Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2023

Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Here you go…

Herald-Review | Live updates: ADM workers’ conditions unknown after blast; several airlifted from Decatur:

* Tribune | Migrant mother charged with felonies after allegedly blocking traffic, resisting officers at Southwest Side station: Video of the incident sent to the Tribune by a source showed several migrants arguing with police at the desk about access to the bathrooms in the station. A higher-ranking officer speaking in English could be seen telling the migrants through another officer translating into Spanish that there were portable toilets for them outside and to take it up with the city if they had an issue.

* Chicago Mag | No Country, No Home: The previous administration really didn’t have a plan, other than just opening up a few respite centers and shelters. Mayor Lightfoot spent [$120 million] in hotels and other policies that were never intended to provide any sustainable solution. Time was lost in coordinating an effort to address this huge issue. It is a problem that demands federal intervention. What has changed is the new administration’s collaborative approach in addressing the seriousness of this problem.

* Bloomberg | Response to migrant crisis could cost over $300 million by end of year: On Thursday, Mayor Brandon Johnson told the Chicago Sun-Times that the city would move 1,600 migrants out of police stations before cold weather settles in and into what the mayor called “winterized base camps.” Each tent structure would hold up to 1,000 people, according to Johnson.

* Daily Herald | Medical marijuana users push back on McHenry County state’s attorney’s stance:[McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally] also threatened to sue dispensaries if they do not remove references to the medical benefits of marijuana from their marketing and add signage “to warn customers of the mental health dangers associated with use, including psychosis, depression and suicidal ideation.”

* Sun-Times | Head of the class: new Education Board president Jianan Shi, 33, is praised for ‘thoughtful, insightful’ leadership: It’s a meteoric rise from teacher to nonprofit leader to overseeing the nation’s fourth-largest school system in less than a decade — and one that represents the growing influence of the once-small Raise Your Hand, a close ally of the Chicago Teachers Union.

* Daily Herald | Glendale Heights president pleads ‘not guilty’ to disorderly conduct charges: Khokhar is accused of reporting to two police officers in April and May that village Trustee Mohammad Siddiqi had threatened to bite him. He filed the reports knowing there were “no reasonable grounds for believing that the offense had been committed,” according to the indictment.[…] Officers reviewed a videotape and said it showed Siddiqi and another trustee walking together, followed by Khokhar, and Siddiqi going downstairs, then exiting the building. The report says it does not appear Siddiqi and Khokhar said anything to each other.

* Sun-Times | Winner picked for Pershing Road project; plans would reinvent an industrial colossus: Last week, the Department of Planning and Development said it will work with Chicago-based IBT Group on its proposal for a $121 million makeover of the sites, which include a vacant 571,000-square-foot warehouse. Built in 1918 for the U.S. Army, the building has vast floors with scores of pillars to hold bygone loads. It figures in the district’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places, so wrecking it is strongly frowned upon.

* WTTW | Half of Chicago Schools Are Under Herd Immunity Levels for Measles, But Rates Have Improved Over Past Year: Within the Chicago Public Schools district, almost half of the schools reported measles vaccination rates below 95% for the past school year, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Education. That mark is an important one, as measles, an extremely contagious disease with devastating consequences, requires about 19 of 20 people to be vaccinated to prevent its spread via herd immunity.

* NBC | FDA clears new Covid boosters: 5 things to know: Anyone age 5 and older can get an updated booster shot from either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, regardless of whether they were previously vaccinated, the FDA said in a statement. People who have been vaccinated should wait at least two months before getting the updated booster.

* AP | What you should know about new COVID shots: The FDA will soon decide if each company has met safety, effectiveness and quality standards. Then the CDC must sign off before vaccinations begin. A CDC advisory panel is set to meet Tuesday to make recommendations on how best to use the latest shots.

* NYT | As Covid-19 Cases Tick Higher, Conspiracy Theorists Stoke New Fears: There is little evidence that the current wave of Covid-19 cases will prompt the kinds of extreme countermeasures seen during the worst of the pandemic. The share of Covid-19 cases nationwide peaked at 14.1 percent in August — in line with most surges since the pandemic began — but hospitalizations were at near historic lows.

* NBC Chicago | Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth tests positive for COVID-19: Duckworth made the announcement on social media Sunday, saying she is experiencing mild symptoms from the virus. “I will continue working for the people of Illinois in isolation and follow medical guidance on when to return to the Senate chamber,” she said.

