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Afternoon roundup
Friday, Mar 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Crain’s…
While former Commonwealth Edison CEO Anne Pramaggiore stands trial for her alleged role in the utility’s admitted bribery scheme, ComEd parent Exelon finally is getting around to imposing some financial consequence on her boss at the time, Chris Crane.
Crane, who retired as Exelon CEO at the end of last year due to health reasons, had his payout of performance shares reduced by more than $4.2 million for 2022 due to the $200 million fine ComEd paid in 2020 when it entered into a deferred-prosecution agreement with the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago. […]
As for Crane, the $4.2 million decline in his performance-share award doesn’t mean he wasn’t paid handsomely in his last year at the helm of Exelon. His compensation came to more than $30 million, although nearly $13 million of that was in the form of adjusted pension value. Even with the penalty, his stock awards totaled more than $11 million.
* Daily Herald…
The number of shootings along Chicago-area expressways continues to fall this year after a record 310 in 2021, but within that nugget of good news is a worrying trend.
Shooting victims are increasingly reporting that road rage is the reason behind the gunfire, Illinois State Police say.
Road rage was reported in about 40% of the 189 expressway shootings in 2022, according to the state police. That was a 12% increase over 2021.
* Ugh…
Unless “a miracle happens,” UpRising Bakery and Cafe in Lake in the Hills is set to close on March 31, owner Corinna Sac said.
The closure is the “direct result of the horrific attacks, endless harassment, and unrelenting negative misinformation about our establishment in the last eight months,” the business said in a news release Thursday afternoon.
“It is a pretty tough thing and a tough pill to swallow for myself, my family and my staff,” Sac said Thursday evening. […]
Sac’s business came under fire in July 2022 when Sac announced a ticketed, all-ages brunch drag show. Set for July 23, the show was postponed when the store was attacked by a vandal. An Alsip man was charged in the attack. […]
“We have been rebranded by misinformation as ‘gay only’ and ‘pedophiles,’” the business said in the release. “Local customers no longer come here because of the perceived threat that tarnished our good name and the fears of their license plates are photographed, and they are harassed.”
* Daily Herald…
A school board candidate in Palatine Township Elementary School District 15 is being sued by two former campaign managers who claim they are owed more than $220,000 for their work on his 2022 bid for a seat in Congress.
John Kieken and Tanja Biebel say they helped Chris Dargis of Palatine win the Republican nomination for the 8th District seat but were not fully compensated for their work.
Dargis went on to lose to Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg in November’s general election. […]
“It’s a frivolous lawsuit from former employees,” said Dargis, noting that Biebel was suspended from his campaign last year after a rival in the GOP primary accused her of unethical behavior.
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), leaders in Illinois’ film industry, and state leaders today announced Illinois’ soaring film production expenditures with a record-breaking $691 million for 2022 - a $131 million increase from the pre-pandemic record in 2019. […]
One of the improvements adopted by the General Assembly is the creation of the Film Workforce Development Fund, which funds the Film & TV Workforce Training Program. The program is designed to increase diversity in the state’s film industry and build out a qualified talent pipeline. The pilot program served approximately 175 students at seven locations across the state in its inaugural class in 2022, and more than 70 percent students of color and 80 percent of the program’s participants obtained paid positions on productions after graduation. Illinois’ FY24 proposed budget allocates $1 million to expand the program, as outlined in statute. […]
These annual figures are now comparable with pre-pandemic levels and represent an increase of more than 55% from 2020, when the production year was severely impacted by Covid. 2021 was a banner year for the City’s film production as the pent-up demand from projects delayed by the pandemic shutdowns of 2020 brought the total permits issued to 1,771.
The state estimates non-extra hires at 15,400 last year.
* Press release…
The Illinois Finance Authority (IFA), in its role as the State Climate Bank, today announced a landmark year of deploying over $250 million in private capital to further clean and sustainable development projects. Additionally, the IFA Climate Bank is holding public hearings and stakeholder meetings as it crafts applications for up to $1.3 billion in federal funds to advance clean energy, climate, and equity goals as outlined by Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) through climate finance and program deployment.
During the first year of the IFA’s Climate Bank designation, the institution mobilized and deployed $256 million in private capital for clean energy projects across the state, including $233 million for public water quality infrastructure and $23 million for Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) projects. Sixty-five percent of these projects, funded by private capital, were made in or benefited disadvantaged communities. The IFA Climate Bank is further implementing clean energy goals through the development of new standardized financial tools to reduce the cost of decarbonization for all Illinoisans and ensuring that marginalized businesses are supported in fair and equitable manner.
* For a quick second I thought retiring Illinois Commerce Commission Chair Carrie Zalewski was going out with a bang…
ICC Issues Arrest Warrant For Putin Over Ukraine War Crimes
Different ICC, as it turns out. Heh.
* Press release…
On the final day of his Community College Tour, Governor JB Pritzker was joined by Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, state officials, and community leaders at Malcolm X College to highlight proposed investments in higher education. The Governor’s FY24 budget calls for the largest increase for community colleges in over two decades and historic investments in financial aid, putting Illinois on track to guarantee every student has access to the education and training they need to thrive.
“Since I took office in 2019, Illinois has increased our MAP grant program by 50%, creating over $200 million more for college scholarships every year,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “And when the General Assembly passes the FY24 budget proposal, every working-class resident of Illinois will be able to get a degree from any community college in our state – tuition free and fee free. That means people across our state can get a good education and graduate with no student loans.”
“There is nothing more powerful than to help someone learn and find their voice. I watched my late mother give her all to teach students at Malcolm X College and saw the joy it inspired in both her and her students,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “That’s why I am especially proud of the historic investments our state is making in community colleges and state universities. We know the struggle that many first-generation and working-class students face, and we are easing their financial burdens to help their dreams come true.”
