Good morning officers, families, dignitaries and everyone present today to honor the sacrifices of our fallen heroes and members of law enforcement, including for the first time ever, our furry heroes, the K-9 honorees. Thank you for coming. A special thank you to Dave Johnson – for your leadership and the invitation to join you all here today.
Here we are again. And again. And again. Brought together to support each other and grieve together. Again, adding more names to the list of fallen officers. A list we all wish was empty. But it’s not. It’s got so many names on it. This year, it has 9 more. Nine families joining the club that no one ever wants to join – the Gold Star Families. My heart goes out to each of you. I’m so sorry for your loss. And I wish I could say, never again. Not one more name. But we all know there will be more. And we will meet here again. And again. And again.
I consider it a huge honor to have the privilege every year to get to share some words with all of you. But how do I put words together that will do justice to our heroic officers who sacrificed their lives in service to others. How do I do right with my words, to honor those of you thankfully still with us, who continue to put your lives on the line for us every day? How can my words ever be enough to bring even the tiniest comfort to families who have jagged holes in their hearts?
Words don’t really matter. Actions do.
When we tell the police that we love them and respect them but enact policies that hurt them and make them less safe, we’re not loving or respecting them.
Even though I don’t make law enforcement policy in my statewide comptroller position, as the sister of a police officer and as an elected official with a voice, when I reflect on whether I’ve done enough to speak up for you or speak out against policies that put you at risk, I recognize that I could have and can do more.
PLATE OF BUTTONS
I have a big piece of furniture, a big wine buffet at the entrance of my house. Ironically enough, there’s no wine in it, but that’s not the point of my story. The point is that when I first put that piece of furniture there, I put a really pretty decorative glass plate on top in the middle of the buffet. I thought it looked nice. One day I came home from campaigning, and I took my political button off my coat and threw it on the plate. I was city clerk of Chicago at the time. Over time, it became a collection plate for political buttons – every year, adding new ones from different candidates running for other offices.
As an elected official, I have attended many funerals for fallen police officers. It is now common to get a button of the fallen officer, at the wake or visitation service. I started putting those buttons on the plate with my political buttons. The sad truth is that the buttons of the fallen officers whose services or funerals I’ve attended, are now overtaking my political button collection. The most recent buttons added to that collection were Officer Luis Huesca and Officer Enrique Martinez’ buttons. I was at Mrs. Huesca’s home, and I saw the collection that her own son had of his colleagues, of his friends who had died in the line of service, the first most tragic death for him starting with his friend and fellow officer Eduardo Marmalejo, followed by Officer Conrad Gary. Imagine that his collection as it grew – and it did grow – ended with his own button being added to that collection. I’ve decided to keep the buttons of the fallen officers, top and center view, for me to look at their faces every time I enter or leave my home. They are a sad but stark reminder of the fact that the policy decisions made by the names on the political buttons beneath them, will have an impact on how many more police officer buttons are added to that plate.
When we give more rights to the criminals then we do to our police officers, we end up with dead officers and increased crime in our communities. That’ll mean more buttons on that plate.
Allowing people accused of violent crimes like murder, attempted murder, or predatory sexual assault to be released on electronic monitoring, with two days a week off the monitoring grid is terrible policy.
Chicago Police Officer Enrique Martinez would be with us right now, and not on a button or on the memorial wall, if the monster that murdered him was locked up instead of out committing crimes while on an electronic monitor.
So we can’t say we love the police and then fail them miserably – keep passing laws or policies that make their jobs harder and put them at greater risk.
I’ve said this before but it’s worth repeating. It is wrong to show more concern for the cop killer than for the cop.
It is time to get rid of policies that have not made our communities safer and have in fact, put officers and residents at risk – like the provision in the SAFE-T Act that permits violent offenders accused of heinous crimes, to be released on electronic monitoring with two days off.
Besides offering condolences to Mrs. Martinez, let’s honor her son’s sacrifice by fixing this. There’s no shame in course correcting. But there is shame in not fixing mistakes.
MALISSA TORRES
In addition to the officers whose names will be added to the memorial wall today, there is one that will not, but I want to mention. My heart goes out to Chicago Police Officer Malissa Torres, her family, and her CPD family. She tragically took her own life just a few weeks ago. This is a reminder that police work is perhaps the most physically and mentally unhealthy of all professions. It has a culture of silence that prevents an officer from asking for help and instead carrying their pain and trauma, alone, until they can no longer bear it.
