Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2025

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

A new poll shows Illinois voters aren’t on board with mobile gambling, which could pose a challenge for legislation being considered in Springfield.

A subject matter hearing on the issue will be held today. Details here.

About the poll: The Tulchin Research survey of 800 registered voters found that 71 percent believe gambling on phones is more addictive than gambling at brick-and-mortar locations like casinos, restaurants, bars or veterans halls. The poll was conducted Feb. 11-17 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.46 percentage points. The polling memo is here.

Click here to view the poll—but we don’t know who commissioned it.

* Brianne Doura-Schawohl, Problem and responsible gambling expert and advocate, Campaign for Fairer Gambling…

“Illinoisans must recognize the truth about iGambling: legalization will lead to higher rates of problem gambling, especially in young people. States that legalize online gaming will see dramatic spikes in gambling addiction. With increased accessibility comes increased participation and subsequent harm. I have spent my career working to address problem gambling, doing all that I can to prevent and reduce it. I’ve seen firsthand the damage this has on individuals and their families. Research is clear, an individual suffering from gambling related harm is 15x more likely to die by suicide and an individual struggling can negatively impact six other individuals. Legalization of iGambling is talking about legalizing products that don’t just cause catastrophic harm for one individual but entire communities. We need to ask, is this the type of outcome Illinois desires and strives for.”

* National Education Association…

NEA President Becky Pringle and Gov. JB Pritzker to attend largest gathering of educators in Illinois

WHO: National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle, Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Al Llorens

WHAT: President Pringle and Gov. Pritzker will be welcomed by President Llorens to the IEA Representative Assembly (RA). The RA is the legislative body of the IEA, Illinois’ largest union, and helps the union set its agenda for the year. There are 1,200 IEA delegates, who are educators from all across the state, in attendance. Both Pringle and Pritzker will address the crowd.

WHEN: Thurs., March 13, 9:00 a.m.

WHERE: Hyatt Regency O’Hare (9300 W Bryn Mawr Ave., Rosemont)

* Illinois Department of Employment Security…

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that nonfarm payrolls were almost unchanged, down -1,100 (0.0%), while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.9 percent in January, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and released by IDES. The December monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +8,800 to +12,200 while the revised unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, -0.3 percentage point lower than the preliminary December unemployment rate of 5.2 percent. The January payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.

Compared to a year ago, total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +36,000 jobs. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases included: Private Education and Health Services (+27,500), Government (+25,300), and Leisure and Hospitality (+5,800). The industry groups with the largest jobs decreases included: Professional and Business Services (-17,800), Manufacturing (-5,900), and Construction (-3,400). In January, total nonfarm payrolls were up +0.6 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +1.3 percent in the nation.

In January, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job increases included: Government (+7,900), Financial Activities (+1,800), and Private Education and Health Services (+1,600). The industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll job decreases included: Leisure and Hospitality (-8,700), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-2,400) and Manufacturing (-1,800).

“Despite significant uncertainty and disruption at the federal level, Illinois’ labor market and unemployment remained steady in January, and we’re encouraged to see 36,000 jobs created in Illinois compared to one year ago,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “Looking ahead, IDES and its state and local workforce partners continue to serve jobseekers and provide resources to bolster Illinois’ unmatched workforce.” […]

The state’s unemployment rate was +0.9 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate reported for January. The national unemployment rate was 4.0 percent in January, down -0.1 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was unchanged from a year ago when it was 4.9 percent.

The number of unemployed workers was 324,100, down -1.3% from the prior month, and up +1.2 percent over the same month one year ago. The labor force was almost unchanged (0.0%) over-the-month and up +1.2 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.

*** Statewide ***

* WTTW | ‘A Tsunami Coming From Washington’: Chicago, Illinois Leaders Respond to Education Department Layoffs: “There is a tsunami coming from Washington to every child and state in this country,” Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery said Wednesday morning in Chicago. “It’s not efficiency, it’s not reform, it’s (the) destruction of a Department of Education because this administration in Washington wants to give huge tax breaks to billionaires.”

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Despite tourist shooting, Johnson nixes 8 p.m. curfew for minors downtown: Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday left no doubt he remains opposed to a downtown curfew of 8 p.m. for unaccompanied minors — even after a tourist was shot while walking with her son outside a Streeterville movie theater. Instead of using the stick to prevent young people summoned by social media from congregating and sometimes creating havoc downtown, Johnson favors offering them the carrot of paid employment.

* Block Club | Alderman Will Try Again To Pass 8 PM Downtown Curfew For Minors After Streeterville Shooting: The city currently enforces a 10 p.m. curfew daily for people 17 and younger. […] Hopkins’ ordinance was sent to the Rules Committee, where legislation often stalls indefinitely. To revive the ordinance, Hopkins will need a majority of committee members to approve moving it out of the Rules Committee and into another. The measure must then receive majority support in that committee before going to a final vote at City Council.

