February 2, 2014
The (Alton) Telegraph
Combating the gang problem
They have names like Bomb Squad and Maniac Latin Disciples: Tightly knit gangs that law enforcement officials say are responsible for the proliferation of drugs and violence.
Once considered a big-city problem, the influence of such groups is spreading across the state.
Illinois now leads the nation in the number of gang members per-capita. U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk says the gangs are also responsible for creating one of the largest distribution hubs for methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin here at home.
The grasp of gangs reaches throughout Illinois, luring teenagers and young adults with otherwise-promising lives into a dead-end street of crime, drugs and, for many, death.
Peoria has been especially hard-hit. Police estimate 10 street gangs have more than 400 members in that city alone.
Kirk and Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis and law enforcement officials including Peoria County State’s Attorney Jerry Brady and Peoria Police Chief Steven Settingsgaard gathered Sunday to say “no more.”
The difficulties fighting gangs are numerous. They often out-number and out-gun local law enforcement authorities and are willing to kill to maintain a lucrative lifestyle drugs provide.
The clandestine nature of gangs has allowed many of them to move around, recruit and relocate before police can attack the problem.
That’s why it’s encouraging to see the anti-gang initiative in which Kirk is taking part ensures a strong partnership between local police and federal agents in the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Agency. It also provides $18.5 million to target gangs of national significance.
As important is the inclusion of community in the mix.
Peoria is leading initiatives such as “Don’t Shoot,” which educates the community about gangs and offers warning signs. There are also focused deterrence sessions to reach out to at-risk neighborhoods, an anti-gun-violence program for schools and other outreach programs to empower residents.
Gangs prey on neighborhoods through fear and intimidation. They are weapons almost as dangerous as guns and knives because they destroy the soul of a community.
Why should we care?
Primarily because the actions of these gangs have an effect far beyond the Peoria city limits. The drugs they push, the violence they promote telescopes out across the state and has no respect for location or solitude.
To believe gangs could not as easily take over another town and city, small or large, is to live in a bubble. What is done through these initiatives mere hours away will keep us all a little safer.
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February 2, 2014
The (Crystal Lake) Northwest Herald
Support for advisory referendum on taxes
We usually don’t support placing advisory referendums on the ballot.
They can confuse voters and, because they’re nonbinding, the outcome means little, if anything.
But if state Rep. Jack Franks’ attempt to get a statewide advisory referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot keeps on the minds of voters and politicians alike the issue of escalating property taxes and the irresponsible governmental bodies that are responsible for it, then we stand firmly behind it.
As home prices plummeted in the years after the housing bubble burst, local governments continued to raise their levies, infuriating many taxpayers. For the past few years, Franks, D-Marengo, has tried to pass legislation that would forbid governments from raising their tax levies if their overall assessed value drops from the previous year.
Since his colleagues in the General Assembly continuously blocked his efforts, Franks is back this year with House Bill 4273. It seeks to put a nonbinding advisory question on the ballot, asking voters whether they would support essentially the same legislation that Franks hasn’t been able to get approved in Springfield.
We realize Franks faces an uphill battle again. The likelihood that state lawmakers would approve a nonbinding referendum on this topic is slim.
But we appreciate Franks’ efforts, and we hope he succeeds.
We’re certain that if the referendum does make it to the ballot, the results will be overwhelmingly one-sided. Taxpayers have had enough of continuously being asked for more. The elected officials who continue to vote to raise levies know this, too. They just choose to ignore it. And the steady loss of taxpayers and jobs to other states with more reasonable tax burdens has been ignored for far too long.
That’s why keeping this topic in the front of voters’ minds is a good thing.
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February 1, 2014
The (Sterling) Daily Gazette
Open tentative contracts to public scrutiny
Gov. Pat Quinn, in his State of the State address Wednesday, described his initiatives for jobs, education, and the economy.
In a speech delivered 5 years to the day after he assumed office from disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Quinn briefly mentioned the ethical woes he inherited back then.
“First, we restored integrity to state government, passing a strong new ethics code, campaign finance reform and a new constitutional amendment to allow voters to recall any governor guilty of corruption,” the governor said.
