Steve Dale 8/18/2019 Full Show: IL is the first to take a major step in ensuring the safety of our pets in boarding facilities

Steve Dale is joined by State Representative Diane Pappas to discuss the latest law passed to protect our pets. Earlier this year, a kennel caught on fire, leading to 30 dogs passing away due to the facility not having any type of fire alarm system in place.

With this law, IL is now the 1st state to mandate fire protection for pets that are in boarding facilities. The law requires that kennels have a fire alarm system that directly alerts first responders, a sprinkler system, and/or human supervision on the premises at all times.

Learn more at www.stevedale.tv

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via WGN Radio – 720 AM

August 18, 2019 at 01:18PM

August 18, 2019 0

Rep. Gordon-Booth: Prioritize resources for crime victims in Illinois

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Resources for survivors of crime must be a priority for communities who are in dire need of — and deserve — better services. I recently participated in National Crime Victims’ Rights Week with fellow lawmakers, local leaders and survivors of crime from across Illinois. It presented an important opportunity to reflect how we are meeting the needs of crime survivors and communities that desperately want safety.

There is no responsibility more important to me than ensuring every community in Illinois is safe. As a member of our state legislature and a mother personally affected by crime and violence, I consider it my duty to work for healthy and thriving communities.

That’s why in recent years I’ve worked across party lines to advance some of the most comprehensive justice reform bills in Illinois history. They have given our state the opportunity to begin replacing the enormously ineffective and wasteful criminal justice system policies of the past with solutions that can actually help improve safety.

For people who have been victims of violent or non-violent crime, the feeling of not being safe lingers long after the dust has settled. And the truth is, we have known for some time our current system hasn’t been keeping us safe.

This issue hits close to home for my family: Four years ago, my husband and I endured the devastating loss of our son, DJ, to gun violence. It became unclear when recovery would be possible — if ever. The grief and isolation families feel in these moments are things no parent should ever have to experience.

Each instance of gun violence has many victims. Our pain was exacerbated when victims of DJ’s murder sought government support and services to help navigate the healing process. We discovered a lesson many already know: Our justice system was better at re-victimizing than meeting the needs of people at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.

It’s why we must continue working to shift the focus of our justice and public safety systems. The needs of crime survivors must be increasingly centered, so that crime victims receive the services they need. That’s why I successfully moved legislation to provide trauma recovery services that help end cycles of harm and violence. Currently eight in 10 survivors report experiencing at least one type of trauma after their victimization, and two out of three crime victims report receiving no help after the incident. This is not acceptable. We can and must do more.

At the same time, we must hold people accountable while creating a path for earned redemption. The so-called “tough-on-crime” policies of the past have burned through our taxpayer dollars while leaving us no safer. Instead, we must continue to advance important reforms that reduce recidivism and halt the cycle of crime.

The barriers faced by people living with a past conviction after they’ve completed their sentence must be lifted if we want to prioritize the health and safety of communities. The opportunity to gain employment and pursue other life-stabilizing activities helps people support themselves and their families and turn their lives around — in turn, creating safer communities.

Similarly, it is critical we enact policies that ensure people in our state prison system successfully complete rehabilitation programs proven to significantly reduce the likelihood they will commit another crime when they return to their communities upon their release.

Illinois has an opportunity to continue charting a new path, with a vision that provides safety for all. As a survivor, I’m committed to doing whatever I can to achieve that goal and prevent more people from joining the ranks of crime survivors. Now is the time to double down to achieve true safety and well-being for all communities.

Jehan Gordon-Booth is a Democrat from Peoria and the representative for the 92nd district in the Illinois House.

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Region: Springfield,Feeds,Opinion,Region: Central,City: Springfield

via Opinion – The State Journal-Register http://bit.ly/2EMjS6J

May 9, 2019 at 08:12PM

May 9, 2019 0

Newsradio WJPF interview with Jerry Costello II

http://bit.ly/2SUV2ET

Newsradio WJPF interview with Jerry Costello II

January 14, 2019
Robert Thies
Uncategorized

Illinois State Representative Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton) joins The Morning Newswatch.

