Afternoon roundup
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pritzker was asked again today about the Chicago mayor’s race and whether he’d met with the two candidates…
I have. I’ve met with each of them. And I’ve told them that my intention is to work with whoever wins this race. And so I’ve looked forward to hearing even more. I know we’ve got a few weeks left in this campaign, but you know, it’s important that the governor work with the mayor, whoever that is. And so I’m gonna watch. And, of course, I’m a voter, I live in Chicago, I’ll have to make that decision when the time comes.
He was then asked if the candidates had asked him for his endorsement…
They have, and I’ve told them, as I’ve told all of you, I think it’s important for me to stay clear of endorsing, mainly because I want to make sure that we’re able to work together, whoever it is that wins.
* Pritzker made those comments at a bill-signing event…
Governor JB Pritzker today signed SB208 into law, making Illinois the third state in the nation, and the first in the Midwest, to mandate paid time off to be used for any reason. The historic legislation provides employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave during a 12-month period, meaning approximately 1.5 million workers will begin earning paid time off starting in 2024.
“Working families face so many challenges, and it’s been my mission to alleviate those burdens in every way I can. Today, we will become the third state in the nation to require paid time off, and the first among the largest states,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Employers benefit from allowing employees to tend to the urgent personal matters of their lives. Workers’ productivity increases, and they often gain greater passion for their job when they can manage the stresses they face outside work. I’m exceptionally proud that labor and business came together to recognize the value of this requirement to employees and employers alike.” […]
Under existing law, workers are not guaranteed pay when taking time off for sick leave, childcare, mental health reasons, medical appointments, vacation, or any other reason. Starting on March 31st, 2024, or 90 days following commencement of employment, workers can begin using their earned time off for any reason without the requirement of providing documentation to their employer under the Paid Leave for Workers Act.
This new law applies to every employee working for an employer in Illinois, including domestic workers, but does exclude independent contractors. The City of Chicago and Cook County have an existing paid sick leave ordinance in place; employees and employers in those two geographic regions will be subject to those ordinances. The law will also exempt employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement in the construction industry and parcel delivery industry.
The legislation provides that paid leave shall accrue at the rate of one hour for every 40 hours worked. Employees will be paid their full wage while on leave and tipped workers will be paid the minimum wage in their respective locale. An employer cannot require an employee to find their replacement for the leave.
* A state Representative tells me she’s received 500+ emails today opposed to ranked choice voting, with these three minor variations. None of the senders live in her district…
Ranked choice voting turns winners into losers – Do not support it!
Dear Representative xxxx,
I am an Illinois voter and would like your help in fighting against ranked choice voting in our state. This unnecessary, partisan process turns winners into losers and complicates voting. Please don’t let this happen in Illinois and vote against ranked choice voting.
No Ranked Choice Voting in Illinois
As an Illinois voter, I compel you to not let outside influences corrupt the voting process in our state with ranked-choice voting. Ranked choice voting disenfranchises voters and is not needed in Illinois. Please don’t let ranked choice voting become a reality here.
Protect my right to vote and vote NO on HB 2807 & HB 2716
Dear Representative xxxx,
I cherish my sacred right to vote, and I do not want the process in Illinois complicated by ranked-choice voting. This is an unnecessary practice that serves to confuse voters and makes it difficult to count votes. As an Illinois voter, I ask you to vote against Ranked-Choice Voting.
* A Decatur manufacturing shutdown has had a huge national impact…
An ongoing shortage of a medicine commonly used to treat people with breathing problems is expected to get worse after a major supplier to U.S. hospitals shut down last week.
Liquid albuterol has been in short supply since last summer, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. It has been on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s shortages list since October. The news of the plant shutdown worries some doctors who work with patients with breathing problems such as asthma. […]
The manufacturer that recently shut down, Akorn Operating Company LLC, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2020.
It was the only company to make certain albuterol products used for continuous nebulizer treatment. It’s a staple in children’s hospitals, but had been out of stock since last fall. Without that particular form of the product, hospitals have had to scramble to find alternatives.
* Center Square…
Federal prosecutors plan to call 70 witnesses to prove that four former ComEd employees and lobbyists doled out jobs, contracts and payments to illegally influence one of Illinois’ most powerful politicians.
* Something to keep in mind…
* How it started, how it’s going…
…Adding… I actually am related to this Miller. He’s my brother and also Isabel’s father…
(Not an endorsement, just an acknowledgement.)
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup…
* Daily Herald | Pritzker donation raises concerns of partisan influence on school board races: Pritzker’s campaign committee, which has been nearly entirely self-funded by the billionaire governor, made a $500,000 donation to the state Democratic organization Feb. 27, Illinois State Elections Board records show.
* Shaw Local | Rally defends diversity in Oswego SD308: ‘Our community will not be bullied, threatened or bought’: “Awake Illinois and the candidates they support are trying to destroy public schools and libraries by taking over the boards and imposing their far right agenda,” Donnelly said. “These groups traffic in fear and bigotry and seek to gain power by spreading moral panic and lies.”
