* Gov. Pritzker was asked today about the financial aspect of the Bears’ stadium plan…
Oh, it is more than what they put forward. I think all of you are starting to report on that. I mean, they want infrastructure dollars on top of what they’re asking for in funding.
They’re asking to keep all of the revenue from other events that might take place at the stadium. You know, if there’s a Beyoncé concert, they want all of that revenue too, and everything else that might happen there. So yeah, I mean, there are aspects of this that are, you know, probably non-starters.
Having said that, you know, always open to a conversation but as I’ve said, the priorities of the people of Illinois are not building stadiums, right?
It’s really about for example, birth equity and building birth centers for people in Black and Brown communities, just as one example. But we have important things we need to invest in for the future of the state and again, stadiums in my mind don’t rank up in the top tier of those.
[Asked about state revenues for other purposes being used for the stadium]
You’re saying dollars that would come into the state of Illinois for other purposes and kind of making sure that those go to this? No. I mean, the truth is that if we have dollars coming in to support parks, for example, in Chicago or in the state of Illinois, it strikes me that it wasn’t contemplated that those dollars would go to a ballpark [chuckles], but rather parks for children and families and neighborhoods and making sure that the city of Chicago has beautiful places for people to go and enjoy themselves without having to spend hundreds of dollars on tickets and and other things.
[Asked about whether it would be preferable to use revenues rather than borrowing]
You mean if like manna from Heaven, a check arrived and it said ‘Give this to the Chicago Bears’ would I want to do that, is that your…?
[If there happened to be one of those funds, would that be preferable to borrowing money]
I’m unaware. If you know of one of those funds, yeah, let me know. I’m unaware of one.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
…Adding… Pritzker also had this to say when first asked about the Bears plan this afternoon…
Well, I have a few words I’d like to say like, for example, what about women’s sports? Very little has been talked about the Red Stars, for example, who asked to be heard on this subject. In addition to that, as you know, the White Sox have asked for support for a stadium for them, but the proposal that was put forward, didn’t include them and takes all the money that’s available and more just for the Bears. So, I think the proposal, again, I’m skeptical of the proposal that was put forward and and I’m even more skeptical of the ability to get enough votes for it in the General Assembly.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Crain’s…
In a new shot at Chicago Transit Authority management, an influential Chicago watchdog group is urging that state lawmakers abolish the CTA as an independent agency, turning its responsibilities largely over to an empowered Regional Transportation Authority.
“Citizens want and deserve guarantees that funding increases for government programs will lead to better service outcomes. They want assurances that money is going to be spent efficiently and effectively,” the Civic Federation says in a report issued today. “In the case of mass transit, this will require substantial reform of the current siloed governance and decision-making process that prioritizes the individual priorities of service boards, or transit providers, over regional priorities.”
The report comes as state lawmakers begin to take up the issue of how to avoid what the CTA, Metra and Pace say is a collective $730 million annual fiscal cliff they’ll begin to face at the end of next year, when federal COVID relief funds that have kept them financially afloat, despite ridership drops, run out.
The consolidation also would apply to Metra and Pace. But the CTA in particular wants to keep its independence and, with backing from Mayor Brandon Johnson, instead has pushed a plan to give it a larger subsidy without significant management changes.
Click here for the full report.
* A reminder!…
*** Statehouse News ***
* Shaw Local | Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs on what the office does, doesn’t do: So, it is not a surprise that with tax filing day approaching, I have been getting a lot of questions about taxes. We try our best to answer them, or refer people to the appropriate agency, but these questions have served as a reminder that many people just don’t understand my office. I would like to use this note to give you a better idea. Let me start with what we don’t do: We don’t collect taxes. That is the job of the Illinois Department of Revenue.
*** Chicago ***
* Block Club | Influential West Loop Group Relaunches — But Keeps Who’s Behind It A Secret: But despite the group’s new look, its nonprofit status, and its commitment to transparency, it’s unknown who is running the nonprofit besides [President Julie Darling]. That’s because the board intends to remain anonymous, saying through a spokesperson the members fear “cyberbullying” from West Loop resident Moshe Tamssot, the creator of another West Loop Facebook group who has long clashed with WLCO leaders.
* Sun-Times | Dexter Reed was shot 13 times in deadly gunfight with Chicago police, autopsy shows: Dexter Reed was shot at least 13 times when he was killed in a gun battle with Chicago police during a traffic stop last month in Humboldt Park, according to a newly released autopsy report. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the oversight agency investigating the shooting, has reported that four officers fired nearly 100 rounds at Reed after he shot another officer in the wrist on March 21 in the 3800 block of West Ferdinand Street.
* Tribune | As Marine Leadership Academy’s embattled principal receives a promotion at CPS, parents demand accountability: Embattled Marine Leadership Academy principal Kristin Novy is resigning from her post as the head of the Logan Square school for 7-12 grade students – to take a city-wide position within Chicago Public Schools, the district said in an emailed statement Wednesday. For parents and community members who’ve been calling for Novy’s removal for months, the development can be summed up in a word, Board of Governors member Mercy Lamourt said at a meeting at the school Wednesday: “Disappointing.”
* Block Club | Imani The Piping Plover Has Returned To Montrose Beach: Imani, a male plover, was born with his sibling, Siewka, in summer 2021 and is now nearly 3. He is the son of the famed Monty and Rose, the plovers who stole the city’s hearts and inspired plovermania in Chicago starting in 2019. Imani has returned to Montrose Beach repeatedly, though he has not been joined by a female and has not been able to successfully mate.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Sun-Times | Northwestern students set up protest encampment, call out university censorship of pro-Palestinian speech: University President Michael Schill sent a letter to students Thursday morning saying the university had enacted an “interim addendum” to the student code of conduct to prohibit tents. The letter said that protesters had been informed they were in violation of university policies and that the university was removing tents that protesters didn’t take down.