And as unsafe as it is out in the streets, police officers are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
This job strains relationships. Stressors like work/life balance challenges, lack of support, being overworked, burnt out. These things lead to depression and worse yet, to making terrible decisions you can’t undo. Know that you are not alone. That no matter how impossible and hopeless your situation might feel, there is always someone who loves you and needs you to fight through those demons. There is help for you.
Last weekend, I visited Cornerstone Retreat in Orion, IL near the Quad Cities. Dan & Tammy Roach are building something truly special: a 40-acre retreat focused on emotional health & wellness for first responders and their families. This place isn’t just a retreat – it’s a lifeline. They are already saving lives.
So whether it’s at an incredible place like theirs that specializes in peer-to-peer support, or just confiding in a friend, please find the strength to let someone in and get help.
CLOSING
In terms of the officers still with us, let’s appreciate that these brave men and women put on their uniform and do so knowing that they might not make it home at the end of their watch – too often sacrificing their lives for absolute strangers. But these officers are not strangers. They’re human beings. They have feelings and families. They’re our brothers and sisters. Sons and daughters. Husbands and wives. Moms and dads. They chose a profession, a calling, to deal with the worst elements of society, so that we don’t have to. So that we can naively think that the world is safer than it is.
From the bottom of my heart, to all the brave men and women who wear the uniform to protect us: Thank you. I love you for it.
But as I said last year, these officers don’t need us to love them. What they NEED is for their elected officials, their command, and the public to let them do their jobs.
When criminals get the benefit of the doubt while police are second-guessed at every turn, we fail our officers and we fail to keep our society safe.
Let’s honor our fallen heroes by stepping up for those who are still alive, risking their lives for all of us in this most honorable but thankless job.
I thank you and pray that St. Michael protect you, God bless you, and may you always make it home safely at the end of your watch.
Discuss.
- Sue - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:33 pm:
I hope she forgoes the messy Mayoral primary and becomes our next Governor- time foe an hispanic especially a pol who can do math
- Loyal Virus - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:38 pm:
That FOP endorsement is gonna go real far, electric Suzy
- Former Downstater - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:40 pm:
Last I checked, the Safe-T Act has nothing to do with the office of the Comptroller.
So why exactly should we care about her opinion on it?
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:43 pm:
I do hope Mendoza chooses not to run for re-election as Comptroller in favor of putting all her effort toward the race for mayor. Hopefully another humiliating defeat will mark the end of her political career and someone competent can replace her.
- Pepsi Pops - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:44 pm:
Shame on Mendoza. She’s lying about the SAFE-T Act and doing it in front of people who are suffering and not able to evaluate the truth of what she is saying.
And not for nothing - but Mendoza has a bad habit of saying things like this that are not true and hoping no one calls her out on it. That will increasingly become a problem for her as she aspires to run for higher office.
- LOL - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:45 pm:
Susanna’s incessant need to approval and applause is truly the most disgusting quality a pol can possess. It’s real Donald Trump behavior. Politicizing a memorial is gross.
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:45 pm:
- especially a pol who can do math -
Lol, apparently not compound interest. She’s cost us hundreds of millions of dollars with her senselessly short payment cycle.
- Will County Steve - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:49 pm:
Ms. Mendoza is concerned about one thing…..her political career…..and nothing else.
- Cringe - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:50 pm:
A memorial that is supposed to honor the lives of fallen soldiers isn’t the place for lies about policy differences. She truly has no couth.
- Who else - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:50 pm:
==Last I checked, the Safe-T Act has nothing to do with the office of the Comptroller.==
To be fair, there’s not much that has to do with the office of the Comptroller. But she’s gotta talk about something. Everyone needs a reason to get out of bed an put their American flag boots on in the morning.
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:50 pm:
Mendoza, as Comptroller, has been very good at showing her homework. When it comes to her comments on SAFE-T, not exactly.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:53 pm:
“When we give more rights to the criminals then we do to our police officers”
Someone should ask her what she thinks about Trump’s efforts to destroy due process, citing very specific examples. She is going to try and speak in the abstract throughout this entire campaign, without straying too closely to criticizing the administration. I think politically, in her head, she still thinks the City of Chicago is in the post-SAFE-T-Act frenzy that dominated social media and GOP circles…and didn’t result in any Democrats winning re-election. She is very clearly living in a bubble.
That being said…kicking off your mayoral campaign and going after other politicians at a law enforcement memorial event (including sending out remarks in advance to maximize news) is poor taste. Another lesson she learned from Trump I suppose: boundaries don’t exist.
