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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Oct 27, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: The first week of veto session is all wrapped up. Capitol News Illinois…
- Rep. Larry Walsh announced Wednesday that he would not pursue a veto override vote for a policy that would have granted downstate electric utilities right of first refusal. - When legislators return, they’ll consider reforms to the state’s nuclear policy and a potential extension of a controversial tax credit program that funds private school scholarships. * Related stories… ∙ WAND: Illinois senators share stories of constituents, family impacted by Israel-Hamas war ∙ WTTW: Illinois House Approves Proposal Clearing the Path for Legislative Staff to Unionize But Future in Senate Is Unclear ∙ Center Square: Illinois lawmakers have yet to address expiring Invest in Kids scholarship program * Isabel’s top picks… * Sun-Times | Assistant in Pritzker’s emergency agency quits amid questions over pay that peaked at $48K a month: Illinois taxpayers have been paying $28,000 to $48,000 a month for the executive assistant to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s director. Between February and August, the assistant has accounted for $240,761.30 in billings — double the salary of her boss, Alicia Tate-Nadeau — during that period. * Sun-Times | Senate President Don Harmon gives back red-light-camera company’s campaign cash after Sun-Times report: “They returned those two contributions,” the spokesman says, referring to Friends of Don Harmon for State Senate and the ISDF fund for Senate Democrats. Each of those campaign funds is run by Harmon, D-Oak Park. Each accepted a $2,500 contribution from Redspeed Illinois on June 30, about six weeks after the General Assembly, with Harmon’s support, passed what was portrayed as reform legislation that banned political contributions from the red-light camera industry and company executives. At 10:45 Governor Pritzker will be in Libertyville to launch a new Illinois-made EV charger at EVBox’s North America Headquarters. * Here’s the rest of your morning roundup… * ABC Chicago | Maine mass shooting reignites debate over ‘Red Flag’ gun control laws in Illinois: “I think we need to start with a federal ban on assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines,” said Gun Violence Prevention PAC President Kathleen Sances. “Every state should implement a Red Flag Law.” […] “Obviously… you have to have somebody who’s willing to report it if somebody’s willing to go through that process in order to have those red flag laws go into effect,” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said. * Sun-Times | ‘Power and control’ frame Edward Burke’s legacy. A federal jury will soon decide that legacy’s coda.: From his perch as 14th Ward alderman, he controlled judicial slate-making, a position that propelled his wife to rise to the job of chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court even as he faced indictment. Even mayors who despised Burke didn’t dare to depose him as chairman of the council’s Finance Committee, fearing the potential he had to stymie their legislative agendas. * WBEZ | Chicago officials are defending a contract extension with a Kansas-based company to staff migrant shelters: The city’s Department of Family and Support Services signed the yearlong contract extension Monday with Favorite Healthcare Staffing, the city’s procurement website shows. The city has paid the vendor at least $56 million, with numerous hours of overtime paid at a higher rate, the Chicago Tribune previously reported. * Tribune | Chicago officials say trip to Texas helped build collaboration with border cities in addressing migrant crisis: In a briefing with reporters Thursday, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s deputy chief of staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas said the group’s biggest takeaway from the trip included the need for a coalition made up of border and interior cities, such as Chicago, to advocate for a comprehensive federal resettlement plan that includes increased and flexible funding for sheltering operations and overall expenses. * Sun-Times | Highland Park massacre suspect’s father wants to call his son as a witness in his own trial next month: In a series of motions filed last week, Robert Crimo Jr.’s lawyer also asked a judge to use video of the son’s eight-hour interrogation with police as evidence. The shooting suspect’s father is set to go to trial Nov. 6 on counts of reckless conduct for signing his son’s gun-ownership application in 2019 when he was underage. * TSPR | Farmer, former AFSCME president Crowl enters race in 17th Congressional District: Scott Crowl of Milan has joined the field of candidates for Illinois’ 17th Congressional District in next year’s election. Crowl touts himself as a lifelong farmer and former AFSCME union president, and not a career politician. “I am entering the political arena to try to save our country from economic disaster and social ruin,” Crowl said in a statement announcing his candidacy. * Block Club | Bally’s Casino Gets Permanent Gaming