Mike Frerichs: You Are Preposterous

Mike Frerich's hometown newspaper, the Champaign News-Gazette called him out for his shenanigans today.  In an editorial they say:

Here's a little history lesson Frerichs hopes people don't remember. Illinois is a solid Democratic state. Democrats control the governor's office, both houses of the Legislature with veto-proof majorities, and the Supreme Court. 

Republicans last controlled both houses of the Legislature in 1994. They last controlled one legislative chamber, the Senate, in 2003. They last had a Republican governor — George Ryan — in 2003. They're out of power and out of luck, hoping somehow to win back public confidence and begin playing a significant role in the formulation of public policy. 

But they're not there yet. In fact, they're not even close. That's why Frerichs' characterization of Cross is preposterous. 

That's not to say that Republicans wouldn't have messed up the state as badly as the Democrats if they had held power over the past 10 years. After all, voters turned their backs on them for a reason. 

But Cross and the GOP didn't create the current mess because they didn't have the opportunity to do so. They were out, and the Democrats, of whom Frerichs is one, were in. Cross has his flaws. Most politicians do. But Frerichs' rhetoric was so over-the-top that he must have been confusing Cross with Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Bob Grogan for Treasurer: Stuffing the Bank Account (Temporarily)

Rich Miller in Capitol Fax writes that Illinois Treasurer candidate Bob Grogan has been inflating his own campaign bank account for many a year and he's at it again.  (If you haven't subscribed to Cap Fax, you should right now.  Go click here to subscribe.)

PUMP IT UP Republican state treasurer candidate Bob Grogan hasn’t reported raising much money in large contributions this past quarter, but he did loan his campaign $50,000. That might usually be a sign that he’s willing to spend some of his own cash in his GOP primary battle against Rep. Tom Cross, but then again, maybe not. Grogan has often appeared to use loans to temporarily inflate his bank account. Grogan is the DuPage County Auditor.Since 2007, Grogan’s campaign has spent a total of $92,000, but most of that, $78,000, was used to pay back his own loans to himself, often not long after he loaned his campaign the money.But without those loans, he wouldn’t have had much to campaign on. Grogan has reported raising a grand total of $186K since 2007, according to a search of the State Board of Elections’ website, but $156K of that was via loans, mostly to himself.

This guy wants to the be Treasurer of the State of Illinois?  Sounds a lot like what that woman out in Dixon was doing.  Playing "Where's Waldo" with the money?

Dem Watch: Tax Hike Mike Frerichs Seeks Big Money from Unions

Tax Hike Mike Frerichs - Democrat for Illinois Treasurer - was in the news this weekend based on the amount of money he's been raising for his campaign from Union Bosses and Trial Lawyers.

From the Champaign News Gazette:

Mike Frerichs has reported labor union-related itemized contributions (more than $1,000) from: Illinois AFSCME, $10,000; the South Central Illinois Laborers Political League, $10,000; the Cook County College Teachers Union, $5,000; and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 841 in Terre Haute, Ind., $5,000. Non-union contributions included $2,500 from the Illinois Trial Lawyers and MidAmerican Energy, an Iowa-based electric and natural gas utility.

Is this who we want running the Illinois Treasurer's Office?  Someone beholden to Unions and Trial Lawyers?  On the take for thousands of dollars from these guys?  

Not so fast, my friend!

Tom Cross for Illinois Treasurer

Tom Cross is running for Illinois Treasurer and has his new campaign website up:  www.jointomcross.com.

If you think it's time that we require the Governor and General Assembly to uphold the constitution by honestly balancing the state's budget, then Tom Cross need your help.

Darlene Senger for Congress Campaign

Naperville-based Illinois State Representative Darlene Senger is moving towards a run for Congress in the 11th Congressional District where she'd run up against Democrat Bill Foster.

You can stay up-to-date on Darlene Senger's Congressional campaign by subscribing to her blog email newsletter on SengerforCongress.com.

Via her governmental site, we find Darlene's bio:

Now serving her third term in the Illinois General Assembly, State Representative Darlene Senger proudly represents the 41st Legislative District. The district includes the south-west portion of Naperville to the far north area, including a small section of Warrenville.

Darlene has worked in a bi-partisan manner since the day she arrived in Springfield to find solutions to the State’s most complex issues. She continually advocates for property tax relief, fiscal reform, and common sense measures to keep law enforcement officials ahead of the technological curve.

In the current 98th General Assembly, Darlene serves on the Elementary and Secondary Education Appropriation, Business Growth and Incentives, and Financial Institutions. She is also proud to be the Republican spokesperson for Personnel and Pensions, and General Service Appropriation Committees.

Representative Senger is proud to be recognized as a ‘Champion of Free Enterprise’ by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce for her commitment to reforming the state’s business climate. In addition, she has been honored with the ‘Guardian of Small Business Award’ from the National Federation of Independent Business for her pro-small-business support. She is also grateful for receiving the ‘Friend of Agriculture Award’ from the Illinois Farm Bureau.

$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?