* The ongoing climate/energy bill negotiations mean I can’t really plan anything like a real vacation, so long weekends are gonna be the rule for a while…
Since economic shutdowns began and COVID-19 death counts started to rise in March 2020, national unemployment rates have hovered at historically high numbers, stressing state unemployment systems left dealing with an unprecedented number of claims.
In Illinois, that’s led to a deficit in the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund – or the pool of money used to sustain the social safety net – that could rise to $5 billion.
Stakeholders from both political parties, as well as business and labor groups, are now warning of “crippling” tax increases on businesses and cuts to unemployment benefits that could result if the ongoing deficit goes unaddressed for too long. […]
Lawmakers and stakeholders reached by Capitol News Illinois said they were hopeful for another round of federal aid, this time targeted to shore up trust funds nationwide. Failing that, members of both parties believe the state should use a large portion of its remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act funds – a sum of more than $5 billion of the $8.1 billion allocated to the state – to address the deficit.
As I’ve said before, I really think that’s where much of the set-aside money is going if Congress doesn’t act.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is fully adopting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in Kindergarten (K)-12 Schools released today.
“Our goal is to protect the health of students, teachers, and staff so that in-person learning can resume as safely as possible,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “The CDC is right: vaccination is the best preventive strategy. As school board members, parents, teachers and superintendents plan for a return to in-person learning in the fall, we strongly encourage those who are not vaccinated to continue to mask. IDPH is proud to fully adopt school guidance issued by CDC, which is based on the latest scientific information about COVID-19.”
The updated school guidance now aligns with guidance for fully vaccinated people, which allows activities to resume for fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask except where required by federal, state, and local rules and regulations.
Major elements of the updated guidance include:
• Masks should be worn indoors by all individuals (age 2 and older) who are not fully vaccinated.
• CDC recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated, to reduce transmission risk. When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, such as when schools cannot fully re-open while maintaining these distances, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking.
• Screening testing, ventilation, handwashing and respiratory etiquette, staying home when sick and getting tested, contact tracing in combination with quarantine and isolation, and cleaning and disinfection are also important layers of prevention to keep schools safe.
• Many schools serve children under the age of 12 who are not eligible for vaccination at this time. Therefore, this guidance emphasizes implementing layered prevention strategies (masking, distancing, testing) to protect people who are not fully vaccinated.
Schools and communities should monitor community transmission of COVID-19, vaccination coverage, screening testing, and outbreaks to guide decisions about on the level of layered prevention strategies being implemented.
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala issued the following declaration mandating in-person learning with limited exceptions:
Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, all schools must resume fully in-person learning for all student attendance days, provided that, pursuant to 105 ILCS 5/10-30 and 105 ILCS 5/34-18.66, remote instruction be made available for students who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine or who are not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, only while they are under quarantine consistent with guidance or requirements from a local public health department or the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“All our students deserve to return safely in-person to schools this fall,” said Dr. Ayala. “With vaccination rates continually rising and unprecedented federal funding to support safe in-person learning, and mitigations such as contact tracing and increased ventilation in place in schools, we are fully confident in the safety of in-person learning this fall. We look forward to a great school year and to the energy of Illinois’ young minds once again filling our school buildings.”
The Illinois Education Association released the following statement attributable to IEA President Kathi Griffin:
“We are very excited that the Illinois Department of Public Health has decided to adopt the Centers for Disease Control’s guidance for schools. Both agencies are correct that vaccines are the best way to keep students and staff safe and for those who can’t get vaccinated, wearing a mask is the next best option. This news has been highly anticipated. Our members are looking forward to the start of this school year and now we have an idea of what the year will look like, and it is based on science, which is a great comfort.”
“There’s a long-standing myth in Illinois that downstate taxes are going to Chicago and supporting Chicago and that is just not true,” [political scientist John Foster], a former member of the SIU political science faculty, explained.
In fact, he said, the research shows that Southern Illinois gets more in state funding for every dollar spent on taxes than any other part of the state.
“Here in the southern 19 counties — basically I-64 south with the exception of the metro east area of St. Louis — we are getting back between $2.75 and $3 for every one tax dollar we pay depending on the year,” Foster said. “On the other end of that are the suburban counties; they are not getting nearly as much back as they are sending.” […]
“If you could somehow get around the Constitutional issues and split, you would create a very poor state,” he said. “Illinois, as a whole, is very wealthy. In total, our economy is in the top 20 in the world, but if you separated the 96 counties outside of Cook County from it and those around it, the 96 would be, by far, the poorest state in the country. It would create an economic disaster.”
Returning to the broader question we began with – the assertion that perception is more important than the facts – is a fundamental axiom of politics that does not bode especially well for mass democracy. Facts should count for something – indeed, for a lot – and are essential to any form of rational decision-making. Rational action at both the individual voter level and the aggregate public opinion level is crucially important in a representative democracy. The operation of a successful mass democracy depends in the long run on the people being well informed and acting according to reality rather than inaccurate perceptions and myth.
“Perception is reality” is destroying this country.
* I told subscribers about this earlier today. Alexi Giannoulias will report having $3 million in his campaign account at the end of the second quarter. Fundraising email…
Dear Friends,
During the past six months, we’ve been working hard so we have the resources and support that our campaign needs to win the Illinois Secretary of State race in 2022.
We recently exceeded our quarterly fundraising goal, having received an overwhelming number of contributions to bring our campaign fund total to more than $3 million cash on hand by the June 30 deadline.
I can’t thank you enough for your help!
Your response shows that we have amassed a broad-based coalition that continues to grow momentum and gain support each day from all parts of the State.
In the end, Illinoisans want solutions-driven leadership that brings people together, restores trust in government and delivers results for hard-working families that I promise to deliver.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s re-election campaign reports $5 million cash on hand after raising $2.37 million in the second quarter of 2021. “Almost all, 97 percent, of the more than 43,000 contributions received over the quarter were under $100,” the campaign said in a statement. The average individual contribution was under $40, according to Illinois Democrat’s camp.
* The ILGOP criticizes Democrats’ attempts to “tighten controls on utilities” in a fundraising email. Utilities don’t produce power…
Friends,
Springfield Democrats are currently attempting to enact a number of SUBSTANDARD energy policies. Led by Governor Pritzker, IL Democrats want to tighten controls on utilities and close several major coal-fired power plants in the state.
This is unacceptable, and Illinois Republicans are fighting back.
Will you join us?