The proposed FY24 investments in day-to-day operations and state financial aid would make attending a higher education institution easier and more affordable. The Governor’s proposed budget also calls for a $100 million investment in Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants, making it the highest in state history and a 75% increase in the program since he took office.
“Money and lack of resources should not be reasons why students are missing out on the opportunity to pursue a higher education,” said State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago). “It is imperative that we continue fighting to ensure that students in Illinois have a fair chance at succeeding in life with sustainable and affordable college options.”
At today’s event, Governor Pritzker stood alongside Community College President David Sanders to highlight the above proposed investments.
Malcolm X College was founded in 1911, making it the oldest City College in Chicago. Last fall, the institution served 7,312 students demonstrating an 11.5% increase since the 2021-2022 school year. Notably, year over year (21-22 vs 22-23) preliminary data shows that City Colleges saw an 8 percent increase in credit enrollment for Black students and a 6 percent increase in credit enrollment for Latino students. City Colleges’ enrollment has outperformed state and national averages.
Increased enrollment is due in part to a variety of programs the colleges offer, including:
• Future Ready, which offers students the opportunity to receive short-term credentials at no additional cost
• Fresh Start - a debt forgiveness program allowing students who left City Colleges with debt to return and continue their studies
• The Chicago Roadmap - an unprecedented partnership with Chicago Public Schools that creates a clear path for CPS students to attend and complete college
Malcolm X College has evolved over the years in response to student needs. Tuition at City Colleges has not increased since 2016, and the administration has ensured that every student has a pathway to career or to transfer to a four-year institution. The College has raised more than $20 million in grant funding to execute its equity plan and remove barriers for students, which would alleviate the cost of tuition, uniforms, transportation, food, housing, mental health services and personal hygiene.
These initiatives, alongside the proposed investments by Governor Pritzker’s administration, would allow all community college students at or below median income to attend school tuition and fee free.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Capitol News Illinois | Nuclear option: Illinois grapples with the future of nuclear power: While proponents are hopeful, the technology behind nuclear power’s potential resurgence hasn’t yet been deployed for power generation anywhere in the United States. A few examples of small next generation reactors exist across the world, but in the U.S. only one of these smaller nuclear reactor designs has been approved by regulators.
* WGN | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois fined $600K, lawmakers say it’s not enough: That report laid out all of the problems the state found with their network, but Senator Steve McClure said that the fine on its own is not enough. He is calling for public hearings so patients have the chance to voice their issues with the company.
* Daily Southtown | Homer Township Library Board candidates debate guidelines, safeguards for what material is checked out: “I want to make this as clear and as blunt as possible: I do not believe in banning any books nor do I believe there will be anything like book burnings,” said Stephen J. Balich III, an employee of the Homer Township assessor’s office. “I think the parents should have ultimate control over what their children read. I believe our community has a set of values and standards that is important to maintain.”
* Crain’s | Rivian Automotive’s chief engineer returns to McLaren: Sanderson, who joined Rivian nearly five years ago to develop its R1 vehicle platform, returns to supercar maker McLaren in the role of chief technical officer, McLaren said earlier this week.
* Sun-Times | Allison Arwady, City Hall’s calming voice on COVID, hopes to stay on under next mayor: Chicago’s public health commissioner and coronavirus point person says she doesn’t get recognized as much as she used to. But that’s OK with her, especially given the “scary mail at my house” she’d get.
* Sun-Times | 3 years, 4 million cases, more than 36,000 deaths: Numbers shape Illinois’ dismal COVID-19 story: Statewide death toll now is nearing 37,000 — roughly the equivalent of wiping out the population of Calumet City. Chicago area accounts for nearly half the deaths — about 8,000 in the city, over 7,500 in suburban Cook County.
* Crain’s | U of I clean energy research gets $120 million boost from feds: The announcement extends funding for the Center for Advanced Bioenergy & Bioproducts Innovation, or CABBI, where U of I helps lead research, for five more years until 2027 and will now total more than $230 million across a decade of research. The first five-year commitment was announced in 2017.
* Crain’s | Chicago competing for another big biomedical hub: The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, or ARPA-H, a new federal agency armed with $2.5 billion to work on biomedical innovation, announced this week that it is starting its search for two cities to plant offices, and local lawmakers and economic development leaders say they’re throwing Chicago’s hat in the ring.
* WGN | Record betting expected in Illinois for ‘March Madness’: Sportsbooks are expecting record numbers of bets in Illinois during the tournament. While residents cannot bet on Illinois or Northwestern, them being in the tournament should boost betting numbers.
* WGEM | Illinois Trout season to begin for some this weekend: Catch and release season begins Saturday, March 18, at Siloam Springs State Park in Adams County and Horton Lake at Nauvoo State Park.
* Crain’s | University of Chicago grad students win union vote: The National Labor Relations Board on Thursday certified the tally of votes cast Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, and by mail up to March 14, confirming a landslide victory for the Graduate Students United, or GSU, union. Some 1,696 students voted for union representation while 155 voted against organizing, a 92% margin of victory.
* WTTW | Lincoln Park Zoo Reveals Names of Lion Cubs, and They’re Unexpectedly Sweet: Lincoln Park Zoo has revealed the names of its new lion cubs: Meet Pesho, Sidai and Lomelok. The names were chosen by Maasai “lion guardians” (Ilchokuti) in Tanzania, who work with Lincoln Park Zoo’s conservation partner, KopeLion. Each name has a special meaning in the Maa language:
* SJ-R | Richmond ‘convinced’ Springfield artist had hand in creating Pillsbury Doughboy: Richmond said Wednesday he has talked to family members of Wilkins, who was reputed to have originated the “Bicep Doughboy” image, the one Richmond found on a control panel in the bakery mix building.
