Afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jun 28, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* April Perry has been nominated to be the new US Attorney for the Chicago area…
Perry is currently the senior counsel for global investigations and fraud and abuse prevention at Chicago-based GE HealthCare. Previously, she worked for 12 years as a federal prosecutor in Chicago, and for a time was a coordinator for various programs that concentrated on violence against women, hate crimes and civil rights.
While with the U.S. attorney’s office, she prosecuted television pitchman Kevin Trudeau on allegations that he made deceptive TV commercials, a crime that led to a 10-year federal prison sentence for Trudeau
Perry left the U.S. attorney’s office to work as chief ethics officer for Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. She left the office while Foxx’s administration was under scrutiny for abruptly dismissing charges against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett. […]
Perry is also a hearing officer for the Chicago Police Board, a panel that decides whether Chicago cops should be fired for disciplinary infractions.
* Naperville Sun…
Robert “Bob” Berlin has announced he will seek his fourth, four-year term as DuPage County state’s attorney in 2024.
Berlin was appointed in 2010 to the unexpired term of Joseph Birkett and was elected three consecutive times as a Republican to the county’s top prosecutorial position in 2012, 2016 and 2020. […]
A Downers Grove resident, husband and father of two daughters, Berlin said among his most recent accomplishments was to work with legislative leaders in Springfield to help amend the state’s Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act, or SAFE-T Act, bond provisions for violent crimes.
* USDOT…
Today, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced that the Biden-Harris Administration has awarded $67,683,587 from the RAISE discretionary grant program to three different infrastructure projects across Illinois. […]
Today’s awardees in Illinois include:
• $25,000,000 for the 95th Street Terminal Electric Bus Improvements project to install bus charging equipment at the 95th Street Terminal with associated electrical upgrades at the 95th Street rail traction power substation to support the equipment. The project will also provide the infrastructure to support an electric bike station. The project will allow for the accommodation of all-electric buses, significantly reducing the greenhouse gas emissions along the corridor, improve access to daily destinations, and reduce physical barriers to transportation, while improving public health by adding electric bike infrastructure.
• $22,683,587 for the Curtis Road Grade Separation and Complete Streets Project to create a new railroad grade separation and approximately two miles of railroad improvements by relocating the railroad track and embankment. Additionally, the project includes two additional vehicular lanes, new on-street bicycle lanes, modernized traffic signals with pedestrian countdown signals, drainage improvements, enhanced transit stops, and construction of a railroad bridge. This project also incorporates solar lighting, automated pedestrian detection, and a conduit for future fiber optic broadband deployment.
• $20,000,000 for the Pace Pulse Halsted Line project to implement a bus rapid transit (BRT) service, serving four Chicago South Side neighborhoods and three south suburban communities. The project will construct approximately 14 intermediate stations, bus lanes, queue jumps, enhanced pedestrian ADA access, and new buses, thereby improving bus speed and reliability. These improvements will reduce mobility barriers and will offer significant improvements, thus having a significant impact on the ability to attract employees and business development in the area. In addition, the modal shift and new right-of-way infrastructure, curb extensions, and improved signage will increase the safety of motorized and non-motorized travelers.
Full list is here.
* NAMIC…
The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies issued the following statement in response to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s recent signature on HB 2296, a bill that would narrow free-market competition. The statement can be attributed to Andrew Perkins, NAMIC’s regional vice president, Great Lakes.
“We are very disappointed that Governor Pritzker has chosen regulation over free-market competition with his signature of HB 2296. Illinois has long had an open market in which consumers benefit from insurers competing against each other for policyholders. Although the bill doesn’t directly impact property/casualty insurance, the idea that regulation is a better way to price products than the competitive market is short-sighted and just plain wrong. Decades of experience with heavy-handed regulation have shown that consumers benefit from a robust market where insurers compete for business.
“If the governor and proponents of this bill are truly committed to fairness, they should instead focus on underwriting accuracy. Competitive, risk-based ratemaking promotes accuracy, which is the essence of insurance fairness. Creating severe barriers within this time-tested insurance system will only make things more difficult and force consumers to subsidize the risk of others.”