Protect Illinois Jobs
Democrats want to turn Illinois from an exporter of energy to an exporter of jobs. They would rather import dirtier power from less efficient plants in other states than fund the energy plants in their own districts.
Just two of the power plants suggested for total shutdown by Pritzker would cost Illinoisans over 2,000 jobs. As you know, Democrats control every level of Illinois state government, and they have all but shut out the GOP from having any part in this new energy legislation.
Our current power grid is among the most RELIABLE in the country and keeps us PROTECTED from brownouts and blackouts. To shut these down is to shut down the entire state of Illinois.
Pitch in now to stand up to Governor Pritzker and his awful energy proposals:
* US Rep. Danny Davis’ primary challenger Kina Collins…
Hey Rich, I wanted to reach out to give you an urgent update from the finance team.
If you didn’t see Kina’s message yesterday, here’s what’s going on: a new establishment super PAC has been formed just to protect Danny Davis from our campaign and the movement we’re building together.
But like Kina told me, “My opponent can depend on corporate money, we’re busy building people power.” That’s why I’m reaching out to our grassroots supporters and asking: can you chip in whatever you can to help our movement beat this PAC?
Illinois Democrat Sean Casten is doubling down on his defense of critical race theory and arguing that it is “unpatriotic” to oppose an ideology that teaches young children that “whiteness” is the devil.
NRCC Comment: “Every vulnerable House Democrat should be as candid as Sean Casten when it comes to their views on critical race theory.” – NRCC Spokesman Mike Berg
Hilarious. Click here to hear what he actually said.
Today, we’re calling on Governor J.B. Pritzker to ensure the SAFER Communities Act is funded by the federal ARP assistance.
The SAFER bill would reduce mass incarceration in Illinois, as well as create a job training program for formerly incarcerated people. This would not only keep people out of prison, but help them get jobs so they can take care of themselves and their families. This is a win-win for the community!
Take 30 seconds to send prewritten emails urging Governor Pritzker to ensure that the SAFER Communities Act is funded by the federal ARP assistance.
Our collective efforts have powered this important proposal forward in Springfield, but there is still work to be done.
Help push the SAFER Communities job program over the finish line by taking part in today’s digital action!
Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed HB 376, the Teaching Equitable Asian American History Act, into law, making Illinois the first state in the nation to require a unit of Asian American history be taught in public schools. The monumental measure will ensure every high school graduate in Illinois will learn about Asian American history as well as the rich contributions and traditions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
The legislation builds on the progress the state has made in ensuring the content taught in Illinois classrooms reflects the diversity of the people who call Illinois home. With the recent rise in acts of violence and bigotry against the Asian American community, teaching students about rich culture and important contributions of the Asian American community throughout history will help combat false stereotypes. […]
The legislation adds a new section on Asian American history study to the Illinois School Code. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, every public elementary school and high school will be required to include a unit of instruction studying the events of Asian American History, including the history of Asian Americans in Illinois and the Midwest. […]
The bill specifies that the curriculum should include:
• The contributions of Asian Americans toward advancing civil rights from the 19th century onward
• The contributions made by individual Asian Americans in government, arts, humanities, and sciences
• The contributions of Asian American communities to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States.
While the legislation specifies topics that should be addressed in the curriculum, the state will not require or designate a specific curriculum for school districts. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is authorized to make instructional materials available to all school boards; however, each school board will determine the minimum amount of instructional time that qualifies as a unit of instruction as stated in the bill.
* Comments from the press release…
“This TEAACH legislation will not only better educate all of our young minds about the contributions of Asian Americans and their communities and culture, but it will give our Asian American students a chance to learn about the experiences and stories they have a personal connection with,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Westchester). “Illinois is now a leader for the entire nation, and it’s our children, our future, who will be better because of it.”
“Asian American history is American history. Yet we are often invisible. The TEAACH Act will ensure that the next generation of Asian American students won’t need to attend law school to learn about their heritage,” said State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview). “Empathy comes from understanding. We cannot do better unless we know better. A lack of knowledge is the root cause of discrimination and the best weapon against ignorance is education.”
“This historic measure makes Illinois the first state in the nation to set a standard for culturally competent Asian American history curriculum,” said State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago). “This milestone offers students of all backgrounds cross-cultural education, and ensures that the stories and experiences of our communities are accurately reflected in the classroom. As the son of Indian immigrants and representative of one of the most diverse districts in the state, I am proud to have sponsored this legislation.”
Vaccinated teachers and students don’t need to wear masks inside school buildings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in relaxing its COVID-19 guidelines.
The changes come amid a national vaccination campaign in which children as young as 12 are eligible to get shots, as well as a general decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.
“We’re at a new point in the pandemic that we’re all really excited about,” and so it’s time to update the guidance, said Erin Sauber-Schatz, who leads the CDC task force that prepares recommendations designed to keep Americans safe from COVID-19.
The nation’s top public health agency is not advising schools to require shots for teachers and vaccine-eligible kids. And it’s not offering guidance on how teachers can know which students are vaccinated or how parents will know which teachers are immunized.
The agency will also call on school districts to use local health data to guide decisions about when to tighten or relax prevention measures like mask wearing and physical distancing. Officials said they were confident this is the correct approach, even with the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, and the fact that children under 12 are not yet eligible for vaccination.
The guidance, which The Times has seen in draft form, is a sharp departure from the C.D.C.’s past recommendations for schools, bluntly acknowledging that many students have suffered during long months of virtual learning and that a uniform approach is not useful when virus caseloads and vaccination rates vary so greatly from city to city and state to state. […]
The new guidance will continue to recommend that students be spaced at least three feet apart, but with a new caveat: If maintaining such spacing would prevent schools from fully reopening, they could rely on a combination of other strategies like indoor masking, testing and enhanced ventilation. The guidance recommends masks for all unvaccinated students, teachers or staff members. […]
It also strongly urges schools to promote vaccination, which it called “one of the most critical strategies to help schools safely resume full operations.” Studies suggest that vaccines remain effective against the Delta variant. […]
The guidance relies heavily on the concept of “layered” prevention, or using multiple strategies at once. In addition to masking and social distancing, those strategies may include regular screening testing, improving ventilation, promoting hand washing, and contact tracing combined with isolation or quarantine.
The recommendations call on local officials to closely monitor the pandemic in their areas, and suggest that if districts want to remove prevention strategies in schools based on local conditions, they should remove one at a time, monitoring for any increases in Covid-19.
The guidance, which is not binding, reflects many of the same concepts that the CDC released in April and May for the broader population.