* Joe Cahill |Pritzker’s power plan gets a reality check: Pritzker, for his part, shows no interest in adjusting the schedule for closing carbon-emitting plants. His spokeswoman dismisses the possibility of power shortages, saying “we’ll be able to meet the power needs in Illinois,” provided PJM and MISO “accelerate the interconnection of all the renewable power” that developers have proposed in their regions. She adds that CEJA is just one of many factors contributing to PJM’s concerns about power capacity throughout its service area.
* KFVS | City of Carbondale, several other southern Illinois entities to receive energy transition grant: Carbondale is set to receive $80,707 from the program to address the economic and social impacts of fossil fuel plant or coal mine closures or significant reductions.
* Treasurer Michael Frerichs | China aggressiveness is opening up opportunities for Illinois businesses: We ought to support our key ally Japan and make the most of this moment to bring jobs back to Illinois. We can continue to build relationships with a strong trading partner, one that has significant influence in an area of the world that increasingly is threatened by Chinese destabilization.
* Arne Duncan and Tim Daly | Illinois can hold rogue actors in gun industry accountable under Consumer Fraud Act: Rogue gun manufacturers and dealers who negligently or recklessly sell firearms in Illinois must be held accountable to more effectively reduce gun violence in our communities. To do so, policymakers need to clarify the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, or Consumer Fraud Act, to ensure that the gun industry is held to the same basic principles of civil justice as everyone else.
* Tribune | Labor unions are split on Chicago mayor candidates as powerful IUOE Local 150 backs Paul Vallas: The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 initially threw its support behind U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García late last year but is now pivoting to support Vallas after García’s candidacy sputtered to a fourth-place finish in the first round of voting Feb. 28.
* Daily Herald | Lake County Board might endorse using Route 53 right of way as greenway: The resolution up for action Tuesday largely is symbolic but would make official the county’s endorsement of having the right of way stretching from Lake-Cook Road north to Grayslake and points west preserved as a greenway.
* Crain’s | Rivian negotiating end to exclusivity deal with Amazon: report: Electric vehicle maker Rivian and tech giant Amazon are reportedly negotiating to alter their current partnership to allow Rivian to sell its electric vans to others and end its exclusive deal with Amazon. According to The Wall Street Journal, Rivian’s request follows Amazon’s decision to buy around 10,000 vans in 2023, which falls at the lower end of the agreement established in 2019 for 100,000 vans purchased by 2030.
* Patch | LTHS Admits Open Meetings Violations: In a letter to the attorney general Wednesday, the school’s lawyer said officials failed to cite the legal exception for the board to close its doors. This happened a half dozen times for closed meetings from April to November last year. The topic was the plan to sell the school’s land in Willow Springs.
* Reuters | Caterpillar union workers vote in favor of six-year labor agreement: The contract covers roughly 7,000 union workers at plants in central Illinois and a parts distribution center in York, Pennsylvania. In a notice seen by Reuters, 71.5% of union members voted to accept the tentative agreement. The union did not disclose how many workers voted.
* Forbes | What Happened To Signature Bank? The Latest Bank Failure Marks Third Largest In History: State regulators in New York shuttered Signature Bank—a 23-year-old regional bank that had previously focused on digital assets by becoming one of a few banks to accept crypto deposits—after regulators warned the stability of the financial system could be threatened if the bank remained open.
* SJ-R | Grandview municipal building to be named for former Illinois Supreme Court justice: Former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Robert Carter remembered as a kid growing up in the 2300 block of East Grandview riding his bike over, with his brother, Randy, and neighborhood friend, Dennis Dyson, several blocks to a baseball diamond where neighborhood kids would gather.
* Tribune | Taste of Chicago, Jazz Fest and 2023 summer season announced: Summer festival season has been announced. The big news: Taste of Chicago will have three preview events in Chicago neighborhoods over the summer, then take place in Grant Park Sept. 8-10. Also in the lineup, Chicago Blues Festival in Millennium Park in June, Chicago Air and Water Show Aug. 19-20 and Chicago Jazz Festival at the end of summer.
* WGN | Chicago man files class action suit against Buffalo Wild Wings, says boneless wings are just nuggets: The complaint seeks to challenge what it calls “the false and deceptive marketing and advertising of Buffalo Wild Wings’ Boneless Wings,” and goes on to say, “Specifically, the name and description of the Products (i.e., as “Boneless Wings”) leads reasonable consumers to believe the Products are actually chicken wings.”
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It’s just a bill
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WAND…
A new bill being proposed in the legislature would bring Illinois into the 21st century by modernizing its virtual car dealer laws. […]
Existing Illinois law is vague about whether new and used car dealers can sell their products online, and get electronic signatures for purchase.
