* Our work isn’t finished. We’re still raising money to buy presents for foster kids. So, please, click here and contribute if you haven’t yet done so. Thanks!
* Governor JB Pritzker…
Governor JB Pritzker today signed an executive order launching a statewide effort enlisting multiple state agencies to explore how Illinois can accelerate plans to expand the supply and access of housing for working families. Additionally, as part of an ongoing commitment to lower housing costs, Governor Pritzker announced the return of SmartBuy, a program providing direct monetary assistance to pay off student loan debt for those buying a home in Illinois. Together, these actions seek to address the shortage of attainable homes for working families across the state, as well as overall housing shortages that affect renters and homebuyers alike.
“If we are going to build on this state’s record of growth and prosperity, lower costs for Illinois’ working families, and be a state that everyone can call home, we must build more housing in every Illinois community from Cairo to Chicago,” said Governor Pritzker. “This announcement is just the beginning of some of the most important work we will do over the next few years—work that, if successful, can lower costs for thousands of families and lay the groundwork for decades of sustainable economic growth.”
Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order on Housing
The executive order creates an Illinois Director of Housing Solutions, who will add key capacity to the State and lead on the consideration of, strategic planning for, and implementation of innovative housing solutions to combat the housing crisis and increase the number of attainable, middle-class homes and rental options across the state for working Illinoisans and their families. The Director will work in close consultation with the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and other state agencies.
As Illinois has experienced unprecedented economic development under Governor Pritzker’s administration, it’s imperative the state address the lack of attainable housing to complement this growth in the workforce across different parts of the state. Nearly one-third of Illinois households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defined metric to determine whether housing is a cost burden.
Increased housing supply drives down prices, stimulates the construction industry, and expands opportunities for historically disadvantaged communities to build wealth through home ownership. This Executive Order advances the Pritzker Administration’s priority that all Illinoisans should have access to attainable housing across all income levels and will build on the work of IHDA and the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness to expand State leadership in implementing solutions across the housing affordability continuum.
The directives in the executive order were informed by a report from the Governor’s Ad-Hoc Missing Middle Housing Solutions Advisory Committee, a group comprised of leading housing developers, elected officials, economic development and nonprofit leaders, regional employers, and financing experts. That report - available here – focused on recommendations to increase housing supply for middle-income families, specifically targeting households in the 80-140% area median income range. The report includes innovative ideas to reduce unnecessary barriers to development, stimulate investment for housing production, and create new partnerships and technical assistance programs. The executive order is a first step in the State’s ongoing efforts to expand affordable housing for middle class working families and can be viewed here.
“We’re facing a housing crisis, in my district and across the state. More and more people can’t afford to pay rising rents or keep up with mortgage and tax payments, and buying a first home feels out of reach for too many,” said State Representative Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago). “Today’s executive order is a vital step in understanding and addressing this problem. I look forward to continued partnership with the Governor’s office and my colleagues in the legislature to advance holistic and transformational changes to make housing more abundant and more affordable for everyone in Illinois.”
“As a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution that finances affordable housing, it was an honor to join conversations with diverse industry leaders on the Ad-Hoc Missing Middle Housing Solutions Advisory Committee,” said Stacie Young, president and CEO of the Community Investment Corporation. “The group took a pragmatic approach to recommend strategies that will unlock capital and untapped resources for housing development across Illinois. I applaud Governor Pritzker for his leadership in driving concrete results.”
“I was pleased to participate in the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee of diverse stakeholders that put forth recommendations for expanding middle-income housing. More importantly, our work has resulted into swift action that will attract and retain talent, support local employers, and make our community stronger and more attractive to new and existing residents,” said Rita Ali, Mayor of Peoria.
“Illinois REALTORS® commends the Governor’s commitment to housing and was proud to be a part of the Governor’s Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee,” said Jeff Baker, CEO of Illinois REALTORS®. “The Director of Housing Solutions and the bold ideas in the Committee’s report are exactly what our state needs right now to bring housing stability to Illinois families and communities and to help more of our neighbors achieve the American Dream of homeownership.”
SmartBuy Program
In line with this work, Governor Pritzker also relaunched the SmartBuy program to help bridge the financial gap that has historically prevented many young adults and families from becoming homeowners. SmartBuy offers an affordable 30-year fixed rate first mortgage with $5,000 in deferred down payment and/or closing cost assistance. In addition, the program provides up to $40,000 in student loan relief to borrowers buying a home in Illinois. Potential applicants must have at least $1,000 in student loan debt and must pay off their full remaining student loan debt balance, if more than $40,000, at closing. Partial student loan repayment is not available under SmartBuy. The program is available to both first-time and repeat homebuyers.
