School Board Candidates Are The Worst

It seems to be happening everywhere.  We, the taxpayers, are putting up with a bunch of terrible, conflicted, special-interest-backing candidates for school boards around the State and suburbs.

And then we wonder why our property taxes are out of control?  It's because we have terrible candidates and they get elected.  Are there good school board members?  Of course there are.  But there are a lot of them that shouldn't even be running.

Would it be heresy to state that we believe that anyone who is a teacher or administrator or (gasp!) even worse.... an officer of a teacher's union in another district just flat out are terrible candidates.  And they deserve to be voted against on that fact alone.

It is happening all over.  In Kaneland schools, a principal from a neighboring district is running.  He, apparently, doesn't think being an 'empire builder' in one district is enough.  Now he wants to have his hand in driving property taxes up in 2 districts.

In Mount Prospect District 57, there's 2 teachers running.  Yep.  2 teachers.  They want to be on the school board.  Wonder which side they're going to pick when it comes to negotiations?  Their own teachers union or you...the taxpayers?

In Dundee, there's a former Superintendent running.  Empire building at it's best.  Hey!  He's done it once.  I'm sure the district he looked after raised their levy every year.  And as close to that 5% that they can do without having to ask voters.  Now he wants to be on the board to do it again.

In Park Ridge, there are three candidates who are all married to teachers in the District.  Yes.  Seriously.  So they're in line to vote between voting to give their own wife a raise or siding with the taxpayers.  Which will they pick?

In Downers, there's not one, not two, but three teachers running for the school board.  One retired.  Oh, and this is rich:  one of the candidates is the President of the Teachers Union in a neighboring district.  Wonder where his loyalties lie?  Those negotiations with the teachers are going to be tough, right?

This just *has* to be a deliberate move by the teacher's unions to install sympathetic candidates on boards, right?

Every candidate on the ballot for school board should have to note 2 things:

1.  If they're a teacher.
2.  If they have kids in the schools.

We know that here at the Truth Team we believe this to be true:  The best school board members are most likely going to come from a group of citizens that have no skin in the game other than their property values.  A mom - who wasn't a teacher - who's kids have graduated from the schools?  A dad who works in the private sector who's kids are all in college or grown up?  Look for those folks.  That's who you'll want to vote for.

Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL13) Grabs Coal Miners Union Endorsement

Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis continues to run a strong campaign as he trots out a new endorsement yesterday from an important group in the 13th District: the Coal Miners Labor Group.

The news for his opponent, Ann Callis, keeps getting worse.  First, she is still trying to explain away the fact that she might not live in Illinois and now a key labor organization sides with Davis.

From Rodney Davis' campaign Facebook Wall:

Tonight I received the endorsement of the United Mine Workers of America’s Coal Miners Political Action Committee (COMPAC). 

When it comes to coal and coal jobs, it’s personal to me. Throughout the years, I’ve seen how some of the biggest employers in this area have been forced to close due to the decisions and regulations coming from Washington and the devastation that has on area families and the local economy. So, I’m honored and humbled to have the support of area coal miners and their families, and will continue to fight on their behalf in Washington.

#Guardiansofthe13th FTW!

Would Have Been Helpful To Know: IFT Prez Sits On Board of CTBA

The guys over at the Illinois Mirror took a second to stop their Rich Miller-hating and uncovered (at least for us here at the Truth Team) this little nugget that makes the Carol Marin lead discussion on Chicago Tonight a little bit less that something that should be taken at face value.

Earlier this week, they convened a panel to talk about politics and the fiscal condition of the State of Illinois.

The panelists included John Tillman - a guy from the Illinois Policy Institute, Dan Montgomery - the President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, Bruce Dold from the Chicago Tribune Ed Board and Ralph Martire of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability.

Martire and Montgomery seemed to be on the same page the whole segment.  We wondered why they seemed so chummy.

Turns out, the Mirror guys know why:  Montgomery is on the board of Martire's CTBA.  Isn't that convenient?

Chicago Tonight had a good debate on Illinois’s growing unfunded pension liability.
John Tillman of the libertarian-leaning Illinois Policy Institute was there, as was Chicago Tribune Editorial Page Editor Bruce Dold. 

Representing the teachers union and other state workers were Ralph Martire of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability and Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teacher. 

