In this episode of CapitolView: Fred Martino speaks with Rep. Sue Scherer (D), Illinois House District 96. They discuss a variety of issues, including a major increase in Illinois tourism. Plus: analysis on a variety of stories, including a call for ethics reforms and Illinois economic development strategies.
Anchor Fred Martino talks with Rep. Sue Scherer (D), Illinois House District 96. Analysis from Kent Redfield- Emeritus Political Science Professor-University of IL Springfield
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Capitol View – August 24, 2023
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Jay talks with State Representative Lance Yednock of Ottawa about his announcement to not seek re-election in the 76th District, as well as a discussion on his experience in Springfield as a state legislator.
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Moderate Democrats may soon become an even more endangered species in Springfield.
Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa), potentially the most conservative Democrat left in the House, announced over the weekend he wouldn’t seek re-election next year.
In his statement, Yednock indicated he believed his moderate tendencies hurt him with his own party.
“At worst, there were times when I felt my moderation had gotten in the way of the advancement of my community,” Yednock said in his statement.
Yednock, who will be 52 in December, was elected in 2018 over Republican Jerry Long, and told us he was drawn to politics because of former Governor Bruce Rauner’s opposition to unions.
But, in a conversation with The Illinoize Monday, he said it is getting harder to advocate for his downstate district, which centers on LaSalle-Peru, Ottawa, and DeKalb, at the statehouse.
Yednock says that’s particularly because Democrats are struggling to resonate downstate.
“Obviously, the rust belt, the emptying out of all of our manufacturers that used to be the cornerstones of many small and medium sized communities up and down the state has not helped,” Yednock said. “But, when the Democratic Party is seen as more of an urban party at this point, it’s hard to connect with people in rural communities. Democrats [are not] intentionally leaving behind rural communities, I think we’re having a hard time understanding that the needs of urban centers are different than the needs of rural communities.”
While Democrats in Springfield have certainly moved leftward even in Yednock’s short time in Springfield, and with his obvious frustrations over his own party at times, he says there’s still room for moderate voices in the Democratic Party.
“I’m the first one to admit that maybe I’m the one holding back. Maybe the country, certainly the party, or the next generation, have different views than me. Maybe its just changing and things are changing,” he said. “But I think there’s still a place for [moderates] in the party. But the majority of our party is from more populated, urban areas and there’s an economy of scale there for them to get more resources and have more budget power. When some of the more rural territory is just lumped in with the rest of the state, there’s just not a lot of benefits coming out this way.”
But it’s those frustrations that are clearly a leading factor in Yednock’s decision to step aside.
“Going through the budgets, I don’t feel like we’re paying attention to what those of us in the more rural territory need,” he said. “It is frustrating. I would rather see maybe someone else has a different idea or different approach that I’m not doing right.”
One progressive activist we spoke to Monday pushed back against Yednock’s comments.
“Progressives getting things done in Springfield have done more for his district than Lance Yednock ever has or ever will,” the activist said.
Yednock said while he is leaving the General Assembly sooner than planned, he never planned to stick around a long time.
“I wouldn’t have stayed more than one or two more terms, regardless,” Yednock said.
Yednock’s departure becomes a potential pickup for the GOP in 2024.
Top Republicans we spoke to say Yednock’s retirement shows progressives are pushing away independents. Republicans believe the right candidate can win the district.
It won’t be easy, though, as the district was gerrymandered to include the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb. Governor JB Pritzker won the district by about 14 points in 2018 and around ten points last year. President Biden won the district by 8 points in 2020.
Yednock says he believes it will take a moderate Democrat to hold on to the seat in 2024. He said if both Democrats and Republicans nominate moderates it will “be a very close race” next fall.
Longtime Yednock staffer Amy Briel will be seeking the seat next year. Yednock says he’s “letting her do her own thing,” but that he’s going to be supportive of her.
Yednock is a longtime union operating engineer and says he plans to return to that full time after leaving the General Assembly.
PEORIA (25News Now) – State Rep> Jehan Gordon-Booth and Peoria Park District leaders are set to unveil details on a new multi-million dollar roller-skating and ice-skating rink coming to Lakeview Park.
“It is my core belief that we must be visionary and invest in recreational spaces to create experiences that impact residents of all ages,” Gordon-Booth said in a press release. “I am appreciative of the hard work behind the scenes from the Peoria Park District to make this long-held vision I have had of this skating rink concept a reality, and I’m incredibly excited to see our families enjoy it.”
“This sort of collaborative approach is a shining example of our shared commitment to supporting spaces that enrich the lives of our residents and enhance Peoria’s ability to attract and retain families in our region,” said park district director Emily Cahill.
Gordon-Booth and park district officials will also share details about the grand secured by Gordon-Booth as well as information on other ways state funding will support area recreation, including pathway improvements to Donovan Park.
St. Clair County and its various taxing districts will be some of the biggest recipients of a new state reimbursement pilot program that aims to replace property tax revenue, according to a Illinois Department of Revenue report.
