Monday, July 30, 2007
Krause Won't Run Again
The Capitol Fax reports that there is yet another name to add the ever-growing list of Republicans who aren't running again next year. Rep. Carolyn Krause (R-Mt.Prospect) announced over the weekend that she won't be seeking an eighth term. Krause has been the epitome of the moderate Republican and is respected on both sides of the isle for her legislative abilities. No Republicans have surfaced yet for the seat, however her State Senator is a Democrat so that could put her seat in play.
Good to Be Back
I am back from FL where I participated in the National Association of Realtors Government Affairs Directors Institute. I will have plenty to report from those meetings in the days and weeks to come.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Springfield Update
Illinois Association of REALTORS
Quorum Call Week in Review
July 20, 2007
Quorum Call is distributed Fridays when the Illinois General Assembly is in session. For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org. Full text of legislation cited in this newsletter can be found at www.ilga.gov.
- The General Assembly was in session all week with little progress made in the negotiations on the State budget but some movement on other issues such as the electric rate relief legislation. You may recall that this issue has been pending all year as the rates dramatically soared when the 10-year rate freeze was lifted. Particularly hard hit were those with all electric residences and/or businesses.
- Negotiations continued in the House this week on the legislation to infuse the RTA with significant funding. Senate Bill 572 includes a real estate transfer tax of $3 per $1,000 within the city of Chicago WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL. The IAR STRONGLY OPPOSES this proposal that would give the statutory authority to levy a real estate transfer tax to a special taxing district governed by an APPOINTED Board. Without an elected and responsive entity a taxpayer has no way to voice their objection to this tax- clearly this is taxation without representation! We also object to the fact that this is ANOTHER LAYER of taxing authority on property owners in Chicago where a very high home rule municipal real estate transfer tax is already in place ($7.50 per $1,000 paid by the buyer) in addition to the State and county real estate transfer tax (combined $1.50 per $1,000 on the seller). The IAR is continuing our efforts to remove this funding piece from the legislation. Please continue to contact your Senator and Representative to urge that they reject this initiative.
- On Thursday, July 19th the House Executive Committee heard testimony and approved a revised version of the predatory lending/4050 legislation that has been discussed throughout the spring session. House Amendment #1 to Senate Bill 1167 is similar to SB 1674, which was pushed through the House in late May with the strong backing of Speaker Madigan, but was held up in the Senate due to opposition from the IAR and the Mortgage Brokers Association. After many negotiating sessions, the language was revised and placed on SB 1167. All of the lending groups, including the mortgage brokers, supported SB 1167 as amended, and the IAR took a NEUTRAL position on the bill, which now has no opposition.
This is the legislation that contains Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s mortgage lending initiative to enact requirements and restrictions applying to mortgage brokers (formerly in HB 1478), as well as a codification of the recently-filed rules to re-establish the Predatory Lending Database Program (the HB 4050 program).
As far as the HB 4050 program, the IAR was pleased that our strong opposition to the program being limited to ten contiguous zip codes on the southwest side of Chicago was heard, and that both the rule and the bill do not establish the program in this manner (the program now covers all of Cook County). As far as home buyers that must get counseling, the bill (as do the rules) will now apply only to first time buyers, and only if the loan they are seeking has certain characteristics: interest only, negative amortization, points and fees in excess of 5%, prepayment penalty, or ARM (the bill also apply to refi borrowers, but that has not been a major issue for REALTORS). Since the pending rules would have re-established the program anyway, the primary practical effect of the bill is to fix the program in statute rather than as an administrative rule. If enacted into law, the new program will become effective July 1, 2008.
As far as the Attorney General’s provisions in SB 1167, the IAR had some concerns with the application of the bill to all borrowers (the federal guidelines the bill is modeled after apply only to subprime borrowers), and with some of the language regarding “stated income” loans and ARMs. However, following negotiations, several changes favorable to our position were made.
The bill is now pending on Third Reading in the House.
- Also on Thursday, the House Revenue Committee met and unanimously approved concurrence motions with three Senate amendments to House Bill 1519. This legislation extends the life of TIFs in several communities from 23 to 35 years. These amendments are for the communities of Manteno, Chicago Heights, Rosemont and Stone Park. Concurrence by the House on these Senate amendments will mark final action on the legislation.
