Sun-Times: Rauner's ultimatum to Dems: Bend on reforms or let me cut
Gov. Bruce Rauner vowed to prioritize education spending while giving the Illinois General Assembly an ultimatum during his budget address on Wednesday: compromise on some of his reforms or give the executive branch the authority to cut spending.
As protesters once again chanted outside House chambers, Rauner told legislators: “You choose but please choose now.”
“For a year now, I’ve believed with all my heart that this common-sense approach could win majorities in both the House and Senate — if everyone was willing to compromise. But as elected officials, you have to deal with political realities. Primary elections. Special interests. Campaign supporters,” Rauner said. “If, in the end, you won’t compromise on the reforms we’ve proposed — and if you’re unwilling to work with us to enact a balanced budget with a mix of reform, cost reductions and revenue – we still must fulfill our shared responsibility to enact a balanced budget.”
Fast Company: The Gig Economy Won't Last Because It's Being Sued To Death
When Vilma and Greta Zenelaj came across a Craigslist job ad that promised they could make as much as $22 an hour and get paid fast, it seemed like a good deal. The Albanian sisters had moved to Santa Monica to get a foothold in the film industry, and though they had produced a few independent features, they had run out of savings before they could also make a living. Now they were desperate to pay their bills.
Handy (then Handybook), the company that posted the Craigslist ad, is best known as a cleaning service. But unlike Merry Maids or your local cleaning franchise, it doesn’t actually employ any cleaners. Instead, it relies on an army of independent contractors to complete jobs, taking a 15% to 20% commission of every hour worked. It’s part of the “gig economy,” a much-hyped new class of the service industry where workers are expected to operate like mini-businesses. The influence of these companies is growing: according to an analysis by Greylock Partners, the value of transactions over platforms such as car services Lyft and Uber, grocery delivery service Instacart, courier service Postmates, and others could grow as large as $10 billion this year.
My Suburban Life: Downers Grove wrong to rule against business sign
I am incensed that the village of Downers Grove forced the owner of Leibundguth Storage and Van Service to paint over a sign that was on the back of their building for more than 70 years.
It appears that the village managers were much more interested in taking draconian measures to force small business owner Bob Peterson to remove his sign to comply with their May 2005 sign ordinance than they were in the interests and rights of an established small business owner.
That sign was there long before the people making the laws in this village were born. It should have been grandfathered in as part of the sign ordinance and celebrated as part of Downers Grove’s heritage, especially since it wasn’t visible on any vehicular thoroughfare. Significantly, the sign was not in the public view unless you ride the BNSF.
Rueters: Illinois governor seeks power to balance state budget
Illinois Republican Governor Bruce Rauner on Wednesday called on Democrats who control the legislature to give him the power to balance the state’s chronically unbalanced budget if they continue to reject his proposed reform package.
In his second budget address to the legislature since taking office, Rauner said residents were “sick and tired” of a political impasse that has left the fifth-largest U.S. state without a full budget for nearly eight months.The wealthy venture capitalist turned politician offered two fiscal 2017 budget proposals: a $36.3 billion general fund spending plan that incorporates his so-called turnaround agenda that Democrats have opposed, or a budget tied to an Unbalanced Budget Response Act that would empower him to reduce spending to $32.8 billion.
Sun-Times: CPS fired whistleblower after vendor collusion discovered
A former high-ranking employee at Chicago Public Schools was fired for reporting collusion among bus contractors, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Jeffrey Hubert, the former CPS director of operations, alleges in the suit that several school bus contractors colluded to inflate their bid prices “by millions of dollars” and would bill CPS for bus trips “that never took place.”
Despite him reporting the collusion to the CPS inspector general, the FBI and the U.S. departments of Education and Justice, CPS took no action other than firing him, the suit stated.
WSJ: Why Criminal Justice Reform Could Be a Breakout Issue for 2016
Political candidates spend a lot of time using various issues to beat up on the other party or their own party. Rarely does an issue emerge that defies cynicism and unites the right, left, and those in between. One has, however, in this election cycle: criminal justice reform.
Changes to the criminal justice system are being debated at the federal level, but efforts first succeeded in the states. Conservative-leaning southern states including Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina took bold steps to reduce their prison populations and ultimately lowered their crime rates. So have New York and Connecticut. When asked to produce a fair and accurate picture of where Americans stand on judicial discretion and sentencing reform, instead of conducting a general national poll my team decided to surgically and strategically poll in six states.
Chicago Tribune: Hinsdale police chief will collect pension, still work full-time
Hinsdale Police Chief Bradley Bloom is giving up his badge to take another job with the village, thereby allowing him to continue earning a salary while collecting his pension.
Village officials said they created the temporary position of assistant village manager/director of public safety specifically for Bloom, so younger officers could benefit from his experience.
Bloom, 56, is not ready to retire, he said, but after 34 years as a police officer, his pension will not grow enough to offset his contribution into the pension system, if he continued as chief.
WGN: Donald Trump’s multi-million dollar Chicago tax break
As Chicago considers raising your property taxes, this is a story you need to hear.
There is no doubt Chicago’s landmark skyscrapers bring in much needed tax revenue, Trump Tower included. However the presidential candidate who wrote, “The Art of the Deal” got a sweet deal doing things the Chicago way.
In an unusual campaign season, celebrity and presidential candidate Donald Trump is pushing his “I’m a winner” message. From his announcement at the Trump Tower in New York to Illinois and the building that bears his name, there is no doubt who owns the Chicago building with 20-foot steel letters emblazoned on 92 floors of shiny glass.