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* The comptroller’s office issued a report in 2018 about the consequences of the 736-day state budget impasse. This is from their spokesperson at the time…
Hi Rich,
Wanted to make a pitch for 3,916 to be Today’s Number. As far as I know, this accounting of the drop in state contracts with nonprofits has not been out there before this report.
State contracting with non-profits declined due to the lack of state budgets. Grant contracts with non-profits decreased from 6,333 in fiscal year 2015 to 3,916 in fiscal year 2016—a drop of just over 38 percent. While it’s difficult to pinpoint the number of social service providers that closed as a direct result of the impasse, this drop in contracts shows the negative effect on the state’s provider network.
I found that email yesterday when I was looking for something else.
It’s just extraordinary when you look at it that way. Some non-profits, of course, had more than one state grant contract, but that’s still mind-boggling.
* I reached out to the comptroller’s spokesperson today to see if she could get me some updated numbers…
As of FY ’22, there were 6,957 state grant contracts with nonprofits.
That means state grant contracts with nonprofits increased 78 percent by last June over the number of contracts when the Rauner impasse finally ended. And were about 10 percent higher by last June than they were at the impasse’s beginning. I’m assuming the number is even higher this fiscal year. But it does take time to rebuild after wiping out the infrastructure.
Discuss.
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* WISN…
Wisconsin residents are choosing to spend their hard-earned cash in Illinois, specifically on weed.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation estimates the state made $36.1 million in tax revenue last year from Wisconsinites traveling across state lines to buy marijuana. […]
“If we’re going to do medical marijuana, it has nothing to do with generating taxes for the state and it has nothing to do with creating a new industry,” [Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin] Vos said. “We do not need to become like Illinois or Michigan where anywhere you go, there’s the stench of marijuana.”
A recent Marquette Law Poll reports 61% of Wisconsin voters support cannabis legalization in Wisconsin.
* Milwaukee Journal Sentinel…
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has proposed legalizing marijuana three times but Republican lawmakers who control the state Legislature have rejected the idea. It appeared at the start of the new legislative session that began in January that GOP legislative leaders were changing course and moving closer to creating a medical marijuana program in Wisconsin after years of opposition to the idea but the effort quickly stalled.
Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard, D-Madison, has also unsuccessfully proposed marijuana legalization for years and this week released revenue estimates from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, which show $36.1 million are estimated to be paid in Illinois taxes by marijuana customers in counties bordering the Badger State.
The analysis assumes that all sales to out-of-state residents in counties bordering Wisconsin were made to Wisconsin residents, according to the memo.
“It should upset every Wisconsinite that our hard earned tax dollars are going across the border to Illinois. This is revenue that could be going toward Wisconsin’s public schools, transportation infrastructure, and public safety,” she said in a statement. “Instead, Illinois is reaping the benefits of Republican obstructionism and their prohibitionist stance on marijuana legalization.”
* Patch…
There are four counties in Illinois that immediately border Wisconsin with dispensaries, the memo said, including Jo Daviess, Lake, McHenry and Winnebago. Of the sales made in those counties, just over $121 million, or 50.6 percent, were to people from out-of-state, the memo said citing data from Illinois. The overall analysis assumed that all out-of-state sales in the bordering counties were made to Wisconsinites, but the memo noted other out-of-state buyers may have come in such as from Iowa.
Altogether about 7.8 percent of Illinois’ cannabis sales revenue came from out-of-state buyers in the counties bordering Wisconsin, the memo said. Much of that is likely attributable to Wisconsinites.
* More…
* Sun-Times | Weed’s impact on teenagers? UIC neuroscientist uses rats to study marijuana’s effects on adolescent brains: Kuei Tseng is a key figure in the emerging field of biological psychiatry. His findings and those of others might give teens and parents pause about marijuana’s effects on developing brains.
* Forbes | Cannabis Brand Stiiizy Enters Illinois Recreational Marijuana Market: “We planted our flag in the Midwest with our Michigan launch. Now that we’ve established our brand and team there, it made perfect sense to expand to Illinois. The market had time to mature, which was essential to us since we are known for product consistency: always available, tastes the same and fairly priced,” Stiiizy managing partner Ryan Jundt said in a statement from the company on Thursday. “We also see a true cannabis culture in Illinois, one that’s underserved. We love markets like that, because when we go where there’s a genuine cannabis culture, we meet that demand.”
* Evanston Roundtable | Evanston may get marijuana dispensary, bakery on Howard: Scott Weiner, a co-owner of Chicago-based OKAY Cannabis Ltd., said his business plans to open an Evanston location at the 100 Chicago Ave. site., which is just across the street from Chicago. Weiner is also co-founder and president of the local Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, which includes the West Town Bakery brand that is teaming up with OKAY Cannabis.
* Daily Herald | Cannabis cultivation facility proposed for vacant Wheeling building: A Chicago-based limited liability company called Mae Lee Tinker has requested a special use permit from the village to operate a cannabis business at 160 W. Hintz Road, documents indicate. The site is a vacant, 59,446-square-foot industrial building.
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Today’s number: 0.006 percent
Friday, Mar 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Policy Institute…
Documents show the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund may have taken a multi-million dollar hit when Silicon Valley Bank recently collapsed.
The latest report of detailed investments available from the IMRF shows the fund had over $4.5 million invested in 12,621 shares of SVB Financial Group, the parent company of Silicon Valley Bank. Those shares had a fair market value of $8.6 million at the end of 2021 when the stock had a value near $700 per share.