- The House Revenue Committee also had posted an amendment to Senate Bill 826 which made several changes to the provisions of the 7% assessment cap for Cook County contained in Senate Bill 13. The amendment made several technical changes to the bill suggested by the Cook County Assessor’s office and some substantive changes. However, the amendment was not called due to some additional changes that were being drafted. It is expected that the bill will be acted upon next week. Senate Bill 13 remains on the calendar in the Senate.
- Also this week the Senate Education Committee met each day to hear testimony on a variety of education and funding issues.
- The House and the Senate have adjourned for the week and will not be in session this weekend but will reconvene next Monday.
For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org.
Contact information for members of the House and Senate, notice of committee hearings, text of legislation and roll call votes are all available on the Illinois General Assembly’s Web site, www.ilga.gov.
Quorum Call Week in Review
July 20, 2007
Quorum Call is distributed Fridays when the Illinois General Assembly is in session. For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org. Full text of legislation cited in this newsletter can be found at www.ilga.gov.
- The General Assembly was in session all week with little progress made in the negotiations on the State budget but some movement on other issues such as the electric rate relief legislation. You may recall that this issue has been pending all year as the rates dramatically soared when the 10-year rate freeze was lifted. Particularly hard hit were those with all electric residences and/or businesses.
- Negotiations continued in the House this week on the legislation to infuse the RTA with significant funding. Senate Bill 572 includes a real estate transfer tax of $3 per $1,000 within the city of Chicago WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL. The IAR STRONGLY OPPOSES this proposal that would give the statutory authority to levy a real estate transfer tax to a special taxing district governed by an APPOINTED Board. Without an elected and responsive entity a taxpayer has no way to voice their objection to this tax- clearly this is taxation without representation! We also object to the fact that this is ANOTHER LAYER of taxing authority on property owners in Chicago where a very high home rule municipal real estate transfer tax is already in place ($7.50 per $1,000 paid by the buyer) in addition to the State and county real estate transfer tax (combined $1.50 per $1,000 on the seller). The IAR is continuing our efforts to remove this funding piece from the legislation. Please continue to contact your Senator and Representative to urge that they reject this initiative.
- On Thursday, July 19th the House Executive Committee heard testimony and approved a revised version of the predatory lending/4050 legislation that has been discussed throughout the spring session. House Amendment #1 to Senate Bill 1167 is similar to SB 1674, which was pushed through the House in late May with the strong backing of Speaker Madigan, but was held up in the Senate due to opposition from the IAR and the Mortgage Brokers Association. After many negotiating sessions, the language was revised and placed on SB 1167. All of the lending groups, including the mortgage brokers, supported SB 1167 as amended, and the IAR took a NEUTRAL position on the bill, which now has no opposition.
This is the legislation that contains Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s mortgage lending initiative to enact requirements and restrictions applying to mortgage brokers (formerly in HB 1478), as well as a codification of the recently-filed rules to re-establish the Predatory Lending Database Program (the HB 4050 program).
As far as the HB 4050 program, the IAR was pleased that our strong opposition to the program being limited to ten contiguous zip codes on the southwest side of Chicago was heard, and that both the rule and the bill do not establish the program in this manner (the program now covers all of Cook County). As far as home buyers that must get counseling, the bill (as do the rules) will now apply only to first time buyers, and only if the loan they are seeking has certain characteristics: interest only, negative amortization, points and fees in excess of 5%, prepayment penalty, or ARM (the bill also apply to refi borrowers, but that has not been a major issue for REALTORS). Since the pending rules would have re-established the program anyway, the primary practical effect of the bill is to fix the program in statute rather than as an administrative rule. If enacted into law, the new program will become effective July 1, 2008.
As far as the Attorney General’s provisions in SB 1167, the IAR had some concerns with the application of the bill to all borrowers (the federal guidelines the bill is modeled after apply only to subprime borrowers), and with some of the language regarding “stated income” loans and ARMs. However, following negotiations, several changes favorable to our position were made.
The bill is now pending on Third Reading in the House.