“This bill is designed to modernize Illinois law regulating the home-delivery of purchased vehicles, to ensure customers don’t have to go to a physical facility just to sign some paperwork,” Will Munsil, Senior Corporate Counsel for Carvana told WAND News. […]
The bill has been voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is now set for a third reading in the full Senate later this month. It still needs approval in both the Senate and House before becoming law.
* Hyde Park Herald…
State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-26th) is concerned about turnout in Chicago municipal elections after concluding his campaign for mayor. […]
Buckner nevertheless suggested working with organizations like Chicago Votes and the League of Women Voters to have “a more intentional and streamlined approach” to boost turnout.
He also has some legislative changes in mind, including lowering the voting age for state and local elections from 18 to 16. […]
Buckner has also filed legislation to allow municipalities to adopt ranked-choice voting without an affirmative ballot referendum.
* Capitol News Illinois…
Illinois lawmakers advanced a bill last week that would effectively abolish life sentences for any incarcerated individual who was under the age of 21 when they received their sentence.
In January, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law that makes any individual who was under the age of 21 when sentenced to life in prison eligible for parole review after they served 40 years or more of their sentence. But the measure only applied to those sentenced on or after June 1, 2019.
Senate Bill 2073, carried by Republican Sen. Seth Lewis, of Bartlett, would extend the measure retroactively to apply to any currently incarcerated individual who was sentenced before turning 21. The law signed by Pritzker in January takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, and SB 2073 would be effective July 1, 2024.
“The 3,251 current inmates who were sentenced prior to June 1, 2019, or Jan. 1, 2024, should have the opportunity (for parole review),” Lewis said in committee. “That is the essence of this bill.”
The measure passed out of committee on a 7-3 vote and awaits action from the full House.
* HB 1568 was re-referred to Rules Committee on Friday. WCBU…
A bill intended to protect the public’s right to access navigable waters — first introduced in the Illinois House in January — is under consideration again.
The bill’s language explains that while the amendment would not change any actual law, it would protect the public’s right to access and use any waters that are currently, or have been in the past, used for recreational and commercial purposes.
The Prairie Rivers Network is promoting the bill. Robert Hirschfeld, senior water policy specialist, said it is disappointing to hear of the initial denial of the amendment. He said the issue stems from events in U.S. history that protect the public’s right to waterways.
“So, the Northwest Ordinance, right at the end of the 1700s, which brought new territory in the United States, the federal navigation, servitude, and other bodies of federal law grant the public rights to use navigable waters,” he said, “and our position is that the state of Illinois and state agencies have improperly restricted that right.” […]
Hirschfeld and the Prairie Rivers Network intend to return the bill to the General Assembly in the next legislative session.
* Center Square…
House Bill 2910 provides that a person who holds an animal in the person’s lap while operating a motor vehicle is guilty of a petty offense. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Jawaharial Williams, D-Chicago, said pets aren’t covered under distracted driving laws.
“The new law would allow police officers to pull you over if they see that you are driving with an animal in your lap, whatever the animal may be,” Williams said.
Williams cited a AAA survey that showed that 31% of drivers with pets said they have been distracted by their pets while driving, and 20% of drivers who have admitted to driving with the pet on their lap have been involved in accidents.
Offenders would be subject to a $50 fine. The measure moved out of the transportation committee and is headed to the House floor.
* Center Square…
Violence on public transit in Illinois and around the country remains near the highest levels seen in the past decade.
State Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, said House Bill 1342 would suspend the riding privileges of those responsible for abusive behavior.
“Transit officials have found that the same folks keep repeatedly abusing their riding privileges by harassing folks or outright harming folks, and those folks could include our transit workers, and/or their fellow riders,” Delgado said.
Supporters of the legislation say the dangerous working conditions have led to a shortage of public transit workers statewide.
The measure moved out of the transportation committee and is headed to the House floor.
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That toddlin’ town roundup
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* New TV ad…
You knew that was gonna happen. Oof.
* The public sector union vs. private sector union split is fully on display in the Chicago mayoral race…
…Adding… SEIU IL Council just put $1.1 million into its PAC.
On the other side…
This morning, three large construction unions announced their endorsement of Paul Vallas in the upcoming runoff election for Mayor of Chicago. The unions were joined by former Secretary of State Jesse White, who endorsed Vallas earlier this month.
Among the unions were the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 9. In total, the unions represent about 40,000 workers. These endorsements come only days after the Plumbers Local 130, which represents more than 6,000 members, announced its endorsement of Vallas.
In addition to its endorsement, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 committed $1 million to the effort to elect Paul Vallas.
“The men and women here today built Chicago,” said White, who has been an influential voice in Illinois politics for nearly fifty years. “These unions are committed to a bright future for this city, and their unity on this endorsement symbolizes the vital role that Vallas will play in shaping that future.”
* Think about the framing of this policy idea for a moment…
The centerpiece of mayoral candidate Paul Vallas’ plan to reverse decades of disinvestment on the South and West sides of Chicago is the creation of an independent community development authority that would limit the ability of Chicago City Council members to have final say on ward-level issues.
