* ICYMI: Brandon Johnson says city and state finances are at a ‘point of no return’. Crain’s…

- Mayor Brandon Johnson sounded the alarm yesterday, saying Chicago and Illinois are at the “point of no return” in a quest for new revenue to address structural budget problems, mounting pension debt and funding shortages for transportation and education.
- Without naming specific tax proposals, Johnson said the state must approve progressive revenue proposals to tax the rich and that he would lead the way on that front in his 2026 budget proposal, set to be released this fall.
- The comment came on the heels of Gov. JB Pritzker signing a pension bill, easily approved by the General Assembly with a veto-proof majority, that increased retirement benefits for so-called Tier 2 police and firefighters who began work after 2011 when the state reformed how pensions are calculated.

* Related stories…

∙ Tribune: Mayor Brandon Johnson says police, fire pension sweetener will make Chicago finances ‘far more difficult’
∙ CBS Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson says Chicago finances have reached “point of no return”

* At 3 pm Governor Pritzker will unveil this year’s Butter Cow at the 2025 Illinois State Fair. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WGLT | Woodford County Coroner Tim Ruestman to run for state representative: Longtime Woodford County Coroner Tim Ruestman said Tuesday he will run for the Republican nomination for state representative in the 105th District. Ruestman’s announcement followed shortly after current state Rep. Dennis Tipsword decided not to seek re-election, pivoting to run for Woodford County sheriff. Ruestman has served as Woodford County coroner for over 30 years and said he “brings a record of integrity, public service, and deep-rooted community values to the race.”

* Crain’s | RTA warns: Fare hikes are coming, one way or another: The Regional Transportation Authority has told budget planners for Metra, the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace to start coming up with a Plan A and Plan B for dealing with a $771 million shortfall when pandemic-era federal funding runs out next year. One scenario assumes state legislators will come up with funding later this year; the other assumes there is no new money. Budgets are due in early October.

*** Statewide ***

* WBEZ | Rapid response team helps families find trans health care in Illinois: Illinois has joined a multi-state federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to limit gender affirming care for young people. This comes as the fourth major hospital in Chicago rolls back the kind of care offered to patients under 19. To fill in these gaps, a rapid response team of volunteers is working to connect families to alternate providers.

* WTTW | Illinois Faces Looming Health Crisis as Medicaid Cuts Threaten Coverage, Hospitals and Rural Access: Recent figures estimate 330,000 Illinois residents could lose health coverage under the plan. Many who spoke with WTTW News said the law will lead more uninsured patients to seek emergency care, often with advanced conditions. Medicaid covers more than 3.4 million people in the state including children, seniors and adults with disabilities, according to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Estimates show 35.6% of Illinois residents had public health insurance in 2023, up 2.1 percentage points from 2019, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WIFR | Illinois representative Maurice West announces re-election campaign for 67th district: “Since I was first elected, I’ve worked collaboratively with anyone who is ready to invest in our region, grow good paying jobs, and make our community more vibrant,” said West. “Especially with the chaos coming out of Washington, D.C. right now, we need local leaders who are ready to step up and do what is right for our people. I would be honored to be reelected to continue this fight for this place I love so much.”

* Sun-Times | Pritzker says Illinois remap is possible as DNC chair vows to fight Texas GOP efforts ‘tooth and nail’: An Illinois remap would reignite a war with the state’s Republicans, who have railed on the state’s redistricting process for decades. On Sunday, Pritzker vowed, “All bets are off. Everything’s got to be on the table.” By Tuesday, the governor said an Illinois remap was “possible.”

* Sun-Times | Gov. JB Pritzker riffs on his wealth and staying out of prison in Stephen Colbert appearance: The late night host held up a map of Illinois’ congressional districts, noting the unusual shapes of the 17th and 13th congressional districts, as the state becomes a focal point during the latest redistricting talks. Republicans hold just three congressional seats in a state that saw 43.8% vote for Trump last year. The maps Illinois Democrats approved in 2021 sealed in their political power for a decade. “It’s like the stinger on a scorpion down there,” Colbert said of the 13th District, which stretches from central to southern Illinois. “Is this common for all states to do?” “We handed it over to a kindergarten class and let them decide,” Pritzker joked. “…That’s our independent commission.”

