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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jun 1, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Here you go…
* Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker touts higher education funding to kick off tour promoting state budget: Pritzker has said the final budget hewed closely to the proposal he introduced in February, when he focused on education. On Wednesday, he touted investments that include about $2.8 billion for university and community college infrastructure. He said over $686 million in capital funding was going to the University of Illinois system, including to UIS * WTTW | Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch on Budget, Bipartisanship and Immigration: Welch pointed out that before he was speaker, in 2017 he was a lead co-sponsor of the Trust Act, which “made Illinois the most welcoming state in the country” by limiting Illinois law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal immigration agents if federal officials don’t have a warrant — a restriction intended to make undocumented immigrants feel comfortable cooperating with police without fear of deportation. “We are a welcoming state, Chicago’s a welcoming city,” Welch said. “And you can’t just talk the talk, you have to walk the walk. And you know, we believe in helping people.” * Daily Herald | Arlington Park’s property tax bill reduced by more than half: After an agreement between Churchill Downs Inc., the Cook County Board of Review and several suburban school districts, the property tax bill for Arlington Park this year was reduced to $7.8 million. That’s less than half the initial $16.1 million tax bill estimated when the property was reassessed by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office last year. * Shaw Local | GOP House Minority Leader McCombie, State Rep. Keicher talk spring legislative session at Genoa town hall: Keicher alleged state Democrats didn’t go through the proper steps for legislative measures, and said he was astounded how often lawmakers on the other side of the aisle said they hadn’t heard anything from constituents about various bills, when he asked them. * Scott Holland | Geography needn’t be a barrier to access state court system: The drive from the White County Courthouse in Carmi to its equivalent in Sangamon County is almost 200 miles, at least a three-hour trek in good traffic. * Daily Herald | Katz Muhl to challenge Carroll for 57th District state representative: Katz Muhl, a Northbrook attorney, could challenge four-term Rep. Jonathan Carroll, also of Northbrook, in the March 19, 2024 primary. The general election will be held Nov. 5, 2024. * Lottery Daily | Illinois Senate swaps responsible betting messages with lottery provisions: The sports betting bill was passed by the state Senate with a unanimous 54-0 vote, but has now been gutted in the Illinois House of Representatives to allow for the issuance of several new lottery scratch card games. * Jim Dey | State audit of business aid program reveals big problems: A recent report by the Illinois Auditor General’s office shows that state officials, primarily those in the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, botched the dispensing of funds in a $585 million Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program. * Patch | Illinois Psychiatrists Call for Better Mental Health Care, Access: Our mental health care system is in crisis, with access to equal, quality, affordable care a challenge nearly everywhere. We propose a true team approach to the problem. We offer here a blueprint of policy ideas we believe will help address the challenge comprehensively and effectively. Our first pillar calls for increasing equitable access. Many people in rural, minority, and low-income communities have some of the greatest needs, yet they have the greatest challenges to see those needs met. * Crain’s | Johnson and the city’s top cop respond to Memorial Day weekend violence: Johnson’s comments came at a traditional post-City Council press conference where the new mayor stood alongside the city’s police chief to say the police department will make “adjustments” to officer deployments throughout the summer to respond to shootings while the city continues to work with community groups in an effort to prevent violence. “It will take all of us, every city department, agency, police, business, philanthropy, community partners, all the people of Chicago to deliver real, safe communities,”he said. * Sun-Times | Dale Earnhardt Jr. tests NASCAR Chicago Street Race track, assesses ‘challenges’ for drivers: The two-time Daytona 500 champion stopped by Chicago as other drivers offered ride-alongs on the track in an SUV. Earnhardt rated each bump, crest and imperfection. * Block Club | Just In Time For Patio Season, City Council Backs COVID-Era Rules Making Outdoor Dining Easier: Groups of three or more restaurants on the same block would also be able to apply for full street closures for their outdoor patios. * Sun-Times | Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot to teach at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Eric Andersen, the director, Senior Leadership Fellows Program and Studio Programming at the school, said in an interview, “we reached out” to Lightfoot because “I think as mayor and as a leader she faced many pressing public health issues, most notable navigating the pandemic. * Sun-Times | Alice Palmer, state senator who mentored Barack Obama, dies at 83: In 1995, Mrs. Palmer announced she would give up her seat in Springfield and run in a special election to succeed convicted U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds in Congress. She endorsed Obama as her chosen successor in the state Senate, but after she lost the congressional race to Jesse Jackson Jr., Mrs. Palmer decided to seek reelection to the state Senate.