* Most legislators don’t just vote in Springfield and call it a year. They also do tons of other things, including attending local events. Just one example…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | Boosting the brand? Biden kicks off reelection message in Chicago with embrace of ‘Bidenomics’ tag: After the speech, Biden headed to two fundraisers at the J.W. Marriott Hotel — the first hosted by Pritzker and Illinois first lady M.K. Pritzker. A minimum donation is set at $3,300, with up to 200 people expected. Donors who pay $25,000 qualify for a photo with the president.
* Tribune | This was your chance to see a loud librarian — annual ALA conference in Chicago this weekend took on book banning: The American Library Association conference that just ended at McCormick Place tends to be a predictably tame six days. The annual gathering of librarians, publishers and information professionals has been happening since the 19th century. The Chicago-based ALA greets librarians from rural towns, big cities, colleges, high schools, libraries in other countries. They eat a hot dog and take a boat tour and, for a week, dig into the latest archiving techniques, discuss methods of bolstering diversity and forecast digital trends.
* Crain’s | An unusual sight at this weekend’s NASCAR race: A union-sponsored car: The International Union of Operating Engineers, or IUOE, which has a strong presence in Chicago and throughout Illinois, will sponsor Ryan Preece’s No. 41 Ford Mustang in this weekend’s NASCAR race. The union’s name will be emblazoned across the hood and along the sides of the car.
* WTTW | Garien Gatewood, Chicago’s New Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, Aims to Transform City’s Approach to Violence: It will be up to Garien Gatewood, the city’s new deputy mayor for community safety, to make good on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s promise to take a new approach to the surge of crime and violence that took hold in Chicago during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and has yet to fully recede.
* Crain’s | Land bank targets Englewood rehabs to spur homeownership: “This is a community where the majority of homes are vacant,” says Asiaha Butler, CEO of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood. “Our strategy is to change that in a reparative way that (increases) homeownership in a neighborhood that has historically been harmed by redlining, predatory lending and other ways that stripped away Black wealth.”
* ABC Chicago | Towing company charged in multi-million dollar catalytic converter theft ring: Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub says TDI Towing in Philadelphia’s Port Richmond section bought $8.2 million worth of catalytic converters over three years. Detectives combed through 5,000 hours of surveillance and conducted undercover operations. One surveillance video shows a person inside of TDI Towing in Port Richmond pulling a catalytic converter out of a car and cooling it off.
* Prospect | The Death Cult of the American Car: Also last week, ProPublica and FRONTLINE reported that in 2017, the Department of Transportation started writing a report considering possible regulations for side guards on commercial trucks, which would help prevent pedestrians and cyclists from being trapped and crushed underneath. This prompted a furious backlash from the trucking lobby, which was allowed to provide extensive comments on a draft of the report before its publication. Sure enough, the final product contained no recommendations for new regulations.
* AP | Is it a ‘richcession’? Or a ‘rolling recession’? Or maybe no recession at all?: The latest signs suggest maybe not. Despite much higher borrowing costs, thanks to the Federal Reserve’s aggressive streak of interest rate hikes, consumers keep spending, and employers keep hiring. Gas prices have dropped, and grocery prices have leveled off, giving Americans more spending power.
* Journal Star | ‘Support the cause’: What Tony Romo had to say during the Metamora pro-am golf event: “I was excited to come here. I haven’t been back in the area in a while. I went to college at Eastern Illinois. I haven’t driven on 57 and I-294 in a while and so it brings back some memories. This course looks like it’s in incredible shape.”
* CNN | The Illinois funeral home with a mini-golf course underneath: In 1964, Roger Ahlgrim strolled into Ahlgrim Family Funeral Services’ newly constructed building, located in the small, leafy village of Palatine, a suburb of Chicago. He was the grandson of Arthur Ahlgrim, who had founded the family firm in 1892. As he explored the new site, he discovered a vast basement. Some 20 feet below ground, with no windows, it could serve little purpose for the funeral business, but Ahlgrim soon found a use for the room.
* NYT | How Easy Is It to Fool A.I.-Detection Tools?: Their tools analyze content using sophisticated algorithms, picking up on subtle signals to distinguish the images made with computers from the ones produced by human photographers and artists. But some tech leaders and misinformation experts have expressed concern that advances in A.I. will always stay a step ahead of the tools.