What the idea boils down to is wanting to help Black wards by disempowering Black alderpersons and then handing over control to an unelected “independent community development authority.”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m in favor of drastically reducing aldermanic prerogative. It just feels a bit too “on-brand” to sell it this way.
* Counting the same money twice is also on-brand for Vallas…
Vallas also proposes creating a municipal bank, which would hold the authority’s funds, which would come from “a dedicated portion of all new revenues from [tax-increment financing districts] and all developer fees, future casino, sports betting and gaming revenues” that would be earmarked for investments on the South and West sides. […]
However, state law requires Chicago to use all casino revenues to fund its police and fire pensions.
* This policy idea reminds me of candidate Bruce Rauner’s empty pledge to prosecute corruption out of his own office…
Even more unproven is Vallas’ plan to establish a “Law Department Municipal Prosecution Unit” to try the city’s cases itself, which likely would require a change in state law.
And Johnson supports this…
Christened the “Anjanette Young Ordinance” as a nod to the Black social worker who was forced to stand naked in her home as several Chicago officers in 2019 executed a search warrant at the wrong location, the legislation is opposed by Lightfoot, who has said it was not grounded in the reality of policing. Young has endorsed Johnson for mayor.
The latest proposed version would add a provision that mandates officers seeking warrants to first conduct at least a week of surveillance on the location.
A week?
* Also…
On the other hand, Brandon Johnson is a CTU staffer. I’m sure he’ll be tough on them during contract negotiations. /s
* This is on-brand for the CTU candidate…
Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson said he will not raise property taxes if elected. … Johnson is proposing a slew of new revenues, mostly in new taxes on big businesses.
The CTU always opposes property tax hikes, relying instead on “tax the rich” proposals, many of which would require state legislative approval or even constitutional change or a strong belief in unicorns.
And Vallas…
Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas said he would cap the city’s property tax levy, but has been less clear about whether that means we would not raise property taxes at all. A spokesperson said Vallas is “committed to not raising city property taxes.” … Vallas, meanwhile, promises to use budgetary acumen to work within the existing budget’s bounds.
He claims to be a unicorn wizard. I’d beg to differ.
* Vallas constantly heaps praise on private and charter schools, but his own words on 60 Minutes when he was running the New Orleans school district undercuts his arguments. Most of the schools are simply too small to accommodate kids with special needs, and there are lot of those kids in Chicago…
* NBC 5…
A new poll of more than 800 likely Chicago mayoral election voters found that former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas is holding a lead over Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, and several key voting blocs could play a significant role in determining the outcome of the race.
The poll, conducted by Victory Research, asked 806 likely runoff voters about their preferences in the upcoming election, with Vallas collecting 44.9% of the vote. Johnson grabbed 39.1% of the vote, with 16% of respondents saying they are still undecided for the April 4 runoff.
The margin of error in the poll was 3.45%, with a mix of respondents on land lines and cell phones, according to the polling company.
Adding some intrigue to the proceedings was the number of voters who said that their choices could change. According to the poll, 18% of respondents said they could change their minds prior to Election Day, meaning that one-third of the voters either haven’t settled on a candidate or could move to the other in the two-man race.
Victory Research also cited demographic data that showed two key groups that could help determine the outcome of the race. Voters living near the city’s lakefront, normally a key constituency in the race, are narrowly favoring Vallas by a 44-to-41 margin.
Celinda Lake had Johnson up by 5.
* The Triibe…
Spurred by the fatal shooting of Rekia Boyd by then-Chicago police officer Dante Servin in 2012, they organized a movement that led to the creation of elected civilian councils and a civilian commission with police oversight powers—the first such bodies in the city’s, and the nation’s, history. By the end of election night, the [Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression ] candidates and organizers in the ballroom had won 62 percent of the council seats.
The Chicago City Council passed the Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) ordinance, which created the district councils and CCPSA, following not only years of grassroots organizing by CAARPR and its allies in the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability (GAPA), but also months of negotiations with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who tried to block giving any police oversight powers to elected civilians, despite supporting it during her 2019 campaign. What came out of those negotiations was a compromise that gave some oversight powers to the CCPSA and kept some in the mayor’s office.
Each of the city’s 22 police districts will have a three-member elected PDC that interacts with the community and can make recommendations to local police commanders. Those district-level councils also nominate members of the citywide CCPSA and make reports and recommendations to them. They also are in charge of nominating people to fill vacancies on the district councils themselves (which may be necessary immediately after this election in at least one district).
Unsurprisingly, many of those folks endorsed Brandon Johnson today.
* And finally…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Tribune | Chicago homicides in 2023: 91 people slain. : That’s 8 fewer people killed when compared with 2022.
* Sun-Times | Runoff campaign: Vallas’ and Johnson’s pension, property tax plans underwhelm fiscal experts: Brandon Johnson is proposing a slew of new revenues, mostly new taxes on big businesses. Paul Vallas promises to use budgetary acumen to work within the existing budget’s bounds. Neither plan is failsafe, experts say.