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Shows,Politics

via Audio Episodes – WJPF News Radio https://www.wjpf.com

January 14, 2019 at 07:52AM

January 14, 2019 0

My View: I’m proud of what was accomplished during my years as state rep

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As I end my time in the Illinois General Assembly, I want to thank all the residents of the 67th District and all the individuals in northern Illinois who have gotten to know me and have become supportive of me over the last four and a half years. I am eternally grateful for the chance that I have had to serve our community and our region in our state Capitol. It is, admittedly, bittersweet to leave office during the height of diversity in public office. In 2014, I became the first black woman to represent this entire region in Springfield. During my time in office, you and I have worked together to accomplish some pretty amazing things for our district.

One great feat was the extension of the River’s Edge Historic Tax Credit. This particular credit will allow for the development of downtown Rockford and surrounding areas to continue; this type of investment also helps in removing blight and despair from riverfront cities like Rockford, Aurora, Elgin, Peoria and East St. Louis. It has been responsible for the revitalization of old manufacturing buildings such as the one that the Prairie Street Brewhouse now occupies and the upcoming Amerock Embassy hotel.

In addition to that specific piece of legislation, as vice chair of the Human Services committee, I worked tirelessly to support human services funding and programs in our region and the entire state; in May 2017, I passed the first standalone appropriations bill for funding to domestic violence shelters with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Over 6 million people across the country have viewed my impassioned speech about working class families needing child care subsidies to continue working and complete educational goals. Thousands of advocates joined in the fight to make sure that the child care assistance program was fully restored after devastating changes to the program in 2015. Now, working parents are able to receive child care subsidies while they attend college or other job training programs. Additionally, low-income workers are able to access safe and affordable child care.

In addition to strengthening the child care assistance program, I created the Foster Children’s Bill of Rights to help to protect the most vulnerable children in our state. Each youth in care in Illinois must be informed of their rights; the Bill of Rights is published in four languages.

As the daughter of a veteran, I worked to expand veteran discounts throughout the year and supported the Secretary of State’s driver’s license designated for veterans. In the face of so many instances of police abuse of power, I worked to require law enforcement receive training on uncovering implicit racial bias. Similar training is also now required of educators throughout the state in the hope that we can begin to address the disparities in school discipline and academic outcomes for students of color.

I joined a coalition of women’s reproductive health advocates to create model legislation, the Learning with Dignity Act; this act provides that feminine hygiene products be in the restrooms of our schools, at no cost to the students, just as we provide toilet paper, paper towels and soap.

Before #metoo began to trend, I fought for survivors of sexual assault. And as the movement grew, I introduced legislation to address sexual harassment in Springfield. I became an outspoken advocate for change with my work appearing in Teen Vogue, recognized by Nation Magazine, and the State Innovation Exchange (SIX).

There’s so much more I wish I could share. But I’d like to leave you with three things I learned that are extremely important.

• Be willing to look for and find your voice. Once you find it, don’t allow anyone to take it from you. It is that voice that allows for you to push and advocate for the things that your district needs. And if you’re not a representative or other elected official, it is that voice that helps push forward the polices that you want to see enacted.

• The proverbial aisle is just that, an aisle. You can go speak with individuals on the other side, build consensus, and find ways to work with the other side to find solutions to problems and better our state.

• Time is figurative. Things can move very slowly in Springfield, or they can move quite quickly but the most important thing is to be prepared and ready to take on the opportunity to leverage the opportunities to improve our state when they are presented.

Again, I thank you for the opportunity to serve. I look forward to being in Rockford full time to focus on my family and community organizing. Indeed, it has truly been an honor.

Litesa Wallace retired from the Illinois General Assembly Jan 9. She joins the City of Rockford as deputy manager of Program Management and Operations-Department of Human Services helping to oversee the Community Services and Head Start divisions. She is the author of "Silenced: Memories, Musings, and Speeches of a Black Woman in Illinois Politics" and the principal consultant of the Wallace Institute for Learning and Empowerment (http://bit.ly/2Fu2Slf).