* Tribune | Some CPS teachers claim REACH evaluation system disproportionately targets Black educators: Simpson spent 15 years as a culinary teacher in Chicago Public Schools until 2017, when she was forced into retirement, she said, after receiving a poor teaching evaluation. Simpson’s career came to an abrupt end due to what she called “principal manipulation.” “They used the REACH system to manipulate my rating, which lowered my rating (and) took away my seniority and allowed them to dismiss me over the other person,” Simpson said of the school, which she declined to name.

* Crain’s | As dealmaking stalls amid Trump uncertainty, one industry forges ahead: Chicago-area insurance brokerages looking to make deals have kept their foot on the gas in early 2025, with the number of acquisitions in the space rising even as uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump’s actions has stalled plans in other industries. Expectations for robust profits and the advantages of size are seen as driving the uptick in activity from brokerages.

* Tribune | Chicago ranked 7th-most polluted major US city in 2024, down from 2nd the previous year, global report shows: On average last year, Chicago’s atmosphere had 8.4 micrograms of particulate matter per cubic meter of air, considerably lower than its 2023 average of 13 micrograms. But “that’s still a far cry” from the World Health Organization’s recommended guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter, Schroeder said. Wildfires in the Canadian province of Quebec during the summer of 2023 contributed to higher levels of PM2.5 that year. Schroeder said other contributors to lower pollution levels could be that the winter of 2023-2024 was the warmest on record for the country and the fifth-warmest in Chicago — which meant people didn’t produce as much smoke from using wood-burning fireplaces to heat their homes.

* Sun-Times | White Sox prospect Colson Montgomery surprised but ‘not stressing’ over cut: Like almost everyone else — besides the White Sox front office — Colson Montgomery didn’t expect to be cut two and a half weeks before Opening Day. So it hit the 23-year-old shortstop prospect in the gut Tuesday.

* WGN | Lost mail discovered in North Side alley: On a cold Saturday morning in late January, Mason discovered hundreds of pieces of mail in the alley outside his building near Leland Avenue and Sheridan Road. “There was a significant number of W-2s, checks…a lot of financial stuff,” Mason said. “I walked up and down the alley and the backyard and picked up about 250 pieces of mail.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Trustees walk out of Thornton Township meeting following conflict with Supervisor Tiffany Henyard: Because only three board members were physically present, Trustees Chris Gonzalez and Carmen Carlisle needed Supervisor Tiffany Henyard’s approval to bring Trustee Stephanie Wiedeman into the meeting via Zoom. Wiedeman was absent due to a “child care conflict,” Carlisle said. “You cannot go via Zoom if you do not have an illness or anything like that,” Henyard said before voting against Wiedeman’s participation. “Our meetings are in person and everybody should be here to take care of the business.”

* Daily Southtown | OSHA fines contractor overseeing clean-up at former mental health center: As part of the ongoing saga regarding the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center, Village Manager Pat Carr held a news conference regarding an Occupational Safety and Health Administration fine of nearly $40,000 against the Omega company for safety violations during demolition of a building at the site in October. The village and the Tinley Park-Park District have been at odds over the land, now owned by the Park District. The village is using the OSHA fines to argue the Park District is not up to the task for this project.

* Daily Southtown | Summit Hill District 161 candidates denounce anonymous flyers with anti-Muslim sentiment: The anonymous flyer, left in some Mokena mailboxes this week, expressed anger over the board’s decision to sell two of its elementary schools due to declining enrollment. The school board entered into an agreement with the Frankfort Square Park District to use the former Frankfort Square Elementary School, and the board sold the former Arbury Hills Elementary School to the Prayer Center of Orland Park, an Islamic mosque.

* Daily Southtown | Mokena Mayor Frank Fleischer faces a challenge from longtime Trustee George Metanias: Mokena Mayor Frank Fleischer, seeking a fourth term, faces a challenge from longtime Trustee George Metanias in the April election, with both aiming to revitalize the village’s downtown and attract more businesses. Fleischer, elected in 2013 — 10 years after his previous tenure as trustee from 1987 to 2003 — said he aims to continue bringing businesses to Mokena and redevelop the village’s downtown area. “There’s things to be done that I just would like to finish before I walk out the door,” Fleischer said. “I know I’m not going to finish them. I just want to get started so the next mayor can finish them.”

* Daily Herald | Lisle mayor candidates debate Family Square mall development downtown: For years, there was hope that a developer would demolish the shuttered Family Square Plaza to make way for a large-scale apartment building with ground-floor commercial space, but that project did not move forward. “A multiuse development like this is still feasible,” said Lisle Trustee Mary Jo Mullen, who’s challenging incumbent Mayor Chris Pecak, during a recent joint interview with the Daily Herald Editorial Board. Pecak has suggested the empty shopping center at Ogden Avenue and Main Street — a gateway into the downtown — could be revived.

* WBEZ | Matteson farm that lost flock to bird flu loses $200K in federal grants after funding freeze: In October, Kakadoodle Farm was informed it would receive a $220,000 grant. But Tuesday, it was suspended due to the Trump administration’s freeze on federal funding. The news came weeks after owners MariKate and Marty Thomas lost their flock of 3,000 chickens to the avian flu in January. “First the bird flu, and then this. Like, what’s next?” Marty Thomas told the Sun-Times Friday.

