* Meanwhile, soon after Tom Devore fled his own press conference because of a single protestor, the Republican attorney general nominee attended the City Club luncheon for House Speaker Chris Welch’s speech. DeVore even submitted a question, but a problem arose when the moderator couldn’t read his handwriting. I kid you not…
* Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker topped this Minnesota campaign contribution list at $2.25 million…
In Minnesota politics, state-level candidates and political action committees have received $95.9 million in total donations between Jan. 1, 2021, and July 18, 2022. The 10 largest donors gave more than $9.4 million, or 10 percent of all contributions.
Some Black Chicagoans Hit by Crime Consider Skipping Midterm Elections
Republicans see disillusioned voters as path to upset in Illinois governor’s race, though many Democrats remain reluctant to switch parties
That’s what this is all about. Drive down turnout. However, the Wall St. Journal isn’t relying on polling data and instead just did what East Coast news outlets excel at doing: They sent a couple of DC-based reporters out on a very brief foray into Black neighborhoods to “get the pulse,” along with reporting on some Republican aspirations. Sloppy. But it is true that the Democrats have to make sure their base turns out.
* Press release…
With polls opening tomorrow for early voting, the Vote No on Amendment 1 ballot committee has launched two digital ads to warn voters about the dangers of Amendment 1, the first item at the top of the ballot.
The new ads link to an Illinois Policy Institute property tax calculator that allows homeowners to see how much more Amendment 1 could cost them on their property tax bills. The ads are paid for by Vote No on Amendment 1.
The first ad, entitled “Amendment 1 threatens my American Dream,” features first-generation American Argie Karafotias, whose business Golden Brunch survived the pandemic but is still getting crushed by high taxes. He says his local business can’t afford another property tax hike.
The second, entitled “Amendment 1 = Higher Illinois property taxes,” showcases Katy Stryker, a mom and small business owner who is worried about future challenges, including higher property taxes from Amendment 1.
Statement from Matt Paprocki, treasurer of Vote No on Amendment 1:
“The last thing Illinois needs is another property tax hike. Our campaign is proud to highlight local Illinois business owners and residents who see the true cost unchecked government union power will have on Illinoisans. Amendment 1 will harm local businesses, foster Illinois’ culture of corruption and raise property taxes statewide. Voters can’t afford it.”
To view the property tax calculator, visit illin.is/taxcalc.
To view the ads against Amendment 1, visit illin.is/ads.
…Adding… Forgot about this one…
State Treasurer Mike Frerichs is untruthful again and cannot keep his retirement tax story straight. In an interview that aired on WGN, Frerichs was asked about his June 17, 2020 comments in support of a retirement tax.
“My opponent in that debate supported taxing people’s pension income. He wanted to tax specifically people with higher incomes….That’s something I thought he would like and that was the argument I made.”
He is referring to Todd Maisch, President and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, who led a coalition against the progressive income tax and has been and continues to be an ardent opponent of new tax increases. Todd Maisch directly responded to Frerichs’ false claims:
“I do not, nor does the Chamber, support a progressive income or retirement tax and have spent my entire career fighting to reduce, not increase taxes in Illinois,” said Maisch, who has been with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce for nearly 30 years.
“I was surprised that Treasurer Frerichs brought up taxing retirement as an argument for the progressive tax because it is such an unpopular idea in Illinois.
“It’s par for the course with Treasurer Frerichs who ducks, dodges, and deflects to hide his own failures,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy. “Multiple sources have now confirmed what we all know - Frerichs is untruthful in his comments claiming he never supported a retirement tax.”
In 2020, he ran away from reporters and voters at a press conference he called to address his comments. Last month, his campaign said anyone saying he supports a retirement tax is “lying.” State Treasurer Mike Frerichs is now blaming a fellow forum participant for his comments on why Illinois should consider taxing retirement income.
“While there is no winner in Treasurer Frerichs’ never-ending blame game, there is one clear loser, Illinois voters,” said Chairman Tracy. “Illinois voters must hold Frerichs accountable and elect a true fiscal watchdog in Tom Demmer.”
Frerichs has spent his time as a state legislator championing tax increases. Introducing not one, but five pieces of legislation to create a progressive income tax with SJRCA69, SJRCA92 , SJRCA89 , SJRCA101 and SJRCA17 .
…Adding… Another one…
Today, Illinois NOW (National Organization for Women) PAC announced its endorsement of Judge Elizabeth Rochford in her campaign for the Illinois Supreme Court’s Second District. A non-partisan organization, NOW’s mission is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now - sharing equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities with men, while living free from discrimination. Illinois NOW is an organization of chapters from every area in Illinois.
“Illinois NOW PAC works tirelessly to protect women and their right to reproductive care and justice, to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, and to eliminate racial inequality. As these fights intensify, we need proven and experienced leaders at every level of government, including the Illinois Supreme Court,” says Laura Welch, President of IL NOW. “That’s why we support Judge Elizabeth Rochford in the Second District, whose experience and qualifications are unmatched by her opponent, who not only never served as a judge, but is rated not recommended by the Illinois State Bar Association.”
Rochford has been rated “highly recommended” by the Illinois State Bar Association and “highly qualified” by the Lake County Bar Association, the only candidate in the race for the Second District rated qualified. Rochford has been endorsed by the Lake County Democratic Women, Personal PAC, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Equality Illinois, pro-choice legislative leaders, and other groups who know there is no stronger champion for women in this race. She has also earned the endorsement of a number of organizations, including the Illinois AFL-CIO, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, GPAC, and Giffords PAC.
“I am grateful for the support of Illinois NOW, an organization dedicated to establishing access to resources and opportunities for women and other vulnerable members of our communities,” said Judge Elizabeth Rochford. “The best way to realize our vision of equal justice for all, is to have the best qualified, and experienced members of the judiciary serving on our state’s highest court. I am humbled to have earned the Illinois NOW endorsement for the Supreme Court seat in the Second District.”
But despite Bailey’s efforts, and an onslaught of political ads paid for by Dan Proft’s “People Who Play By the Rules” PAC, Illinois likely voters say the economy is still the No. 1 issue (35%) driving their vote in November, followed by threats to democracy (17%) and abortion access (14%).
Crime is fourth on that list, with only 10% of voters picking the issue as their top concern. Of that group, the advantage does go to Bailey. About 58% of those who say crime is their top issue support his campaign. […]
Since the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade, Pritzker and Democratic allies have leaned into their support for abortion rights, promising to expand access for women. The strategy appears to be paying off, with 90% of those who say abortion access is their top concern planning to vote for his re-election. Pritzker also has broad support among female likely voters with 55% of women polled planning to vote for him, and 46% going for Bailey. Male voters were nearly split, with 46% supporting Pritzker and 44% supporting Bailey.
