IADDA CEO Sara Moscato Howe

(Chicago, IL) – November 5, 2009. According to a new analysis of Illinois government data, the number of women receiving state-supported treatment for drug or alcohol addiction between 1995-2007 jumped 41%, compared to 21.7% for men.

“The face of addiction is changing across Illinois—and it is increasingly a woman’s face,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, who analyzed the historical data published by the Illinois Department of Human Services-Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.

In the state fiscal year 1995, 30,545 adult Illinois women received drug or alcohol treatment through local community treatment providers financed primarily by state government. In FY 2007, 52,045 received services, a 41% increase.

FY 2007 is the most recent data available.

During the same period, 65,992 adult men received services in FY 1995 and 84,326 in FY 2007, a 21.7% increase.

In FY 1995, adult women comprised 31.6% of the total adult population receiving treatment services. By FY 2007, their share of the treatment population had grown to 38.1%.

Young Girls and Boys in Substance Abuse Treatment Surge

Young girls and boys in treatment are surging even more dramatically.
Female youth in treatment increased from 2,392 in FY 1995 to 5,087 in FY 2007—a 52.9% jump. Boys totaled 6,020 in 1995 and 13,188 in 2007, a 54.3% hike.

The growth in substance treatment use far outstrips the general population growth in Illinois. In 1995, Illinois had an estimated population of 11.8 million and 12.9 million in 2008, a 9.3% increase.

Illinois Budget for Treatment Declines

What troubles Moscato Howe even more is that Illinois is failing to meet the overall need for treatment services.

“The state’s own plan says they will serve 15% of the need,” said Moscato Howe, “However, using the most recent Illinois Household Survey Data from 2003, we are currently only serving about 5.25%.”

Moscato Howe noted when this year’s Illinois budget cuts are factored, that number will fall to about 4.09%, much lower than 7-9% served in previous years.

“More and more women and young girls are seeking drug and alcohol treatment and our ability to help them is diminishing with each passing year,” Moscato Howe said.

Moscata Howe noted that IADDA will be pushing Governor Pat Quinn and legislative leaders House Speaker Michael Madigan, House Minority Leader Tom Cross, Senate President John Cullerton, and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno to address funding issues next year.

They better push hard.

(Chicago, IL) — November 11, 2009. A petition challenge yesterday landed on the candidacy of Illinois House 5th District Democratic state representative hopeful David Schroeder.

Schroeder is challenging incumbent State Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-Chicago) in the February 2 primary.

“Today someone filed objections to my petition signatures on behalf of my opponent Ken Dunkin,” Schroeder wrote in a statement. “Ken has repeatedly made it clear throughout his political career that he is not interested in letting the voters have their say on Election Day.”

Schroeder filed four times the number of signatures legally required for the race.

“Ken has a history of running nasty campaigns, including trying to get his opponents knocked off the ballot instead of competing with them in an honest election,” Schroeder said.

Ouch.

Drawn out petition challenges can chew up valuable campaign cash and time, undermining a challenger’s ability to knock off an incumbent.

Stay tuned.

(Princeton, NJ) — November 11, 2009. Republicans have surged passed Democrats as the 2010 congressional elections loom, according to a new Gallup poll. Not good news for national–or Illinois Democrats.

Registered voters in Gallup’s new poll on the generic congressional ballot for the 2010 House elections has Republicans besting Democrats 48% to 44%, after being down six points in July and two in October.

Uh, oh.

This voter discontent with Democrats should make both Governor Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes nervous.

Read more of Gallup’s poll here …

Jim Madigan and Campaign Manager Lauren Peters wait in the rain for three hours to turn in Jim's petition on the first day for candidates to file with the State Board of Elections in Springfield, IL.

(Chicago, IL) — November 11, 2009. The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has endorsed Illinois Democratic State Senate candidate Jim Madigan in his primary race against first-term incumbent Heather Steans (D-Chicago).

Madigan, a civil rights attorney and gay rights activist, announced the news on Friday, November 6 via Twitter.

The Victory Fund endorsement is an important boost to Madigan’s campaign.