* Sun-Times | Chicago is no longer the worst, but air quality still ‘very unhealthy’: Even people without respiratory problems may experience some discomfort or irritation from the smoke, but they could probably go out to do everyday tasks, local health experts say.
* WCIA | “Hazardous Air Quality” now declared; Decatur reports 2nd worst air quality in the world: The latest data at 12:00 p.m. Central Time shows that Decatur has breached into the “Hazardous” air quality category. This is the worst quality air possible on the scale.
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* The lawsuit is here. From the ACLU of Illinois…
Five Black and Latino Chicagoans subjected to repeated traffic stops filed a discrimination lawsuit on behalf of a class of Black and Latino drivers against the Chicago Police Department late yesterday. The lawsuit alleges that CPD officers are more likely to pull over Black and Latino drivers than white drivers, and that this disparity cannot be justified either by public or traffic safety. The complaint alleges that the racial and ethnic disparities in CPD’s traffic stops are due to CPD policies requiring officers to satisfy traffic stop quotas and flood neighborhoods on the South and West Sides of the City with traffic stops for alleged minor equipment and registration violations, as confirmed by statistical evidence and public statements from CPD and City officials.
Data presented in the complaint shows that CPD’s mass traffic stop program, which ramped up under the administrations of former Mayors Lori Lightfoot and Rahm Emanuel, has not decreased serious crime in Chicago. As reflected by the experiences of the five Chicago residents, the complaint alleges that, through its mass traffic stop program, CPD harasses, racially profiles, and demeans hundreds of thousands of law-abiding community members of color who are simply trying to go about their day; in doing so, it undermines public confidence in CPD and wastes public resources, which in turn undermines public safety.
The lawsuit filed today asks a federal court to prohibit CPD from targeting predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods for a high volume of traffic stops, bar the use of traffic stops as simply an excuse to search for contraband like weapons or drugs, and end traffic stop quotas, among other requests.
“As a community organizer working to improve relations between police and community members, it is clear that CPD’s practice of targeting Black drivers with traffic stops increases tension and anger between Black people and the police. It makes people of color feel like we’re not free to travel in our own neighborhoods,” said Eric Wilkins, a Black resident of the Roseland neighborhood on the City’s Far South Side, and lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. Mr. Wilkins has been stopped repeatedly by Chicago police over many years.
“As a careful and conscientious driver, it is obvious that I have been stopped based on police officers’ false stereotypes about young Black men rather than for any legitimate reason,” said plaintiff Mahari Bell, a Black veteran of the Illinois Army National Guard who resides in the South Shore neighborhood. As alleged in the complaint, Mr. Bell has been stopped at least 10 times in the last eight years without a single citation being issued.
The complaint alleges that on one occasion in May 2022, Mr. Bell was stopped near Chicago’s Willis Tower while driving for a food delivery service. Officers approached his car and immediately demanded to know if Mr. Bell possessed any cannabis. Mr. Bell said no, but the officers ordered him out of the car. As Mr. Bell complied, they handcuffed him with his hands behind his back, telling Mr. Bell that handcuffing drivers is “what we do.” An officer then searched through Mr. Bell’s car and his possessions without his permission and without any legal basis. As onlookers on the busy downtown street watched, an officer reached into Mr. Bell’s pants, took his wallet, and ran his name through their computers. He was then released from the handcuffs and told he could go on his way.
“It was humiliating and degrading to be treated like a criminal in front of countless people on that street corner,” added Mr. Bell. “There was absolutely no reason for this frustrating stop, let alone for humiliating me while I was at work.”
Jacquez Beasley, a Black resident of the city’s West Side and an employee of the Chicago Park District, experienced a similarly embarrassing and degrading traffic stop in January 2023. As alleged in the complaint, CPD officers pulled Mr. Beasley over after he turned into the parking lot of his own workplace; with his work supervisor watching, officers interrogated Mr. Beasley as if he were a criminal suspect before telling him to go on his way.
“I have been pulled over at least 12 times since I got my driver’s license in 2020,” said Mr. Beasley. “I feel that officers see me – a young Black man with dreadlocks – and immediately assume I’m suspicious, even though I have no record and I’ve never gotten a traffic ticket or even a warning.”