* Crain’s | Chicago’s largest law firms see dip in local attorneys: Polsinelli (tied for No. 23 with Amundsen Davis and Perkins Coie) reported the greatest plunge (17.4%) in local attorneys since last summer. Seyfarth Shaw (No. 11) and Baker McKenzie (No. 17) likewise reported significant drops of nearly 13% and 12%, respectively.

* WCIA | From textbooks to tombstones: Champaign students learn how to locate lost graves: She and her classmates participated in the STEM Cemetery Project at St. Mary’s in Champaign. They are searching for headstones underneath the surface that may be hiding graves. Bill Vavrik, Vice President at Applied Research Associates, calls it underground mapping.

* Sun-Times | Dragonflies seem to be everywhere along Chicago’s lakefront. Here’s why: That’s because Chicago is a pit stop on their multigenerational mass migration across North America, which happens every spring and fall.

* Tribune | Illinois’ Underground Railroad: A glossary of terms to know: Too often, details about the hundreds of years of bondage, trauma and disenfranchisement have been avoided, ignored or blatantly misrepresented. This project was conceived with the goal of centering stories from the Black community, with narratives about enslaved people’s paths to freedom, be it a first-person account, oral history passed through generations, or documentation that shares a glimpse of that journey.

* SJ-R | Springfield area business owner wins Miss Illinois United States; vies for national title: When Aaliyah Kissick was 17 years old, she could be spotted in the Springfield area holding a cardboard sign on the side of a road to advertise her clothing boutique. Now, at 23, Kissick is bringing her passion for small business development and financial literacy to the forefront as Miss Illinois United States. “I’m advocating for House Bill 1375 which would require mandatory financial literacy for all students across the state of Illinois. If I become Miss United States, I will be advocating for mandatory financial literacy at the national level as well.”

3 Comments

Hinz announces semi-retirement

Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Greg Hinz…

For good or bad, the way of the world is that nothing lasts forever. Even political columnists, though we’re a long-lived breed. So below are some thoughts as, after an amazing half-century of watching Illinois politics and government, I dial way back on my tasks here at Crain’s.

Much as a few internet trolls would prefer, I won’t be disappearing. You can still call me a raging progressive, or a MAGA-loving Republican. I’ll still do a monthly column here, as well as an occasional special project. But this is a good time to take stock.

Let’s start with the pols — who, despite speculation to the contrary, I really don’t hate. I find politicians and government leaders in general to be no better or worse than the rest of humanity. Their egos may need regular stroking — an offense that surely applies to journalists — but most are just people trying to do their job and look out for their future. […]

A few thoughts for my media colleagues: Remember who your writing and reporting is really for: your readers and subscribers, people who count on you to inform them. Be passionate; if you check out at 5 o’clock and don’t go the extra mile, your readers will be shortchanged. In other words, it’s personal. Treat public officials and candidates with respect, but insist in turn that you be treated with respect because you’re doing a job that, in a democracy, needs to be done.

I’ve known Greg since before he landed the Crain’s job and we’ve always worked together well. You don’t have to always 100 percent agree with someone to like them. Good luck, Greg!

11 Comments

Coverage roundup: Governor’s closing fund lands EV battery manufacturer

Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Here you go…

Reuters | China’s Gotion to set up a $2 billion lithium battery plant in Illinois :

* Forbes | China’s Gotion To Build “Historic” $2 Billion EV Battery Plant In Illinois:Gotion’s investment will be supported by a “Reimagining Energy and Vehicles” incentive package, a new “Invest in Illinois” fund, and “other incentives” worth a total of $536 million, the statement said. Gotion’s will be the first recipient of Invest in Illinois funding following its creation in early 2023 to make Illinois more attractive when vying for large projects in highly competitive sectors like clean energy, the statement said. Gotion was further approved by local authorities for property tax abatement for 30 years. […] However, the economics favor working together, he said. “If the US automakers are going to build profitable (electric) vehicles below a $50,000 price point, then they’re going need Chinese batteries,” [Chairman] Le said. “We don’t have the capacity. We don’t have the mining, we don’t have the refining, and we won’t have it in significant volumes through this decade,” he said.

* Sun-Times | Illinois lands Chinese EV battery plant as Pritzker, Duckworth seek more deals with Asian companies:[Senator Duckworth’s] own push to get more Asian companies to do business with Illinois included a personal pitch last month to Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the president of the Philippines, to use Illinois-based ethanol, which is made mostly from corn. She’s also been traveling with members of the Illinois Corn Growers Association, touting the expansion of ethanol will not only help Illinois corn farmers but reduce carbon emissions and the demand for foreign oil. […] “I’ve been working very hard to counter that and say, ‘Here’s the data. Look at the productivity, and in fact, the unions are your friends. The unions can do things like mandatory drug testing and can be partners with management and to bring the most well-trained, the most productive workers to the table,’” Duckworth said. “And LG ended up going into Decatur.”

