$117M Down the Drain Because of Pat Quinn?

If the State of Illinois is doing so poorly in terms of financial position, why are we wasting $117M because of inaction?  Seems Governor Pat Quinn hasn't taken action quick enough to figure out who *should* be getting Medicaid and who *shouldn't*.  The legislature passed a measure that would take away state health care from people in Illinois who aren't eligible.  And thus...shouldn't be getting it.   By making sure only the right folks are getting Medicaid, that leads to savings.

In fact, the budget in Illinois is based on a bunch of these little 'savings'.  The only way we get back some of that $80+ billion in debt is $100 million at a time.   The plan details are here on the House GOP governmental page.

Too bad Pat Quinn couldn't take time away from practicing his DNC speech for President Obama that he couldn't get his administration to act faster.

Julie Eggers on Illinois Insurance, Pensions

State Representative Candidate Julie Bigham Eggers laid out her 'no perks plan' where she has signed a pledge stating that if elected to the Statehouse, she'd refuse the taxpayer-funded pension and healthcare program that all Illinois State Representatives and State Senators receive.  She went a bit further and even said she'd refuse the salary.

Then, she pressed her opponent Jerry Costello Jr. to do the same thing.

“The State of Illinois is broke and in desperate need of repair. Illinois’ deficit is $43.8 billion. Illinois’ pension debt is $83 billion. $126 billion – That’s how much Illinois is in debt thanks to our elected officials at our state capitol. Illinois legislators haven’t earned nor deserve the lavish Pension and Cadillac healthcare benefits paid for by the taxpayers. By signing this pledge, I will refuse to accept any taxpayer funded pension and healthcare benefits." 

“The state is broke and we cannot afford benefits like these for elected officials,” said Julie Bigham Eggers. “I will also refuse the part-time salary of $67,836 offered to me if elected State Representative. I ask my opponent Jerry Costello II (A.K.A Jerry Costello Jr.) to join me in signing the ‘No Perks Pledge’ to refuse to accept any taxpayer funded pension and healthcare benefits. I await his response.”

You can see the story on her site and download the signed pledge here.

Others Are Catching on to Stephanie Kifowit's Plan

Openlineblog - which covers the City of Aurora - has a post up that demonstrates the contrasts between Democrat Stephanie Kifowit and her opponent Pat Fee.

There are two dramatically different candidates for new 84th District State Rep (Aurora/Naperville) in 2012. 

Pat Fee of Aurora is serious about protecting taxpayers and changing Illinois so there's a path of jobs and growth instead of the current path off the fiscal cliff. She doesn't need Springfield...the General Assembly needs people like her. 

Stephanie Kifowit, who doesn't even live in the district, is a flip-flopping, wild spending, taxpayer exploiting stooge for the political mafia and Michael Madigan, the person in Illinois most responsible for the mess and wants to keep it that way. Kifowit is running for political power and personal wealth...she wants to buy a new house.

Pat Fee is a taxfighter:  www.feethetaxfighter.com.  Stephanie Kifowit is (apparently) waiting to hear from her boss, Chicago Speaker Mike Madigan, as to how to answer a simple question about taxes?

Jerry Costello Jr. - A Consistent Vote for Chicago Democrats

Did you look at your tax bill?  Notice the big increase in Illinois State income taxes?   We sure did.  Who can we thank?  Guys like State Representative Jerry Costello Jr.

While most of us were asleep at home, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and the Democrats in the Illinois House rammed through a 67% increase in our income taxes.  No...not 2% or 5% or even 10%.  It was...67%.  

And guess who supports Jerry Costello Jr. for State Representative this fall?  The same guys who jammed through the tax hike:  Pat Quinn and Chicago Speaker Mike Madigan.  To bring some clarity to just exactly where Jerry Costello Jr's loyalties stand one only has to look at Jerry Costello Jr's voting record:

Jerry Costello, Jr. is supported by Pat Quinn and Chicago Speaker Michael Madigan –the very same Chicago politicians that passed the 67% income tax increase. 

In fact, Jerry Costello, Jr. voted with Pat Quinn and Michael Madigan nearly 80% of the time! 

And now, Jerry Costello, Jr. refuses to sign a commitment to repeal the tax increase.

And...it looks like it might get worse.  Can Illinois tolerate more Jerry Costello Jr. in the Statehouse?  

