An email from Mike Tryon about the next-to-the-last week in Springfield:

Key legislation was debated and voted on last week in the General Assembly. Here is an update of some of the more noteworthy items:

Bill to Curb use of Special Prosecutors Heads to Governor

After receiving unanimous support in the Illinois House in March, legislation that would put strict guidelines in place for judges who wish to appoint special prosecutors to investigate elected officials gained unanimous Senate support last week.

I was a sponsor of this bill.

House Bill 4797 was filed in response to the excessive bills associated with an investigation of McHenry County States Attorney Lou Bianchi, who was eventually acquitted on all charges.

To date, the taxpayers of McHenry County have had to pay more than $525,000 in special prosecutor costs.

According to the bill, before a judge can appoint a special prosecutor, he/she must first exhaust all efforts to find a state’s attorney from

• another county or
• the Illinois Attorney General to do the work.

If it is determined that a special prosecutor must be hired, the bill includes language that gives county boards a voice in discussions regarding costs and the right to see itemized bills.

House Approves Massive Medicaid Reforms

Historic Medicaid reforms – a key component to fixing the State’s budget crisis, were also approved last week.

While difficult, I supported the reforms.

Without meaningful Medicaid reforms, Illinois’ backlog of unpaid bills would grow to approximately $21 billion by 2017, a level of spending that is simply unsustainable.

The General Assembly’s action to cut nearly $1.6 billion from the State’s $11 billion Medicaid program will go far in helping get Illinois back on solid fiscal ground.

All Kids, the Democrats version of Govenror Jim Edgar's Kids Care which allowed coverage of illegal aliens.

With passage of Senate Bill 2840, an estimated 300,000 individuals are expected to be removed from Illinois’ Medicaid rolls because they

• do not meet income eligibility guidelines,
• are not Illinois residents,
• have died, or
• have aged-out of the All Kids program.

This eligibility verification alone will save taxpayers $350 million.

The bill also provides for a moderate rate reduction for hospitals of 3.5% and exempts Critical Access and Safety Net Hospitals from the reduction.

In addition, Senate Bill 2840 will do the following:

1. Roll back the Blagojevich expansion of Family Care by reducing the eligibility limit for parents to $30,000 for a family of four
2. Impose a $10 co-pay for emergency room visits
3. Require a $3.60 co-pay on all services and a $2 co-pay for generic medications
4. Limit prescription coverage to four prescriptions per month without doctor certification of need or specialty drug/condition exception
5. Eliminate funding for adult chiropractic services

Shortly after the House approval of SB 2840, the Senate also approved the bill. It awaits final action by the Governor.  [For who voted how, see here.  Democrat Jack Franks did not support the bill.]

Cigarette Tax Approved

A $1 a pack of cigarettes tax hike was passed by the Illinois House Friday.

Last week the House also voted to increase the cigarette tax in Illinois. Under current law, the State charges a tax on cigarettes that is equivalent to 98 cents per pack of 20.

Senate Bill 2194 would raise the cigarette tax to $1.98 per pack.

The additional revenue raised by this tax, an estimated $350 million per year, would garner a federal match, bringing in a total of $700 million for the State’s financially stretched Medicaid program.

SB 2194 also contains language intended to create a financial incentive for Illinois hospitals and hospital-affiliated health care facilities to provide charity health care to low-income and underserved Illinois residents.

SB 2194 was approved by the House by a vote of 60-52-0 and awaits action in the Senate.

I voted against this bill because I can not and will not support any additional taxes on the people of Illinois.

The key to getting Illinois’ finances in order involves making difficult decisions; not simply creating more revenue sources.

A video poker machine in Crystal Lake.

Gambling Expansion Approved

With many providers waiting months to be paid by the State, and painful cuts being imposed on Medicaid, many other State programs, and on the State’s own workforce, the House passed legislation this week for a new round of licenses to conduct gambling within a variety of Illinois venues.

Senate Bill 1849, as amended, would direct the State to award five additional licenses to operate riverboat casinos at specified locations throughout Illinois.

