 percent. No business will come to the city of Chicago or Chicago land area, and no family will relocate [there].”
He praised Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to reform the state’s pension system and acknowledged similarities in the underfunding that Chicago pensions and state pensions are facing. He said taxpayers and workers are not to blame. The mayor said that politicians have not been honest with the public in the past about the magnitude of the problem and have made promises to workers that they cannot keep. While his plan shares some components with Quinn’s, he said Chicago has different needs. “We are facing problems that a one-size fits all framework will not fit.”
House Speaker Michael Madigan agreed that Chicago and the state face similar problems when it comes to pensions. “Well, I think he delivered his message that the city pension systems need to be reviewed. They need to be examined. They’re not financially sustainable as they’re currently constituted. It’s very similar to what we’re doing here at the state level with the state pension systems. I’ve been very much involved in that. Same issues,” Madigan told reporters today.
The mayor came out strongly in favor of Quinn’s proposal to have school districts outside of Chicago take on some of the cost for teachers’ retirement. He said it is unfair that Chicago covers most of the cost for its teachers while school districts outside of the city do not. “Only taxpayers in Chicago pay for the pensions of their own teachers and those teachers statewide. If taxpayers in Northbrook or Springfield or Marion were faced with that kind of double duty, their mayors would not tolerate it. And as mayor of Chicago, neither will I.”
House Minority Leader Tom Cross said there are other funding inequities between Chicago and downstate that benefit the city, and any potential unfairness should be considered in the context of all state spending. Cross and other Republicans have been less than enthusiastic about the possibility of shifting costs to local school districts. Cross said it would do nothing to address the problem of the unfunded liability. Republicans who have been more vocally opposed have said that it would decimate school budgets. Besides the call for a cost shift, Cross was supportive of Emanuel’s plan. “I like his concept. I like the governor’s concept. I like our concept,” Cross said. “We’re ready to go. We need to do this now.”
Unions decried Emanuel’s plan, saying that he is blowing the situation out of proportion. “What he’s trying to do is alarm the tax payer and pit them against the Chicago Police officers and the fireman that protect our city every single day,” said Michael Shields, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge 7. “A guy does 30 years, 27 years down the road you can’t just change the rules of the game for the employee. It’s an individual contract between the employee and the employer and you cannot reduce those benefits. It’s against the constitution in Illinois.”
Union officials say Emanuel sprung the proposal on them during today’s hearing and voiced frustration about not being asked for input in the mayor’s plan. “The unions representing city employees have repeatedly conveyed to the mayor our willingness to work constructively to solve the pension funding problem. Yet he has never once met with us to hear our views or put forward the suggestions he unveiled today,” Henry Bayer, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, said in a prepared statement. “No one has a bigger interest in assuring the fiscal stability of city pension funds than the retirees and employees who depend upon them. Our union remains committed to working toward a solution that is fair and constitutional, but we need an administration that shares our commitment to a collaborative process and a genuine solution.”
Emanuel said his “framework” is just the start of a discussion over pension reform for Chicago. He said he would use all the political capital he may have with the legislature to help back reforms to both the state’s pensions systems and the city’s pensions systems through the legislative process this session. But, Emanuel said, getting something passed this spring is not a given. “I never underestimate — given that you’re about to make change — the difficulties surrounding it,’ he said. “Because details matter.”
Monday, June 13, 2011
Quinn signs education reforms
By Jamey Dunn
Seniority will play less of a role in the hiring and firing practices of schools, and teachers will face new requirements to achieve tenure under education reform legislation signed into law today by Gov. Pat Quinn.
“It’s important that we have excellent teachers. That’s the key to getting excellent students. And so we must have education reforms that help us deliver education that’s second to none,” Quinn said at a Maywood press conference. “The most powerful force for equal opportunity for all the boys and girls of our state is a good education.”