The complaint alleges these experiences are typical of the experiences of hundreds of Black and Latino people who are subjected to traffic stops by CPD officers every day. The data presented in the complaint shows that since 2016, Black drivers in Chicago have been 4 to 7 times more likely than white drivers to be stopped by police; Latino drivers have been twice as likely to be stopped as white drivers. The data presented also shows Chicago police are also far more likely to search Black and Latino drivers and their vehicles, even though the police often have higher rates of finding illegal contraband in the vehicles of white drivers.
The complaint collects admissions from past CPD leadership that CPD intentionally targets traffic stops in neighborhoods on the West and South Sides where mostly Black and Latino people reside. The statistical analysis and other evidence presented in the complaint also demonstrate that claims by CPD leaders that CPD uses traffic stops in “high crime” areas to address violence, are not true. The City’s Inspector General has found that CPD is more likely to concentrate traffic stops in neighborhoods with a predominance of Black residents than in neighborhoods experiencing the most violence.
* Sun-Times…
Fewer than 5% of some 600,000 stops net even a ticket; not even 1% result in arrest or seizure of drugs or guns. […]
The lawsuit cites departmental emails released by the activist groups Impact for Equity and Free 2 Move Coalition that showed CPD’s top brass demanding more traffic stops — including Ernest Cato III, who was then deputy chief of Area 4 and is now seeking to become head of CPD under Mayor Brandon Johnson — as a crime fighting strategy. The lawsuit incorrectly identifies Cato as “Eric Cato,” and his rank as first deputy chief and the second-in-command to former Supt. David Brown, a post then held by Eric Carter.
In the summer and fall of 2020, Cato sent a flurry of emails informing commanders that traffic stop tallies in some of the city’s most dangerous police districts were “not sufficient” and repeatedly urged commanders to increase the number of stops.
“Look at your traffic stop strategy and be prepared to address how you will utilize traffic stops to address violence,” he wrote to district commanders in a September 2020 email that included the districts’ statistics. “Effective traffic stops … decrease violence.”
Subsequent emails from supervisors under Cato show them pushing subordinates to make more stops. The lawsuit also notes that deposition testimony in a lawsuit filed by CPD Lt. Franklin Paz, who was demoted from the citywide Community Safety Team. Officers said the team Cmdr. Michael Barz set quotas for traffic stops, as well as arrests, in the neighborhoods targeted for “missions” by the team. Paz has sued the department, claiming he was kicked off the team in retaliation for raising concerns about Barz’s quotas.
Stephanie Kollmann of the Children and Family Justice Center on Cato’s bid to become the next CPD superintendent…
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jun 28, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Jim Dey on the governor’s response to criticism of his emergency rules imposing restrictions on a healthcare program for some undocumented immigrants…
In the meantime, as is his practice, Pritzker launched a strong counter-attack on his critics.
For starters, he’s suggested that much of the criticism is insincere noise designed to pacify certain groups. He said he made it clear to Hispanic legislative leaders that exploding program costs had to be contained.
He said the Legislative Latino Caucus “knew what was going on” and that the public criticism of his decision is just political posturing.
One thing Pritzker certainly hasn’t done is show any sign of backing off.
That’s one aspect of Pritzker’s political personality that is striking and, to many, appealing. He’s a belligerent pol who never pulls a punch. Usually, he bashes defenseless Republicans. But he’ll go after anyone who crosses him.
* The Question: Do you agree or disagree that Pritzker is a “belligerent pol who never pulls a punch” and will “go after anyone who crosses him”? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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* Last month, Chicago Bears CEO and President Kevin Warren said that the company was looking for “property tax fairness” from Arlington Heights, but complained they hadn’t received it and were therefore looking at other towns to host the team. He also said this week that talks with the school districts are at “stalemate” and said Arlington Heights was not providing the team with tax “certainty.” The Daily Herald’s Christopher Placek talked with a school board member who’s been trying to get some answers from the Bears this year…
“I think he spoke very eloquently. A lot of what he said was positive. But our biggest concern is we really need to know more about the impact study and the traffic study,” [Northwest Suburban High School District 214 board member Frank Fiarito] said. “To us, that’s very important. And like he wants certainty with the taxes, it’s the same with the school districts, too.”