The bill would also authorize a Chicago casino and the operation of slot machines at Illinois racetracks.

SB 1849 would raise estimated gaming tax revenue of $200 million a year, with additional one-time revenues through the awarding of the additional gaming licenses.

The bill would also provide funding for many agricultural programs and the State Fairgrounds.

The House passed SB 1849 on Wednesday by a vote of 69-47-2; the bill is currently awaiting a concurrence vote in the Senate.

Governor Pat Quinn has indicated that he does not support the proposal.

I voted against the bill, and while I am not opposed to a MODEST expansion of gambling, I feel strongly that revenues from any expansion need to be earmarked, at least in part, toward a pension stabilization fund.

General Assembly Works Through the Weekend

The General Assembly worked through the weekend and is also in session today. As your Representative, I am committed to staying in Springfield as long as it takes to make the required decisions that will lead us to a balanced budget for fiscal year 2013. I will continue to update you as other important pieces of legislation move through the process.

Remember our Military Today on Memorial Day

Lastly, as you gather with friends and family to celebrate this Memorial Day, please keep in your heart the brave men and women who have served in uniform and given their lives in service to our country. All of these heroes are deserving of our utmost respect today, and every day.

Sincerely,

Michael W. Tryon
State Representative, District 64

It follows:

Friends,

If you are following the news at all you know that this current veto session in Springfield is probably one of the most important in our state’s history. Legislation involving income taxes, Medicaid reform and whether or not to abolish the state’s death penalty are just a few of the “hot button” issues that are being debated in the General Assembly.

Mike Tryon

At the end of this veto session I will send you an update about which bills passed and which did not.

Please know that as pressure is put on lawmakers to raise the state’s income tax I will stand firm in my belief that this is the worst possible time to raise taxes on the people of Illinois.

I will not support any measure that increases the personal income tax to either 5.25% or 5.5% and increases the corporate income tax to 10.9%.

I am very happy to report that the House has approved sweeping reforms to Medicaid that will save $800 million for this costly program. I served on the special Medicaid Reforms committee and I believe the results of our work will go far in controlling state spending.

Medicaid is one of the fastest growing segments of Illinois’ budget and unfortunately it is a system that is often abused. The bill that now awaits the Governor’s signature puts more stringent eligibility requirements in place and imposes a two year moratorium on eligibility and program expansions.

A key component of the reforms is that now income and Illinois residency will be verified for all applicants. The new law also allows for data sharing between state agencies for electronic eligibility verification.

The bill also ends the practice of automatic renewal of eligibility for the program.

In the past re-enrollment forms were automatically sent out to Medicaid users and it was assumed that individuals were still eligible. Moving forward there will be no assumption that all users will re-qualify each year.

The bill also reigns in runaway spending associated with the All Kids Insurance Program by capping eligibility requirements at 300 percent of the federal poverty level. When the All Kids program was implemented by Governor Blagojevich in 2005 there was no income cap tied to the program and benefits were also offered to undocumented residents. The All Kids reforms will significantly reduce fraud and help ensure that resources are directed only to those families truly in need.

Other components of the bill include a more holistic approach to caring for Medicaid patients by moving more into managed and integrated care programs, and a new provision which allows for a $2,000 civil penalty for each fraudulent claim that is made for benefits or payments.

Looking ahead, the 97th Illinois General Assembly will be sworn into office on Wednesday, January 12.

Mike Madigan on swearing in and rule setting day in 1995.

One key proposal being brought forth by House Republicans is common-sense procedural reforms to the rules for bringing bills forward to the floor of the House of Representatives for consideration.

We live in a democracy and as such Illinois residents deserve to have a voice in their state government. Unfortunately, often times that is not the case. Today in Illinois we are subject to a “power of one” form of government.

In November of 2010 the people of Illinois elected the 118 members of the Illinois House of Representatives. Each of the 118 was elected to represent the will of approximately 100,000 constituents from their home district.

But for 26 of the last 28 years in Illinois, one man- and his set of rules- has governed the Illinois House; circumventing our democracy and placing the power over all legislation into the hands of one man- the Speaker of the House.