If memory serves, Pritzker also outpolled Bruce Rauner among men four years ago.
Madigan Machine Judge Mary K. O’Brien is misrepresenting Illinois Supreme Court Justice Michael Burke in a negative TV ad regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that overturned the Roe v. Wade abortion decision. O’Brien offered no proof or citation for her misleading claims.
Unlike Mary K. O’Brien apparently, Justice Burke supports judicial independence and has not expressed any opinion on that issue or any issue that may come before the Illinois Supreme Court, which is ethically required of judges and candidates for judicial office. That may be partly why the Illinois State Bar Association, which is comprised of attorneys from across the legal field and political spectrum, has rated Justice Burke as “Highly Recommended,” a rating higher than that of O’Brien.
The Illinois Republican Party is calling on Mary K. O’Brien to take down her misleading ad and apologize for running a smear campaign against a respected and qualified judge, Justice Michael Burke.
“It’s unsurprising that Madigan Machine Judge Mary K. O’Brien is resorting to misleading attacks against Justice Michael Burke so close to Election Day. As someone who cut her teeth as a Madigan loyalist in the General Assembly, O’Brien seems to be following the Madigan playbook. We call on O’Brien to take down her misleading TV ad and apologize for running a smear campaign against Justice Burke,” said Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Shaun McCabe.
Judge Mary Kay O’Brien’s deep ties to the Madigan Machine are well known. O’Brien was appointed as an Appellate Court Justice during her final year in the Illinois General Assembly after voting with Madigan 93.6% of the time. O’Brien also “Helped Madigan Regain The Speakership,” and received over $200,000 in political contributions from political groups led by Madigan over the course of her career.
19:30: Q: “How is the situation in Illinois any different if at all now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned by the Dobbs decision?”
Burke: “It’s not.”
20:02: Burke: “What Dobbs did was very specifically sent the issue of abortion back to the state legislatures, and Illinois has spoken on that.”
25:08: Burke: “If the General Assembly passes a law, it’s clear and unambiguous, it should be applied as written. Whether I would have voted for it, or whether I would have signed it as a governor doesn’t matter. It should be applied as written, and I say that to people when I’m out talking to groups. I say if you don’t like the laws that are passed by the legislature, your obligation is to get new legislators, not to go to the courts.”
Q: “So you don’t legislate? That’s what you’re saying?”
Burke: That’s what I’m saying.”
Q: “If you don’t legislate, what do you do?”
Burke: “We apply the law as it’s written to the facts. We’re called upon to interpret the law and interpret constitutional provisions from time to time.”
26:26: Q: “If you had a case before you dealing with abortion issues, would you start with the U.S. Constitution, would you start with the Illinois Constitution, where would you start as you began to think about that?
Burke: “Well, you would probably start with the statute…”
* OK, now let’s go to the MKO campaign’s response…
The stakes in this Illinois Supreme Court race could not be higher. Now that the US Supreme Court has overturned Roe versus Wade, only Illinois law protects a woman’s right to choose in our state. Extremists are hard at work trying to challenge Illinois law.
This Illinois Supreme Court race will decide who controls our courts. Justice Mary Kay O’Brien has been endorsed by the leading pro-choice advocates in Illinois. Mike Burke has made clear that he agrees with the decision to overturn Roe, and he is supported by the same anti-choice groups that are trying to overturn Illinois law protecting that right.
Justice Burke is trying to backtrack, but his position is clear. He has told us where he stands.
In an interview with Jeff Berkowitz posted July 28, 2022, Mike Burke was asked if the majority that overturned Roe were originalists. He said yes, and was then asked if he was an originalist to which he replied, “…I am…That’s the way I view the constitution.”
Burke also said when it comes to the right to choose, there is no enumerated right to privacy in the US or State Constitution.
The only statement we have from Mike Burke is that he supports Dobbs. If he opposes Dobbs, he should say so.
Justice Burke is supported by pro-life groups, including Illinois Right to Life Action, a group who is strongly anti-choice. On April 29, 2022 of this year Burke was photographed at the Right to Life 53rd Annual Leaders for Life Banquet.
Justice Michael Burke is endorsed and found qualified by the Illinois Right to Life Action. Voter Guides - Illinois Right to Life Action
Justice Burke has also been a member of the St. Thomas More Society, a group for DuPage County attorneys. Illinois Right to Life filed an amicus brief in Dobbs, drafted by St. Thomas More Society’s attorneys, advocating overturning Roe.
Burke on calling himself, the Dobbs majority Originalists
23:34 BERKOWITZ: So the majority on the court, and this was a, was a split decision on some things, it was 5-4, some 6-3. Something like that?
BURKE: Right.
BERKOWITZ: Is there a concurring opinions but certainly the majority whether it’s 5-4 or 6-3 those folks, those justices, who basically decided as you’ve just stated, they’re what people often call Originalists - Textualists - would that be correct?
BURKE: That’s correct. It actually would have been - the - it would have been 5-4 on the way I described it, because Justice Roberts wrote a separate opinion. It didn’t really go along with that analysis.
BERKOWITZ: He would have decided without overturning Roe, but basically saying the state the Mississippi statute before them was constitutional.
BURKE: Right.
BERKOWITZ: But he would have gone further
BURKE: Under Casey, yeah.
BERKOWITZ: Okay. - but there was 5-4- really faced- really, it seems, did what you said. They were originalists. They went through that history. They went through what the wording said, this is what these prior decisions had decided. This is our precedent. Not Roe. And you’re an Originalist, right?
BURKE: Well, I am. I mean, that’s the way I view the constitution. That’s the way I view statutes.
Burke stating abortion is not an enumerated right
27:05 BURKE: You know, if you look at the issue of abortion - again because it’s not an enumerated right in any constitution, whether the US, or the state constitution. It’s not an enumerated right.
* Since both sides only gave snippets of Burke’s “enumerated right” comment, let’s look at the whole thing…
Q: If you had a case before you dealing with abortion issues, would you start with the U.S. Constitution, would you start with the Illinois Constitution, where would you start as you began to think about that?
Burke: Well, you would probably start with the statute and then look at the statute and then again, a lot of it is is determined by the path that you’re led down by the lawyers to some degree. You have to listen to their arguments and read their briefs and the cases that they’re citing. You know, if you look at the issue of abortion - again because it’s not an enumerated right in any constitution, whether the US, or the state constitution. It’s not an enumerated right.
I don’t know where you would go other than to say that, again, Dodds says now send it back to the legislatures and then we have to look at the legislature’s enactment to determine whether it’s otherwise valid, but remember that the US Supreme Court didn’t say abortion was illegal. It’s sent back for regulation by the states. So, that’s kind of a tricky question as to where do you start, what Constitution? Because, really, Dodds is the ultimate arbiter of what the 14th Amendment says. And they said, ‘This is a state issue. Let the state legislatures decide it.’