It’s an example of the chicken and the egg: The Bears want to come to agreement over property tax payments before proceeding with their $5 billion mixed-use commercial and residential redevelopment. But the schools want details first about what such a project would mean for their enrollments and if they’ll get commensurate revenues to teach new students and even build new schools. […]
While discussions are centered on the 2023 and 2024 assessment years, legislation the NFL franchise is backing in Springfield would freeze the assessment for up to 40 years.
Under the proposed Payments in Lieu of Taxes financing mechanism, annual payments to the schools and other taxing bodies would also be subject to negotiation.
“If we are going to get stuck where it is a PILOT program and taxes are frozen, then obviously we would not benefit,” Fiarito said.
* Also, this Warren statement from earlier in the week is just blatantly false…
“We’re not trying to skirt any taxes,” [Warren] said. “We’re not asking for any unique breaks. I’m hoping we’ll get back to the table with the school boards. We have to figure out if Arlington Heights is really a viable option.”
Um, they’re trying to pass a bill in Springfield to give the team a very unique tax break.
* Meanwhile…
Add Aurora to the growing list of suburbs that have invited the Chicago Bears to consider as part of the NFL franchise’s relocation plans.
Aurora officials said they sent a letter touting the state’s second-largest city as a destination for the Bears to build a new stadium, joining Arlington Heights, Naperville and Waukegan.
“Upon receipt of the letter, representatives of the Chicago Bears organization responded quickly and positively,” an Aurora news release stated.
More on the letter is here.
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* The City of Chicago sent a briefing to various government officials and others on Monday, June 26th. What follows are some excerpts, but click here for the whole thing…
Background
● Since August 31, 2022, Chicago has received more than 10,500 new arrivals.
● 25 Buses have arrived since May 9, 2023
○ 9 buses arrived from June 16-24.
Current Situation
● To date, the City has 4,962 individuals in our shelter system.
● City shelters are at max capacity. CPD has experienced an increase in new arrivals waiting for shelter placement at CPD district stations.
● Approximately 600 individuals spread across police districts.
● Last bus arrived today at 10AM from Brownsville, TX carrying 50 passengers.
In motion
● Standing Up Large Sites
○ Since the last meeting the City opened three temporary shelters: Daley, Wright, and Gage Park.
○ The city is exploring other sites and engaging with Alderpeople and community in the process.
○ Challenge: Number of people arriving to Chicago is continuous and impacts space availability
Expanding Staff Capacity
● CBOs wrap-around case management at shelters; soft launch this week
● CBOs support at Police District stations
● In motion: Running volunteer program proposal by the Department of Human Resources and Office of Inspector General
● In motion: Conversations with Greater Chicago Food Depository and Open Kitchens
Aligning City, County, State, and Federal Efforts
● Ongoing communication and coordination with the State to stand up additional
support inside shelters
● FEMA announced the first tranche of Shelter and Services Program (SSP) funding on Monday, June 12, 2023.
○ The City of Chicago was announced to receive just over $10.5 Million on 6/12/23.
○ The State of Illinois was announced to receive $19.3 Million on 6/12/23.
● Met with the IL Federal Delegation on June 26, 2023
○ Exploring federal demands ( i.e. work permits and federal grants)
Aldermanic Engagement
● Aldermanic weekly briefing
● Immigration Committee Meeting on Wednesday, June 28 at 11:00 AM, called by Committee Chair Alderman Vasquez
○ First committee meeting will focus on city’s response. There will be consequent meetings scheduled monthly.
Communication with Mutual Aid Networks
● Weekly meetings with mutual aid volunteers
○ Purpose: Keep a line of communication open and work through feedback
● Ongoing communication about activity at Police District stations and shelter
● Coordination to support cases that require immediate medical attention
● Answering to inquiries as they come up
Resettlement Efforts
• 388 leases signed as of June 26th
• 137 moved into permanent housing as of June 26th
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* KHQA…
Nurses employed by Quincy Veterans Home protested on Tuesday over their concerns with what they call unfair labor and unsafe work conditions. […]
The INA president Tori Dameron said nurses working at the Quincy Veterans home are frustrated with what they call the overuse of agency or substitute nurses rather than hiring full-time nurses. There are currently 30 nurse positions open at Quincy Veterans Home.