But it may fuel a new round of political debate about masking and vaccinations — heralded by some, derided by others — as divisions carry over to practices in schools.
And practically speaking, it may be difficult to implement: It does not spell out how schools would collect accurate information about who is vaccinated — and thus able to go without a mask — and who is not.
“The school has to decide if and how they’re able to document vaccination status,” Sauber-Schatz said. If that is not possible, she said, “the safest thing to do to protect those people who are not fully vaccinated” is to go with a universal policy requiring masks.
I’ll post the guidance when it’s published by the CDC.
The CDC also recommends that all bus drivers and their passengers — vaccinated or not — wear a mask while traveling to school.
The biggest sticking point for schools though will likely be whether to require proof of vaccination. Most schools already require proof of childhood immunizations with few exceptions.
The CDC, which does not set vaccination requirements for schools or child care centers, makes clear in its recommendations that it will be up to schools and local officials to decide what to do. The agency specifically notes that schools may opt for a universal masking policy, particularly if they have unvaccinated populations and don’t want to require verification that a person has been vaccinated.
“We do allow for flexibility in our guidance,” said Capt. Erin Sauber-Schatz, who helped to write the guidelines as a member of CDC’s COVID response team.
*** UPDATE *** The new CDC guidance for K-12 is here. The new guidance for daycare is here.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has requested President Joe Biden send federal troops to her city amid a rising crime wave, an offer she previously rejected under former President Donald Trump.
A day after Mayor Lori Lightfoot talked with President Joe Biden at O’Hare Airport about the extra resources he promised to combat crime in Chicago, the mayor said Thursday more federal help will come “relatively soon.”
Lightfoot also dismissed as false a report from a conservative news outlet that she asked Biden to send troops to Chicago, a story that seemed the peg for a Fox News reporter to ask White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki about it at the Thursday briefing. […]
“And no, we don’t need federal troops; we need federal resources of a different kind. And I’ve been very vocal about that; really vocal about both issues since 2019, and I talked at length last summer about the Trump administration’s disastrous policy of sending troops into cities like Portland and Seattle, which was an unmitigated disaster. Troops don’t know how to do local law enforcement. They’re not interchangeable,” Lightfoot said.
SCOOP: Democratic Rep. Dave Vella and Republican Rep. Tom Bennett, assistant minority leader, had planned a bipartisan legislative update over lunch tomorrow, but the invitation rankled Republicans who didn’t see the benefit of such public camaraderie. There was even talk about some GOP members calling a caucus meeting to voice their concerns. Their view: “Why would our leader co-host a Democratic meet-and-greet?”
The event didn’t just cross party lines, it crossed district lines, too. Vella is in the 68th District and Bennett in the 106th. Vella thought it would be a good way for lawmakers to get to know his district, he told Playbook. “My goal is to bring as many people as I can to look at the manufacturing, trade schools, and restaurants that are here,” he said. It’s about “reaching across the aisle.”
But before anyone could RSVP, Bennett had to bow out, said Vella. “He wasn’t able to make it.”
Um, no.
Anyone who knows anything about Leader Bennett knows that he holds these luncheons all the time, with members of both parties. Vella, a Tier One target, made the mistake of promoting the lunch as some sort of big event and Bennett decided he’d rather not participate. Also, while there may have been some talk among the more extreme elements of the HGOP caucus, the caucus chair told me nobody ever asked him about holding a meeting to discuss this topic.
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is giving a new meaning to bipartisan campaign reform. He’s holding a fundraiser tonight with Republican state Rep. Joe Sosnowski.
It’s a rooftop event overlooking the Cubs game against the Cardinals. Welch and Sosnowski have done this before. They split the tickets they sell and do their own sales and promotion.
Back when Welch was just another Democratic rep, it seemed like a nice way to show that lawmakers can work across the aisle. Now that Welch is House speaker, the gesture takes on a whole new meaning.
It plays into Welch’s pitch for bipartisanship — something he’s talked about since becoming speaker in January — and his efforts to show that it’s here to stay. It could benefit Sosnowki. Even Republicans want time with the speaker, after all.
Friday, Jul 9, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Lawmakers are on the verge of passing legislation that would raise electric rates and turn Illinois into an exporter of jobs and importer of energy from neighboring states with higher carbon intensity. While masquerading as a clean energy bill, the proposal would shut down highly efficient, state-of-the-art power plants in Illinois in favor of energy produced in states that are far behind on meeting carbon reduction goals. Legislators must reject this plan and keep energy affordable, reliable and made in Illinois.
Coming online in 2012 during the Obama-Biden Administration and purpose-built with $1 billion of emissions controls, Prairie State Energy Campus stands apart from older, traditional coal plants. Employing more than 650 full-time workers and another 1,000 union contractors, Prairie State has also partnered with state and federal officials to study ways to further cut emissions. Illinois Electric Cooperatives and municipalities that own Prairie State are committed to keeping energy affordable and reliable while we invest in a cleaner energy future, but we cannot let policy get ahead of technology. Forcing a premature closure of Prairie State will have affordability and reliability impacts for Illinois electric cooperative and municipal consumers. Prairie State is the bridge to Illinois’ energy future.
llinois’ credit rating got another boost on Thursday, but some disagree on what’s behind the growing faith in the state’s ability to pay its debts. […]
Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, said the recent actions are driven by the federal bailout.
“We still have the worst unfunded pension liability in the entire nation, we’re still the worst credited state in the entire nation, and at some point, somebody is going to have to be the adult in the room and do their job,” he said.
Being an adult would entail working on a budget, which the Senate Republicans didn’t do this year, even though that very prudent state budget helped the state earn two ratings upgrades in a week. Instead, the Republicans mocked the budget and one of McConchie’s members even used it as target practice in a campaign video.
Look, I actually like the guy and he definitely has a role to play, but backing away a tiny bit from the “Illinois sucks” frame every now and then wouldn’t kill anybody.
* Meanwhile…
Um. Paid back? $138 billion? Nope. Not by the state anyway. And it's not like we were the only state economy flooded with federal money. Sheesh. https://t.co/uBooM3MrUn
The Illinois Department of Employment Security is finally implementing a so-called work-share program — first authorized under a 2015 law — that could have saved anywhere from 43,600 to 123,900 jobs statewide during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research from the University of Illinois and Illinois Economic Policy Institute.
Work-share laws, also known as short-time compensation, allow companies to avoid mass layoffs by reducing workers’ hours so they’re still employed, while also allowing them to receive partial unemployment benefits. The concept is popular in European countries and more than two dozen other states have work-share programs.