In 2015, Illinois quit collecting property taxes from disabled veterans. To make up for lost revenue, taxing districts compensated by raising rates on other taxpayers, to the dismay of many. In some cases, local taxing districts — like cities, schools, libraries and fire departments — lose out on property tax dollars because they reach a state limit, according to the Department of Revenue.
In 2021, for example, St. Clair County taxing districts lost more than a combined $272 million. The reimbursement, passed in this year’s state budget, includes $15 million for various taxing bodies across the state over the next 5 years.
“There’s a disproportionate effect on local property tax values as a result of this exemption,” said Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, a lead sponsor of the budget item. “We don’t, in any way, want to take away that property tax exemption. However, we need to have an obligation, as a state, to make sure that taxing districts that this affects are, in some way, made whole.”
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
State Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, said other four other counties in northern parts of the state will also benefit from the reimbursement program.
In St. Clair County, the equalized assessment value, the dollar amount on which taxes are based, eroded more than 20% from 2010 to 2021, according to the Department of Revenue.
Mascoutah School District 19 and O’Fallon District 90 had the worst erosion of their equalized assessment value because of their proximity to Scott Air Force Base and number of disabled veterans who live in the area.
“It’s one of those tough things,” said David Deets, the new superintendent at Mascoutah. “We love our relationship with Scott Air Force Base and our military families. We thank them for all they do. But I do think this act had some unintended consequences.”
Deets joined the district earlier this summer. While he wasn’t at the district when disabled veterans became exempt, he said the accounting books speak for themselves. Mascoutah has lost more than $12 million since 2015.
Carrie Hruby, District 90’s superintendent, said the elementary and middle school district missed out on $2.5 million in revenue last year because the district had nearly 1,500 exempt parcels of land.
“That’s direct dollars that come into our budget, and allow us to hire teachers, reduce class sizes, offer special programs, purchase curriculum and all of those things that we’re able to do for kids,” Hruby said.
To combat this, the reimbursement program, which is just a pilot program, will start next fiscal year by replacing 45% of what each district lost two years prior. Each year after, the districts will get 90% of the previous two years until the 2028 fiscal year.
“We’re very hopeful that it’s going to be very well received — that it’s going to be something that legislators still continue to fund and place in the budget,” Hruby said.
Will Bauer
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St. Louis Public Radio
District 90 Superintendent Carrie Hruby, left, at a school board meeting last month in O’Fallon, Illinois.
Looking forward, Deets said he doesn’t have any new projects planned for the state money. Rather, he hopes to offset the higher cost some of Mascoutah taxpayers have been paying on debts like the district’s bonds.
Deets’ and Hruby’s districts are not alone. In St. Clair, a number of other school districts, fire departments, library systems and park districts felt the brunt of the exemption. In total, there were 4,708 exempt parcels of land in the county last year.
Madison County taxpayers were also not spared. The Village of Alhambra, population 622 in the northeast corner of Madison, had the highest percentage of property tax erosion at 7.4% in the neighboring county.
Four other counties in the northern part of the state — Rock Island, Lake, Will and DuPage — will also see portions of the state reimbursement money because of their proximity to military installations.
Because this program is just a pilot, Hoffman said he’s hopeful state lawmakers in Springfield will continue funding something similar in the future.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, also hopes a similar provision can make it into the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act, a series of bills passed each year that control the budget of the U.S. Department of Defense.
Duckworth’s provision includes $80 million for what federal lawmakers call “impact aid” that would help offset impacts for school districts near Dept. of Defense facilities, according to her office.
A number of school districts in the area, like Mascoutah and O’Fallon, currently utilize the federal program.
“For Illinois school districts with large populations of students living on military bases, this funding will be critical in ensuring our schools, teachers and students have the resources needed and budget shortfalls are addressed,” Duckworth’s office said.
The $80 million passed in the Senate’s version of this year’s NDAA. It did not pass in the House’s version, however. The two legislative bodies will need to pass the same version for the NDAA to become law.
State Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa) said Sunday he will not seek reelection in November 2024, but he will serve the remainder of his term.
Yednock has served as a state representative since 2019, besting state Rep. Jerry Long (R-Streator) to take back a 76th District State Representative seat long held by Democrats. He has since defeated Republican challengers Travis Breeden and Jason Haskell in 2020 and 2022, respectively.
“Being the state representative for the 76th District has been one of the greatest privileges and honors of my life,” Yednock said in a statement Sunday. “I will fulfill the rest of my term in the 103rd General Assembly as I feel a very important responsibility to my community to see the job through after being reelected last year.”
“I understand that if I cannot get the legislature to understand how downstate needs resources, then I must admit to myself that a different representative may get a better outcome, and that is far more important to me than a future reelection campaign.”
— State Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa
Yednock said his moderate views at times have made for strained relations in the House Democratic Caucus. For example, Yednock voted against the Democratic majority regarding the SAFE-T Act. He said he has tried to vote the way his district leans.
“At worst, there were times when I felt my moderation had gotten in the way of the advancement of my community,” Yednock said.