This national group identifies, trains and helps elects gay and lesbian candidate to all levels of office across the United States. And it has an impressive track record. In the 2008 cycle, it endorsed 111 openly gay or lesbian candidates – 80 of whom won.

The national endorsement–which also will draw donations to Madigan’s campaign–will also help counterbalance the strong local gay and lesbian backing garnered by Steans in the contest for the 7th district seat on Chicago’s North Side.

In fact, Steans hosted a fund-raiser last night, Tuesday, November 10, at Hamburger Mary’s in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood which included an all-star host committee of gay and lesbian political and civic leaders, including openly gay State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago).

State Rep. Greg Harris introduces State Senator Heather Steans during the Nov. 10 fundraiser at Hamburger Mary's.

In addition to Harris, the Steans committe included: political consultant and long-time fund-raiser Michael Bauer, activist Kelly Cassidy, Howard Brown Health Center CEO Michael Cook, former City of Chicago Gay & Lesbian Liaison Mary Morten, former Deputy Cook County Clerk Brandon Neese, Chicago House President Rev. Stan Sloan, AIDS Foundation of Chicago lobbyist John Peller, and Governor Pat Quinn’s Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance Michael McRaith.

Additionally, openly gay Alderman Tom Tunney (D-44th), openly lesbian Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Debra Shore, and Equality Illinois political director Rick Garcia have endorsed Steans.

Madigan, the former interim Executive Director of Equality Illinois a statewide gay rights group, filed his nominating petitions at the Illinois State Board of Elections in Springfield on October 26 with 3,000 signatures, three times the 1,000 necessary to secure a spot on the February 2 primary ballot.

Madigan’s petitions were photocopied by a local political operative which suggested a potential petition challenge, but no challenge emerged. Madigan followed the 3-to-1 petition “rule of thumb”, collecting three times the number of signatures that he legally needed, and he apparently hewed to the arcane ballot access law requirements which routinely torment even experienced candidates.

In fact, State Rep. Deb Mell, the legislature’s first openly lesbian lawmaker and daughter of long-term Alderman Dick Mell (D-33) is facing a stiff challenge to her petitions by her openly gay opponent Joe Laiacona.

In addition to Madigan’s endorsement, the Victory Fund has also endorsed two other openly gay Illinois candidates. Todd Connnor, a Democrat running for one of three open seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and Linda Pauel, a Democrat seeking a judgeship in Illinois’ 1st judicial circuit, also have the Fund’s backing.

Let the show begin.

Gov. Pat Quinn

(Chicago, IL) — November 10, 2009. A new internal poll has Pat Quinn leading Dan Hynes 34%-17%, according to a reliable source close to the Quinn campaign.

This is a good news-bad news poll.

The good news for Quinn is that he is still beating Hynes 2 to 1 as he was in early September. The bad news for Quinn–and Hynes–is that their support has cratered from the September poll that Quinn publicly released in which he led Hynes 54%-26%.

The nearly $2 million negative ad duel between the two campaigns has apparently managed only to drag each other down rather than lifting either one up.

That slippage could help explain the Quinn campaign’s recent call for an attack ad “cease fire” between he and Hynes. Hynes said no. He should probably reconsider.

It may also explain the new positive video–”Herb the Barber”–launched by Quinn’s campaign as an effort to help rebuild the Governor’s support. Herb, Quinn’s barber for at least 32 years, gives an unscripted, homey–or barber shoppy–endorsement of Quinn for, essentially, his honesty.

“Herb the Barber”–a welcome antidote to “Joe the Plumber”–gets all thumbs up. This has to be the best positive ad of the 2010 season. It’s worth a look. Of course, it needs to be seen by more than the 175 people so far on You Tube to be useful to Quinn.

Anyway.

At this moment, Quinn’s campaign communications director–the fiery and fun-deprived Elizabeth Austin–is likely ready to rocket out an e-mail to THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER at any moment. Seat-belt fastened.

One, two, three … Powering down the Blackberry.

Here’s “Herb the Barber”:

(Chicago, IL) — November 10, 2009. DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom won the Milton Township Republican Organization 2010 Straw Poll for Governor about 10 days ago, beating DuPage County State Senator Kirk Dillard, 142-37.