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via Rockford Register Star

January 14, 2019 at 06:59AM

January 14, 2019 0

Did J.B. Pritzker make empty promises during his campaign?

http://bit.ly/2TzF8jr

Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin joins Rick Pearson 4/8/18.

×

Did J.B. Pritzker make empty promises during his campaign?

Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin joins Rick Pearson 4/8/18.

Rick Pearson is joined by Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs to discuss where Republicans fit into the new dynamic of Democrats expanding their legislative majorities. Jim shares details about two new legislation expected to come into play within the next week that will affect tollway authorities and agency members; as well as his opinions on J.B. Pritzker capability of fulfilling all of the commitments he made during his campaign.

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Region: Chicago,Shows,Politics,City: Chicago

via The Sunday Spin: Politics with Rick Pearson – WGN Radio – 720 AM https://wgnradio.com

January 6, 2019 at 08:59AM

January 6, 2019 0

Democrat Halpin & Republican McCombie hopeful about new dynamic in Springfield

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Illinois will see a couple of big changes at the top of the state government when the next legislative year begins.

JB Pritzker’s decisive win in the governor’s race signals the state will be moving in a different direction than under outgoing Governor Bruce Rauner.

Pritzker’s win wasn’t a surprise given the polls showed him with a big lead for months.

He won by a comfortable margin of 54 percent to 39 percent. The race was called less than an hour after the polls closed.

Pritzker will enjoy strong Democratic majorities in the House and Senate to pursue his policies.

Another key win for Democrats came in the race for attorney general.

Lisa Madigan’s decision not to seek another term made it a wide open race.

Kwame Raoul kept it in the hands of Democrats, defeating Republican Erika Harold 54 percent to 43 percent.

Democrats added to their stranglehold in the general assembly.

Democrats went into the election with a 67 to 51 majority in the House. Preliminary results pending potential runoffs show it could end up at 73 to 45 in favor the Democrats.

That would be a two-vote cushion for the 71 supermajority needed to override any veto.

Democrats in the Illinois Senate went into the midterms with a 37 to 22 advantage. That extended to a 39-20 stronghold.

It was a great night for incumbents from the greater Quad Cities area.

State Senator Neil Anderson won a second term in a very tight race against Democratic challenger Gregg Johnson. Anderson with 51 percent of the vote.

The margin of victory was a little more than 1,300 votes.

Republican Tony McCombie made it look easy by comparison, winning second term in the Illinois Statehouse with 59 percent of the vote to defeat Joan Padilla.

Democrat Mike Halpin made it look even easier, coasting to a second term representing Rock Island County in Springfield with 62 percent of the vote over Republican Glen Evans.

It all sets the stage for things to feel different in Springfield for the same people who will be representing the Quad Cities area.

Representatives Halpin and McCombie joined 4 The Record for a conversation.

New dynamic

So the Democrats in Illinois got what they wanted. That’s total control.

McCombie and Halpin talked about what they expect the dynamic to be in Springfield and if Republican voices will be shut out of the process.

They also discussed how much this changes what they do to influence the policies important to their respective districts that have a lot of common interests.

Governor stalemate over?

We saw the stalemate with Governor Bruce Rauner and the Democrats.

Former Governor Pat Quinn didn’t always see eye to eye with his fellow Democrats in the legislature. That was before their tenure. But Democrats are out of excuses.

Halpin and McCombie discussed how they expect things to work with a Governor Pritzker and the legislature dominated by Michael Madigan.

Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 The Record, a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you. It’s a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on what’s happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home.

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via OURQUADCITIES

November 12, 2018 at 12:07PM

November 12, 2018 0

Our view: Scherer gets the nod in the 96th

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Sue Scherer is either pragmatic or disingenuous regarding her thoughts and actions about Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan.

While individual voters’ feelings or fury about Madigan may have already helped them make up their minds in the race to represent the 96th District in the Illinois House of Representatives, we’re endorsing Democrat Scherer for another term as representative.