* Bloomberg | Northwestern looks to build cash reserves in face of market turbulence: Northwestern University’s investment chief wants to increase cash reserves while scaling back private equity in the school’s $14.3 billion endowment as colleges across the country brace for market turbulence. The cash allocation is set to rise to as much as 7% from no more than 5%, said Chief Investment Officer Amy Falls. Private equity holdings would be trimmed “at the margin,” she said, without quantifying the potential reduction.

*** Downstate ***

* WMBD | Peoria approves $39K to help keep the unhoused off the street: The non-profit was given a $39,000 grant that reimburses funds the organization has spent to house more than 90 people who previously were living in tents in Peoria. This is the second time the council has given money to LULA Peoria, previously giving the organization $80,000 back in January. LULA has been using its own money to house the homeless since money from the city ran out in February.

* BND | 100 years ago: Tornado wiped out southern Illinois towns, left thousands without homes: 100 years ago, March 19, 1925 A tornado, which swept over southern Illinois yesterday afternoon at 3 o’clock, wiped out several towns, left thousands homeless and caused great property damage over a wide area in the southern part of the state. Reports over the radio give the dead and injured at 3,251, in one of the worst storms in the history of the state. Incomplete reports give the dead at 957 with 2,294 hurt.

* Fox 2 Now | Solar project in southern Illinois sparks concern for residents: The sun is the next renewable energy source set to power southern Illinois. So much so, that the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency has entered into a 20-year agreement with National Grid Renewables to purchase all electrical output from the future Bee Hollow facility. […] Some residents sold their properties while others are leasing to the different power companies. During the approval process for the Bee Hollow solar project in St. Clair County, Illinois, concerns were raised about the environmental impact of tree removal.

* WCIA | Tolono hopes to improve, but area leaders have different perspectives: The goal for the community is to create a more appealing area by improving roads, updating homes, and bringing in more businesses. But, the current Village of Trustees and election candidates aren’t seeing eye to eye. The Board of Trustees said they’ve been having a hard time bringing in new businesses and finding available property for businesses to come in — so they needed to put a pause on the project to take care of other issues and make sure they were going down the right path.

9 Comments

Your take?

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Tribune’s write-up about a special House Ag Committee hearing yesterday that focused on the Trump administration…

The president’s tariffs and resulting retaliation from other countries could also cause issues for farmers, Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello told the committee. Trump has said those tariffs will stoke American industry after potential short-term economic hardship.

“Farmers, just like any other business, need and deserve stability. They’re businessmen and women making decisions,” Costello said.

Republican Rep. Charlie Meier of Okawville suggested the hearing was a partisan exercise by Democrats who control the committee.

“This is a hearing that maybe should be done six months from now … and it shouldn’t be being done today,” he said. Meier said the committee shouldn’t “overreact” to Trump’s funding moves, which at times have suspended federal money and then brought it back.

Rep. Sonya Harper, a Chicago Democrat, denied that the hearing was called for political reason, saying “it is evident that the actions taken on the federal level are definitely hurting farmers and rural communities in Illinois.”

Rep. Meier also said that corn prices had risen since the end of December, which meant, he said, that Trump’s policies have so far been good for farmers. Corn prices have actually fallen since Trump took office. Same goes for soybeans.

But, yeah, it’s only been a couple of months and farmers just went through a horrible two years. Even so, click here for an informative read about how the president’s desire to move farming away from exports would upend the entire industry.

Charlie’s overall message was everyone should try to work together on what has been a bipartisan committee.

* I’m interested to hear your take on this. The House hasn’t passed a single bill this session, but pretty much every day on the floor they’ve spent lots of time going back and forth over the various federal crises/actions. Some, like trans policy, they have at least some control over. Others, like federal farm policy (such as it is), they don’t.

18 Comments

Tax-free municipal bonds could be on the chopping block, and that would hurt Illinois

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Port City Daily…

A 51-page memo leaked from the House Ways and Means Committee identifies different programs — many categorized under health, welfare or energy — that could be modified or eliminated to reduce federal spending. One of these is federal tax exemption for state and local bonds. […]

[The exemption] works like this: A municipality’s governing body votes to pay for a major infrastructure project — schools, bridges, water-treatment facilities — through bonds. Sometimes, such as the case with most general obligation bonds, these must be approved by voters via bond referendum.

The municipality agrees to pay back the bonded amount with interest, but because that interest is tax-exempt for local governments, governing bodies can often secure a lower interest rate, making it easier for the municipality to pay off the debt.

If the tax exemption were removed, it could lead to higher borrowing costs for infrastructure projects. It would then be passed onto the taxpayer and reduce the availability of capital for local governments.

* Scott Sowers for the Bond Buyer…

“It’s a misconception that tax-exempt bonds protect the wealthy,” said Vikram Rai, lead strategist at the municipal division at Wells Fargo. “About 75% are held by retail, meaning moms and pops.”

