McHenry County Blog

Larry Snow

“While Democrats say Teachers ‘Have Kept Their Part of the Deal?’“

is the title of an April 5, 2011, article by former Huntley School District 158 Board member Larry Snow.  (The quote was in the Chicago Tribune Marcy 31, 2011.  It is from Executive Director Dick Ingram of Teachers’ Retirement System.)

The article was published in “The Champion” with this teaser:

“82,981 of 132,502 Illinois Teachers Pay Nothing or Little into Their Pensions“

That’s 63% of all teachers in Illinois.

The State Journal-Register is reporting that State Rep. Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park) is promoting a bill where state and local governments would all pay six percent of payroll toward employee pensions.

In a revealing sentence in reporter Chris Wetterich’s article, he writes,

“What’s unclear is how much more employees themselves would have to pay.“

Because no one has done the research except, I believe, the Illinois Education Association and Snow, how much extra teachers would have to pay if their so-called contribution rate was raised from 9.4% to 13.77% is a really good question.

While not covering every school district in Illinois, Snow did research the teachers’ contracts for all of the large school districts (by law all are supposed to be on the internet) in order to find out how much teachers pay in order to get a “full 75 percent pension after working only 27 years.” He points out, “Most adults work for 27 years before they turn age 50.”

As way of background, Snow notes that teachers are not in the Social Security System and, therefore, are not forced to pay Social Security taxes.

“Ordinary workers get hit with a 6.2 percent deduction for Social Security,” Snow writes. “It’s a deduction they have to pay federal and state income taxes on.

“Democrats gave teachers a huge loophole of not paying income taxes on any of their pension deductions” he continues. “This enormous no-tax handout to teachers amounts to billions of dollars each year.”

Snow’s research leads him to this conclusion:

“Over 51,000 of the total 132,502 teachers in Illinois contribute nothing from their K-12 paychecks into their pensions. Illinois law says it is to be 9.4 percent.

“About an additional 32,000 teachers pay little into their pensions. It is 1.81 percent to be precise for these 31,956 teachers.“

How many teachers pay not a dime toward their retirement?

51,025 teachers in 186 school districts pay nothing for retirement benefits.

They “don’t pay a penny into the 9.4 percent called out by Illinois law.

“There are a total of 868 districts in Illinois.

“The pay-zero teachers listed are 39 percent of all teachers in Illinois,” Snow reveals.

No agency in state government seems to keep track of this information.

Not the Downstate Teachers Retirement Fund, which boldly and incorrectly claims,

“Active TRS members are required to contribute 9.4 percent of their creditable earnings each year…”

The State Board of Education doesn’t keep track either.

My guess is that only the Illinois Education Association has a matrix showing what school districts have given what benefits in contract negotiations.

Snow discovered this about Lockport:

“…on page 14 of the Lockport Township HS 205 teachers contract it reads:

1. The Board will pay the current level of retirement contribution to the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois.”
2. It is expressly understood that figures appearing on this salary schedule include a sum equal to the current level of TRS contribution of the base salary of each Teacher which is, in fact, payable to the Teachers’ Retirement System on the Teacher’s behalf.”

“The ISBE report shows this board paying nothing. A Democrat bureaucracy doesn’t check the teachers contracts to see if what is reported, matches what’s in writing.”

And, if legislation is passed requiring 4.37 percentage points more, how long do you think it will take Lockport taxpayers to pick up the difference?

Given that local teachers’ unions pretty much control school boards wherever they are elected (read everywhere but Chicago), my guess is will be on the top of the collective bargaining list.

Do you wonder if Rep. McCarthy knows that?

Is his proposal just a setting up local taxpayers for an even bigger fall?

Five years from now will 39% of teachers still be paying nothing for their pensions?

Even better for teachers is that this pension payment ups their pension payments.

Take a look at the chart below.  Chances are your school district is on it.