- Blue Dog - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 12:59 pm:
the heck with mayor. Mendoza for US senate.
- Former Downstater - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:00 pm:
==To be fair, there’s not much that has to do with the office of the Comptroller.==
Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka and Treasurer Dan Rutherford supported legislation in 2011 that would have let voters decide if the two offices should be consolidated. The legislation ultimately failed.
Can we bring it back?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:00 pm:
===including sending out remarks in advance to maximize news===
No.
I asked for the remarks after her speech.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:03 pm:
Best of luck to Mendoza in the GOP primaries.
- dem observer - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:04 pm:
Excellent remarks. See a lot of hand wringing but nobody can dispute the facts she presented. And the crowd loved it. Whine all you want but the people in attendance agreed.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:04 pm:
Thanks for clarifying!
- Leave the party - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:06 pm:
Susanna has just decided she’s going to occupy this weirdo right wing lane of the Democratic Party. No one cares who you are. Your career is over. And this is a last dying gasp of a woman striving for relevance. It just a supremely weird place to do it.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:08 pm:
===but nobody can dispute the facts she presented===
https://www.wthitv.com/news/a-year-after-end-of-cash-bail-in-illinois-early-research-shows-impact-less-than/article_d2a4e370-74ec-11ef-9b40-fb02879ff5d8.html
- Leave the party - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:08 pm:
Dem observer, of course the crowd loved it. They’re the same people who spent years lying about the safety act. You don’t just speak lies to get applause because you can. You’re supposed to be more responsible as a politician.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:09 pm:
=like the provision in the SAFE-T Act that permits violent offenders accused of heinous crimes, to be released on electronic monitoring with two days off=
Having one of Illinois’ Executive Branch officials say this is huge.
- H-W - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:11 pm:
I understand and appreciated Ms. Mendoza’a position. If I recall, she lost a brother (?) a before the SAFE-T Act was passed. I get that she is still grieving.
But the SAFE-T Act does nothing. Judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers do things. The language in the SAFET-Act does not say anything remotely close to her interpretation: that the SAFE-T Act “permits violent offenders accused of heinous crimes, to be released on electronic monitoring with two days off.” Ms. Mendoza is just wrong.
I am sorry for her loss, and for the loss of all officers honored today. But there is a time and a place for everything under the sun, and it is always important to tell the truth, and not quibble with false narratives.
- Alton Sinkhole - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:11 pm:
Her path to Mayor is basically NW Side Quasi-republicans + older Latinos so this cynical little speech is at least politically smart. Morally a bit yucky, imo.
- uialum - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:13 pm:
Make an event to honor fallen officers all about yourself: check
Insult the people standing with you on stage: check
Admit that you have no role in policy: check
Get your facts wrong: check
Anything else she can do to get double digits in the mayor’s race and finish in front of Willie Wilson this time?
- Garfield Ridge Guy - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:14 pm:
==She’s lying about the SAFE-T Act and doing it in front of people who are suffering and not able to evaluate the truth of what she is saying.==
This is comically insulting.
- Garfield Ridge Guy - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:15 pm:
==Admit that you have no role in policy: check==
I don’t even agree with Mendoza’s points, but how can it be the case that the only people who can weigh in on policy are people who have a role in policy?
- Arsenal - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:19 pm:
==Last I checked, the Safe-T Act has nothing to do with the office of the Comptroller.
So why exactly should we care about her opinion on it?==
She ain’t running for Comptroller again.
I know why people think courting the FOP vote in Chicago is dicey, and I don’t necessarily disagree, but I think there are some votes there. It’s just that if it were me, I wouldn’t want to have to push those policies.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:22 pm:
===only people who can weigh in on policy are people who have a role in policy?===
Agreed
- Amalia - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:24 pm:
LOL people who think Mendoza should not talk about this issue when JBT was talking about animals. both are/were just fine on other issues. as for the Safety Act, still wondering why the pre trial detention is more complicated than that of New Jersey where there are as I understand it fewer restrictions on prosecutors. the introduction of the safety act was more centered on oh the poor accused person than it was on safety so lots of folks are jaded about the law.
- Leslie K - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:24 pm:
Let’s remember that this was a speech given at the police memorial service, so it was going to focus on law enforcement. The Comptroller is commenting on law enforcement issues because she was asked to (in this instance anyway).