“If you tell them that suddenly your bonds are taxable, it’ll destroy the wealth of a $4 trillion market by about 33%. Talk about burning down the house to cook a steak. This is what’s happening.” […]

Some believe the tax exemption will be kept in place for outstanding bonds to avoid burning down the house, but Rai believes the perceived savings numbers currently being discussed are all inclusive. […]

“What if the state of Michigan had to issue all of their debt taxable?” [said Emily Brock, director of the federal liaison center of the Government Finance Officers Association]. “We found that the difference between taxable and tax exempt was about 2.1%. You layer that 2.1% onto $4 trillion and that ends up being an $824 billion price tag.”

* In February, the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy broke down tax-exempt municipal bonds by state…

In return for investing in public infrastructure, investors receive favorable tax treatment on the interest they earn from municipal bonds. According to one recent analysis, this tax advantage reduces borrowing costs for state and local governments by an average of 54%, compared to taxable debt.

For Illinois that means…

• Since 2015, state and local governments in Illinois have invested $137.4 billion in projects financed by tax-exempt municipal bonds.
• Illinois taxpayers saved an estimated $2.9 billion on projects financed with tax-exempt municipal bonds since 2015.
• A total of 1,464 state and local governments have tax-exempt municipal bonds outstanding today. Of them, 1,203 have borrowed less than $30 million in the past decade. These smaller, less frequent borrowers are 82.2% of Illinois’s total borrowers.

* Caitlin Devitt for the Bond Buyer…

When municipal bond dealers gathered in Chicago last week, speculation around threats to the tax exemption emanating from Washington, D.C. dominated the conversation. […]

“I think there will be a huge amount of pressure on doing something on municipal bonds,” said Chuck Samuels, a member at Mintz and counsel to the National Association of Health & Educational Facilities Finance Authorities. “If you argue it abstractly it’s a no-win. It’s the local impact that matters,” Samuels said. Senate Finance Committee Chair Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, “knows every hospital in that state,” he noted.

Like others, Samuels said he sees PABs and the health care and higher education sectors as among the most vulnerable. […]

“There’s a very concerted effort to educate lawmakers on the importance of the tax-exemption,” said Paul Chatalas, Illinois’ director of capital markets and vice chair of the GFOA’s debt committee.

Chatalas warned of the pressure that would be put on states and locals if the exemption is eliminated. “It will be a de facto tax increase for every tax-exempt issuer in the United States, or else you issue less and then less infrastructure gets funded,” he said.

* Related…

Bond Buyer | BDA hires communications firm to get the word heard on tax exemption:

8 Comments

Treasurer Frerichs’ home targeted again by late-night protesters

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* NBC 5 last year…

A group of protesters gathered outside the home of Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs this week, with vandals throwing red paint onto the home and shouting through a bullhorn in the early morning hours.

According to the treasurer, the group of pro-Palestinian protesters were demonstrating against his office’s decision to invest in companies with ties to Israel. The group also protested at a fundraiser that was held on behalf of Frerichs’ reelection campaign, but the demonstration then resumed near his home in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.

Frerichs said that the paint splattered over the front of his home and also damaged toys belonging to his 1-year-old twins, who were asleep in the home at the time.

“The lead woman had a bullhorn, and she made it very clear what her reasons were (for protesting),” he said. “She made it very clear by singling out my children, calling out, saying she knew that they were at home, knew that they were in their cribs and that they shouldn’t be allowed to sleep.”

Since then, Treasurer Frerichs announced the renewal of $15 million in Israel Bonds that were set to expire and purchased an additional $10 million in Israel Bonds.

* More than a dozen protesters came back to Frerichs’ house at about 3 o’clock this morning with bullhorns…

I will always defend the right of people to peacefully protest. But coming to my home with bullhorns at 3 a.m. and frightening my family simply goes too far. This is intimidation to cause fear through scare tactics. They made it clear as they were leaving that they would continue to harass my wife and children where they sleep until my office divests from Israel Bonds. I won’t back down from these threats. I stand by the investment decisions I’ve made.

A Frerichs spokesperson said the treasurer took his family to the back of their house for safety. When Chicago police were dispersing the protesters, he heard them yell “We will be back until you divest.”

* They also attached this to a tree in front of Frerichs’ house…

Discuss.

46 Comments

Misguided Insurance Regulation Proposals Could Increase Premiums For The Majority Of Illinoisans

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Several bills proposed this legislative session seek to ban certain factors that insurance companies use to set fair and accurate insurance pricing for customers. The bills would ban the use of credit-based insurance scores, zip codes, age, and gender in insurance pricing.

An op-ed published recently in the Chicago Tribune explains why such bans could cause insurance rates to rise for the majority of consumers.

Case in point: When the use of credit was banned in Washington in 2021, more than 60 percent of Washington drivers saw an increase in their insurance premiums. Should similar legislation pass in Illinois, the majority of Illinoisians with better-than-average credit could see premium increases.

With stubbornly high inflation and high property taxes, now is not the time to pass bills that could end up hiking insurance premiums for most Illinoisans.

Click here to learn more.

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Illinois react to US Department of Education layoffs

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Chalkbeat…

The U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday that it’s cutting its workforce nearly in half — a move that Education Secretary Linda McMahon said is a first step toward eliminating the department.