In the Betsy Dirksen Londrigan-Rodney Davis race, the candidates have made the campaign for the 13th Congressional District an extended referendum on President Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi, minority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. Likewise, voters in the 96th District are using Scherer as a mirror of Madigan’s policies and decisions.

Scherer has represented the district since 2013. The district covers parts of Christian, Macon and Sangamon counties. She was unopposed in 2016 after the withdrawal of Cindy Deadrick Wolfer four months before the election.

Herman Senor, a Springfield alderman and administrator at the Illinois Department of Transportation, is challenging Scherer. But he’s not really running against her. He told the Herald & Review, “I really haven’t seen anything that she has done that we can talk about what she has or hasn’t done. I’m not running on her record, I’m running on things I want to do and hopefully create a better quality of life for the constituents in the 96th District.” But he offers no specifics. He thinks retaining Illinois’ populace is a good idea, but no one is campaigning in favor of the state losing citizens. Too often, Senor’s answers are essentially “I’ll decide that after I get elected.”

There are voters determined to never vote for a politician who’s voted to raise their taxes. Some legislators who voted to override Rauner’s veto clearly understood that and it almost certainly played a part in their decisions to walk away from public service. Scherer voted in favor of the increase that helped settle last year’s budget battle, saying she had two “unfortunate” choices, and decided to “support a deal I didn’t fully agree with.”

Scherer also points out that Madigan “didn’t like my vote on pro-life, he didn’t like vote on gay marriage, he didn’t like my vote protecting state workers, he didn’t like my vote protecting state pensions, and I could go on and on."

Scherer says she has always cast her votes in the General Assembly based on the majority opinion of the district, and said she will continue to do so if re-elected.

Which begs the question, for whom will she cast her vote for speaker of the house. In the past, she has voted for Madigan, despite an apparent undercurrent of angst in the district against the powerful Chicago Democrat. She points out that "nobody else ran but him."

When confronted directly about Madigan this time around, she did not say directly whether she would vote again for him to remain as speaker.

We’ve been generally pleased with the way Scherer has worked for the district. If her claim about listening to the majority opinion of the district is accurate, we expect to be even more pleased.

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via Herald-Review.com

November 3, 2018 at 09:02PM

November 3, 2018 0

Voice of The Southern: Bryant, Woolard, Phelps Finnie, Fowler get our nod for state seats

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Here are The Southern’s endorsements for local seats up for election in the state House and Senate:

House District 115: The choice here is easy, Terri Bryant is the obvious pick for the seat. It’s astonishing how far Bryant has come in her four years in office. After all, it was this very editorial board that asked, “Is Terri Bryant allergic to voting?”

Well, it turns out she isn’t. And she’s also proven during her time in Springfield that she will vote her district, and not necessarily vote her party. She proved that in her vote for the budget, which most other Republicans were against.

Bryant has been a staunch supporter of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and it’s obvious she cares about the people in her district.

Marsha Griffin, the Democratic opponent, needs to be commended for her grit and toughness. Running for the same seat she ran for two years ago is difficult to do. It takes a special kind of person to run for office.

But Griffin doesn’t have enough concrete ideas outside of education. Terri Bryant is the choice here to be the leader the 115th District.

House District 117: We are recommending the Democratic challenger Jason Woolard over incumbent Republican Dave Severin.

Severin has served an uneventful first term. His signature piece of legislation allows deer hunters to wear pink as well as orange camouflage afield. And, early in his term Severin sat out a couple of tough votes. Being a legislator is not easy. You are sometimes forced to make tough decisions. That comes with the territory.

Secondly, Severin was reportedly active in a late-season Republican push to get non-binding gun sanctuary initiatives on county ballots in order to drive voter turnout. We’re all for encouraging voter turnout, and we’re all for the Second Amendment, but let’s appeal to voters on real issues that will truly affect their lives.

We’re also bothered by Severin voting against ending the state’s two-year budget stalemate and the new school funding proposals. The 117th District needed both measures and Severin opted to vote party over district.