That sentence amounted to Quinn’s only reference, such as it was, to governmental openness and accountability in Illinois.
We believe more work needs to be done.
One area where greater openness is needed deals with contracts negotiated through collective bargaining between public employee unions and units of government, such as school districts, cities, and the like.
Currently, units of government believe they are not required to release such contracts until after they have been approved.
After a tentative agreement is reached, negotiators for both sides usually take the stance that it’s none of the public’s business what the contract contains. The taxpayers who foot the bill traditionally aren’t allowed to see it until the union members ratify it and the board or council casts its vote in the affirmative.
Such a closed, clubby process sticks in our craw.
After all, the need for secrecy - if one even recognizes that need - no longer exists after a tentative contract is reached. The negotiating has ended, and neither side can gain an advantage from disclosure.
That’s why we believe legislation filed last year by state Rep. Jeanne Ives, a Republican from Wheaton, is sorely needed.
Ives’ bill would require all newly negotiated contracts between unions and public-sector employers (school districts, cities, counties, the state, etc.) to be posted on the public body’s website for at least 14 days before any action is taken.
Further, after at least 14 days, the public entity would be required to convene an open meeting and receive public comments before a vote is taken.
Such a system would help elected board members, public employees, and the public better understand the contents of proposed contracts. The 14-day window would also allow members of the public to find out how much additional money those tentative contracts would cost them.
Unfortunately, Ives’ bill is stuck in a Democratic-controlled committee, where it will likely never emerge without help.
We call on Sauk Valley area representatives to sign on as co-sponsors to Rep. Ives’ contract transparency bill.
We further call on them to do what they can to advance it, and along with it the cause of openness and accountability in government.
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January 29, 2014
The (Freeport) Journal-Standard
With the state Illinois is in, we have plenty of work to do
Pat Quinn’s view of the state is much rosier than ours. We expected the governor to be optimistic about the direction Illinois is going. He’s a glass-half-full kind of guy - plus he’s running for re-election.
Quinn said “Illinois is making a comeback” during his State of the State speech today and pushed for spending more on early-childhood education, increasing the minimum wage, doubling the earned income tax credit and other initiatives.
“Of course, we still have financial challenges ahead. And we’ll be talking about the best way to meet those challenges in the upcoming budget. But the fact is, our recovery is strengthening every day. And we’re leading that recovery in a way that cares for working families.”
In our view, the recovery has a long way to go. Here are what we consider Illinois’ Seven Deadly Sins:
Pension debt: Illinois’ pension liability is the worst in the nation. Legislation passed last year was supposed to save the state $160 billion over 30 years, which would be good news if it were to happen. The savings number has been downgraded to $145 billion, a good number, but once you start whittling away, you have to wonder whether the reforms are enough.
Unemployment: Illinois’ jobless rate is 8.6 percent, the third-highest in the nation - and that’s an improvement. The state had the second-highest unemployment rate for much of last year. The national average is 6.7 percent.
Bill backlog: The state owed vendors $4,952,831,711.68 as of today, which is deceptively low. The number doesn’t include bills that haven’t been submitted.
Infrastructure: If Illinois doesn’t invest more in its roads and bridges, the Transportation for Illinois Coalition says, 1 of every 3 miles of roads and 1 in every 10 bridges will be in unacceptable condition by 2018.
Taxes: Illinois’ “temporary” individual tax increase passed in 2011 is supposed to fall from 5 percent to 3.85 percent next Jan. 1. There already have been moves to make the tax increase permanent or replace it with a graduated income tax. Quinn ignored taxes in his speech, but he’ll have to address the issue during his budget address Feb. 19.
Credit rating: Another worst in the nation. A poor credit rating means the state pays higher interest on bonds, with the result that taxpayers get less for their money when it comes to road, bridge or school improvements.
Exodus: More people are leaving Illinois than moving in, according to Allied Van Lines, United Van Lines and Atlas Van Lines. That’s good for their business, but not good for business in Illinois. Why are they leaving? Reread the items above.
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