Q: So you start certainly with, well, you certainly take a look at the Illinois statute, if that’s being litigated then…
Burke: Right
Q: …which talks about, you refer to it, I guess, as being signed in what 2020? The Illinois statute that made abortion a fundamental right…
Burke: 2019
Q: 2019, Okay. You certainly are going to look at that because that’s the law in Illinois.
Burke: Sure.
Q: You might want to look at the US Constitution…
Burke: Right.
Q: …and remind yourself with the 14th Amendment says.
Burke: Right.
Q: You might want to look at the Dobbs decision, because that’s, that’s your guide, right?
Burke: Right.
Q: They said a few things other than just sending it back. They gave you the history that you talked about right?
Right.
Q: So those are the things you’d be, anything else that I’ve…
Burke: No. But again, it’s put it back in the legislature’s lap, not necessarily the court’s. And will we be called upon to review legislation at some point in time? Possibly.
* The MKO campaign also sent this, which I believe I’ve posted before…
Thoughts?
[I briefly took this post down because I’d made a mistake in the transcript.]
An Illinois state grant program is touted as a means to help businesses decimated by looting – with the money meant for immediate repairs so businesses can survive.
But two years after the launch of the program, CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov found out only a small fraction of those millions have been given out. And some of that money has been used to pay the salaries of those overseeing the program.
Kozlov met Najee Landon as she looked with despair around her Englewood company’s office space.
“The rioting and everything that happened at the summer, it really hit us hard,” Landon said. “It’s like a knife to the heart.” […]
According to the state’s own website, the whole point of the $25 million program is to “support economically distressed Illinois businesses” that were damaged “due to civil unrest.” […]
Landon qualified in the fall of 2020, ultimately being awarded $133,307,57. […]
Two years later, and Landon has only gotten a third of the grant money promised to her. She didn’t even get that until a few months ago.
Landon has used that money for approved repairs. But she calls the delay devastating, and her offices have further deteriorated.
* DCEO statement…
DCEO has made available an unprecedented amount of funding not only through COVID-19 relief funding, but also for community revitalization and support for businesses following damage due to civil unrest. DCEO takes seriously its responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and this first-of-its kind program – which uses local qualified contractors to conduct repairs and capital improvements on behalf of recipients – requires grantees to follow state contracting protocols. CNI – the organization which has been tasked with receiving applications, vetting eligibility of applicants, and managing projects where needed – is providing the funds once the qualifications are met and projects are approved. DCEO remains committed to supporting grantees and will continue to work with CNI on remaining projects.
Our state contracting protocols are a byzantine mess, and have been for years. No wonder the money isn’t getting out.
* Background from DCEO…
• Rebuild Distressed Communities distributes funds though two program administrators (CNI and LISC), which were selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity process.
• The overarching program has three capital grant components:
1. Funding corridor improvements – grants to localities
2. Reimbursing businesses for repairs already completed – grants to businesses
3. Funding for new repairs for businesses – subject to state capital grant protocol; must select from list of qualified contractors
- The third category is particularly complex because by statute, it must follow state capital grant contracting processes.
• The program requirements have remained the same since its inception.
That state statute probably needs to be changed. And soon. There are several more of these capital grant programs with money just waiting to be spent. Most small independent businesses don’t have any idea how to jump through these hoops.
People Who Play By The Rules PAC has launched a new ad, “Oh My God.” It is available on YouTube, the PBR PAC Facebook Page and will run on statewide media.
It’s footage of some poor guy getting hit on the head with a bottle as the words “A non-detainable offense under Pritzker’s purge law” are flashed on the screen.
State Rep. Theresa Mah, who has long backed the construction of a Near South Side high school, says she will block $50 million in state funding from the project until Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools officials take community concerns more seriously.
City officials nonetheless say they are moving forward with key votes Wednesday to advance the proposal and are still counting on state funding coming through.
Mah, a Chicago Democrat, said she wants to see authentic community engagement and a stronger, “good faith” effort to find an alternative site before she considers backing the district’s plan again. The school is slated to be built on former public housing land at 24th and State streets.
Her move came hours after the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ reported that senior CPS officials warned leaders last year that a new Near South high school could undermine nearby Black schools and ultimately harm Black students — a vastly different story than Lightfoot and district officials have told publicly.
Primary among my concerns was the proximity to existing schools, whose decline in enrollment would be accelerated —a concern that was also cited in a confidential internal memo by CPS officials but ignored by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS leadership as they press forward with this plan.
I also expressed my objection to the dynamic that would be set up, in which it would appear as though the Chinatown community were in favor of taking away land previously promised as a site for affordable housing for former CHA residents. This could not be further from the truth. If the mayor and CPS truly listened to community members, they would understand that it is possible for advocates to be for a new high school but not support their currently proposed site.
Community members have long sought a high school to serve the Chinatown, Bridgeport and South Loop communities. This area has seen tremendous population growth, a significant portion of that due to new immigration from China. The need for a new school is not simply about having one in close proximity, although that is an important consideration given studies that have shown a disproportionate number of students commuting long distances to attend high school. […]
The more urgent need, however, is to have a school that provides the bilingual staffing and language supports for English learners, who make up a significant portion of this area’s population. A new school that truly serves this community has to have robust bilingual or dual language programming and cultural competency, to communicate with these immigrant families to help them thrive.
Despite a strong and growing elementary school population in the area, students across the Near South Side lack an open enrollment high school option and are forced to travel well outside of their neighborhoods to attend school. This has a significant impact on the well-being of families in these communities — which include Armour Square, Bridgeport, Chinatown, Douglas and South Loop — as they travel sometimes more than an hour to attend parent-teacher conferences, sporting events, and performances at their kids’ schools.
This distance also creates barriers for students who must choose between getting home at a decent hour or participating in after-school activities. Imagine what students could do with their time if they were to get several hours a week back that otherwise would be spent on transportation to and from schools outside their communities.
This geographical chasm can also inhibit parents and families from being involved in their children’s educational experience. It becomes a lot more difficult to volunteer or attend activities at school when you have to travel significant distances to do so. Family and community involvement in school is linked to more positive outcomes for students, and the families on the Near South Side deserve the opportunity to participate in full. […]
While the need is clear, we know that discussion around this historic opportunity also elicited a set of questions among community members. For some, the proposed location at 24th and State raised questions about the Chicago Housing Authority’s commitments to public and affordable housing in connection with the site. These remain intact. And, as alderpersons serving these communities, we are prepared to hold CHA accountable to ensure they come through on those commitments in full.
City and schools officials have publicly promised their plan to build a new $120 million public high school on Chicago’s Near South Side won’t cause significant harm to nearby historically Black schools that fear they’ll lose students and funding.