* WAND | Pritzker signs bill addressing school, athletic events conflicting with cultural, religious holidays: The law will not allow for school closures or excused absences due to cultural reasons, but sponsors said it could assist districts with planning events around observances. “We’ve got wonderful models,” said Amy Zimmerman with Jewish United Fund. “Washington state has a very easily accessible list. Even Wilmette School District has a nice list as well. They not only have the date, they tell you a little bit about the holiday.”

*** Chicago ***

* Bloomberg | S&P Warns Chicago That Pension Cost-Hike to Pressure Budget: “With the passage of this legislation, the prognosis for Chicago’s long-term fiscal health has weakened,” S&P analysts led by Scott Nees wrote. “Chicago will now face a steepening outyear pension cost curve even as it currently faces a fiscal 2026 budget gap that we already expected would probably be the largest in the city’s history.”

* Sun-Times | Strong O’Hare, tourism stats show Mayor Johnson is ‘pro-business’ and ‘pro-worker,’ he says: Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday cited strong tourism and O’Hare Airport travel numbers to promote himself as “pro-business, pro-growth and pro-worker,” even as he demands that businesses and wealthy Chicagoans “put more skin in the game.” Johnson’s weekly City Hall news conference began with an avalanche of statistics showcasing Chicago’s economic comeback on the travel and tourism fronts. Seven of the ten busiest days in the history of O’Hare Airport occurred this summer, culminating on June 20, when the Transportation Security Administration set a new record by screening nearly 116,000 passengers on a single day.

* Sun-Times | Feds, Chicago police arrest 41 in probe targeting machine-gun conversion devices: The investigation resulted in the recovery of 64 switch devices and 171 guns, many of which were linked to shootings, killings and other “violent criminal activity” dating back to 2017. The switches, officially known as “auto sears,” are also called buttons on the street. Alec Chisolm-Blockton, 29, was on parole for fatally shooting a 14-year-old boy in suburban St. Louis when he was caught selling three guns to undercover officers this summer. He now faces a federal charge of possessing a gun as a felon, court records show.

* Crain’s | Merchandise Mart hits the market as owner Vornado eyes N.Y.-only portfolio: Vornado Realty Trust is looking to sell the Merchandise Mart plus three office towers in San Francisco, CEO Steven Roth told analysts today. Those transactions, if struck, would leave the developer with a portfolio almost entirely in New York. The Mart, a sprawling 3.7 million square-foot building, is the largest in Vornado’s 26 million square-foot portfolio but is 22% vacant, a reflection of ongoing challenges for Chicago’s office market. The other property on the sale block, 555 California St. in San Francisco, is a three-building complex holding 1.8 million square feet with an 8% vacancy rate — low in a city where the average is 36%. The building is 70%-owned by Vornado; the rest belongs to President Donald Trump’s Trump Organization.

* WBEZ | Chicago’s growing film industry brings a boon to local antique shops and prop houses: The Lost Eras antique shop overflows with old telephones, fedoras, uranium glassware and other items seen not only by patrons, but also millions of movie and TV fans. On a recent workday, owner Charlotte Walters pointed out the rug used in the death scene for Sean Connery’s character in “The Untouchables.” She also pulled out some lights from Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios. Hidden somewhere, she said, are shoes worn by a background actor on the set of “True Lies.”

* WBEZ | What a failed robbery from 1951 tells us about Chicago crime: You’ve likely heard of big names in crime like Al Capone, Sam Giancana and the Chicago Outfit. And while the Butcher Smock Mob isn’t a household name, it is catchy, and their story is part of Chicago’s history of organized crime. Entangled in this history is that of Brink’s guard Emmett Ebert, a future Chicago police detective who would later investigate Chicago’s many mob figures.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Chicago Abortion Fund to receive $2 million grant from Cook County: “These funds are meant to support women who live in Cook County, as well as those coming to our region in search of care that they’ve been unfairly denied in their own communities,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who also attended the news conference. The Chicago Abortion Fund was selected by Cook County to receive its $2 million grant, which was built into the county budget this year. The Chicago Abortion Fund was selected through a procurement process by the county, but it was the sole applicant for the grant. The Cook County Health Board of Directors will give a final vote on the grant this month, Preckwinkle said.

