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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Here you go…
* Tribune | Staffers for Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch seek to unionize: The staffers, members of the newly formed Illinois Legislative Staff Association, issued a statement on Twitter saying that since Welch, a Democrat from Hillside, became speaker in early 2021, “it has been more of the same for his legislative employees.” “Many employees struggle to pay their bills, are forced to work overtime hours with little compensation, and work extra jobs to make ends meet,” the association said in a statement. “These conditions have led to unsustainable staff turnover and have impeded our ability to serve the people of Illinois.” * WAND | Danville City Council votes to move abortion ban ordinance forward: Abortion has become a fiery topic for the City of Danville. On Tuesday night, Danville City Council voted to pass an ordinance that would prohibit the shipment of abortion pills, such as Mifepristone, to the city. Council members voted 7 to 7 with Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr. casting the deciding vote in favor of the ordinance. * Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s IDOT secretary violated rules by letting high-ranking officials delegate duties to keep job options open, IG finds: Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman personally approved “blanket recusals” of certain duties for at least three employees who reported to him during his three-decade career at the agency, a direct violation of a policy prohibiting the practice. according to the report from the Office of Executive Inspector General. * The Trace | Chicago’s Violence Prevention Committee Hasn’t Met in Nearly Two Years: Lance Williams, a professor at Northeastern Illinois University, said he wasn’t surprised to hear that the committee was no longer active. “To this day I think that the Lightfoot administration’s strategy to deal with gun violence was a public relations strategy,” Williams said. “They didn’t have a strategy to deal with the structural problem of violence and gun violence.” * Sun-Times | South Shore leaders left out of city’s plan to convert high school into shelter for families seeking asylum: Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office is organizing a community meeting for 6 p.m. Thursday at the former South Shore High School at 7627 S. Constance Ave., according to an online invitation. Lightfoot’s office Tuesday wouldn’t confirm details of the plan. * Crain’s | Kaegi moves to jack up Bears’ Arlington Heights tax tab: Kaegi concluded the property was worth not the $33.5 million that 2022 owner Churchill Downs’ taxes were based on but $197 million — almost exactly the $197.2 million the Bears paid Churchill Downs for the property in February. Assuming property taxes rise by the same proportion, the bill for the property would go from $2.75 million to an estimated $16.5 million. * CBS Chicago | Advocates say Illinois’ system to help people with developmental disabilities needs fixing, funding: The advocates want the money to help stop the exodus of workers providing services for that community. But CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov found the problems are bigger than wages. The state is also in violation of a 12-year-old consent decree – leaving thousands without care. * WTVO | Illinois drivers’ data at risk without funding for upgrades, warns Giannoulias: “We have no choice,” Giannoulias warned. “We have to this. We have over 2 billion pieces of data in the office from people’s driver’s license numbers, their social security numbers, their credit card information, very personal data, that is very susceptible to hacking and cybersecurity threats. So we have no choice. This is not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.” * WLS | Most Asian Americans elected to Chicago city council, Illinois legislature in 2023: More Asian Americans, particularly women, have been elected to the Chicago City Council and Illinois state legislature, part of a new wave of Asian Americans serving in public office. Chicago Alderman Nicole Lee is the first Chinese American to represent the city’s 11th Ward, which is also the city’s first ever Asian American majority ward. But her history in the city is deep; some of her relatives are on display in the Chinese American Museum of Chicago. * NYT | Seven Dead After Dust Storm Causes Crashes on Interstate 55 in Illinois: The death toll, which had previously been reported at six, rose on Tuesday, the state police said in a statement, because the severity of the crash had masked the additional victim’s remains. * Daily Herald | Three Des Plaines aldermen move to disregard term-limit vote but come up short: “The passage of the binding referendum made the will of the voters clear,” Goczkowski said. More than 64% of Des Plaines voters favored a proposal on the April 4 ballot that strengthened the rules for term limits. It passed 2,857 votes to 1,590 votes. From now on, the mayor, the city’s eight aldermen and the city clerk are limited to two terms in each of those positions. * Sun-Times | White Sox shuffle deck with 11 roster moves, top Twins for second consecutive win: On a night the Sox beat the Twins 3-2 in 10 innings for their first two-game winning streak of the season, the rash of moves points to where the Sox, still a woeful 9-21 after Andrew Benintendi’s walk-off single, were standing on the second day of May. Is there such a thing as two-game momentum?