But that rosy outlook repeatedly touted by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, schools chief Pedro Martinez and other city leaders is vastly different than what a foreboding district analysis showed last year.
The Sun-Times and WBEZ have learned a team of senior officials at Chicago Public Schools privately warned leaders that the project could undermine those schools and ultimately hurt Black students.
They wrote in a confidential memo that their preliminary analysis showed a new school would “accelerate the enrollment declines in several nearby schools, causing the schools to be constrained financially and academically in providing an equitable learning experience to all students.”
Mayoral hopeful Kambium “Kam” Buckner is promising to transform Chicago Public Schools by funding schools based on need, not enrollment; staffing every school with a nurse, librarian, and social worker; and expanding universal preschool to all 3-year-olds. […]
“As mayor, I will continue to work with Springfield to hold CPS accountable for directing state funds to schools based on need, and not on any other criteria,” Buckner said, adding that funding should not be strictly based on enrollment.
Currently, schools get a set amount of money per student, plus a few centrally-funded positions, such as principal and school clerk. This system – implemented in the wake of the 2013 closings – has been criticized by the Chicago Teachers Union because it penalizes schools with fewer students and sets them on a downward spiral of declining enrollment and disinvestment. Others – including former CPS CEO Janice Jackson – have said the method is more equitable because money follows students. […]
The plan outlined on Thursday also calls for an external audit of CPS special education practices to improve services, a leadership academy for principals to address morale, and targeted recruitment for teachers from Chicago communities.
* Background is here if you need it. Deputy House Majority Leader Jehan Gordon-Booth responds to Sen. Scott Bennett’s proposed SAFE-T Act changes…
State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, leader of the House Public Safety Working Group, released the following statement Wednesday:
“Since the SAFE-T Act was passed in January 2021, legislators have worked with stakeholders from across the state to address sincere concerns and facilitate the law’s successful implementation. These conversations have been invaluable, and as a result the House has passed three trailer bills refining and improving the law. That work continues. The Public Safety Working Group is meeting regularly, both internally and with state’s attorneys, law enforcement, survivors, advocates, and others to discuss further refinements and improvements.
“We will review Senate Bill 4228 through the same process of thoughtful consideration within our working group to ensure all voices are being considered. This is the same process that delivered $200 million to address public safety across Illinois, and developed bipartisan measures to give police high-tech tools they need to solve carjackings, home burglaries, and violent crimes against people, and crack down on ’smash and grab’ retail crime rings. We believe in the transformative and holistic changes to our criminal justice system included in the SAFE-T Act, and we also recognize we can continue to improve upon that progress through thoughtful, honest, and collaborative dialogue.”
Jersey County State’s Attorney Ben Goetten is urging calm in the midst of a storm of controversy over the Jan 1, 2023, effective date for the SAFE-T Act, a criminal justice reform bill approved by the Illinois General Assembly in 2021.
“There is no reason to panic,” Goetten said Tuesday, adding he and state legislators are working to fine tune the legislation before it goes into effect.
Goetten’s statement come a week after he announced his office had filed suit challenging the constitutionality of the SAFE-T Act, short for Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today. […]
Goetten said critics of the SAFE-T Act should remember the key legal principle: that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. People in custody awaiting trial are presumed innocent, he said.
* Democratic Illinois senator proposes changes to SAFE-T Act: Bennett believes that he has the votes to get this language, or at least something close to it, through the Senate during veto sessions this November. He does not know if it would pass the House.
* State Senator Proposes Changes to Illinois’ SAFE-T Act Amid ‘Purge’ Rumors: But Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr., who sponsored the bill, said “the entirety of the SAFE-T Act says if you are a threat to public safety or you are a flight risk, you are going to be held.” He noted the law replaces the current cash bail policies with a system that “focuses on safety, not how much money a person has in their bank account.”
* Joyce backs measure to update SAFE-T Act, support law enforcement: “With all the confusion surrounding the SAFE-T Act, it’s important that we make things as clear as possible,” said Joyce. “It is my hope that by clarifying items brought to me by my local State’s Attorneys and police, we will give law enforcement and the courts the tools they feel they need to keep people safe.”
* Champaign state senator proposes clarifications to SAFE-T Act: “We have to look at this bill like we would any other major bill, bring stakeholders to the table and make it better,” Bennett said. “I recognize this is a bill that’s going to need to be negotiated, it’s going to need to be discussed with our colleagues.”
* Safe-T Act To Be Discussed At Chamber630 Event In Naperville: The Oct. 4 panel discussion, facilitated by Stefanie Hood, will feature, among others: DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin; Supreme Court Justice Michael J. Burke; DuPage County Chairman Greg Hart; DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick
* Danville Chief Yates Says Police Department & State’s Attorney’s Office are United on Victims’ Rights: Chief Yates explained during the meeting the difficulties of law enforcement needing to plead their case each and every time they want to keep a dangerous person off the streets, and how it could cause petty criminals to simply not be arrested due to the backlog of cases, Chief Yates says there are challenges to this, and at this point, no one has any definite answers.
* Gov. JB Pritzker earns endorsements from anti-gun violence PACs, faces more pushback on SAFE-T Act: “I take seriously all of [Sen. Bennett’s] proposals, but we’ll have to go through one by one to figure out what works,” Pritzker said. Bailey said the Safe-T Act should be repealed, and lawmakers should start over from scratch. On Tuesday, he fired back at Pritzker. “He’s in trouble with his campaign right now and he knows it, so he’s backing up saying ‘hey, maybe we need to relook at this now,’” said State Sen. Darren Bailey, the Republican nominee for governor. The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice, a coalition of 42 organizations that helped shaped the original Pretrial Fairness Act, which is a part of the Safe-T Act, is already lining up to oppose changes.
* Pritzker in Aurora advocates for gun reform as Bailey warns about Safe-T Act: Under Pritzker, [Bailey said] “mental health is a disaster, our schools are a disaster, he has nothing to show for it. That’s what the press should be talking about, but they’re not. They’re continuing on the craziness of Republicans running for office.”
* AARP has filed a few lawsuits over assisted living nursing home facilities, but this is the first time they’ve gone after a nursing home company. And it’s the first time the group has asked for injunctive relief. From a media advisory…
AARP Foundation, Chicago Law Firms and Equip for Equality Announce Class Action Lawsuit Against Alden Nursing Facilities Accusing the Nursing Care Chain of Putting Profits Over Resident Care and Lying About it to State Regulators
Class Action suit seeks a court order to protect residents from Alden’s neglect and harm due to chronic, intentional and dangerous understaffing that violates the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
WHAT: Attorneys from AARP Foundation, Equip for Equality, Levin & Perconti, and Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd. will host a press conference today to announce residents of six area nursing facilities filed a class action lawsuit against the Alden Group, one of the largest health care providers for older adults in Illinois. The complaint alleges Alden attracts thousands of residents to its facilities, and then systematically understaffs those facilities, leading to neglect, preventable injuries and illnesses, and dangerous and often grossly unsanitary living conditions for the residents. According to the complaint, Alden saves millions of dollars each year by refusing to hire sufficient staff to comply with legal staffing requirements and then intentionally hides it from state regulators. This class action will also send a strong message to other nursing homes and assisted living facilities that they too will be held accountable for intentional understaffing,
They will also announce how people can contact them if they suspect abuse and short staffing is going on at Alden Nursing facilities and others as well.