Incomplete data makes it difficult to say what the IMRF’s exposure was when SVB went belly up.
This is apparently stirring up the same very online people who always seem to be easily stirred up. And oftentimes they’re stirred up for no good reason.
* So, I reached out to the IMRF’s John Krupa…
IMRF does hold some shares in Silicon Valley Bank Financial Group. As of a few days ago, these shares represented a market value of about $3 million. While we are always concerned about any losses, for context, IMRF holds about $49 billion in assets. So, these shares make up a very small part of our total portfolio - about 0.006% (a fraction of a percent). Any potential losses will have no impact on IMRF’s ability to pay benefits. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and adjust in accordance with our investment policies.
In your article, please consider adding the context that nearly every large institutional investor with index fund holdings has some exposure here. I think the recent coverage linking IMRF and SVB Financial Group is incomplete and confusing for readers. It’s almost as though IMRF’s name was “picked out of a hat” and linked with SVB. This connection is ironic considering we are widely considered the “gold standard” in the public pension industry. We are one of the best-funded pensions in America at 98%, and our local government contribution rates remain stable. We have even won a presidential award for performance excellence (The Baldrige National Quality Award).
So, in summary, IMRF’s SVB Financial Group losses are regrettable, and we take them seriously. But this is an industry-wide issue; it’s not unique to IMRF. And in our individual case, it’s having a de minimis impact on our overall portfolio and IMRF members, employers, and taxpayers should rest assured that the fund remains healthy and strong.
Discuss.
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It’s just a bill
Friday, Mar 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As we discussed, freshman GOP Rep. Jed Davis had some harsh things to say about his Republican colleagues the other day. He doubled down in his latest constituent newsletter…
My hand was slapped for calling out republicans last week. I stand by my comments, we shouldn’t hold up committees no matter the excuses, which were basically the dems made us do it… Feels like I’m back in grade school at times.
* On to the topic at hand. Let’s go back to Rep. Davis’ newsletter…
The house moved legislation this week, mostly low hanging fruit, although I still voted no 12 times. Curious about my votes, just click What is Jed Doing below, everything is right there. Here’s a bill of interest…
HB1591: Illinois is already an out of state abortion haven. This bill paves the way on the marriage front by removing roadblocks for Illinois becoming an out of state marriage haven. You often hear republicans struggle with platform. Well, the votes here exemplify this statement. We’re all over the map with no votes, not voting votes, and yes votes. Hmm.
HB1591’s synopsis…
Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act by repealing all of the following provisions: (i) no marriage shall be contracted in this State by a party residing and intending to continue to reside in another state or jurisdiction if the marriage would be void if contracted in the other state or jurisdiction, and every marriage celebrated in this State in violation of that provision is null and void; (ii) before issuing a license to marry a person who resides and intends to continue to reside in another state, the officer having authority to issue the license shall satisfy himself by requiring affidavits or otherwise that the person is not prohibited from intermarrying by the laws of the jurisdiction where the person resides; and (iii) an official issuing a marriage license with knowledge that the parties are prohibited from marrying and a person authorized to solemnize marriages who knowingly solemnizes such a marriage are guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
* The bill is sponsored by Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago). From her own constituent newsletter…
I plan to advance HB1591, which cleans up outdated language in our marriage laws that could have unintended consequences in a post-Dobbs world if states start to prohibit certain marriages. The Dobbs decision specifically noted the two landmark decisions legalizing interracial marriage and same-sex marriage as being vulnerable, so it’s important that we take steps to protect people who could be impacted by the decision just as we did in the reproductive health space.
Mike Miletich also did a story.
* It was indeed an odd roll call. Click here. The Republican “Yes” votes (7, including House Minority Leader McCombie) and non-voters (8) are highlighted for ease of use.
…Adding… Illinois Freedom Caucus…
It is not the place of Illinois state government to do an end run on the laws of other states just because the radical left might not like the laws the duly elected officials in these states enact and enforce. If Illinois denies someone a professional license, we expect other states to honor our standards of professional regulations. This is how we have been able to live in one country with different states and different state laws. Our state government is in effect becoming the 21-year-old being paid to buy alcohol for high school students. It is a disgrace and an embarrassment to state leaders in other states. We are basically thumbing our nose at other states and saying we will not respect their laws and if the circumstances surrounding this legislation were to actually happen – we would be creating tremendous legal issues. Our state needs thoughtful leadership and unfortunately all we are getting is more extremism and radicalism.
* Moving right along. C’mon, it’s just one bill among thousands. Also, Senator Turner lives in Springfield, not Decatur…
Because our legislative leaders do not have anything better to do, the State of Illinois is considering the design and adoption of a new state flag. It seems that some people in the state say our current banner – a picture of an eagle perched on a boulder with the word “Illinois” underneath is not symbolic enough.
“Illinois is a diverse state made up of rural, urban and suburban communities known for its agriculture, strong workforce, home of Abraham Lincoln and more,” State Representative Doris Turner, a Democrat from Decatur, said in a statement. “Our flag doesn’t show that. It’s time we have a flag that truly represents our state.” […]
I appreciate Representative Turner’s desire to reflect all of Illinois’ diversity on a new flag, but I doubt any new design will be able to make everyone happy. There just is no way to come up with a design to reflect farm and city; Chicago and Cobden, concrete and Cache River basin all at the same time.
Pretty sure that divide can be bridged (including the suburbs). That’s one reason why I personally think we should try to do this. It would be a good exercise in reuniting after years of people running us down and trying to divide us, in some cases literally so.