* Shaw Local | Why Kane County is taking more time to decide on new sales tax referendum: Dale Berman, chairman of the finance and budget committee, asked for the item to be removed from the committee’s agenda on Wednesday because he “sensed” members weren’t ready to decide. Berman said he wants an ad hoc committee to review the idea.
*** Downstate ***
* SJ-R | Setting a strong foundation: Habitat for Humanity director ready for retirement: After more than a decade of guiding the Habitat for Humanity to build houses and expanding its operations on critical rebuilds, Executive Director of local Habitat for Humanity Colleen Stone is retiring on June 28. […] The legacy Stone leaves will be in good hands after a decade of service to the community, giving life changing homes to first-time homeowners. Since 2013, Stone has had part in the building/renovation of 26 houses, 58 critical home repairs, installed 92 wheelchair ramps and impacted over 200 lives in the community directly.
* WCIA | Decatur brewery wins Gold in 2024 World Beer Cup: On Wednesday, Decatur’s Golden Fox Brewing earned Gold in the world’s most prestigious beer competition, the World Beer Cup. The award was given for one of 110 beer-style categories: American-Style Imperial Stout beer. Golden Fox “topped off” 59 competing entries with their winning beverage, the Furious Fox. The beverage is described as an ale that is black in color and packed with earthy flavors, including fig molasses, oak chocolate, dark fruits and light roast coffee.
* SJ-R | What to know about near $5M road construction project beginning soon in Springfield: The city of Springfield has targeted May 6 as the start of work for converting traffic on a 1.6-mile stretch of Fourth Street from one-way to two-way traffic. That will include the setup of temporary barricades to close one lane of Fourth Street from South Grand Avenue to Dodge Street, said T.J. Heavisides, the city’s chief traffic engineer.
*** National ***
* Fox Chicago | Southwest Airlines will stop flying to these airports as Boeing troubles weigh: As a result, the Texas-based carrier is closing operations at: Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Bellingham International Airport in Washington, Cozumel International Airport in Mexico and Syracuse Hancock International Airport in New York.
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* NBC in December…
An advocate group for Chicago parks has responded to reports that the Chicago Bears are surveying the viability of Soldier Field’s South Lot as a potential new stadium site.
The group’s board chair, Bronwyn Nichols, released the following statement Wednesday on behalf of Friends of the Parks:
“The Bears’ viability study about building a new structure on protected lakefront land absolutely should include dealing with a lawsuit. Friends of the Parks most certainly will continue in its historic role of fending off attempts to develop real estate on the people’s lakefront for private interests.” […]
“We had that period where we were focused on Arlington,” Bears CEO/President Kevin Warren told NBC’s Peter King on his podcast. “We have some issues to work on. There’s a possibility there. But one of the things I promised myself and promised the McCaskeys is that I would come in and take a fresh look at what’s the right thing to do.
* Friends of the Parks and the Bears sat down in March. Crain’s…
At the meeting, Friends of the Parks continued to advocate for the Bears to instead build a stadium at the former Michael Reese hospital site, but team executives explained their concerns, including that the Reese site is too narrow and could potentially involve pushing residents out of their homes to make way for the stadium. […]
After the meeting, both parties issued statements acknowledging the meeting but did not provide specifics on what was discussed.
“The Chicago Bears met with Friends of the Parks to discuss our mutual dedication to Chicago and our deep love for our city’s parks and lakefront area. We look forward to continuing to work together to strengthen our city,” a Bears spokesman said in a statement.
“Friends of the Parks had the opportunity to sit down with the Chicago Bears and hear their vision for a new stadium. They also had an opportunity to hear our values. We look forward to future meetings and conversations with a broader group of stakeholders,” Friends of the Parks said through a spokesperson.
* Yesterday, Friends of the Parks responded to the Chicago Bears news conference…
The “Chicago Way” was on full display at the Chicago Bears news conference today. Once again, Chicago taxpayers are being told what is good for them. We are told that a new domed stadium on protected lakefront land will make Chicago a great city. We are already a great city—in large part due to our protected lakefront. As is so often the case in Chicago,the powerful and wealthy are demanding that our entire city stop and fast track their plans to expand operations on the people’s lakefront.
Meanwhile, the communities we work with who are addressing immigrant issues, homelessness, school closures, affordable housing, public safety, equitable transportation, and lack of jobs are fighting for parity–including at our Chicago Park District parks.
We are all being asked to trust the process and accept that it will, in fact, be Bear-a-dice. Yet, Chicago has a long history of, closed-door planning and rushed decision-making that does not end well for taxpayers. Just look at The Lincoln Yards, The 78, a Chicago casino, and the infamous parking meter deal. Each of these was going to make Chicago into a “world class” city and be a “win-win-win” for residents.
The questions everyone needs to ask of the Bears organization and our elected officials are:
1.What is the actual rush? Do rushed processes in Chicago ever end well? Our city takes decades to build a grocery store in a food desert, but we are being asked to jump as high as the Bears tell us to and fast. Yet, Bronzeville, home to the former Ida B. Wells Projects, and other public housing sites that were promised replacement housing after their communities were demolished in the early 2000s, are still empty in 2024.
2.What about the other parks in Chicago that have waited for equitable investment in their communities? Does a rushed process for an NFL team make more sense than, say, rushing the restoration of a South Side field house? Or expansion of programs to meet demands in North Lawndale? Or restoration of obsolete equipment across the city?
3. What other sites were vetted by the Bears and the City of Chicago, and what was thespecific decision not to proceed with each of those sites? Violating the public trust doctrine should require a rigorous vetting process for alternatives.
4.What about Soldier Field? First, its history was all but obliterated with public funds,which we are still paying off, but now it is set for demolition? What message are we sending to our veterans and their families?
5.How does this plan demonstrate an investment in the people that Mayor Johnson promised to Chicago when he ran for office? How have the people been engaged in dialogue throughout this process? What is the process? Is it transparent? Is it inclusive? It is honest?