“Student loan debt is one of the single largest barriers delaying younger households from achieving their dream of homeownership,” IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust said. “With the average amount of student loan debt increasing every year, we know it is challenging for many to save to take their first steps towards owning their own home. Through SmartBuy, we have seen that this targeted relief can help new buyers overcome this financial burden and secure a home much earlier, allowing for a better opportunity to start building equity. We are excited to make this program available again for homebuyers as they continue to invest in their future in this great state.”
This is a relaunch of the SmartBuy program following previous success. SmartBuy first launched in December 2020 and within six months, 631 individuals and families bought a new home in Illinois. IHDA was able to pay down nearly $17 million in student loan debt, equating to an average of approximately $27,000 in relief per mortgage. SmartBuy saw the average age of the homebuyer utilizing an IHDA mortgage product decrease by eight years, highlighting the impact of the program in assisting younger adults in securing their financial future. SmartBuy requirements, select network of lenders, and additional program information can be found online here. For those looking to buy a home who may not qualify for SmartBuy, IHDA also offers three separate programs offering $10,000 in down payment assistance. You can learn more about these programs at www.ihdamortgage.org.
The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy charged with the murder of Sonya Massey, will stay behind bars even longer.
Grayson will stay in jail until the Supreme Court decides if they are taking the case. If the court takes up the case, Grayson would also remain in jail until the justices issue a ruling.
“The mandate of the appellate court is stayed pending disposition of the State’s petition for leave to appeal, and if the petition for leave to appeal is allowed, until disposition of the appeal,” the court ruled Tuesday.
The state’s appellate court ruled previously Grayson’s detention violates the SAFE-T Act. They stayed an injunction to release him on Jan. 2.
*** Statewide ***
* WTTW | More Than 155,000 Standard IDs and Driver’s Licenses Issued to Illinois Noncitizens in 5 Months Since Law Went Into Effect: The law, which went into effect in July, grants noncitizens regardless of immigration status the ability to obtain a standardized state driver’s license replacing the Temporary Visitor Driver’s License, which displayed a purple banner and the words “Not Valid For Identification.” “That purple marker has become a Scarlet Letter, potentially exposing [noncitizens] to judgment, discrimination or immigration enforcement,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said during a news conference in July, adding the standard licenses also aims to make roads safer by encouraging more motorists to obtain a license.
* WBEZ | Chicago and Illinois have sanctuary laws. What does that actually mean?: There is no legal definition, but it has become an unofficial term for any jurisdiction — whether a state, county or city — that discourages local law enforcement from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, officials. That usually means not collecting or providing information about residents’ immigration status — including anyone held at a local jail or prison — unless that person has a federal criminal warrant.
*** Chicago ***
* WTTW | Chicago’s Compliance With Consent Decree ‘Unsatisfying’: Federal Judge: U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer’s remarks came during the first status hearing in the federal court case since WTTW News and ProPublica reported that the effort to implement the reforms required by the federal court order known as the consent decree is at a tipping point, with advocates for police reform losing faith in the process and increasingly concerned the opportunity for lasting reform is slipping away. “The level of compliance is unsatisfying to the public,” Pallmeyer said, calling for an “aggressive” reform effort. “I am determined that we will be seeing good progress … in 2025. Let’s accelerate the progress.
* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson releases 2023 tax returns. Here’s what they say: Johnson’s tax returns show his family brought in just over $176,000 in wages for 2023, his first year as mayor of Chicago. His annual salary was $216,210 that year, and he began his term mid-May. After claiming the standard $27,700 deduction for filing jointly with his wife Stacie and a $6,000 child tax credit, records show Johnson paid $17,302 in federal taxes, an effective tax rate of 11.65%. Johnson didn’t claim any other income from investments, retirement fund distributions or capital gains in 2023.
* WGN | Chicago City Hall evacuated due to fire: According to the Chicago Fire Department, a small fire broke out around 11 a.m. on the third-floor of the county building at City Hall, located at 118 North Clark Street. The fire was in a records storage area and was quickly extinguished by crews.
* Block Club | Dion’s Chicago Dream Brings Free Fresh Produce Locker To Chatham: Adding a Dream Vault to Discover’s South Side call center is “deepening our ties with Chatham and continuing our mission to make a long-lasting impact,” April Williams-Luster, senior manager of community affairs at Discover, said in a news release. Leaders at Discover Customer Care Center have hired over 1,000 employees from Chatham and surrounding South Side communities to work at the credit card company’s local office, according to a news release.