Under the new law, teachers have to receive positive evaluations for three years to receive tenure. Teachers who earn “excellent” reviews in each of their first three years will also earn tenure. Teachers with tenure who receive two unsatisfactory reviews within a seven-year period could have their teaching licenses reviewed by the state superintendent and be required to complete professional development geared toward improving their performance or face having their licenses revoked. The measure also makes it easier for districts to fire underperforming teachers.
As part of Illinois’ failed bid for Race to The Top, a competitive federal education grant program, the General Assembly passed a law that requires school districts to revamp the evaluations they use to assess teachers’ work. Half of teachers’ evaluations will be based on student performance, under the new system that starts to kick in at different times for different schools based on size and student performance level. Most schools must switch to the new evaluations by 2016. Under the bill signed today, school districts and teachers' unions could agree to move up the implementation date of the new system to as early as 2013. The new tenure requirements, as well as the consequences for unsatisfactory performance ratings that are part of the education reform package will go into effect once schools switch to the new evaluation system. Other aspects of the reform go into effect immediately.
Layoffs will no longer be decided on a “last-in-first-out” basis, but instead be determined by qualifications and job performance. Seniority will only be used as a “tie-breaker.” Administrators will be free to hire any candidate for new positions instead of giving preference to teachers transferring within the district.
School board members elected after today will be required to receive training approved by the State Board of Education. Sponsor Sen. Kimberly Lightford, a Maywood Democrat, said the law will have a direct impact on the 2 million children in the state’s public schools, as well as the more than 132,000 teachers working at those institutions statewide. “A whole lot's been said about Senate Bill 7. It’s been named landmark, historic, essential tools and a national model. I agree with all of those adjectives.”
New Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel pushed for the passage of the bill. The legislation could allow him to extend the school day in Chicago, something he has called for in the past. "This legislation will help ensure that Chicago has the tools we need to give our children the education they deserve," Emanuel said in a written statement. "By giving students a longer school day and improving the performance standards for teachers, today we take a major step towards ensuring that every child, in every Chicago neighborhood, has access to a world-class education."
Monique Davis, who cast the lone vote against the legislation in the House said aspects of the bill that apply only to Chicago Public Schools, such as a greater threshold for striking that requires the support of a supermajority of voting union members, were discriminatory. “The intentions are good, but the results will not change a thing. I’m not going to be a union buster,” the former teacher and administrator said during floor debate. Unions outside of Chicago will need the support of half of union members to strike. The measure lengthens negotiations required before a strike and would force both sides to release their demands to the public if an impasse is reached.
Negotiations for the reform package started last year and brought together a multitude of interests, including administrators, teachers unions, business groups, parent organizations and reform groups. Out-of-state group Stand for Children emerged as a key player. The organization donated more than $500,000 to Illinois legislative candidates during the last election cycle, giving the majority of the money to Democrats. “There were rumors that this group came into Illinois—Stand for Children. And they’re very wealthy, and they have a lot of money, and they’re going to make us move. So unlike the truth. We were already in the midst of education reform,” said Lightford when the Senate approved a version of the bill, noting the recent reforms the legislature passed as part of the state’s bid for the federal Race to the Top grant program. Lightford said after the state’s loss in the competitive grant program, she decided to take on the goal of creating an education reform package by involving all stakeholders in a process that she called a “big comeback” for the state. “Education, a good education, is a basic civil right,” Lightford said at today’s bill signing.
Illinois’ new law, as well as the collaborative process that created it, has drawn some national attention. ”While some states are engaging in noisy and unproductive battles around education reform, Illinois is showing what can happen when adults work through their differences together,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a written statement. ”Through this very impressive collaboration of school management, teacher unions, education reform advocates, legislators and the governor, Illinois has created a powerful framework to strengthen the teaching profession and advance student learning in Illinois. This is an example that I hope states across the country will follow.”
Seniority will play less of a role in the hiring and firing practices of schools, and teachers will face new requirements to achieve tenure under education reform legislation signed into law today by Gov. Pat Quinn.