- Also on Thursday, the House Revenue Committee met and unanimously approved concurrence motions with three Senate amendments to House Bill 1519. This legislation extends the life of TIFs in several communities from 23 to 35 years. These amendments are for the communities of Manteno, Chicago Heights, Rosemont and Stone Park. Concurrence by the House on these Senate amendments will mark final action on the legislation.
- The House Revenue Committee also had posted an amendment to Senate Bill 826 which made several changes to the provisions of the 7% assessment cap for Cook County contained in Senate Bill 13. The amendment made several technical changes to the bill suggested by the Cook County Assessor’s office and some substantive changes. However, the amendment was not called due to some additional changes that were being drafted. It is expected that the bill will be acted upon next week. Senate Bill 13 remains on the calendar in the Senate.
- Also this week the Senate Education Committee met each day to hear testimony on a variety of education and funding issues.
- The House and the Senate have adjourned for the week and will not be in session this weekend but will reconvene next Monday.
For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org.
Contact information for members of the House and Senate, notice of committee hearings, text of legislation and roll call votes are all available on the Illinois General Assembly’s Web site, www.ilga.gov.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Peterson Retires
Senator Bill Peterson a senior Illinois State Senator will not seek reelection. Peterson has been a great friend to the Illinois Association of REALTORS. Several people are already interested in running for the seat including RANWC's Director of Operations and Mayor of Round Lake Bill Gentes.
Find the story from the Daily Herald below.
By Eric Krol
Daily Herald Political Writer
ekrol@dailyherald.com
Posted Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Longtime Long Grove state lawmaker William Peterson won’t seek re-election, and there’s no shortage of candidates vying to succeed him in the Senate.
Peterson, 71, said Tuesday “it’s time for young blood to take up the cause.” He served 10 years in the House and the last 15 in the Senate.
A quiet politician who sometimes tried to reach across the aisle to work with Democrats, Peterson is the lawmaker who pushed through the 1983 change that allowed voters to cast absentee ballots at village and township halls instead of by mail or at county buildings.
“I think it opened up the voting process. It got more people involved, regardless of their affiliation,” he said.
Two Republicans and two Democrats already are gearing up to run for Peterson’s 26th District seat in the Feb. 5 primary.
On the GOP side, 41-year-old Lake Barrington data management executive Dan Duffy has a campaign team in place. Active with the suburban chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Duffy said he would focus on job retention and opposing Democratic schemes to raise taxes and sell the lottery.
Bow tie-wearing Lake County Board member Michael Talbett of Lake Zurich also is said to be mulling a run. Talbett, who holds a law degree and doctorate in geography, could not be reached Tuesday. Given Peterson’s lengthy tenure, the list on the Republican side is likely to grow.
On the Democratic side, Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes planned to announce his campaign Monday but acknowledged Tuesday to the Daily Herald that he’s in the 26th District race.
Gentes, 47, has been mayor of the fast-growing suburb for six years and is a real estate trade group executive. “As Democrats, we control the governor and the General Assembly. It’s nuts that we can’t get along, and I think we need to bring some sanity, find common ground,” Gentes said.
Democrat Richard Hammes, a 66-year-old North Barrington business management consultant and psychologist, originally thought about running for Congress in 2003 but bowed to Melissa Bean, who went on to defeat Republican Phil Crane.
For more on Peterson’s accomplishments and his potential replacements, see the Animal Farm political notebook at dailyherald.com.
Find the story from the Daily Herald below.
By Eric Krol
Daily Herald Political Writer
ekrol@dailyherald.com
Posted Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Longtime Long Grove state lawmaker William Peterson won’t seek re-election, and there’s no shortage of candidates vying to succeed him in the Senate.
Peterson, 71, said Tuesday “it’s time for young blood to take up the cause.” He served 10 years in the House and the last 15 in the Senate.
A quiet politician who sometimes tried to reach across the aisle to work with Democrats, Peterson is the lawmaker who pushed through the 1983 change that allowed voters to cast absentee ballots at village and township halls instead of by mail or at county buildings.
“I think it opened up the voting process. It got more people involved, regardless of their affiliation,” he said.