Also, has everyone commenting actually read her remarks about the SAFE-T Act? Maybe I need to re-read to make sure I’m not missing something, but I didn’t see her calling for a repeal or echoing the fraught (and ill-informed) rhetoric from some on the law enforcement side when it passed. She specifically calls out the electronic monitoring w/2 “free” days where people aren’t actually monitored. That is not a wholesale demand for the SAFE-T Act to be abolished. Is the “free day” provision not actually part of the SAFE-T Act? Was that different legislation? (Actually asking for a reminder.) Because that’s the only thing that makes sense with some of the comments about her “lies” about it.
- 40,000 ft - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:24 pm:
(Not sure if I picked up on a Lie. Help me out.)
I liked her speech. And, I liked the mental image she drew regarding the bowl of buttons.
“It is time to get rid of policies that have not made our communities safer and have in fact, put officers and residents at risk – like the provision in the SAFE-T Act that permits violent offenders accused of heinous crimes, to be released on electronic monitoring with two days off.”
People are against that? Why?
That realization, that many believe the benefits for an accused violent offender outweigh the risks to society, is deeply bothersome to me.
- Leslie K - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:34 pm:
===Also, has everyone commenting===
Apologies–I meant those commenting that she is lying about the Act.
- Former Downstater - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:40 pm:
Counter point:
Sonya Massey would still be alive if not for laws and practices that continually give problem police officers the “benefit of the doubt.”
Also, regarding the buttons: Cool story, bro. What does that have to do with the Safe-T Act? Is she suggesting most of the officer deaths in her magic button bowl are the result of the Safe-T Act? If so, what are her sources?
- So_Ill - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:46 pm:
MAGA Mendoza is great. Well done Sen. Peters.
- Iron Duke - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:48 pm:
The election results from the Eileen Burke vs Clayton Harris race for States Attorney disproves the hypothesis that the tougher on crime candidate can’t win in Cook County
How do you think the polling on the wisdom of two days off from electronic monitoring for violent offenders polls?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:52 pm:
===disproves the hypothesis that the tougher on crime candidate can’t win in Cook County===
Um, Clayton Harris carried Chicago.
As far as I know, the comptroller hasn’t expressed an interest in running countywide.
Try to compare apples to apples.
- Arsenal - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 1:58 pm:
==Also, regarding the buttons: Cool story, bro. What does that have to do with the Safe-T Act?==
Welcome to the wild world of a Susanna Mendoza speech, where the stream-of-conscience is not unlike the Olympic event Kayak Cross.
- Thing one - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:03 pm:
I actually feel bad for her colleagues who had to sit on that stage with her while she got her applause for lying about the impact of the law they worked on or supported. The room has been fed nothing but lies on it and her colleagues show up to that event anyway to honor the lives of fallen officers because it’s the right thing to do. Mourning and honoring someone’s life isn’t a political opportunity, but unfortunately Mendoza is the opportunist of opportunists. Her colleagues who must have been very angry sitting there listening to her admonish them in front of a room full of people just should she could get applause and praise.
- *ducks* - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:04 pm:
“Her path to Mayor is basically NW Side Quasi-republicans + older Latinos”
That coalition gets you, maybe, to 12%. Sprinkle int the Southwest Side and Beverly for an additional 8 for around 20%. And you’re now market capped from waging any kind of campaign that would resonate with the “non American flag with a blue-line voters.”
I think a lot of us understand what her calculus is. But it’s just the wrong calculus.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:06 pm:
Violent crime and murders have decreased in Chicago. This political pivot to the right doesn’t coincide with the overall trend. Bad timing.
- Sue - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:13 pm:
Can’t understand all this hostility here toward a life long Democrat- it is this same mentality that elected Johnson instead of Paul Vallas- does anyone here think Chicago would not have been better served by a mayor Vallas?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:14 pm:
===it is this same mentality ===
To you, perhaps. Others - not all - have legit criticisms.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:15 pm:
The research suggests that Illinois under the SAFE-T Act. is holding people more based on risk than financial means. Seems like a success to me. What is Mendoza talking about?
- hmmm - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:15 pm:
this is sad. She always seems like such a nice lady too
- This - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:17 pm:
Mendoza understands the working class - black, Hispanic, white, Asian - are right of center. Some of you bloggers here would never win a general election in a tough district.
- Amalia - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:18 pm:
stats can go down. but get several cases that can be amplified and you are off to the races. CWB Chicago has all the details that showed that significant crimes happened when judges released individuals in the old bail system. and they track things now. individual incidents matter.