WHEN: Wednesday, September 28, 2022, 10 a.m. CDT
WHERE: AARP Illinois, 222 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL, 60601
WHO:
• Kelly Bagby, Vice President, AARP Foundation Litigation
• Steven Levin,Founder and Sr. Partner, Levin & Perconti
• Charlie Wysong,Partner, Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym
• Barry C. Taylor,Vice President for Civil Rights and Systemic Litigation, Equip for Equality
• Philippe Largent, State Director, AARP Illinois
ALDEN FACILITIES NAMED IN THE COMPLAINT( MORE THAN 1400 RESIDENTS AT THE SIX FACILITIES)
• Alden Heather Health Care Center, 15600 S. Honore, Harvey
• Alden Town Manor Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, 120 W. Ogden, Cicero
• Alden Terrace of McHenry County Rehabilitation Center, 803 Royal Drive, McHenry,
• Alden Village North, 7464 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago
• Alden Lakeland Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, 820 W. Lawrence Avenue, Chicago
• Alden Princeton Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, 255 W. 69th Street, Chicago
A fundraiser Tuesday night for the Illinois Environmental Council felt more like a reunion of authors of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. The law passed last year to overhaul Illinois’ energy policy and put the state on a path to 100 percent clean energy by 2045.
Gov. JB Pritzker, who signed the 900-plus-page legislation into law, headlined the event, and his deputy governor, Christian Mitchell, was among those honored. Mitchell was a key negotiator in the bill’s passage. […]
There was drama: Jen Walling, executive director of the Environmental Council, drew a standing ovation for her work on the legislation. She also addressed recent headlines in which she said she felt bullied by state Sen. Michael Hastings, who also had been involved in writing the environmental legislation. Without saying Hasting’s name, Walling said he “threatened, screamed and abused his power” while the legislation was being written. And she thanked those in the room who she said “had my back.”
Bully-pulpit: A Hastings spokesman had responded to Walling’s claims, calling her “the bully.” The exchange prompted a number of guests at last night’s fundraiser to wear buttons with a picture of Walling and the word “Bully.”
I was also at the event and gave subscribers my take (along with a stupid typo that I fixed in the online version). I snagged one of the buttons…
Tom Devore fled his own press conference on the Safe-T act today, after one of his speakers ripped signs from a protester and grabbed at his arms. Protester’s sign called for pre-trial fairness, a reference to Devore’s pro cash bail stance pic.twitter.com/aWF7PYOjud
The man introducing DeVore, Paul McKinley of "Voice of the Ex-Offender," had claimed Democrat & incumbent AG Kwame Raoul hasn't spoken about the SAFE-T Act.
Raoul signaled he was open to discussing changes to some parts of SAFE-T last week. Our story: https://t.co/i4srX7dkDt
DeVore just had a FB livestream. He suggested without evidence that Gov. Pritzker and AG Raoul sent the disruptive protestor. Then he talked about recent violent crimes in Chicago & SAFE-T. He accused lawmakers trying to tweak the incoming law of using "backdoor processes."
A viral snowstorm of misinformation online. Political ads disguised as newspapers. Darren Bailey and his allies incessantly spreading myths and obvious falsehoods.
There is no “Purge Law” in Illinois. The law allows judges to keep violent defendants behind bars. Convicted criminals currently in jail will not be released.
Did you know Darren Bailey runs a school? And they use quite the curriculum.
Lessons like:
Women in the workforce have been harmful to America.
Evolution isn’t real.
Dinosaurs and humans were definitely on Earth at the same time.
Gay people have no more claims to special rights than child molesters or rapists.
The majority of slave holders treated their slaves well.
Class dismissed. Darren Bailey is too extreme for Illinois.
* The Question: Your ratings for each ad? Don’t forget to explain.
Republicans elsewhere who, with Mr. Trump’s endorsement, won primaries against the wishes of their local political establishments are facing similar disparities in TV advertising in the final weeks of the midterm campaigns. Along with Mr. Mastriano in Pennsylvania, Trump-backed candidates for governor in five other states — Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts and Michigan — have combined to air zero television advertisements since winning their primaries.
Trump-backed candidates are very likely to win GOP primaries given the sway the former President still holds over the party faithful. But those candidates oftentimes appear ill-equipped to run the sort of professional (and well-funded) operation that is required to persuade voters in a general election. […]
Of course, Trump could help solve this problem – or at least mitigate it. He is sitting on more than $90 million in his Save America PAC, all of which could be spent on ads to bolster the underfunded candidacies of the likes of Mastriano and Dixon. To date, he has not done so, though his allies formed a new super PAC last week aimed at supporting his endorsed candidates.
“Public safety is on the ballot this November. This election is about more than the usual policy differences; it’s about what kind of state we want to be on January 1st when the Democrats’ no-cash-bail provision is slated to go into effect,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy. “Beyond merely being ‘soft-on-crime’, Illinois Democrats are fast becoming the party of ‘crime’. 15 Democratic legislators and Chicago Alderman have been indicted, convicted, or plead guilty to criminal misconduct since Pritzker became governor. Some of these same legislators helped pass the [un]-SAFE-T act in the dead of night. We must send corrupt Democrats packing and repeal the Democrat’s no-cash bail law on November 8th, before it’s too late.”
Steve Cochran: You’re running for Congress in the Sixth. And the incumbent, your opponent, has not spoken out about something that’s very important to Illinois residents the you have. I’m talking about the SAFE-T Act. There are lots of things that have been said on the far right. There are some reactions on the far left, but it’s hard to argue with 100 state’s attorneys who all say the same thing, this is a bad law. So what do you say to potential voters about how you could, if not repeal it prior to going into play, at least fix it?
You’d think a bigtime radio host who’s been doing this politics thing forever would know the difference between a state and a federal law. Sheesh, man. C’mon.
