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Sun-Times: Madigan: Democrats not involved in Ron Sandack cyber attacks
He’s known for his political brinksmanship, but House Speaker Mike Madigan said Wednesday he has no idea why Republican state Rep. Ronald L. Sandack — a top ally of Madigan’s nemesis, Gov. Bruce Rauner — abruptly resigned over the weekend.
Asked Wednesday morning at a Democratic National Convention breakfast whether Democrats had any role in the cyber attacks that Sandack had cited in resigning, the Southwest Side Democrat replied, “No, no. I don’t know anything about what happened to Sandack. I’ll let Sandack speak to what his problem is. I don’t know anything about it.”
WFLD: AFSCME demanding more from Illinois taxpayers
FOX 32 General Manager Dennis Welsh discusses Illinois’ financial crisis, and how the government workers’ union AFSCME is demanding more from the state’s taxpayers.
What do you think? We’d like to hear from you on this segment. Send an e-mail to editorial@foxchicago.com to share your thoughts on this story.
Northwest Herald: Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner signs law boosting fines for FOIA non-compliance
A new state law will make it expensive for local governments that choose not to comply with orders to turn over documents ruled public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
Gov. Bruce Rauner earlier this month signed House Bill 4715 into law, which significantly increases fines that can be levied against local governments if they violate court orders or binding attorney general’s opinions that a FOIA request denied by the body must be made public. The law is one of two signed by Rauner that collectively are called “Molly’s Law,” named in honor of a family that encountered roadblocks trying to investigate their young daughter’s death.
House Bill 4715 allows the court to fine a government up to $1,000 a day if it does not comply with an order to comply with a FOIA request and turn over disputed records. It also gives people the ability to sue should a government fail to comply after 35 days with a binding opinion from the attorney general that a record must be released.
Wirepoints: Pensions, Politicians: Just Publish the Damn Actuary Reports
Among the most inexcusable and infuriating parts of our pension scandal is the difficulty of getting actuarial reports, which all pensions get annually. Some Illinois municipalities publish theirs promptly. Most do not. Try to get them and you’ll often get jacked around.
Here are three recent experiences:
Cook County
On July 8, 2016 I FOIAd Cook County’s office of the President, thinking they should have the actuarial report for 2015, though it was not yet on their website. On July 11 they responded saying they didn’t have it yet and suggested I ask the fund itself. I then FOIAd the fund and the actuarial report was posted on their website while I was awaiting a response. You can see that the report is dated June 2016, when it was signed and went to the fund. Did it really not go to the Office of the President, too? President Preckwinkle in the interim has been discussing how much more she needs in taxes — $174 million. I guess we should presume she didn’t need to see the latest on the pension for that.
Crain's: Property taxes jump, and jaws drop
The property tax bill on Jeff and Roberta Price’s Lincoln Park home was about $400 in 1977, the first year they lived there. It’s been going up ever since but rarely with the jolt of this year’s 63 percent increase.
The increase, from $8,652 to $14,104, has the couple re-considering their plan to retire in the Kenmore Avenue home, where they raised their kids. They’re looking at homes in Indiana “as a backup plan” for the time when Roberta retires in a few years, said Jeff, who is already retired.
WGN: Illinois house speaker Mike Madigan on DNC, Illinois politics
Illinois house speaker Mike Madigan spoke with WGN’s Tonya Fransisco in Philadelphia at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday to discuss his experience.
“I was very pleased and overjoyed to be there,” Madigan said.
Madigan described Clinton’s nomination as a “wonderful occasion” because the Democratic Party of America has nominated the first African-American president and now, the first female presidential nominee.
“The democrats are coming together,” he said. “They are coming together against the extremism of Trump and Governor Rauner.”