Woolard put forth few specifics in his visit to The Southern Illinoisan, but not less than Severin offered — and he’s been in office for two years.

For talking to Woolard, we believe he will be a moderate voice in Springfield. We also believe he has the will to vote in Southern Illinois’ best interests and put party second. For that reason, Woolard deserves your vote.

House District 118: Natalie Phelps Finnie is our choice over Patrick Windhorst.

None of the candidates we interviewed were more enthusiastic about their job than Phelps Finnie. Although we disagree with her on several issues, she lucidly and vigorously defended her positions.

And, we also dislike the way she assumed office. She was appointed to fill the unexpired term of her cousin, Brandon Phelps. Those kind of handoffs occur entirely too often this state, and it’s one of the many things that need to go away in Illinois politics.

On the other hand, there were two things that distinguished Phelps Finnie.

First, there is her limited support for Democratic gubernatorial nominee J.B. Pritzker’s graduated income tax. Illinois still faces a massive backlog of unpaid bills. It is a problem that will only get worse if not addressed.

Phelps Finnie realizes the state needs additional revenue to get its house in order. However, she will not support the tax increase if it adversely affects middle-class taxpayers.

Second, she was adamant in her support of the social safety net.

Finally, given her background it’s safe to assume Phelps Finnie will not vote the party line on several issues. She is a strong gun rights advocate, is pro-life and does not support the legalization of marijuana.

Senate District 59: Dale Fowler has done enough in the past two years to earn our endorsement for this seat. In fact, we’re thoroughly impressed with the way he has grown in his first two years in office.

When he first took office two years, it was relatively unknown how Fowler would fare in office. After all, he always says that he’s “not a career politician.” Over time, he has proven many times over that he cares about bringing business and jobs to the region — evidenced by the support he’s shown for getting the city of Cairo back on its feet again and his work for the Hardin County work camp.

Over his next term, we hope Fowler will continue to grow — much like Terri Bryant has in the House. We think he can do that.

Democrat Steve Webb entered this race late — he was added to the ballot after the primary — and focused primarily on education issues during his interview with the editorial board.

Fowler has earned the right to another term. He’s our choice for the 59th District.

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Region: Southern,Editorial,City: Carbondale,Region: Carbondale,Opinion

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October 24, 2018 at 06:35PM

October 24, 2018 0

Editorial Board Endorsement: Scherer for 96th House

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Wednesday

Oct 24, 2018 at 8:01 PM

State Rep. Sue Scherer, a Democrat from Decatur, has done a good job as the representative of the 96th Illinois House District since 2013. We think she should continue in the role.

Scherer, a former elementary school teacher, has, not surprisingly, focused a lot on education issues. One of her goals if given another term is to help address the growing teacher shortage in Illinois, where her education background will be a welcome voice. She’s smartly combined that focus with pushing for job growth and economic improvement: Better education should, after all, lead to a better economy.

Unlike many Democrats, she is asking for more details about the proposal to change the state to a graduated income tax system.

Scherer is being challenged by Republican Herman Senor of Springfield. Senor would bring with him a unique perspective: He is a veteran, a state employee who works for the Illinois Department of Transportation and has served on the Springfield City Council as the alderman for the 2nd Ward since 2014.

That’s an intriguing combination: He would know how proposed policies would actually affect state employees. We could use the sensibilities of more veterans — who know the importance of teamwork — in the legislature. And with experience as a city official, he can articulate clearly how decisions made in the General Assembly have actually affected the state’s communities.

We like his priorities of getting term limits enacted and achieving high funding levels for the state pension systems, and of wanting to work with institutions of higher education to create population retention plans. But his plans largely lacked details in both his interview and the candidate questionnaire.

Scherer is endorsed for another term.

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Region: Springfield,Feeds,Sang,Editorial,Opinion,Region: Central,City: Springfield

via Editorials – The State Journal-Register https://ift.tt/1EQ76xA

October 24, 2018 at 08:24PM

October 24, 2018 0