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- Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 8:29 am:
Re: Leader McCombie and Rep Keicher:
I’m not sure why the Republicans believe that their incessant whining about things is going to help them increase their numbers in the General Assembly. Because as far as I can tell that seems to be their consistent method of communication.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 9:06 am:
–Scott Holland | Geography needn’t be a barrier to access state court system–
After the stunningly apologist screed(whataboutism) he printed last week about covering up abuse in the church, I have a hard time taking Scott Holland seriously anymore.
Nobody is prevented from anything by making a drive to sangamon county. The lawyer does the driving, not the individual person filing. The lawyer is getting paid for making the drive in billable hours, and will be more than happy to do so. At worst, this adds a thousand dollars to the cost of filing - which is not even an argument being made. With e-file, that drive might not even be needed, making the whole distance argument moot.
This argument that distance is somehow a problem is just so silly. That it is the only argument that opponents could come up with, shows just how little issue there is with the bill. Even the case he is using as an example ended up going nowhere. It would not have mattered where it was filed, and not filing it ‘because it was too far’ would have led to the same outcome - no change to the challenged law.
I do find it rather amusing, if this bill were to be challenged on its constitutionality, it will now have to be filed in Sangamon county.
- Lurker - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 9:08 am:
I appreciate Mr Welch’s walk the walk sentiment on immigration, but the talk has lead to a Catch-22. Saying we welcome all, has lead to receiving more. Walking the walk and really taking care of them is now what we need to do, and are woefully accomplishing, but what will that lead to? More sent our way. I wish we’d all calm down on the rhetoric and find solutions.
- TNR - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 9:39 am:
== I’m not sure why the Republicans believe that their incessant whining about things is going to help them increase their numbers in the General Assembly. ==
Yeah but it works well in primaries.
- Hannibal Lecter - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 9:40 am:
Tracy Katz-Muhl is gonna wipe the floor with Jonathan Carroll.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 10:10 am:
Dear McCombie,
You can’t be a victim AND a leader outside the victimhood
The only place(s) that works is in a grifting framing, or purposeful misleading.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 11:02 am:
Very disappointed in Illinois Democrats who voted for default last night in DC and to trash the global economy. They threw their president under the bus and would have made what Rauner did look like child’s play.
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 11:19 am:
Is Mr. Holland saying Secretary of State facilities in counties other than Cook & Sangamon should be forced to accept filings for the Court of Claims?
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 11:23 am:
The article by Jim Dey in today’s Morning Briefing is worth a read.
Makes me wonder how many hundreds of millions of dollars of mistakes made by Team Pritzker will lead to someone being fired.
I just don’t think this Pritzker Management Structure of having State Rmplotees reporting to people on Pritzker’s private Jackson Blvd. payroll is working very well.
IMHO we would all be better off if we put our trust in State Employees who are overall generally well trained, sincere and also have a disciplinary process that can address errors in judgement.
- cermak_rd - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 11:43 am:
Interesting article in the Sun Times today about James Crown’s crime fighting suggestions and goals. His ideas aren’t new (in this field I don’t think there are new ideas per se) but might be doable and assisted by the biz community, might be good to see outcome.
- Torco Sign - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 11:56 am:
Has anything new come out about Carroll? Why the move to replace him now but not last year if the information is the same?
- JB13 - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 12:01 pm:
– I do find it rather amusing, if this bill were to be challenged on its constitutionality, it will now have to be filed in Sangamon county –
Try again.
It will be challenged as unconstitutional precisely when someone attempts to exercise their rights to access their local courts, and is told they must file the challenge in Chicago or Springfield, because, apparently the attorney general is just too strapped to make *his legal team* drive a couple hours from the office.
But, yeah, I mean *how dare you* inconvenience a government official. Just hire a lawyer. (But when you do, we’ll call them “grifters”)
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 12:49 pm:
Torco, did you hit your head or something? He represents a Dem district. The info came out after the primary. She is now gearing up for a primary challenge.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 12:55 pm:
===too strapped to make *his legal team* drive a couple hours===
You’re either ill-informed or being more disingenuous than usual (which is really saying something).
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 1:01 pm:
===After the stunningly apologist screed===
We must’ve read different columns. You sure you’re talking about the right guy? https://www.shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/morning-update/2023/05/25/eye-on-illinois-staggering-new-abuse-report-should-spur-learning-action/
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 1:04 pm:
- JB13 -
Have you ever signed any contract of any kind (insurance, Mortgage, etc) where legal venue for disputes is spelled out to an exclusive city or county?
I ask this because if you did sign, how can you argue any venue location is restrictive? Just as an aside to whatever else you think you’re saying.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 1, 23 @ 1:30 pm:
==I mean *how dare you* inconvenience a government official==
Because it’s such a burden to drive to Springfield or Chicago. See how that works both ways? If you believe your case is important enough you’ll make the drive instead of whining about it.