6. Why does it always come down to “we want our playground on the lake, or we will go somewhere else?” Is that fair to the rest of Chicago? It’s business as usual to have wealth and power dictating public policy, but is that a best practice for Chicago to follow?
7. It is a good business practice to trust and verify. It is sound business practice for the city of Chicago to hire independent contractors to objectively assess the economic impact the Bears have had since their bond deal in the early 2000s, which we are still paying off today. And to evaluate the return on investment if we put billions into this project directly or indirectly. What level of permanent jobs will this plan generate? Are they trade jobs with a track for career development?
8. Does it seem reasonable that the Chicago Bears should get their wants satisfied immediately while poor neighborhoods suffer from benign neglect?
9. We have seen no evidence of broad-based community engagement or community-led planning. We look forward to asking our questions about process to the stake-holders who participated with the Bears leadership at today’s news conference.
This is a time for some thoughtful, deliberate and civic engagement. A civil, community-driven conversation should be at the forefront of any action the city of Chicago takes regarding the lakefront.
We did not hear anything at the Bears news conference that could not take place at another Chicago location. We have too many questions to make any decision about the value of these plans. We encourage the Bears and the administration to act with “honor, integrity, transparency, wisdom and to be forward thinking and collaborative” and not repeat past mistakes.
* WTTW…
A city ordinance prohibits private development east of DuSable Lake Shore Drive. But, Mayor Johnson told reporters Wednesday at Soldier Field that he is confident a new lakefront stadium would not violate that rule.
“Bringing the open space better access to the museums, providing better traffic flow, in and out, creating jobs, making opportunities for our young people, that of the vision that I have for the city of Chicago is very much tethered to Burnham ,” Johnson said. […]
Johnson was also hit with questions about the potential for lawsuits from Friends of the Parks, who previously sued to help prevent a George Lucas lakefront museum.
“What we’re preparing to do is continue to invest in people,” the mayor said. “We’re prepared to put 23,000, 24,000 people in the city of Chicago to work.”
* Daily Herald…
In an email to supporters, Touchdown Arlington leaders wrote that they still believe an Arlington Heights stadium is very much on the table, since there are significant issues facing the proposed development on the lakefront. They include opposition from groups like Friends of the Parks — which successfully fended off filmmaker George Lucas’ museum on the same Soldier Field parking lot site — questions over funding, public ownership of the stadium, and a lack of public interest in contributing taxpayer dollars to the project. […]
Citing “difficulty” with the tax situation in Arlington Heights, Warren said his staff considered up to a dozen other locations for a new stadium, including the former Michael Reese Hospital property in nearby Bronzeville — which was suggested by the parks group. But Warren said that site is narrow and would have to be developed over train lines.
In response to early opposition from state leaders, Warren said he looks forward to having more conversations with them. He still hopes to get approval during the General Assembly’s current session, citing building cost estimates that could rise $150 million to $200 million “every year we wait,” he said.
* More…
* Crain’s | Parks advocacy group blasts Bears’ stadium pitch: In its written statement, Friends of the Parks cast a skeptical eye on the ambitious architectural renderings touted today by Bears management and an array of City Hall supporters, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, questioning not only the aesthetic impact of the design itself but the economic impact claims as well as the pace at which the Bears and the Johnson administration are moving.
* Tribune | Chicago Bears’ flashy game plan for lakefront stadium project greeted with questions: Joe Ferguson, president of the fiscal watchdog the Civic Federation, said the presentation raises the need for an independent analysis of the public costs and revenues. “It begs a lot of questions,” he said. One key question is whether the hotel tax could pay the debt, since it has not been enough to pay current stadium construction debt. The other big question is where the city would get money for transportation and lakefront improvements.
* WTTW | Bears Ask Taxpayers for $2.4B Subsidy to Build $4.75B Domed Stadium Along Lakefront: The new Bears stadium is set to be built on the same site that former Mayor Rahm Emanuel wanted for the Lucas Museum, on what is now a parking lot south of Soldier Field. Star Wars creator George Lucas dropped his plans in 2016 in the face of unrelenting opposition and built the museum in Los Angeles.
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It’s just a bill
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WAND…
State lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn in a month and budget discussions are already underway. The Illinois Secretary of State and Attorney General told the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday that they are both prioritizing cybersecurity improvements in their budget requests.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is proposing an $825 million budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Giannoulias explained his team spent $75 million to improve his office’s technology last year, but he believes there are still critical needs in cybersecurity. […]
Meanwhile, Attorney General Kwame Raoul hopes to receive an $8.5 million boost in funding for office general operations. Raoul told senators he is also requesting a $500,000 increase in general revenue funds to provide more grants for victims of violent crimes.
The Democrat noted that he is also committed to improving cybersecurity with a $1 million investment for FY25.
* Tribune…
A bill now making its way through the state legislature would prohibit health insurance plans from requiring step therapy for prescription medications and procedures, among other reforms.
“With this bill, we’re putting power back in the hands of doctors and patients,” Pritzker said last week at a news conference, shortly after the bill passed the House by 81-25. The bill now moves to the Senate.
Nationwide, at least 36 states, including Illinois, have laws in place requiring health insurers to make exceptions to step therapy rules in certain situations, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation, which tracks step therapy laws. If the bill prohibiting step therapy in Illinois passes, it will apply to health insurance plans regulated by the state (rather than the federal government), plans used by state workers, local government employees and teachers, as well as Medicaid, which is a state and federally funded health insurance program for people with low-incomes and disabilities. About 20% of Illinois residents are on Medicaid, according to KFF, a health police research organization. […]
Dr. Rodney Alford said that, for primary care doctors, step therapy is the “bane of our existence.” Alford has been practicing for 40 years and is now president of the Illinois State Medical Society. […]
Insurance industry representatives, however, say that eliminating step therapy entirely could create patient safety issues. Step therapy requirements give insurers a chance to pump the brakes when a patient is pursuing a treatment or medication that might be risky for them, said Laura Minzer, president of the Illinois Life and Health Insurance Council, which opposes the bill.