- Original Rambler - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:20 pm:
I’m a fan of hers but if she is going to try and occupy the Vallas lane, count me out. Disappointing to see this from her.
- Norseman - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:20 pm:
Mendoza panders for political rewards and Peters panders to meat eaters. Try making a valid point without gratuitous insults next time Senator.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:30 pm:
=== does anyone here think Chicago would not have been better served by a mayor Vallas? ===
Me.
If you want to know what Mayor Vallas would be like, just look at President Trump.
I have no doubt Vallas would be rolling out the red carpet to assist ICE in renditioning US citizens to El Salvador.
There is a lot of passion on both sides of this debate. My best friend was murdered my senior year of high school. I know what the thirst for vengance tastes like.
I also understand that there are officers and their families who live in constant fear that today is the day they do not return home to their loved ones, and they often feel unappreciated of even abandoned by the law, the courts and public opinion.
Because yes, the times officers get it right rarely make the news, and the times they get it wrong — sometimes horribly wrong — race across internet like wildfire.
This is why good public policy making requires us to summon the better angels of ourselves, and within each other.
- Matty - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:37 pm:
“She’s cost us hundreds of millions of dollars with her senselessly short payment cycle.”
Can Excitable Boy elaborate? I have always believed the short payment cycle is nothing but positive and has helped our bond ratings tremendously.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:45 pm:
===the short payment cycle is nothing but positive===
Holding that money for 30 days or so before dispersal would allow it to be invested.
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:48 pm:
- Can Excitable Boy elaborate? -
The longer state funds remain in interest bearing accounts, they generate more money for the state. Especially during times with high interest rates like the present.
In private industry payment cycles are rarely shorter than 45 or 30 days. Paying faster than that is just throwing money away. I deal with customers that are sitting on invoices for 90+ days.
- 40,000 ft - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:50 pm:
I understand the data appears favorable to the SafeTAct.
Time will tell if there is a correlation.
Maybe Mendoza’s real beef is with the “two days off” thing.
“Allowing people accused of violent crimes like murder, attempted murder, or predatory sexual assault to be released on electronic monitoring, with two days a week off the monitoring grid is terrible policy.”
Of course that policy is reasonable — prospective convicts are potentially going to do bad things only 5 out of seven days. /s
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 2:51 pm:
===prospective convicts===
Interesting word choice.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:01 pm:
“does anyone here think Chicago would not have been better served by a mayor Vallas?”
You always take the rookie with a high probability of failure vs the veteran who has been a proven failure time and again.
To the matter at hand, some of you all have lost your marbles. Mendoza has been a great comptroller, and she wasn’t going after the entire SAFE-T Act. Just a small portion of it was her focus. She knew her audience. And while I am generally supportive of the SAFE-T Act, that doesn’t mean it is perfect. If you want to bust her chops for being political at a memorial, fair enough. But this is exactly what happens, most of the time, when you invite politicians to open their mouths.
- Soccermom - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:07 pm:
Rich, Excitable, and Matty — It’s true that holding those funds for 30 days would increase the state’s interest gains, but those dollars would come out of the pockets of people (like me) who are state vendors. Personally, I’d rather put those dollars in my own interest-bearing account
- New Day - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:15 pm:
“does anyone here think Chicago would not have been better served by a mayor Vallas?”
We had two really bad choices for Mayor. Each were bad in their own way. But please don’t think that we’d have been living in peaches and cream under Paul “lifelong Democrat and IPI mouthpiece) Vallas. It would have just been chaos of a different stripe.
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:26 pm:
===Can we bring it back?===
Per chance, does your family tree include Orville Hodge?
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:29 pm:
- Personally, I’d rather put those dollars in my own interest-bearing account -
I get it, and my idea of a good comptroller would be one that prioritizes fast pay to small vendors like yourself but lets the bigger vendors wait a while. Blanket fast pay is not the right way to go.
- Arsenal - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:42 pm:
==Can’t understand all this hostility here toward a life long Democrat==
She’s criticizing a policy that people agree with.
==Some of you bloggers here would never win a general election in a tough district.==
Mendoza isn’t running a GE in a tough district.
- P. - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:53 pm:
Not sure purity tests by D gatekeepers progressive or otherwise where upon “failure” members get tagged as MAGA are a great idea. It doesn’t seem merited over a dispute over a piece of Safe T anyway. It is interesting how this prompts people to go ham on Mendoza. Good time get those pent up thoughts about the bill payment cycle and the 2019 election hot takes off your chests.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 3:57 pm:
Thanks for the cheesecake but stay in your lane
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 4:26 pm:
===stay in your lane===
Last I checked she was an American citizen. Maybe stay in yours.
