WASHINGTON, D.C. – An historic, bipartisan bill to curtail the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine was signed into law by President Obama today, marking the first time Congress has repealed a mandatory minimum since the Nixon administration.

The Fair Sentencing Act, authored by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), will reduce the current 100:1 sentencing disparity to 18:1.  The bill is cosponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy and Ranking Member Jeff Sessions and passed both the House and the Senate unanimously.

“We have talked about the need to address the crack -powder sentencing disparity for far too long. With the Fair Sentencing Act now the law of the land, we’ve finally addressed one of the greatest injustices in our war on drugs,” Durbin said. “Drug use is still a serious problem in America and we need tough legislation to combat it. But in addition to being tough, our drug laws must be smart and fair. This bipartisan bill is both.”

Under the previous law, possession of five grams of crack cocaine (roughly the weight of two sugar cubes) triggers a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence, while trafficking 500 grams (approximately one pound) of powder cocaine triggers the same sentence.  The so-called 100:1 ratio had been in place since 1986.

The dramatically higher penalties for crack have disproportionately affected the African American community:  more than 80 percent of those convicted for federal crack offenses.

The Fair Sentencing Act, as introduced, would have completely eliminated the disparity, treating crack and powder cocaine equally.  However, in March, Senator Durbin and Chairman Leahy negotiated an agreement with Senators Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tom Coburn (R-OK), and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to achieve a unanimous committee vote. 

The compromise, passed by both the House and Senate, significantly increases fines for drug traffickers and mandates that the U.S. Sentencing Commission significantly increase enhancements for a number of aggravating factors. This tough new language would apply to all drug offenses and not just those involving crack or powder cocaine.

 This legislation also would eliminate the mandatory minimum sentence for simple possession of crack cocaine (the only mandatory minimum sentence for simple possession of a drug by a first-time offender). 

 
Kirk: “We need a plan to create jobs and expand opportunities in Southern Illinois”

 
 
Carbondale, IL – Congressman Mark Kirk joined Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole, State Representative Mike Bost and community leaders to unveil his Southern Illinois Agenda to highlight the priorities of the region.
 
“From Metropolis to Chester to Mt. Vernon, I have traveled across Southern Illinois and the rest of the state talking about how to create jobs and get our economy back on track. We must continue to support Southern Illinois’ economic engine in SIU and the region’s rich agricultural industry as well as promote innovative local efforts to expand infrastructure and create jobs,” Kirk said. “The best thing we can do for Southern Illinois right now is support pro-growth, job creation policies to turn our economy around and put people back to work.”

The Southern Illinois Agenda is a nine-point plan to create jobs and expand opportunities in Southern Illinois. Congressman Kirk worked with Southern Illinois leaders to develop the agenda. Below is Congressman Kirk’s Southern Illinois Agenda.

The Southern Agenda

 
1)      Support Southern Illinois’ Economic Engine – SIU
 
Southern Illinois University is a major higher education institution dedicated to teaching and research, but to Southern Illinois it is so much more. Employing more than 6,000 people, SIU is the region’s largest employer. From infrastructure upgrades like Saluki Way to improving programs to help increase the quality of education provided, SIU has greater potential to boost incomes and lower unemployment.  As a Senator, Mark Kirk will work to boost federal National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense research at SIU.  He will also propose that SIU become a testbed for public-private partnerships to bring venture capital to foster the transition of university research into Southern Illinois companies.  Finally, as co-Chairman of the House U.S.-China Working Group — and expected Senate counterpart — Mark Kirk will work to improve SIU’s linguistic and commercial ties to the China market so that students from SIU will be heavily recruited by U.S.-based exporters.
 
2)      Educate the Workforce

Beyond bringing new jobs to Southern Illinois, it is imperative to focus on educating and training our workforce.  As a Senator, Mark Kirk will support community colleges like John A. Logan, Southwestern Illinois College, Rend Lake College and Shawnee Community College.  He will also work to make college more affordable by enacting the 401(Kids) Family Savings Act of 2009, authored by Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-Hinsdale).  This legislation, cosponsored by Congressman Kirk, allows any individual – including a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle – to set aside a total of $2,000 annually per child in a 401(Kids) Savings Account. Like a Roth IRA, the money is contributed to the account after taxes, interest accumulates tax-free, and the balance can be used tax-free for approved purposes, including education expenses, the purchase of a first home or retirement.
 