* Block Club | Young West Siders Turn Former Drug Spot Into Art Gallery, Gathering Space: A new community art and gathering space commemorating Austin’s Pink House has taken over a vacant lot near the historical home, looking to add another bright spot to the block. Creating Space, 557 N. Central Ave., features benches, a community-painted shipping container and a model of the Pink House. The iconic neighborhood landmark across the street from the art space fell into disrepair before being sold and refurbished —and painted green — in March 2023.
* Block Club | The Onion’s Purchase Of InfoWars Rejected By Bankruptcy Judge: Last month, The Onion announced its acquisition of Jones’ InfoWars with a winning bid of $1.75 million in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation auction. The Onion and parent company Global Tetrahedron worked in cooperation with Jones’ current creditors: several Sandy Hook families who recently won about $1.4 billion in damages in a defamation lawsuit against Jones in 2022. However, the other bidder for Infowars — a Jones-affiliated company called First United American Companies — contested the sale, arguing that the bidding process was fraudulent and that the court-appointed bankruptcy trustee, Christopher Murray, made a bad-faith decision to favor The Onion’s bid for political purposes over First United’s much-higher bid of $3.5 million.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Bloomberg | Lion Electric’s president is gone as EV maker searches for cash: Nicolas Brunet stepped down from the post he’d held for little more than a year, according to a company filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission dated Dec. 1. The same day, Lion Electric announced it would lay off about 400 of 700 employees and suspend work at a plant in Joliet. Lion’s lenders, which include National Bank of Canada, gave the company temporary help to get through Dec. 16, suspending for a second time the covenants on a credit line. The maturity on a separate loan was pushed back to the same date. The extensions were granted to buy time for Lion Electric to find new investors or a buyer.
* Tribune | Pairs skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek — a Park Ridge native — becomes Canadian citizen, clearing way for Milan Olympics: Stellato-Dudek began her career as an accomplished individual skater representing the U.S., finishing second at the world junior championships and winning the junior Grand Prix Final. But after suffering a series of hip injuries, she decided to retire in 2001, only to make a comeback as a pairs skater with American partner Nathan Bartholomay in 2016. The pair twice finished third at the U.S. championships before splitting in 2019, and that’s when Stellato-Dudek teamed up with Deschamps, who had separated from his American partner Sydney Kolodziej the previous year.
* TSPR | No change in mindset for WIU president now that she’s no longer ‘interim’: “I think I personally have the same mindset that I’ve had all along, which is to continue to advance WIU.” [Western Illinois University President Kristi Mindrup] said removing interim from her title demonstrates there is stability at WIU. She said the administration will continue working on WIU’s finances and bringing people together for strategic planning.
*** National ***
* Bloomberg | Albertsons sues Kroger for breach of contract in failed deal: In a statement, Kroger said Albertsons’ claims are baseless and without merit. It added that Albertsons isn’t entitled to the merger break fee and that Albertsons is seeking to “deflect responsibility following Kroger’s written notification of Albertsons’ multiple breaches of the agreement.” Kroger’s board is evaluating the next steps for the company. Kroger and Albertsons had agreed to the tie-up in October 2022 , saying it would help them compete better against Amazon.com Inc., Walmart Inc. and other bigger, non-unionized rivals. It would have united Kroger, the nation’s biggest grocery company, with Albertsons, the second biggest, to create a company with more than 4,000 stores across 48 states and Washington, DC.
Former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo never had to appear in a federal courtroom between 2021 and 2022 as he was arraigned on tax evasion charges, later pleaded guilty and was then sentenced to six months in prison all via videoconference due to COVID-19.
But on Tuesday, Acevedo was summoned to the Dirksen Federal Courthouse so the judge overseeing former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial could evaluate whether he’s fit to testify. And on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John Blakey ordered him to come back next week to appear on the witness stand under an immunity order. […]
Before the judge’s ruling, Acevedo attorney Gabrielle Sansonetti argued the 61-year-old’s dementia diagnosis caused her client to give misinformation during his interview Tuesday afternoon, saying she only had an interest in “not putting someone on the stand to just humiliate them.”
While defense lawyers argued Acevedo “clearly” displayed “a lack of recollection” on Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu claimed the former lawmaker was “wholly capable of testifying and it’s not even close.”
If the parties agree, Acevedo’s testimony might be video recorded on Monday and played for the jury on Tuesday, rather than have him live on the witness stand, to avoid any outbursts or irrelevant remarks, the judge has said. […]
Madigan attorney Daniel Collins, meanwhile, noted that while Acevedo’s demeanor was lucid, he was confused about basic questions — including mixing up work for two different companies.