Well, so you’re right about my opponent. And that’s because at the national level, he voted on a law that was very similar to this, to impose it federally, that would have done many of these things nationwide. It didn’t pass. But so we have a very different, very different opinion. This law, as you mentioned, it’s very dangerous, as all states attorney’s have said, and we have to do something to to repeal it, or at least make significant changes. And the changes are so significant. And this is what happens when you pass a 760-page bill in the middle of the night with 40 minutes for people to review it. You get extremely bad laws like this that are very, very one sided and frankly, quite dangerous. You talk to our police officers, you talk to our police department, that we’re not exactly sure how we’ll handle it. We do have some workarounds, like we have entered a new partnership with the ATF to deal with, two of our officers are now part time special agents, and they will be able to take anything that’s weapons related. So a lot of violent crimes we can take straight to the USA and go federal which will allow those people to be kept behind bars on bail.
Unless, of course, they bail out of jail.
…Adding… Pekau’s campaign just purchased $39,000 in cable TV ads.
* CD8 press release…
Yesterday, we saw the impact of the anti-police rhetoric Raja Krishnamoorthi’s allies in Washington DC continue to promote. An active shooter training turned into a live shooter situation putting the lives of officers and civilians at risk when the offender turned his weapon on police.
Chris Dargis released the following statement:
“Raja Krishnamoorthi has hid behind one local grant to bolster his ‘law and order’ credentials but has stood idly by as his allies in Congress decry our law enforcement, leading to violence like we saw yesterday in Chicago. This is hardly an isolated incident, and while Democrats like Raja continue to defame law enforcement, chaos on our streets will continue.”
Blaming a suburban congressman for some whacked-out nutjob trying to break in to a Chicago police station is a bit much, but, whatevs. Politics.
* CD13…
Today, Nikki Budzinski, candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, called out her Republican opponent, Regan Deering, for her silence on Republicans’ recent policy agenda, “Commitment to America,” which doubled down on extreme Republicans’ recent promise to implement a nationwide abortion ban. The plan was even praised by the radical anti-choice organization, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which is supporting Regan and advocating for a national abortion ban if Republicans win back Congress this November.
Deering said that she was “thrilled” when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June and supports allowing states to outlaw abortion with no exceptions for rape, incest, or danger to the life of the woman.
Nikki Budzinski made the following statement: “Regan supports allowing states to ban abortion without exceptions, and now she is standing by and saying nothing while extreme Republicans work to implement a national abortion ban. It’s clear Regan will be a rubber stamp for national Republicans. She is drastically out of step with voters in this district on choice and many other issues. I’ll always stand up for a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions without interference from the government.”
Awake Illinois founder Shannon Adcock announced her bid for the Indian Prairie District 204 School board this week.
The announcement comes two days after her organization and the parents rights group she chairs, Mothers for Liberty, hosted a school board candidate training program in Des Plaines — an event that drew protesters opposed to the organizations’ positions on several issues, including diversity curriculum. […]
After losing in 2021, Adcock launched Awake Illinois to push against school and library COVID-19 mitigations and then went after schools for equity and inclusion training. […]
Cassie Creswell, director of Illinois Families for Public Schools, said plans are underway to host candidate training sessions for people who support equity and inclusion.
They’d better start cranking up.
* New ad by MKO…
Justice Mary Kay O’Brien, candidate for Illinois Supreme Court, Third District, released a second commercial today. The ad highlights the pro-choice organizations that support Justice O’Brien’s candidacy and the extremist groups that support opponent Mike Burke, who want to ban all abortion for Illinois women.
The new ad is entitled “Clear Choice.”
TRANSCRIPT: Now that the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade -
In Illinois, extreme groups are trying to take away women’s freedom to choose
And THIS State Supreme Court race will decide who controls our Court.
Mike Burke says he agreed with the decision to overturn Roe.
He’s supported by the extreme groups that want to ban all abortion for Illinois women.
Justice Mary Kay O’Brien is supported by pro-choice groups, and in the past fought to protect a woman’s freedom.
Illinois has a clear choice, Mary Kay O’Brien. A Justice for All.
* Democratic nominee for Macon County judge voted in Republican primary: “At this point, the ballot is set,” said Matt Dietrich, spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Elections. “That candidate could have been challenged in the primary, was not, won the primary (and) went on to be certified. So I’m unaware of any process at this point where they could file any sort of objection to it.”
* Kane County Democratic Women to host forum on abortion rights: The panelists will be Ameri Klafeta, director of the Women’s and Reproductive Rights Project for the Illinois American Civil Liberties Union; State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin; and Rianne Hawkins, director of Advocacy and Campaigns for Illinois Planned Parenthood.
* Candidates draw distinctions in state 32nd Senate District and 64th House District races: Wilcox said he considers himself a right-to-life legislator and candidate, though he does not see the Illinois General Assembly changing the law here. He believes it will remain legal. He said there is a lot of support for the law as it was decided in 1973, but people pushed for more including in Illinois. “Had abortion remained safe, legal and relatively rare, Roe v. Wade would likely not have been overturned,” Wilcox said.
The actual transfer of assets, however, has hit some roadblocks, one of which was a lawsuit filed shortly after the permanent investment fund boards began their work.
In February 2021, the boards of 16 municipal police pension funds and two firefighters pension funds, along with some participants from each fund, filed a lawsuit in Kane County Circuit Court against Mr. Pritzker, the consolidated police and fire pension fund boards and others, alleging the legislation consolidating the pension funds’ assets was unconstitutional.
The lawsuit said the law violated the state’s pension protection clause, the contracts clause and the takings clause of the Illinois Constitution by terminating “plaintiffs’ authority to exclusively manage and control their investment expenditures and income,” according to the original court filing.
Daniel F. Konicek of Konicek & Dillon PC, attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a phone interview the judge will rule May 20 on the constitutionality of the investment funds.
* The Kane County judge ruled in favor of consolidation. However, the local pension systems which filed the lawsuit appealed the decision. Jake Griffin on the delay’s cost…
[Bill Atwood, executive director of the new statewide Firefighters’ Pension Investment Fund] said the firefighters’ pension agency has paid nearly $140,000 to its own lawyers since the suit was filed in February 2021. Those costs are covered by the pension system, which is funded by employee contributions, investment income and municipal tax dollars. […]
Firefighters began the consolidation despite the lingering lawsuit. Only four of the 292 local firefighter pension plans have yet to transfer funds to the consolidated system; two are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
But barely 60% of the 357 local police pension funds are consolidated so far, according to Richard White, executive director of the Illinois Police Officers’ Pension Investment Fund. Most of the fund transfers took place after the judge’s ruling in May. […]
“We anticipate a reduction of $34 million a year alone on investment fees,” Atwood said. “The bottom line is it’s much cheaper to manage a single $7.5 billion portfolio than 296 funds that add up to $7.5 billion.”
Experts say the savings ultimately will require less local property tax revenue to fund pensions and reduce pension debt. The longer the local pension systems hold out from consolidating, the longer it will take to reap those benefits.
