POLITICO Illinois Playbook: RAUNER’s first-year -- Illinois’ DISABILITY ‘crisis’ -- 100 people shot in CHICAGO in 10 days Presented by Facebook

By Natasha Korecki ([email protected]; @natashakorecki) with Manuela Tobias ([email protected])

Good Tuesday morning, Illinois. Today marks one year since Gov. Bruce Rauner took office, and on Monday he sat for a series of interviews in the statehouse. In them, he vowed that his big changes were still coming, but the bigger they are, the more time they will take.


He insisted Democrats are secretly rooting for him and declared he had a plan to end costly court-ordered spending.

NON-COMPLIANCE -- Rauner made those remarks days after a court-appointed monitor told a federal judge the state failed to comply with a decree aimed to protect adults who suffer from developmental disabilities. In fact, the monitor, Ronnie Cohn, said the state’s system serving those adults reached a “crisis,” point, adding that without a state budget, those in the system face “unprecedented difficulties” including safety concerns. “Until such time as concrete steps are taken to enact a State budget and address the staffing crisis and resulting decrease in service quality as well as lack of development in the community, the Monitor finds noncompliance with this compliance standard.”

Read the report: http://bit.ly/1SfhapV

Last year, advocacy groups sought relief from a federal judge, saying the state -- faced with billions of dollars in unpaid bills and no spending plan -- stopped paying agencies that provided services to those with disabilities, putting providers at risk of closure. The judge ordered the state to pay for those covered under the Ligas consent decree.

‘Significantly worsened’ -- “The current Monitor’s experience in Fiscal Year 2016 thus far is that the status of such resources has significantly worsened. In the current report, there is a finding of noncompliance in this area,” Cohn said in court papers.

Testimonials from Cohn’s report flag a severe staffing crisis due to low wages.

-- “In my 40+years working in the disabilities field in Illinois, I have never encountered such a staff recruitment problem. I would characterize (it) as a desperate situation.”

-- “The most obvious risk is when you truly need two people present and on duty, but you may have only one staff member.”

-- “Providers are reporting double-digit vacancy and turnover rates; staffing programs at bare-minimum levels and focusing staff resources solely on the safety of individuals.”

-- “The agency has a 20% vacancy rate in direct support positions and is taking steps to

move people into larger residential settings due to the inability to staff smaller settings. The agency has closed residential intake despite a long waiting list.”

GROUPS POINT AT LAWMAKERS AND GOV OFFICE -- “It’s shameful that the state expects that our most vulnerable can be cared for by our lowest paid workers. But for over a decade lawmakers and administrations have ignored the pleas of the community that they provide the resources necessary to recruit and retain a high quality workforce.” -- statement from a coalition of disability organizations

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On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court hinted it supported a bid to end so-called “fair share” fees that unions require of non-members, a move that could financially cripple public sector unions. http://politi.co/1PTEk1Z

It’s one of the first issues Rauner targeted when the Republican first took office last year, through executive order and separately by filing a federal lawsuit. http://bit.ly/1W2kbJq

SOTU -- Tonight, President Obama is to deliver his final State of the Union address at 8 p.m. (CT) Find out who our Illinois delegation invited as guests further down.

STARTLING CRIME SPIKE -- “10 days into new year, more than 100 people shot in Chicago,” by Chicago Tribune's Deanese Williams-Harris, Gregory Pratt, Megan Crepeau and Peter Nickeas: "Seven people were shot to death and 30 more were wounded across Chicago over the weekend, raising the number of shootings in the city to more than 100 in just over a week into the new year, according to police. The fatal shootings included two teens killed by a store clerk during a robbery in the Gresham neighborhood on the South Side, and one of three people shot at a party four blocks from Mayor Rahm Emanuel's home. As of Monday morning, at least 19 people have been killed in gun violence in Chicago this year and at least 101 more have been wounded. This time last year, nine people had been killed and another 31 wounded, according to statistics kept by the Chicago Tribune." http://trib.in/1IZx1Gz

GE RELOCATES TO CHICAGO -- “Chicago snares another corporate HQ,” by Crain’s Greg Hinz: “Officials are announcing today that GE Healthcare, a division of the Fairfield, Conn.-based multinational that is in the process of reorganizing itself, will be moving here from Amersham, near London … about 200 jobs are involved with the move of the $18 billion-a-year company, which is the only major GE subsidiary whose headquarters is located overseas. The company, however says the figure won't be 200 but something smaller than that, at least initially, but it will comprise the ‘executive leadership team,’ including the CEO and CFO, and may grow over time. GE Healthcare has deep roots in Chicago and significant operations here and in the Milwaukee area.” http://bit.ly/1mRuqDY

RAUNER REVIEWS

Here’s how Rauner’s series of sit-downs with reporters played out.