3)      Supporting Illinois Coal
 
Illinois has the third largest total coal resources of any state second only to Montana in terms of demonstrated reserve base, as well as the largest reported bituminous coal and strippable bituminous coal resources of any state in the United States. Recoverable coal reserves in Illinois (38 billion tons) account for almost one-eighth of the total U.S. coal reserves and one-quarter of the nation’s bituminous coal reserves.
 
After touring Coulterville with Congressman Shimkus as well as the Galatia mine, Congressman Kirk understands the coal industry is a major component of Illinois’ economy that was severely hampered by government regulation.  Congressman Kirk supports scientific innovators and job creators like the FutureGen project which will help produce dramatically cleaner electricity from coal while simultaneously boosting our state’s coal industry and turning our economy around.
 
Supporting mine mouth technology as instituted by the Prairie State Energy Campus is essential to helping solve our energy needs efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way.  Ground was broken in 2007 for the Prairie State Energy Campus, a 1,600 megawatt power station in Washington County that is owned by several municipal and rural electric power providers. A projected one million tons of coal per year for the plant will come directly from the nearby Lively Grove.
 
4)       Standing Up for Health Care in Southern Illinois
 
Maintaining a commitment to quality health care becomes increasingly important as growth rates for the 65+ age range increase across the country and in Southern Illinois. Healthcare in Southern Illinois is important to give the people the access to the critical care they need.  As a Senator, Mark Kirk will support health care providers like Southern Illinois Healthcare who, with 2,700 full and part-time employees, is vital to the health and economic survival of our region. Memorial Hospital in Carbondale employs over 1,300 and Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion employs 600. Mark Kirk will fight congressional cuts to Medicare and hospitals – and work to improve the Medicare reimbursement system.
 
With Illinois’ state medical liability reform law recently struck down, Congress should pass federal medical liability reform to stop the exodus of doctors from the practice of medicine.  In Southern Illinois, lawsuit abuse sent the costs of medical liability insurance soaring driving out neurosurgeons and OB/GYNs.  Federal medical liability reform will lower the cost of health care and expand access to more Americans.  
 
5)      Combating Methamphetamine and Other Drugs
 
While all of Illinois bears the burden of this destructive drug, the prevalence of meth use is in rural areas of the state not commonly associated with illicit drug use. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, methamphetamine is the primary drug threat to central and Southern Illinois and is increasing in prevalence in the Chicago area.  In April, the Southern Illinoisan reported that meth and heroin use are on the rise in the Southern Illinois region.   As a congressman, Mark Kirk has long supported the Metropolitan Enforcement Group, a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement task force concentrating in illegal drugs, gangs and weapons offenses.  As a Senator, he will continue support the needs of local, state and federal law enforcement to crack down on meth labs, sales and addiction.
 
6)      Investing in Transportation and Infrastructure
 
Transportation and infrastructure investment are vital to economic growth in Illinois. Much of our state’s economy also depends on the system of locks and dams along Illinois’ rivers to bring products to market.  However, this system was built long ago for smaller and older ships. As Senator, Mark Kirk will work to upgrade and expand our river infrastructure to bring our lock-and-dam system into the 21st century. By supporting the Olmsted Locks and Dam project we will replace two deteriorating lock and dams along the Ohio River with a single facility that will tremendously improve barge and grain traffic along our rivers.  The new locks will operate more efficiently and pass tows with fewer delays and provide hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits to the country. 
 
By upgrading the Ohio River byways and linking Golconda, Metropolis, Mound City and Cairo by intermodal transport, we can create good jobs and put our economy back on track.
 
7)      Standing up for Southern Illinois Small Businesses
 
With unemployment over 10 percent, the number one priority in Southern Illinois is promoting pro-growth policies to create jobs and put the people of Southern Illinois back to work. Small businesses account for 98.4 percent of statewide employers and are the engine of our economy.
 
Congressman Kirk has announced a Small Business Bill of Rights to protect small businesses from higher taxes, rising health care and energy costs and increasing government red tape. The plan, which is endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business, would provide small business employers with capital gains, AMT and death tax relief, cut government red tape, lower health care costs and protect a worker’s right to a secret ballot in a union election. 
 