Chart of Pension Contributions by 82,981 District Teachers of 132,502 Total Illinois K-12 Teachers

Name of District	No. of Teachers	Percent of Pension Contributed by Teachers
Thornton Twp 205	428	Zero
Proviso 209	281	Zero
Waukegan 60	1,098	Zero
Morton 201	455	Zero
Kankakee 111	348	Zero
Joliet 204	340	Zero
Round Lake 116	387	Zero
Rockford	1,843	Zero
Decatur 61	454	Zero
Crete Monee	340	Zero
Danville 118	382	Zero
Valley View 365	1,068	Zero
Aurora West 129	706	Zero
East Peoria 309	69	Zero
Galesburg	281	Zero
Bremen 228	313	Zero
Freeport	317	Zero
Leyden 212	219	Zero
Elgin U-46	2,332	Zero
Rock Island	388	Zero
Mattoon	225	Zero
Collinsville	394	Zero
Massac 1	143	Zero
Sterling	219	Zero
Belvidere	531	Zero
Quincy	436	Zero
Dixon	179	Zero
West Chicago	248	Zero
Cook County 130	289	Zero
Cicero 99	738	Zero
Joliet 86	617	Zero
Harvey 152	163	Zero
Crystal Lake 155	412	Zero
Crystal Lake 47	564	Zero
Wheeling 21	489	Zero
Champaign 4	717	Zero
United CUSD 304	68	Zero
Riverdale 100	76	Zero
Reed Custer 255	114	Zero
Wilmington 209U	84	Zero
United Township 30	90	Zero
Summit Hill 161	213	Zero
Plainfield	1,695	Zero
Schiller Park 81	98	Zero
Dolton 149	176	Zero
Township 211 Palatine	799	Zero
Ball Chatham 5	248	Zero
Taylorville 3	152	Zero
Williamsville 15	81	Zero
Harrisburg 3	130	Zero
Belleville 201	281	Zero
Dupo 196	76	Zero
O’Fallon 203	145	Zero
O’Fallon 90	207	Zero
Rochester 3A	142	Zero
Pekin 108	248	Zero
Morton 709	175	Zero
New Lenox 122	287	Zero
Frankfort 157	158	Zero
Marion 2	219	Zero
Carterville 5	110	Zero
Kinnikinnick 131	122	Zero
Tolono 7	116	Zero
Mahomet-Seymour 3	161	Zero
Champaign 4	717	Zero
Urbana	346	Zero
Charleston 1	180	Zero
Park Ridge 64	319	Zero
Evanston 202	222	Zero
Maine HSD 207	508	Zero
Arlington Heights 214	753	Zero
Niles 219	350	Zero
Berkeley 87	165	Zero
Berwyn South	263	Zero
Lyons 204	239	Zero
Lemont 113	144	Zero
Palatine 15	713	Zero
Schaumburg 54	1,003	Zero
Oak Lawn 123	203	Zero
Oak Lawn 229	114	Zero
CHSD 230 Orland Park	519	Zero
Argo 217	111	Zero
Homewood 233	174	Zero
Genoa 424	137	Zero
Sycamore 427	231	Zero
Dekalb 428	362	Zero
Lombard 44	216	Zero
Downers Grove 58	277	Zero
Hinsdale 86	296	Zero
Elmhurst 205	538	Zero
Naperville 203	1,063	Zero
Effingham 40	176	Zero
Canton Union 66	175	Zero
Morris 54	61	Zero
Morris 101	50	Zero
Coal City 1	138	Zero
Jersey 100	164	Zero
Central CUSD 301	224	Zero
Kaneland 302	275	Zero
St. Charles 303	880	Zero
Cahokia	298	0.4
Chicago Public Schools	23,219	2
Peoria 150	988	0.4
Springfield	1,105	0.4
Moline 40	461	0.4
