* ICYMI: Illinois Democrats already hold a supermajority of state House seats. They want more. WBEZ…

- Lisa Hernandez, chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, said Democrats are eyeing six Republican-held House seats across the state in the hopes of flipping them this November.
- The Illinois GOP is taking the long view, trying to inch its way back to power.
- “We’re not going to say we’re going to become the majority party,” McCombie said. “We’re going to do this one cycle at a time, bit by bit, and get us closer to the map in the 10-year time.”

At 1 pm Governor Pritzker will join a global machinery production company to announce a new Illinois expansion. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Meta | Upcoming 2024 Restriction Period for US ads about social issues, elections, or politics: [Meta] will not allow any new ads about social issues, elections or politics in the US from 12:01 AM PT on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 through 11:59 PM PT on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. In order to run ads about social issues, elections or politics in the US during the restriction period, the ads must be created with a valid disclaimer and have delivered an impression prior to 12:01 AM PT on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

* Utility Drive | 5 governors call for PJM capacity market rule changes to reduce ‘unnecessary’ consumer costs: Five governors are urging the PJM Interconnection to reform its capacity market rules and interconnection queue process to prevent “unnecessary” costs for electricity customers. PJM’s last capacity auction in July will cost consumers a “staggering” $14.7 billion, which could hurt economic development, according to a letter from the governors of Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania sent Friday to PJM.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | State legislators announce plans to introduce campaign finance reform legislation: Armed with signs of blown-up checks of billionaire investments in Chicago’s upcoming school board elections, aldermen, congressmen and parents gathered outside the Illinois Network of Charter Schools office Monday morning to denounce large donations made by out-of-state billionaires and introduce a proposal for campaign finance reform. […] Though no specific legislation language was proposed Monday morning, Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield, said any bill would likely be thrown out if it were to pass, citing a recent law imposing a $500,000 limit on out-of-state judicial campaign contributions that was challenged in federal court.

* Windy City Times | Two LGBTQ+ incumbents are keeping seats in Illinois State Legislature: State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (14th District) and State Sen. Mike Simmons (7th District) are both running unopposed in the race to keep their seats. They are the only two out LGBTQ+ elected officials in the state legislature. Cassidy has held this role since 2011 and led efforts to ban conversion therapy, strengthen protections for those who have experienced hate crimes and protect reproductive rights. Simmons, who was appointed to the role in 2021 when former Senator Heather Steans retired, has helped pass laws protecting same-sex marriage, protecting nonbinary state employees and ensuring language in government communications is more inclusive.

*** Statewide ***

* Woodstock Institute | Predatory Lending Strikes Again in Illinois: The cycle of predatory lending has struck again for Kesha Thompson-Warren. In open disregard of the State’s 36% APR interest rate cap, Opportunity Financial (OppFi) is making loans in Illinois at 159.5% APR, over four times higher than Illinois’ 36% rate cap established by Illinois’ Predatory Loan Prevention Act (PLPA). The PLPA was passed in 2021 as part of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Agenda to combat systemic racism in Illinois.

* WAND | Illinois using marijuana sales tax, opioid settlement funds for behavioral health services: The Restore Reinvest Renew, or R3 program, was a critical part of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. State leaders said $127 million has been dispersed for mental health and addiction services this year. That’s compared to roughly $80 million during 2023. “CRTA allows for approaching mental health and substance use by focusing on social determinants and related concerns such as the historical overuse of the criminal justice system, concentrated poverty and violence,” said Dr. Donell Barnet, the behavioral health advisor for the Illinois Department of Human Services.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Aldermen expecting Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget plan to include property tax increase: Three aldermen who spoke to the Tribune on background Monday said Johnson administration officials told them in one-on-one briefings that the mayor will recommend a property tax hike as part of his plan to balance the budget. The mayor’s team did not specify how large such a tax increase would be, the aldermen said. Johnson will introduce his 2025 spending plan Wednesday. Mayoral spokeswoman Erin Connelly declined to comment Monday about the possibility he will call for a property tax hike.

* WBEZ | Despite a hiring freeze, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration still made hundreds of new hires: The employment data, obtained by WBEZ through an open records request, includes 268 new hires through Oct. 21. In all, the hires and promotions total roughly $31.4 million in annual salaries – a fraction of the $223 million end-of-year deficit and $982.4 million budget gap for 2025.

* Tribune | Chicago Housing Authority CEO Tracey Scott to leave her role on Friday: She will be replaced for the time being by Angela Hurlock, current chairperson of the board, as CHA searches for her replacement. Scott has served as head of the organization for four and a half years. “The CHA Board of Commissioners would like to thank Ms. Scott for her leadership during this crucial period when the demand for affordable housing is more pressing than ever,” CHA Vice Chairman Matthew Brewer said in the news release. “CHA is well-positioned for continued growth as we enter this next chapter.”

* Sun-Times | Chicago heating bills could double under troubled Peoples Gas pipeline replacement program, report finds: Chicago heating bills could double over the next 15 years if state regulators allow Peoples Gas to move forward with its long-maligned pipeline replacement program, according to a report commissioned by consumer advocates. Customers would face a series of record-setting annual rate hikes every year through 2040 — and keep paying for the long-delayed project for an additional six decades, under projections released Tuesday by the Citizens Utility Board.

