Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

A sales tax on services could be a good source of revenue, according to a “policy spotlight” put out by the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

Study co-author David Merriman, a professor of public policy at the university’s Chicago campus, looks at the sales tax numbers in other states.

“Illinois has a more narrow sales tax base than other states,” Merriman said. “Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin all have a broader sales tax base than Illinois, and the amount of revenue that they would raise if we just taxed the services that those other states tax would range from about $200 million to $1 billion – quite substantial revenues.”

Gov. JB Pritzker has said he is not in favor of taxing, for example, haircuts and dry cleaning. Previous attempts to implement such sales taxes in Illinois have fizzled.

* From the report…

Our analysis of FY2024 fiscal data from the IOC shows the state of Illinois in a relatively strong fiscal condition compared to the past two decades although still in a potentially precarious position given the uncertainty in the economy and potential federal changes. Our numbers show that Illinois ran a small “all funds” surplus in FY2024. However, since 1998 spending continues to grow slightly faster than revenues. Furthermore, Federal Medicaid revenue has become Illinois’ 2nd largest revenue source but could be at significant risk with a new presidential administration. Sales tax revenues are growing much more slowly than total revenues or spending.

While the FY2024 state fiscal condition was relatively good local governments face very significant challenges and may need state assistance. The state will be hard pressed to support local governments if, as seems possible, changes in federal policies make it more difficult for the state to maintain current levels of services. One potential policy that could aid local governments without requiring additional state support would e to broaden the sales tax base.

We summarize available evidence about the implications of such a policy change for tax revenues of the state and its local governments: bringing more services into the sales tax base has the potential to increase sales tax revenues in the short run and to better align the state’s tax base with the overall economy in the future.

* Injustice Watch…

With only four Cook County Circuit Court seats open for countywide election in the March 2026 primary, Cook County Democratic Party committee people met last week to evaluate 29 judicial candidates seeking their endorsements at the IBEW union hall in Bronzeville.

Party chair and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said she couldn’t recall an election cycle with fewer countywide judicial vacancies. […]

Many of the candidates who appeared Thursday have sought the party’s endorsement before — including perennial judicial hopefuls Deidre Baumann and Steve Demitro as well as Chicago city attorney Steve McKenzie, public defender Kevin Ochalla, private practitioner Ashonta Rice, and Cook County labor relations attorney Torrick Ward. With the event running well behind schedule, party bosses did not pepper the round robin of candidates with the usual questions about their commitments not to run against slated candidates and their willingness to contribute $45,000 to the party campaign pot.

The dearth of countywide judicial vacancies this year presents a financial challenge to the party’s campaign activities in an election cycle that will include the governor’s race and what might be a heated race for U.S. Senate. While judicial races are the least expensive to run, the multitude of candidates is key to the party’s war chest; last cycle, the 16 slated judicial candidates contributed more than half a million dollars to the party.

The Democrats “will have to be very strategic about what we do to support the people on our slate,” Preckwinkle said.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | The Flashy Fugitives: Ex-Loretto Leader And Pal Accused Of Stealing Millions Are Living Large In Dubai: Block Club reviewed public records, videos and photos that paint a picture of their new lives: Suhail has opened a luxury plastic surgery clinic in a posh neighborhood in Dubai and has attended events with politicians and influencers, donning designer watches and jeweled rings. Ahmed is making increasingly overt appeals to President Donald Trump in what appears to be a bid for clemency. In the United States, they left behind tens of millions of dollars, pricey properties, expensive cars — and unpaid bills.

* Crain’s | Sterling Bay looks to sell development site next to Lincoln Yards: After trying for years to jump-start the development and secure a new financial partner after two primary backers sought to sell their stakes in the project, Sterling Bay handed over the northern part of the site to its lender, Little Rock, Ark.,-based Bank OZK, in March. The developer still controls the southern portion of the proposed megaproject site in partnership with J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

* Sun-Times | Federal gun ban upheld in George Floyd rioting-related case involving noncitizen in Chicago: Federal officials didn’t violate the constitution when they enforced a gun ban against an immigrant without legal status from Mexico, the U.S. appeals court in Chicago decided earlier this month. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman had dismissed an indictment against Heriberto Carbajal-Flores last year when she found the law he was charged with violated the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms. But the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Coleman’s ruling on July 16 and sent the case back to her for reconsideration.