The Small Business Bill of Rights will:
 

• Protect secret ballots in union elections
• Lower health costs with lawsuit reforms and interstate competition
• Lower energy costs with credits for efficient equipment and hybrids
• Permit children to continue business with low/no death tax
• Exempt small businesses from capital gains tax for 10 years
• Make immigration laws easy to comply with
• Create a Patent Office fast lane for small business innovation
• SBA to limit federal paperwork for small businesses to 200 hours annually
• Prevent AMT from taxing the middle class
• Reduce deficit to encourage jobs and improve credit

 
8)      Supporting Agriculture in Southern Illinois
 
With major exports of corn, soybean and wheat along with a supporting industry of manufacturing, research and trade, agriculture is the backbone of the Illinois economy – and a major employer in Southern Illinois.   Congressman Kirk strongly supports expanding American energy to create jobs and lower costs. He is a strong supporter of ethanol and biodiesel to expand economic opportunities for Illinois farmers – especially our corn and soybean producers.  Mark Kirk is a leader in Congress in helping small and medium-sized businesses – especially farmers and support industries – export their products to foreign markets like China.  As a Senator, Mark will fight to expand the Foreign Commercial Service, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Development Agency – key agencies that help west-central Illinois farmers and businesses establish and expand exports to growing markets.
 
9)      Supporting the Region’s Rich Tourism Industry
 
Unfortunately due to an out-of-control state budget the Southern Illinois Tourism Development Office was forced to close its doors.  Serving 22 counties the tourism office was vital to highlighting the region’s rich tourism industry. With its abundant parks, lakes, and wineries, Southern Illinois provides a perfect outlet for those seeking outdoor activities.  Not only does tourism present people with opportunities to relax, it also a major component of Southern Illinois’ economic engine, providing jobs to the region.  As a Senator, Mark Kirk will work to protect our natural resources like the Shawnee National Forest and ensure that Southern Illinois tourism thrives in the 21^stcentury.

Theft nets former park district treasurer six years in prison

 The former treasurer of a south suburban park district was convicted of stealing over $266,000 and received a significant prison sentence, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Donald Jacobs, 62, of Posen pled guilty to one count each of theft of government property and official misconduct. Cook County Judge Michele Simmons sentenced Jacobs to six years for the theft charge and three years for the official misconduct charge to be served concurrently in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Jacobs was arrested in May along with several other defendants in “Operation Cookie Jar”, an ongoing investigation initiated earlier this year by the State’s Attorney’s Office targeting local government corruption. This is the second conviction as a result of the investigation.

“We are pleased with the sentence today,” said Alvarez. “We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute local corruption cases in Cook County.”

According to prosecutors, Jacobs had served as the treasurer of the Posen Park District since 1995 where his responsibilities included working on its $180,000 annual budget and issuing checks to vendors for payment after obtaining the board’s approval.

Earlier this year prosecutors were contacted by board members about irregularities in the district’s finances. Investigators began reviewing records and learned that since 2004 a company named “D & D Services” had been issued over $200,000 in unapproved checks by Jacobs. A closer look at the business revealed that Jacobs was a signatory on the bank accounts where the stolen funds were deposited.

A further review of park district records also found that Jacobs used park district funds to pay his credit card bills, personal mortgage, and issued himself 94 additional paychecks. Prosecutors determined that Jacob’s thefts cost the park district $266,414.

Members of the public with information on corruption are encouraged to contact the office via an email tip line at: corruptiontips@cookcountyil.gov

New law cracks down on debt settlement fraud 

Springfield, IL – A bill pushed by the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office aimed at cracking down on debt settlement companies that make false promises of big savings while sinking consumers further into debt was signed into law Tuesday.

“For far too long, debt settlement companies have operated like it’s the Wild West out there. This legislation will require that debt settlement companies play by the rules and not take advantage of Illinoisans who are struggling during these difficult times,” said State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. “It will rein in these unscrupulous practices and protect the financial health of Illinois residents.”

The economic downturn and high unemployment rate have spawned the rapid growth of debt settlement companies nationwide that claim to help distressed borrowers by negotiating to pay off their debt for pennies on the dollar.

The new legislation prohibits all upfront and monthly fees, except for a one-time $50 application charge, and caps fees at 15 percent of the savings achieved from settling a debt. Prior to this law, debt settlement companies were allowed to collect roughly 15 to 20 percent of the consumer’s total debt upfront, so a consumer who owes $15,000 in credit card debt the company could pay $3,000 upfront before a single debt is settled.