* Energy News Network…
An Illinois bill that started as a protection for solar-powered doorbells has developed into comprehensive proposed legislation to break down the barriers confronting rural electric cooperative members seeking to install solar.
Many residents and solar developers say the measure is sorely needed, since electric cooperative members often face arbitrary and changing interconnection, compensation and liability policies from the cooperatives.
Illinois HB5315, called a “Solar Bill of Rights” and introduced Feb. 29, would require the state’s more than 50 cooperatives and municipal utilities to allow net metering until a certain threshold of solar penetration is met, and develop “shared policy” on solar that must be approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission.
The bill would prohibit problematic requirements often reported by electric cooperative members, including complicated insurance requirements, lengthy interconnection processes and restrictions on system size, solar leases and power purchase agreements. People with solar would also continue under the same billing terms for 25 years after installing systems.
HB5315 was re-referred to the House Rules Committee this month.
* WTTW…
Black and Brown communities in Illinois are up to 200% more likely to live near a distribution warehouse than the overall statewide population, according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund on the state’s “warehouse boom,” most of which is clustered in the greater Chicago area. […]
“Studies have shown that exposure to air pollution increases the likelihood of strokes, pulmonary disease and various cancers,” state Rep. Dagmara Avelar (D-Romeoville) said. “It also exacerbates asthma, damages lungs and leads to lower respiratory infections. The toll it takes in human lives cannot be understated … but let’s make this clear: This is not just our health that’s at stake. Air pollution wreaks havoc on the environment around us as well.”
Avelar is co-sponsoring a bill in the General Assembly that would charge the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency with greater oversight of distribution warehouses, many of which are used by mega-retailers like Amazon, Target and Walmart. Among other anti-pollution incentives and transparency measures, the bill calls on the Illinois EPA to count how many trucks use the facilities, monitor emissions and publish annual data on the warehouses — including who owns the facilities and which companies operate in them.
Advocates said that final item is key since many companies lease warehouse space rather than owning and operating their own facilities. Currently, there is no comprehensive statewide information on where warehouses are located, who owns the properties and who uses them.
HB5013 has been re-referred to the House Rules Committee. Here’s the synopsis…
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Establishes the Health and Equity Advisory Council. Provides that the Council shall make initial findings, conclusions, and recommendations regarding environmental justice to the General Assembly by no later than June 30, 2026, and shall make annual reports to the General Assembly no later than June 30 of each year thereafter. Describes the Council’s composition. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency shall conduct truck counting and facility emissions monitoring. Provides that, no later than 12 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Agency shall adopt rules providing for the facility-by-facility review of regulated facilities, along with a menu of measures to reduce the impact of air pollution. Provides guidelines for a fee and point system. Requires the Agency to disclose air pollution impacts on maternal, infant, and child health; educational attainment; and the economy. Establishes the Insights, Jobs, and Environmental Justice Grant Program. Outlines the purpose and application of the grant program. Establishes the Insights Analysis Program and details its purpose, function, and duties. Requires the Agency to conduct a public participation process in order to maintain transparency of the program’s progress. Requires the Agency to annually publish a list of warehouses and truck-attracting facilities and details the information that must be included on the list. Requires the Agency to conduct annual investigations of a random selection of at least 5% of all stationary and indirect sources in non-overburdened communities. Requires that the results of the investigation be made public and details the metrics to be included in the investigations.
* Rep. Patrick Windhorst…
As of Friday’s Third Reading deadline, a total of 324 House bills had been passed. Of that total, 291 were Democrat-sponsored bills and a mere 33 were Republican-sponsored bills (10.2%).
As the House Republican Floor Leader, I am responsible for directing House Floor debate and questioning from the Republican side of the aisle. There are more than 4 million Illinoisans who are represented by House Republicans. Those Illinoisans deserve to have their voice heard and their priorities and values represented in the legislature, regardless of the party of their elected State Representative. […]
HB 5433 is another example. The bill creates a “Prairie Lawns Program” under the Department of Natural Resources. The bill would provide grant funding to individual homeowners to plant native plants in residential lawns to attract and preserve pollinating insects like bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, and flies. As the House Republican Floor Leader, I study each bill that passes, and I have a strong grasp of the important issues facing our state. A “Prairie Lawns Program” that pays people money to plant native grasses in their yards to attract bugs doesn’t belong at the top of Illinois’ legislative ‘To-Do” list.
There were a few legislative victories during last week’s action. House Bill 4241, sponsored by Republican State Representative Amy Elik ensures that school employees who commit acts of sexual conduct or sexual penetration with a student, regardless of the student’s age, are held criminally liable. The legislation protects students who are between 18 and 23 years of age against acts of sexual conduct or sexual abuse by an educator or school staff member and establishes tough penalties for anyone who violates a student in this way.
* Scott Holland…
House Bill 4175 is a textbook example of legislation that can be used to advance multiple political narratives.
The House passed the proposal 79-26 April 15; it now sits in the Senate Assignments Committee. If enacted, it would amend the School Code to ban physical punishment at private schools, matching a public school rule on the books for three decades.
One possible spin is this plan represents a solution in search of a problem. That’s one thrust of recent Daily Herald reporting showing most suburban private schools already have their own corporal punishment bans in place.
But primary sponsor state Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, framed it as proactivity, or a zag countering the zigs of states like Missouri, where new laws expressly allow such punishment. That position fits in line with Gov. JB Pritzker’s broader agenda of defining what kind of state Illinois will be on his watch: if red states go one direction, he likes to double down with the blue marker.
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* Fox 32…
Legal proceedings will move forward in a LaSalle County court in connection with the deaths of three dozen veterans who died at a Veterans Affairs facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than two years since they first filed suit, some of the families tell FOX 32 Chicago they still do not have closure. They also say they feel the State of Illinois has not done enough to resolve the lengthy legal battle and are asking for accountability. […]
There has been little movement in court, but now those lawsuits may finally move forward.