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- Friendly Bob Adams - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 7:47 am:
It is completely unsurprising that outgoing Mayor Lightfoot created a violence prevention committee that stopped meeting 2 years ago. Par for the course.
- DuPage County AV - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 7:50 am:
* Crain’s | Kaegi moves to jack up Bears’ Arlington Heights tax tab: Kaegi concluded the property was worth not the $33.5 million that 2022 owner Churchill Downs’ taxes were based on but $197 million — almost exactly the $197.2 million the Bears paid Churchill Downs for the property in February. Assuming property taxes rise by the same proportion, the bill for the property would go from $2.75 million to an estimated $16.5 million
That’s called “Sales Chasing”, and is a big no-no in the assessment world. Unless the AO can prove that similar properties were treated the same, this could get him in a bit of trouble.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:03 am:
===Unless the AO can prove that similar properties were treated the same, this could get him in a bit of trouble.===
Has another racetrack in Illinois been bought to build a billion dollar sports complex and “business center”?
Improving on “vacant” property after, if there’s a “legal no-no” if you can cite it I know I’d appreciate it.
The Bears are looking for a bigger windfall at every turn, all the while they could, financially, build the facility and the surrounding area… no “bailout” as the governor as maintained.
- DuPage County AV - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:07 am:
Logically, the property sold with the highest and best use as vacant land slated for redevelopment. So to answer your first question, yes there are numerous examples of vacant property (some along a major interstate, including two the AO cited in the Crains article.) selling in Cook County. The question is how the assessor treated those sales.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:10 am:
Examples, but the legality…
Otherwise, there would be no need to appeal taxes, amirite?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:24 am:
Keeping in mind the Washington Commanders are slated to be sold for $6 billion, with a B, while also looking at a new building “and surrounding”, no public funding or incentives.
The Bears are worth less than the Commanders?
C’mon.
- DuPage County AV - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:27 am:
Illegality of “Sale Chasing”, Walsh v. Property Tax Appeal Board (1998):
The appellate court reversed, finding that the removal of the Herget House from the mass appraisal system of valuation violated the uniformity clause of the Illinois Constitution of 1970
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:28 am:
Lastly, one of the newly slated owners of the Commanders owns the 76ers in Philly.
Here’s what he knows about building stadiums and “surrounding”:
===In the summer of 2022, Josh Harris, a managing partners of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, announced he is pursuing a new state of the art sports and entertainment arena in downtown Philly known as 76 Place. Philadelphia officials announced Wednesday an independent study looking into the impact the proposed arena would have on the surrounding area, from economic impact to parking and traffic.===
The very next line?
===Harris’ 76 Place calls for the $1 billion arena to be privately funded with no city subsidies.===
Not one nickel.
The property tax issue? They could appeal, sure.
Cite:
https://www.wusa9.com/amp/article/news/investigations/commanders-stadium/washington-commanders-stadium-sale-dan-snyder-josh-harris-bid/65-3667a03a-3dd0-42db-834c-0f2cbf63578f
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:31 am:
- DuPage County AV -
The Bears should take them to court.
Boy, that’ll be great for goodwill, lol
“We’ll see”
Thanks for the cite. Appreciate that.
- DuPage County AV - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:33 am:
Read the Crains article, they are already appealing the value.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:36 am:
=== they are already appealing the value.===
(Sigh)
===The Bears should take them to court.===
I got that. The Bears can handle a lil teasing.
Plus, it’s enjoyable when it cost them money to be cheap.
:)
- supplied_demand - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:43 am:
It’s an interesting argument to say, “This land is worth far less than we paid for it.”
Maybe they should have paid less?