“When it came to the facts at issue, there was clearly a lack of recollection and clearly a lack of understanding,” Collins said. “… This is going to be an absolute mishmash on the facts that matter.”
Acevedo’s attorney Gabrielle Sansonetti, meanwhile, said that given Acevedo’s diagnosis, any testimony he gives could not be considered credible. In Tuesday’s conference, while he was calm and lucid, Acevedo gave “misinformation” and inaccurate answers to Blakey’s questions, she said.
The feds say Acevedo is one of five Madigan allies who were funneled money from ComEd while doing little or no work for the utility. They say Acevedo received $120,000 in 2017 and 2018, after he left the General Assembly, as part of the scheme.
Prosecutors also say Madigan was bribed similarly by AT&T Illinois in 2017, as it sought to pass its own bill in the Legislature, by paying Acevedo $22,500. Jurors began hearing evidence related to those allegations on Tuesday.
Jurors have been told that Acevedo was important to Madigan because he was a leader in the Latino community, and that population had begun to grow in Madigan’s 22nd District. Acevedo co-chaired the General Assembly’s Latino Caucus.
A former Chicago police officer, Acevedo represented the 2nd District from 1997 until 2017, before an unsuccessful campaign for Cook County sheriff in 2018. He pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 2021.
Earlier Tuesday, Blakey overruled objections from both defense teams over the admissibility of evidence related to AT&T and said he would later provide his written findings on the issue.
Madigan attorney Dan Collins argued the AT&T exhibits should not be admissible without testimony from Steve Selcke, a former AT&T employee who testified during the trial of former AT&T executive Paul La Schiazza earlier this year.
A judge declared a mistrial in September after a jury deadlocked 11-1 on charges alleging that La Schiazza bribed Madigan.
After Blakey’s ruling Tuesday, Madigan attorney Todd Pugh said the defense team would subpoena Selcke to testify.
Prosecutors plan to admit emails spanning from February to April 2017, when AT&T’s top legislative priority bill was pending in the Illinois House.
In one of those emails from Feb. 14, 2017, McClain asked an AT&T official whether there was “even a small contract” for Acevedo. Two days later, McClain told La Schiazza that Madigan had assigned him to work on the AT&T legislation as a “Special Project.”
On March 28, 2017, La Schiazza allegedly confirmed that AT&T had gotten the “GO order” to hire Acevedo — which prosecutors claimed was a directive from Madigan, given through McClain — and directed his employees to “move quickly to get this done.”
“McClain’s simultaneous work on AT&T’s legislation while pushing the company to pay (Acevedo) illustrates how the hiring of (Acevedo) was connected to AT&T’s legislation,” prosecutors wrote in a pretrial motion
* More…
* NBC Chicago | Judge to decide if Madigan ally is competent to testify against him: Last Week, Federal Judge John Blakey granted him immunity and compelled his testimony, but his attorneys said Acevedo suffers from dementia. Gabrielle Sansonetti argued Monday that “the impact of that in his testimony is concerning and is a matter that is legitimate.”
* Tribune | ‘What is the story on this?’: Jury in Madigan corruption trial hears more on alleged Chinatown land transfer scheme: In the final days of the spring 2018 legislative session, a lobbyist approached then-Illinois state Rep. Avery Bourne with a slightly cryptic request to add an amendment to the otherwise ordinary land transfer bill she was sponsoring. The amendment would have included the transfer of a state-owned parcel of land in Chinatown to the city, so it could be developed into a mixed-use high-rise. After being handed the draft language, Bourne, a downstate Republican, scribbled some notes, including “Have you spoken to the department?” and “What is the story on this?” It turns out the story was much more convoluted than Bourne could have possibly predicted.
* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Democratic State House Staff Member goes to Kat Bray…
She dropped everything to move back to Illinois from DC to rejoin staff at the end of April. She works tirelessly to get every detail of a bill right and to get every stakeholder on board. There is no comparison to her and Illinois is so lucky to have her back!
Kendra Piercy, our 2023 winner, deserves super-honorable mention for her work this year.
* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Republican State House Staff Member goes to Dane Thull…
While he may be a quiet presence, Dane has incredible institutional and policy knowledge. He is easily one of the most trusted and effective staffers in the Capitol. Dane works seamlessly with his Democratic counterparts and is able to still advance Republican members’ bills and legislative agenda despite being in the super minority. Dane is smart, efficient and has the respect of both sides of the aisle.
Jen Passwater, the 2023 winner, has been her usual awesome self this year and deserves another shoutout.