A judge, last month, denied the defendants’ request to move the cases into the Court of Claims.
Just this week – the last of the amended lawsuits were filed in LaSalle County.
“I think that the judge got it right, the motions were denied. The cases are going to remain pending in LaSalle County Court, and if necessary, they will be tried in front of the citizens of that county,” said Mike Bonamarte, managing partner, Levin & Perconti.
* Plaintiffs’ press release…
Mike Bonamarte, managing partner at Levin & Perconti and attorney for 31 families: “After more than two years we are finally ready to move forward with the substantive aspects of this litigation. The State’s attempt to have these cases moved to the Court of Claims has been denied. While frustrated that the State has not made a meaningful attempt to resolve these cases, our clients remain resolute and determined to get justice for the suffering and deaths of their loved ones.”
Lindsay Lamb, granddaughter of deceased veteran Richard Cieski: “Governor Pritzker called our family and left a voicemail shortly after my grandfather passed away. He expressed his condolences and said if we need anything, we should reach out to him. Well Governor, here’s what you can do, you can put this to rest and let us move on. My grandmother is 92 and the loss of my grandfather has taken such a toll on her. She is a shadow of herself. It would be nice if she could get closure and justice before she passes.”
Mary Beth Schomas, daughter of deceased veteran Bernard Schomas: “I still feel a lot of anger for what happened to my father and the other veterans. The state’s attempt to delay these cases and not allow them to be heard before a jury feels so disrespectful. The state admitted it was at fault, now it has to be accountable to the veterans who are gone and to their families. We don’t want this negligence to be buried. We want to make sure something like this never happens again.”
John Lunquist, son of deceased veteran Richard Lunquist: “The delays are very frustrating and disrespectful because there is no closure for the families. It seems like the state has put this on the backburner for some time. We are determined to see this through and get justice for our loved ones. We are grateful the Judge ruled that these cases can be heard in state court before a jury so people all across Illinois can hear the evidence.”
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Learn something new every day
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I had no idea this problem existed until I received this press release…
In an effort to help Illinois residents reconnect with more of their missing money and to right a historical wrong against the Black community and other people of color, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs and Illinois Congressman Danny K. Davis today urged the U.S. Treasury to make it easier for states to facilitate the return of mature U.S. Savings Bonds.
Davis (D-IL-07) and Frerichs said federal efforts to allow individual states to treat mature, unpaid U.S. Savings Bonds as missing money do not go far enough because proposed rules allowing states access to information about bond owners and beneficiaries would severely limit how states could use that information to find the owners of these funds.
It is estimated the federal government holds more than $30 billion in mature, unpaid savings bonds that date back to at least the 1940s. The amount includes more than $1 billion owed to Illinois residents.
Further, in a recent letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, bipartisan Members of Congress identified resolving the backlog of unclaimed savings bonds as a matter of addressing historic injustices. “Due to state-enforced racial segregation and subsequent exclusion from traditional banking systems in the early-to-mid 20th Century, African American families and other underserved groups invested in savings bonds at higher rates. Given this fact, and that most of these matured bonds at Treasury are from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, it would follow that African Americans represent a high percentage of unclaimed bond holders.”
As Illinois State Treasurer, Frerichs is the state’s unclaimed property administrator, a program more commonly known as missing money or I-Cash. The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office has returned more than $1.9 billion during Frerichs’ time in office, including more than $11 million to the extended family of a Chicago man, the largest individual return in the country. Further, the office’s expertise often is sought by other states when strengthening unclaimed property laws and improving operational efficiencies.
“In Illinois, we have a proven record in fighting for taxpayers and returning missing money to our residents,” Frerichs said. “We are asking for the Treasury Department to allow us to use bond information to do our job.”
“I am proud to work with Treasurer Frerichs to help return billions of dollars in missing money to Illinoisans and Americans across the country,” Davis said. “Given the tremendous success of state treasurers in returning unclaimed property to owners and beneficiaries, the Treasury Department must do more to work with states to get unclaimed savings bonds to the rightful owners.”
For generations, U.S. savings bonds have been a staple for family gifts commemorating birthdays, holidays and graduations. It effectively is a loan to the federal government. An individual purchases the bond in exchange for a fixed rate of interest over a fixed period of time. When that time expires, the savings bond ceases to earn interest. If unpaid, the federal government benefits from the initial loan as well as the unpaid interest. Values start at $25 and can increase to as much as $10,000.
Bonds that are surrendered to the state treasury, such as those found in an abandoned safe deposit box, are eligible to be reunited with their owner, and Frerichs’ office strives to do so. However, bonds not surrendered to the state that the federal government knows exists are not afforded the same protection. Unlike the state of Illinois, the federal government is not required to try to find the bond’s owner.
In 2022, Congress passed a provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2023 that requires the U.S. Treasury to provide information to states on savings bonds with owner or beneficiary addresses in the state for states to use to locate bond owners. However, Treasury issued proposed rules to implement this law in October 2023 that appeared very limited in terms of how states could make use of the bond information.
Frerichs submitted comments on the proposed rule and is calling on Treasury to revise its final rule in a way that would allow states to better utilize bond information to reunite Illinois residents with their missing bonds.
Congressman Davis has championed legislation in a prior Congress, sponsored by a bipartisan group of nine Representatives (H.R.5269) and twenty Senators (S.2417), that would have effectively allowed for the transfer of unclaimed savings bonds to states, allowing states to use all available state unclaimed property resources to try to find the owners of the bonds.
At Issue:
• Most of these $30 billion in bonds are physical pieces of paper that are lost, stolen, forgotten or destroyed.
• Many of these bonds were issued more than 70 years ago, were for small amounts, and matured after 30-40 years. The chances of owners or heirs seeking to redeem these bonds from the U.S. Treasury is extremely low and federal officials are not required to try to find them.
• The U.S. Treasury is the sole source of names, addresses and serial numbers needed to claim the bond proceeds.