Jerry Costello, Jr has received over $100,000 in cash and services from Michael Madigan and special interests that support raising taxes. And has already refused to sign a pledge to repeal the Pat Quinn-Michael Madigan 67% income tax increase.

Costello, Jr has not opposed the Madigan Property Tax Increase Plan.

Dem Watch: What Else Doesn't Dan Beiser Know?

Here at 'Truth Team' Headquarters, we prefer our elected officials to be knowledgable.  Or at least we'd like them to appear to understand the issues they're addressing.  If that's the starting point in wanting to help re-elect someone, Democrat State Representative Dan Beiser is in a lot of trouble.

He takes "no knowin'" to a whole new level by saying that he's utterly unfamiliar with the current pension reform proposal that has been presented by his boss:  Chicago Speaker Mike Madigan.  From The Telegraph:

Illinois Rep. Dwight Kay, R-Glen Carbon, warned Wednesday about a pension- reform bill he claims could increase local property taxes to pay for pension costs of school districts. 

"Shifting the pension debt from the state government to the local school districts is absurd," Kay said. "This is Springfield's problem to address, and we must solve it, not at the expense of the taxpayer," he said at a news conference. The representatives said a bill supported by Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan would take money from state pension funds to pay for general state government operations. 

They said the shift would force school districts to increase their expense to pay pensions for teachers. The school districts, in turn, would have to go to the property taxpayers to ask, by way of referendum, for a property tax increase. 

State Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, said he never heard of such a proposal and doubts it would be called in the veto session as Republicans claim.

Emphasis, ours.  So, let us get this straight:

The Facts as we know them:

• Dan Beiser takes his marching orders from Chicago Speaker Mike Madigan.  
• Chicago Speaker Mike Madigan has proposed shifting the pension burden to local districts.
• But...Beiser says he has no idea what anyone's talking about?  

Dem Watch: But What About The Pension, Natalie Manley?

Natalie Manley - who is running for Illinois State Representative in the 98th House District pulled a typical campaign stunt:  make a claim that no one will argue with, but avoid talking about the *real* issue.

In this case, Natalie Manley said that - if elected - she'd vote to cut her own pay by 10%.

Well...isn't that nice.  She'd vote to do something that would never like me see the light of day?  Come on, now.  Call me a cynic, but I'm guessing that there isn't ever going to be a bill that calls for a 10% reduction in legislator pay.  They already vote to skip their cost-of-living adjustments.  But reduce the pay?  Please.  She'll never have the chance to vote for it.

But...the bigger question is:  What about the legislative pension, Natalie Manley?  If you're so keen on doing your part to solve the fiscal crisis in Illinois, what about saying that you'd give up your generous legislative pension if you are elected?

Not so forth-coming on something that effects you personally, eh Natalie?  

Fire Fighter Neil Anderson up with New Video in 72nd House District

House Republican Candidate Neil Anderson is a member of the Moline Fire Department.  He also was a member of the University of Nebraska football team.  Pretty neat stuff.  He's now up with a new video touting his credentials to 'put the fire out' in Springfield.

The 72nd District includes: all of western Rock Island County, including Rock Island, Milan, Coal Valley and parts of Moline, and the northern part of Mercer County.

State Representative Candidate Bob Kalnicky Picks up Mayoral Endorsement

In one of the potential 'pick-ups' that could lead to the 'retaking of the Illinois House candidate Bob Kalnicky - who is running in the 98th District - got a nice boost from Romeoville Mayor John Noak this week. The Illinois Review had the story.

"I've had the opportunity to work with Bob while he was chairman of the Romeoville Chamber of Commerce, and it's clear to me that Bob has the knowledge, the skills, and the courage to fight back against bad Springfield policies that have hurt our economy and cost us jobs," Noak said. "Bob is exactly the kind of fighter I want representing my family and our community in Springfield. 

"We can turn this ship around, but not without elected leaders that will stand up against Mike Madigan, Pat Quinn, and the policies that are destroying our state," Noak said.

Bob Kalnicky Launches "Tax Repeal" Site

If you live in Bolingbrook or Romeoville, you're in luck!  Bob Kalnicky, the Republican candidate for the 98th Illinois House District announced his intentions to vote to "repeal the Pat Quinn Income Tax Hike" with the launch of his new website:  http://www.bob-backs-the-tax-repeal.com/.  

Bob Kalnicky, candidate for State representative in the 98th district is taking his commitment to repealing the massive 67% corporate and personal income tax hikes signed by Governor Quinn last year one step further. This weekend, Kalnicky’s campaign launched a website that memorializes the pledge – www.Bob-Backs-The-Tax-Repeal.com. 

