McHenry County Blog

SIU cash flow as of the end of Feburary. The Fiscal Year started July 1st.

No, this isn’t an article about the money the U.S. Senate voted to spend without any source of revenue to pay for it.

It’s about the Illinois State Senate.

State universities have not been paid money promised in the state budget. It amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars.

The answers of Southern Illinois University, the University of Illinois and, I presume the others, is to ask for authority to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars.

Collateral?

Glad you asked.

The university are going to tell those lending the money that the State of Illinois will pay them back.

With the Illinois budget having been run into the ground by Democrats who have been in control since I ran for Governor in 2002 against Rod Blagojevich and Jim Ryan, what folks will be optimistic to think state government can repay what it did not pay in the first place.

Of course, the “responsible” Republicans and Democrats are just waiting until after the fall election to hike the income tax, what, 50% or the 67% Senate Democrats supported last year.

Take a look at the roll call of Senate Bill 642, the one passed last week to allow SIU to sell such bonds:

Illinois Senate Roll Call for Senate Bill 642, the bill that would allow SIU to borrow money using unpaid appropriations as collateral.

Locally, it shows McHenry County’s State Senator Pam Althoff voting, “Aye.”

The other county senator, Dan Duffy, voted, “No.”  So did Chris Lauzen, the senator who represents Northern Kane County.

If SB 642 makes it through the legislative process and is signed into law, SIU will be able to borrow up to 75% of the money the state hasn’t paid.

Commenter “Joey” on AlestleLive.com put it well:

“This can be a dangerous move. If the university borrows money, eventually the lender would want to be paid back (with interest, most likely). If the state continues to fall behind and miss payments, then when it comes time to make payments, the university may not have the money to pay them back, forcing them to take money out of other funds, thus just deferring the problem instead of solving it.

“You should never borrow money unless you are certain you’ll be able to pay it back. Since the state is being useless when it comes to providing money it owes, the university likely will not be able to say, with certainty, that it can repay debts on loans.”

With the primary election coming up in about five weeks, active citizens are starting to think more seriously about narrowing down their choices for contested offices.

At Zane Seipler’s fund raiser Wednesday night, for example, one person concluded that Andy McKenna was the most likely to be able to win the November election. Not a perfect candidate, but considering one needs three elements to win a campaign—issues, money and a candidate—his opponents don’t seem likely to put it together as well.

Now, National Taxpayers United of Illinois’ campaign arm, Tax Accountability, has put out its recommendations, I listed the ones that will be on area ballots.

U.S. Senate

• John Arrington – R
• Robert Marshall – D

U.S. Congress

• 8th District (McHenry, Lake and Cook) – Joe Walsh
• 14th District (Kane, DuPage and points west) – Randy Hultgren

Governor

• Adam Andrzejewski

Lt. Governor

• Dennis Cook – R
• Jason Plummer – R
• Randy White – R

State Senate

• Chris Lauzen – R (Northern Kane County)

State Representative

• Tim Schmirtz – R (Northern Kane County)
• John O’Neill – R (Jack Franks’ district)

So far, McHenry County Blog has published four articles on Paul Caprio’s August Family PAC cruise.

The first was about U.S. Senator and Dr. Tom Coburn’s take on the health care debate. The rest are full of pictures of participants:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Below is Part 4.

As I continued wondering around the boat, I found Peter Breen and Chris Sullivan near the bow on the upper deck. Sullivan is one of Kathleen Sullivan’s sons. Breen is one aspirant to replace State Rep. Bob Biggins. Breen is Executive Director & Legal Counsel of the Thomas Moore Society, which bills itself as the “Pro-Life Law Center.” He is currently working on the Aurora Planned Parenthood case. Breen has a good button/sticker on his web site, but he wasn’t wearing it. I always preferred to have a really large button announcing to the world that I was a candidate.

The last time I saw my former and now deceased colleague’s twin sons was in San Diego at an ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) conference. That was at the Hotel del Coronado beach over ten years ago when my son was mainly interested in looking at the turtles and fish on the first floor of our hotel. My Matthew has grown. I never met former Cook County Board of Review Murphy’s oldest son, but he was on the cruise, too. 29-year old Shaun, on the right, is running for the post his mother held. They were talking to Chris Sullivan.

Maureen almost always made me laugh. I wish I could repeat her interactions with her arch-foe House Speaker Michael Madigan, who lived in Lincoln Towers, where she stayed during legislative sessions. They apparently had similar morning schedules. Some of the conversations, started usually, I gathered by Maureen, were bizarre. If you would like to sample her how she could make little piggies and blueberries hilarious, click here.

I didn’t get a great shot of Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman talking to Peter Breen, but I guarantee she would like this one better than the one I took on the lower deck, which included her mother.

Politicians I have come in contact with almost always want to pose for a picture. I tell them I don’t do posed pictures. David McAloon gave me so much grief about the photo I published of him last year, though, I relented and took this one. Note the corn cob architecture on the Chicago River in the background. It’s pretty obviously designed by the same architect who did Marina Towers.

As I was wondering downstairs to get some food, catered by Harry Carey’s, I got this shot of State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard and State Senator Chris Lauzen.

More pictures and commentary tomorrow in Part 5.

This is a delayed third part of my view of Paul Caprio’s August 11th Family PAC cruise.

Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. A story about guest of honor Oklahoma U.S. Senator and Dr. Tom Coburn’s views on the health care debate is here.