Roughly a third of staff will lose their jobs through a “reduction in force,” the department said in a press release. Combined with voluntary buyouts, the Education Department will have just under 2,200 employees by the end of the month, compared with 4,133 when President Donald Trump took office with promises to shutter the department. […]

Affected staff will be placed on administrative leave starting March 21, the department said. Ahead of the announcement, workers were told to leave the office by 6 p.m. Tuesday and that the office would remain closed until Thursday “for security reasons.” McMahon later said this was standard corporate process when layoffs occur. […]

The Education Department administers major federal funding programs such as Title I, which provides extra money to high-poverty schools, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, which supports special education. It also investigates civil rights complaints and oversees an accountability system that pushes states to identify low-performing schools and provide them with additional resources.

* Chicago’s office will be closed. ProPublica…

With a mass email sharing what it called “difficult news,” the U.S. Department of Education has eroded one of its own key duties, abolishing more than half of the offices that investigate civil rights complaints from students and their families. […]

The Office for Civil Rights’ locations in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco are being shuttered, ProPublica has learned. Offices will remain in Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

* ABC Chicago…

In its statement on Tuesday night, the DOE said it will continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under its purview, including student loans and funding for students with special needs.

Looking ahead, officials say remaining department employees will be teleworking for safety reasons on Wednesday.

* But nobody really knows yet how federal funding will ultimately change. Sun-Times…

If federal education funding was reduced by Congress or by other means, Illinois and Chicago schools wouldn’t lose the majority of their education money. But they would be hurt.

Most school funding comes from local property taxes and the state.

This school year, for example, federal funding makes up about 16% ($1.3 billion) of the $8.4 billion Chicago Public Schools operating budget.

* Governor Pritzker…

Donald Trump is failing the test of leadership again.

Instead of proposing any plans to improve math and reading scores for students, he’s tearing down the Department of Education and making it harder for working class kids to get ahead.

* Illinois Education Association…

Illinois Education Association President Al Llorens released the following statement reacting to Donald Trump’s gutting of the U.S. Department of Education:

“The U.S. Department of Education (USED) was founded to help realize the promise of a quality public school for every student no matter where they live, the color of their skin or how much money their family makes. It does not dictate what schools teach kids or how they educate them. It is part of the fabric that IS public education in the United States and it is public education that works as the great equalizer for our country. Dismantling USED and firing up to 50 percent of its employees will have a profound effect on schools in Illinois. Several programs could be impacted, for instance:

- More than 1,000 school districts in the state receive Title 1 money, funds set aside to help schools with the most impoverished students. This money helps 960,095 students in our state.
- More than 1,000 districts also receive funding through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a federal law that ensures children with disabilities receive free and appropriate education. At least 295,261 Illinois students benefit from these funds.
- Another 264,460 Illinois college students receive Pell grants – money to help the neediest students afford a college education.
- And more than 28,000 students in Illinois are enrolled in Head Start, a program designed to support children’s growth from birth to age 5 through services centered around early learning and development.

These are valuable and needed initiatives that serve our most vulnerable. The Illinois Education Association knows, because we ask Illinoisans each spring about their opinions on public education in Illinois in our annual and bi-partisan State of Education in Illinois. Illinoisans report that:

- Four in five schools in our state are already underfunded and 80 percent of our state believes funding for public education should increase.
- Ninety-one percent of Illinoisans agree that every child in Illinois has a right to an education at a public school.
- And, 92 percent believe that every child with a disability has the right to a public education in our state.
- Only 11 percent of our state’s residents believe that politicians should have any voice in how public schools are run.

Cutting USED will be deeply harmful to Illinois students and our communities. Ninety percent of the students in our state attend public schools and 95 percent of students with disabilities are students within our buildings. Making broad-based cuts like those ordered today doesn’t affect faceless bureaucrats, it affects our kids. We will fight this action. As the largest educator organization in Illinois, it is our mission to do so.”

* Illinois Federation of Teachers…

“President Trump cannot dismantle the Department of Education without Congress, yet he is attempting to bypass the legislative process and override the will of the people. This is about consolidating power, rolling back civil rights, and diverting public funds to private interests. Legal experts agree that this move is unconstitutional and will face serious challenges, but the mere attempt exposes his reckless disregard for democracy and the rule of law. Public education is the backbone of our democracy, and his threats are a direct attack on it.

“In Illinois, the Department of Education supports more than 2 million children across 4,000 K-12 schools. The 1.3 million students at Title I schools rely on $778 million in federal funding. Students with disabilities are accommodated with $652 million in federal support. Additionally, $54 million in federal funding helps provide before- and after-school care for students with working parents.

“At the federal level, the Department of Education invests in two- and four-year colleges and trade development programs, making higher education and career training more accessible. The $63 billion in federal student loans and $1 billion in Pell Grants help 1.8 million students afford college. Eliminating the DOE and cutting these programs would devastate millions of students and families who rely on these critical resources. These cuts threaten the future of the American workforce and will shrink the middle class.

“The IFT and its 103,000 members will not back down. We will continue organizing, mobilizing, and fighting to protect our students, our schools, and the communities we serve. Trump’s attacks on public education will not go unchallenged—we are ready, we are united.”