• The problem only will get worse because the federal government eliminated paper bonds in 2010. Since January 2011 the bonds are electronic, so there is nothing to secure in a safe deposit box.
• The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators estimates that $1 billion in unredeemed lost or missing bonds belong to Illinois residents.
• Estimated value of matured, unpaid U.S. savings bonds in nearby states: Indiana, $478 million; Kentucky, $319 million; Missouri, $438 million; Iowa, $226 million; Wisconsin $415 million; and Michigan, $773 million.
That’s fascinating.
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Protect Illinois Hospitality – Vote No On House Bill 5345
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
“The hospitality industry in Illinois is a strong economic driver to the state’s economy. We have some of the best breweries, restaurants, and hotels in the world and we should be doing what we can to help these businesses continue to prosper and grow. However, policy changes are being discussed that would eliminate the tip credit, effectively hurting the heart and soul of what makes those businesses special – the people. That is not the path that we should take as it will impact our small independent operators in communities all over the state the most. We hope Illinois legislators will reject these plans and vote no on any measure that will eliminate the tip credit on hospitality workers.”
Lou Sandoval
President & CEO
Illinois Chamber of Commerce
Tell your state legislators to VOTE NO on House Bill 5345 and Protect Illinois Hospitality
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* SIU Press…
Pulling off the Sheets tells the previously obscured history of the Second Ku Klux Klan which formed in deep southern Illinois in the early 1920s. Through meticulous research into both public and private records, Darrel Dexter and John A. Beadles recount the Klan’s mythical origins, reemergence, and swift disappearance. This important historical account sets out to expose the lasting impact of the Klan on race relations today.
The ideation of the Klan as a savior of the white race and protector of white womanhood was perpetuated by books, plays, and local news sources of the time. The very real but misplaced fear of Black violence on whites created an environment in which the Second Klan thrived, and recruitment ran rampant in communities such as the Protestant church. Events like the murder of Daisy Wilson intensified the climate of racial segregation and white supremacy in the region, and despite attempts at bringing justice to the perpetrators, most failed. The Second Klan’s presence may have been short-lived, but the violence and fear it inflicted continues to linger.
This disturbing historical account challenges readers to “pull back the sheet” and confront the darkest corners of their past. Dexter and Beadles emphasize the importance of acknowledging the damage that white supremacy and racism cause and how we can move toward healing.
* Block Club Chicago…
After a year of locking herself in her office at night, [Arionne Nettles] emerged with her city tale, “We Are The Culture: Black Chicago’s Influence on Everything” (Lawrence Hill Books). It hits shelves Tuesday.
Nettles’ debut is an ode to the city that raised her, and a history lesson in the culture that molded her and the world, she said.
She explores moments that shaped pop culture worldwide, not just in Chicago, from the “Oprah Winfrey Show” to the founding of “Soul Train” and Drill music. There are sections dedicated to Chicago’s Black Media Powerhouse, fashion and haircare. […]
“As a journalist, you’re always told not to put yourself in the story. But I was connected to a lot of these things, and I think it’s important for people to know why I might have landed on certain themes,” Nettles said. “I’m just a Chicago girl, and I think my experiences I talk about in my essays are very familiar to so many other Chicagoans I know.”
* Hoptown Chronicle…
Kimberly France, the author of “Black Settlements in Southern Illinois,” will discuss her research for the book during a program from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library. The public is invited.
France — a native of Carbondale, Illinois, and a graduate of Howard University and Southern Illinois University — said in a March interview with WPSD television that she wants to encourage others to research Black history in their own communities. […]
The book, from Arcadia Publishing, was released in January.
“Never before has there been a published record that identifies the Black settlements in each of the lower sixteen counties of Southern Illinois,” states a description from Arcadia. “Few are aware of this legacy, which dates back to the early founding of the Illinois territory, but these communities are an essential part of the region’s heritage. Author Kimberly France identifies these historic institutions by the pillars that anchored them. She describes how Black settlement began, how it ended and the untold history that lies between.”
* Greg Pratt sat down with WGN earlier this month to discuss his book “The City Is Up for Grabs.” Click here to check it out.
Do you have any recommendations?
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Over 200 hospitals and nearly 40 health systems: Illinois’ hospital community sparks economic activity and growth throughout the state totaling $117.7 billion every year. Such significant economic impact comes from a diverse group of healthcare providers—community and safety net hospitals, teaching hospitals and academic medical centers, rural and critical access hospitals, and specialty hospitals. Yet each one contributes to their community as economic anchors and large employers providing good-paying jobs.
Consider the key findings in a new report on the essential role of hospitals on the economy:
• One in 10 jobs in Illinois is in healthcare;
• Illinois hospitals directly employ 190,000 Illinoisans; and
• Every $1 in hospital spending leads to another $1.40 in spending.
Driving economic growth is just one of the many roles hospitals have. Most associated with providing lifesaving care, hospitals and health systems also promote community health and well-being; foster neighborhood revitalization; enhance public health and safety through community partnerships; and advance health equity initiatives to ensure optimal health for all residents.
Illinois hospitals and health systems support working families by generating a combined 445,000 jobs among hospitals and other sectors due to hospital spending. Learn more about the hospital community’s economic impact.
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Today’s quotables
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* House Speaker Chris Welch yesterday when asked about the Chicago Bears stadium plan…
Welch: Let me say this. I’m going to say to you publicly what I said to Kevin Warren privately last week: If we were to put this issue on the board for a vote right now, it would fail and it would fail miserably. There is no environment for something like this today.
Now in Springfield, environments change. Will that environment change within the next 30 days? I think that’s highly unlikely. You know, I think there’s a whole lot of Chicago Bears fans in the General Assembly, but our priorities are pretty clear. And we, starting next week, have one month to pass another balanced budget to, continue the positive outlook that Moody’s talked about yesterday with regard to our financial health. And I can tell you, that’s something that we have front and center as a top priority for us right now. Taking care of working families across this state is the top priority for us right now.