Harvard	149	0.87
Dolton 148	236	1.4
Belleville 118	228	0.4
Pekin 303	125	0.4
Hononegah 207	118	0.4
Arlington Heights 59	444	3
Leyden 212	219	0.4
Summit 104	103	0.4
Palos 118	130	0.4
CHSD 219 Orland Park	519	0.4
Bensenville 2	145	1.4
DuPage 88	266	0.4
CHSD 94	122	0.9
CUSD 300	1,189	4.4
Hawthorn 73	253	1.4
Lake Forest 115	132	0.4
Wauconda 118	273	0.4
Johnsburg 12	158	0.4
Cary 26	192	4.9
Woodstock 200	385	1.4
Keeneyville 20	107	0.4
Winnebago 323	117	0.4
LaSalle-Peru Twp. 120	88	0.7
Prairie-Hills 144	187	0.4
Geneva 304	367	Zero
Herscher 2	126	Zero
Manteno 5	160	Zero
Bourbonnais 53	160	Zero
Bradley 61	103	Zero
Bradley Bourbonnais 307	114	Zero
Momence 1	88	Zero
Yorkville 115	329	Zero
Plano 88	154	Zero
Oswego 308	827	Zero
Streator 44	132	Zero
Ottawa 141	140	Zero
Ottawa 140	102	Zero
Glenview 34	343	Zero
Zion 6	177	Zero
Grayslake 46	266	Zero
Elmwood Park 401	181	Zero
Libertyville 70	159	Zero
North Shore 112	374	Zero
HSD 113 Highland Park	249	Zero
Grant 124	91	Zero
Zion-Benton 126	156	Zero
Evanston 65	547	Zero
Grayslake 127	187	Zero
Meridian 15	64	Zero
Mt. Zion 3	133	Zero
Edwardsville 7	480	Zero
Alton 11	467	Zero
Macomb 185	130	Zero
McHenry 15	282	Zero
McHenry 156	158	Zero
Nippersink 2	92	Zero
Columbia 4	111	Zero
Waterloo 5	166	Zero
Hillsboro 3	114	Zero
Meridian 223	113	Zero
Illinois Valley Central 321	139	Zero
Carbondale 165	76	Zero
Carbondale 95	105	Zero
Riverton 14	85	Zero
Auburn 10	90	Zero
Pawnee 11	47	Zero
Panhandle 2	35	Zero
Sullivan 300	75	Zero
Centralia 135	93	Zero
Litchfield 12	83	Zero
Harlem 122	505	Zero
Granite City 9	617	Zero
Princeton 115	86	Zero
Princeton 500	43	Zero
Bond County 2	120	Zero
Duquoin CUSD 300	101	Zero
Rocton 140	102	Zero
Rochelle Twp. HSD 212	71	Zero
Rochelle CCSD 231	131	Zero
Byron 226	127	Zero
Oregon 220	104	Zero
Farmington Central 265	85	Zero
Porta 202	75	Zero
River Bend 2	71	Zero
Red Bud 132	73	Zero
Sparta 140	105	Zero
Southwestern 9	107	Zero
Staunton 6	87	Zero
Gillespie 7	81	Zero
Hamilton County 10	83	Zero
Midwest Central 191	85	Zero
Tuscola 301	86	Zero
West Carroll 314	99	Zero
Oakwood 76	64	Zero
Hoopeston 11	94	Zero
Westville 2	80	Zero
Beardstown 15	98	Zero
El Paso-Gridley 11	99	Zero
Murphysboro 186	137	Zero
Monticello 25	111	Zero
Paris-Union 95	74	Zero
Mt. Vernon Twp. 210	80	Zero
Mt. Vernon 80	109	Zero
Jasper County 1	101	Zero
Steger 194	128	Zero
Calumet City 155	77	Zero
North Boone 200	116	Zero
CCSD 93 Carol Stream	294	Zero
East Maine SD 63	254	Zero
Lockport Township HS 205	205	Zero
Above Teachers Total	82,981

