Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, May 26, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Here you go…
* Capitol News Illinois | Senate Democrats send budget to House, teeing it up for early Saturday morning vote: The discussion in a Senate committee earlier Thursday was at times laudatory as Republicans thanked Democrats for their inclusion in the budget process. Praise was especially strong for Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, who sponsored the budget and had nearly lost his voice by the time it came for a vote due to the long hours of negotiating. * Tribune | Illinois legislature sends bill reforming property tax sale system to Gov. J.B. Pritzker: “Over the past two generations, the tax sale system has evolved — whether intentionally or not — into a vehicle to strip wealth and drive inequality in some of our most vulnerable communities,” state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat and one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a statement. “This bill seeks to rebalance the tax sale system in the interest of local governments, residents and community developers who actually want to reinvest in their neighborhoods from the ground up.” * Sun-Times | Record-setting rate hike sought by ComEd is more than $914M too high, utility watchdog says: ComEd’s requested $1.5 billion rate increase over the next four years would increase its profits more than improve its stated clean-energy priorities, the Citizens Utility Board says. * CBS Chicago | Illinois lawmakers vote to extend law allowing serving of cocktails to-go: Illinois lawmakers passed a bill that will allow bars and restaurants to continue serving cocktails to-go for another five years. Gov. JB Pritzker approved the popular policy during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was set to expire in June of 2024. * Patch | Bill Giving Mental Health Center Land To Park District Passes House: The state House of Representatives Thursday approved legislation that would turn over the vacant 280 acres to the Tinley Park District. * WCIA | Education experts ‘thrilled’ over Illinois 2024 fiscal year budget: “You can put a lot of work into K-12, and higher ed, but if you’re not building the foundations in early childhood, you’re missing the boat,” Mark Klaisner, the president of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendent of Schools, said. “You already start with some problems that have developed prior to coming in.” * WTAX | Unexpected $ cut for ICASA: Illinois Coalition against Sexual Assault CEO Carrie Ward (pictured) made her case to the Illinois Senate Appropriations Committee, asking for another $12 million in state dollars to bring the state participation to $20 million. She says the shortfall would mean layoffs, closure of satellite and outreach offices, and longer waits for services for victims of sexual assault. * Sun-Times | FBI: Gardiner may have given developer who’d been ‘good to me’ ticket to Lightfoot reform inaugural during bribery scheme: According to court records, Gardiner provided a developer with a floor ticket to the event, and investigators took that as a sign that Gardiner felt “indebted” to that developer. * WBEZ | Cook County employees might get 12 weeks of paid parental leave: Existing parental leave policy offers county workers a wide range of time off, depending on whether the birth is surgical, whether they are the birthing parent, or whether they are adopting. Employees can then use paid sick and vacation time to extend their leaves. * Politico | House Dems in No Labels-allied caucus are livid with No Labels: On Tuesday, No Labels texted people who live in the district of Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), criticizing the congressman for scoffing at their idea for a unity presidential ticket and claiming it could result in Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. In its message, No Labels said it was “alarmed to learn that your U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider recently attacked the notion that you should have more choices in the 2024 presidential election.” They called Schneider “out of step” with his voters. * Daily Herald | If Bears’ plan means widening Wilke, don’t expect money from Rolling Meadows, alderman says: For now, the neighboring towns have agreed to a deal that has Arlington Heights covering 81.2% of the cost and Rolling Meadows taking on 18.8%. The Rolling Meadows council approved an updated intergovernmental agreement Tuesday and the Arlington Heights village board passed it last week. * Tribune | What’s clicking for the Chicago White Sox? ‘Our starting pitching has been the key to this whole thing’: While still in fourth place and 10 games under .500 (21-31) after Thursday’s 7-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, the Sox have made up three games on the first-place Minnesota Twins since April 30 and are six games behind. * Sun-Times | 2 million Illinoisans expected to travel Memorial Day weekend: Over 2 million Illinois residents are expected to travel at least 50 miles by car, plane or other means of transportation this weekend, a number just shy of 2019’s all-time record for Memorial Day Weekend travel, the release stated.
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- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 8:19 am:
===* Daily Herald | If Bears’ plan means widening Wilke, don’t expect money from Rolling Meadows, alderman says:===
I really don’t think the Bears had any clue what they were doing the minute they bought that land and the real issues needing to be addressed with stakeholders.
So grossly inept. So many loose ends.