13 Comments

It’s just a bill

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* WCIA…

Some officials across Central Illinois are worried several townships could be dissolved if proposed bills continue to move forward. […]

Alan Sprinkle, the Monticello Township Highway Commissioner, believes it’ll cost more if townships go away. He said cities or counties would have to pick up the slack to fill the gaps instead.

His team plows snow, fixes potholes, maintains buildings and takes care of about 54 miles of road. Sprinkle said they cover a lot of ground, in part because Piatt County doesn’t have a highway department. […]

Regarding the bills, SB2504, SB2217 and HB2515 are all on the table right now. […]

Sen. Suzy Hilton (D-Western Springs) is one of the lawmakers part of the proposal. Her office confirmed she is pushing forward with SB2504, which would affect townships with 50,000 people or less.

* Sen. Rachel Ventura…

Senator Rachel Ventura introduced the Deforestation-Free Illinois Act, to make Illinois the first state to ensure state purchases don’t contribute to deforestation, forest degradation, or human rights violations.

“The state has made a serious commitment to reducing its carbon footprint with CEJA. Now more than ever, we must align Illinois’ procurement policy to match those commitments and move toward a deforestation-free procurement policy,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Preventing deforestation is one of the most cost-effective climate mitigation strategies – by aligning our state with the policies set in this legislation, our state can make bold improvements in protecting the climate, biodiversity and human rights.”

Senate Bill 2157 would make Illinois a leader in responsible sourcing, aligning with global efforts to protect forests, climate, and biodiversity.

The Deforestation-Free Illinois Act would ban forest destruction, positioning Illinois as a global climate leader with stronger procurement standards. It safeguards biodiversity by preserving ecosystems and protecting at-risk species. The bill supports Illinois and U.S. businesses by prioritizing low-deforestation products—recognizing that U.S. soy and cattle have significantly lower deforestation risks than imports. It also includes a preference for Illinois-sourced products, keeping taxpayer dollars in-state. Additionally, the bill upholds Indigenous rights by requiring Free, Prior, and Informed Consent for developments affecting their land and resources. […]

Senate Bill 2157 awaits Senate committee assignment.

* Center Square…

Aqua Illinois and Illinois American Water sought tens of millions of dollars in rate hikes from consumers last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission reduced Aqua’s increase by 43% to just under $11 million in November. The ICC dropped Illinois American’s hike by 30% to $110 million the next month.

State Sen. Laura Murphy, D-Des Plaines, filed Senate Bill 75 in an effort to curb such moves by private utilities.

Citizens Utility Board Director of Governmental Affairs Bryan McDaniel called the rate hikes “insane” and urged support for SB 75, which would require private water utility shareholders to pay more than consumers for new acquisitions by the utilities. […]

“The other part of that bill would end a surcharge on water bills that allows the water utility to spend money more quickly and thus raise rates more quickly. This is called the QIP surcharge: Qualifying Infrastructure Plant surcharge,” McDaniel said.

* WCIA…

Stuttering can be triggered by trauma and sometimes develops over time, leaving many young people to struggle with communication due to inaccessible treatment.

A new bill filed by Senator Willie Preston (D-Chicago) would require private, public, and state health plans including Medicaid who cover habilitative or rehabilitative speech therapy to provide healthcare coverage for children struggling with stuttering, no matter the cause. […]

Under the state’s current law, speech therapy is covered by insurance for habilitative service for individuals under 19 with congenital or genetic stuttering only if it is deemed medically necessary in order to help them learn and improve their speech skills. However, some insurance plans have limitations that could exclude stuttering treatments, leaving many families paying out of pocket. […]

The bill has been assigned to the Senate Insurance Committee. If it passes it will take effect at the beginning of 2027.

* WAND…

Legislation signed into law last year require the state employees insurance program to cover medically necessary FDA-approved treatments and medications to slow progression of [Alzheimer’s]. The law also requires coverage for diagnostic testing for doctors to determine the best treatment or medication starting July 1.

Now, lawmakers want to require this coverage for patients on any health insurance plan.

“The requirement applies to private health insurance plans regulated by the state, self-insuring counties, self-insuring municipalities, self-insuring school districts, health maintenance organizations, and limited health service organizations,” said Rep. Mary Gill (D-Chicago).

House Bill 1360 passed unanimously out of the House Insurance Committee Tuesday afternoon. The measure now moves to the House floor for further consideration.

* Rep. Sue Scherer…

State Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, recently filed a consumer protection measure aimed at protecting older adults and patients at risk of exploitation from deceptive sales tactics by insurance companies.

“Older adults and individuals receiving memory care are particularly vulnerable to high-pressure sales tactics from people and businesses pushing expensive insurance plans that ultimately provide little to no actual coverage,” said Scherer. “These are seniors suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s, and the effects of aging who need to be protected from these sales.”

Scherer’s House Bill 1865 will curb abusive practices by regulating how health insurance companies and their representatives can communicate with individuals over the age of 65, who are suffering from dementia, living in a long-term care facility or nursing home. The solicitor must provide the senior with an opt-out option, advice to discuss changes with a family member and company contact information. Most importantly, solicitors cannot require a purchase at the first communication, which is a trick often used to entrap our most vulnerable seniors. Sales are also illegal if the solicitation is made without the consultation of the senior’s designated attorney-in-fact if one is established or has a cognitive impairment.