- JS Mill - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 4:30 pm:
=Rich, Excitable, and Matty — It’s true that holding those funds for 30 days would increase the state’s interest gains, but those dollars would come out of the pockets of people (like me) who are state vendors. Personally, I’d rather put those dollars in my own interest-bearing account=
You are 100% correct. Paying the bill quickly is good for businesses and tax payers. This is one area where less revenue actually benefits the people paying the bills.
- Arsenal - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 4:31 pm:
==Not sure purity tests by D gatekeepers progressive or otherwise where upon “failure” members get tagged as MAGA are a great idea.==
Is someone who’s worked on the SAFE-T Act for a long time supposed to keep quiet just because Mendoza is a Dem?
==Good time get those pent up thoughts about the bill payment cycle and the 2019 election hot takes off your chests.==
If people have “pent up” complaints about Mendoza, maybe that says something about her as a politician?
- Friendly Bob Adams - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 4:31 pm:
This statement is garbage: “When we give more rights to the criminals then we do to our police officers….”
- charles in charge - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 4:34 pm:
==does anyone here think Chicago would not have been better served by a mayor Vallas?==
YES 100%.
- From DaZoo - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 4:51 pm:
===Rich, Excitable, and Matty — It’s true that holding those funds for 30 days would increase the state’s interest gains, but those dollars would come out of the pockets of people (like me) who are state vendors.===
I believe this is one reason for the Prompt Payment Act. Speaking of IL-PPA, interest gains for the State holding money longer than 30 days start to be diminished with the interest to paid by not paying invoices in a timely manner.
- Big Dipper - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 5:45 pm:
Isn’t the two days a week free an overstatement? I thought during certain hours they could do things like medical appointments and errands.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 5:46 pm:
The Comptroller has taken several positions that remind me of the kinds of positions that someone would take if it were the 1990s or if they were avid fans of the television show West Wing.
I don’t think she wins a primary running on positions that pretend like we’re not at where we’re at as a nation right now. I do not think voters will broadly distinguish between local, federal, or state law enforcement while observing officers abduct people off of the street.
We don’t live in a world that is as simple as the Comptroller makes it out to be.
- Sue - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 5:53 pm:
Charles in Charge- guess you missed your mayor protesting today with folks chanting from the River to the Sea- if you think thats what we should expect from the Mayor of Chicago your hopeless
- charles in charge - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 6:10 pm:
==Charles in Charge- guess you missed your mayor protesting today with folks chanting from the River to the Sea- if you think thats what we should expect from the Mayor of Chicago your hopeless==
I stand by my statement that we’d be worse off under Vallas, but thanks for your comment!
- charles in charge - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 6:13 pm:
==Isn’t the two days a week free an overstatement? I thought during certain hours they could do things like medical appointments and errands.==
Yes you are correct. This misinformation has been debunked many times, yet it has been persistent due in no small part to the shameless lies of Sheriff Dart who continues to repeat these falsehoods. Thankfully, he’ll soon no longer be in charge of Cook County’s electronic monitoring program.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 9:58 pm:
=== State holding money longer than 30 days start to be diminished===
Payment cycle should be no longer than 30 days, in my opinion.
- Beth Carter - Thursday, May 1, 25 @ 11:08 pm:
As the sister of fallen CPD officer, James Crowley, who died 8/22/24 IN BETWEEN the two CPD officers Mendoza DID call by name I am beyond offended she would see fit to overlook my brother. Rather than take the opportunity to campaign, how about if you make sure you know ALL THE NAMES of the people being honored and don’t inflict more pain on families like mine when you fail to do so. I walked right out of the ceremony because I will not be party to my brother’s memory being overlooked in such an egregious manner. Thanks for nothing Mendoza
- P. - Friday, May 2, 25 @ 9:45 am:
==Is someone who’s worked on the SAFE-T Act for a long time supposed to keep quiet just because Mendoza is a Dem?==
Keep quiet vs calling her MAGA? No inbetween. I don’t agree with what she said either but MAGA? Perhaps a problem with progressives. Blasting a cheap shot with hyperbole is not a great approach. Try to keep up.
As for the second part, take a breath. Wise words from … someone wish I could remember who.