While Illinois has had such a law on the books for nearly seven years, work-share was never actually implemented during former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s term or the first half of Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration. But the state’s employment agency is belatedly making good on the program — just as the state’s economy has reopened from all COVID restrictions. To help with the endeavor, the U.S. Department of Labor last week announced Illinois will receive a $4.2 million grant from the federal government.
But work-share will come too late for the thousands of Illinois workers laid off permanently during the pandemic, losing wages, healthcare benefits tied to their employment and sometimes getting divorced from the workforce completely.
“It’s really frustrating, it’s disappointing,” State Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) said. “State government failed its workers, failed its employees by not implementing this seven years ago.”
A few days after the Fourth of July in 2018, Zay Manning was shot outside his neighborhood corner store in Bronzeville — the one he grew up going to for a bottle of lemonade and a bag of hot fries.
He was 19 and loved helping his younger brother produce music — picking out beats, tweaking the sound one bar at a time.
The one bullet that hit him nearly killed him.
During his hospital stay, police officers and doctors told him about the Illinois’ Crime Victim Compensation Program, which uses state and federal dollars to reimburse victims of violent crime and their families for injury-related expenses. Manning applied, hoping to recoup some of the costs of his medical bills and replace clothing destroyed and bloodied in the shooting. But he found the program difficult and confusing as he also was navigating back-to-back hospital visits.
“It was a lot of documentation I didn’t really understand,” Manning says. “I got discouraged.”
More than a year after submitting his claim, Manning faces a similar situation as most of the program’s applicants.
He hasn’t gotten a single penny of compensation.
The nearly 50-year-old government program that’s supposed to help ease the blow of being a crime victim largely isn’t doing that, an investigation by The Trace has found.
Marjorie Taylor Greene is mad at China for not containing Covid-19.
“I don’t want anybody in this country to depend on our enemy, China, who sent a Chinese virus that was made in a lab, that is a bio weapon, not only to our country, but all over the world,” Greene, a freshman member of Congress from Georgia, said. “And people died.”
However, speaking at a political fundraising event on Thursday night [for US Rep. Mary Miller], Greene encouraged hundreds of older voters to resist the life-saving vaccines that have proven to be society’s best weapon at fighting Coronavirus infection, hospitalization, and death.
It would not be her last contradiction of the evening.
On Tuesday, speaking about the country’s ongoing efforts to recover from the pandemic, President Biden said, “Now we need to go to community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood, and oft times door to door – literally knocking on doors – to get help to the remaining people protected from the virus.”
Before Biden made those remarks, local public health departments and community groups had already begun deploying similar public awareness campaigns to combat misinformation about the vaccines.
Still, Greene seized on Biden’s comment to scare people in the audience that federal agents, not local public health officials or volunteers, might arrive at their door if they didn’t take the vaccine. She said her ‘We Will Not Comply Act,’ which she filed in April, would offer wary citizens protection against federal overreach.
“It gives you permission to tell Biden’s little posse that’s gonna show up at your door, you know, that intimidate you — they probably they probably work for Antifa by night, and then they come and intimidate you to take the vaccine by day — Well, you get to tell them to get the hell off of your lawn,” she said to a room of about 500 people.
Of course, you don’t need permission from Congress to tell someone to get off of your private property. But Greene said her legislation would also allow people who refuse the vaccine to sue their employers for discrimination if the company makes vaccination mandatory.
* Mihalopoulos was also there…
More talk about Chicago than Downstate I’m this opening video.
Rep Miller says Chicago is a “war zone” and that she, her family and others in her district do not let people attack their businesses: “We shoot back”
The Bailey aide is asked if he wanted to avoid being associated with #MarjorieTaylorGreene by coming here. The aide replies no, he just had somewhere else to be.
Here’s my story from last year about Bailey, who sued the challenge the stay at home orders https://t.co/m31×777w0A
Friday, Jul 9, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Climate change is no longer an impending crisis. We’re in a state of emergency right now. Last month, more than 480 people died in the Pacific Northwest when temperatures skyrocketed to 117 degrees. Last week, the Gulf of Mexico was on fire.
But instead of taking action in Illinois, fossil fuel companies and out-of-state interest groups are working overtime to mislead consumers about the health, cost, and climate impacts of toxic coal plants. Recently, Congressman Rodney Davis earned a “Pants on Fire” rating for claiming that the Prairie State coal plant was somehow not a major polluter.
Here’s the truth: Prairie State is one of the largest polluters in the nation, and that one plant is responsible for nearly 30% of all CO2 emissions in the Illinois power sector.
The impact of this toxic coal plant isn’t theoretical: Prairie State causes roughly one premature death every week and costs nearly $2 billion a year in damage to our health and environment.
Legislators have an opportunity to pass an equitable energy bill that not only closes dangerous coal plants like Prairie State, but provides resources for impacted communities while maintaining reliable power for everyone in Illinois.
[Rockford] Mayor Tom McNamara is unsure if he’ll run for the 17th district seat currently held by Congresswoman Cheri Bustos.
“I haven’t made any final decisions,” McNamara said. “I’m absolutely considering the position… We as elected officials we’re here to make a difference in residents lives, and I think we can do a better job of that.” […]
McNamara said he’s getting a “strong push” by local, state and national Democrats to run for the seat. […]
Regardless of whether or not he runs, McNamara said the candidate should be someone from the district.
OK, but there are no districts yet. And there may not be until October.
* Meanwhile, from the same area…
The campaign for Republican Esther Joy King today announced it had raised over $425,000 in the second fundraising quarter that ended June 30th.
King’s campaign, fueled by grassroots momentum of a now-open seat, raised nearly $400,000 since becoming the frontrunner in the race on April 30. Her total raised since formally entering the race for the 2022 election now tops $575,000 as her campaign has moved into one of the top 3 GOP pickup opportunities nationwide. […]
King’s Q2 fundraising by the numbers:
Total Raised in Q2: $426,384.32
Total Raised since April 30: $393,101.40
Total Raised in 2021: $581,544.23
Number of Q2 Donors: 1,219
Number of Q2 IL Donors: 820
Percentage of donors from IL: 67%
Pretty good, but she hasn’t yet filed her report, so we don’t know what she spent.