And after stating at a recent GOP debate that global-warming is not man-made, Schillerstrom will also likely lock up the Flat Earth Society endorsement, too.

But the real news from the Milton GOP straw poll was that former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan–who jumped into the Illinois 2010 Republican primary for governor a week-ago–got trounced.

Milton Township GOP Straw Poll–Candidate Vote Total:

• Bob Schillerstrom 142
• Kirk Dillard 37
• Adam Andrzejewski 36
• Bill Brady 27
• Jim Ryan 13
• Dan Proft 6
• Andy McKenna 2

Ryan got into the race virtually boasting he was going to be the 800-pound guerilla in race, releasing a poll memo that had him beating State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) by a meager 26-10, and leaving the others in the poll’s single-digit dungeon.

The Milton Township Republicans apparently didn’t get the memo.

Ryan has got some work to do.

MWRD Democratic candidate Todd Connor

(Chicago, IL) — November 9, 2009. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago Board of Commissioners last Thursday got a pasting from financial analyst Daniel Kaplan and candidate Todd Connor–who is aiming to join the board’s ranks–over a botched bond deal that cost Cook County area taxpayers $68 million.

The MWRD cleans sludge. Figures.

The AAA-rated MWRD via its elected commisioners unanimously approved and sold $600 million worth of bonds in August at a 5.72% interest rate. Nearly simultaneously, AAA-rated Johnson & Johnson had comparable bonds out there at an implied 5.33% interest rate.

“Had Chicago’s authorities borrowed at the same rate as J&J, they would have saved taxpayers $68.6 million over the lifespan of the bonds,” wrote Arthur Levitt, former Securities Exchange Commission Chairman, on Bloomberg.com on October 22.

Oops.

Levitt noted that District treasurer was “really happy” with the results of the bond sale.

“That’s like a retailer bragging about how it sold out of merchandise priced at a loss,” Levitt added.

In Chicago–that’s politics and bond deals. Taxpayers rarely win.

At Thursday’s meeting, financial consultant, Daniel Kaplan, who offered expert testimony and detailed financial analysis, said: “This was a very lucrative deal for underwriters and investors, and a very poor deal for the taxpayers of the District.”

In Chicago–that’s politics and bond deals. Taxpayers rarely win.

The water district commissioners tapped Mesirow Financial of Chicago to handle the bond deal. Mesirow was, however, apparently out of its league. Mesirow is not ranked among the top 25 firms in the Securities Data Index, and does not usually handle bond deals of this size.

Hmm.

Well, why was Mesirow selected by MRWD commissioners Barbara McGowan, Cynthia Santos  Debra Shore, Frank Avila, Gloria Alitto Majewski, Kathleen Meany, Mariyana Spyropoulos (assumed office after the bond deal vote), Patricia Horton, and Board President Terry O’Brien?

Todd Connor, a former Illinois Inspector General and a Democratic candidate for a MRWD board seat, has also been asking that question and banging away on his drum over the $68 million lost by Cook County taxpayers in the Mesirow deal.

“The problem is that these questions needed to asked before the deal was approved, not after the taxpayers money has been lost,” said Connor, frustrated at the Board’s post-game review of the bond deal on November 5.

Horse long gone. Now firmly close barn-door. Typical government response.

“We cannot afford to have elected officials who are interested in backroom business or pinstripe patronage, but rather, we need Commissioners who are able to speak up, ask the right questions and make decisions solely based on the taxpayer’s interest,” added Connor, 31, a former Navy officer.

Connor, who earned his MBA at the University of Chicago and served overseas in the Persian Gulf during Operation Iraqi Freedom as a navigator on the U.S.S. Bunker Hill, has to be one of the most impressive candidates on the 2010 Illinois campaign trail. He combines brains and campaign savvy.

If this former Illinois Inspector General–who filed nominating petitions with 22,000 signatures–snags a seat on the water district board–which manages a $1.6 billion–that’s “billion” with a “b”–budget that is larger than the CTA’s–he can follow paper trails. He can find where other bond deals are buried.

