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Chicago Tribune: Democrat says letting Rauner administration cut budget like 'handing a razor blade to a toddler'
Senate Democrats on Wednesday rejected a proposal to give Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration broad powers to cut state spending, with one lawmaker comparing the idea to “handing a razor blade to a toddler.”
In his budget proposal last month, Rauner asked for more authority to cut state spending if lawmakers would not negotiate a budget with him. He also proposed relying in part on a sweeping budget package under consideration in the Senate, but Democrats have since accused him of interfering with negotiations and stalling progress.
WTTW Chicago Tonight: Rauner Wants Power to Chop State Budget, But Won’t Say What He’d Cut
Democratic legislators have refused Gov. Bruce Rauner’s request for “extraordinary” budget authority, with one – Sen. Don Harmon of Oak Park – saying it would be akin to “giving a razor blade to a toddler.”
Rauner wants the power to reduce state spending, unilaterally, by anywhere from $6.3 billion to $7 billion. Under a measure crafted by his office, only areas that the governor generally already supports would be off-limits, including funding for grade schools (known as General State Aid payments) and early childhood funding, as well as required debt payments.
Chicago Sun-Times: Poll: Voters dislike Rauner and Madigan equally
Nearly two years into a budget stalemate and a pricey political war between Gov. Bruce Rauner and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, there’s no clear winner — or loser — when it comes to the court of public opinion.
In an Illinois unpopularity contest, a new poll finds Madigan and Rauner in a statistical tie in disapproval ratings.
Crain's Chicago Business: In Illinois, 259,900 words that restrict businesses
Lawmakers are suddenly devoting considerable attention to scaling back regulation in the United States, both in Washington and in Springfield. President Trump has made it a top priority, issuing executive orders aimed at overhauling the federal regulatory process, and targeting individual regulations and groups of regulations directly. At the same time, several states are moving in the same direction. In Illinois, Governor Rauner has made rolling back red tape a central pillar of his administration.
From a practical standpoint, there is so much state and federal regulation that it is difficult to know where to begin streamlining the code. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations is over 178,000 pages long and includes over 1 million restrictive words (words like “shall” and “prohibited”). Meanwhile, Illinois’s code has over 259,000 restrictive words, double that of neighboring states like Missouri and Kentucky. Complexity becomes a problem when the rules that are unnecessary red tape distract from the important rules that are vital for protecting public health and safety.
Peoria Journal-Star: Should AFSCME strike, no idea how many replacements needed
A top official of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration said Wednesday he couldn’t predict how many replacement workers the state may need in the event of a strike by AFSCME members.
Michael Hoffman, acting director of the Department of Central Management Services, also told the Senate Appropriations Committee that his agency is continuing to work on a new version of the state hiring process that would be used for people who want to be replacement workers.
Chicago Sun-Times: Pols debate spending $1.5M for web translator—available for free
House legislators spent nearly 30 minutes this week debating a bill that would require the state to add Spanish translations for portions of its legislative website.
Democrats estimated the cost at anywhere from $60,000 to $1.5 million.
Crain's Chicago Business: Edge tax credits creep back on Springfield agenda
With the state’s biggest job-incentive program now due to expire next month, Illinois lawmakers again are pondering whether and how to extend the life of the Edge payroll tax-credit system
Prospects of some kind of action look decent, sponsors of pending bills say. But no one knows for sure in a state capital overwhelmed by the budget fight between Gov. Bruce Rauner and General Assembly Democrats.
Associated Press: Rauner aide seeks Chicago schools’ support for pension plan
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s education secretary is urging Chicago Public Schools officials to back Senate Republican legislation to overhaul pension programs statewide.
Beth Purvis said Wednesday the plan would provide $215 million for retirement accounts administered by Chicago schools.
WBEZ: Illinois Board Of Education Approves Replacement For No Child Left Behind
Despite objections about its continued reliance on standardized tests to judge schools, the Illinois State Board of Education on Wednesday unanimously approved a new plan for rating and supporting schools to replace the more punitive No Child Left Behind law.
The vote came after more than a year of planning, 94 public meetings and three previous drafts. Shortly before the vote, State Schools Supt.Tony Smith shared what he understood to be his marching orders.
Chicago Tribune: Emanuel's short-term budget solutions will cost $1 billion in interest
For years, Chicago has patched up budget deficits with long-term borrowing — an expensive habit that Mayor Rahm Emanuel inherited, perpetuated and has vowed to break.
But a Tribune analysis of the city’s latest bond sale, a $1.2 billion offering earlier this year, shows that the mayor will continue to run the city with borrowed money, at great long-term expense, through the rest of his term in 2019.
Chicago Sun-Times: Elected school board bill passes committee despite CPS opposition
A state bill to change Chicago’s school board from one appointed by the mayor to one elected by the city’s voters passed out of committee Wednesday over opposition testimony by Chicago Public Schools’ top education official and a former board vice president.
The legislation seeking to transform the school board of seven appointees to one composed of 21 elected members passed the House’s School Curriculum & Policies Committee on a 18-1 vote. It may now go before the full House.
Chicago Tribune: Chicago Public Schools proposals face rough road in Springfield
The latest push for an elected Chicago Board of Education sailed through a House committee vote Wednesday despite opposition from current and former district officials who argued the legislation provides no escape from CPS’ latest fiscal crisis.
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration tried another approach in the battle over Chicago Public Schools finances, urging lawmakers to back an effort from two Senate Republicans to both overhaul state pensions and send CPS $215 million that officials say is needed to avert an early end to the school year.
Chicago Tribune: First step to new CTA rail cars: Build the factory in Chicago
Construction is expected to begin in Chicago this week on a Chinese state-owned rail company’s assembly plant that will produce up to 846 new rail cars for the Chicago Transit Authority.
The project will return CTA rail car manufacturing to Chicago after a 50-year absence, according to the city. CRRC Sifang’s American subsidiary, CRRC Sifang North America, won the $1.3 billion contract last year to build the new 7000 Series over 10 years. The cars will have a combination of forward- and rear-facing seats as well as single seats and some facing the aisle.
Chicago Tribune: State's attorney touts new unit meant to build gun cases with police
Calling gun violence a “crisis,” Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said Wednesday her office has launched a unit targeting gun crimes in Chicago’s historically two most violent police districts on the South and West sides.
“We have a lot of work to do. These are times of crisis,” she said in a City Club of Chicago speech touting her first 100 days in office. “The national conversation about Chicago I know rocks us all to the core. As a born and bred Chicagoan, it hurts my heart and my stomach that the caricature of who we are on the national stage continues to be resonating.”
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago firefighters and paramedics choose new union president
A veteran business agent who campaigned on a promise to add five more ambulances and bring “immediate relief” to 300 retired members without health insurance is the new president of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2.
Jim Tracy beat out former Union President Dan Fabrizio for the open seat vacated by the retirement of three-term union president Tom Ryan.
Rockford Register-Star: Strike, Day 1: Rockford Public Schools employees walk out
Hundreds of bus drivers, nutrition services workers and classroom aides carried signs on picket lines across the city this morning as school buildings opened.
About 900 of the district’s employees joined forces to participate in a three-day strike, starting today.