* In other news, this is from the Democratic Party of Illinois and the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association…
Fringe Illinois Republican Congresswoman Mary Miller welcomed conspiracy theorist and hate speech provocateur Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green to Illinois this week. Today, Abby Witt, Executive Director for the Democratic Party of Illinois, and Dan Kovats, Executive Director for the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association, released the following statement:
“Mary Miller and Marjorie Taylor Green are two peas in a pod blindly following their dear failed leader Donald Trump. They voted against honoring the police officers who protected them and others from the January 6 failed insurrection instigated by Trump. Miller and Green both purposely spew hate concerning statements referencing Hitler, the Holocaust, and Nazi ‘Brown Shirts’ into their remarks.”
“The Miller and Green show are now fundraising together in Illinois, continuing their grift and conspiracy theory partnership. If they are the Republican Party, they don’t represent the majority of middle Americans and they don’t belong in Congress spewing hate and division.”
Mary Miller quoted Hitler the day before the failed insurrection. Marjorie Taylor Green, again, made another Nazi-era reference regarding the push to vaccinate more Americans – her second comment in months.
Miller’s 15th Congressional District is by far the most conservative in Illinois — Donald Trump won it with 72 percent last year — and Greene undoubtedly will be a big draw at Thursday’s event and will help replenish Miller’s campaign treasury.
But in terms of advancing thoughtful conservative values and civility in government, and in finally helping to repel the damaging myth that the election was stolen from Trump, Miller has chosen chaos over contemplation.
She is doing her district and her country a disservice by promoting Greene and driving more loosely based, ideologically suspect wedges among the broader electorate.
Chicago-based Boeing has emerged as the largest corporate donor in the country this year to political groups that back members of Congress who voted against certifying the election of President Joe Biden.
In a new report, watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington, or CREW, said that since recently lifting a ban on congressional donations imposed after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, Boeing’s political action committee has donated $210,000 to groups affiliated with what CREW calls “the Sedition Caucus.”
Koch Industries, whose founders long have been active in conservative causes, is second, at $122,500, and Walmart third at $60,000, according to the report, based on Federal Election Commission records. The only other Illinois company on the list of top 25 donors is Deere, with one donation for $5,000.
* I told subscribers to expect this earlier today. Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker hailed the state’s improved bond rating from S&P Global Ratings on Thursday, the second such rating upgrade in recent days. The announcement follows Moody’s credit upgrade and Fitch’s upgraded credit outlook for the state—a trifecta of good news from the three major credit rating agencies.
Since taking office, Gov. Pritzker has tirelessly focused on strong and responsible fiscal management, working with the General Assembly to hold the line on spending while making key investments in programs working families rely on while continuing to strengthen Illinois’ fiscal outlook.
“A well-known proverb states, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Throughout my administration we’ve remained steadfast in our goal to return Illinois to fiscal stability. That has meant making responsible decisions step by step, day by day, working closely with our partners in state government,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “These responsible decisions are paying dividends, as evidenced by today’s upgrade from S&P, last week’s upgrade from Moody’s and our outlook rise to positive by Fitch. My administration has worked diligently to make real progress, the rating agencies are acknowledging our progress and we remain committed to further strengthening Illinois’ fiscal standing.”
S&P last upgraded the state’s bonds in July 1997 and today’s upgrade analysis credited “improved liquidity,” “demonstrated operational controls during the COVID-19 pandemic” and an “improving economic condition” in making the rating change.
“Throughout the pandemic, the state has been able to deliver needed services and programs, both traditional governmental and pandemic-response-related without meaningfully changing the debt profile,” S&P stated.
The Governor noted all the positive reports from the top rating agencies are the result of many leaders working cooperatively in the best interest of Illinois’ taxpayers, especially thanking Speaker Welch, President Harmon, Leader Greg Harris, Senator Sims, Comptroller Mendoza and Treasurer Frerichs for their continued partnership.
S&P upgraded Illinois’ rating on its General Obligation bonds from BBB- to BBB with a stable outlook also upgraded the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority ratings to BBB+ from BBB based on the state’s support. Build Illinois bonds were upgraded to BBB+ from BBB.
Last week Moody’s upgraded Illinois’ rating on its General Obligation bonds from Baa3 with a stable outlook to Baa2 with a stable outlook, and also upgraded the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority ratings to Baa3 from Ba1 based on the state’s support. Build Illinois bonds were upgraded to Baa2 from Baa3.
In an updated credit analysis issued by Moody’s released Wednesday, the rating agency noted last week’s credit upgrade was supported by a material improvement in the state’s finances, demonstrated by the ability to repay emergency Federal Reserve borrowings promptly and keep unpaid bills in check at a low level.
“One of the most striking developments in recent months was the state’s reduction of a “backlog” of unpaid bills, underscoring the improvement in the state’s finances,” Moody’s wrote.
The rating of a state’s bonds is a measure of their credit quality. A higher bond rating generally means the state can borrow at a lower interest rate, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
…Adding… Speaker Chris Welch…
For the first time in decades, Illinois has received not one, but two bond rating upgrades. I am incredibly proud of our state’s responsible financial choices that continue to improve our fiscal standing, as well as put hardworking Illinoisans and their families first. These are the types of positive changes you see when government leadership is truly working for the people they represent.
…Adding… Comptroller Mendoza…
“S&P’s upgrade of the state’s credit rating is further evidence that Illinois is moving in the right direction. Upgrades are good news because they mean lower costs for taxpayers on the bonds that we use to build roads, bridges, schools and other projects. A top priority of mine as comptroller has been paying down the state’s bill backlog, knowing that credit rating agencies would recognize our hard work. From a high of $16.7 billion during the prior administration’s budget impasse, that backlog is down to $2.9 billion today.
“As the state comptroller, my priority continues to be managing the state’s bill backlog and providing evidence to the credit rating agencies that Illinois is an excellent investment and is on a path to financial stability and certainty.”
…Adding… Senate President Harmon…
This is further proof we are on the right track in balancing our fiscal realities with the real-world needs of working men and women. We are moving Illinois forward by paying our debts while at the same time investing in education, health care, child care and other key programs people need to get ahead.
*** UPDATE *** From the S&P report…
The adopted fiscal 2022 $44.3 billion general funds budget is similarly sized to the fiscal 2021 spending and is designed to generate an $88 million surplus. In addition, the fiscal 2022 budget anticipates using $2.8 billion in federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding for pandemic-related purposes, $1.8 billion for economic recovery and other pandemic needs, and $1 billion for capital. The capital money will be split approximately $575 million for project types specifically authorized in the ARP guidelines (broadband, water, and sewer) and the remaining $425 million on other projects once the reimbursement rules are finalized. That leaves $5.3 billion for additional uses to be determined through the ARP spending deadline of Dec. 31, 2024. The plan for spending the ARP money is ongoing but looks to be aimed at pandemic expenses, supporting economic development, and aiding small businesses affected by the pandemic.