* Legal Newsline | Aurora to face suit over allegedly coercing ‘warrantless searches’: An Illinois state appeals panel will allow the owner of an apartment complex and one of their tenants to continue pressing at least part of their challenge to a so-called crime free housing ordinance in the city of Aurora, as they accuse Illinois’ second largest city of allegedly illegally compelling landlords to coerce tenants into warrantless apartment inspections. DPH Aurora Properties and one of its tenants, Belén González, sued west suburban Aurora in March 2024 following a disagreement over whether tenants could deny access to apartment units.

* Daily Herald | Board rebukes Wauconda trustee for comments made as a passenger during traffic stop: “On Sunday, July 13, I broke no laws,” she said. “After months of having my civil liberties trampled on, I did lose my cool.” She said she always separated her personal life from professional decisions and will continue to do so until the end of her board term in 2027.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Geneva mayor taps former Aurora deputy chief of staff Alex Voigt for city administrator job: Former Aurora deputy chief of staff Alex Voigt is taking over as Geneva’s next city administrator. She’s replacing Stephanie Dawkins, who is set to retire later this month. Voigt’s appointment by Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns was approved unanimously by the Geneva City Council at its meeting Monday evening. […] She is expected to start as city administrator in early September, according to the city.

* A Naperville woman has accused DuPage County GOP Chair Kevin Coyne of alleged bullying and sexual harassment…

* Naperville Sun | Naperville D203 School Board opposes city renewing IMEA contract: As a major consumer of electricity in Naperville, District 203 School Board members say they are adamantly opposed to the city extending its contract with the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency. On Monday the board unanimously approved a statement urging the Naperville City Council to explore cleaner and more flexible energy sources rather than signing on again with a group that’s largely reliant on coal to produce energy.

* Naperville Sun | Naperville teachers say District 203’s dragging out contract talks: ‘I’m tired of every contract being a battle’: In July, the union initiated the public posting process with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, which is the first step toward a possible strike. Union leadership indicated they do not want to go on strike, but want to be transparent with the community. Several teachers said they have serious concerns about earning a competitive salary. Berkley said the district is falling behind other school districts, including Indian Prairie School District 204, Elmhurst District 204, St. Charles District 303, Wheaton District 200 and Plainfield District 202. Teacher workload has increased with the expectation of differentiated learning and increased student academic, behavior and social-emotional needs.

* Naperville Sun | Naperville saw a 51.8% jump in DUI arrests in last year, AAIM reports: Naperville police made 258 drunken driving arrests in 2024, a 51.8% increase over the 170 made in 2023, according to the annual survey by the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists. The number put the city at No. 4 on the list of top 10 municipalities with the most DUI arrests. In last year’s survey, Naperville ranked No. 15.

* Elgin Courier-News | District U-46 superintendent to be paid nearly $300,000 under new contract: District U-46 Superintendent Suzanne Johnson’s base salary will be nearly $300,000 in the first year of a new 5-year contract approved Monday night by the school board. […] Under the new agreement, Johnson’s goals will be to drive student attainment of literacy and math skills, develop a plan to increase attendance to 90%, enhance the climate and culture of U-46 schools, and prepare students for their lives and careers beyond school.

*** Downstate ***

* 25News Now | Tariff uncertainty ‘will not stop’ Central Illinois farmers as harvest season approaches: While tariff uncertainty remains in the agriculture world, Peoria County Farm Bureau Manager Charlie Hensley said it will not stop farmers from completing the harvest season. “We want to see those markets continue to grow, and we want to provide ways for farmers to make the most out of what they grow,” Hensley said. He hopes the U.S. continues its expanded trade agreements, which will continue to grow and have better access to foreign markets.

* WTVO | Boone County clerk resigns amid theft and fraud allegations: Boone County Clerk Julie Bliss resigned her position last week, the same day she agreed to a plea deal on accusations of theft, wire fraud, and official misconduct. Bliss was indicted by a grand jury in August 2023 and has been on administrative leave ever since. Her arrest came after a clerk’s office employee reported irregularities in two county bank accounts.

* BND | Belleville withheld information on solar farm from public, opponents say: Belleville officials talked to local “partners” and submitted letters of support from eight civic leaders in preparing the city’s application for state incentives to build a solar farm at Mount Hope Cemetery. But they didn’t reach out to the hundreds of families with loved ones buried in the cemetery or 17 neighbors with property abutting it, according to solar-farm opponents.