Two Republicans and two Democrats already are gearing up to run for Peterson’s 26th District seat in the Feb. 5 primary.
On the GOP side, 41-year-old Lake Barrington data management executive Dan Duffy has a campaign team in place. Active with the suburban chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Duffy said he would focus on job retention and opposing Democratic schemes to raise taxes and sell the lottery.
Bow tie-wearing Lake County Board member Michael Talbett of Lake Zurich also is said to be mulling a run. Talbett, who holds a law degree and doctorate in geography, could not be reached Tuesday. Given Peterson’s lengthy tenure, the list on the Republican side is likely to grow.
On the Democratic side, Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes planned to announce his campaign Monday but acknowledged Tuesday to the Daily Herald that he’s in the 26th District race.
Gentes, 47, has been mayor of the fast-growing suburb for six years and is a real estate trade group executive. “As Democrats, we control the governor and the General Assembly. It’s nuts that we can’t get along, and I think we need to bring some sanity, find common ground,” Gentes said.
Democrat Richard Hammes, a 66-year-old North Barrington business management consultant and psychologist, originally thought about running for Congress in 2003 but bowed to Melissa Bean, who went on to defeat Republican Phil Crane.
For more on Peterson’s accomplishments and his potential replacements, see the Animal Farm political notebook at dailyherald.com.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Blogging
updates will once again be daily. I was out ill last week. My apologies for those of you thirsting for ranwc government news last week.
springfield updates
Illinois Association of REALTORS
Quorum Call Week in Review
July 13, 2007
Quorum Call is distributed Fridays when the Illinois General Assembly is in session. For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org. Full text of legislation cited in this newsletter can be found at www.ilga.gov.
- While Shakespeare used the phrase "the winter of discontent" Statehouse observers agree that for now it is our “summer of discontent.”
- The General Assembly was in session all week with little progress made in the negotiations on the State budget or other issues and STILL no end in sight to this contentious session. The chambers held concurrent regular session days along with the Special Session days called by proclamation of the Governor. The House concentrated on holding a series of “Committee of the Whole” hearings and the Senate Appropriations Committees met as one to discuss aspects of State funding priorities.
- On Wednesday, July 11th the Senate concurred with the House amendments to Senate Bill 17, marking final legislative action on this legislation. You may recall that SB 17 was legislation that dealt with the assessment of timberland, prairie, wetlands and other undeveloped land. In 2004 the Illinois Department of Revenue had issued a ruling that had led to significant increases in the assessment of this type of property. The legislation will require property owners to place land (must be at least five acres) in an approved conservation stewardship program to qualify for the preferential assessment of 5% of the market value. The legislation has specific definitions to clarify what would qualify as wooded acreage, it creates a transition assessment and stipulates that after October 1, 2007 if the ownership interests or beneficial interests change by more than 50% from those interests as they existed on October 1, 2007 then the property would not longer qualify to receive the preferential assessment treatment of the wooded acreage.
- Also on Wednesday, the Senate approved legislation to resolve a conflict that occurred with the State notice provisions with respect to a school bond referendum held and approved by the voters in O’Fallon. This bill has been to the House for their consideration.
- Representative Ken Dunkin introduced a proposal this week to amend the Bill of Rights Article of the Illinois Constitution to add the “Right to Decent Housing”. This new provision states that all persons shall have a right to decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing and that the General Assembly may provide by law for the enforcement and implementation of this provision. House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 26 (HJRCA 26) would have to be approved by both chambers and by the voters of the State to become effective. The resolution is currently in the House Rules Committee.
- The House and the Senate are scheduled to be in session Saturday and Sunday and continuing to next week.
For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org.
Contact information for members of the House and Senate, notice of committee hearings, text of legislation and roll call votes are all available on the Illinois General Assembly’s Web site, www.ilga.gov.
Quorum Call Week in Review
July 13, 2007
Quorum Call is distributed Fridays when the Illinois General Assembly is in session. For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org. Full text of legislation cited in this newsletter can be found at www.ilga.gov.
- While Shakespeare used the phrase "the winter of discontent" Statehouse observers agree that for now it is our “summer of discontent.”