- regular democrat - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:50 am:
The Bears have a right to appeal the tax bill I dont begrudge them for that and they may have a valid case. There is no appetite for public funds for this project and as the economy appears to be shifting negative the public dollars will become more scarce. Note to the Bears: build the stadium privately and upon completion sell the team property etc family set for life.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:51 am:
The problem with the Bears is they approached this in a sneaky way to seemingly “stick it” to the city, “Lightfoot”, all their perceived “enemies”, but forgot that they need help from allies… and they are “cheap”.
Instead of building a plan, upon the sale, others were in line to aid in needs… they just plum bought land and tried to Bigfoot the Footprint to whatever taxing or financing would, in - LP -‘s words “maximize revenues”
The governor has very recently referred to all this as a “bailout”… that can’t be great to reversing the thinking… now magically it’s not a “bailout”?
The Bears can afford the taxes, the financing, they can get it done, and I’m totally in support of sewer/water upgrade *outside* the footprint, also in support of all area road improvements needed too.
Just don’t tell me this project is about “maximizing revenues” while also asking for a gubernatorial described “bailout”
- Nauvoo Republicans - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 8:59 am:
Tom Cullerton out of prison and now a registered lobbyist.
- regular democrat - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 9:02 am:
I have been in full agreement with you OW all the way on this issue. For some reason it really irritates me that the Bears finally did something right and have a once in a lifetime chance to rectify their stadium situation but cant get out their own way when it comes to PR. I think Pritzker to his credit is trying to wake them up from this haze and telling them firmly no bailout.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 9:08 am:
Save the bailouts for those in the Mc Clain Rolodex who know how to game the system
Imagine the gall of a business maximizing revenues
Seems like the Bears have plenty of support with Arlington Heights government who are elected to represent the community not as much with the virtue signallers but it is still early
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 9:15 am:
Very disgusted by the developments in Danville.
They know that voting to ban abortion in their town is illegal and will waste lots of taxpayer dollars in lawsuits against their illegal conduct. Yet they vote that way anyway.
And the anti-abortion activists from Texas and Indiana who parachuted in to whip up this frenzy won’t have to pay a dime.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 9:21 am:
===Seems like the Bears have plenty of support with Arlington Heights government===
Yeah? I don’t recall the mayor and school board leaders testifying in favor of or endorsing an actual bill, do you?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 9:24 am:
===Imagine the gall of a business maximizing revenues===
So the Bears *can* afford to go it alone… got it.
===Seems like the Bears have plenty of support with Arlington Heights government===
You forget the school boards? Why are they hiring lobbyists, to support this bailout?
===virtue signallers===
Gotta be honest, if you were tasked to get support of 60/71 and 30/36 with a signature… you are quite terrible at getting allies, lol
- Pundent - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 9:30 am:
=Imagine the gall of a business maximizing revenues=
I’m not sure that “maximizing revenues” would be the term I would use. Sounds to me more like “public assistance” a/k/a “socialism.” As an asset the Bears will continue to appreciate as all NFL teams do. I don’t see why the taxpayers should be expected to aid that. Doesn’t seem like many pols do either.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 9:48 am:
==you are quite terrible==
He’s always been quite terrible with that. He finds his time better spent shouting into the wind rather than figuring out what is actually doable. Of course when you are as arrogant as he is it’s not surprising. I find that people who think they are always right rarely are right about anything.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 9:49 am:
@Pundent
LP is the Bears number one fan when it comes to having the government fund them. You would think he was their lobbyist as much as he shills for them.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 9:50 am:
==will waste lots of taxpayer dollars ==
They’ve already received a promise of a free defense. So I guess why not shoot for the moon regardless of knowing that what they did was illegal.
- 48th Ward Heel - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:02 am:
My folks live in Arlington Heights and they say the general mood is ambivalent bordering on anxious.
Also, a lot of people don’t appreciate that the Arlington Park site is right on the edge of town, bordering Palatine and Rolling Meadows. Obviously their municipal governments don’t have any say in municipal zoning issues and such, but they can weigh in at the county and state level. I believe the Village of Palatine has already expressed its frustration at being left out of the planning process.