License: In addition to greenlighting Bally’s casino license, the gaming board voted to allow Bally’s to extend its lease at Medinah Temple by an a year. This means Medinah Temple will remain a temporary casino until 2026, giving Bally’s another year to complete its permanent site. * Sports Handle | Betway Withdraws Application For Online-Only Sports Wagering License In Illinois: The withdrawal by Betway again leaves all three online-only licenses unclaimed. It also again raises the question of whether the $20 million fee for an online-only license is too expensive an entry point despite Illinois being the No. 2 market nationally. Illinois welcomed its eighth mobile operator in late September with the launch of Circa Sports, which was followed by Circa’s retail launch at The Temporary in Waukegan earlier this month. * WTTW | With a Comprehensive Overhaul for Chicago’s Pension Woes Elusive, Small Fixes on Tap for Veto Session: The working group formed by Mayor Brandon Johnson in June to tackle Chicago’s acutely underfunded pensions has yet to craft a comprehensive plan to address one of the major fiscal challenges facing the city — but small fixes could be on tap during this month’s veto session, members told WTTW News. * Tribune | Suburban school district allows Hampshire students to perform musical featuring gay teens: ‘A lot of excitement and relief’: Susan Harkin, the superintendent of District 300, said in a statement Thursday that the district developed a “comprehensive safety plan” alongside law enforcement and the village of Hampshire that “provides the necessary protections for ‘The Prom’ to be performed within a safe and supportive environment.” * Sun-Times | Brown Sugar Bakery opens new manufacturing facility, eyes nationwide expansion: Brown Sugar Bakery has been a mainstay on Chicago’s South Side and has operated at other locations, including at Navy Pier, that have closed. Its current storefront selling cakes, chocolates and candies is based in Greater Grand Crossing, at 328 E. 75th St. But now Hart will be able to sell her products nationwide with the new manufacturing facility, formerly the home of Cupid Candies’ factory, near 76th Street and Western Avenue. The new plant will likely employ 50 people by the end of the year, she said. * Tribune | Former Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Jenks named manager of the Windy City ThunderBolts: Jenks earned Pioneer League Manager of the Year honors after leading the Grand Junction Rockies to the championship in 2022. He served as pitching coach for the Princeton WhistlePigs of the Appalachian League last season. “I love baseball and I want to put a winning product on the field,” Jenks said. “I believe I can do that and my track record has shown that I can do that.” * Block Club | Historians Push For Recognition Of Black Panther Party Site In Chicago: The Historical Preservation Society of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party is now working to update the listing of the church in the National Register of Historic Places to commemorate its Black history. The Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council will consider the proposal Friday. If it recommends the amendment, the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer will decide whether to nominate the change to the National Park Service, which would make the final determination about updating the listing. * Tribune | UAW-Ford tentative agreement will bring thousands back to work at Chicago Assembly Plant in coming days: The UAW said Ford workers will return to work while the agreement goes through the ratification process. The strike will continue at Stellantis and General Motors. “There was a lot of excitement last night when we heard the news,” said Chris Pena, president of UAW Local 551, which represents workers at the Chicago Assembly Plant. “There was a giant sigh of relief that we’re going back to work.”
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- NoMoreMC - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 8:09 am:
Can’t wait for Bobby Jenks bobblehead day at the ThunderBolts next summer! Kinda fun that they saved the announcement for the Sox WS win anniversary.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 8:44 am:
If one were to read the Center Square “report” on Invest in Kids, it reads like a press release, not a report, and further, it reads, with a quote and look, like the lobbying messaging of this new compromise, going further than just cut and pasting dot points for reporting.
I did find interesting the rebuttal of the IEA with a dot point fact, but also spun “criticism” by the Freedom Caucus as being even more a champion of the program, not that they can likely sink the whole thing.
Crazy.
- JoanP - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 9:06 am:
I remember when Stephanie Hart was selling her baked goods at a local farmers market. I fell in love with her caramel cake.
It is awesome to see how far she and Brown Sugar Bakery have come.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 9:15 am:
$48,000 a month for an executive assistant? 350 hours worked in a month? Who was approving those invoices for payment?