* On to today’s categories…
Best Government Spokesperson/Comms
Best Statehouse-Related Public Relations Spokesperson
As always, do your best to nominate in both categories and please explain your nominations or they won’t count. Have fun!
But you don’t need a spare $5K to make a difference. Every little bit helps. If $25 is all you can afford, that’s wonderful. Please, click here and help put a smile on the face of a kid whose life has been turned upside down.
Wednesday, Dec 11, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
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A bill filed in Springfield almost a year ago by West Side state Sen. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, would amend Illinois’ Nursing Home Care Act to allow for residents to sue facility owners over claims of retaliation for at least two months’ rent and attorney fees, plus statutory damages.
Seventeen additional senators have signed on as cosponsors of the bill, but advocates worry Illinois Senate President Don Harmon could let the legislative clock expire on it under pressure from a nursing home industry trade group that opposes the bill — and that has made massive financial contributions to Harmon’s political operation.
The Health Care Council of Illinois argues laws on the books are sufficient, and that Senate Bill 3559 would prompt a flurry of meritless lawsuits and new legal costs that would end up harming “the very individuals it seeks to protect.”
The bill will die if it’s not passed by the end of the veto session Jan. 7, before a new General Assembly is inaugurated.
* Sen. Rachel Ventura…
State Senator Rachel Ventura pushed for the CURE Act to receive support at the House Mental Health & Addiction Committee hearing on “Psychedelics as Behavioral Health Treatment” Tuesday to shed light on the potential of psychedelics to alleviate mental health, addiction, PTSD and trauma issues.
The hearing included insight from behavioral health professionals and consumers, along with testimony on the importance of House Bill 1/Senate Bill 3695, known as the Illinois CURE Act sponsored by State Representative La Shawn K. Ford and Ventura.
“The Illinois CURE Act can save countless lives – integrated therapy-based sessions following exposure would create real change in an individual’s life who has exhausted other methods previously. Psilocybin would open new pathways in the brain to help pinpoint things that need to be worked on,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “During this subject matter hearing my colleagues and I had the opportunity to explain that plant medicine, such as psilocybin, has long been stigmatized. I am dedicated to this bipartisan collaboration and remain hopeful that we can pass this historic legislation that would aid not only veterans, but all Illinoisans, suffering from mental illnesses, PTSD, substance abuse and more.”
The CURE Act – or the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act – aims to tackle treatment-resistant conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health conditions. Additionally, it would facilitate research into the safety and efficacy of psilocybin through medical, psychological, and scientific studies. […]
Ford, who filed the House version of the Illinois CURE Act, also testified in support of the legislation.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that residents can access healthcare options that enhance their wellbeing, particularly with promising treatments like psilocybin,” said Ford (D-Chicago). “To achieve this, we must engage stakeholders in constructive dialogue to shape a collective path forward for medical access. While it’s crucial that we advance this initiative, we must also prioritize a responsible implementation process with the necessary safeguards in place.”
The bill would also establish the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board under the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which would create a training program, ethical standards, and licensing requirements. Additionally, psychedelic therapies would be administered in controlled, supervised settings to ensure safety and treatment effectiveness. Retail sales of these medicines would be prohibited and could only be used under supervision at designated service centers.
“Psychedelic use is increasing as the mental health crisis deepens, and it’s essential for Illinois lawmakers to take action. Clinical evidence continues to demonstrate the potential of psychedelics to provide transformative therapeutic benefits,” said Jean Lacy the executive director of the Illinois Psychedelic Society. “By joining other states in establishing standards of care and protocols for safe and effective use, lawmakers can offer meaningful opportunities for healing to their constituents. Failing to act means denying access to treatments that could profoundly improve lives. This is a critical moment to lead with compassion and vision.”
To learn more about the Illinois CURE Act, click here.
A statewide coalition called “Lift the Ban” is lobbying state lawmakers to pass affordable housing legislation. […]
According to the “Lift the Ban” website, 44% of Illinois Renters are rent-burdened because they’re spending 30% of their income on housing. In McLean County, 31% of renters struggle to find basic housing. This coalition is trying push a bill called “Let the People Decide.”
This bill would make it possible for voters to decide if the ban on rent control should be abolished in Illinois. The rent control ban has been on the books since 1997. The bill would also provide other protections for renters.
The “Lift the Ban” legislation will be introduced again in January.