The public has a right to expect that their ideas and concerns, brought forward in Springfield by their elected representatives, will receive fair consideration on the House floor.

However, many times good legislation is blocked from ever receiving consideration by the 118 members of the House.

Today, moving a bill to the House floor for consideration requires a unanimous vote of the Rules Committee. In other words, 117 of the 118 State Representatives can be in favor of bringing a bill to the floor for immediate consideration and discussion, but if the “one” objects, the bill can be blocked.

Is that democracy?

Is that representation of the people by the people?

The following procedural reforms are being proposed so that Illinois can begin to change back into a true democracy where Illinoisans will have a legitimate voice in their state government:

• Guaranteed consideration of any bill supported by 71 members of the House of Representatives rather than the requirement of unanimous approval of the Rules Committee
• Advanced Notice of Hearings of the Rules Committee as well as Notice of the legislation they intend to discuss (currently deliberations are often secretive, held with little or no notice and in small rooms that do not accommodate non-committee members)
• A Mandatory Public Review Period Prior to Committee Action on Amendments to Bills
• Specific, line-item spending for state programs so people know how much money is being spent and on what
• Regular reviews of state programs to ensure efficiency and effectiveness A Mandatory Public Review Period before Passage of any Budget Bill
• Decreasing the number of House Committees by half, from 60 to 30

These procedural rules changes bring common sense to a currently flawed process. If approved, they will go far in increasing transparency, reestablishing a democracy in Illinois and in preventing a situation where one man has the power to stop any piece of legislation that he feels does not further is own personal agenda.

As always, do not hesitate to call or email me if you have additional questions on these or other new laws. I can be reached at (815) 459-6453 or via e-mail at mike@miketryon.com.

Best Regards,

Michael W. Tryon, State Representative, District 64

State Rep. Mike Tryon has sent the following to those on his mailing list:

Dear Friends,

The General Assembly has adjourned for the summer, and while the State’s financial situation continues to deteriorate, I am happy to report that I was able to accomplish many of my legislative goals for 2009-10.

With regard to the budget, the leaders in Springfield still refuse to change the way Illinois appropriates money. In homes across Illinois, family budgets are being managed by people who are making difficult family decisions in order to balance the money coming in against the money going out. As unpleasant as it is, people are adjusting their home budgets to current economic conditions. They are living within their means.

Unfortunately, the ruling party in Springfield refuses to do the same.

The result?

Since 2000, Illinois’ annual spending has grown by more than 20 percent while the economy has grown by only 12 percent. Illinois’ debt has grown by more than 57 percent over the same period. Spread out over the population of Illinois, it could be said that every man, woman and child in the state now owes the state’s creditors $4,125.

During this legislative session, I sponsored House Bill 5212, the Truth in Accounting Act. If approved, this act would have imposed a highly stringent set of accounting standards to the Illinois state budgeting process.

Simply put, it would prohibit the General Assembly from passing appropriation bills until it adopts a joint resolution reflecting for that fiscal year the state’s estimated income, balance sheet, cash flow, and surplus or deficit.

What this would do is put everyone involved in the budgeting process on the same page by offering a real look at the fiscal condition of the state annually. It would allow the legislature to focus on long-term, responsible budgeting instead of the ineffective, piecemeal approach that the legislature currently takes. Unfortunately, this bill was never called for a vote.

In spite of the many financial challenges that face our State, many of my legislative initiatives were approved during this session and are now on their way to becoming law. Below are just a few of the many bills that I sponsored that were approved:

HB 35: The Accountability Portal

By approving this bill, Illinois has taken a huge leap forward toward transparency in government. The bill, which addresses the “pay-to-play” culture which has become all too prevalent in Illinois, increases transparency in government by establishing a website that residents can visit and easily look up all state contracts and government expenditures including employee salaries and tax credits given to businesses. The information is available on line through a searchable and user-friendly database. You can visit the accountability portal at http://accountability.illinois.gov/.