“This website puts the pledge I’m making front and center so that the people of the 98th district can hold me accountable to that when I get to Springfield. There will be no ambiguity on this issue,” said Kalnicky of the website.

You can read Bob's tax repeal pledge here.

Bill Foster *ASPIRES* to be a Rubber Stamp? Really?

Foster is running against Judy Biggert

This week, while he was in Charlotte for the Democrat National Convention, Congressional Candidate Bill Foster (who is running in the 11th District) had some curious things to say. Basically, he admitted that he's keen on being a rubber stamp.

Democrat Bill Foster told Illinois delegates at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday that he supported nearly all of President Barack Obama's initiatives in Congress while he was there and hopes to do so again.

Is that who we would want in Congress?  Someone who blindly follows the leader?  

DuPage Forest Preserve President Dewey Pierotti To Cover his....

Looks like the DuPage Forest Preserve Board, lead by Republican Dewey Pierotti is looking to try to recover some of the dough they lost when employees pilfered the agency while the board was asleep:

The day after two ex-employees were charged with scamming the DuPage Forest Preserve District out of more than $150,000, the district filed a civil suit Thursday seeking to recover the lost funds. 

The complaint was filed in DuPage County Circuit Court. Officials say they were waiting for the state’s attorney’s office to complete its investigation. 

“We want to make sure we take every step possible to recover every dollar possible for taxpayers,” said forest preserve board President D. “Dewey” Pierotti Jr.

Every possible step, Dewey?  Well...that would have meant that you guys should have paid attention *while* the theft was going on.  Not just after.

And, yes....Dewey is a Republican.  Poor leadership in government isn't about one party or one individual.  It happens all the time - across both parties.  We're here to sniff it out.

Now...what about that website?  You're still confident that spending $175K is a good idea?   

Dem Watch: Is John Sullivan wrong for Illinois Senate?

That's what Adam Andrzejewski and his "For the Good of Illinois" Committee are running this spot pointing out that John Sullivan has voted to raise his own pay 3X in just the last 10 years.

And he's not stopping there. Andrzejewski personally went down to Sullivan's district to spread the word - or as we call it around here - "The Truth" about just what exactly our elected officials are up to when they forget their principles and head to Springfield.

Susan Sweeney Spot: "Solution to Springfield"

Susan Sweeney, who is running for the Illinois House in the 55th District against a guy named Marty Moylan is up with a strong commercial for her campaign.  She's a former IBM executive and wants to bring some business-sense to Springfield.

Go find out more about Susan Sweeney and her pledge to repeal the tax hike!

Do We Need More Dick Durbin?

Seems as though he's unsure of his future.  Maybe we should tell him that we'd be ok with him retiring?  

Asked about his future political plans, Durbin offered an ambiguous answer to reporters after an Illinois delegation breakfast at the Democratic National Convention. 

"I'm planning to run for re-election, but I'll make my final decision next year," said the Springfield Democrat, who turns 68 this fall.

SunTimes: "Mike Madigan's January pension scenario could lead to big property tax hike"

Dave McKinney, reporting from the DNC in Charlotte, picks up on Illinois House and Senate GOP Leadership's thoughts on Chicago Speaker Mike Madigan's bad plan to jam a bad pension bill down  the throats of Illinois residents.

"We fear that Democrat leaders' recent comments about passing a pension reform bill in January with Democrat-only votes will lead to a massive property tax increase, just like they shoved through the largest income tax increase on Illinois residents two years ago," Cross and Radogno's joint statement said.

That's the Chicago way, isn't it?  Speaker Mike Madigan knows that when he can't get his way, he'll just take his ball and go home and do whatever he wants.  Regardless of what the people of Illinois want.

You can read the full Cross & Radogno statement here.

IL Dems Banning Media from 2012 Convention Activities

The Chicago Democrats are down in Charlotte partying this week for the Democrat National Convention, but Speaker Mike Madigan, the head of the Illinois Delegation has banned the media from covering their events.  Here's a Tweet from ABC7's Charles Thomas:

Now IL Dems ban reporters from delegate reception.@ilgop is party of transparency? #Madigan #DNC2012 twitter.com/CharlesThomas7…
— Charles Thomas (@CharlesThomas7) September 2, 2012

And, there's plenty more here.  What are they hiding?