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* Gov. Pritzker met privately with President Biden in the Oval Office yesterday. Here’s Lynn Sweet…
The two main items on Pritzker’s agenda in his talk with Biden:
• Dealing with $4.2 billion the federal government advanced to Illinois to keep its Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund afloat after it was drained of cash because of the enormous surge of claims triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. What kind of repayment breaks Biden can provide is not yet clear.
• Flagging how when it comes to the Biden administration helping fight gun violence, in Illinois, it’s more than about Chicago. Chicago, with unrelenting gun violence, is expecting in the coming days extra help - a strike force - from the Biden Justice Department. Pritzker said the Illinois State Police are already working with the ATF, DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s office to stop the flow of guns into Illinois.
“I wanted to double down on his understanding that we have a problem, it’s not just a Chicago problem. It’s a problem in Rockford, it’s a problem in other cities in Illinois. People just focus on Chicago, but it’s really a problem in a number of urban areas,” Pritzker said.
Biden also showed Pritzker around part of the White House grounds and West Wing.
Like I’ve been saying, the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund deficit is the biggest fiscal issue facing the state right now.
Also, kinda cool to get a personal POTUS tour, if you’re into that sort of thing.
* Greg Hinz…
In a phone call after the sessions, Pritzker did not indicate that he’d received any definitive promises from Biden other than to fully consider any Illinois requests. But he said the session went “very well” and described Biden as “gracious.” […]
Pritzker said he specifically asked for money for “logistics buildout,” an apparent reference to highway and railroad improvements designed to secure metropolitan Chicago’s place as a national distribution center. But he also asked for help in filling a huge hole in the state’s unemployment trust fund that is now in hock to the feds for hundreds of millions of dollars of expenses run up during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pritzker clearly would like the feds to erase some of the debt. But there are other possibilities, he added, including stretching out the period in which the state—more specifically, state employers—will have to pay off the debt.
* Pritzker also participated in a press conference with other White House attendees. Here’s Mike Flannery…
Asked about opposition to Biden’s big spending plans among some Illinois Republicans, Pritzker suggested their districts would benefit more than those of Democrats. “There are many, many more miles of roads that need to be repaired in those areas, not to mention we’ve got to replace our lead line pipes across the state of Illinois.”
Potential challenger Rodney Davis has been speaking against the infrastructure bill.
* Tribune…
Later Wednesday, Pritzker called it “an excellent bipartisan meeting and real discussion about things that we share in common across all of the leaders that were in the room.”
“There is a massive infrastructure deficit across the nation,” Pritzker said. “Each one had a different angle on what they need in this infrastructure bill. For Illinois, I talked not only about the roads and bridges and water ports and how important those are for our industry, as the crossroads of America run through Illinois, but also about building out our early childhood education centers as well as our child care centers. We need real investment in those.”
* Video..
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 3:23 am
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==Biden also showed Pritzker around part of the White House grounds and West Wing.==
JB measuring for drapes?
Comment by Shield Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 9:36 am
President Biden: You know my son is a financial whiz. Your insurance company in Panama would be well advised to hire him for zillions he is such a genius. So, what did you want from POTUS today Governor?
JB: Gulp. Well I just really came to drop off a Fourth of July Card and Cashiers check personally and ask you for your son’s Linked in profile so we can hire him at once. Our Panamanian Insurance operation is in sore need of a financial whiz like your son. The boys at the Ukrainian gas company say he was great.
Then they have a Urban Violence photo op with a preplanned friendly softball question for the news cycle. Then lunch.
I wonder what the lunch cost JB? Probably an expensive one. But I suppose a Casino operator can afford it.
Comment by Al Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 9:42 am
=== and ask you for your son’s Linked in profile so we can hire him at once. Our Panamanian Insurance operation is in sore need of a financial whiz like your son. The boys at the Ukrainian gas company say he was great.===
Wirepoints and IllinoisReview are further down the dial.
To the post,
===Dealing with $4.2 billion the federal government advanced to Illinois to keep its Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund afloat after it was drained of cash because of the enormous surge of claims triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. What kind of repayment breaks Biden can provide is not yet clear.===
A global health crisis, a pandemic seen once in a hundred years hurts so many things, including budgets, businesses, and workers. This issue specifically needs addressing.
===Rodney Davis has been speaking against the infrastructure bill.===
Of course he has. Davis lives in a part of the state that’s a “taker”… so Davis looking to help with infrastructure won’t fly with the old, angry, white, rural folks he will need in a primary… for governor… or against Mary Miller.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 9:54 am
Rich, thank you for level headed UI Trust Fund coverage, unlike the Henny Penny “The sky is falling!” coverage from the likes of IPI & Rob Karr. On an inflation adjusted basis, the 12/83 deficit was $6.4 Billion, 28% higher than the current IDES estimate. [Actual 1983 figure was $2.4 Billion - CPI calculators are a handy tool!] It is a problem, but it has been substantially worse in the past.
Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 10:06 am
=== JB measuring for drapes?===
One election at a time.
Prolly why discussion UI and crime, “likely” 2022 campaign issues needed the one-on-one time, like a tour, to build (or build upon) a relationship with the White House
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 10:11 am
Don Trump: You know my kids are a whiz at everything. Just ask my development company in Saudi Arabia and China. So, what did you want from POTUS today President Putin?
Brucie: Gulp. Well I just really came to drop off a Fourth of July Card and stolen emails personally and ask you for your kid’s Linked in profiles so we can loan them some more money at once. Our corrupt energy operation is in sore need of a financial whiz like your son in law. The boys at the slum lord company say he was great.
Then they have a “We didn’t hack the system” photo op with a preplanned friendly softball question for the news cycle. Then lunch.
I wonder what the lunch cost Don? Probably not an expensive one since it was all fast food. But I suppose a fascist can afford it.
Fixed it for you.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 11:05 am
Allright, people. Presidential sons is pretty darned far off topic. Get back to the discussion at hand. Final warning.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 11:28 am
I’m sure POTUS personal tours of the WH are part of the package for the Top 1% of Dem contributors to the party/ billionaires/ high level elected official combos. ; )
Comment by Boomerang Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 12:32 pm