* Tribune | Crime is a top issue for Chicago voters. Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson offer sharp contrasts to public safety: Johnson represents some of the city’s most violent neighborhoods and repeatedly discusses crime in personal terms. He talks about shielding his children from gunfire on his block that sometimes has pierced his home’s windows and a classmate of his oldest son who died in a shooting this school year. “I have more incentive than Paul Vallas for a safer, stronger Chicago,” he’s argues. “I’m living it, just like families are all over the city. We have to get it right.”
* WBEZ | Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson have vastly different visions for Chicago’s taxes and finances: Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson said he will not raise property taxes if elected. Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas said he would cap the city’s property tax levy, but has been less clear about whether that means we would not raise property taxes at all. A spokesperson said Vallas is “committed to not raising city property taxes.”
* Laura Washington | Chicago mayoral race is a job interview. Voters should ask: Who is more experienced?: We have heard much about how the runoff candidates, Paul Vallas, a former Chicago Public Schools CEO, and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, are polar opposites on issues, policy and ideology. Yet throughout these months of campaign debates, forums and news conferences, not so much about experience.
* WTTW | City Council Won’t Pay $1M to Settle Lawsuit Filed by Mother of Man Killed by Chicago Police Officer Who Turned Off Camera: A recommendation from the city’s lawyers to pay $1 million to the mother of a man who was fatally shot by Chicago police in May 2019 after a foot chase will not get a vote by the Chicago City Council.
* Crain’s | As mayor, Johnson would revive push for anti-homelessness ‘mansion tax’: The Bring Chicago Home proposal spearheaded by homeless advocates would more than triple the transfer tax that a buyer of a residential or commercial property at $1 million or more would pay. The transfer tax is a one-time payment at the time of purchase, not a recurring expense like property taxes.
* Sun-Times | City must push forward in holding businesses, residential buildings responsible for recycling: The Streets and Sanitation Department has corrected “two problems” and partly fixed another since the IG’s audit in late 2020 revealed that it “makes no attempt to identify noncompliant commercial or high-density residential buildings.” But it has a way to go, Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said in her follow-up report earlier this month.
* Tribune | Smoke detectors save lives, but Chicago has slow-walked efforts to toughen rules: Illinois policymakers have been straining in recent years to catch up with national trends in safety standards to make sure modern, reliable smoke alarms are installed in every home so that tragedies like the Humboldt Park fire are not repeated. But their efforts have been repeatedly undermined by real estate interests, by Chicago Fire Department officials who have lobbied to delay and weaken regulations, and by lackluster outreach and spotty enforcement on the part of city officials, an investigation by the Illinois Answers Project and the Tribune found.
* Crain’s | Juul settles with Chicago for nearly $24 million: Since 2018, Chicago has filed nine lawsuits against 45 online vaping retailers, reaching settlements with 50 companies in exchange for agreements to change their business practices and pay almost $27 million in fines, the statement said. It has also won about $2 million in fines from default judgments against seven online vaping businesses, it said.
* Sun-Times | 3 groups vie to revive a chunk of Chicago’s industrial legacy: Proposals being evaluated by local groups and the Department of Planning and Development would introduce new uses to the old Central Manufacturing District on Pershing Road.
* Block Club | Chicago’s Mexican Independence Day Parade Is Back In September With The Theme ‘Tu Mexico, Tu Chicago’: The parade begins noon Sept. 16 at the arch at 26th Street and Albany Avenue. It will proceed down 26th Street to Kostner Avenue. The celebration typically brings thousands to the neighborhood’s business corridor.
* Block Club | Chicago-Evanston Border Could Get 3 Dispensaries Within 6 Blocks As Pot Shops Target Howard And Clark Area: Perception Cannabis, a social equity cannabis license holder, is also looking to open a dispensary at 7000 N. Clark St., according to Ald. Maria Hadden’s (49th) ward office.
* Crain’s | A Chicagoan to know: Sammy Dorf of cannabis firm Verano: Sammy Dorf is co-founder of Chicago-based Verano Holdings, one of the largest cannabis companies in the nation, boasting more than 120 dispensaries in 13 states, 14 cultivation and production facilities, and nearly 4,000 employees. Dorf, 38, and his wife live in the Gold Coast neighborhood and just had their first child, a boy, in late February.
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More like this, please
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Illinois Times’ Scott Reeder…
Springfield mayoral candidate Misty Buscher is calling for revitalizing the dormant beach house at Lake Springfield and making it a haven for food trucks, concerts and outdoor activities. […]
In the wake of a 2007 drowning at Lake Springfield, the beach house has only been used for planned events such as weddings. Swimming is no longer allowed at the beach. […]
She has worked with an architectural firm to create renderings for what such a park might look like.
“We would just take a small bite of the apple each year,” she said. “The most expensive phase would be the dock. But everything – the picnic tables, the building, the renovations, the dock – would be a total of $1 million.”