“We are continuously being mandated to work overtime and extra shifts creating an unsafe environment for staff or patients,” Dameron said.
Dameron, who is also a nurse, said the INA has raised concerns before over staffing at the VA home.
* WGEM…
Worker shortages. Since the pandemic, businesses of all kinds have faced the,, and some still are. At the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy, workers report the problem persists and they said it’s the worst they’ve seen. […]
“We’ve been in bargaining for a couple months now and basically the ‘fair’ part is that management is not coming back to us with what we would consider reasonable offers for the nurses,” Dameron said.
Dameron believes better benefits could fill the roughly 20 open RN positions at the IVH. She said the shortage has led to unsafe working conditions, and it’s made it difficult to provide care for her patients. […]
Dameron said she is assigned to 26 patients and most days she is the only nurse taking care of that unit. […]
A nurse of seven years at the IVH, Brian Myers, claims the state isn’t doing the best it can to solve the worker shortage. […]
Instead of hiring full-time help, Myers said the State is bringing in contracted labor, or substitute nurses to help out.
* Response from IDVA Director Terry Prince…
The dedicated staff, including nurses at the Veterans’ Home at Quincy, provide the highest level of care and are critical to the quality of life for Veterans in our care. We continue to nurture our partnership with the union to ensure the nursing staff is supported and valued. The Home’s leadership consistently works with our nursing team to understand and address concerns as they are brought forward. IDVA is mandated by the state and federal government to maintain a minimum standard for hours of care for each Veteran, and IDVA exceeds those requirements. IDVA is proud that the Veterans’ needs are met in a timely manner. The Home’s census is aligned with its current staffing to ensure safety for both residents and staff.
In order to meet and exceed staffing requirements, the IVHQ team has been working hard over the past several months to recruit, hire, and train skilled professionals to join the nursing staff. These efforts include widespread postings, job fairs, and marketing in the deeply competitive post-pandemic healthcare workforce. While there is a nation-wide hiring crisis in health care and other industries, IDVA will continue an aggressive hiring campaign to ensure we can serve Veterans seeking care, especially as our $230 million new building is slated to open in 2024.
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* American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy…
Leading states are strengthening policies to enable widespread use of electric cars, trucks, and buses, but all states will have to dramatically step up their efforts to enable a full transition, a new report finds. The 2023 State Transportation Electrification Scorecard from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) evaluates states’ policies to encourage electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Only nine states scored more than half the points available.
“We are seeing incremental progress, not transformational progress. States will have to move far more aggressively to do their part to enable the electric vehicle transition that the climate crisis demands,” said Peter Huether, senior research associate at ACEEE and lead author of the report. “Auto manufacturers are expanding their EV options and consumers are increasingly choosing them, but supportive state policies are needed to ensure that the electric grid is ready and that all households and businesses, including those in underserved communities, can use EVs and have adequate access to charging.”
California ranked first in the Scorecard, scoring 88 out of 100 points. The Golden State has committed to full electrification of light-duty vehicle sales, is planning significant updates to its electricity grid to prepare for a sharp rise in EVs, and incorporates equity considerations into its EV policy, setting aside significant funding for EV purchases in low-income communities and communities of color. New York, which came in second with 62 points, has heavily incentivized the purchase of EVs and EV charging infrastructure, including from its investor-owned utilities, and has taken considerable steps to integrate EVs onto the grid. Rounding out the top 10 are Colorado (#3), Massachusetts (#4), Vermont (#5), Washington State (#6), New Jersey (#7), the District of Columbia (tied for #8), Oregon (tied for #8), and Maryland (#10). The top nine states scored more than 50 points, and all others scored less than half the points available.
Since ACEEE’s last assessment of state EV policies in 2021, California finalized two important EV regulations: the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, which requires all new cars sold by 2035 to be EVs, and the Advanced Clean Truck regulation, which requires heavy-duty truck sales to begin to transition to electric models. Six states have adopted California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule, and seven adopted its truck rule. Six additional states are considering adopting one or both of the rules. Nationwide, utilities have committed to invest $760 million in vehicle charging infrastructure since the last scorecard. The number of states requiring transit agencies to electrify their buses has doubled from four to eight.