Although Illinois’ fiscal 2022 general fund budget is flat compared with the previous year’s spend, and balanced in terms of current-year obligations, we do not view it as structurally balanced due to the treatment of pension obligations. Pension contributions of $9.4 billion are budgeted to fully meet increasing statutorily set amounts but are still less than actuarially determined amounts. We view the difference between the statutorily set contribution amounts and our defined minimum funding progress as a structural gap.
Illinois’ bill backlog remains, but according to the state comptroller at the end of fiscal 2021 was approximately $2.6 billion, the lowest level in more than a decade. As of July 7, the bill backlog was $2.9 billion, but such variation is expected. Continued reduction in these liabilities could give the state needed budgetary flexibility and help it avoid unnecessary interest charges. We expect the state’s focus will remain on paying the past-due obligations (although most are now less than 45 days’ delinquent), before shifting to establishing a reserve for future recessions.
The remaining $5.3 billion in ARP funds come with some use limitations, such as a prohibition on using this money to resolve pension-funding deficiencies, depositing into rainy day reserves, and paying back the MLF; the federal funds could be used to replace lost revenue, repay part of the $4.2 billion borrowed from the federal government for unemployment payments, or further reduce the bill backlog.
Credit weaknesses supporting the ‘BBB-’ rating include:
• An almost empty budget stabilization fund that would further limit budgetary flexibility;
• The remaining bill backlog;
• Pension funding practices where the statutory pension funding is designed to attain a 90% funded status in 2045, which is one of the least conservative funding methodologies in the nation among peers; and
• A recurring practice of relatively late audit reports. The audit for the fiscal year ended June 2019 was not released until April 2020 and the fiscal 2020 audit is still not published. Although not required for us to consider an upgrade, a return to a more abbreviated audit release period would be in line with that of higher-rated peers.
Credit strengths include:
• On the revenue side of the budget, various tax revenues have held up stronger than forecast during the depths of the economic trough, and the receipt of unbudgeted federal stimulus to help bridge the gap to a fully functioning economy;
• On the expenditure side of the budget, whereas in the recent past the state has hesitated to make expenditure cuts during times of fiscal stress, the administration made more than $700 million in budget cuts and freezes in fiscal 2021 during the budget year. Not all cuts and freezes were general fund-related, but the recurring actions indicate a potential change in practice;
• Overall, the budget, aside from the inherent pension gap between the statutory funding and actuarial recommendations, during this current period of favorable and improving economic conditions is seeing improved structural balance; and
• The political gridlock that stymied governance a few fiscal years ago has dissipated.
The stable outlook reflects the expected strength of the liquidity position, continued economic recovery, and regular revenue and expenditure reporting and budgetary control usage.
A WBEZ analysis of Cook County vaccination data by municipality found a stark gap between the most vaccinated suburbs and least vaccinated ones. The 10 communities with the highest vaccination rates are all majority white and affluent, while the 10 communities with the lowest vaccination rates are majority Black and low-income.
“I personally didn’t imagine there would be that wide of a gap,” said Dr. Rachel Rubin, co-lead of the Cook County Department of Public Health.
* Here are the highest vaccinated suburban towns that are entirely within Cook County…
Northbrook 81.4%
Des Plaines 78.2%
Riverside 75.5%
Glenview 73.9%
Northfield 68.5%
Wilmette 63.6%
Morton Grove 63.1%
Winnetka 63.1%
Palos Heights 62.9%
Western Springs 62.6%
Rubin said now the county plans to shift resources toward more community-focused, on-the-ground efforts.
“We really need to be going door to door with outreach,” Rubin said. “To say, ‘We have a van that’s doing vaccinations that’s in the elementary school yard,’ and draw a circle and knock on all the doors and say, ‘We’re going to be here all weekend.’ ”
The gift of immunization against COVID-19 is about to get significantly sweeter for four Illinois residents — and a million times sweeter for one of them.
The state will draw the first four winners of its coronavirus vaccination lottery Thursday, making one inoculated adult $1 million richer and providing $150,000 scholarships to three minors who have gotten their jabs.
It’s the first of nine weekly drawings being held throughout the summer as an incentive to get more people to roll up their sleeves. A total of $7 million in cash prizes will be doled out to adults, and $3 million in scholarships will go to kids aged 12-17.
Thursday’s prizes include one of only three $1 million jackpots in the lottery.
As Illinois continues to lead the Midwest in vaccinating its residents, Governor Pritzker announced a new pilot program offering a range of incentives to state employees who work in direct care facilities and receive at least one dose of the vaccine. The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA), the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) announced the drawings to eligible employees in late June and will announce winners on July 19.
Dozens of frontline employees will be chosen in drawings conducted by the Illinois Lottery. Lucky winners will receive:
• Cash bonuses: ranging from $5,000 to $10,000
• State prizes: a choice among lifetime hunting and fishing licenses, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum passes or memberships, and State Fair admissions and concert passes
• Airline vouchers: first-class tickets to any domestic U.S. destination or coach tickets to any international destination on American Airlines
• Sports tickets: home game tickets to cheer on the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Fire FC and St. Louis Cardinals
“Our state employees have worked tirelessly on the frontlines throughout the pandemic and I’m thrilled to announce this new opportunity to encourage them to get vaccinated,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By further increasing state employee vaccination rates, we’re not just protecting our staff, we’re protecting our vulnerable residents in state facilities and our surrounding communities. Getting vaccinated is truly how we protect ourselves from new variants and put this pandemic behind us.”
“While our vaccination rates in Illinois are good, we cannot let our guard down,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “Across Illinois, we are seeing COVID-19 variants that spread more easily and quickly, and are more dangerous. Right now, the vaccines available have proven to be effective against these variants. However, if the virus is allowed to further circulate, it can and will mutate further. Getting vaccinated now can help stop the spread and mutation of the virus, and protect you and those around you.”
From the onset of the pandemic, frontline state employees have protected Illinois’ most vulnerable residents from IDHS developmental centers and psychiatric hospitals to IDVA veterans’ homes to IDJJ and IDOC facilities. To recognize their ongoing service to the state, employees who have taken at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose by July 12, 2021, will be entered into the free drawing. State agencies announced the drawings to eligible employees in late June.