From the architect…
If Springfield ever hopes to attract people to and keep people in this town, it needs to do lots more stuff like this, especially since the law requiring new state jobs be located in Springfield was heavily watered down not long ago.
And good on the candidate for coming up with this idea and putting in some actual work.
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* ILGOP Chair Don Tracy…
Fellow Republicans,
I am writing to you to talk about the elephant in the room, Vote By Mail. Each election cycle, we see that the general public is choosing to vote by mail in increasing numbers. This phenomenon is consistent across all types of voters, as the chart below illustrates. And of course, Democrats utilize Vote By Mail at a much higher rate than Republicans. Democrats have won many close elections on the strength of their Vote By Mail programs. Quite simply, Republicans will have an uphill battle in every election moving forward if we do not start utilizing Vote By Mail to our advantage — especially now that Illinois authorizes permanent Vote By Mail lists, which will disproportionately impact the results of our municipal elections, especially our local school boards.
We are acutely aware of problems with the Vote By Mail process. However, the harsh reality is that until we have the numbers in the legislature to change it, we have to play to win under the existing rules and we must increase Republican voter turnout by greater use of Vote By Mail. In contrast to our genuine concerns about how certain aspects of voting by mail undermine fair and honest elections, there is relatively little increased risk of fraudulent abuse of your ballot when you vote by mail as opposed to voting in person. In a sense, voting by mail can actually decrease the possibility of a bad actor voting your ballot for you.
Even for voters who prefer not to vote by mail, participating in the Vote By Mail process has advantages. Our partners at the Illinois Conservative Union speak about a “claim your name, secure your vote” strategy to Vote By Mail voting that was used with success in Virginia in 2021, and their viewpoint bears repeating here.
First, we encourage our voters to request a Vote By Mail ballot as early in the process as possible. Once that ballot arrives, the voter has “claimed their name, and secured their vote.” With that ballot in hand, there is no possibility that anyone else can cast that ballot, or request a ballot in that voter’s name.
At this point, if that voter wants to cast a ballot by mail, he or she may obviously do so. However, if that voter wants to vote in person – whether through Early Voting or on Election Day – that voter simply takes the Vote By Mail ballot with them to their polling place, and surrenders it to the election judges.
We’d want our voters to be sure to watch the election judge write “SPOILED” on the Vote By Mail ballot and secure it in a “Spoiled Ballot” envelope. After this, the voter may proceed to vote in-person at the polling place.
The wisdom of this approach is that it provides our voters with flexibility. Under this approach, if something comes up at the last minute, and a voter cannot vote in person, they can still vote using a Vote By Mail ballot. An executed Vote By Mail ballot can be delivered using the mail, in-person OR by a trusted friend or family member, using the affidavit on the Vote By Mail envelope. Whether it is in-person voting or voting by mail, we can protect our vote by claiming our name and ensuring that our ballot is cast. Whether you are a fan of voting by mail or not, it is the law of the land in Illinois. Until we elect enough Republicans to change it, we must use this system to the greatest extent possible so that we can do just that: elect more Republicans.
The included chart…
Thoughts?
…Adding… A buddy of mine with access to an Illinois Policy Institute private Facebook group just sent me this text…
The IPI guys have been trying to convince their private group members to vote by mail for months.
Every time they post its just a stream of comments decrying fraud, etc.
Reap what you sow, I suppose.
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From the mouths of babes
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WCMY…
Almost two months into his term in the General Assembly, Republican St. Rep. Jed Davis says Republicans are sometimes part of the problem. He says a few have the attitude that they can put lobbyist interests over those of constituents because the lobbyists will protect them. Davis isn’t naming them but says only a few have made those comments, so he’s holding on to hope. That’s one of three things he calls his most shocking discoveries since taking office.
Davis also isn’t happy that nothing starts on time. He says it’s not unusual to wait 40 to 50 minutes for a session to start. He says a Republican caucus on Tuesday lasted until 2:50pm, even though six committees were scheduled to start meetings at 2:00. He says a meeting is considered to be on time if it’s 20 minutes late.
The Newark Republican did tell the station that he feels “beyond blessed” to serve. Go read the rest. Rep. Davis defeated incumbent Rep. David Welter in the GOP primary last year.
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Today’s must-read
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I strongly encouraged subscribers to read the Chicago Tribune’s preview of the “ComEd 4″ trial earlier today, and now I’ll do the same for everyone else. Click here.
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Illinois government has to get smarter
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared last week when announcing the formation of the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center that the state was building “the best behavioral health system in the nation.”
It was quite a bold thing to say. So, my associate Isabel Miller and I asked a couple of follow-up questions: How long will this take, and how much will it cost?