* Tribune | Lured by $500 million in state incentives, Chinese firm plans $2 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Manteno: Officials said full-time workers at the facility would be paid at least 120% of the average wage of similar jobs — or roughly $55,000 a year — in the Manteno area. […] Pritzker’s praise of a Chinese company such as Gotion comes at a time when some Republicans, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is vying for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, have argued against encouraging businesses with ties to China because of the country’s adversarial relationship with the U.S. A Pritzker spokesman dismissed such criticism as “nothing more than political grandstanding.”

* Capitol News Illinois | Battery Manufacturing Plant Coming to Illinois With $530M Incentive Deal: The roughly $2 billion project is set to create 2,600 jobs and begin production in 2024. The plant will produce battery cells, battery packs like the kinds used in electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage systems. […] Gotion is also in the process of setting up a plant in Michigan. This has sparked controversy from Republicans in that state, who cite concerns about the company’s Chinese ownership.

* Crain’s | Illinois finally lands a big EV battery plant: Pritzker said the state had many things to offer Gotion, but the “deal closing fund,” approved last year by the General Assembly, was critical. “It sent a signal to the nation and the world that Illinois is open for business,” he said. […] Illinois already has two EV assembly plants, Rivian’s factory in Normal and Lion Electric’s facility in Joliet, which makes buses and other commercial vehicles. Just as important, the state has been in extensive discussions with Stellantis, the parent company of Dodge and Jeep, about converting its now shuttered Belvidere plant to make EVs and hopes to eventually get Ford to convert or replace its Torrence Avenue factory on Chicago’s South Side to EV production.

* WAND | Gov. Pritzker and Gotion announce new $2 billion EV battery gigafactory in Kankakee County: Illinois will also fund a new manufacturing training academy nearby and award an additional grant to workforce providers to expand training and prepare regional employees for the new jobs.

* Center Square | Michigan 3rd in Midwest EV registration race, trailing Illinois, Minnesota: Michigan is trailing Illinois and Minnesota in the Midwest race to register the most electric vehicles. Illinois leads with nearly 80,000 EVs, while Minnesota has 41,417 and Michigan has 34,380. Michigan targets 2 million EVs by 2030, while Minnesota and Illinois each target 1 million by the same year.

12 Comments

Law enforcement, judiciary prepare for end of cash bail

Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Rockford Register Star’s recent story on the SAFE-T Act’s September 18th effective date…

The change means no more bond court. Instead, in Winnebago County there will be a courtroom reserved full time mornings and afternoons for initial court appearances and pretrial detention hearings. Similar measures are being made in Boone County where courts are adding a Monday morning court call for anyone arrested and held over the weekend. […]

Those accused of violent crimes, sex assaults, gun crimes and domestic battery among others are also considered detainable in jail before a trial. But to deny a defendant pretrial release, prosecutors must within 48 hours of their arrest show by clear and convincing evidence a defendant is a flight risk or a danger to specific people or the community.

Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley said the new law will take plenty of adjustment both in terms of staffing and approach.

* This argument may work for the hometown media, but it may work against law enforcement at the Statehouse bargaining table…

Morgan County State’s Attorney Gray Noll said revenue generated by cash bail helps to fund several things, including both his own office and the circuit clerk’s office. The elimination of cash bail “will dramatically affect the funding of our criminal justice system here in Morgan County,” with smaller counties being hit even harder, he said.

“Generally speaking, the smaller the county, the more it relies upon bond money to fund the criminal justice system,” Noll said. “Larger counties have the benefit of being able to spread out real estate taxes among all their residents to help fund the criminal justice system, whereas smaller counties don’t have that luxury.” […]

Noll believes the county will begin to feel the effects of cash bail’s end three or four years from now. The county has several criminal cases on its hands that will be resolved in that timeframe, he said, and, because those cases predate the end of cash bail, the fines, fees and court costs will be resolved under the bond money system. Once those cases are cycled through, that source of revenue will dry up, he said.

Noll isn’t sure how the difference in revenue will be made up, though he said the state has provided certain parts of Illinois criminal justice systems, such as public defenders, with more funding.