More at the link. No comment from AFSCME was included, so I reached out. Here’s Anders Lindall…
Our union welcomes this incentive to encourage everyone to protect themselves, their families and their communities by getting vaccinated. Safe and highly effective, the vaccines are the road back to normalcy: Seeing family and friends, going to movies and restaurants, traveling and more. That’s why since December we’ve been doing everything possible to reduce barriers to access for AFSCME members and to help overcome hesitancy by providing accurate information on the importance of vaccination.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
The first winners of Illinois’ $10 million ‘All In for the Win’ vaccine lottery have been chosen in the first drawings conducted by the Illinois Lottery.
“Getting vaccinated is your shot to save lives and win big,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Especially with more dangerous variants spreading, getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19. I’m excited we’re able to offer enticing prizes to reward residents for getting the shot.”
“With 10 million additional reasons to get a COVID-19 vaccine, we hope to increase the number of Illinoisans who make the importance choice to secure the best protection against COVID-19 by getting vaccinated,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “We are seeing an increase in the test positivity rate in Illinois. With the more contagious Delta variant circulating, we need more people to be fully vaccinated to better control this pandemic.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health will be notifying winners by phone or email starting this afternoon. The first round of winners are from the following locations across Illinois:
$1 million cash prize: Chicago
$150,000 scholarship: DeKalb County
$150,000 scholarship: Suburban Cook County
$150,000 scholarship: Chicago
Illinoisans from those cities and counties should keep their phones on and check their emails regularly to find out if they’ve won. IDPH will call from 312-814-3524 and or email from DPH.communications@illinois.gov. No personal information will be requested in the initial phone or email notification. Winners will have seven days to securely complete, sign and send the authorization form to IDPH to accept their prizes. The Illinois Lottery will then guide winners through the claims process. Winners will be announced eight days after each draw unless they choose to remain anonymous.
Lake Michigan’s water level has historically risen or fallen by just a matter of inches over the course of a year, swelling in summer following the spring snowmelt and falling off in winter. Bigger oscillations, a few feet up or down from the average, also took place in slow, almost rhythmic cycles unfolding over the course of decades.
No more.
In 2013, Lake Michigan plunged to a low not seen since record-keeping began in the mid-1800s, wreaking havoc across the Midwest. Marina docks became useless catwalks. Freighter captains couldn’t fully load their ships. And fears grew that the lake would drop so low it would no longer be able to feed the Chicago River, the defining waterway that snakes through the heart of the city.
That fear was short-lived. Just a year later, in 2014, the lake started climbing at a stunning rate, ultimately setting a record summertime high in 2020 before drought took hold and water levels started plunging again.
In just seven years, Lake Michigan had swung more than six feet. It was an ominous sign that the inland sea, yoked for centuries to its historic shoreline, is starting to buck. […]
If the lake were to drop just a couple of feet below its all-time low, or surge a couple of feet above its record high, the consequences for the city could be dire. […]
If a two-foot storm surge were to strike when the lake level was just a couple of feet higher, the lock itself would in effect be useless. Lake water would overtop its gates and race into the city, and beyond. “It would be a problem,” Mr. Schmidt said as waves crashed nearby. “It would be a big problem.”
Added Mr. Valley: “All the way down to the Mississippi.”
* Advocates continue to push for equitable energy bill: “The truth of the matter is that some trade unions have stood in the way of Black and brown workers and contractors sharing and the chance to earn jobs, to build businesses and to create generational wealth by controlling access to apprenticeships and other job training programs, especially in the energy and construction industries,” Buckner said.
* Renewable energy? UI’s new Campus Instructional Facility can dig it: Its geothermal system can pump 135 tons of hot or cool air into the building. That’s twice as much as the next biggest geothermal system on campus, and about 30 times the amount pumped into an average home.
* More 20th Century entertainment hired more than two decades into the 21st Century. Press release…
The Illinois State Fair will be rocking when Bret Michaels with special guests Dee Snider and Dokken (featuring special guest appearance by George Lynch) take the Illinois Lottery Grandstand Stage on Saturday night, August 21.
After over a year removed due to the pandemic, music icon and humanitarian of the year award recipient Bret Michaels makes his triumphant return to the stage and is bringing the biggest party of the summer to the Illinois Lottery Grandstand. Michaels’ “Nothin’ But A Good Vibe” Summer Concert Tour will, as always, showcase the global superstar’s high octane live show providing the ultimate summer party soundtrack.
“I am without a doubt fired up and ready to bring an insane party and night of real, live good music combined with the great outdoors,” said Michaels. “It has been too long since live shows were a thing. We are bringing the big show back on the road and make that connection with 3 generations of amazing friends and fans whom I am sure are ready to party just as much as I am.”
In addition to a successful solo career, Michaels emerged as a reality TV star with the record breaking, VH1 franchise, Rock of Love, following up with Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It and Rock My RV, and was voted fan favorite of his winning season of The Celebrity Apprentice.
While perhaps best known as the lead singer of rock band, Twisted Sister, there is much more to Dee Snider. He has starred in several reality TV shows including appearances in three seasons of Celebrity Apprentice; Gone Country with John Rich; MTV’s Rock The Cradle with his son Jesse; Growing Up Twisted, an A&E series featuring the entire Snider family and their Long Island lifestyle; ABC’s Celebrity Wife Swap, and Celebrity Holiday Homes. He is also a frequent host on MTV Networks and his own long running nationally syndicated radio show House Of Hair is heard on more than 200 stations in North America.
Dokken exploded out of the hard rock/heavy metal scene in Los Angeles in the early 1980s. 1983’s “Breaking the Chains” with its catchy title track, set the stage for Dokken becoming the most dominant creative and commercial force in the world of melodic hard rock for the following years. Classic albums as “Tooth and Nail”, “Under Lock and Key” and “Back for the Attack” all became Multi-Platinum selling smashes and the live “Beast from the East” went gold in Europe and Japan. Songs like “Alone Again”, “Just Got Lucky”, “Into the Fire”, “In My Dreams”, “Unchain the Night”, “Dream Warriors”, “Burning like a Flame” and “Heaven Sent” are still regarded among the genre’s finest. […]
There are changes being made to track (SRO) admission for the 2021 grandstand. The track will be open for General Admission, but the exclusive VIP gated area on the track is no longer being offered. The Illinois State Fair is continuing to offer the Stage Side Pre-Show Parties for all nights of paid concert events. While attendees of the Stage Side Party are required to have both a concert ticket and a party ticket to enter the party tent, all party attendees are allowed entrance into the venue prior to other ticketholders. Stage Side Party tickets are only $30 each and include a parking pass if purchased prior to July 15. There are a limited number of party tickets available for each concert.
