Governor Pat Quinn Aims to Boot Predatory Credit Cards off Campus

Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias

(Chicago, IL) — August 11, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn yesterday signed a bill to halt predatory credit card marketing practices on Illinois college campuses.

“This legislation cracks down on greedy marketing ploys aimed at getting students to sign up for a credit card while attending college,” Governor Quinn said.

The Credit Card Marketing Act, drafted by Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, bans free gifts and makes contracts between the credit card providers and schools open to the public.

In addition, the new law prohibits the transfer or sale of student names and contact information to credit companies. It also requires colleges and universities to offer consumer finance education to freshmen if credit cards are marketed to undergraduates.

State Rep. Kevin Joyce (D-Chicago)

Companies use free gifts, coupons and food to entice cash-strapped college students to apply for credit cards, which often carry low introductory rates but also have hidden fees. Often credit card issuers have lured students off campus with free sandwich coupons, but required a completed application before they could eat.

“A free gift or lunch today can cost a student hundreds of dollars in interest years later,” said Giannoulias.

A $375.95 ham-and-cheese? Yep.

This new law coincides with the federal Credit Card Bill of Rights. As of February 2010, no one under age 21 can get a credit card unless a parent, guardian or spouse is willing to co-sign or unless the underage person has proof of sufficient income.

State Senator Donne Trotter (D-Chicago) and State Rep. Kevin Joyce (D-Chicago) sponsored the legislation.

Several schools and consumer advocates also backed the new law, including the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges & Universities, University of Illinois, U.S. Public Interest Research Group, and Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Greater Chicago.

Of course, one has gotta wonder if high school home economics courses teach Credit Cards 101. No?

Governor Blagojevich Threatens to Slash $600 Million from Healthcare, $110 Million from Education, $106 Million from Seniors and Veterans

(Springfield, IL) — Governor Rod Blagojevich today threatened to veto $1.5 billion in budget spending if the Illinois House refused to pass the Senate’s revenue package.

Reductions would be required to close a $2 billion dollar shortfall in the Fiscal Year 2009 budget passed by the General Assembly in May.

“As I’ve said before, the budget sent to me fails to meet the Constitutional requirement that spending be matched by funding to pay for it, and it jeopardizes the State’s ability to meet core responsibilities like teaching our children, providing healthcare, and protecting the public,” Blagojevich said. Blah, blah, blah.

Blagojevich gave the Illinois House until July 9 to adopt the Senate’s approved revenue bills. Or else. Bang. Granny gets it neck.

Items on the budget chopping block and consequences:

• Reductions in staffing throughout State government at agencies such as Department of Natural Resources, Department of Human Services, Department of Corrections, and others

• Increased workload for DCFS caseworkers.

• A $110 million reduction in education spending.

• Nearly $260 million in reductions to social services programs. Over 100,000 individuals would see a reduction in services or access to community health and prevention services; 21,000 individuals with developmental disabilities living in the community would face reductions in service; mental health services and programs for individuals with developmental disabilities would be reduced; rates for foster parents would not increase.

• A $257 million reduction to economic development and transit. More than 100,000 workers will not receive job-skills training, and state support for RTA fare subsidies for students and people with disabilities would be eliminated.

• More than $600 million in healthcare reductions. This includes a $530 million Medicaid reduction resulting in healthcare providers such as hospital and pharmacies waiting an additional 20 days for payment from the State, on top of the 70 days they already wait; 20,000 outpatients would not receive service at Oak Forest Hospital; and up to 10,000 uninsured residents who are unaware of their HIV status would not be identified and linked to healthcare.

• More than $106 million in reductions to services for seniors and Veterans. Expansion of the Elder Abuse Line would not be funded, despite a 25 percent increase in calls to the line since its inception. An additional 40 bed expansion at the LaSalle Veteran’s Home would not open.

That the “Health Care Governor” would threaten $600 million in health care cuts and $110 million in education spending reductions, a priority of chief Blagojevich ally Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), suggests that Governor Blagojevich will risk his health care credentials and the Jones alliance sheerly to outmaneuver House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) in round 3,457 of their grudge match. Sheez.

And Speaker Madigan’s likely response? “Ok, cut.”

More than 700 Advocates Rally at Capitol to Push Illinois Charter School Expansion from 60 to 100

(Springfield, IL) — More than 700 advocates gathered in the State Capitol rotunda today to urge legislators to support Senate Bill 2402, a bill which will raise the cap on the number of charter public schools available in Illinois.