HB 5214: Military-Veterans Court Act

This public act, which will be signed into law by the governor on Friday, June 11, creates a veterans court and helps service men and women who have been properly diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Through this public act, veterans can be adjudicated in a special court for non-violent offenses and offered a therapeutic sentence rather than a criminal sentence for their non-violent offenses.

HB 170: Private Sewage/Surface Discharge

This new law protects public health by improving surface water quality. The law puts in place a permit system that controls waste water discharge by residential property owners. Through this act, by 2013 Illinois will be in compliance with the federal Clean Water Act.

HB 1142: Modular Housing Buyer Protection

In response to a request by a constituent, this new law provides modular home buyers a process by which they can appeal or arbitrate the installation of sub-standard quality modular homes.

Recently I led a delegation of federal and local officials to meet with the state’s railroad director in support of a Huntley Amtrak station along the Chicago-to-Dubuque Amtrak route that is currently under development. Joined by officials from Huntley and Congressman Don Manzullo’s office, I made a compelling case for why a Huntley stop would improve the viability of the entire route and ensure its success for years to come.

We were told that the Huntley proposal offered “quite a bit of potential,” and officials from the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Public & Intermodal Transportation were very impressed with Huntley’s offer to solely fund construction of a train station in Huntley. If approved, Huntley and other area residents will be able to enjoy this new Amtrak service as soon as 2012.

I will continue working very hard this summer and am in the process of filing several new bills that will be considered when the General Assembly reconvenes.

One bill that I recently filed calls for a re-write of the Illinois All-Kids Insurance Program.

Today approximately 70 percent of the people who are utilizing the All-Kids Insurance Program are undocumented (can not provide proof of U.S. citizenship), and 43 percent showed no proof of age at the time of enrollment. The new language would, among other things, require applicants to provide proof of age, proof of identity and proof of residency. Since only documented citizens of a certain age qualify for federal reimbursement dollars, Illinois must at the very least maximize its federal reimbursement opportunity by requiring those who utilize All-Kids to show proof of birth when they apply for benefits.

As always, I am available to meet with my constituents about issues that are important to the people of the 64th District. Please do not hesitate to call my Crystal Lake legislative office at (815) 459-6453 if you would like to set up an appointment to speak with me about state issues. My legislative assistant Tina would be more than happy to assist you.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve you in Springfield.

Sincerely,

Michael Tryon
State Representative
64th District

The Daily Herald style book can’t bring itself to use the words “illegal aliens,” but John Patterson’s story about the Illinois Auditor General’s study of Rod Blagojevich’s All Kids taxpayer-subsidized health care program says 75% of 71,665 children on the program were “ undocumented immigrants.”

$55 million.

All from state tax dollars, because Federal Medicaid will only match state money 50-50 when they are in the country legally.

Some doctors figured out they would not get paid.

Since all Illinois children needing assistance were already covered by the Governor Jim Edgar-initiated Kids Care, it was obvious from the git-go that Blagojevich and the Democrats were just trying to gain political support from people they hoped would be future citizens…if amnesty were again enacted by Congress.

As time went on, it became more important to doctors.

Meanwhile, the program has made Illinois a magnet for illegal aliens wanting health taxpayer-funded health care for their children.

It’s evidence of what the Daily Herald reported two years ago.

More information here.

You can find the summary of the Auditor General’s report here.

When Rod Blagojevich and the Democrats took total control of state government, Blagojevich claimed the deficit was $5 billion.

That was after the election.

I figured that was over a two-year period.

He raised all kinds of fees, virtually asking the trucking industry, for example, to leave Illinois.

Each of the next six years, the Democrats proceeded to increase the state budget about $1 billion a year.

Lo and behold, the deficit is now $11-12 billion.

That is such a big surprise.

Now we know that Democrats can add.

The real question is whether they can subtract.

My guess is “No,” because Governor Pat Quinn’s answer to the situation is…

Will you be a winner or a loser in this slash and burn approach to your check book?

Are you a tax eater or a taxpayer?

Of course, all of us are both, to one extent or another.

Even those on welfare pay some sales taxes.

I’m reading about the so-called “Doomsday” Budget outlined today by Governor Pat Quinn.