AP -- “Rauner says he has plan to stop court-ordered spending,” by Ivan Moreno and Ashley Lisenby,” Gov. Bruce Rauner said Monday he will outline a plan to get out from under court-ordered spending that's plunging Illinois further into debt during a seven-month budget stalemate ... the state has been required to continue spending on things such as Medicaid and services for people with disabilities because of federal consent decrees and court orders. Rauner said … getting out from under those will 'be a big part of our plan going forward,' but he declined to offer specifics on his idea, which one analyst said would require court approval ... Rauner would have to show that the state is complying with spending for services the federal government has deemed essential, like caring for people with developmental and physical disabilities.” http://apne.ws/1OMwXu9

SUN-TIMES -- “Rauner says ‘many’ (unnamed) Democrats tell him ‘Don’t back down’,” by Chris Fusco: “Rauner says the ideas in his controversial — and, to date, politically paralyzing — “turnaround agenda” are resonating not only with his Republican counterparts, but also with Chicago Democrats, including Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Many members of the General Assembly, in private, along with the mayor of Chicago, in private, agree that much of our agenda makes sense,” Rauner told the Chicago Sun-Times Monday, the day before the first anniversary of his taking his oath of office.” http://bit.ly/1W1YFED

TRIBUNE -- “In year one, Rauner learned difference between statehouse and boardroom,” by Monique Garcia and Celeste Bott: “'The big difference is, to make a significant change in business requires the buying in of some people, but there’s more ability to drive change,” Rauner told the Chicago Tribune in an interview Monday … ‘Big change does not happen quickly and you need a buy-in, and a convincing, a selling, an arm-twisting to get big change. And that takes time.”

Cuts twice as large -- “Financial watchers warn that what Rauner views as short-term pain could have lasting effects beyond the undesirable political situation. The governor is likely to unveil his second budget proposal next month without having passed his first spending plan. ‘The state is incurring obligations in health care, mental services and other programs. It will have to honor those expenses and right now doesn’t have to the revenue to pay for them,’ said Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, a nonpartisan budget watchdog. ‘That means eventually the cuts are going to be twice as large or the tax increase is going to be twice as large. A lot of damage has been done.’” http://trib.in/1nermSY

DAILY HERALD -- “After one year, Rauner sounds familiar tune,” by Mike Riopell: “Gov. Bruce Rauner is marking his anniversary in office Tuesday by echoing some of the themes that got him into office, saying both that he's ready to compromise and criticizing what he called the ‘stunning failure’ of state lawmakers as a historic budget stalemate drags through a seventh month. 'We aren't doing our duty if we don't come together and get bipartisan compromise and get a balanced budget. We're failing,' Rauner said Monday. 'The General Assembly, stunning failure.' ... Lawmakers aren't set to meet much until after the March 15 primary election, and the Illinois House isn't scheduled to be at the Capitol until Rauner’s State of the State Address at the end of the month. http://bit.ly/1RI9ACO

HONEYMOON IS OVER -- “Rauner’s business pals are turning sour on him,” by Crain's Greg Hinz: “Rauner, the most conservative person to occupy the governor's mansion since the Eisenhower administration, might want to keep an eye on his own back, because signs are increasing that his honeymoon with the state's business community is ending. Rauner insists that enacting his turnaround agenda is not about politics but a path to giving the state's economy a sorely needed boost. But the cost of the stalemate is leaving a mark on corporate types, who at heart are conservative bean-counters. Most of the grumbling—and there's a lot of it—comes from those who need to get along with both sides and don't want to be named." http://bit.ly/1Q1egne