Joining advocates at the rally were the bill’s Senate sponsor State Senator Iris Martinez (D-Chicago) and State Representative Art Turner (D-Chicago).

SB 2402 will raise the cap on available Illinois charters from 60 to 100 and will eliminate the geographic cap that determines the availability of charters statewide. The bill has passed the Senate, 37-10, and is currently in the House.

State Representative Rich Bradley (D-Chicago) is the House sponsor.

Gov. Blagojevich Sends Lawmakers, Leaders to Early Education Meeting at Harvard, Plugs IL’s 1st in Nation Pre-School Status

(Springfield, IL) — From the Give-Credit-Where-Credit-Is-Due-Department, Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced on Friday that a group of Illinois leaders had been selected to participate in the National Symposium on Early Childhood Science and Policy at Harvard University this summer, and he noted a nugget as rare as a tropical palm and good grace in Springfield: a genuine administration policy success. Kid you not.

Illinois’ pre-kindergarten program was ranked first nationally for enrolling 19 percent of the state’s three-year-olds, according to The State of Preschool 2007: State Preschool Yearbook released in March. Nationwide, enrollment of three-year-olds was up 10 percent, mostly due to increases here in Illinois, which became the first state to commit to serving all three-year-olds.

Blagojevich has increased funding for his early childhood education program, Preschool for All, by 90 percent, or $164 million, over the past five years. The FY 2009 budget includes additional funding to further expand the program.

With so many other lagging, slouching, and slumping state indicators, the state’s 1st place pre-school status is bona fide good news. Blagojevich gets the credit. Of course, that will infuriate the Governor Blagojevich’s fiercest critics–which amounts to just about everyone.

Illinois’ team members attending the symposium in Cambridge, Mass. on June 26 and 27 include: Dr. Christopher A. Koch, State Superintendent of Education; State Senator Don Harmon, D-Oak Park; State Senator Pamela Althoff, R-McHenry; State Represtentative Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago; State Representative Jerry Mitchell, R-Sterling; Kelly King Dibble, senior vice president and director of Public Affairs and Government Relations at Northern Trust and board member for Ounce of Prevention; Jerome Stermer, president of Voices for Illinois Children; and Elliot M. Regenstein, Co-Chair, Illinois Early Learning Council.

Of course this year’s battle over the ‘Ugly Betty’ budget at the capitol–which likely will resemble a pre-school classroom–may short-circuit the lawmakers’ attendance. But let’s savor the moment.

IL House Approves $153 Million for School Construction, Affordable School Housing Cost Reimbursement

(Springfield, IL) — The Illinois House of Representatives today approved two big education bills, voting to spend $153 million on school construction programs.

State Rep. LISA DUGAN’s (D-Kankakee), right, bi-partisan school construction legislation, HB 4130, carried the biggest price tag–$150 million. It was approved unanimously.

A bill to provide $3 million to school districts for affordable multi-family housing school cost reimbursement sponsored by State Rep. CYNTHIA SOTO (D-Chicago) was approved along partisan lines, 65-43 drawing virtually universal Republican dissent.

Had Soto proposed an outrageously expensive, suburban, unaffordable McMansion housing cost reimbursement, she would likely have secured GOP votes.

The House’s actions put the chamber’s spending meter–combined with committee action–at about $241 million.

State House Education Committee Approves Bill to Fire Illinois State Education Board, Curtail Gov’s Power

(Springfield, IL) — The Illinois House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee yesterday voted 17-0 to approve legislation that would get rid of the current nine-member Illinois State Board of Education.

The 17-0 vote set off a huge press reaction. Stories ricocheted around the state. The committee had stuck it in Gov. ROD BLAGOJEVICH’s eye.

The measure, sponsored by State Rep. LOU LANG (D-Skokie), would also strip the governor’s power to directly appoint board members, and prohibit the governor’s prerogative to propose a state superintendent candidate to the board. A new nomination panel would present the Governor with list of 27 from which board members could be selected.

Lang’s plan would revert Illinois to the Chicago Public Schools governance model that had tied the hands of Mayor Richard Daley to reform the city’s failing school system before the Illinois General Assembly granted the power to Mayor Daley to appoint directly board members.

The bill, House Bill 4232, heads to the full House. House lawmakers likely will bat it over to the Senate. It will land in the Senate Rules Committee. And there it will mold.

State Reps. HARRY OSTERMAN, FRED CRESPO, JACK FRANKS, and JOE LYONS have joined Lang as sponsors.