* But that’s downright mild compared to Center Square’s report, which quotes somebody from another state whose livelihood is based on the existence of cash bail…

Outside looking in, Ken Good, an attorney and member of Professional Bondsmen of Texas, predicts things will be chaotic.

“Your criminal justice system will collapse unless they just are hiding it by dismissing cases until people decide to work together to find policies that will provide public safety,” Good told The Center Square.

* WBEZ…

The new law requires more robust courtroom hearings to decide if a person is held in jail. Those hearings will require more time from defense attorneys, prosecutors and judges. Many experts also predict that without the cudgel of pretrial detention, fewer defendants will strike plea deals, which will mean more resource-intensive criminal trials.

“It is going to be a real issue in some of the smaller counties,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin warned.

Advocates for bail reform have suggested counties take resources saved from the decreased jail population and put them toward courtroom operations.

One of the criticisms of pretrial detention is that it was indeed used as a “cudgel” to force the accused to cut a deal.

* Back to the Jacksonville Journal-Courier…

[Jacksonville Police Chief Adam Mefford ] believes there will be cases when the department has to release someone back into the community that people feel should be held.

“Some people will also think we held someone who should be released. But that will be up to the courts. There are always differences of opinions. We will continue to provide professional law enforcement services,” Mefford said.

Mefford said he sees a positive side to the Pretrial Fairness Act.

“With the current system, if someone committed a violent crime, and they had money, they could get out. If they are held (after Sept. 18), they can’t bond out even if they have the money. So, we will keep some people in jail that should be in jail because there is no bond associated with it. That is a positive if the system works correctly,”” Mefford said.

* Back to WBEZ…

The jail population is expected to shrink, but also change.

According to researchers at Loyola University, nearly 200,000 people are held in county jails throughout Illinois each year. Most experts expect the jail population to significantly decrease across the state. That’s because the law sets a higher bar for who can be held in jail while they are awaiting trial and judges won’t be able to keep someone just because they can’t afford bail.

But it’s possible defendants of some crimes may actually be more likely to be held in jail. For example, people accused of domestic violence are often given the option of cash bail in the current system, and the amounts can be relatively small. That means if they can afford to pay bail, they can walk free. But domestic violence charges often raise clear safety concerns, so it’s possible judges may hold more of these defendants in jail. A study from Loyola University researchers found that people arrested for domestic violence charges are likely to make up a large portion of people charged with “detainable” offenses.

That Loyola study is here.

* Back to the RRStar…

“DUI is a non-detainable offense unless you pick up a second DUI while on pretrial release,” Hanley said. “That’s frustrating to me. As we have been doing bond court, I am like ‘how the heck can we not argue this person is a danger to the community?’ This person has two or three prior DUIs. That to me is a hole in the law in that they have removed the judge’s discretion to detain someone pretrial in certain circumstances.”

* Meanwhile…

The Illinois Supreme Court issued an order Wednesday granting courts in the state greater flexibility to conduct detention hearings remotely as they brace for bail reform next month. […]

In announcing the order, Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis said the high court made the decision due to “the anticipated volume of investigations and hearings on pretrial detention” when the act goes into effect on Sept. 18.

“The courts will be conducting initial hearings not only for newly arrested individuals but also for the over 9,000 individuals who are currently in pretrial detention, resulting in a temporary but significant influx of these types of hearings,” the order states.

19 Comments

Bill Black

Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Bill Pickett…

A former longtime member of the Illinois General Assembly from Danville has died. Bill Black was 81 when he died on Saturday, September 9, 2023.

Black was a former Assistant Minority Leader for Republicans when he served in the Illinois House of Representatives. He was known for his sometimes feisty debate style on issues on the House floor.

Black is survived by his wife, Sharon, and two children. When he announced he would not be seeking re-election to his House seat in 2010 he said he wanted to spend more time with his family, including his grandchildren. Black had served in the House since 1986.

* This excerpt of a News-Gazette story about Bill’s retirement pretty well sums him up…

House members gave Black, one of the senior members of the chamber, an extraordinarily warm and lengthy tribute. More than 30 of his colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, spoke and offered praise and thanks to the lawmaker known for his sometimes-bombastic, sometimes-eloquent speeches and for his playfulness.

“I hope you know how much I love this place, how much I love the process,” Black said in a 23-minute-long response to all the accolades from his colleagues. “Look around here. Look where you work. There are few people who ever get this privilege. This ain’t exactly a 6-foot by 6-foot cubicle. This is a phenomenally beautiful, historic building that has been well-maintained. And you should always consider it an honor and a privilege to sit in this chamber.”