- Ex Bears Fan - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:16 am:
Ultimately any taxes will just be passed on to ticket holders and other patrons of the development. Would you want to pay higher ticket prices for a team run by owners who can’t put a winning team out there because they’re cheap.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:17 am:
=Seems like the Bears have plenty of support with Arlington Heights government who are elected to represent the community=
The school board presidents of the K-8 and 9-12 school districts (elected officials representing the interests of the communities) are on the phone and would like to share their thoughts with you.
- Leap Day William - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:20 am:
But they’ve got a lawyer who will defend it court pro bono, remember? /sarcasm
This is absolutely going to cost them money to defend, one way or another. Meanwhile, I drove through that area recently and appreciate the irony that there are multiple westbound billboards (coming into Illinois from Indiana) advertising the Champaign-Urbana Planned Parenthood clinic and its services, and there was just one westbound (so, heading out of state) advertising the Danville crisis pregnancy center. Swing and a miss, CPC.
End the end, I hope these Danville kids see what a silly waste of resources this was.
- supplied_demand - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:22 am:
More government spending (on healthcare, education, transportation) is bad, except when it’s good (helping private companies make more money).
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:32 am:
LP, your comments are being held because you made the claim that the Bears have plenty of support from AH government officials. I asked for an explanation. I still haven’t seen it. The only way you’re getting out of this deep hole is to start being truthful, and that includes explaining yourself when called out by this website’s owner, which is me.
- Jibba - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:37 am:
Virtue signaling to want people to pay their fair share of taxes? SMH.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:40 am:
The village government has explicitly voted last Fall to reject banning tax subsidies and has agreed to negotiate with the Bears on a deal
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/chicago-football/in-win-for-chicago-bears-arlington-heights-village-board-rejects-ban-on-tax-incentives/2957391/?amp=1
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:44 am:
===reject banning tax subsidies and has agreed to negotiate with the Bears on a deal===
Explain why school boards are looking for lobbyists to this issue.
Thanks.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:45 am:
===explicitly voted last Fall to reject banning tax subsidies===
That was likely more about existing subsidies.
===agreed to negotiate with the Bears on a deal===
That doesn’t necessarily signal support for any plan.
But, OK. At least you tried to explain. Thanks.
- H-W - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 10:47 am:
You know, if the Bears would actually win regular games and playoff games and win the division, case closed. There would be no issue here. Investors would be lining up to make sure this happens.
Just sayin’
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 11:00 am:
I watched the entire village board meeting online it definitely got heated.
The village board was accused of being on the take from the Bears with absolutely zero evidence.
They unanimously agreed to keep all options on the table
Estimates are 48,000 jobs , 9,700 of them permanent, with 1.4 billion in economic input every year to the community.
Of course the village government is keeping an open mind, their fiduciary responsibilities require it.
https://wgntv.com/news/northwest-suburbs/arlington-heights-village-board-strikes-down-ordinance-aiming-to-block-taxpayer-funded-subsidies-for-bears-new-stadium/
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 11:12 am:
===Of course the village government is keeping an open mind, their fiduciary responsibilities require it.===
Third try,
Why are school boards looking to hire lobbyists, is it to support the Bears?
- Stuck in Celliniland - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 11:22 am:
Someone needs to issue a House or Senate resolution ordering the Bears to send all bills and invoices for the construction of their new stadium to “New York Jets, LLC” care of “Mr. A. Rodgers, Esq.” Let him foot all the bills and related costs for the new stadium, since he owns the Bears.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 11:51 am:
Maybe you should call the school board yourself OW
I am sure you realize the city leaders would not approve a project that is not in the best interests of the city and surrounding communities in terms of on increased jobs, economic activity and tax revenue
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 12:10 pm:
===Maybe you should===
So school boards are hiring lobbyists against the Bears. Got it.
===Seems like the Bears have plenty of support with Arlington Heights government===
As long as the horrific damage is only for the schools?