WHO IL DELEGATION IS BRINGING TO SOTU SPEECH -- “Congress, first lady inviting special guests to State of the Union speech,” by Chicago Tribune's Katherine Skiba: “Heroin, cocaine and alcohol abuse were Tim Ryan's tickets to hell — with periodic detours to prison. On Tuesday, the 47-year-old Naperville man will attend President Barack Obama's final State of the Union speech. Ryan will be House Democrat Bill Foster's guest. Ryan said he hit bottom when his 20-year-old son, Nick, from Aurora, died of a heroin overdose in August 2014. Ryan and his son had used the drug together. Sober for three years, Tim Ryan is now Midwest outreach director for the Banyan Treatment Center, which has a facility in Naperville.” http://bit.ly/1N3JaVE

BIG ENOUGH ROOM? -- U.S. Rep. Danny Davis’ guest will be Chicago attorney Andrea Zopp, who also happens to be running against U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth in the U.S. Senate Democratic primary.

DUCKWORTH RAISED NEARLY $5M IN 2015 -- From the Duckworth campaign: “For the third consecutive quarter since entering the race, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Tammy Duckworth increased her fundraising haul and brought in thousands of new grassroots individual donors, raising $1.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2015. The campaign received over 20,800 individual contributions this quarter, the median amount of which was just $20. Duckworth announced her campaign for Senate at the end of March, and thus far has raised more than $4.7 million this cycle. The campaign has $3.65 million on hand.”

EITHER WAY, SEAN PENN WINS -- “Chicago, Brooklyn seen leading race for possible ‘El Chapo’ trial,” by Reuters’ Tracy Rucinski: “Chicago and Brooklyn, New York are leading contenders to host the first U.S. trial of drug lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Loera if he is extradited from Mexico, say former U.S. law enforcement officials, as several jurisdictions vie for what would be one of the most high profile U.S. criminal trials in years. The trial venue, which will ultimately be decided by the U.S. attorney general, currently Loretta Lynch, is important because it will determine the specific charges that Guzman faces and the strength of the case against the world’s top drug lord. Mexico recaptured Guzman in a pre-dawn shootout on Friday, and Mexican officials have indicated they are willing to comply with a U.S. request for his extradition.” http://reut.rs/1RiZKbZ

HOW SEAN PENN ROCKED ROLLING STONE -- “How Rolling Stone Handled Ramifications of El Chapo Exclusive,” by NYTimes’ Ravi Somaiya: “Several months ago, Jann Wenner, a founder of Rolling Stone magazine, received a call from the actor Sean Penn. Mr. Penn … wanted to discuss something important. But he did not want to speak openly over the phone, so the two began to speak elliptically about a potential project. That vague conversation was the beginning of what eventually became an article, written by Mr. Penn, that rocked both Mexico and the United States when it was published Saturday night. It was an exclusive interview with Joaquín Guzmán Loera, the notorious drug kingpin known as El Chapo, that was conducted while Mr. Guzmán was on the run from the authorities after an audacious escape from a Mexican prison last year.” http://nyti.ms/1N3KwQn

KIM FOXX SNAGS EVANSTON -- “DPOE Endorses Candidates for the Primaries,” Evanston Roundtable: “The Democratic Party of Evanston held its 2016 Endorsement Meeting on Sunday. DPOE members cast ballots for their preferred candidates for the March 15 Democratic Primary … Evanston Township Committeeman Eamon Kelly: 'Our grassroots members are especially excited about local candidates like Kim Foxx who are going to bring real reform to our communities.' Foxx received overwhelming support from the group with 90 percent of the ballots cast in her favor.” http://bit.ly/1l1BrRr

STICKER GRACE PERIOD -- “Lawmaker: Give drivers 30-day grace period on buying state vehicle sticker," by Chicago Tribune's Celeste Bott: "Illinois vehicle owners would get a 30-day grace period to renew their registration without fines or tickets under new legislation introduced in the House. The measure is aimed at giving drivers some relief after Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's office stopped mailing renewal reminder notices in September.” http://trib.in/1UKnW4V

KEEP THE LIGHTS ON -- “Springfield May Ask Illinois to Pay $9M in Utility Bills,” NBC Chicago: “The city of Springfield may formally ask the state of Illinois to start paying its utility bills. The State Journal-Register reports the City Council next week plans to consider a resolution requesting Gov. Bruce Rauner and lawmakers designate utilities an ‘essential service.’ The state owes City Water, Light and Power more than $9 million, including overdue bills totaling more than $6 million ... The hold up in payment is tied to the budget stalemate in Springfield.” http://bit.ly/1SKR79A

JUDGE GREENLIGHTS CITY SPYING LAWSUIT -- “Chicago cops lose bid to toss lawsuit over secret cell-phone tracking,” by Chicago Sun-Times’ Frank Main: “A Cook County judge on Monday denied the Chicago Police Department’s request to dismiss a lawsuit seeking records that could show whether the police have used secret cellular tracking systems to spy on political protesters as well as criminals.”

