QUACKING IN HIS BOOTS

QUACKING IN HIS BOOTS In the “fowl” world of Illinois politics, if something walks like a duck and quacks like a duck; it is a duck. So I can understand the concern of Governor Quinn that if he signed the McCormick Place overhaul legislation, that includes appointing Jim Reilly as trustee, the stench could be awful. Quinn is trying to avoid stepping in duck poop. So on Wednesday afternoon, he vetoed the bill. The background, according to the April 29th Chicago Tribune, “Exhibitors' rights likely would include greater ability to set up booths and displays, including the use of some power tools and ladders. Show-floor labor rules likely would reduce the size of various work crews and the number of union stewards working the halls, while at the same time expanding the hours when workers would be paid straight time. That move would reduce time-and-a-half and double-time pay. These rules, at least in theory, would supersede terms in collective bargaining agreements between the two major show contractors — Freeman and Global Experience Specialists, or GES — and the unions that work the shows.” Until 18 months ago, Jim Reilly was a paid consultant to both Freeman and GES. Unions have objected to the fact that Reilly consulted for the two major trade-show contractors during contract talks with the unions, including the Teamsters and carpenters in previous negotiations with McCormick Place. As trustee, Reilly would have broad decision-making power to oversee restructuring the Chicago convention center. Reilly says he sees no conflict of interest; just changing the side of the table he will be sitting at. I am not questioning whether Jim Reilly is capable of handling the job as trustee, I am questioning whether it is smart to choose someone who has “jumped the fence,” when there are probably a score of other equally capable people to fill the job. Asked if he had a specific issue with Reilly, Quinn said, "I just think anytime you have one person running anything, you've got to make sure you've got accountability." While Reilly has assured everyone that he will be “accountable” to the needs of McCormick Place; he used to be “accountable” to the very trade shows he would now be working against. Quinn was under tremendous pressure to sign the bill because he has been told in a letter from Philip Brandl, president of the International Housewares Association, the second-largest trade show that the governor had until Friday to sign a bill to revamp the work rules at McCormick Place or the show is leaving town. The letter said, “Chicago would be and is our choice . . . but not without the substantial reform this bill can enact. The lack of signature to this bill will ultimately send us and other vitally important trade show business elsewhere." Greg Hinz in his column in Crain’s Chicago Business reported that, “The show is prepared to renew for "three to five years" in Chicago if the legislation is signed, Mr. Brandl said. The show attracted nearly 60,000 participants in March and injected an estimated $82 million into Chicago's economy.” So Quinn is now left flapping his wings. He has vetoed the bill and now will have to endure the wrath of conventioneers who gave him a deadline and Mayor Daley who does not want to see trade shows leave the city and lose the jobs and tax revenues. In his veto message he said, “In accordance with Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution, I hereby return Senate Bill 28 with specific recommendations for change.” One of the obstacles he pointed out was that, “by naming a specific individual as a trustee, this bill violates Article IV, section 13 of the Illinois Constitution which states that,’ The General Assembly shall pass no special of local law when a general law is or can be made applicable.” Second, if the Trustee was unable to serve, or if the Trustee failed to carry out his duties, no mechanism exists to protect the people of our State form a void at the Authority.” His citing of Article IV was a very clever way to be able to NOT have Reilly be the Trustee but without making it seem personal. If he had signed the bill that appointed Reilly as trustee, the unions would have been upset; by not signing trade shows leave. The decision was not of his making, he was just following the law of the Illinois Constitution. He cleverly avoided getting poop on his shoes!