Biz group plans to spend $1 million on lawmakers who back pension reform

* Posted at the request of the GEA presidents

March 12, 2012

 

A top business-backed group has begun to open its wallet wide in key legislative races in next week's primary elections, and says it may spend $1 million by November to elect lawmakers who back pension reform.

 

We Mean Business in the past week has donated more than $100,000 to legislators for their campaigns, usually in chunks of $10,000 or $20,000 each. The group has raised even more in the past several weeks, with a total available war chest of more than $300,000 to spend by March 20.

Group founder Ty Fahner, who also is president of both the Commercial Club of Chicago and its Civic Committee, says this is just the start.

 

"We want to build a $1 million pot," Mr. Fahner says. Most will be spent in direct donations to candidates, he adds, but some also will go to "independent" expenditures that have a freer hand under Illinois law to spend big bucks.

 

The group already has notched a win of sorts with its top recipient: Downstate state representative hopeful Brad Halbrook. He's received $40,000 and his primary foe, incumbent Roger Eddy, withdrew from the race a few days ago.

 

Mr. Eddy had received major donations from the Illinois Education Associations, the teachers union. He has accepted a job with the Illinois Association of School Boards.

 

Another $20,000 went to Sen. Carol Pankau, R-Roselle, who faces a primary challenge from Rep. Randy Ramey, R-Carol Stream, the DuPage County GOP chairman.

 

Among other receivers are Deputy House Minority Leader Tim Schmitz, R-Batavia; Rep. Elaine Nekritz of Northbrook, the point person for House Democrats on pension reform, and Rep. Darlene Senger, R-Naperville.

 

Though We Mean Business legally is a separate entity from the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club, its leadership is much the same and includes top corporate leaders.

 

The group had raised $142,750 by Jan. 1. Since then, it has more than doubled that figure, with various members of the Crown family and their employees donating $60,000; Abbott Labs chief Miles White giving $10,000; Exelon CEO John Rowe (who is set to retire today), $10,000, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, $10,000.

 

Mr. Fahner said other substantial donations will be disclosed to the State Board of Elections within a day or two.

 

The decision to donate big money — particularly in primaries, and particularly in the GOP primary — represents a change in tactics.

 

Traditionally, Civic Committee chiefs have pretty much stuck to Springfield lobbying. When they gave, it usually was for general elections and often through political party committees.

 

But school reformers had success two years ago targeting individual legislative contests, early and late. By all accounts, the We Mean Business folks are following along.

 

The donations come as lawmakers consider various proposals to remake the state's pension funds, which have unfunded liabilities totaling more than $85 billion. On the table are proposals to require workers to pay more, accept lesser benefits, or both.