The response from a spokesperson was kinda underwhelming: “Under Governor Pritzker’s leadership, the state has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild our behavioral health infrastructure and the Governor is committed to continuing these critical investments year after year to build the best system in the nation. Illinois has climbed in the national rankings by putting our people first and we’re on the right path if we continue to make generational change. With our statewide partnerships and continued investment Illinois will soon serve as the national standard for a behavioral health system that prioritizes workers and provides the best possible care for those who need it.”
That obviously didn’t answer either of our questions. And no Brownie Points for brevity, either. Sorry to make you read it.
Also, the background information the governor’s office sent about the administration’s progress didn’t quite match up with the governor’s flowery rhetoric.
Recent national rankings issued by Mental Health America, a group founded more than a century ago, show Illinois has moved from an 11th-place overall mental health back in 2018 to 9th place this year. An overall ranking of 1-13, according to the organization, “indicates lower prevalence of mental illness and higher rates of access to care.”
However, the state’s ranking for adults actually slipped during that time period, from 8th to 9th, and the ranking for youth remained at 13th. This despite spending hundreds of millions of additional dollars since the start of 2019 on mental health initiatives.
Even so, a key stakeholder heaped praise on the governor’s plan to use the new Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center to lead the revamp of the long-troubled Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in deep southern Illinois.
Equip for Equality issued an investigative report back in 2005 that documented numerous horrors at Choate. The group called for the facility’s closure at the time. “Nearly two decades later,” the group claimed last week via press release, “enhanced monitoring activities show little has changed.”
The group says Choate residents continue to be “segregated” from their community “without receiving the necessary services to actually address why they ended up there.” Residents, the group said, continue to be “afraid of staff and peers, and afraid of retaliation if they report staff abuse.”
“Many of the recent news stories are about incidents that happened a year or more ago,” said Stacey Aschemann, Equip for Equality’s vice president in charge of monitoring the conditions at Choate. “Based on our recent monitoring, we can say without a doubt that these continue to be ongoing issues.”
So, why has it taken so long for the state to act? The governor told reporters the state simply hadn’t had the financial resources to do enough about the problem. The new Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center has been in the works for five years and will hopefully help the state increase the workforce size enough to deal with the issues, not only at Choate, but throughout the state. With more tax revenues coming in, the state can start getting a handle on things.
And, make no mistake, the problems are severe, despite what national rankings may show. Currently, 15,000 people are on a waiting list for community-based intellectual and developmental disabilities placement, according to a report last week by Capitol News Illinois, Lee Enterprises and ProPublica Illinois.
Those outlets’ reporting on Choate, by the way, sparked the recent intense interest in the facility’s many problems and helped push the administration into action, a fact that Pritzker himself has acknowledged.
There are, of course, parochial concerns about any changes at Choate. Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), who represents the area, claimed the central problem is with facility management (a good point) and said she opposed moving residents out of the facility (not so good). AFSCME, of course, is worried about the future of its members at Choate.
The bottom line is the state just has to get smarter. These problems have existed for decades and decades, and the folks at Choate and thousands of others across this state deserve care and help, not physical abuse and neglect. The people in charge need to be better than this, so this attempt to bring new workers into the system and keep them there cannot fail.
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Open thread
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Good morning! Hopefully everyone had a restful weekend despite losing an hour. What’s going on in your part of Illinois…
…Added by Rich… This place was so much fun…
Click here to learn more about Stella Coffee & Tea.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here’s the roundup…
* Tribune | ‘ComEd Four’ bribery trial to put focus on ex-Speaker Madigan’s power, state’s blurry line between politics and crime: According to federal prosecutors, at the time Pramaggiore and Hooker were being lauded by Doherty at the City Club, the three were secretly conspiring with McClain to funnel as much as $1.2 million in illicit payments and other perks to Madigan’s associates to advance the company’s interests in the state capital.
* Sun-Times | It’s not Madigan’s trial, but the feds’ big upcoming case is all about the former speaker: The trial will give jurors a close-up view of how Springfield operated in the last decade. They’ll hear talk of an “old-fashioned patronage system.” And they’ll learn how an apparent obsession with pleasing Madigan might have prompted four officials to cross a legal line as ComEd sought to pass legislation it valued at more than $150 million.
* NBC Chicago | Gov. Pritzker to Sign Bill Mandating Paid Leave For Nearly All Illinois Workers: The “Paid Leave for All Workers Act” states that employees will accrue one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked up to 40 hours total, although the employer may offer more. Employees can start using the time once they have worked for 90 days, the legislation says.
* Jeff Epton | An open letter to Paul Vallas: Learn from my dad, Bernard Epton, and pivot to a different message: In 1950, my father ran for Congress in the Republican primary against Richard Vail, then a former congressman and a red-baiting, race-baiting echo of the notorious Wisconsin senator, Joseph McCarthy. Among Bernie’s supporters in that race were leading South Side Black ministers such as Archibald Carey Sr.. Dad also received the endorsement of the Chicago Defender, perhaps the country’s most prominent Black newspaper at the time. But he lost that race.