Promising savings of up to 60 percent, debt settlement companies typically told clients to stop paying their credit card bills and to re-route that money into an account that would later be used to negotiate a settlement. This accumulation period took anywhere from 12 to 18 months while fees and interest continued to accrue.

As a result, many consumers were sued by their creditors before settlements were reached, leading to judgments, wage garnishments and liens. In most cases, consumers could not obtain refunds if they cancelled their contracts, even if none of their debts were actually settled.

The new debt settlement law, crafted by the Treasurer’s Office in collaboration with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, prohibits companies from advising consumers to stop making payments to creditors, allows consumers to cancel a contract at any time and prohibits deceptive promises of specific debt reduction results.

It also requires the companies to provide written analysis of a consumer’s financial situation prior to entering into a contract as well as warnings on how a consumer’s credit may be negatively impacted by a debt settlement agreement.

In addition, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will be required to license debt settlement companies for the first time.

State Sen. Jacqueline Collins of Chicago, the Senate sponsor of the bill, said debt settlement companies could no longer be allowed to prey on consumers in crisis.

“This law will curtail the fraudulent, abusive and deceptive practices employed by many debt settlement companies that seek to enhance their bottom line at the expense of working families struggling with substantial personal debt,” Collins said.

State Rep. Karen Yarbrough of Broadview, who sponsored the bill in the House, said the law will provide important safeguards for consumers from dishonest debt settlement tactics.

“Consumers will now have the protections they need to make informed decisions about how best to resolve their debts as well as the tools they need to fight back against unscrupulous debt settlers,” Yarbrough said.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 S. Michigan, has added new bus, and walking tours this summer. These shorter tours give locals and travelers a chance to get to know the city better in a shorter period of time. All tours are provided by Chicago Architecture Foundation docents. Dates and times are all posted on www.architecture.org.

Skyscraper Walk through Time – a quick walk through the Loop provides insights into typical skyscrapers characteristic of their era, from early masonry buildings through the 21st century super-tall highrises. This one-hour tour includes a look at how architects adapted building styles using cutting edge technology specific to their time enabling them to meet the current building style characteristic of the period. Weds, Fri at 10:30 am; and Sat at 3:30 pm.

Early Riser Tour
An energetic 60-minute walk through the loop on Friday mornings at 7:30am. A perfect fit for people with busy schedules who want to take advantage of summertime’s early daylight hours. Tour includes the Marquette Building, the Rookery, Mies van der Rohe’s Federal Center, the Willis Tower and the Trump Tower and ends in Millennium Park at 8:30 am just in time to get on with your day.

Inland Steel building tour
One of Chicago’s most iconic modern skyscrapers, Inland Steel is the newest 45-minute lunchtime tour. Designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill in 1958, this building symbolizes Chicago’s emergence as a center for cutting-edge design in the 20th century. Last Friday of the month at 12:15 pm.

Skyscraper Express Bus Tour – a one hour, 45 minute tour that appeals to people who love to get great photos from special vantage points. This tour takes people to some out of the way places with excellent views of the city such as Wolf Point, the Museum Campus, and East Wacker Drive. There are plenty of opportunities to get off and on the bus for some closer looks at each of the locations. Starting August 27, the tour departs every Friday and Saturday at 3:30 pm.

Rolling along the lakefront
Chicago’s beautiful lakefront by bike or Segway. These tours help showcase Chicago from a whole new perspective.

Elevated Architecture: Chicago’s Loop by ‘L’
This new train tour explores downtown Chicago from the unique perspective of its famous elevated train system. The trains and platforms are elevated 20 feet over the street, allowing for a view of the city from a unique vantage point. Tour includes a discussion of how the ‘L’ system developed and the opportunity to see some of the Loop neighborhoods it passes through.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public interest and education in architecture and design. The Chicago Architecture Foundation pursues this mission through architecture tours, exhibitions, panel discussions, and youth and adult education programs. The current exhibition, Chicago Model City, includes a highly detailed scale model of Chicago. The Chicago Architecture Foundation is located at 224 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60604. For further information visit www.architecture.org or call 312.922.3432 or become a facebook fan: www.facebook.com/chicagoarchitecture or follow on twitter: www.twitter.com/chiarchitecture