* WMBD | Morton joins other central Illinois cities to implement local grocery tax: The village Board of Trustees approved the 1% local tax at Monday night’s meeting. There was no discussion on the topic from Trustees, and the only no vote was from Trustee Steve Leitch. The local tax replaces a similar state tax that is set to expire at the end of this year.

* WTVO | Rockford launches new initiative to tackle drug and mental health issues: The Northwest Illinois Deflection Initiative provides specialists who work with police officers and first responders to refer individuals to appropriate services. This approach is intended to offer support and resources to those facing challenges related to drug use or mental health. Program administrators highlight that officers are often the first to encounter individuals in need of help, making their role crucial in the deflection process.

* WCIA | ‘It was kind of very sudden, very fast’: Proposed apartment complex in Rantoul sparks mixed reactions: A property management company is hoping to demolish a trailer park to put up an apartment complex. Village officials said the new apartments will bring in more revenue and help the neighborhood’s curb appeal. Board members talked about the possibility of a new apartment complex near downtown Tuesday night. “Any time you get new construction, but certainly when you’re replacing old trailer park residential living versus new professional apartment style rentals, I think makes a significant difference,” Village Administrator Scott Eisenhauer said.

* WCIA | Riggs partners with Farm Progress Show to launch exclusive lager: One Central Illinois-based beer company has launched an exclusive lager through a partnership with an annual farm show. Riggs Beer Company has introduced an exclusive American Lager in collaboration with the Farm Progress Show. The beer is available now at the brewery and select locations ahead of the show’s 20th anniversary at its permanent biennial Decatur site.

* WGLT | Work begins on Route 66 Trail extension connecting McLean and Funks Grove: As drivers prepare for a cruise down Route 66 during next year’s centennial, a trail extension in southern McLean County will get bicyclists one step closer to a continuous safe path between Bloomington and St. Louis just beside the Mother Road. Local, county and state officials met Tuesday in the village of McLean to announce work is underway on a 4.5-mile path extender of the Route 66 Trail, connecting McLean to Funks Grove. That’s just southwest of Bloomington-Normal. It’s a significant stepping stone to connecting two trail systems in McLean County.

* Capitol News Illinois | Budweiser Clydesdales to come to Illinois State Fair: Anheuser-Busch says the Budweiser Clydesdales will spend a few days at the fair, appearing first at the Twilight Parade Thursday, August 7. The appearances are part of a celebration of the company’s fifteen years of partnership with “Folds of Honor,” which gives scholarships to families of fallen or disabled U.S. Service members, and first responders. The appearance at the State Fair is part of a nationwide tour recognizing the partnership.

*** National ***

* The Atlantic | Why the White House Backed Down From Its First Big Education Cuts: That an incoming official of the Department of Education was touting the importance of federal dollars for a heavily Republican state underscores the conundrum that President Donald Trump faces in his attempt to dismantle the agency. On the campaign trail, Trump’s promise to “send education back to the states” was often greeted with applause, and the Supreme Court has allowed the president to go ahead with his plans to gut the Education Department. But the four-week funding freeze—and the backlash it sparked—showed that cutting popular programs for schoolkids can be as unwelcome in Trump country as it is in coastal cities.

* AP | RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for vaccine development: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a statement Tuesday that 22 projects, totaling $500 million, to develop vaccines using mRNA technology will be halted. […] The health secretary criticized mRNA vaccines in a video on his social media accounts, explaining the decision to cancel projects being led by the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, that offer protection against viruses like the flu, COVID-19 and H5N1. “To replace the troubled mRNA programs, we’re prioritizing the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies, like whole-virus vaccines and novel platforms that don’t collapse when viruses mutate,” Kennedy said in the video.

* NYT | Uber’s Festering Sexual Assault Problem: From 2017 to 2022, a total of 400,181 Uber trips resulted in reports of sexual assault and sexual misconduct in the United States, court documents show. Previously, the company had disclosed 12,522 accounts of serious sexual assaults for that same time period, without indicating the total number of sexual assault and sexual misconduct reports it received. Uber has not released data for the years since then, though the court records indicate reports of incidents have increased.