What host Carol Marin didn’t tell you was that Montgomery sits on the board of the CTBA, which she and other members of the media like to tout as a non-partisan arbiter of everything budget related, especially when it comes to taxes and pensions. But as we’ve pointed out in previous posts here and here, they’re not. In fact, the CTBA is also a favorite tool of Rich Miller, the former Mike Madigan staffer who now passes himself off as the Sage of Springfield through his Capitol Fax blog. He often uses slanted CTBA “reports” to beat up on candidates and politicians who offer up new ideas to get Illinois’s fiscal house in order. 

Marin would have done better by her viewers if she disclosed during the intros that Montgomery sits on the CTBA board.

Go check out the whole thing.  While you're there, go enjoy some of their funnies.

CTU Boss Karen Lewis Has Two Vacation Homes, Claims She's "Middle Class"

Give the Truth Team a home in Union Pier (although...we'll be honest...we'd prefer New Buffalo!) and a home in Hawaii and a $200K annual salary and you'd never hear from us again.

But...Chicago Teacher's Union Boss Karen Lewis?  She's check all those boxes (the $200K annual salary, the two vacation homes), but she still insists that she's 'middle class'.

Now...listen...we're not ones to play the class warfare card, but we can't help but see the irony here.

Chicago Teachers Union boss Karen Lewis is defending her six-figure salary and three homes -- one of which is in Hawaii -- as "solidly middle class." 

The Sun-Times reports that Lewis, who frequently busts Mayor Rahm Emanuel for hanging out with rich people like himself, commands a combined salary of $201,047 for her CTU position as well as her union gig as executive vice president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. (Emanuel, meanwhile, earns $216,200. But he's got millions in his bank account.) 

According to the paper, Lewis and her retired teacher husband own a Hawaiian condo, which they bought several years ago for $240,000, in addition to their home in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood, purchased in 2007 for $405,000. She and her sister share ownership of a vacation property in Union Pier, Mich., priced at $305,000.

Can Our Illinois Public Sector Union Bosses Top This?

As seen on Reddit this morning, comes this Union Representative appearing on Fox Business.

There's so much to adore about this image.  Right?

Tom Cross to Mike Frerichs: Welcome to the Race

As we've covered this morning, Democrat and Public Union Stooge Mike Frerichs is officially entering the race for Illinois Treasurer.  To "Welcome" Mike Frerichs to the race, GOP Candidate Tom Cross issued this statement to Capitol Fax and in email (pictured above).

From Tom Cross:

“The tax and spend policies of Senator Mike Frerichs have made the situation in Illinois go from bad to worse. The unbalanced budgets, reckless spending and record-setting tax increases that Frerichs has been a part of have left our state struggling to meet our most important priorities, including funding our children’s education and ensuring the safety of our communities. The simple truth is Mike Frerichs cannot be part of the solution because he is a big part of the problem. It’s time for a turnaround and that begins with real reforms that honestly balance our budget and crack down on fraud and corruption. I’m ready to get to work for the people of Illinois and fix the failed Frerichs policies.”

Bruce Rauner (Mr. Anti-Union) Gets Anti-Union Endorsement from the Builders and Contractors

Contractors for Free Enterprise, the political action affiliate of The Associated Builders & Contractors Illinois Chapter, an organization of 400 companies involved in the commercial and industrial construction markets in Illinois, has announced its endorsement of Bruce Rauner for Governor.

What's surprising about that? Bruce Rauner has 'declared war' on unions. A small point being, he's 'declared war' on Government Unions, but unions none-the-less.

The endorsement is ALL ABOUT JOBS and the Anti-Union made that clear in their announcement.

“ABC is excited to endorse Bruce Rauner for Governor,” said ABC Illinois President Alicia Martin. “Bruce Rauner has demonstrated an understanding of how state government impacts the economic well-being of ABC members and the economic competiveness of our state,” Martin explained. “The election of Bruce Rauner is important to making sure that Illinois turns the corner to attracting and creating Illinois jobs.”

Rauner has a CLEAR advantage over Dillard and Rutherford in being able to talk about jobs that he *actually* created.  Bill Brady, the home developer can talk jobs, but let's be honest...he's just not as successful as Bruce Rauner was, right?

But...in terms of campaign organization, what does this mean?  Bodies to hit the streets?  Locations for yard signs?  Donations from builders and contractors?  I think the group would have you believe that all of the above are on their way to the Bruce Rauner campaign.  Only time will tell when the financial disclosure docs come out next quarter.