“Legislators were told to plan to return to Springfield on Jan. 2, but I don’t know that there is a certain plan to move forward yet,” said Chris Davis, Illinois Farm Bureau director of state legislation. “I certainly think there’s a strong possibility of action taking place.” […]
If the General Assembly does head into a lame-duck session, there is a possibility that the Family Farms Preservation Act (FFPA) could make it to the finish line. Davis told RFD Radio Network the legislation has broad support, but a projected $3 billion revenue deficit creates a barrier.
“We are certainly still talking to legislators and the governor’s office about the FFPA and the need for estate tax reform in Illinois,” Davis said of the efforts of IFB’s state government team toward building support. […]
Davis said property tax legislation could also be included in a lame-duck session, following the advisory referendum question that was on the ballot in November. The Property Tax Relief and Fairness Referendum primarily asked if the Constitution should be amended to enable a progressive income tax structure.
* Background is here if you need it. I’ve been thinking that the new state flag should be the Centennial Flag from 1918…
Clean, efficient, gorgeous.
* But, as this post’s headline says, this one might be kinda starting to grow on me…
On the minus side, I can easily see why non-Illini fans would hate it because of that “I” - and it is pretty college-looking. But that “I” represents our state’s flagship university and would be recognizable. And there is no orange in it.
Also, I think I would fly that flag on my porch and my pontoon boat.
On the other hand, meh, I dunno.
I just gotta say that this whole state flag commission thing is a complete letdown. Illinois has some of the best commercial and graphic artists in the world, but these ten choices are the best we can do? C’mon.
* The opportunity to change a state flag doesn’t come around all that often. But the commission has given us some really lame choices.
* More from yesterday’s Crain’s Chicago Business breakfast forum…
Greg Hinz: Arguably, the main thing the General Assembly does every year is pass a budget, and there’s big storm clouds on the horizon. The governor’s own budget office has projected a deficit of more than $3 billion. There are lots of people and lots of governments, local governments, who want more money. Mr. Speaker, why don’t you take this one first? How are you going to tackle this? Is anything in particular on the table, off the table in coming up with a balanced budget?
House Speaker Chris Welch: Well, let me say this, Greg, and I will tell you, we’ve had grim financial forecasts before, and you’ve written in the past articles that ‘78 Democrats will never pass a balanced budget.’ And I cut those out and put them on a bulletin board. I give speeches. I say people are rooting against you. And what do we do? We pass the budget, a balanced one that’s responsible and compassionate. We’ve done it every year that I’ve been Speaker.
Hinz: This one’s really grim though.
Welch: We’ve been there before.
Hinz: So how you going to do it?
Welch: Well, we’re going to first of all get together with our respective caucuses and listen to what they have to say. I hope they’re out knocking on doors and listening to their constituents. Because we’ve got to make sure we’re responding to the people that send us to Springfield. But we’ve done it before, and we’re going to do it again, and we’re going to do it in a responsible and compassionate way.
Hinz: Let me push it just a little bit. Is it going to be with cuts, or is it going to be with new revenues?
Welch: Well, I think you have to certainly recognize that we have a $3.1 billion deficit going in, and we have to tell the caucuses, there’s not going to be any new spending. Let’s start there.
Hinz: None?
Welch: Well, like I said, we got to start there. Don’t come in the door looking to spend more money. GOMB has said we have a $3.1 billion deficit, and we start there, and we’re going to go line by line through this budget like we’ve done in the past. And we can find efficiencies, we will.
Hinz: Mr. Harmon?
Senate President Don Harmon: Well, you have to level set here. First of all, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget is paid to be professionally pessimistic. Even the governor has decided that they are not always right.
But let’s remember what they are saying. They are saying that if we do nothing at the end of the next fiscal year, going into the following fiscal year, we’d face the $3 billion deficit.
The Speaker’s right, we have seen worse projections in our time in Springfield, and we have found ways to survive. Under Governor Pritzker, we’ve seen this every year. It’s been a tough projection. This is tougher than some, but we have found ways to economize, to save money, to pass a responsible balanced budget without a general tax increase.
Hinz: You seem to be suggesting that the real budget deficit isn’t $3 billion, it’s something less.
Harmon: Again, the projection is if we do nothing at the end of the next fiscal year, that would be the deficit. We aren’t going to do nothing. We haven’t figured out exactly what we’re going to do, but it’s a projection based on the set of facts that aren’t likely to come to pass.
* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
* This holiday season, your $25 gift can light up a foster child’s Christmas—join us in supporting the 2,530 kids served by LSSI. Click here to donate.
* ICYMI: Pritzker brushes off Trump ‘border czar’ promise to start deportations in Chicago. WGN…
The Pritzker administration on Tuesday brushed off a promise made a day earlier by President-elect Donald Trump’s ‘border czar’ to make Chicago ground zero for mass deportations.