House Republican Leader Tom Cross, who last spring demoted Black from his leadership position after Black voted for a Democratic-backed pension borrowing bill, was the first to pay tribute to Black.

“He’s a guy who is incredibly passionate about his district and, above all, at the end of the day, he cares most about what’s best for Danville, what’s best for central Illinois,” Cross said. “He has never ever forgotten his district or the people he represents.”

Beloved, controversial, civic-minded and locally focused.

* From his retirement resolution…

WHEREAS, Representative Black has championed other issues important to families in his district, including protecting the funding for roads and other needed infrastructure improvements, helping low income families and seniors keep warm in the winter by removing the sales tax on natural gas, creating jobs through the creation of Job Renewal Zones, cracking down on drunk and distracted drivers that pose a deadly hazard on our roads, and protecting the rights of adoptive parents; and

WHEREAS, Representative Black successfully worked to keep our State parks and recreational areas open for the education and enjoyment of our families and worked with colleagues across the State and Chicago city leaders to stop the infamous phantom Chicago parking tickets; and

WHEREAS, Representative Black’s good humor is infectious, and House Republican members and staff can always count on Representative Black to make them laugh on long session days by ambushing them with squirt guns, silly string, and other toys, or by relaying a funny story or joke; and

WHEREAS, Representative Black has received many honors for his service to his local communities, including several Outstanding Legislator Awards from various Illinois associations; he was also named one of the ten Outstanding State Legislators in the country in 1991;

* He could also be a humble man. From his retirement announcement…

“I have always tried my best to represent the legislative districts which I served. I may not have always succeeded, but I always tried.”

* From the Danville Commercial News…

“On his DACC resume, you’d have to point out that he once ran the public-relations department at the college. Then after getting elected to the State House, Bill was a passionate and successful advocate for those of us in his district, and especially for Danville Area Community College. As an Illinois Representative, he brought desperately needed funds to bring the DACC campus to a state of good repair,” according to [DACC President Stephen Nacco].

“On a personal note, I met Bill in June 2016 when he was a member of the DACC board that hired me as the college president. He’s one of the most colorful and entertaining people I’ve ever met. One of my favorite memories of Bill was when Dave Harby (board chair), Bill, and I went to Springfield for a community college ‘Lobby Day’ visit to the offices of elected officials. By that time, Bill had been out of office for almost 10 years. But whenever someone spotted him in those majestic hallways — elected officials and staffers and even building workers — they’d stop whatever they were doing and rush over to him to give him a handshake, a hug, a pat on the back, and they’d say how much they missed him and that Springfield needed him to come back. It’s quite a legacy he left as someone who was enormously popular and was able to touch so many lives,” stated Nacco.

When state Rep. Mike Marron first started in the position once held by Black, Marron said he will work tirelessly to uphold the tradition of excellence that has embodied the House seat from Harry “Babe” Woodyard to Bill Black to Chad Hays.

“He (Black) was the best. Personally he was a friend, a mentor, and someone I’ve looked up to since I was a kid. As public servants go, he was the gold standard. He is a legend in Springfield to this day, and you will never find anyone who fought harder for Danville and Vermilion County. He is going to be missed by us all,” Marron stated.

…Adding… Treasurer Michael Frerichs…

I had the privilege of knowing and working with Bill Black and the honor to call him a friend. My heart goes out to Sharon and all of Bill’s family on his passing.

I was blessed to have Bill as a mentor when I was elected to the State Senate. The Republican Representative from Danville and the Democratic Senator from Champaign were able to get a lot done for our constituents in Champaign and Vermillion counties. Bill was a loyal Republican, who frequently served as a floor leader aggressively challenging Democratic legislation. But he knew how to put aside partisanship to get things done for our constituents. I’m grateful for all he taught me and for his lifetime of service to his community and our state. Leaders like Bill Black are all too rare today – and our world is all the worse for it.

* Sen. Chapin Rose…

“Bill was one of a kind. As much as he will be remembered for his fierce and fiery speeches as a staunch defender of the people of East Central Illinois, his wit and sense of humor were unparalleled. He also deserves much credit and respect for his support of quality education. He was a huge advocate for the community college system here in Illinois, and even served in later years as trustee at his beloved Danville Area Community College. He truly understood and believed in the power of a quality education to transform lives.

“I was lucky enough to serve in the House of Representatives with Bill for several years. As a young legislator at the time, Bill was someone I looked up to,” said Rose.

“I extend my sincerest sympathies to Sharon and the rest of the family. There will never be another like him,” he concluded.