* Illinois made incremental progress…
llinois (#21) scored 27.5 points out of 100, up from 23 points and a rank of 23rd in our 2021 edition. The state has made progress in offering financial incentives for EV purchases and EV charging infrastructure. Illinois offers one of the most generous rebates (up to $4,000) for purchasing or leasing an EV. The state offers rebates that can cover up to 80% of eligible project costs for installing level 2 or fast charging stations. Projects located in disadvantaged or environmental justice communities can earn additional rebates. Illinois would benefit significantly from adopting California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule and Advanced Clean Truck rule, which would make it a clear leader in the Midwest on transitioning to electric passenger and heavy-duty vehicles. Adopting the Advanced Clean Truck rule and supporting the electrification of school buses would help support the EV manufacturing industry in the state since electric delivery vans and school buses are manufactured in Illinois.
* And check out these ginormous EV manufacturing subsidies…
Illinois has a $400 million fund to help close EV-related deals and other tools at its disposal, but whew.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Jun 28, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* I went outside for a few minutes yesterday without a mask, maybe that was a mistake…
* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jun 28, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* News from the North…
Maria Peterson announced her Exploratory Committee for State Representative in the 52nd District. The event was held in Wauconda at Strawberry Moon with a packed crowd. Peterson was introduced by State Representative Nabeela Syed (D., 51) and joined by supporters and the following elected officials:
The Hon. Lauren Beth Gash,
The Hon. Maria Galo,
The Hon. Kristina Zahorik
The Hon. Barry Altshuler,
The Hon. Timothy Howe,
The Hon. Mary Lenling,
The Hon. Dennis Leslie,
The Hon. Jennifer Lucas,
The Hon. Jackie McGrath,
The Hon. Diane Scholten,
The Hon. Ruth Scifo,
The Hon. Nancy Shepherdson,
The Hon. Candace Sinclair,
The Hon. Linda Troester,
The Hon. Lucinda Troester,
The Hon. Gloria Van Hof,
The Hon. Kelli Wegener
* Here’s your morning roundup…
* Patch | Supporters Urge Governor To Sign Mental Health Center Transfer Bill: Legislators Sen. Michael Hastings and Reps. Robert Rita, Debbie Meyers-Martin, and Justin Slaughter spoke in support of HB 3743 and the park district’s plans, flanked by representatives of the Cook County Building Trades Council, Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sierra Club, Illinois Environmental Council, South Suburban Special Recreation Association, Lincolnway Special Recreation Association, Tinley Park Bulldogs, Moraine Valley Community College, local youth organizations, south suburban school boards, and south suburban area park districts. The group gathered at the park district’s White Water Canyon Park to praise the legislation and publicly petition Pritzker to sign it into law.
* Bond Buyer | Pension risk meter on the rise for Chicago and Illinois, reports warn: Chicago and Illinois — longtime examples of outliers nationally on the size of their unfunded liabilities and funded ratios — have made progress, with Chicago now making payments more closely aligned with an actuarial calculation and both making supplemental contributions to complement scheduled payments.
* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker signs bills altering Illinois’ health insurance market: “Since day one of my administration, I’ve been committed to making health care more equitable and holistic and accessible,” Pritzker said at a bill signing ceremony in Chicago. “With these bills, we aren’t just increasing access to affordable preventative care, we’re improving the quality of life for millions who call Illinois home.”
* Tribune | In year since defeat in GOP primary for governor, Richard Irvin embracing role as Aurora mayor: “A lot depends on how much more work we have to do,” he said, responding to a query on whether he would run for a third term as mayor in 2025. “This town’s going to look a lot different in two years.” It was Irvin’s way of saying he’s not ready to commit yet to running for a third term with one year and 10 months left on his second one. Nor is he ready to commit to running for anything else, or even if he would just settle into the life of an attorney at Oak Brook-based Castle Law, where he is now affiliated.
* WBEZ | Abortion bans are fueling a rise in high-risk patients heading to Chicago hospitals: Emily had a crushing decision to make: continue to carry a baby who would not survive, which could be a risk to her health and having children in the future, or have an abortion. “I don’t think I stopped crying for an entire two weeks,” said Emily, who asked WBEZ not to use her real name to protect her privacy and safety. “The whole world felt heavy. … It’s not something anybody should have to go through. It’s not easy losing somebody you love.”