Another part of the Illinois Republican Platform is entitled, Embrace of the Traditional Family.”

That didn’t stop the Log Cabin Republicans from having a booth at the Decatur convention, however.

The plank appears below:

EMBRACE OF THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY

The family is society’s central building block. Thus, efforts to strengthen family life are efforts to improve life for everyone.

Our children need secure and nurturing environments, which are best found within the traditional family. No law should be enacted nor policy implemented without fully contemplating the effect it would have on children and their families.

Though not universally achievable, the ideal, best environment for children is within a two-parent family based on the principle of marriage between one man and one woman. The Republican Party endorses a constitutional amendment protecting our Defense of Marriage Act and enshrining in constitutional law marriage as it is defined in our “DOMA.”

Our laws should strongly support and celebrate the loving commitment a man and a woman make to each other in marriage. Our laws should strongly support and celebrate a loving, married couple bringing new life into the world and rearing their children in a secure and nurturing environment from conception to adulthood. No law should undermine the importance of that union, divide that union nor unduly burden the efforts of parents to rear a family in a safe and nurturing environment.

Those persons in our society best equipped and motivated to protect and nurture children are their parents, not government bureaucrats, teachers, counselors or social workers. The Republican Party endorses legislation to re-establish the right of parents to consent to health care involving their minor children, regardless of whether such care entails diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted disease, alcoholism, drug abuse or mental illness, and particularly in the consequential arena of abortion and contraception.

Another part of the Illinois Republican Platform is entitled, Embrace of the Traditional Family.”

That didn’t stop the Log Cabin Republicans from having a booth at the Decatur convention, however.

The plank appears below:

EMBRACE OF THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY

The family is society’s central building block. Thus, efforts to strengthen family life are efforts to improve life for everyone.

Our children need secure and nurturing environments, which are best found within the traditional family. No law should be enacted nor policy implemented without fully contemplating the effect it would have on children and their families.

Though not universally achievable, the ideal, best environment for children is within a two-parent family based on the principle of marriage between one man and one woman. The Republican Party endorses a constitutional amendment protecting our Defense of Marriage Act and enshrining in constitutional law marriage as it is defined in our “DOMA.”

Our laws should strongly support and celebrate the loving commitment a man and a woman make to each other in marriage. Our laws should strongly support and celebrate a loving, married couple bringing new life into the world and rearing their children in a secure and nurturing environment from conception to adulthood. No law should undermine the importance of that union, divide that union nor unduly burden the efforts of parents to rear a family in a safe and nurturing environment.

Those persons in our society best equipped and motivated to protect and nurture children are their parents, not government bureaucrats, teachers, counselors or social workers. The Republican Party endorses legislation to re-establish the right of parents to consent to health care involving their minor children, regardless of whether such care entails diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted disease, alcoholism, drug abuse or mental illness, and particularly in the consequential arena of abortion and contraception.

It’s not as if McHenry County hasn’t gotten more than its fair share of rain this year, but southeastern Illinois has real flooding in the same area that was hit by the earthquake.

The rain in Decatur last weekend was so bad that the roof of the convention center room had pans to catch the leaks.

And, on Route 51 to Decatur low lying corn fields were flooded.

Fences usually indicate that there are fields.

In this one beside Route 14, though, you’d never know. It was next to a stream which had obviously overflowed.

It’s not as if McHenry County hasn’t gotten more than its fair share of rain this year, but southeastern Illinois has real flooding in the same area that was hit by the earthquake.

The rain in Decatur last weekend was so bad that the roof of the convention center room had pans to catch the leaks.

And, on Route 51 to Decatur low lying corn fields were flooded.

Fences usually indicate that there are fields.

In this one beside Route 14, though, you’d never know. It was next to a stream which had obviously overflowed.

Who would think that a political party would emphasize ethics as a separate plank in their platform?

Only in Illinois, where one speaker (I think it was Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson) said that Rod Blagojevich was “the Republican Party’s best friend.”

State Party Chairman Andy McKenna also alluded to ethics in his criticism of former Governor Jim Thompson’s public advocacy of a pardon for his law firm’s client former Governor George Ryan, now in federal prison.

The ethics section of the platform follows:

A CALL TO ETHICS & REFORM OF GOVERNMENT

Trust, pride and respect: we pledge to restore these qualities to the way Illinoisans view their government and their leaders.

The Republican Party recognizes that without integrity, promises and solutions have no value. Therefore, our Party will not stand for the slightest compromise in the ethics of our political leaders, regardless of party affiliation. We recognize that a compromise in the ethics of our Party officials can and will cause damage to the overall Party and to the citizens of Illinois. Ours will be a Party of ethics and integrity, regardless of the cost.

At the same time, we condemn the pay-to-play politics endemic to the Blagojevich Administration and the culture of corruption which the Democrats have established at all levels of government in Illinois. We sense the concern and growing outrage of the people of Illinois in having their trust so egregiously violated, and we join them and call on them to join us in seeking reform of Illinois government.

• The Republican Party supports the citizen-led effort to institute a process for recall of elected officials.

• We advocate requiring voters to display valid photo identification before registering to vote and before voting in the polling place.

• The Constitution of the United States establishes a separation of powers among the three branches of government in order to preserve our republican form of government and ensure that no branch takes government from the hands of the people themselves. We call on Gov. Blagojevich to cease his practice of usurping the authority of the legislature in both spending and program decisions. And we call on the judiciary of the United States to cease their usurpation of the authority of the elected representatives of the people at all levels and their abridgment of the rights of the people themselves.