* Sun-Times | The final act of Chicago’s Damen Silos, star of movies, hip-hop videos and architectural photography: When the amateur architectural photographer Deborah Mercer learned that the Damen Silos would soon be demolished, she decided to go capture them while she still could. “Went to pay my respects to the Damen Silos, soon to be demolished due to the owner’s lack of imagination,” Mercer wrote on BlueSky, a social media platform where she frequently posts her photos of historic Chicago buildings. For some in the city’s cultural community, the demolition of the historic grain silos represents a visual gut-punch. The structures — icons of urban decay as they sat empty for nearly five decades — have been a popular backdrop for filmmakers, musicians and skyline photographers and served as a canvas for many graffiti artists who ignored the “No Trespassing” signs. The silos even appeared in the 2014 movie Transformers: Age of Extinction.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Lake County News-Sun | Residents air fears, frustrations at congressman’s town hall; ‘Abuses we’re seeing … are significant and appalling’: Most calls to the office of U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park, concern what he terms the “big bad bill,” otherwise known as the “big beautiful bill” signed by President Donald Trump on July 4. But questions at Schneider’s most recent town hall, like those from Andi Kenney of Deerfield and Dr. Sarah Kelly, also focused on healthcare or fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Kelly said she was concerned about cuts to funding for low-income medical students creating exorbitant student debt, and Kenney wanted to know how to curb the alleged abuses of ICE personnel and the treatment of the people they arrest.

* NBC Chicago | ‘Huge disservice’: Busy Orland Park DMV location to close, Illinois Secretary of State says: A statement from Giannoulias’ office late Monday slammed the Orland Township Trustees’ decision, calling it a “huge disservice to residents,” and said it was made without providing proper notice to or consulting with Secretary of State staff or board members. […] Shortly after Giannoulias’ statement, Orland Township Trustee Ken Duffy posted a contentious response, saying the location was “not” one of Illinois’ busiest DMVs and that the board’s “issues with the DMV” were previously communicated to Giannoualias’ office. “Sorry that your staff did not provide you with that information,” Duffy’s post said. … Coleman twice refused to dismiss the case against Carbajal-Flores but ended up throwing it out because of the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in a gun-rights case called New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. … Andrew Willinger, a Duke University law professor, said Carbajal-Flores’ case is “a pretty good illustration of how with Bruen you quickly do just get into the historical weeds.”

* Crain’s | Kaegi snub spotlights property tax headaches — and a looming political battle: In a move that could have big implications for local property taxpayers, the county’s Democratic Party last week formally endorsed Lyons Township Assessor Patrick Hynes in an effort to unseat Kaegi in the 2026 primary election. The slating by the party’s 80 committee members frames two-term incumbent Kaegi as an outsider trying to retain his seat next year. Whether the backing ultimately makes a difference to Cook County voters remains to be seen. But the party’s decision to back a challenger sends a loud message about taxpayers’ frustration with the way property taxes have been calculated over the last several years.

* WBEZ | How Chicago-area malls are adapting for a new era: A “reader’s choice” report from USA Today says two Chicagoland malls — Oakbrook Center and The Fashion Outlets of Chicago — are among the best in the nation. Reset looks at what makes these and other Chicago-area shopping centers great and discusses how local malls are changing to draw visitors at a time when malls nationwide have been in decline.

* Daily Southtown | Health care provider Aunt Martha’s commits to continue serving patients who lose Medicaid: Raul Garza, president and CEO of Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness, which has 22 health centers including five in the south suburbs, doesn’t know exactly how many of the more than 50,000 patients Aunt Martha’s serves will lose Medicaid coverage due to President Trump’s massive spending and tax cut law. But at Aunt Martha’s, where 65% to 70% of patients are on Medicaid, the federally qualified health center has no plans to drop patients who lose Medicaid coverage.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Clerical error caused appearance of missing money at Paris school: State’s Attorney: In June, WCIA reported that an Edgar County school district thought they lost more than $700,000 over six years. The Paris School District said they received less money from the county then they’d requested from 2018 until 2024. Now, after an investigation, the Edgar County State’s Attorney said there was never any missing money to begin with. He said the false alarm was all due to a clerical error.