* Tribune | Latin School refuses parents’ request for records of son who died by suicide after bullying, new lawsuit says: “We are entitled to our child’s school records, regardless of a loss,” said Robert Bronstein, father of Nate Bronstein, who died in January 2022. “Any parent is, and the school has that statement in their policies and in their handbook that says if a parent wants their children’s school files, here’s the department that you go to. They are refusing because, obviously, whatever’s in the school files will show their negligence.”
* Sun-Times | $1,000 available to survivors of gender-based violence through Chicago program: It’s the latest form of direct cash assistance from the city as residents continue to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. The Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot — which provided $500 for a year to 5,000 residents — is sending out its last benefit this summer. Another city program, the Chicago Resiliency Fund, provided a one-time payment of $500 to domestic workers and undocumented immigrants who were shut out of other federal pandemic relief efforts.
* Sun-Times | ACLU lawsuit: Chicago police target minorities for traffic stops: Fewer than 1% of the 600,000 stops made by CPD officers resulted in an arrest or the discovery of illegal drugs or a gun, according to the lawsuit, but the frequent stops do serious damage to minority Chicagoans’ faith in police, the lawsuit states, citing CPD records and community survey data. A 2023 survey cited in the report showed more than a quarter of Black respondents reported having been in a car that was stopped by police in the last year, versus 11% of Latinos and 7% of whites.
* Crain’s | Invest South/West projects ring up sky-high construction costs: That’s one of the great ironies of Invest South/West, a massive economic development initiative launched four years ago by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Construction costs for the program’s affordable housing projects in some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods exceed $600,000 and even $700,000 per unit, far higher than the $450,000 to $500,000 per unit for the ritziest high-rises currently under construction in and around downtown.
* Tribune | Chicago’s minimum wage is increasing July 1. Here’s what to know.: The annual bump comes as Chicagoans experience a strong labor market despite layoffs in certain industries, such as Big Tech. Though inflation has cooled off historic highs, prices remain elevated. The minimum wage will increase 2.5% on the first of the month, a percentage that does not match inflation, which grew at a 4% annual rate in May.
* Ald. Raymond Lopez | An open letter to President Biden on what migrants — and Chicago — need now: Putting the politics of fixing the country’s broken and convoluted immigration system aside, it is imperative that you direct Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou to work with breakneck speed to process and adjudicate all asylum cases as quickly as possible wherever the migrants and asylum seekers presently find themselves.
* WBEZ | Black cowboy culture in Chicago lives on: “A cowboy’s a cowboy no matter [where you are],” Perry recently told WBEZ’S Reset. “The love of horses, the love of animals, the outdoors, the riding that’s involved — that part of nature that’s in some of us humans, you know, that part will not go away, especially the connection between horses and people.”
* AP | Supreme Court rejects novel legislative theory but leaves a door open for 2024 election challenges: The court’s 6-3 ruling Tuesday drove a stake through the most extreme version of the so-called independent state legislature theory, which holds that legislatures have absolute power in setting the rules of federal elections and cannot be second-guessed by state courts. That decision cheered voting rights groups.
* Tribune | Lawsuit that pushed Eric Ferguson off the air at WTMX is dropped without explanation: The lawsuit by former assistant producer Cynthia DeNicolo, filed in May 2021, sparked a tumultuous two years of public battles for Ferguson and Hubbard Radio Chicago, the company that owns the adult contemporary station at 101.9.
* Tribune | Stretch of the CTA Blue Line to close this summer and fall for work to remove slow zones: CTA Blue Line tracks between the West Loop and the Illinois Medical District are set to temporarily close this summer, as work gets underway to remove some of the slow zones that plague the Forest Park branch of the line.
* ABC Chicago | 100 mph speeds, party decks and more: Here’s what the upcoming Chicago NASCAR race has to offer: NASCAR enthusiasts seasoned and novice geared up for the weekend’s races at NASCAR Night at Navy Pier. “I feel so lucky,” said 9-year-old Brian Stanley. “Like, they can race anywhere else and they chose Chicago.”
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Wednesday, Jun 28, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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