Q: [Does he envision any scenario where this could happen?]
Welch: Again, environments do change in Springfield. I mean, peoples’ minds can be convinced, there’s gonna be a lot of conversations. But as the governor noted, there’s three teams in Chicago. You have the Bears, the White Sox and the Chicago Red Stars, the women’s soccer team. They’re all wanting a share of this pot. And I think you have to seriously have those conversations as well. You know, in sports, equity is very important. Equity is at the center of everything we do in the House. And so I don’t think anyone can be left out of that conversation. And so, I think what’s happening today is really the kickoff, no pun intended, of some conversations to be had.
Discuss.
…Adding… Mayor Brandon Johnson talked to NBC Sports Chicago after yesterday’s presser…
How does Johnson respond to the lack of alignment between the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois?
“Well, I run the city of Chicago,” Johnson said. “I mean, that’s my responsibility to people in Chicago voted for me to run the city. And what the city has made very clear is that the public use and the public benefits to transform the lakefront. That has always been my goal. It’s not about just keeping the bears in the city of Chicago, which we have a commitment from the Bears to remain in Chicago, but it’s also about the transformation that exists there.
“Now, as far as the next steps, of course, to engage the speaker of the House, the Senate president to engage the governor, to engage the people of Chicago as a whole. That is also part of the process. But we needed to make sure that the Bears organization and my administration were on the same page. And when it comes to investing in this moment, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, we’re talking about $3.5 billion of income in our workers.”
Full video is here.
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Open thread
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ICYMI: Bears have designs on the lakefront, as Mayor Johnson plays the wrong position of cheerleader-in-chief. Lee Bey…
Team officials acted like city-paid planners and transit experts as they outlined the additional roadways and infrastructure needs that would have to happen to get the project off the ground. […]
But the public and elected officials, not the Bears, should be the ones deciding what remedies are needed.
Meanwhile, the Bears said they will pay $2 billion to design and construct the publicly-owned stadium — with the help of the NFL and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.
There is a catch though: The team also said it would require an additional $1.5 billion in public infrastructure and transit to make all those pretty renderings fully come to life.
* Related stories…
Governor Pritzker will be at the University of Illinois Chicago at 2 pm to announce new action plan addressing homelessness. Click here to watch.
* Druker, Yadgir & Haupt…
The communications team that served Jesse White over the entirety of his record 24-year, 6-term tenure as Illinois Secretary of State has launched a media, advocacy, and public policy consulting firm: Druker, Yadgir & Haupt (DYH).
Longtime friends and colleagues, Dave Druker, Bob Yadgir and Henry Haupt are united in the overarching goal of DYH: Working with good people to accomplish good things. In addition to securing paid clients, the firm is committed to “giving back” by providing pro bono services to worthy causes.
The firm will specialize in media relations, crisis communications, internal and external communication strategies, advocacy, and public policy development, implementation, and communication. Yadgir and Haupt are founding partners; Druker will serve as a senior adviser.
“For 24 years and counting, I have relied upon Bob, Dave and Henry to help develop my public policy, communication and media relations strategy,” said former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. “I’m proud of the work we did at the Secretary of State’s office and can objectively say the role Bob, Dave and Henry played was instrumental in securing and promoting many of the achievements over my 24-year tenure. I congratulate them on this exciting new venture and know they will be successful. I look forward to helping them in any way I can.”
“Dave, Henry, and I had a front-row seat watching one of the state’s most impactful elected officials work, and we learned from him. Jesse White believes that truth and integrity form the foundation of trust, and as a result, the people of Illinois trusted Jesse White and his administration. We will bring this same commitment to all our clients,” said Yadgir. “And as the saying goes, by forming Druker, Yadgir and Haupt, we are getting the ‘band back together.’ I am so proud to be flanked by these two, amazingly talented individuals.”
“We bring different skills that balance and complement one another and have forged a working relationship that is time-tested and invaluable,” said Haupt. “We are committed to serving our clients with integrity and a relentless, laser-focused work ethic to deliver desired results.”
“Serving as Press Secretary for Jesse White was the opportunity of a lifetime,” Druker said. “I’m thrilled to continue to work with the team that for 24 years successfully helped strategize, develop and promote Jesse White’s agenda to serve Illinoisans with honesty and integrity.”
For more information about DYH and its mission, visit dyandh.com or call Bob Yadgir at 312-907-4792 or Henry Haupt at 217-503-5585.
*** Isabel’s top pick ***
* The Guardian | Mega-warehouses heap more pollution on hard-hit Illinois neighborhoods: Two million people in Illinois live within a half-mile of large warehouses, which are disproportionately located in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. A new report by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) identified at least 2,400 leased warehouses covering 632m sq ft – a 33% rise from the previous decade.
*** Statehouse News ***
* WAND | Illinois Secretary of State, Attorney General prioritize cybersecurity in budget requests: Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is proposing an $825 million budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Giannoulias explained his team spent $75 million to improve his office’s technology last year, but he believes there are still critical needs in cybersecurity. Giannoulias stressed that the Secretary of State’s IT systems had not been updated in decades and the only employees who understand the technology are set to retire.
* 21st Show | State Senator Celina Villanueva speaks on budget priorities, migrant support, and latino voting trends: Our conversation will begin with a discussion on the state budget allocation and the legislative priorities of the Latino Caucus for this session. We will then shift our focus to the topic of migrants, discussing the current influx and Senator Villanueva’s stance on the funding allocated for them.
* WCIA | Senator Scott M. Bennett Memorial Highway signs to be hung this week: IDOT will hang the signs up along portions of I-74 between Route 45 and the Indiana state line Thursday, according to State Senator Paul Faraci (D-Champaign). Faraci, a friend of Bennett and his successor in the Illinois State Senate, announced he is holding a dedication ceremony for the new signs Thursday morning at 10 a.m. in Oakwood at the village hall. He passed the legislation for the signs last year. Family and friends of Bennett will also be in attendance.