I can’t find the exact quote, so this summarized prediction from Rod Blagojevich will have to do:

I’m a state legislative pensioner, but I’m not worried about that not being paid because the Illinois Supreme Court members are in the same pension system. I figure the judges won’t allow their own pensions to go down the tubes.

Health insurance is another matter, however. Quinn is promising that state subsidized (read teachers, university and state) government retirees will have to pay the cost of their health insurance, which is now paid by the taxpayers.

Since I’m old enough to be forced into Medicare, that means the cost of a supplemental policy.

Humana says $148 a month with $6,000 maximum out of pocket.

So, stay relatively healthy and the cost will be $2,500-$3,000 a year.

Crystal Lake School districts get a small proportion of their budgets in State Aid to Education. The Quinn proposal would probably look like what will happened if the Chicago Urban League wins its suit for a revised state aid formula.

My son is seven years from college, so no hit on the Skinner family if MAP scholarships disappear. This person seems to say the program is not much help anyway.

All Kids, the program with which Governor Rod Blagojevich replaced Governor Jim Edgar’s KidsCare in order to allow illegal aliens to get subsidized health care is on the chopping block. Not all the covered kids are here illegally, of course, although the Rod Blagojevich administration would never reveal how many. Low income parents would also lose coverage.

Circuit breaker property tax relief and pharmaceutical assistance would be gone for seniors and the disabled. Home health care and other services would disappear, too, a really, really stupid decision because it costs more to care for people in nursing homes than at home. For most seniors in McHenry County, the property tax part is only worth $75.

1,000 veterans would have to vacate from four state homes. Other veterans services would be eliminated. When George Ryan privatized one home to save money, the legislature forced it to be staffed by more expensive state employees.

1,000 State Policemen would be eliminated.

McHenry County would probably be back where it was under the Edgar regime—no State Policemen.

Oh, well.

Downstate areas who use the State Police as a replacement for their sheriff’s departments would be hurt most. And, don’t forget, there would be fewer ticket writers like these and more on last July 4th.

6,000 inmates would be released early. Maybe they will be those with non-violent crimes.

All the state museums would be shut down. (That does include the pricey Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, right?)

Good thing we saw the free State Museum last weekend twice. (If you haven’t been there, you really need to click on the above photo to see the exhibit hall that is closed for lack of specimens.)

Half the state parks would be scheduled for closure. I’ve noticed that Downstate counties have state parks that would be forest preserves or conservation areas in the Chicago metropolitan area. This beautiful big black and brilliant yellow spider was found at Silver Springs State Park near Yorkville. We stopped on the way to Utica.

The spider reminds me that the Democrats plan to suck our bank accounts dry after they weave their web of higher taxes.

The park is located across the flooded Illinois River from the Farnsworth House, a privately owned Mies van der Rohe-designed house, whose rules precluded my then 10-year old (who as a toddler never broke any of our crystal) to tour. At least it won’t be closed.

The state fairs in Springfield and DuQuoin would be toast.

No more subsidies for county fairs or 4-H. I guess we’ll see if ribbons are sufficient motivators for 4-H’ers, as they were when my father became a 4-H All Star in Maryland, or whether cash prizes are a necessity with today’s youth.

Mass transit subsidies would be gone.

AMTRAK subsidies, too.

Local governments, presumably municipalities and counties, would lose their share of the state income tax. I think the sales tax is safe since it is a locally imposed tax.

Of minor impact, but making so much sense, is the elimination of the salary subsidy for state’s attorneys and county treasurers. (There is just no reason for subsidizing county treasurers. They do less for the state now than they did when I was McHenry County Treasurer in the late 1960′s. Then, at lease, county treasurers collected inheritance tax.)

Addiction services subsidies would be lower.

Human Services offices would be consolidated. Maybe every county doesn’t need a Secretary of State’s Office either.

And the $225,000 to promote Illinois wineries that Blagojevich pledged to end, but ended up keeping in the budget would disappear. Bye-bye Old State Capitol Art Fair Wine Tasting.

But, with wine and liquor taxes doubling, the local wineries may not survive anyway.