* The Illinois Opportunity Project has been ginning up electronic witness slips in opposition to this bill…
Grassroots engagement remains the most effective way to make policy changes. And we saw this again with your advocacy in the fight against ranked-choice voting (RCV).
This week, IOP Field Director, Andy Bakker, brought his expertise to the state capitol and testified against this confusing and disenfranchising voting system. Andy testified on behalf of the Coalition to Stop Ranked-Choice Voting, the over 3,000 Illinois residents who filed witness slips, and the thousands more who sent emails and called their legislators urging them to reject RCV in Illinois.
The “thousands more who sent emails,” is kind of a hoot, since many of those emails were received at the same exact time. Didn’t look at all like bots. Nope.
The bill (HB2807) would allow a pilot project for the presidential primary. The political parties can opt out. It’s most definitely not soup yet, regardless of the attacks.
* Center Square…
Some state lawmakers are looking to hold rideshare companies in Illinois to the same standard as other common carriers like taxis.
State Rep. Jennifer-Gong Gershowitz, D-Glenview, introduced House Bill 2231, which would set up a new standard for companies like Uber and Lyft by getting rid of an exemption that says rideshare companies are not responsible for their drivers.
Gong-Gershowitz explained her measure on Thursday.
“House Bill 2231 puts rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft on the same playing field as taxis and other common carriers,” Gong-Gershowitz said. “The policy rationale for granting this statutory exemption nearly a decade ago no longer makes sense, and its extended use harms public safety.” […]
The bill passed the House 73-36 and now awaits to be sent to the Illinois Senate.
ABATE, the group which lobbies against motorcycle helmet mandates, supported the bill. I reached out and was told they got involved after two young motorcycle riders were killed by a rideshare driver while his app was on. Current law exempts rideshare companies from these sorts of suits.
From the Illinois State Bar Association…
Injured customers of the ridesharing companies are now statutorily limited in their efforts to be made whole for an injury that they had received because of the actions of the ridesharing companies. If they had been injured by the actions of any other common carrier who competes with the ridesharing companies, they would have an opportunity to be made whole. The injured customer should have a right to seek to be made whole.
Lyft settled a lawsuit filed by a woman who alleged she was raped by one of their drivers before the Illinois Supreme Court could rule on the law. The appellate court had sided with rideshare companies after the legislature exempted them from suits.
* Press release…
The Illinois House and Senate Committees advanced more than 1600 bills last week, but missing were any significant reforms needed to address pensions, create new jobs, and provide tax relief to working families, according to State Representative Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City).
One bill left on the table at the Committee deadline is House Bill 2986, which prevents the rate of growth of general fund spending from exceeding the rate of growth of the Illinois median household income. Another measure not considered in a House Committee (HB 1640) creates the Efficient School District Commission to make recommendations on where reorganization and realignment of school districts into unit districts would be beneficial. Wilhour also introduced measures (HB 2136) to end the legislative pension system for new members and to implement some other basic pension reforms (HB 1644 and HB 1645), but none of these bills were considered in a legislative Committee.
“Every year Governor Pritzker has been in office, he has increased spending and there is no effort on the part of the leadership in the House and the Senate to provide any kind of financial restraint,” Wilhour said. “We continue to ignore the pension crisis and do nothing about it. We can’t even put together a commission to look at what reducing the number of school districts would look like. We keep creating new programs and creating new ways of spending money while our state continues to march toward insolvency. We will never improve our financial outlook as a state until we resolve the structural obstacles in Illinois government preventing real reform from taking place.”
Wilhour noted that instead of tackling the big issues, legislative leaders are prioritizing measures such as House Bill 1596 which strikes pronouns from state statutes involving children and Senate Bill 1818 which establishes a commission to study if Illinois needs a new flag.
Ah, yes, there’s the new flag proposal again. Rep. Wilhour co-sponsored the resolution to kick Chicago out of Illinois. Dividers don’t want a symbolic exercise that could help heal some wounds.
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A look at day 2 of the ComEd 4 trial
Friday, Mar 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Both former Reps. Scott Drury and Carol Sente, who testified for the prosecution yesterday, voted for ComEd’s bill in December of 2018. That bill is the basis for this corruption trial. Madigan didn’t vote either way. But this transcript from September of 2018 sure looks like Madigan was involved with details and Mike McClain was doing his bidding…
MADIGAN: What about the PLA at ComEd for one-fifty and the laborers?
McCLAIN: Right. So, I’m, I’m, I gotta call into Fidel uh, I, what is today, Friday? I called him on Wednesday to see what the status is, if Dick Gannon’s taking that around so, um, once, once Fidel gets back to me I’ll, I’ll call you right away.
This doesn’t prove bribery, of course, but it does show Madigan was involved.
…Adding… From an insider…
The unions typically go to the legislative leaders and ask them to help push companies that are slow to sign off on PLAs. I presume that’s what the call was. It’s not related to the ComEd bill.
* The federal government is trying to prove that McClain acted as Madigan’s agent on the ComEd bill, and they have recordings to back up their general argument about McClain’s duties. From Hannah Meisel’s story…
But McClain called Lang with some bad news: Another woman was threatening to come forward with harassment allegations if Lang was reinstated to a leadership position. What’s more, Madigan wanted Lang to resign from office to become a lobbyist.
“So this is no longer me talking,” McClain said in that Nov. 2018 call. “I’m an agent of somebody that cares deeply about you, who thinks that you really oughta move on.”
“Agent,” as used by McClain, is exactly how federal prosecutors want the jury to think of the defendant in the trial where he and three others stand accused of bribing Madigan with jobs and contracts for the speaker’s political allies in exchange for legislation favorable – and lucrative – to ComEd.