- H-W - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 9:51 am:
=== a potential extension of the scholarship fund ===
Here’s the problem. It isn’t working. There will always be parents who are currently utilizing the program, so there will always be demand for extending the program. But it isn’t working.
The “State” is not obligated to help some people but not all people. This program is not accessible to all people. Rural Illinois (e.g, the vast majority of acreage) does not have enough private school seats for this program to serve the citizenry equally.
In addition, in a citizenry of 14M people, if only 9,600 children are being served, then the program is clearly and obviously a complete and utter failure at the state level.
Extending this program so that people in satellite communities around St. Louis and Chicago (e.g., Alton, Elgin, Aurora, etc.) do not have to pay for private education is an affront to democracy, an affront to those of us who support public schools.
Kill the Beast.
- Sangamo Girl - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 9:56 am:
==paying $28,000 to $48,000 a month for the executive assistant==
And this is why the rest of us spend half of our work day trying to procure a $4.95 box of pens. These payments were justified under the emergency procurement rules for COVID. You give folks one tiny opening and they do like this.
- The Truth - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 10:01 am:
Regarding Hampshire and “The Prom”: reading back through the reporting on this…it seems like the superintendent initially made the decision to not allow the play to be performed based on an email or two?
- Torco Sign - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 10:11 am:
Why does JB spend so much time in Lake County?
“At 10:45 Governor Pritzker will be in Libertyville to launch a new Illinois made EV charger at EVBox’s North America Headquarters.”
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 10:15 am:
Good on UAW for standing strong and winning substantial pay increases. This was because of organized labor, and not the kindness of the hearts of those who received the huge federal corporate tax cut and other tax cuts.
- fs - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 10:19 am:
According to the article, her “best” month she made over $60,000. As an assistant. It also says the person she replaced made a little over $80,000 (per year, not month). There needs to be a whole lot of explaining going on here. And given the title and exempt status of the employee, that explanation needs to be from Pritzker’s office. To the public, and to other State employees. Fluffy “she had a lot of hard work to do and worked a lot” isn’t going to cut it, when many many other state workers have also put in a lot of long hours on salary.
- Big Dipper - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 10:46 am:
==the Center Square “report” on Invest in Kids, it reads like a press release==
Yet Bishop quit the radio gig to spend more time “writing” for CS.
- Lucky Pierre - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 10:49 am:
How on earth is extending a scholarship program (or beast as you say) for needy kids, that has broad bipartisan support and is only opposed by 25% including the powerful teachers union, an affront to Democracy?
- John Lopez - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 10:53 am:
Scott Crowl IL-17 Republican primary candidacy:
Mr. Crowl filed his Statement of Candidacy with the FEC on Aug 28, and we’re only hearing about his candidacy on October 27?
And nothing comes up on a Google search for Crowl running for Congress so no evidence of a serious campaign launch in previous 2 months?
Sounds like Crowl’s candidacy is either a campaign consultant cash grab, or just a shill candidacy from the Democrats (former AFSCME president big tipoff) to keep Judge (ret.) Joe McGraw busy during the primary.
We’ll see if he files next month & all’s fair in Illinois politics.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 11:25 am:
I look forward to learning more about how IEMA could pay someone $50,000 a month. 350 hours is basically 12 hours a day, every day for a month.
The article also indicates that some of the managers involved were removed (allowed to resign) but the Governor’s office won’t provide details.
Seems like a rotten situation and Pritzker’s team has some explaining to do.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 11:49 am:
===How on earth is extending===
Your beef is with the Freedom Caucus.
Lemme know their response.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 11:52 am:
===…for needy kids, that has broad bipartisan support and is only opposed by 25% including the powerful teachers union, an affront to Democracy?===
You continually ask the wrong questions, purposely, I might add…
… how is it that it can’t get 71/36 and no support in compromise with the Freedom Caucus?
I mean, it was a celebrated Rauner compromise, lol
- JS Mill - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 11:56 am:
=How on earth is extending a scholarship program (or beast as you say) for needy kids, that has broad bipartisan support and is only opposed by 25% including the powerful teachers union, an affront to Democracy?=
A plain reading of the constitution would answer one of your questions as it pertains to our American Democracy.