* WGLT | Looming cuts to SNAP threaten food insecurity resources in McLean County: Eligibility requirements to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] — wrapped into the GOP megabill signed into law on July 4 — means about 360,000 Illinoisans could lose food assistance benefits, according to a statewide analysis. More than 20,000 McLean County residents receive SNAP. SNAP recipients must now work or volunteer 80 hours per month unless they have dependents age 14 or younger, are medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment or are pregnant. The law expands work requirements to all non-disabled adults, including those age 55-64, who were previously exempt.

* BND | Metro-east funeral home owner, village trustee indicted on income tax fraud: A member of the St. Jacob board of trustees, who is also the owner and director of Richeson Funeral Home in Troy, has been indicted on charges of income tax fraud. Guideon Richeson, 68, was indicted on July 17 on 11 counts related to the alleged fraud and failure to keep books, according to Madison County court documents. Richeson declined to comment on the charges. Court records state Richeson failed to submit tax return paperwork since the 2020 tax year. He also failed to provide books and records from 2017 to 2020.

* WGLT | Heartland Community College board elects alum to fill trustee vacancy: The Board of Trustees at Heartland Community College has named an HCC alumnus to fill a recent vacancy. Senesta “Angell” Howard of Bloomington was voted as a trustee at Tuesday night’s board meeting. She will be officially seated on Aug. 19. Howard’s seat previously belonged to Cecelia Long, whose term was set to expire in 2029. Long had been on the board since 2021 and was reelected for a six-year term in 2023. She resigned in June with plans to pursue personal and professional opportunities outside the district.

*** National ***

* NYT | Trump Told Park Workers to Report Displays That ‘Disparage’ Americans. Here’s What They Flagged.: At Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina, the Trump administration is set to review, and possibly remove or alter, signs about how climate change is causing sea levels to rise. At Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, the administration will soon decide whether to take down exhibits on the brutality of slavery. And at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in Florida, Trump officials are scrutinizing language about the imprisonment of Native Americans inside the Spanish stone fortress.

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Pritzker on Texas remap, Stratton not being slated, whether state should opt in to new federal tax credit for private schools (Updated)

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Gov. Pritzker was asked today whether Illinois should redraw its congressional districts now that Texas is planning to redraw its own districts to reduce the number of Democratic congresscritters…

We have to see what they decide to do about Texas. But I think that the President of the United States encouraging Texas, Texas being willing to do this, should be an indicator to the rest of us that that if they’re going to cheat, that that’s not a proper way to act.

We’re all going to have to band together to try to address that, at least to try to stop them, by letting them know that if we were doing what they were doing, that in fact, we would counterbalance, indeed take control of the Congress.

I think we ought to play by the rules. Everybody. And I think we ought to have an election in 2026, we’ll see who comes out ahead in the Congress. But I think cheating the way the President wants to is improper. We all ought to stand up against it. People ought to be outraged.

Please pardon all transcription errors.

…Adding… Leader McCombie…

In response to Governor JB Pritzker’s comments today regarding potential mid-decade redistricting, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement:

“It’s rich that the Governor now claims to support playing by the rules—after he enthusiastically signed into law the most gerrymandered maps in the nation. When it was convenient, he promised to reject partisan maps in favor of fair representation. Illinois Republicans remain committed to fairness and transparency.”

* He was also asked about the Cook County Democratic Party deciding not to slate anyone for US Senate, even though the lt. governor is one of the candidates…

Look, it’s rare. They have three, you know, reasonably well known candidates who are running for a big office like United States Senate, I think the Cook County Democratic Party rightly recognized that there are these are all significant players, all three of them. So I mean, personally, I understand why they ended up where they are. I know that Juliana Stratton was the leader among the three of them. But when you don’t get the endorsement, you don’t get the endorsement. So, but from my perspective, she has support from all across the state and all across Cook County. So I feel confident on her behalf that she’ll do well in the primary.

* Pritzker was also asked if the state would opt into a new federal tax credit for private school students…

We’ve got to look at [that]. Remember, Donald Trump is trying to take away funding from public schools, right? He has shut down funding to the states for public schools, and we’ve had to sue to try to get back. So this idea that he’s for education, and that’s why he pushed having this provision in the bill is just false narrative. So we’re going to have to look at whether or not we can implement a program that will be good for all students and all families that have students in school, and not just a program that’s about private schools, sometimes religious schools, and sometimes schools that would reject having an LGBTQ member as a teacher, whether we should be supporting a program that just does that, when, in fact, the federal administration is taking away money from people who can’t afford to go to a… private school, who would like to go to a public school that’s a quality school, but they’re having their funding taken away. That doesn’t seem fair to me.