- West Side the Best Side - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 8:25 am:
OW - Maybe the Arlington Heights plan was being handled by the Vice President in Charge of Finding Us a Great Quarterback.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 8:27 am:
===Maybe the Arlington Heights plan was being handled by the Vice President in Charge of Finding Us a Great Quarterback.===
True.
Once proven a failed mission, why not take on another failed thing?
Consistency, sure.
:)
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 8:39 am:
Aaron Rodgers boulevard has a nice ring to it.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 8:45 am:
Hard for me to feel bad for Brad Schneider here. That’s a “lie down with dogs” kind of situation.
- Torco Sign - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 8:58 am:
*Hard for me to feel bad for Brad Schneider here. That’s a “lie down with dogs” kind of situation.*
Not really. It made sense under the old map and pre-Trump dynamics. It seems like he is carefully extricating himself.
- H-W - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 9:26 am:
Re: Politico Story
No Labels (and Third Way) seem to misunderstand the important of growing consensus over time. Jumping straight into the Presidential Election with a “unity ticket” is in fact never going to be successful until you can start showing that you can win elections at a lower tier of governance.
It is one thing for Democrats and Republicans who are already elected by their parties to say they will caucus across the aisle to find common ground (as Democrats and Republicans).
It is quite another to create a fourth party ticket (let us not forget the Libertarian Party), and jump straight into a winner-take-all national election.
Win a few Congressional seats first. Then win some more in pivotal districts. Then win a Senate seat or two. After that, then you may be able to convince Democrats (an maybe even some Republicans) to vote for a third party.
But at present, in the modern era, no third party candidate has been successful since at least as far back as Anderson in 1980 (my earliest memory of a strong independent candidate).
- H-W - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 9:30 am:
To keep my comment IL-centric, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) is justified in questioning the potential of a unity party at this moment in history, by my estimate.
- Pundent - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 9:38 am:
Third party Presidential candidates are nothing more than disruptive ways to alter election outcomes without having any credible chance of succeeding. The electoral college system is simply too big of an obstacle to overcome. If Democrats or Republicans politicians don’t like their respective nominees they need to work within their parties to address that.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 10:24 am:
“The electoral college system is simply too big of an obstacle ”
Thankfully the framework of the EC is enshrined in the constitution and the 12 Amendment. While flawed it has a great balancing impact on presidential elections, which is essential in a constitutional republic of 50 states that vary greatly in population and political leaning.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 10:32 am:
===The electoral college system is simply too big of an obstacle to overcome===
The electoral college is going exactly as it was designed
To empower the minority opportunity to stifle majority rule, and allow southern states, (now Red states) the opportunity to lead the executive, even if that minority vote total wins the electoral college.
The GOP can’t afford to end the electoral college.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 10:37 am:
“It made sense under the old map”
Nothing personal but I’m going to have to hold out for some evidence here.
“pre-Trump dynamics.”
He joined ‘problem solvers’ caucus in 2017.
- JS Mill - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 10:45 am:
=The GOP can’t afford to end the electoral college.=
100% accurate. It is what allowed them to get control of federal courts. Montana, Wyoming, N and S Dakota, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas and Utah give the GOP their power even as their electorate shrinks. It has become a problem, but one that will be nearly impossible to fix.
- Tinman - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 11:49 am:
Brad Schneider being criticized for supporting a democratic process. No labels real doesn’t know what they are talking about .
- Torco Sign - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 12:14 pm:
Larry Bowa, Jr., it’s not very complicated — Schneider’s district used to be more competitive before Trump. North Shore Republicans were a thing but the Republican brand is completely different now so working with Republicans is per se different and less politically necessary. It was not always the case for the district when Schneider was running.
- Pundent - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 12:18 pm:
=While flawed it has a great balancing impact on presidential elections, which is essential in a constitutional republic of 50 states that vary greatly in population and political leaning.=
The “flaw” of electing candidates that the majority oppose is a pretty big one.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 12:29 pm:
===While flawed===
No.
It works EXACTLY as designed. A minority party still in mathematical proximity to “ruling” the majority.
“While flawed”… lol
===North Shore Republicans were a thing but the Republican brand is completely different now so working with Republicans is per se different and less politically necessary. It was not always the case for the district when Schneider was running.===
The Republican brand is toxic and less identify as such, no need to include such when their shrinking brand is so toxic, the incorporating them loses more votes than it gains.
- DuPage Saint - Friday, May 26, 23 @ 3:07 pm:
With yesterday’s ruling from the Supreme Court regarding real estate tax sales and forfeitures I would suggest that you he state is going to have to completely redo its tax sales rather than “rebalance” it