- H-W - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 12:04 pm:
@ LP
=== How on earth is extending a scholarship program (or beast as you say) for needy kids ===
It is not for needy kids. There is no eligibility requirement. All can apply and receive.
That is your mistake here.
]
- Lucky Pierre - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 12:19 pm:
100% false that all can apply and receive a scholarship
There are family income requirements
Please retract your falsehood
https://tax.illinois.gov/programs/investinkids/faqs.html#faq-item-faq-0-4
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 12:30 pm:
From your own cite;
=== Eligible students are members of a household whose federal adjusted gross income the year before he or she initially receives a scholarship under this program, as determined by IDOR, does not exceed 300% of the federal poverty level and, once the child receives a scholarship, does not exceed 400% of the federal poverty level===
- LP - what are those threshold numbers, in dollars.
I want *you* to be clear in your defense.
- Demoralized - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 12:32 pm:
==Please retract your falsehood==
LOL. Says the guy who lies, obfuscates and otherwise posts dishonest comments here every single day.
- H-W - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 12:34 pm:
@ LP
The bill itself indicates that people earning over 250% of the federal poverty line (e.g., $75,000 or more) can still receive a 50% tuition scholarship.
See subsection 40/40(e)
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3820&ChapterID=8
It reads:
(3) for eligible students whose household income is 250% or more of the federal poverty level, the average of scholarships shall be 50% of the amount determined pursuant to this subsection (e) and subsection (e-5) of this Section.
- Henry Francis - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 12:46 pm:
You guys should cut LP some slack, he’s just following Comer’s lead.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4278717-comer-raskin-apologize-disinformation-biden-family-investigation/
- Honey Roasted - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 1:10 pm:
Like a true Illinoisan, LP loves to be in The Middle of Everything.
- H-W - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:03 pm:
I actually respect LP, and appreciate his comments. While we are almost always on different sides of issues, your comments nonetheless inform me, LP. You help me think through “oppositional” positions.
- Frida's boss - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:14 pm:
Senator Martwick should just rip the band-aid off. Tier 2 does not meet the SS threshold. Why keep doing nickel and dime? Firefighters, now police but only for the city? Who’s next? Just get it over with. Abolish Tier 2, go back to Tier 1, and go forward with the real actuarial reset.
- Rudy’s teeth - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:43 pm:
Can’t wait to see Eddie Burke in full regalia at the Dirksen Building next year. A pinstripe suit, a Rolex, and a pinky ring. All this topped off by his trench coat and fedora.
Will Eddie suddenly be afflicted by Fedzheimer’s disease during trial?
- Lucky Pierre - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:44 pm:
Thanks H-W likewise
I appreciate your effort to bring the temperature down and focus on the topic at hand instead of diverting to other non related issues
On this as well as most issues reasonable minds can disagree
I hope it is contagious
- Lucky Pierre - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:47 pm:
Enjoy it while you can
You won’t see someone dressed like that until Guys and Dolls comes back town
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2011/07/02/review-guys-dolls-sparkler-show/41737029007/
- H-W - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:49 pm:
I should also noted that LP is technically correct. There are some households whose children are not eligible to receive scholarships - those earning over $120,000 per year (i.e., 400% of the poverty threshold for a family of four). However, that is less than 15% of households in Illinois. Fully 85% + of Illinois households are eligible by income if they have children.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 2:55 pm:
=== bring the temperature down===
Since - LP - started to embrace Trump and the Trumpian Republican ways, lil snippets of those phrases, like that above, have been sprinkling the comments - LP - makes.
Of course, there’s the radical, progressive, all the buzz words, but I don’t think the temperature was anywhere near high, but…
To all this? Facts.
The embracing what 300% over the poverty line is for a family of four, versus the seemingly parallel monies of both median and average for an Illinois family… it’s difficult to make this argument of poor or disadvantaged when the thresholds are more in line with average/median than lower… otherwise there’d be no need to 300/400% for a student application to fund a school, via student.
- Demoralized - Friday, Oct 27, 23 @ 3:14 pm:
==instead of diverting to other non related issues==
Do you not see the irony in that when that is literally all do?
== reasonable minds==
You have to be reasonable first LP. You aren’t.