- The General Assembly was in session all week with little progress made in the negotiations on the State budget or other issues and STILL no end in sight to this contentious session. The chambers held concurrent regular session days along with the Special Session days called by proclamation of the Governor. The House concentrated on holding a series of “Committee of the Whole” hearings and the Senate Appropriations Committees met as one to discuss aspects of State funding priorities.
- On Wednesday, July 11th the Senate concurred with the House amendments to Senate Bill 17, marking final legislative action on this legislation. You may recall that SB 17 was legislation that dealt with the assessment of timberland, prairie, wetlands and other undeveloped land. In 2004 the Illinois Department of Revenue had issued a ruling that had led to significant increases in the assessment of this type of property. The legislation will require property owners to place land (must be at least five acres) in an approved conservation stewardship program to qualify for the preferential assessment of 5% of the market value. The legislation has specific definitions to clarify what would qualify as wooded acreage, it creates a transition assessment and stipulates that after October 1, 2007 if the ownership interests or beneficial interests change by more than 50% from those interests as they existed on October 1, 2007 then the property would not longer qualify to receive the preferential assessment treatment of the wooded acreage.
- Also on Wednesday, the Senate approved legislation to resolve a conflict that occurred with the State notice provisions with respect to a school bond referendum held and approved by the voters in O’Fallon. This bill has been to the House for their consideration.
- Representative Ken Dunkin introduced a proposal this week to amend the Bill of Rights Article of the Illinois Constitution to add the “Right to Decent Housing”. This new provision states that all persons shall have a right to decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing and that the General Assembly may provide by law for the enforcement and implementation of this provision. House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 26 (HJRCA 26) would have to be approved by both chambers and by the voters of the State to become effective. The resolution is currently in the House Rules Committee.
- The House and the Senate are scheduled to be in session Saturday and Sunday and continuing to next week.
For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org.
Contact information for members of the House and Senate, notice of committee hearings, text of legislation and roll call votes are all available on the Illinois General Assembly’s Web site, www.ilga.gov.
Monday, July 9, 2007
IAR Quorum Call
Quorum Call is distributed Fridays when the Illinois General Assembly is in session. For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org. Full text of legislation cited in this newsletter can be found at http://www.ilga.gov/.
- After the release of last week’s “Quorum Call-Week in Review” the Governor surprised legislators and most observers when he issued a proclamation ordering the General Assembly back into Special Session for the first of a series of days beginning Thursday, July 5th. The Governor has vowed to continue to issue proclamations each day calling for Special Session days until there is resolution of budgetary issues. This only heightened tension at the Capitol and there continues to be no end in sight.
- On Thursday, both chambers dedicated their day to hearing testimony on the issue of the lease of the lottery and pension funding. The Illinois House convened another “Committee of the Whole” to discuss these proposals along with a series of panels of expert witnesses. The House recessed this Committee at 6:30 p.m. and began the hearing again on Friday morning. The Senate Revenue Committee also heard testimony on Thursday and again on Friday on these issues.
- On Friday, there was floor action in both chambers. The Senate spent considerable time debating and ultimately voting on S.J.R. 1 by a voice vote. This non-binding resolution, sponsored by Senate Revenue Committee chairman, Senator Don Harmon, cites concerns about pension funding and resolves that “the General Assembly is in agreement that a solution to this crisis must be adopted prior to adjournment of the 2007 Spring Session of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly”. Meanwhile, the House debated an amendment to House Bill 2055, which contained the Governor’s proposal to lease the lottery in order to generate significant new funding. The proposal was strongly criticized by both Democrats and Republicans and even the sponsor of the measure, Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie urged a NO vote. House bill 2055 ultimately failed on a roll call vote of 6 voting YES and 78 voting NO.
- The House and the Senate are scheduled to be in Special Session throughout the weekend and will reconvene in regular session on Tuesday, July 10, 2007.
For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org.
Contact information for members of the House and Senate, notice of committee hearings, text of legislation and roll call votes are all available on the Illinois General Assembly’s Web site, http://www.ilga.gov/.