“There seems to be no end in sight to the amount of different scummy tactics that health insurance companies employ to take advantage of our most vulnerable,” said Scherer. “But today is a new day in Illinois, and I’m proud to stand up for our seniors and say no to big insurance companies that consistently put profits over people.”

HB1865 passed through the House Consumer Protection Committee yesterday.

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Intoxicating Hemp: No safety? No thanks!

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

A federal loophole has led to a booming gray market across Illinois for intoxicating hemp products, which use synthetics to alter the composition of hemp to get consumers high.

This is happening outside the structure of the state’s legal cannabis industry. This means intoxicating hemp faces NO quality testing, NO age restrictions, NO packaging requirements, NO potency rules, and NO taxes to fund programs in communities impacted by the War on Drugs. Most intoxicating hemp products aren’t even produced in Illinois. By contrast, Illinois cannabis businesses face extensive rules and regulations to operate, with products tracked from seed to sale. When consumers purchase legal cannabis grown and processed in Illinois, they know their products are safe.

Hemp and cannabis come from the same plant. Both products can get users high. Why the different rules? Illinois already has a system in place to regulate hemp – it’s called the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. It’s time for Illinois to close the intoxicating hemp loophole.

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Open thread

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers know more. ICYMI: How chaos at the Education Department impacts Illinois schools. Sun-Times…

- This school year, for example, federal funding makes up about 16% ($1.3 billion) of the $8.4 billion Chicago Public Schools operating budget.

- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker last week said Trump’s plans to dismantle the Education Department would hurt working families. The greatest impact would be felt by rural schools, students with disabilities and students from low-income families who rely on federal grants to pay for college, he said.

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Partisan politics infiltrating non-partisan local Illinois elections: Rule said one of the main goals of Tazewell Republicans this election cycle is defeating Dr. Ashley Fischer, a pediatrician running for the Morton School Board whom Hauter called “too radical for the people and schools of Morton.” Fischer said she’s an anti-bullying advocate, which includes respecting all aspects of students’ identities like race, gender and sexuality.

* Tribune | Illinois farmers, saying they face ‘so many challenges as it is,’ criticize USDA funding freezes: “Farmers face so many challenges as it is, and now they must contend with the uncertainty of whether these contracts with the government will be honored,” said Anna Morrell, co-owner of The Little Farm at Weldon Springs in Clinton and a member of the National Young Farmers Coalition. “We need certainty, and we need certainty so we can continue feeding our communities.” The USDA has said it plans to cut off funds in fiscal year 2025 for a program that provides funds to food banks to purchase food from local farmers, among other funding pauses and program cuts. Some of the programs cut specifically helped newer farmers and farmers from historically disadvantaged groups, or brought food to disadvantaged communities, Morrell said.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Press Release | Hoffman and Belt Highlight Release of State Funds in Support of MetroLink Extension to MidAmerica Airport: “Securing $31 million for the MetroLink light rail extension is a significant step forward for our region’s transportation infrastructure,” Belt said. “I’m proud to work alongside Rep. Jay Hoffman in delivering this crucial funding, ensuring that the MetroLink extension will serve as a vital link to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport.” Hoffman and Belt have worked together to help secure state investment in the transit project, which is moving forward and expected to be open to riders in summer 2026. The recent $31 million release builds on a previous $98 million commitment under the state’s Rebuild Illinois capital program.

* Sun-Times | Labor pushes transit bill to empower RTA over CTA, Metra, Pace: Some state senators on the Transportation Committee seemed receptive Tuesday to the labor group-written bill that seeks to empower the Regional Transportation Authority over the CTA, Metra and Pace. The bill also seeks to build an RTA police force and a cadre of “transit ambassadors” to help provide information to riders. The reforms would be in exchange for $700 million-plus a year of state money to close an impending transit funding gap when federal COVID-19 grants run out next year.

* Jim Dey | Conflicting revenue picture complicates Illinois’ budget process: But as Gov. J.B. Pritzker and legislators approach the new fiscal year beginning July 1, they’re wrestling with conflicting revenue forecasts. Pritzker claims his budget is marginally balanced, while recent estimates by revenue officials foreshadow one that is at least $700 million in the hole. Meanwhile, a disappointing February report by the Legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability shows revenues are “$152 million below” those in February 2024.

*** Statewide ***

* WMAY | Illinois DoA seeking community garden applicants: The Illinois Department of Agriculture has announced it is seeking individuals or families interested in starting their own garden to raise fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers in a community setting. “We are excited to offer space on the Illinois State Fairgrounds to people interested in growing their own food,” said IDOA Director Jerry Costello II. “This is a low-cost solution for those with limited yard space who still want to plant a garden.”