So, Quinn wants a 50% income tax hike, but that’s not enough. He now says he is open to video poker, too.

I wonder if Quinn is selling off and of the state’s air force. Other states have sold some planes off, although their fleets weren’t as large as ours. I’ve heard it is bigger than that of a lot of countries.

What you see on the screen is Rod Blagojevich taking his last ride back to Chicago on a state plane.

We need those planes, however, to take the legislative leaders and their pals to and from Springfield, so don’t get your hopes up. It wouldn’t do for them to have to drive back and forth to work like their compliant followers.

After almost 24 years in office, Chicago’s State Rep. Mary Flowers still has passion for her job.

Chairperson of the Health Care Availability Access Committee, Flowers came to McHenry’s Shah Center, operated by McHenry County College to hear testimony.

I got there after State Rep. Mike Tryon testified, but still got a lot of the content, some of which will be laid out here.

“We come up with these catch plans like ‘All Kids.’ Can’t we at least try it?” she asked about her proposal.

“The system is broken. Health care is broken.”

Nick Skala, who was the one called upon to explain the details of the bill, explained that the cost would be an additional “2% personal income tax,’ plus “a 7% payroll tax.”

Since the personal income tax is now 3% (up from 2½% before the time of Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar, who both signed bills to raise the rate to 3%), a two percentage point increase would in reality be a 67% hike in the individual income tax rate and the amount people would pay.

Flowers heard the testimony of people from within and without McHenry County.

Then, she gave her experience of accompanying her brother to the doctor.

But, first she told how she learned she was to chair the committee. House Speaker Mike Madigan called to inform her. She told him she didn’t know anything about health care.

“But, Mary, you’re going to.” Then he hung up. He told me he had more important people to talk to. (One can read that sentence in two ways. I assume Madigan was telling Flowers that she was important, but that he had other important people to talk to.)

“I went with my brother to find out what’s going on. I went to the doctor with my brother.

“’Well, Mr. Flowers, it looks like you’ve lived a pretty good life. We could operate and you’d walk around all your life with a bag.

“’Face it. You’re 51 years old. I suggest you go home, enjoy life and die like a man.’

“You can’t do this!” Flowers asserted. “Who do you think you are?

“I can’t tell what else I told him, but he’s no longer practicing in this state.

“I swore my presence would be felt.”

If that hasn’t provided passion for her mission, I can’t imagine what has.

“I’ve seen people lying on gurneys,” she continued, pointing out they weren’t just black people, but people (I think she said) “like us.”

“They were not waiting for the doctor. They were waiting to get permission from the insurance company (to receive medical care).

“Who am I to say which one of you should live or die?

“If you don’t like (the way local politicians are representing you), I’d suggest you vote the bums out.”

There was more, of course, but it’s past midnight and I’ve had a long day.

= = = = =
All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

After almost 24 years in office, Chicago’s State Rep. Mary Flowers still has passion for her job.

Chairperson of the Health Care Availability Access Committee, Flowers came to McHenry’s Shah Center, operated by McHenry County College to hear testimony.

I got there after State Rep. Mike Tryon testified, but still got a lot of the content, some of which will be laid out here.

“We come up with these catch plans like ‘All Kids.’ Can’t we at least try it?” she asked about her proposal.

“The system is broken. Health care is broken.”

Nick Skala, who was the one called upon to explain the details of the bill, explained that the cost would be an additional “2% personal income tax,’ plus “a 7% payroll tax.”

Since the personal income tax is now 3% (up from 2½% before the time of Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar, who both signed bills to raise the rate to 3%), a two percentage point increase would in reality be a 67% hike in the individual income tax rate and the amount people would pay.

Flowers heard the testimony of people from within and without McHenry County.

Then, she gave her experience of accompanying her brother to the doctor.

But, first she told how she learned she was to chair the committee. House Speaker Mike Madigan called to inform her. She told him she didn’t know anything about health care.

“But, Mary, you’re going to.” Then he hung up. He told me he had more important people to talk to. (One can read that sentence in two ways. I assume Madigan was telling Flowers that she was important, but that he had other important people to talk to.)