Illinois Association of REALTORS
3180 Adloff Lane, Suite 400
Springfield, IL 62703
PH 217/529-2600
FAX 217/529-3904
http://www.illinoisrealtor.org/
- After the release of last week’s “Quorum Call-Week in Review” the Governor surprised legislators and most observers when he issued a proclamation ordering the General Assembly back into Special Session for the first of a series of days beginning Thursday, July 5th. The Governor has vowed to continue to issue proclamations each day calling for Special Session days until there is resolution of budgetary issues. This only heightened tension at the Capitol and there continues to be no end in sight.
- On Thursday, both chambers dedicated their day to hearing testimony on the issue of the lease of the lottery and pension funding. The Illinois House convened another “Committee of the Whole” to discuss these proposals along with a series of panels of expert witnesses. The House recessed this Committee at 6:30 p.m. and began the hearing again on Friday morning. The Senate Revenue Committee also heard testimony on Thursday and again on Friday on these issues.
- On Friday, there was floor action in both chambers. The Senate spent considerable time debating and ultimately voting on S.J.R. 1 by a voice vote. This non-binding resolution, sponsored by Senate Revenue Committee chairman, Senator Don Harmon, cites concerns about pension funding and resolves that “the General Assembly is in agreement that a solution to this crisis must be adopted prior to adjournment of the 2007 Spring Session of the Ninety-Fifth General Assembly”. Meanwhile, the House debated an amendment to House Bill 2055, which contained the Governor’s proposal to lease the lottery in order to generate significant new funding. The proposal was strongly criticized by both Democrats and Republicans and even the sponsor of the measure, Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie urged a NO vote. House bill 2055 ultimately failed on a roll call vote of 6 voting YES and 78 voting NO.
- The House and the Senate are scheduled to be in Special Session throughout the weekend and will reconvene in regular session on Tuesday, July 10, 2007.
For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org.
Contact information for members of the House and Senate, notice of committee hearings, text of legislation and roll call votes are all available on the Illinois General Assembly’s Web site, http://www.ilga.gov/.
Illinois Association of REALTORS
3180 Adloff Lane, Suite 400
Springfield, IL 62703
PH 217/529-2600
FAX 217/529-3904
http://www.illinoisrealtor.org/
Monday, July 2, 2007
Elections Move-Up in Illinois
Campaign season starts earlier than ever
By Nate Hoekstra
nhoekstra@dailyherald.com
Posted Monday, July 02, 2007
SPRINGFIELD — The opinions of Illinois voters now carry new weight in the national political arena, thanks to a new law that moves the primary elections to Feb. 5 from mid-March.
But the same law could make suburban voters wonder if their newfound political juice is worth the proverbial squeeze.
On one hand, for the first time in recent memory, your presidential primary vote will matter. On the other, campaign season begins before most suburban families send their children back to school.
On Aug. 7, politicians will be able to start circulating petitions to get their names on the ballot. That’s when they, or their volunteers, start knocking on your doors or pestering you for signatures at train stations and shopping malls.
Fliers filling suburban mailboxes and those campaign ads that the public claims to loathe won’t be far behind.
Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, expects Illinois voters to have a bad case of election fatigue by the time they actually go to the polls.
“By dragging it out longer, we will see more and more people being increasingly burnt out. Soon, it’s going to feel like it takes forever to get to Election Day,” Canary said.
It’s new ground for Illinois politics, which, in the case of the presidential primary, ceased being relevant years ago because the nominations were sewn up before the Illinois vote. As a result, few candidates bothered to come or campaign here.
Now the Illinois primary is jammed in with numerous other key states on Feb. 5 for what in all practical terms will be a national primary election. And of course there’s the added attention from the campaigns of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, a Chicago Democrat, and Hillary Clinton, a Park Ridge native now in the Senate from New York.
And the earlier date means campaign season now officially extends to 15 months long — August 2007 to November 2008. Additionally, this campaign season runs hand-in-hand with the holiday season.
And that presents its own issues given the tone of recent campaigns.
“I don’t think it would play well to say ‘Candidate X is a thieving S.O.B.’ during Jingle Bells season,” Canary said. “The very thought is kind of appalling.”
She and others said it would be bad for candidates to be running attack ads alongside toy commercials. Instead, political observers expect the heavy stuff to hold until after Christmas. But come January, the bottom drops out.
State Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat and head of the Lake County Democratic Party, said he expects the first five weeks of 2008 to be a blitzkrieg of campaign advertising the likes of which Illinois has never seen.
“I think the month of January, you’ll be seeing a lot of campaign ads, but I’d hope they’d have the foresight to leave the month of December to families,” Link said.
This also should easily be the most expensive campaign season in state history. One only need consider this: Super Bowl Sunday is two days before the primary election here, creating the possibility for the single most expensive weekend of political advertising ever and bringing a whole new spectrum of potential Super Bowl ads.
Election timeline
Illinois’ earlier primary on Feb. 5 means campaign season moves up significantly. Some key dates:
Aug. 7: Candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions
Oct. 29-Nov. 5: Petitions due in at state elections board
Oct. 31: Halloween
Nov. 22: Thanksgiving
Dec. 5: Hanukkah begins
Dec. 25: Christmas
Jan. 1: New Year’s
Jan. 7: College football national championship game
Feb. 3: Super Bowl Sunday
Feb. 5: Primary elections
By Nate Hoekstra
nhoekstra@dailyherald.com
Posted Monday, July 02, 2007
SPRINGFIELD — The opinions of Illinois voters now carry new weight in the national political arena, thanks to a new law that moves the primary elections to Feb. 5 from mid-March.
But the same law could make suburban voters wonder if their newfound political juice is worth the proverbial squeeze.
On one hand, for the first time in recent memory, your presidential primary vote will matter. On the other, campaign season begins before most suburban families send their children back to school.
On Aug. 7, politicians will be able to start circulating petitions to get their names on the ballot. That’s when they, or their volunteers, start knocking on your doors or pestering you for signatures at train stations and shopping malls.
Fliers filling suburban mailboxes and those campaign ads that the public claims to loathe won’t be far behind.
Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, expects Illinois voters to have a bad case of election fatigue by the time they actually go to the polls.
“By dragging it out longer, we will see more and more people being increasingly burnt out. Soon, it’s going to feel like it takes forever to get to Election Day,” Canary said.
It’s new ground for Illinois politics, which, in the case of the presidential primary, ceased being relevant years ago because the nominations were sewn up before the Illinois vote. As a result, few candidates bothered to come or campaign here.
Now the Illinois primary is jammed in with numerous other key states on Feb. 5 for what in all practical terms will be a national primary election. And of course there’s the added attention from the campaigns of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, a Chicago Democrat, and Hillary Clinton, a Park Ridge native now in the Senate from New York.
And the earlier date means campaign season now officially extends to 15 months long — August 2007 to November 2008. Additionally, this campaign season runs hand-in-hand with the holiday season.
And that presents its own issues given the tone of recent campaigns.
“I don’t think it would play well to say ‘Candidate X is a thieving S.O.B.’ during Jingle Bells season,” Canary said. “The very thought is kind of appalling.”
She and others said it would be bad for candidates to be running attack ads alongside toy commercials. Instead, political observers expect the heavy stuff to hold until after Christmas. But come January, the bottom drops out.
State Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat and head of the Lake County Democratic Party, said he expects the first five weeks of 2008 to be a blitzkrieg of campaign advertising the likes of which Illinois has never seen.
“I think the month of January, you’ll be seeing a lot of campaign ads, but I’d hope they’d have the foresight to leave the month of December to families,” Link said.
This also should easily be the most expensive campaign season in state history. One only need consider this: Super Bowl Sunday is two days before the primary election here, creating the possibility for the single most expensive weekend of political advertising ever and bringing a whole new spectrum of potential Super Bowl ads.
Election timeline
Illinois’ earlier primary on Feb. 5 means campaign season moves up significantly. Some key dates:
Aug. 7: Candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions
Oct. 29-Nov. 5: Petitions due in at state elections board
Oct. 31: Halloween
Nov. 22: Thanksgiving
Dec. 5: Hanukkah begins
Dec. 25: Christmas
Jan. 1: New Year’s
Jan. 7: College football national championship game
Feb. 3: Super Bowl Sunday
Feb. 5: Primary elections
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Members meet with Senator Murphy after Legislative Breakfast
