An email from State Rep. Mike Tryon:

Mike Tryon

On October 25 the General Assembly will return to Springfield for the Fall Veto Session. Below is a summary of issues and potential legislation that may be discussed during the six-day session:

Pension Reform
Without a doubt, the most controversial issue debated in Springfield this year was pension reform. In the interest of the taxpayers, I believe it is imperative that we solve the pension crisis. This summer I sat on a pension reform committee with a few of my colleagues from both sides of the isle. Representatives from all affected parties were at the table, and as you can imagine, some spirited discussions took place. Senate Bill 512 is currently on the table, and this bill attempts to reform how future pension benefits are accrued for existing state employees. The bill fully protects benefits of all retirees and previous benefits earned by current employees. The pension system for the state employees, teachers, judges, college professors and legislators is currently underfunded by a staggering $86 billion. While I am hopeful that a solution that is fair to all will eventually emerge, I do not believe the bill on the table is in the best future interest of Illinois taxpayers. As it is written right now, if it comes up for a vote I will not be supporting it.

Gaming Expansion
The House and Senate passed a gaming expansion bill in May which would allow for 1,200 slot machines at Arlington Park and slots at Chicago’s airports. As approved, it would also allow for new casinos in Chicago, Lake County, southern Cook County, Rockford and Danville. The bill has not been forwarded to Governor Quinn due to a fear of a veto. While I am not opposed to a modest expansion of gaming in Illinois as a revenue-generator, I voted against the bill because I felt it was too expansive and would have a negative financial impact on our state’s existing casinos and gaming sites. It is my hope that the expansion will be scaled back through language presented during veto session.

Smart Grid Legislation
In September, Governor Quinn vetoed Senate Bill 1652, which was approved by both chambers of the General Assembly earlier this year. The current utility grid in Illinois relies on technology created in the 1920’s. Energy demands and delivery technology have changed drastically in the last decade and this legislation would provide for millions of dollars of infrastructure improvements which would allow utility companies Ameren Illinois and Commonwealth Edison to significantly improve the usability and reliability of the electrical grid. The power outages associated with the severe weather experienced in this area a few months ago served as a prime example of how important it is to upgrade our grid. The bill did include a rate increase for consumers, but due to the implementation of “smart meters” consumers could save an estimated $2.8 billion on their electric bills over 20 years. I believe the savings potential would offset any rate increase and remain hopeful that the legislature and governor can reach consensus on this bill during veto session.

Sears Economic Development Area (EDA) Extension
In May, the House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 540 which deals with Tax Increment Finance Districts in Illinois. Hidden within an 11th hour amendment to the bill in the final hours of our legislative session was a provision that would allow local municipalities to extend EDA agreements. During debate on the bill and amendments it was not mentioned that the only EDA in Illinois is Sears Holdings, Inc. in Hoffman Estates. As approved in the House, the bill would allow the Village of Hoffman Estates to extend their EDA agreement with Sears by another 15 years. While I favor providing incentives that would allow Sears to stay in Illinois, I believe extending the EDA as written in SB 540 is unfair to School District 300 and other public taxing bodies which rely on property taxes to support their public operations. The extension would take about $14 million in property taxes per year away from District 300. There are incentives available that would entice Sears to stay in Illinois while the school district could begin to collect the property taxes to which they are entitled. It is my hope that my colleagues in the Senate explore a fair compromise that benefits both Sears and District 300.

Expansions to the Illinois Transparency Portal (www.accountability.illinois.gov)
House Bill 3374 was approved by the House and is currently pending in the Senate. The bill, which I sponsored, would expand the Illinois transparency portal by providing direct access to a database of all current state grants, sorted by grantee name, the awarding agency, grant value, and the purpose for all grants awarded by the state. I also served as chief sponsor of House Bill 2915, which also passed through the House and is pending in the Senate. This bill would further expand the transparency portal to include members of the General Assembly in its database of current state employees and individual consultants. The bill provides that the database will also provide insurance and pension benefits information, General Assembly roll call votes, and a commenting interface so that individuals who cannot find what they are looking for can email the web master for assistance. It is my goal that the portal will continue to grow and ultimately become an incredibly valuable source of information for those interested in monitoring exactly how their tax dollars are spent. I hope that both bills will receive widespread bipartisan support in the Senate.

Governor’s Line–Item Veto of ROE Salaries
The governor line-item vetoed the $9.1 million appropriation for the FY12 regional superintendent and their assistants’ salaries and $2.25 million for regional office of education (ROE) services. He believes that funding for the ROEs should come from local funds. The fact is, Illinois statutes require that Regional Superintendents sign off on all GED certificates, on new teacher certificates, and on all school improvement projects. As long as the state mandates that Regional Superintendents perform certain functions, the State needs to fund those positions.

School District Transportation Appropriation Reduced
The Governor also used his line item veto power to reduce school districts’ transportation (busing) funding by approximately 23%. His decision is creating a hardship on school districts that are mandated to provide transportation services to students. This appropriation reimburses school districts for the previous year’s expenditures and is critical to maintaining a safe and efficient local transportation program. It is my hope that this funding is reinstated.

Authorities Granted to the Illinois Tollway Board of Directors
The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors approved in August a $12 billion capital plan that includes $8.32 billion to fund improvements to the existing Tollway System and an additional $3.83 billion for new projects. To fund the capital plan a toll rate increase was approved by a vote of 7-1. The rates will increase between 40 cents to 75 cents. The cost of a car trip on the Tollway system for an average I-PASS customer will be $1.18 – up from today’s average of 63 cents per trip and an increase of $2.75 a week or $11.00 a month. Cash-paying passenger vehicles would continue to pay double the I-PASS rate. House Bill 3805 is currently in drafting stages, but it could be written to change the Illinois Tollway Board of Directors’ authority to set toll rates.

Enhanced Felony Penalties for Failure to Report a Child’s Disappearance
At least four bills have been introduced in response to an online petition to create “Caylee’s Law.” Many are unhappy with the not-guilty verdict in the murder trial of Casey Anthony in the death of her 2-year-old daughter. The sponsors of the bills believe that Anthony’s punishment for misleading authorities regarding Caylee’s disappearance was too light. The online petition drive urges legislatures to enact felony penalties for parents/guardians who fail to report the death or disappearance of a child within a reasonable time. The issue may be brought up during the Veto Session.

As always, it is a pleasure and honor to serve you as your Representative in Springfield. If I or a member of my staff may assist you in any way, please do not hesitate to call my Crystal Lake office at (815) 459-6453 or email me at mike@miketryon.com.

Michael W. Tryon
State Representative, District 64