* Comptroller Susana Mendoza…

A legend has passed. State Representative Bill Black, R-Danville, was such a great mentor to so many of us who served in Illinois’ General Assembly. I was honored to be part of his tradition of hazing new legislators. I had been forewarned and donned protective gear when I introduced my first bill. He found that highly amusing and we got on great ever since. I’ve missed his insightful commentary since he retired. Illinois was lucky to have him as long as we did. I send my prayers to his family. May he rest in God’s peace and eternal glory.

24 Comments

Local GOP chair calls out US Rep. Miller (R-No Relation)

Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tom Kacich in the Champaign News-Gazette…

The city of Champaign stands to get $850,000 for capital improvements in the Garden Hills neighborhood. Danville is likely to get $850,000 to help revitalize the Madison neighborhood west of downtown. Rantoul is looking at receiving $540,000 for upgrades to its youth center on the old Chanute Air Force Base. And Bloomington is in line for a $2 million grant to improve a road and spur development on its southeast side.

All of these are so-called “community project funding” ideas — formerly known as earmarks — submitted by downstate members of Congress and approved by the Republican-controlled House Appropriations Committee. A final vote on these and billions in other projects nationwide is expected this fall when the federal budget is considered.

But those in the 15th Congressional District represented by Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, are shut out again. No community-project-funding dollars are going to any part of the huge area — more than a third of the state — in Miller’s district. As a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, Miller pledged to oppose community project funding, earmarks or any other euphemism for what has long been known as pork-barrel spending.

Fine, but what good is it to your constituents if everyone else is getting dinner and you’re not, but you’re still helping pay the bill? Even several of Miller’s fellow Freedom Caucusers, including Reps. Matt Goetz of Florida and Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia, have reversed course and are lining up for a helping of local spending projects. The practice is as old as the republic, and it’s been practiced by most presidents, including two GOP favorites, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump did it too.

* Muddy River News…

Adams County Republican Central Committee Chairman Dave Bockhold also supported [Rodney] Davis over Miller and he sent an e-mail to party faithful this week that linked a Tom Kacich column in the Champaign News-Gazette that called out Miller for not bringing home the 15th District’s share of tax dollars.

“I think everyone in our 15th Congressional District should read this article from the Champaign News-Gazette,” Bockhold wrote. “I agree with Congresswoman Miller on social issues, but we are getting absolutely no return on investment on the tax dollars that we send to Washington, D.C. There are many projects in our area and across the district that could possibly be funded, but won’t even be considered for potential funding without our representative advocating for it in Congress. I think Congresswoman Miller could take some lessons from Darin LaHood and Mike Bost.” […]

It will be interesting to see how Bockhold’s remarks will play amongst his fellow Adams County committeemen and the party in general, especially at the GOP’s weekly Monday morning coffee klatch at Quincy’s American Legion hall.

Stay tuned.

33 Comments

Davis Gates’ explanation doesn’t hold up

Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

The last two Chicago mayors took some news media heat for not sending their kids to public schools, as did Chicagoan Barack Obama when he pushed for education reforms. So, this particular issue is obviously not out of bounds in the city and nobody in public life should expect otherwise.

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates has in the past pointed with pride to the fact that all three of her kids attended public schools. While others often chafed at reporters’ questions about their children, Davis Gates did just the opposite, centering her children as part of who she is as a progressive activist.

“I’m also a mother,” Davis Gates said on March 6, 2022, according to NBC 5 Chicago. “My children go to Chicago Public Schools. These are the things that legitimize my space within the coalition.”

“I can’t advocate on behalf of public education and the children of this city and educators in this city without it taking root in my own household,” she told Chicago Magazine a month later.

Davis Gates has also been a fiery and longtime opponent of “school choice.” Last August, after a retired Chicago firefighter posted on social media: “School choice is the civil rights struggle of our generation. Keeping poor children of color trapped in failing public schools is inherently racist,” Davis Gates fired back: “School choice was actually the choice of racists. It was created to avoid integrating schools with Black children.”

And then it came out last week that Davis Gates was sending one of her kids to a private Catholic school.

She had to have known this would blow up in the news media. The CTU has held protests outside of elected officials’ private residences, so Davis Gates couldn’t possibly expect a privacy pass. And you don’t just walk in a day before school starts and register your kid for a private high school, so she had plenty of time to contemplate her response.

If Davis Gates had simply defended her family’s decision by saying something like her son really had his heart set on going to that school, then I don’t think anyone could really disagree with her choice.