“I went with my brother to find out what’s going on. I went to the doctor with my brother.

“’Well, Mr. Flowers, it looks like you’ve lived a pretty good life. We could operate and you’d walk around all your life with a bag.

“’Face it. You’re 51 years old. I suggest you go home, enjoy life and die like a man.’

“You can’t do this!” Flowers asserted. “Who do you think you are?

“I can’t tell what else I told him, but he’s no longer practicing in this state.

“I swore my presence would be felt.”

If that hasn’t provided passion for her mission, I can’t imagine what has.

“I’ve seen people lying on gurneys,” she continued, pointing out they weren’t just black people, but people (I think she said) “like us.”

“They were not waiting for the doctor. They were waiting to get permission from the insurance company (to receive medical care).

“Who am I to say which one of you should live or die?

“If you don’t like (the way local politicians are representing you), I’d suggest you vote the bums out.”

There was more, of course, but it’s past midnight and I’ve had a long day.

= = = = =
All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

One of the first articles on McHenry County Blog was

It went up on October 24, 2005.

At a town meeting conducted by State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Mike Tryon in Lake in the Hills on October 24, 2005, the question came up and impressed the Northwest Herald reporter and editor enough that it ended up on the front page of the paper.

As far as I can figure out, the NW Herald was the only in the state to alert people in a big way as to what was coming down.

State Senator Chris Lauzen was the first politician to send out a press release on the subject. I ran it on October 27, 2007.

As Lauzen put it,

“So now, in addition to free elementary and secondary education in Illinois for illegal immigrants with no questions asked, those breaking the immigration law will have another incentive as taxpayers subsidize universal medical insurance for their kids.”

Maybe it should be state policy that Illinois taxpayers pay for health care for children brought here illegally.

But, if so, I strongly believe that should have been vibrantly debated by the Illinois General Assembly.

If such a debate took place, it was not reported in any major Illinois newspaper.

In early December, Elgin’s Daily Courier-News wrote the only editorial opposing the plan. The title was

Here’s part:

“Blagojevich’s All Kids program is…the greatest financial and social blunder in the history of the state…

“The All Kids bill manages to fail on every conceivable legislative, moral, social and intellectual level…there is

• no wealth test…
• no residency requirement…
• no need for proof of citizenship…

“Hallelujah!

“Illinois has solved the world’s health care problems. This state has one of the largest illegal alien populations in the United States, a trend sure to accelerate if this becomes law…(two of five babies born in Kane County are to mothers who are illegally in this country…)”

How bad was the bill?

Here’s what Democratic Primary opponent Edwin Eisendrath said on December 20th “”The bill was shorter than the press release.”

By the end of January, the Daily Herald had figured out the illegal alien angle. It reported Ester Lopez, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Rod Blagojevich said,

“…the state provides in-state tuition and affordable health care to all immigrants.”

Better late than never, I guess.

Eleven months after my first article, my son’s pediatrician’s practice issued this notice about not accepting Kids Care anymore.

Guess the state was not paying its bills.

Another notice, this time on red paper, showed up at his doctor’s office in December.

On May 30th, Daily Herald reporter Nick Shields wrote a major article on All Kids.

Guess what.

Although “Illinois has enrolled thousands of undocumented immigrant children…officials don’t know how much taxpayers are spending on their care.”

Let’s see.

The question is being addressed only about two and a half years after the bill passed.

Blagojevich’s spokesman says they account for less than 4% of the total enrolled. About 56,000 kids, the Daily Herald was told.

But Blagojevich really doesn’t want to know.

If the figures were available someone like Roselle’s State Sen. Carole Pankau might raise a stink.

Good for her.

Also in the article is this quote from Mahomet Republican State Rep. Chapin Rose:

“We haven’t paid our nursing home bills in six months, yet we’re opening up an entitlement package to a whole class of individuals who aren’t citizens.”

Maybe forcing Illinois taxpayers to finance health care for the illegal alien kids living here is the right thing to do, as Blagojevich people assert. Morally wrong not to do it, in fact.