* First Listen | Governor Pritzker not making any guarantees on a new Logan Correctional Center: Governor Pritzker not making any guarantees on a new Logan Correctional Center, a major bond rating agency has upgraded Illinois’ credit rating, And an Illinois State Police squad car hit on I-55 near Litchfield over the weekend.
*** Chicago ***
* WTTW | Rainbow PUSH Coalition Searching for New Leader After CEO Steps Down Just Months After Taking the Job: Rainbow PUSH Coalition said in a statement the search for an interim president is underway and that Yusef Jackson, the group’s COO and the son of Jackson Sr., will provide day-to-day oversight in the meantime.
* Daily Herald | Southwest flights from O’Hare to dip this summer amid Boeing fallout: As the company waits for more planes from Boeing, Southwest Airlines is scaling back O’Hare International Airport flights by about 40% this summer. “We are revising our summer schedule due to delays related to receiving new aircraft deliveries from Boeing,” Southwest spokesman Dan Landson said Wednesday.
* Sun-Times | Art Institute argues it legally owns watercolor: ‘No evidence’ it was ‘ever physically seized or “looted” by Nazis.’: The Art Institute of Chicago contends that decades of investigation and litigation have concluded that a watercolor it now holds was never stolen by the Nazis from a cabaret performer who later died in a concentration camp — but rather was legally sold by the man’s heirs. In a detailed court filing Tuesday, the Art Institute argued that New York prosecutors’ allegations that they were holding artwork stolen during the Holocaust are groundless.
* Sun-Times | Chicago rat hole in Roscoe Village removed by city: “[The Chicago Department of Transportation] is removing and replacing sections of damaged sidewalk on Roscoe Street between Wolcott and Damen in coordination with the Alderman’s office,” CDOT said in a statement. The nouveau tourist attraction was preserved, but its future home is yet to be determined, CDOT said.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Herald | ‘We are at a standstill’: DuPage County Board and County Clerk at odds over clerk’s authority: DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek continues to refuse to answer questions about no-bid contracts awarded by her office, potentially setting the stage for a legal fight with the county board. Kaczmarek has come under scrutiny by county board members after an April 11 memo from county Auditor Bill White said two invoices, totaling more than $250,000, from the clerk’s office stemmed from no-bid contracts. On Wednesday, White said three other unpaid bills, totaling more than $135,000, also were the result of no-bid contracts. All of the bills were related to work performed for the April primary.
* Daily Southtown | Dolton and Mayor Tiffany Henyard hit with another lawsuit from business owner: A federal lawsuit filed against Dolton and Mayor Tiffany Henyard alleges a business license for a barber shop was denied due to “arbitrary and capricious” actions by the mayor. It’s the latest in a string of lawsuits filed in state and federal court against the village and Henyard, many of which allege retaliatory actions by the mayor and her administration aimed at those who do not support her politically or financially. Tyrone Isom Jr. ultimately did not receive a license to open his barber shop and said he had to sell the property, after putting in thousands of dollars to remodel the building, according to his lawsuit.
* Tribune | Northwestern University hazing lawsuits on new track after claims school attorneys mishandled confidential information: Broadly speaking, the lawsuits from former players appeared to be on their way to a settlement, and the Fitzgerald lawsuit was headed for trial next year. But now there appears to be little hope of resolving the ex-players’ suits via mediation, attorneys said. That process “has gotten us not only nowhere but backward,” attorney Lance Northcutt , who represents multiple former players, said in court Tuesday.
* NBC Chicago | Suburban Chicago mall permanently closed over the weekend: Stratford Square Mall in Bloomingdale, the once bustling mall of the 90s, closed for good on Sunday, nearly one month after plans to shutter the mall were first announced. As of Monday, the mall’s website has been removed. Opened in 1981, the mall was previously anchored by Sears, Marshall Fields, and Carson Pirie Scott. It faced many challenges, like other malls across the country trying to keep up with the changing retail landscape, the surge of online shopping and the economy.
*** Sports ***
* Tribune | Angel Reese isn’t taking anything for granted as a WNBA rookie, but her goals for the Chicago Sky are set: ‘I want to dominate’: Throughout her introductory news conference Wednesday, Reese kept emphasizing that she can’t get ahead of herself. She knows the harsh reality of making a roster in the WNBA — and she’s prepared to fight for her spot on the Sky this season. “I don’t want to go into the league thinking that I’m automatically on the team because I’m not,” Reese said. “Anybody can get cut any given day. We have amazing vets on our team and I know they’re gonna push me every day to get even better. There’s no given spot. I don’t take this moment for granted (like) I’m just gonna have it given to me. I need to go out there and earn my spot.”
* Tribune | OK, then what? After likely drafting Caleb Williams at No. 1, here are 11 players the Chicago Bears might target at No. 9.: General manager Ryan Poles is excited about the flexibility he likely will have with the team’s second top-10 pick, while coach Matt Eberflus said at last month’s owners meetings he expects the Bears to land a “blue player” at No. 9, the color-coded label that indicates the highest level of prospect. That means the Bears anticipate adding an immediate impact starter.
*** National ****
* Bloomberg | Allstate will insure California homes again — under one condition: Allstate confirmed in a statement to Bloomberg News that it seeks to increase its market share in California, but rates must “fully reflect the cost of providing insurance to consumers” before agreeing to lift its current restrictions. The new rules will allow for rate increases that the company says will ensure they can pay customers’ claims in the event of a fire, according to the statement.
* Crain’s | Why Realtor settlement might not change commissions much — or even at all: To be clear, Realtor commissions are unlikely to go away. Traditionally, broker compensation was advertised on multiple listing sites visible only to Realtors, but that practice will be prohibited. Under the settlement agreement announced in March, listing agents will no longer be permitted to advertise the commission to buyers’ agents, a practice that change advocates have said led representatives toward homes with higher commissions, a breach of fiduciary duty for Realtors working on behalf of buyers.
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Live coverage
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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