A 2019 law championed by Pritzker seeks to combine more than 600 local public safety pension funds into two funds — one for firefighters and another for police. Pritzker argues that doing so would increase the funds’ returns and contribute to fixing the problem of low funding levels that has weighed on budgets and dampened credit ratings. However, his plans are being delayed by a pending circuit court lawsuit and mistrust about shifting local funds to a state entity, particularly among the police pension plans. […]
The stakes are high for Illinois, the U.S. state with the lowest rating despite upgrades from S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service. Moody’s bumped up the state’s rating in June and again on Thursday to Baa1, citing its “capacity to rebuild financial reserves and increase payments towards unfunded liabilities.”
While the state’s $130 billion unfunded pension liability weighs on its rating and finances, the same problem plagues towns and cities across Illinois. The collective unfunded liability of local public safety pension plans through the end of fiscal 2020 was $13.3 billion, according to state data compiled by the Illinois Municipal League.
The state isn’t obligated to find solutions for the local plans, but underfunded pensions weigh on budgets and soak up revenue that could be used for other services. It can also lead to higher property taxes and erode credit outlooks. And, if its municipal governments struggle, the state’s economic rebound that already lags the national average could fall further behind.
* From Paddock Publications’ announcement last week that it was dropping the printing and distribution contract with the Proft papers…
Paddock Publications has made the decision to cancel commercial printing jobs with LGIS. As an independent newspaper publisher, we want no part of the flame-throwing accusations taking place between Gov. J.B. Pritzker and LGIS. Many critics cannot or refuse to differentiate between a commercial printing operation, for which the parent company Paddock Publications has many customers, and the Daily Herald’s editorial mission to be unbiased and fair.
On Thursday morning came a public news release from Pritzker’s campaign manager, Michael Ollen, excoriating Paddock for the print job. No one from Pritzker’s office had contacted the company regarding its concerns and instead sent out a news release announcing it would withdraw from an upcoming online forum with his Republican opponent, Darren Bailey, because of the printing issue.
The Daily Herald arranged for the forum on behalf of the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors group, which represents dozens of newspapers around the state. The joint forum was created to provide a variety of papers access to the candidates.
Senior company leaders sought an audience with Pritzker Thursday afternoon, but he was unavailable. Instead, campaign manager Ollen agreed to meet. Senior management outlined Paddock’s position on the printing, but Ollen would not commit on the governor’s behalf to participate in the forum.
Withdrawing from the forum would be a grave disservice to voters.
* The Chicago Tribune’s chief political reporter Rick Pearson was on John Williams’ WGN Radio show yesterday and had this to say…
Pearson: When Paddock Publications said that Pritzker’s non-participation would be a ‘grave disservice to the voters,’ you perhaps could argue the same thing that by printing these political mailings filled with vast amounts of misinformation and distortion does a great disservice to the voters.
Williams: I suppose so, but the newspaper could also argue that that was not the newspaper’s decision, that was this company that could be on Mars for that matter. Granted, they have co-owners but they are not co-deciders, that company made a decision. The newspaper makes a decision. What do you think of that?
Pearson: The company owns the newspaper. [Cross-talk] I mean, the printing plant is the Daily Herald Printing Center. It’s not Paddock Publications Printing Center. […]
Williams: So you think that Paddock Publications made the right decision to no longer print, ostensibly, Darren Bailey’s campaign literature?
Pearson: The mere fact that these are fake newspapers is a disservice to journalism. That’s just the bottom line. They’re nothing more than political mailers that are fake as newspapers. To try to use and distinguish and give them the credibility of legitimate newspapers. It’s phony. And to assist in the phoniness of this is beyond the pale.
To help ensure the State of Illinois achieves the goals of the SAFE-T Act, State Senator Scott Bennett filed legislation to clarify language and improve how officials can enforce the law.
“As a former prosecutor, I understand the importance of presuming innocence for individuals before being proven guilty, supporting police and keeping violent criminals out of our neighborhoods,” said Bennett (D-Champaign). “Senate Bill 4228 is an effort to improve consistency in the SAFE-T Act and allow law enforcement officials to continue to effectively perform their duties and protect our communities.”
The intent of the law aims to do away with cash bail in an effort to end systemic racism in the criminal justice system. Senate Bill 4228 updates many provisions in the SAFE-T Act by clarifying language to address concerns raised by local law enforcement officials.
Sen. Bennett’s legislation states pretrial release will apply to individuals arrested on or after Jan. 1, 2023. The measure also permits judges to deny pretrial release for any alleged crime if the person arrested poses a threat to the safety of any person or the community.
Sen. Bennett is going to continue to work with all stakeholders, advocates, and his colleagues in hopes of a resolution on these issues during the fall Veto Session.
The following is a statement from the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice (INPJ) responding to the Safe-T Act trailer bill introduced yesterday to modify the Pretrial Fairness provisions of the law. INPJ is a coalition of 42 organizations whose advocacy and policy work helped shape the Pretrial Fairness Act, a piece of the Safe-T Act:
“The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice strongly opposes SB4228, the Safe-T Act trailer bill introduced yesterday to modify the Pretrial Fairness provisions of the law. If passed, this bill would cause the number of people jailed while awaiting trial to skyrocket and exacerbate racial disparities in Illinois’ jails.
“The Pretrial Fairness Act was passed after the police murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor galvanized millions of people to demand action to address the racism that permeates the criminal legal system. The changes being proposed are in complete opposition to the spirit of those calls for racial justice and criminal legal system reform.
“The Pretrial Fairness Act was designed to ensure that everyone has access to the presumption of innocence, and the changes included in SB4228 would deny all Illinoisians that right. If passed, these measures would create a pretrial system that is far worse than the one in place today.
“It is absolutely essential that any changes to the Pretrial Fairness Act be made in the same spirit in which it was written. Using this historic legislation as a vehicle for incarcerating more Black and brown people would be a slap in the face to the communities that have suffered under the injustices of the money bond system for decades.”
Creates a presumption of detention for people charged with crimes that would require them to serve life in prison if convicted. The Illinois Constitution requires that the state have the burden to prove that an individual should be detained. The individual cannot be given the burden to prove they deserve release. […]
Removes the Pretrial Fairness Act’s provisions requiring tickets instead of arrests for very minor, non-violent crimes, allowing police to arrest in nearly every circumstance.
* Meanwhile, DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin has a reputation for being a voice of moderation on this topic…
With so many questions about bond provisions in Illinois’ SAFE-T Act, we invited DuPage County state’s attorney Bob Berlin to the studio to outline his concerns as well as changes he would support. Here’s our conversation on @WGNNews https://t.co/IX7wJwzldJ
* SAFE-T Act takes center stage at candidate debate: [Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex] voted against the bill. “The bill has a lot of good merits [including use of body cams] and it also has some real problems,” Joyce said, noting that he has having conversations with sheriff’s offices and state’s attorneys’ offices to continue understanding what’s needed in the bill before it’s to be signed on Jan. 1.