* Crain’s | Community activists aren’t sold on quantum park’s promises just yet: “It was a good start, but it’s not enough,” NietoGomez, executive director of the Alliance of the SouthEast, an umbrella group of community organizations formed in response to various proposals to redevelop the USX site over the past decade, says of the event. The group has been raising concerns about the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park since it was announced, urging elected officials to slow down the project, which could start construction by the end of the year.

* Block Club | 5 Transit Board Appointees Advance, But Some Bristle At Another Pastor With No Transit Experience: Most of the new nominees were lauded for their experience in transit or related fields. All passed through the committee unanimously except Jarixon Medina — a pastor with New Life Covenant Church’s Spanish-speaking campus in Humboldt Park — who was questioned like Acree for having no bonafides in professional transit roles.

* Crain’s | Union League’s Monet going up for auction next month: The club has weighed selling “Pommiers en Fleurs,” or Apple Trees in Bloom, for years to pay down debt and fund renovation costs. It tried once, approving a sale in late 2020 as the pandemic rolled on and the club’s finances deteriorated, but was later sued by an Australian art dealer who alleged the club backed out of a $7.2 million agreement. A Cook County Circuit Court judge dismissed the suit, a decision upheld on appeal.

Tribune | Finalists announced for the 2025 Jean Banchet Awards, with a brand-new pizza category: Finalists in 13 categories for the coveted Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence were announced Monday, including a new, deliciously divisive category: Pizza. “The Banchet Awards are always kind of funny, we always try and poke fun at ourselves as much as possible so we thought what could be funnier than trying to name four pizza joints in Chicago,” said Michael Muser, Banchet Awards host and organizer. “We thought about theoretically, what do we want it to say, do we want it to pay homage to different styles or what … At the end of the day, the panel came up with the best list they thought represented the year for them in terms of the pizzas people are wanting.”

Hail Mary 💔
a Chicago Bears SUPERFAN Parody Song
🕺🏻🐻⬇️🎬#NFL l #DaBears pic.twitter.com/OQn0boo2DJ

— Dave Swerski (@DaveSwerski) October 28, 2024

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Korean War veteran laid to rest in Elgin: 74 years after he was killed in the Korean War, U.S. Army Cpl. Eriverto Ortiz was laid to rest at Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin Monday, Oct. 28, 2024.

* Daily Herald | Aurora mayoral contest headed for a primary; more candidates join Naperville council race: For the first time since he was elected mayor of Aurora, Richard Irvin is set to face a crowded field of opponents in a primary election. Irvin and five mayoral challengers have filed to run in 2025, clearing the threshold for a primary to be held in February to narrow the field down to two candidates for the April consolidated election. Monday was the last day for candidates in Aurora, Elgin, Naperville and Wheaton to turn in their petitions to get their names on the ballot.

* Daily Southtown | Midlothian Village President Gary L’ Heureux says he mistakenly took homeowner’s tax exemption on two properties: L’Heureux said he mistakenly took the exemption, that cuts the equalized assessed valuation of a home by $10,000 for a homeowner’s principal residence, for two properties almost every year since he bought his second home in 2020. He has since contacted the Cook County assessor’s office to correct the issue.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Illinois man awarded Purple Heart, Bronze Star with Valor: Chase Wilhelm stood on stage in the Illinois Governor’s Mansion on Monday and received four honors, including a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star with Valor, the Four Chaplain’s award and an Army Commendation. Chaplain, Major Wilhelm was one of the first on the scene after a U.S. Military Base in Jordan was hit by a drone strike on January 28th, 2024. Three people died in the attack. According to the base commander for Tower 22, Wilhelm jumped into action immediately when he arrived on the scene. He helped people who were still in the wreckage following the strike.

* SLPR | Bost getting little challenge from Democrat in southern Illinois congressional district: After a contentious primary, Illinois U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, is expected to cruise to victory for Illinois’ 12th Congressional District this November. One of the most conservative districts in the state, spanning much of the southern third of the state, electoral experts have rated it a safe or solid Republican seat. On top of that, the Democrat challenging Bost, Brian Roberts of Carbondale, has not reported raising any cash this cycle to unseat him, federal records show.

* PJ Star | Four people have filed to run for Peoria mayor in 2025. Here’s what we know: Four people have thrown their hats in the ring in Peoria’s mayoral race and three incumbent city councilmembers will face challengers in next year’s municipal elections. There is guaranteed to be at least one new face on the Peoria City Council. The 2nd District seat is wide open because its current representative, Chuck Grayeb, is running for mayor.

* WCIA | ‘This is what farmers do’; Bellflower community lends a hand during harvest season: About 50 farmers have done just that for one of their own. Lloyd Power has been a farmer all his life, but an infection has come in the way of his harvest this year. […] “We had a discussion in the hospital, and Llloyd, at first, was reluctant,” Gibson City farmer John Leonard said. “He’s used to giving. He gives so much. And so I kind of reminded him that people want to give back.”

*** National ***

* Daily Herald | ‘Urgent, complex challenge’: Pedestrian deaths on train tracks are escalating: In 2023, 715 people trespassing on railway property died in train collisions across the U.S., officials reported Thursday at the DuPage Railroad Safety Council’s “Prevent Tragedy on the Tracks” forum. That’s a spike compared to the 10-year average of 533 deaths. There were 494 in 1995, a year after the council was formed.