Free loans for Jones

HELPING HIMSELF | Senate President Emil Jones has taken tens of thousands of dollars from his campaign kitty

Chicago Sun-Times | May 22, 2008

Before championing a big legislative pay increase, Illinois Senate President Emil Jones provided himself with tens of thousands of dollars in interest-free loans from his campaign fund.

Under Illinois' relatively loose campaign-finance laws, there's nothing illegal about politicians dipping into their campaign funds that way. But it's highly unusual.

Since 1989, the South Side Democrat has taken out $120,528 in personal loans from his political fund and repaid $96,900 of that amount -- leaving nearly $25,000 unaccounted for.

Just last year, Jones withdrew $5,800 from his fund in 20 separate loans of $200 or $300 each between July and December.

By John Patterson | Daily Herald Staff | 5/8/2008

SPRINGFIELD - Lawmakers and other state officials are likely to get pay raises because the Democratic leadership in the Illinois Senate does not plan to let members vote on whether to block the increases, lawmakers confirmed Thursday.

State Sen. Rickey Hendon, a Chicago Democrat, said he thinks the rejection effort is flawed and claims state House members are using the Illinois Senate as a political fall guy on the issue. Hendon said the Illinois House votes to reject the raises all the while expecting the Senate will block rejection and everyone ends up with more money.

"They want to use the Senate and pimp us, and they keep taking the money," Hendon said. He suggested the proposal be changed so anyone voting against the raises won't get them, even if they are ultimately approved.

Haul in the Family

Secret deals enrich Jones stepson's firm

July 9, 2007

BY CHRIS FUSCO AND DAVE MCKINNEY Staff Reporters/cfusco@suntimes.com dmckinney@suntimes.com 
A technology company owned by Illinois Senate President Emil Jones' stepson has landed more taxpayer-funded business -- a fact that has gone largely unnoticed because the firm's latest deals are buried in the fine print of state contracting documents.

Synch-Solutions stands to make more than $700,000 as a subcontractor to two consulting companies Gov. Blagojevich's budget office hired to streamline government operations, records show.

What if there’s not a budget? 

Comptroller’s office predicts ‘meltdown

By DOUG FINKE

Monday, June 18, 2007

Illinois government faces a “full-blown crisis” with its finances by mid-July if lawmakers cannot agree on a new state budget, a memo prepared for Comptroller Dan Hynes says.

Thousands of state employees will miss paychecks, Medicaid payments to some hospitals and nursing homes will be delayed, grants to social service providers will be on hold, and even some road construction projects could be interrupted, the memo states.

Some state payments will continue even without a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, including income-assistance programs for the needy, food stamps, pension checks to retirees and tax refunds.

GOP banks on Web site

Illinois party hopes new endeavor will help it rebuild ranks

By Eric Krol
Daily Herald Political Writer ekrol@dailyherald.com
Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Illinois Republicans might not have any statewide offices, much campaign money or media interest, but they now have a new Web site, Internet attack ad and a few ideas.

Such was the gist Monday night at the first of a series of forums GOP chairman Andy McKenna Jr. is holding to try to rebuild a party that controlled the state for the quarter-century before 2003.

About 200 Republicans packed a small room at the Lisle Hilton Hotel to listen to McKenna unveil a new Web site -- WeAreIllinois.org -- a low-cost online ad that uses newspaper clips to rip Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich and proposals to make it tougher for the state to raise taxes and borrow money.

Lawmakers finalizing deal on electric rate relief

By the Associated Press

June 18, 2007, 3:41 PM CDT

THE ISSUE: State lawmakers have been debating for months how to help consumers deal with large electric-rate increases that kicked in earlier this year after a 10-year rate freeze.

WHAT'S HAPPENING: Lawmakers say they're close to a deal that would give consumers about $1 billion in relief over the next several years and provide protection from future large increases.

WHAT'S NEXT: Lawmakers return to continue negotiating and hope to have an agreement sometime this week.