* Sun-Times | Trans people facing gender-affirming care bans flee to Illinois, shield law states: “I don’t want to wait around and watch my life continue to get worse,” Schermerhorn said. “I wasn’t able to have access to health care until I was 18. Now I’m worried it’s going to get taken away. … I don’t get how they can just change what it means to be an adult.” Despite a federal judge temporarily blocking the order March 4 — which could hold enforcement of the order until the case is finished depending on the federal government’s expected appeal — Schermerhorn is still stocking up on her medicines.

* Tribune | A record year for solar in Illinois, and nationwide: ‘Customers want it’: Illinois had a record year for solar growth in 2024 and can now draw enough energy from the sun to power 930,000 homes, according to a new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie. Illinois added 2.5 gigawatts of solar capacity last year — nearly doubling the total amount in the state. Only the sun-kissed states of Texas, California and Florida did better.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Documents show crisis of confidence that led to COPA chief’s exit: Persistent complaints and concerns about oversight within COPA, the agency’s workplace culture, the quality of investigations, as well as Kersten’s own public statements and appearances were chief among the reasons highlighted by CCPSA. “If the police accountability system is or is reasonably perceived to be ineffective or unfair, it will erode public confidence in policing and police oversight,” CCPSA President Anthony Driver and Vice President Remel Terry wrote to Kersten on Jan. 28.

* Block Club | Plan To Expand Toxic Dump On South Lakefront Scrapped Thanks To Neighbors’ Fight: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined the activists in opposing the expansion last summer. James Jennings, acting director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, said in January the plans would amount to “open dumping” in violation of state law. Given the state’s opposition, the Army Corps is now abandoning its expansion plans, agency officials said Tuesday. The agency said it will work with the state, city and Illinois International Port District to find “sustainable and feasible alternatives” for storing dredged sediment.

* WBEZ | Road salt is bad for the environment, so why doesn’t Chicago stop using it?: The consensus is this: Road salt is the safest and most cost-effective substance for managing snow and ice. Chicago gets an average of 3 feet of snow a year, with heavy snowfall years maxing out above 80 inches. And while many cities and researchers have proposed alternatives from salt brine to heated streets, Chicago officials said safety is the “top priority.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Shaw Local | Bureau County Board votes no to accept Cook County jail inmates: In the agreement recommended by a 3-1 vote from the Technology, Building and Grounds Committee, Bureau County would house up to 10 inmates at $70 per inmate, per day. There would be no in-person visits and inmates would need to be returned to Cook County at the time of their release. Bureau County Sheriff Jim Reed was not present for Tuesday’s vote. The sheriff had advocated for entering into the agreement, saying it would generate more than $237,000 a year in revenue. He said he would divert those funds to step up patrols in communities without full-time police forces, with the goal of adding two deputies.

* Crain’s | West Suburban appeals to restore residency program: West Suburban Medical Center, which recently lost accreditation to operate residency programs, is now working to appeal the decision made by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Without accreditation, West Suburban would lose its family residency program — the last residency program at the Oak Park hospital. The current class, which has about 30 residents, is set to end June 30.

* Daily Southtown | Midlothian reaches tentative agreement with Local 150 in public works labor dispute: The agreement follows a strike by public works employees that began Feb. 23, after federal mediation sessions failed to secure a new contract. “The tentative agreement has been reviewed and ratified by Local 150 members,” the union wrote in a statement to the Daily Southtown. “The members went on strike to protest the unfair labor practice, to achieve a fair contract and for respect. They achieved all of their objectives.”

*** Downstate ***

* State Fair Update!…

* BND | True or false? We checked facts in campaign literature of Belleville mayoral candidates: Gregory’s claim: Gregory secured a state grant to purchase the former Lindenwood University campus, which was sitting vacant, and transformed it into a criminal justice center. Facts: Lindenwood University closed its Belleville campus in 2020, citing financial and enrollment issues, when Eckert was mayor. The following year, under Gregory, the city bought the property for $3 million. Gov. JB Pritzker announced in 2022 that the city would be reimbursed for the cost through an Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant.

* WCIA | Champaign Co. fixes election sample ballots, early voting delayed: Tony Bruno, who’s running for the Champaign School Board, said the sample ballot had the wrong rules to vote for the two-year term positions that are open. He said someone sent him a picture of the voting form from earlier this morning where it said to pick one person when it should’ve said two.

* WIFR | Lawmakers celebrate proposed demolition of Rockford’s ‘eyesore’: Singer Mental Health Center: Singer sits abandoned since former Governor Pat Quinn closed the state facility due to budget cuts in 2012. Thirteen years later, Governor JB Pritzker prepares the center’s epilogue. Pritzker’s proposed $55.2 billion budget includes $300 million for “site readiness” – “repurposing” and demolishing unused state properties like Singer.

*** National ***

* The Atlantic | Colleges Have No Idea How to Comply With Trump’s Orders: The reaction from universities could best be described as “panicked bewilderment,” Peter Lake, a law professor at Stetson University, in Florida, told me. “There’s a sense of, Should we run, hide, or counterattack?” The first challenge was figuring out what changes the department had in mind. Because the letter partly targeted “DEI,” which has no legal definition, university administrations said they weren’t sure what it applied to. Many will likely get rid of the most overt and controversial forms of DEI, such as required diversity statements for faculty, but beyond that lies an immense gray area.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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