Asking Senator Coburn if the health care debate could include end of life protocols on hydration and sustenance was former Republican Party gubernatorial aspirant Steve Baer. He’s the man in the picture’s center.

After the speech, attendees greeted friends and acquaintances. Here State Representative Bob Biggins, who just announced his retirement, chats with State Representative Ron Wait’s Legislative Assistant Verna Rightnowar and Wait.

State Senator Chris Lauzen, who again had about 900 at his Porky Picnic last Saturday was talking with Larry Therianit.

In good campaign style, Schaumburg resident Ryan Higgins came up to introduce himself to me. The 28-year old is running for the GOP state representative slot to replace State Rep. Paul Froelich, the man who switched parties before last year’s election. He has been endorsed by the Schaumburg Township GOP organization.

The next people I got a shot of are campaign consultant Jon Zahm and State Representative Randy Ramey. Ramey told me he tried to leave a message on McHenry County Blog after I posted a picture of a car with a Ramey bumper sticker and state rep. license plate 105 saying that it was his car.

Part 4 is next up.

What school administrators receive in compensation will be easily obtainable starting in October.

State Senator Dan Cronin, joined by Kirk Dillard, Chris Lauzen and John Millner have decided that the most highly paid local politicians, school district superintendents (and other administrative personnel), should be an open book.

Starting October 1st the following will be on your local school web site:

“The salary compensation report shall include without limitation base salary, bonuses, pension contributions, retirement increases, the cost of health insurance, the cost of life insurance, paid sick and vacation day payouts, annuities, and any other form of compensation or income paid on behalf of the employee.”

This will soon become the “go to” place for those looking for a new administrative job to figure out how much they can request.

House sponsor Sandra Pihos has gotten the bill on Short Debate. Since no one has yet to vote against the legislation, passage is a virtual certainty.

And, as a bonus, the teachers’ contract will also be posted on the internet.

Too bad the bill doesn’t cover junior college presidents and presidents emeriti.

Thought you might be interested in how state senators voted on State Senator Chris Lauzen’s bill to require that Republican State Central Committeemen be elected again.

It passed 44-13-1. McHenry County State Senator Pam Althoff voted “Yes,” while Dan Duffy, who represents the east central part of the county (State Rep. Mark Beaubien’s district locally) voted “No.”

Here it is.

Click to enlarge the roll call.

Jim Tobin, President of National Taxpayers United of Illinois, issued the following press release today. I thought it was worth sharing.

$11.5 BILLION FEDERAL STIMULUS PACKAGE ELIMINATES NEED FOR STATE INCOME TAX HIKE

The purported $9 billion deficit in state revenues will be wiped out without raising the state income tax, according to Jim Tobin, President of National Taxpayers United of Illinois (NTUI).

Tobin cited the massive funds Illinois will receive from the federal government’s “stimulus” package.

“The purported gap in state funds of $9 billion is projected through June 30, 2011,” said Tobin. “However, State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-25, Aurora) has confirmed to me that the state will receive $9.4 billion for its general operating expenses over the next 20 months from the federal government’s ‘stimulus’ package.

“Furthermore, the federal government also will be giving an additional $2.1 billion to the state for capital expenditures.”

“The stimulus package will more than offset the so-called ‘gap’ of $9 billion. In fact, if state expenditures are reduced, the state income tax can actually be cut, which will attract businesses and create jobs.”

“A good place to start is to eliminate totally useless state functions, such as the State Police (other than the crime lab) and the Dept. of Commerce and Community Affairs. Taxpayers will see no cut in state services, and the savings will be enormous.”

It is relevant that State Senator Chris Lauzen is a Certified Public Accountant. The fund raising pitch which came in the envelope shown arrived in January.

That’s what the United Republican Fund rack-up says about Crystal Lake’s Mike Tryon.

And his colleague from the east, Republican Mark Beaubien came in at 88%.

South of the McHenry-Kane County line, Tim Schmitz received a 87.5% rating.

You can see the legislation included in the scoring here.

Democratic Party State Representative Jack Franks got 75%.

In the State Senate, McHenry County’s Pam Althoff received a 66% favorable rating, while Kane County’s Chris Lauzen came in at 50%. Lauzen’s low score seems to be the result of having missed three of the six issues selected.

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State Rep. Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills) can be seen to the left of State Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake).

That’s what the United Republican Fund rack-up says about Crystal Lake’s Mike Tryon.

And his colleague from the east, Republican Mark Beaubien came in at 88%.

South of the McHenry-Kane County line, Tim Schmitz received a 87.5% rating.

You can see the legislation included in the scoring here.

Democratic Party State Representative Jack Franks got 75%.

In the State Senate, McHenry County’s Pam Althoff received a 66% favorable rating, while Kane County’s Chris Lauzen came in at 50%. Lauzen’s low score seems to be the result of having missed three of the six issues selected.

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State Rep. Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills) can be seen to the left of State Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake).

Building on its $4,428.62 balance after the Pro-Life Pig Roast at Resurrection Center, the Pro-Life Victory Committee reporting getting $2,200 more in donations in its pre-election report to the State Board of Elections.

Reportable amounts came from the following:

• $462.19 – Crystal Lake’s Coffee Group
• $250 – Irene Napier, Crystal Lake
• $1,000- Michael Winn, Lake Bluff

The only contribution to a political candidate since July 1st was $350 to Friends for Chris Lauzen.

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Irene Napier can be seen on the left talking to Ann Benard. Both live in Crystal Lake.