One thing is for sure.

Unlike Medicaid payments for citizens and legal aliens, those for illegal aliens cannot be submitted to the federal government for a 50% match.

That means Illinois taxpayers foot the entire bill.

And, Blagojevich’s bureaucrats won’t tell the cost.

One of the first articles on McHenry County Blog was

It went up on October 24, 2005.

At a town meeting conducted by State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Mike Tryon in Lake in the Hills on October 24, 2005, the question came up and impressed the Northwest Herald reporter and editor enough that it ended up on the front page of the paper.

As far as I can figure out, the NW Herald was the only in the state to alert people in a big way as to what was coming down.

State Senator Chris Lauzen was the first politician to send out a press release on the subject. I ran it on October 27, 2007.

As Lauzen put it,

“So now, in addition to free elementary and secondary education in Illinois for illegal immigrants with no questions asked, those breaking the immigration law will have another incentive as taxpayers subsidize universal medical insurance for their kids.”

Maybe it should be state policy that Illinois taxpayers pay for health care for children brought here illegally.

But, if so, I strongly believe that should have been vibrantly debated by the Illinois General Assembly.

If such a debate took place, it was not reported in any major Illinois newspaper.

In early December, Elgin’s Daily Courier-News wrote the only editorial opposing the plan. The title was

Here’s part:

“Blagojevich’s All Kids program is…the greatest financial and social blunder in the history of the state…

“The All Kids bill manages to fail on every conceivable legislative, moral, social and intellectual level…there is

• no wealth test…
• no residency requirement…
• no need for proof of citizenship…

“Hallelujah!

“Illinois has solved the world’s health care problems. This state has one of the largest illegal alien populations in the United States, a trend sure to accelerate if this becomes law…(two of five babies born in Kane County are to mothers who are illegally in this country…)”

How bad was the bill?

Here’s what Democratic Primary opponent Edwin Eisendrath said on December 20th “”The bill was shorter than the press release.”

By the end of January, the Daily Herald had figured out the illegal alien angle. It reported Ester Lopez, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Rod Blagojevich said,

“…the state provides in-state tuition and affordable health care to all immigrants.”

Better late than never, I guess.

Eleven months after my first article, my son’s pediatrician’s practice issued this notice about not accepting Kids Care anymore.

Guess the state was not paying its bills.

Another notice, this time on red paper, showed up at his doctor’s office in December.

On May 30th, Daily Herald reporter Nick Shields wrote a major article on All Kids.

Guess what.

Although “Illinois has enrolled thousands of undocumented immigrant children…officials don’t know how much taxpayers are spending on their care.”

Let’s see.

The question is being addressed only about two and a half years after the bill passed.

Blagojevich’s spokesman says they account for less than 4% of the total enrolled. About 56,000 kids, the Daily Herald was told.

But Blagojevich really doesn’t want to know.

If the figures were available someone like Roselle’s State Sen. Carole Pankau might raise a stink.

Good for her.

Also in the article is this quote from Mahomet Republican State Rep. Chapin Rose:

“We haven’t paid our nursing home bills in six months, yet we’re opening up an entitlement package to a whole class of individuals who aren’t citizens.”

Maybe forcing Illinois taxpayers to finance health care for the illegal alien kids living here is the right thing to do, as Blagojevich people assert. Morally wrong not to do it, in fact.

One thing is for sure.

Unlike Medicaid payments for citizens and legal aliens, those for illegal aliens cannot be submitted to the federal government for a 50% match.

That means Illinois taxpayers foot the entire bill.

And, Blagojevich’s bureaucrats won’t tell the cost.

Tom Roeser writes in the Chicago Daily Observer about a suit filed by Riverside attorney Richard Caro “to determine the constitutionality of a ‘de facto appropriation and designation of approximately $16 million’ by the governor.

Roeser describes it as

”An historic request for a temporary restraining order to prevent Gov. Blagojevich from expanding coverage of the Illinois All-Kids Healthcare act to persons not otherwise eligible.”

Details of the suit are contained in the article.