Tom Homan, the former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term, said at a Monday night Law & Order PAC event in the Portage Park neighborhood that mass deportations would “start right here,” adding: “Chicago is in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times, Politico and other outlets.
He called on Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to “come to the table” and not impede the administration’s efforts.
“It’s no secret that Illinois will face countless, baseless attacks over the next four years from the Trump Administration,” a Pritzker spokesperson told WGN via email. “Rather than responding to every ridiculous boast from Trump lackeys, Governor Pritzker is focused on what he was focused on during the first Trump term: leading our state with competence instead of chaos.”
* WCBU | Illinois’ Secretary of State is ’screaming from the rooftops’ to register for REAL ID: “We’ll keep coming back, and again, we are really trying to bring awareness,” Giannoulias said. “We do not want people to get stuck at the airport in May and not be able to board their flight.” In addition to flying domestically, those without a REAL ID won’t be able to visit military bases or secure federal facilities, like nuclear power plants.
* WTTW | Amid Concerns Over Paper, Illinois Prisons Would Be Able to Electronically Scan Mail Under New Contract: The contract with ICSolutions, a telecommunications company for correctional facilities across the U.S., states that tablets will be supplied to those in prison with “all necessary hardware, software, and functionalities pre-installed to enable secure and reliable delivery of digital correspondence and mail through the tablet on an individual basis.”
*** Statehouse News ***
* WTVO | New Illinois law will require police training to recognize signs of autism: Hundreds of new laws are set to go into effect in Illinois on January 1st, 2025. One requires police to take specialized training to learn to interact with people with autism. People with autism can sometimes be nonverbal or easily agitated, making stressful situations — like encounters with law enforcement — especially dangerous.
* Capitol News Illinois | First look: New Illinois state flag designs unveiled: The Illinois Flag Commission this week released 10 potential new designs for the state flag after lawmakers moved in 2023 to explore replacing the current banner. The commission is planning on setting up a voting system to collect public input on the designs, which it will launch in January. The online vote will be non-binding but will inform a report that the Illinois Flag Commission is set to release in the spring. After the commission delivers its final report – with a recommendation as to whether the state should adopt a new flag – the Illinois General Assembly will have the choice to adopt a new flag or keep the old one.
*** Statewide ***
* Tribune | Illinois workers can claim unpaid wages totaling more than $4.2M: More than 5,500 Illinois workers owed back pay totaling more than $4.2 million can claim their unpaid wages online, the U.S. Department of Labor said Tuesday. The funds are the result of investigations by the department’s wage and hour division, which recovers back pay for workers when they are underpaid in violation of laws, including minimum wage and overtime laws.
* Farm Week | IFB partnership expands ag news coverage, helps local newspapers: While the press association was thinking about the needs of the newsroom, they were already running Capitol News Illinois, covering state government issues and distributing stories for Illinois newspapers to use as their own content. “We thought, why can’t we do the same thing with agriculture from FarmWeek,” he said, adding that is why IPA and IFB started the Ag News Service, with the first story sent out May 19, 2021.
*** Chicago ***
Tom Homan, the next time you come to #IL03 —a district made stronger and more powerful by immigrants — you better be ready to meet the resistance.
You may think Chicago needs to get out of the way of Trump's plans for mass deportation, but we plan to get ALL UP IN YOUR WAY. https://t.co/g02g4m7QW6
— Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (@repdeliaramirez) December 10, 2024
* Center Square | Johnson says billionaires and visitors would pay for a new football stadium: Even with the city facing a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says he still favors a new lakefront stadium for the Bears. Johnson said he remains committed to keeping the National Football League club in the city. “The $600 million debt that’s owed on the old stadium is a depreciating asset,” the mayor said.
* Sun-Times | High-ranking Chicago cop faces suspensions for disparaging gays, leaking kids’ records to deputy mayor: The first disciplinary case centers on a March 21 incident at City Hall, where Jerome “disseminated a list containing juvenile records” to one of the city’s deputy mayors, according to a summary report of the probe. Internal investigators found that he violated rules that bar cops from improperly handling or releasing records, disobeying an order or directive, and discrediting the department.
* Sun-Times | CPS School Board is not expected to act on CEO Pedro Martinez’s contract on Thursday: The Board of Education has not scheduled a vote to fire or otherwise push out Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez this week, which threatens to prolong the drama around his job status through the holidays and into the new year. A meeting agenda posted Tuesday afternoon for the school board’s Thursday evening meeting does not list action toward Martinez’s dismissal or for a separation settlement. The board offered Martinez a buyout last week, but he has so far opted to remain in his role.