* SAFE-T slander: Misinformation surrounds Illinois’ new criminal justice reform law
* Here’s what a Republican-led ‘Contract with Illinois’ would look like: 1) Make Illinois a safer and better place to live. This starts with an immediate repeal of the “SAFE-T Act,” which ends the practice of “cash bail” and removes an important roadblock preventing hardened criminals from simply reoffending without much consequence. In other areas, such as funding for mental health professionals, we can work to make sure our local police departments have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.
As retired military, the words ‘duty and honor’ mean everything to me. Those values mean nothing to Governor Pritzker, who tried to get me fired from my job as a nurse. People like me and you need to STAND UP to J.B. Pritzker’s mafia politics.
* Streetsblog Chicago co-editor John Greenfield notes that Miles previously said she couldn’t prove that Pritzker was the one who beefed about her allegedly violating the federal Hatch Act, and her attorney concurred…
Yep. Miles says in this ad "[Pritzker] tried to get me fired." But she previously told Patch, "I can't prove [Pritzker tried to get me fired.]" (1/2)https://t.co/iLDBEBC94Dpic.twitter.com/GoajEbwdUX
Well, that’s not good. Sure appears actionable, unless they’ve uncovered some new evidence which they haven’t yet shared.
* I was watching Fox 32 Sunday evening and saw Proft’s Beverly Miles ad. I asked the Pritzker campaign about it, and the campaign’s legal team apparently reached out and gave the station until the end of business today to pull the ad off the air.
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released her first campaign ad for her re-election to the U.S. Senate this November. In the ad titled “Sacrificing,” Duckworth highlights her work in holding big corporations accountable for their price gouging that hurts working families. Earlier this year, Duckworth introduced her Gas Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would stop big oil companies from excessively price gouging in times of crisis.
In 2022 amid Vladimir Putin’s war of choice in Ukraine, Big Oil companies blamed soaring gas prices on the conflict, but netted record profits to line the pockets of CEOs and shareholders while working families felt the burden the most.
In contrast, Duckworth highlights her and her family’s military service and their sacrifice as a way of life. Her father was a Vietnam Veteran and her family has served in uniform during every period of conflict in our nation’s history, dating back to before the Revolution. Duckworth is an Iraq War Veteran and Purple Heart recipient who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2014.
But today, Illinoisans are back to work, the driving force behind our growing economy whose GDP is larger than it was pre pandemic. For 20 consecutive weeks, Illinois has had historically low unemployment claims, outperforming expectations. Our unemployment system is back on track and the balance of the unemployment trust fund continues to experience strong and steady growth.
Thanks to Illinois’ economic recovery, the Illinois Department of Employment Security has advised me that the UI trust fund balance is sufficient enough to pay down another $450 million of its pandemic-related debt. This payment will reduce the remaining balance of our loan by 25% and reduce interest costs by an estimated $10 million over the course of the next year.
This announcement comes just months after the General Assembly and I directed $2.7 billion of federal ARPA dollars toward the loan, cutting the original $4.5 billion loan down to $1.8 billion.
Today’s action is another major step toward eliminating pandemic-related UI debt, which we intend to complete by the end of this calendar year. And we will. I will work closely with the General Assembly to continue supporting the agreed bill process between labor and business to conclude negotiations.
Please pardon any transcription errors.
…Adding… Press release excerpt…
“Paying down this debt continues to strengthen our fiscal security, adding to the benefits the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund is seeing from historic low unemployment,” state Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) said. “The fund now has a $1.2 billion surplus due to fewer claims, making it very practical to pay back the borrowed funds. It’s another great step in our state’s record of continuous financial improvements of the past few years”
Illinois has remained below the previously recorded low of just more than 70,000 continued claims for twenty consecutive weeks, unprecedented since the beginning of the series in January 1987. Since the start of this year, Illinois has gained nearly 120,000 jobs throughout the state, with the most significant increases seen in the hotels and food services, manufacturing, healthcare and social assistance, construction, and transportation and warehousing industries.
Federal funds borrowed under Title XII were necessary to supplement the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund and provide economic relief to unemployed workers throughout the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic. A plan to pay off the remaining balance on the loan will need to be developed through the agreed bill process.
…Adding… The talking points didn’t completely bite the dust, but yeah…
Another big step in fiscal responsibility for our Illinois government. Another GOP talking point hits the dust. https://t.co/CwF2RhzzDf
On September 27, Governor JB Pritzker held a press conference to tout the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s (IDES) use of $450 million from Illinois businesses’ tax dollars to pay down the remaining $1.8 billion borrowed under Title XII of the Social Security Act. Senate Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) and State Senator Win Stoller (R-Germantown Hills), who were the Senate Republicans’ chief Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund negotiators, released the following statements in reaction to the announcement:
“While it is always good for the state of Illinois to make down payments on its outstanding debt, today’s announcement comes on the verge of the largest tax increase on businesses in Illinois history and does little to nothing to prevent it,” said Sen. Rezin. “No matter how the Governor and his allies try to spin this, Illinois is one of only five states to still owe money on its UI Trust Fund loan. This $450 million already paid by Illinois businesses will have no impact on future taxes that they will be forced to pay if we don’t completely repay our loan. We should have and could have filled this hole with the unexpected money we received from the federal government. Instead, the Majority Party waited for that money to be depleted on other proposals and programs, including personal pork projects.”
The state of Illinois received $8.1 billion from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, which was designed to be used for COVID-19 relief and help with economic recovery. The federal government approved ARPA funds to be used on items like the UI Trust Fund, which prompted 31 states used their APRA dollars to eliminate their deficits and replenish their Trust Fund balance.
“It is disingenuous and a disservice for the Governor and Democratic lawmakers to be patting themselves on the back for today’s payment when they know that the burden of paying the remaining debt of $1.3 billion will be placed on struggling Illinois businesses,” said Sen. Stoller. “Illinois businesses did not create the lockdowns or give out billions of dollars of unemployment benefits to fraudsters that helped create our state’s nearly $5 billion UI Trust Fund debt. Now, Democratic lawmakers expect businesses to fix a problem of their own creation, which they could’ve easily fixed with the billions of dollars that the federal government provided them.”
If remaining UI Trust Fund debt isn’t repaid by Nov. 10, Illinois employers will lose Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) credit in 2023. The FUTA tax credit loss will be 0.3 percent of the first $7k of wages per employee or a maximum of $21 per employee. Consequently, for each employee earning $12,960 in 2023 a minimum rate taxed employer, the UI tax per employee will increase from $93.96 to $173.28 and for each employee earning $12, 960 in 2023 a maximum rate taxed employer, the UI per employee will increase from $988.20 to $1,326.72. The General Assembly is not expected to return to Springfield until the fall Veto Session on Nov. 15.