• The Republican Party of Illinois calls on the Governor and the General Assembly to meet the contractual obligations of our state by properly funding the various state pension systems and ending the practice of diverting pension fund contributions to other purposes.

• We call on the Governor and the General Assembly to cease diversion of dedicated funds – such as the road fund – to other purposes.

• We call on the Governor and the General Assembly to balance the state budget and provide for a responsible capital development program without resorting to the expansion of gambling, which harms Illinois’ families and our state’s business climate and presents costly challenges for both law enforcement and social service agencies.

• In the critical task of restoring ethics to our political and governmental systems, we call on all political and public officials of all parties to adhere to the following principles:

• Party officials must act in such a way as to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

• Party officials must place public service ahead of personal gain.

• Government contracts and licenses must be awarded based entirely upon merit pursuant to an open process.

• Neither political leaders nor their emissaries may encourage, direct or even tolerate government employees engaging in political work on government time or using government resources for campaign purposes.

• Neither political leaders nor their emissaries may solicit campaign contributions from government employees or contractors, nor may government officials award contracts based on past contributions.

• The Governor and the General Assembly should bar former government officials from lobbying the government agencies they have left within two years of separation.

We salute President Bush and the United States Department of Justice – in particular, Northern District US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald – for their aggressive efforts to combat political corruption in Illinois. No previous Administration on the Federal, State or County level has done more to confront political corruption and prosecute it in Illinois than the Bush Administration.

= = = = =
Recently convicted Governor Rod Blagojevich fund raiser Tony Rezko can be seen in the top photo. The picture of Blagojevich being unthreatening comes from a mailing this Republican primary voter received in 2006. Next comes the newly elected Republican National Committeeman for Illinois, Pat Brady. Brady gave a strong anti-corruption speech. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald appears at the bottom of the article.

Who would think that a political party would emphasize ethics as a separate plank in their platform?

Only in Illinois, where one speaker (I think it was Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson) said that Rod Blagojevich was “the Republican Party’s best friend.”

State Party Chairman Andy McKenna also alluded to ethics in his criticism of former Governor Jim Thompson’s public advocacy of a pardon for his law firm’s client former Governor George Ryan, now in federal prison.

The ethics section of the platform follows:

A CALL TO ETHICS & REFORM OF GOVERNMENT

Trust, pride and respect: we pledge to restore these qualities to the way Illinoisans view their government and their leaders.

The Republican Party recognizes that without integrity, promises and solutions have no value. Therefore, our Party will not stand for the slightest compromise in the ethics of our political leaders, regardless of party affiliation. We recognize that a compromise in the ethics of our Party officials can and will cause damage to the overall Party and to the citizens of Illinois. Ours will be a Party of ethics and integrity, regardless of the cost.

At the same time, we condemn the pay-to-play politics endemic to the Blagojevich Administration and the culture of corruption which the Democrats have established at all levels of government in Illinois. We sense the concern and growing outrage of the people of Illinois in having their trust so egregiously violated, and we join them and call on them to join us in seeking reform of Illinois government.

• The Republican Party supports the citizen-led effort to institute a process for recall of elected officials.

• We advocate requiring voters to display valid photo identification before registering to vote and before voting in the polling place.

• The Constitution of the United States establishes a separation of powers among the three branches of government in order to preserve our republican form of government and ensure that no branch takes government from the hands of the people themselves. We call on Gov. Blagojevich to cease his practice of usurping the authority of the legislature in both spending and program decisions. And we call on the judiciary of the United States to cease their usurpation of the authority of the elected representatives of the people at all levels and their abridgment of the rights of the people themselves.

• The Republican Party of Illinois calls on the Governor and the General Assembly to meet the contractual obligations of our state by properly funding the various state pension systems and ending the practice of diverting pension fund contributions to other purposes.

• We call on the Governor and the General Assembly to cease diversion of dedicated funds – such as the road fund – to other purposes.

• We call on the Governor and the General Assembly to balance the state budget and provide for a responsible capital development program without resorting to the expansion of gambling, which harms Illinois’ families and our state’s business climate and presents costly challenges for both law enforcement and social service agencies.