“It’s important that we have excellent teachers. That’s the key to getting excellent students. And so we must have education reforms that help us deliver education that’s second to none,” Quinn said at a Maywood press conference. “The most powerful force for equal opportunity for all the boys and girls of our state is a good education.”
Under the new law, teachers have to receive positive evaluations for three years to receive tenure. Teachers who earn “excellent” reviews in each of their first three years will also earn tenure. Teachers with tenure who receive two unsatisfactory reviews within a seven-year period could have their teaching licenses reviewed by the state superintendent and be required to complete professional development geared toward improving their performance or face having their licenses revoked. The measure also makes it easier for districts to fire underperforming teachers.
As part of Illinois’ failed bid for Race to The Top, a competitive federal education grant program, the General Assembly passed a law that requires school districts to revamp the evaluations they use to assess teachers’ work. Half of teachers’ evaluations will be based on student performance, under the new system that starts to kick in at different times for different schools based on size and student performance level. Most schools must switch to the new evaluations by 2016. Under the bill signed today, school districts and teachers' unions could agree to move up the implementation date of the new system to as early as 2013. The new tenure requirements, as well as the consequences for unsatisfactory performance ratings that are part of the education reform package will go into effect once schools switch to the new evaluation system. Other aspects of the reform go into effect immediately.
Layoffs will no longer be decided on a “last-in-first-out” basis, but instead be determined by qualifications and job performance. Seniority will only be used as a “tie-breaker.” Administrators will be free to hire any candidate for new positions instead of giving preference to teachers transferring within the district.
School board members elected after today will be required to receive training approved by the State Board of Education. Sponsor Sen. Kimberly Lightford, a Maywood Democrat, said the law will have a direct impact on the 2 million children in the state’s public schools, as well as the more than 132,000 teachers working at those institutions statewide. “A whole lot's been said about Senate Bill 7. It’s been named landmark, historic, essential tools and a national model. I agree with all of those adjectives.”
New Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel pushed for the passage of the bill. The legislation could allow him to extend the school day in Chicago, something he has called for in the past. "This legislation will help ensure that Chicago has the tools we need to give our children the education they deserve," Emanuel said in a written statement. "By giving students a longer school day and improving the performance standards for teachers, today we take a major step towards ensuring that every child, in every Chicago neighborhood, has access to a world-class education."
Monique Davis, who cast the lone vote against the legislation in the House said aspects of the bill that apply only to Chicago Public Schools, such as a greater threshold for striking that requires the support of a supermajority of voting union members, were discriminatory. “The intentions are good, but the results will not change a thing. I’m not going to be a union buster,” the former teacher and administrator said during floor debate. Unions outside of Chicago will need the support of half of union members to strike. The measure lengthens negotiations required before a strike and would force both sides to release their demands to the public if an impasse is reached.
Negotiations for the reform package started last year and brought together a multitude of interests, including administrators, teachers unions, business groups, parent organizations and reform groups. Out-of-state group Stand for Children emerged as a key player. The organization donated more than $500,000 to Illinois legislative candidates during the last election cycle, giving the majority of the money to Democrats. “There were rumors that this group came into Illinois—Stand for Children. And they’re very wealthy, and they have a lot of money, and they’re going to make us move. So unlike the truth. We were already in the midst of education reform,” said Lightford when the Senate approved a version of the bill, noting the recent reforms the legislature passed as part of the state’s bid for the federal Race to the Top grant program. Lightford said after the state’s loss in the competitive grant program, she decided to take on the goal of creating an education reform package by involving all stakeholders in a process that she called a “big comeback” for the state. “Education, a good education, is a basic civil right,” Lightford said at today’s bill signing.
Illinois’ new law, as well as the collaborative process that created it, has drawn some national attention. ”While some states are engaging in noisy and unproductive battles around education reform, Illinois is showing what can happen when adults work through their differences together,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a written statement. ”Through this very impressive collaboration of school management, teacher unions, education reform advocates, legislators and the governor, Illinois has created a powerful framework to strengthen the teaching profession and advance student learning in Illinois. This is an example that I hope states across the country will follow.”
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