…Adding… The Lang thing does have that vibe…
* From the Tribune…
Asked about the call, Lang testified he knew McClain called him that day to deliver a message from Madigan. He said he knew that McClain often delivered messages for the speaker, and sometimes referred to Madigan as “our friend” or “‘Himself,’ as if it had a capital ‘H.’”
“It was very clear that there had been a decision made by the speaker that I was not going to move up in the ranks,” he told the jury. […]
On cross examination by McClain’s attorney, Lang acknowledged that in decades as a legislator, “Mike Madigan never ordered me to do anything.” He also says he remembers “nothing” about Madigan doing anything special to pass ComEd’s legislation.
* Sun-Times…
Despite the gravity of the request McClain made in November 2018, Lang said he was not surprised to get the message from McClain — who was then a ComEd lobbyist — and not Madigan himself.
“Because Mr. McClain was the person who was often sent by the speaker to talk to members about various issues involving the workings and operations of the Illinois House of Representatives,” Lang told prosecutors.
* ABC7…
In another call with then-Madigan staffer Craig Willert on February 20, 2019, [McClain] is heard saying: “My client is not ComED…My client is not Walgreens. My client is the Speaker.”
Full McClain quote…
My client is not ComEd, my client is not is not uh CBOE, my client is not Walgreens. My client is the Speaker. And once you come at, not you, but once a lobbyist comes to peace that that’s their client, it’s a lot easier. (Laughs)
* The government is also trying to show the jury the alleged seediness of Illinois politics under Madigan…
“I would never embarrass him that way,” replied Lang, who continues to deny the allegations, but then asks, “Do you think he [Madigan] would be helpful to me in business procurements?”
“Yes,” McClain replied.
* Meanwhile, Madigan’s people monitored every channel, including comments on this website…
Nobody followed Drury because Drury was not in any way collegial. When you spend most of your time at your job lecturing colleagues and grandstanding instead of working with them, you just don’t get too far in life, no matter what profession you’re in.
* More on Drury…
Drury said Madigan would determine House committees, who sat on them and who the chairmen would be. He had the power, Drury said, to control the flow and the schedule of legislation. […]
[Drury and former Rep. Carol Sente] described how Madigan would use the rules committee to either bless or kill litigation.
1) All chamber leaders in both parties have controlled the appointment of committee members and chairs/spokespersons for longer than I’ve been around, and still do to this day. And the majority chamber leaders still control the legislative flow and schedule.
2) After moving all bills out of Rules to standing committees for two years, the House has now reverted back to the old ways. More here.
* Isabel’s coverage roundup…
* Tribune: Despite nearly four decades at the helm of Illinois politics, ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s voice was rarely heard publicly, outside of an occasional news conference or speech on the House floor. But Madigan’s voice echoed through a Chicago federal courtroom on Thursday as prosecutors played a series of undercover recordings showing how the then-powerful speaker muscled out one of his longtime allies, Lou Lang, to stave off a potentially new sexual harassment scandal.
* Crain’s: A series of bombshell recordings, many of which were excerpts of intercepted conversations not disclosed in previous court filings, showed Madigan greatly concerned with getting Lang out of his caucus in 2018 following sexual harassment allegations leveled against Lang earlier that year.
* Hannah Meisel: Calls between Madigan and McClain mentioned they’d been informed of the harassment claims against Lang by the former top attorney in the speaker’s office at the time, Heather Wier Vaught. Wier Vaught on Thursday confirmed the existence of those 2018-era harassment claims surrounding Lang. “I don’t dispute that more than one person came forward with allegations against Lou,” she told Capitol News Illinois, noting those individuals whose claims never were made public had a right to privacy.
* WGEM: During cross-examination, McClain attorney Pat Cotter said it was understandable that Madigan wouldn’t want “someone in leadership who was at that point facing a second sexual harassment claim.” But Lang declined to acknowledge he was facing harassment claims at the time, employing the line “just because someone says there was an allegation does not make it true.” He especially chafed at Cotter’s later use of the word “charges.”
* ABC Chicago: today was about establishing former House Speaker Mike Madigan as the one person during his tenure who could make or break a piece of legislation, wrote the rules that ran the House and would substitute committee members if he knew a particular member was going to vote against his wishes. “I did not expect to lose my chairmanship because I was acting in the best interests of my district,” said Carol Sente, a former State Representative from Vernon Hills who believes she was punished for not supporting bills that were important to Madigan.
* NBC Chicago: Scott Drury, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney who came to Springfield in hopes of passing legislation to address what he saw as large number of wrongful convictions in his native Lake County, testified that the Illinois House was run by what many called the “Speaker’s Rules.” […] Both former House members described how Madigan would use the rules committee to either bless or kill litigation.
* Sun-Times: Other revelations in the trial Thursday included details of the FBI’s approach to ComEd executive Fidel Marquez on Jan. 16, 2019. FBI special agent Ryan McDonald told jurors that he and another agent, dressed in suits, visited Marquez at a family member’s home around 6 a.m. that day. McDonald said they played tapes for Marquez. In one, the agent said Marquez had been caught discussing allies of Madigan who were being paid by ComEd through Doherty’s company. In another, Marquez was allegedly heard discussing efforts by Madigan to install former McPier boss Juan Ochoa on the ComEd board.
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That toddlin’ town roundup
Friday, Mar 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* IZQ Strategies was one of the few pollsters which predicted a Vallas/Johnson runoff…
* From the toplines, Johnson’s favorable/unfavorable rating is 51-40, while Vallas’ is 47-47. Gov. Pritzker’s is 64-35, Chuy Garcia’s is 34-55 (see below), Bernie Sanders’ is 56-36.