* WBEZ | Five things to know as the Safe-T Act goes to the Illinois Supreme Court: The state’s attorneys who are trying to overturn portions of the Safe-T act argue that when the constitution says people “shall be bailable by sufficient sureties”— that includes cash bail. So lawmakers can’t get rid of monetary bail without going through the difficult and cumbersome process of changing the constitution first.
* WBEZ | Chicago cops say the city owes them more than $165 million in overtime dispute: The massive sum surfaced in a federal lawsuit against the city of Chicago by officers whose overtime pay was calculated incorrectly.
* Tribune | Mayoral rivals keep their differences mostly issue-focused as they disagree over taxes, vouchers and charter schools at women’s forum: Perhaps the most spirited exchanges between the two were over how to raise money to fund programs and the fallout over governments privatizing services.
* WTTW | Bulldozers Arrived at Bell Bowl at Dawn: At 6 a.m. Thursday, bulldozer headlights appeared at the top of a small hill and in that moment, the 18-month fight to save ancient Bell Bowl Prairie ended.
* Sun-Times | Write-in ballots could threaten 29th Ward Ald. Chris Taliaferro’s bid for reelection: The votes released Sunday showed Taliaferro’s total number of votes at 4,868, but added six write-in votes for Walter Adamczyk and 106 for Lisa Ann Brown Newman. Taliaferro holds 49.76% of the vote and could be headed for a runoff with second-place finisher CB Johnson unless mail-in ballots counted in the next few days shift the results yet again.
* WTTW | Englewood Residents Overwhelmingly Back Reopening Racine Green Line Station. CTA Says It’s ‘Fully Committed’ to the Idea: After years of efforts to reopen the shuttered stop, there’s been momentum in recent months — including an outpouring of support at the ballot box last week, with 93% of area voters calling on the CTA to get Racine back up and running.
* Kam Buckner | Next police superintendent should have 21st century view of policing: There has been a lot of talk about noncompliance with the court-mandated consent decree, but the truth is that while consent decree compliance is a requirement, it should be the floor and not the ceiling. True reform has to be the goal of the next superintendent.
* Tribune | ‘Hoax threats,’ ‘swattings’ continue to rise, joining real threats as disturbing trend for Chicago-area students: The FBI’s Chicago office received about 84 reports of “incidents,” meaning reports of some type of school-centric threat, whether founded or unfounded, between October 2021 and September 2022, said FBI spokesperson Siobhan Johnson. Between January 2023 and March 3, they have received approximately 10 incident reports per month, Johnson said.
* Tribune | St. Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago’s Loop wraps up after bagpipes, politicians and revelry: The theme of the 68th annual parade — sponsored by Chicago Plumbers Local 130 UA — was “Recognizing Workers Rights.” Union groups, high schools, and corporations made up a majority of the floats and displays, but the tiny ponies, Big Idaho Potato, and Oscar Meyer Wiener car garnered the biggest applause.
* Center Square | As Illinois gaming hits highs, so has gambling debt: In Illinois, 400,000 people have a gambling problem and another 700,000 are at risk for developing a problem. It is almost too easy to gamble these days, Miller said. People play the lottery on their phones. People bet on video games like “Call of Duty.”
* Tribune | Plan for south suburban airport near Peotone rises again, now focused on cargo: Proponents envision an airport that could take advantage of demand for quick delivery and the proliferation of Amazon warehouses, train facilities and highways in Will County. At least one developer is already interested in building out the airport and nearby warehouses, a project that would mark the culmination of the decadeslong effort to get an airport built near Peotone.
* SJ-R | Crowds turn out for St. Patrick’s Day Parade through downtown Springfield: The 37th edition of one of the city’s most famed traditions brought out families and others of all ages and backgrounds to watch 94 different groups wind their way through the parade route that stretched from Jefferson Street and eventually ended at Ninth Street.
* Naperville Sun | Naperville moving forward with elimination of permit parking at city’s two Metra commuter stations: The Naperville City Council Tuesday voted to eliminate the parking permit system at the Route 59 and Naperville/Fourth Avenue Metra rail stations and require commuters to pay only for the days they park.
* WTTW | The ‘Birthplace’ of House Music Makes Preservation Chicago’s Most Endangered Buildings List for 2023: Today, in a revitalized West Loop, the building is ripe for teardown and redevelopment, which is why Preservation Chicago has included the Warehouse on its 2023 “Most Endangered” list, announced Wednesday.
* USA Today | ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ rules at Oscars: The multiverse-hopping sensation, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” ruled the night at Sunday’s Academy Awards, winning seven honors including best picture, best actress (Michelle Yeoh), supporting actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), supporting actor (Ke Huy Quan), directing and original screenplay.
* Sun-Times | On the frontlines for 75 years of blizzards, heat waves, floods and other calamities: Throughout our history, Chicago Sun-Times photographers, reporters and editors have worked hard to capture our icebound, storm-tossed, sun-baked city.
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Live coverage
Monday, Mar 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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