By Kathy Bergen, John Byrne and Ray Long |
Gov. Pat Quinn issued an amendatory veto of the McCormick Place
overhaul legislation early this afternoon, sending it back to the
legislature with revisions that would give him more control over the
remake of convention center operations.
The measure, which faces a tough fight for survival, eliminates the
naming of Jim Reilly, currently chairman of the Regional Transportation
Authority, as trustee to oversee the restructuring of the convention
center operations. Instead, it would allow the governor, with consent
of the Senate, to appoint the trustee.
The governor also would have the power to remove the trustee. And if the trustee was unable to fill out the 18-month term, the governor would appoint a replacement, with Senate approval.
The amendatory veto also eliminates a hike in fees on airport taxi and bus rides that would have raised additional marketing funds.
And it revives an earlier proposal to reduce the number of union jurisdictions working the show-floor at McCormick Place. The more powerful unions at the convention center, including the Teamsters and carpenters are expected to remain, while the riggers and the decorators, with their smaller numbers on the show floor, could be phased out, sources said.
”The General Assembly has taken only half a step toward reforming our state’s convention industry,” Quinn said. “When it comes to reform, half measures do not suffice.”
Senate leaders responded swiftly to Quinn’s move, promising the start of an override process tomorrow.
“Gov. Pat Quinn’s decision today to veto key elements of the bipartisan McPier reform package has the potential to destabilize one of the most productive economic engines in the state of Illinois,” Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, and Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno, Lemont, said in a joint statement.
And Chicago Mayor Richard Daley voiced support for an override, saying a failure to do so could lead to shows leaving town.
“It would put a lot of people in jeopardy, because a lot of these conventions sign five years or 10 years out. Will they not sign a five-year contract? That is the problem, and uncertainty,” he said. “When you have uncertainty, when you lose some of them, we’re afraid to start losing more and more.”
Meanwhile, earlier today, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, proposed modest revisions to the McCormick Place overhaul legislation in a follow-up bill.
The follow-up bill, which won approval of a key House committee this morning, would give the General Assembly the ability to remove the designated trustee, Jim Reilly. If the trustee could not serve the full 18-month term specified in the original legislation, the governor could appoint a successor, with Senate approval.
The follow-up bill also would allow existing employees of the agency that runs McCormick Place to be employed by a subsequent private management firm, as long as they did not participate in the awarding of the contract to the firm.
And it includes language that attempts to strengthen the state’s assertion that it can impose work rules on trades people at McCormick Place, whose collective bargaining agreements with private employers.
As well, it would limit the salary of the head of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, a state-subsidized non-profit that markets McCormick Place. Earlier this year, the state’s top economic development officer urged reductions in executive pay at the bureau.
Bye, bye trade shows. Should be interesting to see what the unions do with themselves when there are absolutely no events and no conventioneers for them to abuse. Oh, BTW, it’s Reed and Freeman that bring the shows to Chicago or wherever else they choose to go. Therefore, it’s quite proper that the show organizers profit the most in the end. The unions? They demand their “piece” simply because they are used to being cut in, but let’s not confuse that with honest work at any of the shows.
More proof that Quinn is bought and paid for by the unions.
What a guy!
Faced with a tough political decision that could save jobs (but not his own), Quinn does what ALL Illinois politicians do – he punts.
Spineless political hack. November can’t come soon enough.
Quinn is an absolute MORON! He should lose in November and go back to private life where his inability to act won’t affect million’s of people’s lives.
Once again I see the Idiots who speak with no knowledge how conventions operate.All convention locations are losing shows, Las vegas down over 240 shows and Orlando down 104 shows.2 years ago FMI left chicago for las vegas got a great deal,Left mccormick place with over million feet of floor space exhibits, They just wrapped up there show this week and guess what, it wasnt even at the convention center but a small venue with just 300 exhibit spaces most no bigger then a 10 x 10. No bigger then half the size of the ball room at navy pier. Exhibitors will tell you the real truth where they are getting ripped off by the state, dryage cost(for you people who dont know is getting the freight from the docks to the floor runs an average a 1.00 a pound, yet it costs a teamster under 200.00 to move it,yet for a 17,000 pound shipment which can run 17,000 dollars that the city & state charges. Floor space runs the average of 24.00 to 30.00 per foot, so take for example a 10 x 10 space will cost the exhibitor 3,000 dollars just to rent that spot for 3 days.General exhibitors like GES & freeman charge a exhibitor 100.00 to 120.00 a hour for a carpenter, yet the carpenter makes 40.00 an hour. teamsters 28.00 a hour. Also they do not do a 40 hour work week and most do not make medical benefits or vestments. By passing this bill and making this a right to work would bring people from other states & countries to work so what benefit is it in saving jobs? Maybe for foreigners but not for tax paying workers in Illinois. Also by vetoing this bill putting a 4.00 tax on cabbies limos & buses, You think they wont increase there prices also? Please comment on something useful or whine about it on facebook or some other useless site.
What is it called when a business presents lies as fact, for the express propose to manipulate or otherwise injure another business or government entity?
What do you call legislation, based on these lies?
What do you call a Governor that refuses to sign this type of legislation?
What do you call the benefactors of these lies?
What do you call people that have knowledge of this information, yet are silent?
What do you call a newspaper reporter, that has received this information months ago, but does not have the time to verify the information?
Has the Tribune investigated ANY of these claims?
Has the Tribune investigated the claim of the mystery HiMSS booth?
Has the Tribune investigated the SPI-NPE Plastic Show Savings Summary?
Has the Tribune investigated any of the claims that were presented at the legislative hearings?
Has the Tribune investigated why, Lorrie Baumann, editorial director for Oser Communications Group, a Tucson, Ariz.-based restaurant trade magazine publisher, paid $10,000 last year just to get materials moved from the loading docks to her booth, and back out afterward.
Lorrie Baumann paid GES and the NRA $10,000 last year for what cost GES and the NRA less than $100.
Why does GES and the NRA charge so much for material handling (drayage)?
The NRA is charging $28.50 per square foot for this show, plus drayage.
Pack-Expo will be here in November, they are charging $24.50 per square foot and drayage is included.
Lorrie Baumann would be paying $4.00 less per square foot at the Pack-Expo Show and NOT pay $10,000 for drayage.
It is the same labor, the same work rules, the same convention center, yet this one small booth is charged over $10,000 more at the NRA Show.
The Tribune claims to be an advocate for the truth.
The Tribune has failed us.
I just got back from las vegas to do work there, they paid 3,000 dollars just for me to go and do the work that their labor force can’t provide. That was not my pay it cost another 4,000 in pay. Did i mention they also paid another 40 guys the same thing. It is not the labor in chicago it is the city of chicago that makes mccormick place so expensive. We travel all the time to other cities like vegas and orlando because bottom line are labor in chicago is number 1. If clients are willing to pay our cost to travel why would they not pay it here. I have spoken with many clients that say the work here is awesome, its the drayage and cost of the booth that is so expensive. Ges and freeman also work in these other states as well so if their in other states, and they pay chicago workers to travel then who i wonder is the real problem? Riddle me that?