Instead, the union president initially stonewalled when faced with questions and then offered up an explanation to a local public radio station which threw the South and West sides under the bus and, more importantly, just wasn’t true.

Davis Gates said basically three things last week to a WBEZ reporter: 1) Course offerings for high schools on the South Side and West Side “are very marginal and limited”; 2) Selective enrollment and magnet public high schools were just too far away and would’ve forced her son to, according to the article, “spend hours traveling”; 3) A public high school with a good soccer program (a sport played by her son) and strong extracurriculars are just not available close by, or are in Latino neighborhoods that were too far away.

Look, there’s no doubt whatsoever that problems exist in public schools on the South and West sides. But that doesn’t mean the areas are completely bereft, no matter what internet trolls scream online.

Just as a small sampling, Davis Gates lives only three miles from Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep, a high quality selective enrollment high school which has a soccer team and extracurricular activities.

Lindblom Math and Science Academy in the West Englewood neighborhood has a pretty darned good soccer team and is 6 miles from the union president’s home.

The Catholic school her son is attending, on the other hand, is almost 9 miles from Davis Gates’ home.

Not to mention the area’s charter schools, which are taxpayer-funded and privately operated.

An argument is currently being made that Davis Gates should now switch positions and support extending the life of the Invest in Kids Act, a 75% state income tax credit for donations to private school organizations that expires at the end of the year.

That’s never gonna happen, even though the private school her son attends does promote and apparently benefits from Invest in Kids. The CTU’s position is that the program takes tax revenues away from public schools, which the union has always claimed are underfunded and in bad shape.

The lesson here is that life is full of nuance and is only very rarely about evil vs. good. More people should keep this in mind because you just never know what life might bring you.

41 Comments

Chicago Bears open thread

Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* It wouldn’t be the best day for the Bears to have any talks about breaks on the Arlington Heights property tax…

56 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Here you go…

WVIK | Meisel: Mapes Trial Offers Rare Window into How Illinois Government Operates:

* Tribune | ‘Black and brown tension’ evident in Democratic contest for Illinois Supreme Court seat: The brewing battle over one of Cook County’s three seats on the Supreme Court, where Democrats hold a 5-2 majority over Republicans, comes as the county’s Latino population is on the rise and the Black population is declining. It also is yet another example of long-simmering tensions between two key blocs within the Democratic coalition — divisions that historically have been stoked by white politicians to keep either group from gaining too much power or influence.

* Daily-Journal | Walters running for 79th seat: ntering her 10th and final year as the Kankakee schools superintendent, Genevra Walters was not necessarily looking for something to do when the 2023-24 school year concludes. […] Walters, 54, announced her plans late this week to seek the Democratic Party nomination for the 79th Illinois House District, which includes much of Kankakee County as well as portions of Will, Cook and Grundy.

* WLPO | Local GOP member running for 76th District: A local resident and former GOP Deputy State Central Committeewoman wants to serve in Springfield. According to a release, Liz Bishop of La Salle is running as a Republican to represent the 76th District. Bishop has served as a Republican Precinct Committeewoman and aims to turn the district seat “red” after Representative Lance Yednock’s decision to retire.

* Vermilion County First | Former State Representative Bill Black Dead at 81: Black is survived by his wife, Sharon, and two children. When he announced he would not be seeking re-election to his House seat in 2010 he said he wanted to spend more time with his family, including his grandchildren. Black had served in the House since 1986.

* Effingham Daily News | Darren Bailey talks pro-life during Effingham visit: Bailey traveled to El Shaddai Homes in Effingham Sunday for the grand opening fundraiser of the new maternity home that will provide pregnant women and new mothers in need a safe place to stay. Bailey led a prayer during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the maternity home during which he praised El Shaddai Homes for providing women in the area with an alternative to abortion.

* WSPY | State Rep. wants an open door policy in Springfield: With the conviction of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s former chief of staff Tim Mapes for lying to a grand jury, Newark State Rep. Jed Davis thinks it’s time for an open door policy in Springfield.

* Center Square | Ending cash bail could bring ‘chaos,’ increased taxpayer costs, opponents warn: ACLU of Illinois Director of Criminal Justice Policy Benjamin Ruddell advocates for the policy. He says people are innocent until proven guilty and shouldn’t languish in a jail awaiting trial because they can’t afford to get out. Judges will still have discretion about who should remain behind bars pending trial, he said.