He said getting fellow lawmakers to understand the needs of downstate Illinois and obtaining resources through the budget and programs has been one of the most difficult challenges for him.
“While not having the exact same challenges as more urban areas, downstate has plenty of needs and arguably less resources by the nature of geography and population,” Yednock said in a statement. “The example of rural health care is but one example that is always at the forefront of my mind. I understand that if I cannot get the legislature to understand how downstate needs resources, then I must admit to myself that a different representative may get a better outcome, and that is far more important to me than a future reelection campaign.”
Yednock, along with state Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris), have worked together as advocates for assisting the state’s process of reopening a hospital in Peru, after hospitals closed in Peru and Spring Valley.
Yednock said the state representative job takes serious attention and time. Yednock is as an operating engineer for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150. He said he wants to leave on his own terms and make way for the next generation.
“I am a husband and an Operating Engineer, not a politician,” Yednock said. “I threw my hat in the ring back in 2017 because I knew my community needed someone who would stand up for working families. Just before my time in Springfield, we suffered through four long years of the Bruce Rauner administration, and barely survived Rauner’s two-year budget impasse. I believe in a citizen-led legislature and self-imposed term limits. The sacrifices of my family, friends and fellow tradespeople were vast and overwhelming at times, which made me appreciate what elected officials do.”
Yednock still intends to be a voice for his district, he said. He believes there are qualified candidates to step into the position. A Democrat has not announced their intent to run in the district just yet, but Republicans Crystal Loughran and Patrick Feehan have shown interest in running for the 76th District seat.
The boundary lines of the 76th District were redrawn prior to the 2022 election, bringing DeKalb County into the 76th District and removing Putnam County, southern La Salle County and a portion of northern Livingston County.
“Operating heavy machinery and organizing workers to fight for living wages and adequate safety standards is my passion and calling in life, not being a career politician,” Yednock said in his statement. “Going door-to-door year-round for as long as I have has made it clear to me that there are so many constituents, I represent here in the 76th district who currently have that passion which is so necessary for the job. Many qualified, hardworking and passionate people have expressed their desire in the past to run for the seat I hold, which is a real relief for all of us here in the Illinois Valley.
“The next representative must continue the struggle to push for resources for downstate communities, especially in more rural parts of Illinois.”
Yednock said he is proud of advancing the Workers’ Rights Amendment in 2022.
“Now, all Illinois workers finally have the constitution on their side,” Yednock said. “I entered public service because I saw what extreme politicians can do to workers and their families. I will leave public service with my head held high, knowing I was able to play a small role in protecting workers from the next extreme politician looking to reside in the governor’s mansion, whomever that may be.”
He said his goal when he was elected was to be a voice for the working class, its communities, small businesses and to make sure government served all the people. Yednock said he is appreciative of his colleagues and the relationships he has made in Springfield. He said the learning and understanding of issues in the General Assembly have been difficult and enlightening. He believes a fresh face may needed in Springfield for the Illinois Valley.
“I can return to what I love to do and what I know I’m best at; being a husband to my best friend Deana and helping build infrastructure for generations of Illinoisans to enjoy and use,” Yednock concluded.
State Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa) said Sunday he will not seek reelection in November 2024, but he will serve the remainder of his term. (Scott Anderson)
Members of AFSCME Local 2887 and 2232 met with Illinois State Representative Katie Stuart on Monday, Aug. 14 in the MUC to voice their discontent with the university in recent contract negotiations.
Members representing both clerical workers and building service workers were present and involved in presenting these concerns to Stuart.
“I’m an advocate for the university as a whole,” Stuart said. “I think it’s important to understand all the moving parts of the university. The people we talked to today are just as vital as the administration and faculty in terms of giving that ultimate student experience.”
Amy Bodenstab, vice president of AFSCME Local 2887, said university workers are often forced to take on more responsibilities than are in their job description with no extra compensation.
“We do things that are currently business administrative associate [responsibilities],” Bodenstab said. “We’re doing things that are their job level, those people are making $80,000 here, and we’re making $34,000. And we’re doing the same work.”
Anthony Fearon, president of AFSCME Local 2232, represented the building service workers.
“We made a request for maternity/paternity leave,” Fearon said. “They treated it like a joke, like they were offended even to be asked. It’s not a joke.”
Other union members also said the university needed to keep its wages competitive not only for its employees, but also for the quality of students’ education. AFSCME Local 2232 Acting Vice President Tyler Toussaint said the wage is no longer attractive for new workers.
“The biggest issue has to do with the stagnating wages for the last three years,” Toussaint said. “And we used to be above minimum wage [by] about 30 percent. Now it’s so bad that we’re at minimum wage, and no one wants to work here for that wage.”
Julie LaTempt-Brazier, president of AFSCME Local 2887, said many union members feel as if the situation with the university is an “us versus them” dynamic.
“Right now, morale is at an all-time low,” LaTempt-Brazier said.
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Working for Illinois Caucus 