Among institutions, the Chicago Teachers Union’s favorable/unfavorable rating is 48-46, while the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police’s rating is 38-50 and the Chicago Police Department’s is 57-40.
* On to the crosstabs…
[7] In the April 4th runoff election for mayor of Chicago, which candidate will you vote for?
Likely Latino voters are by far the smallest subset, so you have to be careful about assuming too much. But still. Whew.
* With that in mind, while Chuy Garcia is endorsing Johnson, he did himself no favors in the first round, particularly with Latinos…
-30 among Latinos? Whew.
* Check out the governor’s numbers with Vallas voters…
They don’t like him much.
* And this is why it’s so politically dangerous to call for defunding the police…
* With that last set of crosstabs in mind…
With leaders from various community organizations asking the questions, Johnson and Vallas first weighed in on the issue of public safety.
“What we’re going to do is train and promote 200 more detectives because we’re not solving crime in the city of Chicago, especially in Black and brown, poor communities,” Johnson said.
“New York has 6,000 detectives. That’s not smart policing. Smart policing is filling the vacancies and pushing the police officers down to the local beats, so they can respond within minutes of a 911 call,” said Vallas.
Johnson said Chicago would become safer with more investments in affordable housing, paid for in part by raising the real estate transfer tax on million dollar homes.
* Sun-Times…
Johnson is not saying it anymore. But, he still won’t commit to fully funding the Chicago Police Department’s $1.94 billion budget. In fact, he’s vowed to cut the CPD budget by at least $150 million, in part, by reducing the number of supervisors.
“My opponent wants to defund the police. He doesn’t want to fill the 1,100 vacancies. He does not want to bring back retired officers or invite other officers who have left to return without any loss of seniority,” Vallas said. […]
Vallas also took aim at the cornerstone of Johnson’s anti-violence strategy: $800 million in tax increases to help bankroll $1 billion worth of “investments in people.”
“You’re not gonna promote businesses by re-imposing the head tax, which taxes small businesses. That is not a tax-the-rich tax. You’re not gonna help businesses in general by increasing the hotel-motel tax by 66% which, of course, is part of my opponent’s $800 million tax plan. Hotels and motels are already paying the highest taxes in the country and they have barely survived, if they’ve come close to recovering from COVID,” Vallas said.
Johnson said $1 billion in social service investments is “what it takes for a better, stronger city.” He argued that his tax plan is based on a “fundamental Democratic principle.”
* Tribune…
“What has failed us is the politics of old,” Johnson said. “My opponent talks about school closures. Well, he set up the market for schools to be closed. He got so good at it, he went around the country doing it.”
Johnson then argued there is a link between violence and neighborhoods that faced school closures or privatization. To that, Vallas said his opponent is the one who should be to blame for any classroom shutdowns.
“The only one up here who has closed schools is my opponent,” Vallas said, before touting new schools built and rising CPS enrollment when he led the school district. “… Have you ever been to New Orleans? Have you ever seen New Orleans after Katrina? Eighty percent of the schools were destroyed.” […]
Johnson retorted that there was a “100-year pandemic” and said: “I have been to New Orleans. And I’m going to take a vacation there once I become mayor of the city of Chicago. … People from New Orleans actually came here to Chicago today, Paul, to talk about your failures,” a reference to a news conference Johnson held earlier Thursday with parents from school districts Vallas previously led.
* Another trade union weighs in for Vallas…
The Chicago Laborers’ District Council is endorsing Paul Vallas for Mayor and declaring that he is the candidate best equipped to create more jobs and economic opportunities for Chicagoans. Representing a diverse group of over 20,000 men and women across 15 Affiliated Local Unions in the construction, municipal, and industrial sectors, the Chicago Laborers’ District Council joins other major unions like Plumbers Local 130, Operating Engineers Local 150, IBEW Local 134 and IBEW Local 9.
“Paul prioritizes infrastructure and shares our view that the city must encourage development and invest in projects that will create jobs and opportunities to build a bigger, better and safer future for all Chicagoans,” said Chicago Laborers’ District Council Business Manager James P. Connolly. “On behalf of our membership, we are proud to support Paul Vallas because he will be a Mayor for all Chicagoans who will fight for the middle class.”
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Crain’s | Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia endorses Brandon Johnson: The Johnson campaign has teased an announcement for Friday morning at La Villita Community Church in the Little Village neighborhood, well-known as Garcia’s home base. The City Council’s Little Village rep, Ald. Mike Rodriguez, 22nd, will also be in attendance.
* Block Club | Tempers Flare As Supporters Of Mayoral Candidates Clash Over Paul Vallas’ Education Record: Outside the Johnson news conference, Vallas supporters — which included several other former Philadelphia schools executives — called out Johnson out for his lack of experience and said the former social studies teacher is a “progressive pawn” for county board President Toni Preckwinkle.
* CBS Chicago | Brandon Johnson, Paul Vallas go after each other for public safety, fiscal proposals at mayoral forum: Johnson called for hiring 200 more detectives, a greater effort to implement the federal consent decree mandating reforms in the Chicago Police Department, and ensuring the enforcement of laws now on the books such as red flag laws regarding gun possession. He also called for a long-term approach to addressing the root causes of crime – including youth employment and job creation. Vallas called for a return to “community-based policing,” rather than 911 calls that are answered in three hours instead of three minutes due to the lack of beat cars. He went on to accuse Johnson of “wanting to defund the police” as he claimed Johnson does not support his proposals for filling 1,100 vacancies in the CPD and bringing back retired officers and officers who have left the department.
* Sun-Times | From handshakes to hand grenades: Vallas lobs his own verbal bombs in lively debate with Johnson: During their first televised debate last week, Brandon Johnson was the undisputed aggressor. That night, Paul Vallas played it safe by trying to remain above the fray. On Thursday, it was a dramatically different Vallas who showed up to debate his runoff opponent at ABC7 Chicago.