* Tribune | Training for newly-elected Board of Education members postponed without explanation: After receiving news of the postponement, the new board members expressed frustration with the late notice and their lack of the appropriate background to jump into high-stakes board meetings when they will be seated in January. “I’m ready to do the work that I was elected to do, and I want to learn what I need … to do it right with integrity and honesty, transparency, accountability,” said new board member Ellen Rosenfeld of District 4.
* Sun-Times | Scenes of Gov. JB Pritzker aboard the CTA holiday train: Gov. JB Pritzker boarded the Santa’s Express car on the CTA’s Holiday Train on Tuesday at the Clark and Lake station, greeting passengers, handing out candy and taking photos with them. The governor mingled and chatted and met Santa Claus until the train reached the Kedzie station.
* Tribune | Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association receives $50 million donation: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association on Tuesday announced that it had received a donation of $50 million from benefactors Helen and Sam Zell on behalf of the Zell Family Foundation, with the money planned for the long-term financial health of the orchestra. According to the announcement, the money will “allow the CSOA to continue to advance its strategic goals.” Among those goals are reducing the CSOA’s debt, increasing its endowment and funding musician and staff retirement benefits. The donation will also help support the orchestra’s domestic and international touring, pay for marketing initiatives and go to “special artistic projects shaped by CSO music directors.”
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Tribune | After decades of trying, DuPage acquires horse farm link to Morton Arboretum: DuPage County Forest Preserve District officials finally acquired a long-sought, 34.9-acre horse farm in unincorporated Wheaton that the district viewed as a keystone parcel between the 797-acre Danada Forest Preserve and the 1,700-acre Morton Arboretum. The district closed on its $12 million acquisition of the Gladstone Ridge horse farm, at 3S325 Leask Lane on Nov. 26 after decades of attempts at acquiring it from the Bolger family, which had owned the land since 1966.
* Daily Herald | ‘So much to be done’: Arlington Heights pastor, 90, reflects on decades of fighting for civil rights: After more than six decades of following in the footsteps of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and promoting his legacy, the Rev. Clyde Brooks doesn’t feel he has accomplished as much as he would have liked. “I don’t think I’ll ever retire because there’s so much to be done … but I am tired,” the 90-year-old Arlington Heights pastor said of his activism, which he started right out of college, largely inspired by King.
* Daily Herald | 1,400 council meetings later: Palatine honors Solberg for 37 years of service: Solberg recently stepped down from his post after 37 years of service. Joe Falkenberg stepped in to succeed Solberg in District 4. Mayor Jim Schwantz calculated Solberg attended approximately 1,400 village council meetings and approximately 450 liquor commission meetings. “An unbelievable amount of time spent serving the Village of Palatine,” Schwantz said.
*** Downstate ***
* NYT | R.F.K. Jr.’s War on Corn Syrup Brings a Health Crusade to Trump Country: “It’d have a huge impact,” a 37-year-old electrician who would identify himself by only his first name, Tyler, said of Mr. Kennedy’s declaration of war on corn syrup and corn oil. He was grabbing lunch at Debbie’s Diner in the shadow of the mills. “That shuts down Central Illinois, if A.D.M. shuts down.”
* PJ Star | Chemical plant given approval to build facility along Illinois River in Peoria: A chemical plant that Peoria officials say will bring practices that are “sensitive” to environmental concerns will be allowed to build a new facility along the Illinois River. The Peoria City Council voted 9-1 to allow Viridis Chemical to move its operations from Columbus, Nebraska, to Peoria and construct a new facility behind the existing BioUrja ethanol facility off Southwest Washington Street.
*** National ***
* Semafor | Arctic emitted more carbon than it stored for first time in 2024, US report finds: About 1.5 trillion tons of carbon remains stored in permafrost, which is more carbon than in all the trees in all the world’s forests, according to NPR, and unleashing that carbon could significantly accelerate the effects of climate change. The warming arctic is already having noticeable ecological impacts: Inland caribou populations have declined by 65% over recent decades, according tot the NOAA report.
* The Atlantic | Why Democrats Got the Politics of Immigration So Wrong for So Long: The election of Donald Trump this year shattered a long-standing piece of conventional wisdom in American politics: that Latinos will vote overwhelmingly for whichever party has the more liberal approach to immigration, making them a reliable Democratic constituency. This view was once so pervasive that the Republican Party’s 2012 post-election autopsy concluded that the party needed to move left on immigration to win over more nonwhite voters.
* Click here to help LSSI bring Holiday joy to children in foster care.
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