Partial disclosure: “Last year, the department responded to a Freedom of Information lawsuit by disclosing the city spent more than $340,000 between 2005 and 2010 on cell-site simulators, … But the city balked at providing records describing how they’re used. On Monday, Judge Kathleen Kennedy said she didn’t accept most of the police department’s arguments asking her to withhold additional records.” http://bit.ly/1mRtOOR

DETAILS ON INTERIOR ‘NOT KNOWN’ -- “Ken Griffin sells Waldorf Astoria condo for $16 million,” by Chicago Tribune's Bob Goldsborough: "Citadel founder Ken Griffin, the billionaire hedge fund manager who is Illinois' richest man, on Dec. 11 sold one of his two full-floor condominium units in the Waldorf Astoria for $16 million … Records show that in July 2014, a Delaware limited liability company owned by Griffin paid $16 million for it…. Griffin did not publicly list the unit in the real estate multiple listing service, so details on its interior are not known.” http://trib.in/1ZheAim

STAMP FRESH OUT OF RUBBER -- "As Emanuel fights for political life, aldermen show independence," by Chicago Sun-Times' Fran Spielman: "Chicago aldermen emboldened by a once-powerful but now wounded Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Monday questioned just about everything on the agenda of the City Council’s Finance Committee. Routine matters that once sailed through without a whimper were placed under the microscope — and it wasn’t limited to the protracted debate over Emanuel’s plan to borrow a record $3 billion.” http://bit.ly/1N3JnrY

OH THE IMAGERY -- “The schools are pawns in Rahm and Rauner’s game,” by Chicago Reader’s Ben Joravsky: “As the Chicago's Public School system heads towards teacher layoffs and a possible strike, Governor Rauner flew home from his vacation in the Moroccan desert to continue his fight with Mayor Emanuel. A fight that no one—as far as I can tell—believes is real. Rauner told reporters that he spent two wonderful weeks in Spain and Morocco, where he rode a camel, slept in a tent, ate exotic foods, and urinated on his hands to toughen his calluses. Wait! It was Moises Alou, former Cubs outfielder, who urinated on his hands. Though it sounds like the sort of thing a macho billionaire, like Rauner, might do to fortify himself for another round of snatching money from autism patients. Fired up from the camels and the tents, Rauner called Rahm ‘tone deaf’ for resisting investigations into the police and law departments.’” http://bit.ly/1JGxA8b

EATERY IGNITES SOCIAL MEDIA WITH ‘I CAN BREATHE’ SHIRT -- “Sandwich Shop Owner’s 'I Can Breathe' Shirt, Alpana Singh Looking in Evanston, More Intel," by Chicago Eater's Daniel Gerzina: "The owner of Andersonville sandwich shop Piatto Pronto is under fire for wearing a T-shirt with the phrase ‘I Can Breathe, I Obey the Law,’ which apparently references the NYPD chokehold killing of Eric Garner, Chicagoist reports. Mike, the owner, vehemently apologized, says he ‘wasn't thinking’ about Garner and says he is black, but that hasn't stopped the outrage on social media." http://bit.ly/1SeJ8C8

Valerie Jarrett says Laquan McDonald video ‘like a hot poker in my stomach.” Chicagoist: http://bit.ly/1SL6w9R

COSTELLO, LIPINSKI SKIRT LOBBYING RULES, CASH IN -- “Ex-Congressmen work as ‘consultants’ for special interests,’ by Chuck Neubauer & Sandy Bergo for the Better Government Association: “Two weeks after retiring from Congress in 2013, ex-U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) started collecting a $15,000 monthly check from a federal employee labor union that received critical help from him as a legislator. Under congressional ‘revolving door’ rules, Costello would have to wait a year before signing on with the union, or anybody else, to lobby his former colleagues. But because Costello was paid for ‘political consulting’ by the union, he was able to begin collecting checks immediately.”