* Crain’s | Johnson insists he won’t defund the Chicago Police Department at debate: Johnson has tried to walk a tightrope on the issue during the campaign, carefully avoiding using the phrase while saying he would become the “investor in chief” who invests in social policies that he says would lead to a “safer, stronger Chicago.”
* Chalkbeat | Vallas supporters disrupt Johnson event focused on Vallas’ schools leadership: A press conference denouncing Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas’ record running public schools devolved into a shouting match as his supporters interrupted an event for his opponent at Rainbow PUSH Coalition Thursday morning in Kenwood.
* Block Club | 45th Ward Runoff Comes Down To Ald. Jim Gardiner, Attorney Megan Mathias: Results made official this week showed Gardiner received 7,683 votes, or 48 percent of the vote, leading to the runoff. Mathias was his closest challenger with 2,699 votes, or 16.8 percent of the vote.
* Sun-Times | A tale of two cities, told in Chicago’s mayoral election: When Harold Washington ran to become the first Black mayor in 1983, his white opponent Bernie Epton urged voters to elect him before “it’s too late,” a tacit racial plea. Washington battled hostile white City Council members and won reelection in 1987, besting more white candidates. Back then, the sheer audacity of a Black man as mayor rocked the city. So much so that columnist Mike Royko famously wrote, “Uncle Chester: Don’t worry, Harold Washington doesn’t want to marry your sister.”
* Block Club | 6 South And West Side Alderpeople Endorse Paul Vallas, Banking On Him To Cut Crime And Boost Policing: Some alderpeople said neighbors are afraid to leave their homes because of crime. Vallas’ pledge to boost policing with “zero tolerance for misconduct” is the best solution for the city, they said.
60 Comments
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Morning briefing
Friday, Mar 17, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Tribune | Dan Proft corrects $3 million typo on campaign finance report following complaint by Democrats: In the amended report filed Wednesday, Proft showed what had been originally reported as a $3,000,078.33 expenditure for advertising on CBS-2 Chicago was in reality a $300,078.33 ad buy — $3 million less than originally reported.
* WBEZ | The 411 on the ‘ComEd Four’ bribery trial: Four people with connections to ComEd and the former speaker go on trial over an alleged bribery scheme to push the utility company’s legislative agenda in Springfield.
* Sun-Times | State oversight agency alleges fathers’ rights lawyer Jeffery Leving charged ‘unreasonable fees’ to clients: A complaint filed by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission also accuses Leving of failing to refund unearned fees, in violation of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.
* Tribune | Casino at Hawthorne Race Course remains in limbo, while downstate project moving ahead: The general contractor, Pepper Construction, has demolished much of the inside and the front glass face of the Hawthorne’s grandstand in preparation for building the casino with a view of the Stickney racetrack.
* Sun-Times | ‘Proof of airport business’ required to enter O’Hare during overnight hours from Blue Line, officials say: People arriving at O’Hare after 10 p.m. must have a boarding pass or employee badge, the city Department of Aviation says. The policy has been in place since 2020.
* Sun-Times | Illinois is funding ‘what works’ for public schools, but there’s still more to be done: The state’s ‘evidence-based formula,’ created in 2018 with bipartisan legislation, is sending more money to under-resourced schools, including some Downstate schools. But Illinois is behind schedule on providing the full funding the legislation calls for.
* Center Square | Scope of Illinois pension funds’ impact from recent bank turmoil unclear
: “While we are always concerned about any losses, for context, IMRF holds about $49 billion in assets,” IMRF Communications Officer John Krupa said. “So these shares make up a very small part of our total portfolio – about 0.006% (a fraction of a percent).”
* WBEZ | A former Illinois prison guard gets 20-year sentence for fatal beating: In pleading for leniency Alex Banta said he took a job as a prison guard at 23 and had no idea how it would change him.
* Tribune | Mayoral candidates debate who would tax and spend responsibly: ‘You clearly don’t know about budgets’: Johnson, a Cook County commissioner, went first, asking Vallas to disavow a group of demonstrators who crashed one of his campaign events that morning. Vallas, a former Chicago Public Schools CEO, did not acknowledge the event and instead said “supporters on both sides” have caused a ruckus during a “rough-and-tumble campaign” in Chicago.
* RRStar | Rockford Casino generated near-record revenue in February: Rockford’s temporary casino, 610 N. Bell School Road, raked in $5.1 million in gross revenue in February after winnings were paid out to gamblers, according to data released by the Illinois Gaming Board. It was $1.5 million, or 42%, more than the $3.6 million in revenue it generated in February a year ago.
* WTTW | New 400 Theaters Facing Closure After More Than 100 Years in Rogers Park: Fox bought The New 400 Theaters and surrounding storefronts in 2007 as a redevelopment project. Two years later, he began operating the theater, which has been open in Rogers Park for more than 100 years.
* Vintage Chicago Tribune | March Madness was born in Illinois. Here’s history of Chicago teams in the tournament: Henry V. Porter, an Illinois High School Association official who was later inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, is credited with originally using the phrase to describe the state’s high school basketball tournament in 1939.
* Tribune | Ravinia Festival 2023: Boyz II Men with Isley Brothers, women composers with the CSO: Ravinia Festival on Thursday unveiled an especially broad and star-studded 2023 season, featuring several high-profile debuts and the return of the weekend-long Breaking Barriers Festival of classical music (July 21-23), steered and curated by conductor Marin Alsop.
7 Comments
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Live coverage
Friday, Mar 17, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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