All respect to Dee Snider, though. He stood up to the would-be congressional censors back in the day.
* The lineup, in case you’ve lost track…
Thursday, August 12: Sammy Hagar & The Circle
Friday, August 13: Kane Brown with Restless Road
Saturday, August 14: Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
Sunday, August 15: Toby Keith with Craig Morgan
Monday, August 16: The Traveling Salvation Show – A Tribute to Neil Diamond
Tuesday, August 17: Chris Young with Ingrid Andress and Payton Smith
Wednesday, August 18: I Love the 90’s Tour
Thursday, August 19: Badflower with Dorothy and Dead Poets Society
Friday, August 20: Brett Young with Russell Dickerson
Saturday, August 21: Bret Michaels with special guests Dee Snider and Dokken (featuring special guest appearance by George Lynch)
Sunday, August 22: George Thorogood with 38 Special
Revenues flowing into state coffers surged in the fiscal year that ended June 30, spurred largely by an influx of federal funds, the delayed deadline for filing income tax returns last year and an economic recovery that boosted income and sales tax collections beyond what had been estimated.
A report from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, a legislative agency that monitors the budget and state revenues, showed base receipts to the General Revenue Fund jumped nearly $6.8 billion, or 17.8 percent, during the fiscal year, fueled by big increases in personal and corporate income taxes and retail sales taxes.
That growth does not include money the state borrowed from the Federal Reserve last year or any of the money the state routinely borrows on a short-term basis from other state funds.
Combined net income tax receipts, both individual and corporate, grew by more than $5.5 billion over the previous year, to a total of just over $26 billion. That was more than $1 billion more than CGFA had estimated as recently as May, and it was over $1.7 billion more than the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget had estimated.
A recent study by researchers at Loyola University Chicago found that bail reform in Cook County “had no effect on new criminal activity or crime,” a finding in line with studies of crime data from other large cities.
The percentage of Cook County defendants released prior to bail reform who were charged with a new violent criminal act: 3%.
The percentage of defendants released after bail reform who were charged with a new violent criminal act: 3%. […]
Defendants’ probability of new criminal activity prior to bail reform: 17.5%.
Defendants’ probability of new criminal activity after bail reform: 17.1%.
Community activists on Wednesday called on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to declare a state of emergency decree for gun violence after Chicago recorded its deadliest and most violent weekend yet this year. […]
Green called gun violence a “public health crisis” and said “it’s clear” city leadership can’t get a handle on the situation. That’s why, he said, the group is asking Pritzker to step in. […]
In a statement Wednesday evening, Jordan Abudayyeh, a spokeswoman for Pritzker’s office, did not mention Pritzker issuing a state of emergency decree, though she said the Democratic governor is committed to a “comprehensive approach to gun violence,” which includes investing in programs that produce pathways to better education, careers and safe communities.
“The Governor believes we have to treat the epidemic of gun violence as a public health crisis, which is why since day one his administration has significantly increased funding for violence interruption and prevention programs,” said Abudayyeh, noting that Pritzker increased funding to these programs by $50 million in his first year in office.
Abudayyeh also said this year’s budget allocates $128 million for violence prevention programs.
In comparison, CPD’s annual budget is $1.7 billion.
In about half of Illinois’s counties — 52 of 102 — measured by a Federal Communications Commission study, broadband access is available to at least 74% of residents. Yet in about half of the state measured by Microsoft — 52 of 102 counties — no more than 24% of households actually have high-speed access, a USA TODAY analysis shows. […]
The proportions of Illinois households that have high speed access varies widely: In Calhoun County, it’s just 2%; in Alexander County, it’s 3%; and in Pulaski County, it’s 6%. Leading the state are DuPage County with 80%, Lake County with 63% and Kendall County with 61%. […]
Among Illinois’s wealthiest counties: 61% of Kendall County has access, 80% of DuPage County has access and 63% of Lake County has access. Among the least-wealthiest counties, access rates are 6% in Pulaski County, 3% in Alexander County and 27% in Jackson County.
* There are two schools of thought on this. One is that competitive races are good because they give people actual choices and increase overall turnout. The other, more dominant one in Illinois, is that this is a bad idea because fielding candidates in uncompetitive districts can backfire by driving up turnout for the other side as the dominant party expends energy and resources to crush the opposition.
The libertarian-leaning Illinois Policy Institute will be trying its hand at candidate recruitment this summer and fall, sending out at minimum tens of thousands of postcards to households the organization identifies as “high propensity voters” who also align with the think tank on issues of “economic freedom,” seeking out those who may be interested in running for office.
Illinois Policy’s outreach drive — a pilot for a possible more robust candidate training program in the future — is being launched in tandem with a new paper from three staff researchers at the organization. The paper argues that because Illinois’ legislative and congressional district maps are drawn with a low degree of competitiveness, incumbents go uncontested because a House or Senate district is all but guaranteed to a Republican or Democrat, leading to lower voter turnout.
The researchers estimated that uncontested races translated to 1.7 million “missing votes” since 2012 — the first election cycle under the state’s current legislative and congressional maps, or an average of 334,000 votes per election year, though presidential election cycles yield higher voter turnout.
“Roughly half of all Illinois House races were uncontested on average,” the paper argues. “That means that many voters were denied the opportunity to support a candidate who is more closely aligned with their own preferences.”
Thursday, Jul 8, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Climate change is no longer an impending crisis. We’re in a state of emergency right now. Last month, more than 480 people died in the Pacific Northwest when temperatures skyrocketed to 117 degrees. Last week, the Gulf of Mexico was on fire.
But instead of taking action in Illinois, fossil fuel companies and out-of-state interest groups are working overtime to mislead consumers about the health, cost, and climate impacts of toxic coal plants. Recently, Congressman Rodney Davis earned a “Pants on Fire” rating for claiming that the Prairie State coal plant was somehow not a major polluter.
Here’s the truth: Prairie State is one of the largest polluters in the nation, and that one plant is responsible for nearly 30% of all CO2 emissions in the Illinois power sector.
The impact of this toxic coal plant isn’t theoretical: Prairie State causes roughly one premature death every week and costs nearly $2 billion a year in damage to our health and environment.
Legislators have an opportunity to pass an equitable energy bill that not only closes dangerous coal plants like Prairie State, but provides resources for impacted communities while maintaining reliable power for everyone in Illinois.