-- Former U.S. Rep. Bill Lipinski (D-Ill.), who retired from Congress in 2005, and former U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), who left the Senate in 2011, also began working as advisers to special interests within months of leaving Capitol Hill. While they’re legally permitted, consultant arrangements run counter to the spirit of federal law that sheds light on government influence and restricts when someone leaving Congress can become a congressional lobbyist, critics say. Designation means they don’t have to register as lobbyists, publicly disclose clients or adhere to revolving-door limits.” http://bit.ly/1RGYM7Q

FREEING OF INFORMATION -- SPJ: “The Society of Professional Journalists joins other members of the Sunshine in Government Initiative in applauding the U.S. House of Representatives for approving the ‘FOIA Oversight and Implementation Act of 2015’ (H.R. 653) ...‘This legislation helps journalists and other citizens better access their government’ … said SPJ National President Paul Fletcher. ‘Congress doesn’t approve FOIA fixes very often, so getting this legislation through the Senate and signed into law would be a big win for transparency and helping the American people obtain the information they are entitled to see.’” http://bit.ly/1OYhCZl

EXPOSURE VICTIM -- “90-Year-Old Woman Found Dead Outside Her South Side Home,” by CBS Chicago’s Steve Miller: “A 90-year-old South Side woman has been found dead outside her home – apparently a victim of the extreme cold. 90-year-old Nellie Gordon had Alzheimer’s Disease, says her daughter Joyce Thurmon Smith. Smith says that some time overnight, her mother wandered outside her home at 91st and Michigan, ‘and she succumbed to the weather.’ The temperatures overnight hovered around zero.” http://cbsloc.al/1OnnqpF

COAL PLANT BANKRUPTCY -- “Arch Coal, owner of Viper Mine, files for bankruptcy protection,” by State Journal-Register’s Tim Landis: “The corporate owner of the Viper Mine near Elkhart has filed for bankruptcy. Arch Coal Inc. of St. Louis announced the voluntary reorganization in a news release early Monday. The filing is part of an agreement with creditors to cut debt by $4.5 billion, according to the announcement … The Viper Mine, which has a portal in northern Sangamon County, has an estimated 340 employees. The company said it reached a deal with its lenders to reduce its debt by more than $4.5 billion. The bankruptcy filing showed debts of $6.5 billion and assets of $5.8 billion.” http://bit.ly/1ZotuZC

FIREFIGHTER INJURIES IN EXTRA-ALARM BLAZE -- ABC7: “Fire crews responded to the two-alarm fire in the 1700-block of West Estes Avenue around 6 a.m. Monday … Officials said one firefighter injured his shoulder after a set of stairs collapsed … Six other firefighters slipped and fell on ice outside the four-story building, officials said. Temperatures hovered around zero degrees in the area early Monday morning … All firefighters were accounted for soon after the call went out. The flames were through the roof around 6:40 a.m. Crews were ordered off the roof in case it collapsed." http://abc7.ws/1IZzqRt

CARDS’ HACKING SCANDAL -- “Cardinals GM confident rest of front office not involved in hacking case,” AP: “St. Louis Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak is confident the rest of the front office was not involved in the Houston Astros hacking case. ‘Yeah, I am,' Mozeliak said Monday. 'But before we totally engage in answering everything we just need these proceedings to be concluded.' Former scouting director Chris Correa pleaded guilty in federal court in Houston on Friday to accessing the Astros player database and email system … Correa was promoted to director of baseball development in St. Louis in 2014 and was fired last summer.” http://bit.ly/1PoDYO2

HOW TO BUILD A “POST-FERGUSON” POLICE STATION: Widespread outrage and protest over recent acts of police violence in the United States have prompted a renewed national conversation on policing reform. WATCH how celebrated Chicago architect, Jeanne Gang, uses design to repair the trust between communities and police in the newest installment of POLITICO Magazine’s “Social City” an original video in the “What Works” series.http://politi.co/1PYqhd7

‘MAY GOD’S LOVE BE WITH YOU’ -- Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s “Space Oddity” performance -- from space -- a fitting tribute to David Bowie: http://slate.me/1P5MTmU

WHERE’S RAHM? Takes part in monthly Public Building Commission board meeting.

WHERE’S RAUNER? No public events.

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