• In the critical task of restoring ethics to our political and governmental systems, we call on all political and public officials of all parties to adhere to the following principles:

• Party officials must act in such a way as to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

• Party officials must place public service ahead of personal gain.

• Government contracts and licenses must be awarded based entirely upon merit pursuant to an open process.

• Neither political leaders nor their emissaries may encourage, direct or even tolerate government employees engaging in political work on government time or using government resources for campaign purposes.

• Neither political leaders nor their emissaries may solicit campaign contributions from government employees or contractors, nor may government officials award contracts based on past contributions.

• The Governor and the General Assembly should bar former government officials from lobbying the government agencies they have left within two years of separation.

We salute President Bush and the United States Department of Justice – in particular, Northern District US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald – for their aggressive efforts to combat political corruption in Illinois. No previous Administration on the Federal, State or County level has done more to confront political corruption and prosecute it in Illinois than the Bush Administration.

= = = = =
Recently convicted Governor Rod Blagojevich fund raiser Tony Rezko can be seen in the top photo. The picture of Blagojevich being unthreatening comes from a mailing this Republican primary voter received in 2006. Next comes the newly elected Republican National Committeeman for Illinois, Pat Brady. Brady gave a strong anti-corruption speech. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald appears at the bottom of the article.

My wife and arrived in Decatur for the Republican State Convention later than we intended—about 6:30 Friday night.

You know, I actually went thinking I might be able to vote like you see in national conventions.

But, none of the decisions made in committee before we arrived were overturned in what passed for democracy on the floor of the convention.

I would characterize the convention as “an administered one.”

It was pretty tightly controlled, in other words. Delegates couldn’t even bring in signs that were not pre-approved.

Since the decision-making process was over before we arrived, I decided to play photo bug.

Here’s what I found.

Bruno Behrend, who is a talk show host on Waukegan’s WKRS, promoting a constitutional convention. Although I think the chances of conservatives controlling a constitutional convention in a state where the legislature, all statewide elected officials and the supreme court are all controlled by Democrats is zero, I brought a bumper sticker home. I shall be happy to give to anyone for whom hope springs eternal.

Stu Umholtz, the Tazewell County State’s Attorney, the only one with guts enough to run against incumbent Democrat Lisa Madigan for Attorney General in 2006. Note the sign next to Umholtz, produced by the state central committee. It says,

My wife said it should say,

In the hotel registration area, we bumped into Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, who is running for Cook County State’s Attorney, along with Lemont Township Supervisor Steven Rosendahl.

We decided to go over to State Senator Kirk Dillard’s reception at the mansion of Lincoln intimate Richard Oglesby.

State Senator Dan Rutherford was in what looked like the dining room. You can see him hugging a fellow delegate.

More notables tomorrow.

My wife and arrived in Decatur for the Republican State Convention later than we intended—about 6:30 Friday night.

You know, I actually went thinking I might be able to vote like you see in national conventions.

But, none of the decisions made in committee before we arrived were overturned in what passed for democracy on the floor of the convention.

I would characterize the convention as “an administered one.”

It was pretty tightly controlled, in other words. Delegates couldn’t even bring in signs that were not pre-approved.

Since the decision-making process was over before we arrived, I decided to play photo bug.

Here’s what I found.

Bruno Behrend, who is a talk show host on Waukegan’s WKRS, promoting a constitutional convention. Although I think the chances of conservatives controlling a constitutional convention in a state where the legislature, all statewide elected officials and the supreme court are all controlled by Democrats is zero, I brought a bumper sticker home. I shall be happy to give to anyone for whom hope springs eternal.

Stu Umholtz, the Tazewell County State’s Attorney, the only one with guts enough to run against incumbent Democrat Lisa Madigan for Attorney General in 2006. Note the sign next to Umholtz, produced by the state central committee. It says,

My wife said it should say,

In the hotel registration area, we bumped into Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, who is running for Cook County State’s Attorney, along with Lemont Township Supervisor Steven Rosendahl.

We decided to go over to State Senator Kirk Dillard’s reception at the mansion of Lincoln intimate Richard Oglesby.

State Senator Dan Rutherford was in what looked like the dining room. You can see him hugging a fellow delegate.

More notables tomorrow.