* Sun-Times | Big Democratic convention preview in Chicago this week, VP Kamala Harris to talk to top donors: On Tuesday, the party’s Convention Committee is hosting an event for the state and territory Democratic Party chairs and their executive directors. Democratic convention planners have already assigned hotels to each delegation.

* Bloomberg | UAW’s Stellantis chief ‘optimistic’ about rebooting Belvidere plant: Boyer said he remains “optimistic” he can hammer out an agreement with Stellantis to place new product at its Belvidere, Illinois, assembly plant, which was idled earlier this year. The company offered to transfer the 1,300 workers who lost their jobs as a result. “It’s coming soon,” he said of a deal for the Illinois plant. “The minute I lock that in, which I think will know soon, I’ll scream from the top of the heavens,” Boyer said by phone Friday.

* Muddy River News | Adams County GOP chair: Congresswoman Miller could “take some lessons” from LaHood, Bost: Adams County Republican Central Committee Chairman Dave Bockhold also supported Davis over Miller and he sent an e-mail to party faithful this week that linked a Tom Kacich column in the Champaign News-Gazette that called out Miller for not bringing home the 15th District’s share of tax dollars.

* Crain’s | Where will mandated nursing home staff come from?: Newly proposed federal staffing minimums for nursing homes won’t impact Illinois right away. Predictably, unions are already praising the move while the state long-term care association cries “unfunded mandate!”The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued long-awaited proposed mandates last week. CMS estimated that approximately three-quarters of the nation’s more than 15,000 nursing homes receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding would have to hire more nurses and certified nursing assistants to comply with the rule, Crain’s sister site Modern Healthcare reports.

* Shaw Local | Criminal trial to begin Monday for former DCFS case manager, supervisor assigned to AJ Freund case: Carlos Acosta, 57, of Woodstock, and Andrew Polovin, 51, of Island Lake, each are charged with two counts of endangering the life of a child and health of a minor, Class 3 felonies, and one count of reckless conduct, a Class 4 felony, related to their handling of the AJ Freund case. If convicted on the more serious Class 3 felony, they each face between two and five years in prison and fines of up to $25,000. The offenses also are probational.

* AP | As sports betting spikes, help for problem gamblers expands in some states: Illinois approved sports betting in 2019 as part of a gambling expansion bill. Lawmakers had planned to require gamblers to register in person at a casino before placing their bets online, but Gov. J.B. Pritzker waived that requirement because of the coronavirus pandemic. Pritzker’s office estimated that gambling could bring in more than $100 million annually, which could be allocated for statewide capital projects.

* WaPo | 7 state flags still have designs with ties to the Confederacy: Amid the racial justice protests of 2020, when Confederate statues all over the country toppled, Mississippi became the last state to remove the Confederate battle flag from its state flag. It was a moment of reckoning for the Lost Cause mythology about the Civil War that dominated much of the 20th century, but for visual artist Jason Patterson, the work is not done. Patterson, a 38-year-old Black man whose art focuses on African American history, is a self-professed “flag nerd” (more formally, a “vexillophile”), and his obsession with flags has taught him something few Americans realize: A number of state flags still commemorate — in ways both obvious and oblique — the bloody attempt to create a permanent slave society.

* Shaw Local | Yorkville School District Y115 board removes book from high school English course: Students in Yorkville High School’s English II Rhetorical Analysis class will not be using the book “Just Mercy” as part of their coursework after all. The Yorkville school board has reversed its decision to allow teachers to use the book as an anchor text for the class.

* SJ-R | Lincoln Library trustees defer on endorsement of Harrison for director: The trustees of Springfield’s Lincoln Library declined to provide an endorsement for director appointee Gwendolyn Harrison prior to Tuesday’s city council committee of the whole meeting. The decision could slow down an eventual vote on Harrison’s appointment to the position.

* Tribune | Chicago Bears’ search for new stadium continues as a new season begins — with roadblocks in all directions: On Friday, Johnson said the city needs to be more restrictive about using public dollars to subsidize private developments such as potentially, new sports stadiums. Johnson did not rule out public-private economic development but said the city does not have the type of capital available to “ignite” mega-developments.

* Daily Herald | ‘A horrible hoax’: School swatting takes phony threats to a new, emotional, costly level: Students were just arriving for school when the call came in at Dundee-Crown High School. The male caller, who also contacted Carpentersville village hall, said he was at the school and planned to start shooting. […] By 11:30 a.m., Carpentersville police had cleared the building and confirmed the school was the victim of a swatting call that appeared to have come from an out-of-state number with no ties to Dundee-Crown.

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Monday, Sep 11, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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