===I am sure you realize the city leaders would not approve a project that is not in the best interests of the city and surrounding communities in terms of on increased jobs, economic activity and tax revenue===
At the costs of the schools
If it’s so great, why the need for the subsidies?
I know you’re not in favor of governments purposely maximizing revenues for companies.
If you like, I can show you where you’ve said a time or two that government shouldn’t be in the business of picking winners and losers.
Ignoring the damage to schools, for a dollar… not a good look for the Bears.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 12:16 pm:
LP
Are you being paid by the bears to be such a fervent supporter of their quest for government subsidies? If not I would give them a call to see if you can get on their lobbyist payroll.
- Stuck in Celliniland - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 12:50 pm:
Just move the Bears back to Decatur and be done with it. Reps. Scherer or Caulkins, perhaps consider filing a bill or resolution–or as a House amendment to the Arlington Heights legislation–calling for the Bears to “return home.”
- Captain Obvious - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 12:54 pm:
I am greatly encouraged by the developments in Danville. It brings me great joy to see the rights of the unborn protected against overwhelming odds.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, May 3, 23 @ 1:03 pm:
School board is upset about plan that has not been introduced yet but must be inherently bad
Does that sum it up for you?
- Just a guy - Thursday, May 4, 23 @ 12:28 pm:
The Bears on the valuation side are, as of 2022, the league’s 5th most-valuable franchise - https://www.forbes.com/nfl-valuations/list/ - but in terms of revenue, they rank middle of the pack at 15. This is the thing that folks fail to realize, or understand, when looking at where the Bears are. The NBC Sports Chicago documentary Bear Down and Out does a great job explaining this move - and just why it’s happening, https://youtu.be/ksyeJF4-LVo
Again, the McCaskeys don’t have money. They have a team worth money, that’s made them money. They don’t own a real estate conglomerate, or have billions in oil money. They have a team that plays in the most valuable league in the world. In essence, the family has won the lottery. But like Leila Rahimi says in that documentary, “it’s a billionaire’s league now.” And while the Bears are worth billions on paper, the McCaskeys only have those billions if they sell the team.
It’s going to be very interesting to see how all of this plays out.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 4, 23 @ 12:44 pm:
=== Again, the McCaskeys don’t have money.===
“Again”, not my concern or the concern of Illinois taxpayers.
The McCaskeys aren’t victims.
Build the building, the revenue will increase and they will move up from 15th.
The Bears can get a loan. Businesses do it all the time… maybe folks are failing to realize, or understand why someone needs to bailout billionaires.
We don’t need to, let them figure it out.
Not one nickel
- Just a guy - Thursday, May 4, 23 @ 3:35 pm:
OW, for the record I’m not proposing that taxpayers bail them out. And for the record, I’m a Lions fan, so I don’t have a dog in this fight. But I have friends that work for the organization, some of whom are very high up on the executive side (makes for some interesting conversations, especially during the draft). And when you look at what is proposed as far as the buildout they are looking to do at Arlington, they’ll need at least $5 billion to build it - roughly the same value the team has right now. And therein is why I said this will be very interesting. There is no Stan Kronke money coming in from elsewhere to build this. So, if the Bears indeed want to move, they (the McCaskey’s) are going to have to put a lot on the line out there.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 4, 23 @ 3:58 pm:
=== And when you look at what is proposed as far as the buildout they are looking to do at Arlington, they’ll need at least $5 billion to build it - roughly the same value the team has right now.===
Not one person is requiring the Bears to build anything.
So there’s that.
I think what you fail to realize and maybe you need to understand, “wants” are just that.
Wants.
Like, I don’t want a Bears billionaire bailout without at least $300 million to the city… and with guarantees for schools.
Then it’s only a maybe… for a “want”.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 4, 23 @ 3:59 pm:
This alone…
=== So, if the Bears indeed want to move, they (the McCaskey’s) are going to have to put a lot on the line out there.===
That’s the cost of doing business, no?
They can choose lots of things.