Backing Connor is an impressive list of progressive politicians: Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (D-4th), U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, State Senator Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston), State Senator Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest), State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago), Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer (D-Chicago) State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), Alderman Tom Tunney (D-44th), former State Senator Carol Ronen (D-Chicago), State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin (D-Evanston), Northfield Township Committeeman Mike Kreloff, and Cook County Commissioner Roberto Moldonado (D-Chicago).

Connor can clean the water agency’s poop deck and clean up its officers’ mess. He’s got the professional qualifications and the grit. Heck, he has even his own white hat, too. But he needs the help of voters.

Otherwise, we Cook County area taxpayers risk another $68 million loss–or more–on some future bond deal sluicing down the MWRD’s own sewer.

Can we afford that?

(Chicago, IL) — November 6, 2009. Shutting down for Friday … off to Spanish lesson and gym.

Hasta pronto, folks.

David Ormsby

Dan Proft

(Chicago, Illinois) – November 6, 2009. The Schaumburg Township Republican organization yesterday endorsed Republican Dan Proft for Governor.

Proft is polling in head-to-head match-ups in single digits at around 4%.

Despite a crowded field of seven candidates, Proft garnered the required 60% vote of Schaumburg Township GOP precinct captains to secure the endorsement on the first ballot.

He got 24 votes. He needed 23.

“This is a big win for our campaign and I personally am honored by the Schaumburg Township Republican Organization’s endorsement,” said Proft. “I want to thank Committeeman Mike Adelizzi and the entire Schaumburg Township Republican Organization.”

Big win.

Meanwhile, DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom won the Milton Township Republican Organization 2010 Straw Poll for Governor last weekend, beating DuPage County State Senator Kirk Dillard, 142-37. Schillerstrom has chalked up endorsements from 8 of the 9 DuPage County Township Republican Organization Chairmen.

And after stating this week that global-warming is not man-made, Schillerstrom will also likely lock up the Flat Earth Society endorsement, too.

Also competing in the 2010 Illinois Republican governor primary are: Andy McKenna, Bill Brady, Jim Ryan, and Adam Andrzejewski.

State Rep. Lou Lang and Gov. Pat Quinn speaking after the press conference today.

(Chicago, IL) — November 6, 2009. Illinois Democratic lawmakers State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), Deputy House Majority Leader Lou Lang (D-Skokie), and State Senator Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) today endorsed Governor Pat Quinn in the Illinois 2010 Democratic primary for governor over Comptroller Dan Hynes at a press conference on Chicago’s North Side.

Hynes, a constituent of Fritchey’s, had endorsed Fritchey’s opponent, State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago),  in the IL 5th congressional special election to succeed Rahm Emanuel in February. Oops.

Fritchey is also the 32nd Ward Democratic Committeeman. He is leaving the state legislature to run for the Cook County Board seated being vacated by Commissioner Forrest Claypool.

Chicago Tribune reporter Monique Garcia at today's press conference.

Lang, who is also the Niles Township Democratic Committeeman and Executive Vice President of the Cook County Democratic Party, had emerged as a critic of Quinn in the State House during the spring legislative session, but Lang has now swung firmly behind Quinn.

The Chicago Tribune’s headline writer, however, cast the Quinn endorsements, which also included 33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell, as “Quinn gets backing from former Blagojevich allies“.

Ouch.

Monique Garcia, who covered the press conference at the Ann Sather’s restaurant in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, wrote a more balanced story lead, referring to the Fritchey and

State Rep. John Fritchey and Gov. Pat Quinn at today's press conference.

the others as the “… Democratic leaders who once hailed and later feuded with his running mate and predecessor, Rod Blagojevich.”

The Tribune editor just provided material for a TV attack ad by the Hynes campaign or the GOP.

In fact, Fritchey, Lang, and Mell were early Blagojevich opponents long before it was politically fashionable. Fritchey and Lang led the impeachment effort against Blagojevich in the House–but get tagged as “allies”.

Oh, well.

Silverstein is also the 50th Ward Democratic Committeeman.

In addition to Hynes, Quinn faces attorney Ed Scanlan of Oak Park and William “Dock” Walls in the Democratic primary on February 2, 2010.