16 Comments

Ozzy Osbourne

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rolling Stone…

Ozzy Osbourne, the singular metal legend whose Black Sabbath virtually invented heavy metal and in later years became a reality TV pioneer, died on Tuesday at the age of 76.

Osbourne’s family confirmed his death in a statement. “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” they said. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

An exact cause of death was not given, though Osbourne has battled an array of health issues over the past several years, including Parkinson’s disease and injuries he sustained from a late-night tumble in 2019.

The singer had an electrifying and unpredictable onstage presence and a dry sense of humor that endeared him to hordes of adoring fans. His excitable energy helped transform the anthems he sang — “Iron Man,” “Paranoid,” and “Crazy Train” — from radio hits into sports-stadium staples. As a member of Black Sabbath, he helped draft the blueprints for heavy metal, but in conversation, he was always humble about his contributions to music. He knew his limitations and was open about his addictions, but he always attempted to better himself. He was an underdog everyone would want to rally behind.

As Black Sabbath’s doomsayer-in-chief, Osbourne could summon a true sense of terror in his keening cries in a way that heightened the band’s muscular dirges. When he bellowed, “What is this that stands before me, figure in black which points at me?” in the song “Black Sabbath,” it was a performance worthy of a horror flick. He sang “Iron Man,” about a scorned golem seeking revenge, with believable wrath. And when he screeched, “Dreams turn to nightmares, Heaven turns to Hell,” in “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,” it was with a demonic fury not even Milton could have summoned. He made sense of his bandmates’ heavy swagger and brought their supernatural racket back down to earth in a way that has resonated with millions for decades.

He hosted a massive concert just a few weeks ago. It’s great that he got his well-deserved tribute while he was still alive.

* My brother Devin and I went to see Ozzy during the 2017 eclipse. Some video I took…

* One of my favorite Black Sabbath songs. Turn it up…

* Another classic…

16 Comments

A thorny question in corn country

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune…

As the deadline approaches for Congress to renew the U.S. Farm Bill, agricultural experts and farmers are calling on legislators to prioritize protecting topsoil in the Midwest and throughout the country, especially as the federal government is withdrawing from conservation initiatives.

Topsoil is eroding, on average, at a rate of three-quarters of an inch per year in the Midwest, a rate double what the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers sustainable, according to a 2022 study published in the journal Earth’s Future. The study also concluded more than 57 billion metric tons of topsoil have eroded in the Midwest over the last 160 years. […]

“For decades, we have rightly focused on protecting our most vulnerable soils,” said Garrett Hawkins, president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association, in a statement. “However, IL Corn encourages decision makers to think differently, to consider how programs can better protect our most productive soils.” […]

“If we fail to deliver effective programs, technical assistance, and meaningful funding to our farmers, soil health and soil erosion will continue to be a challenge.” [Hawkins said]

“What they’ve found over the last five years of data is that the most profitable fields in Illinois are doing no tillage with soybeans and one pass or less with corn,” [Emily Hansen, a commercial agricultural educator with University of Illinois Extension] said.

This is probably going to be an unpopular question in corn country, but why do we have to pay cash money to business owners (farmers) in order to save their own land when doing that on their own is actually more profitable?

* I reached out to the Illinois Corn Growers Association, but did not hear back. I also reached out to the Illinois Environmental Council. Its response…

You raise a fair question, and we agree that it might be time to take a hard look at federal farm incentives and regulations, because if we’re at all serious about soil and water conservation, we need to be honest about the lack of progress we’re making in our current approach. In lieu of strong federal soil and water conservation regulations, which we would support, it may be time to move beyond incentivizing what should be the bare minimum, like no-till, and shift our resources toward incentivizing a food system built on regenerative, climate-smart practices that benefit all taxpayers.

With Congress and our state legislature failing to fund sustainable agriculture at the levels they should, investment dollars should be maximized to support helping farmers implement practices like cover crops, which might require a higher startup investment, but that pay dividends for all of us in the long run.

Thoughts?

38 Comments

When PURPOSE Guides Progress Across Illinois And Around The World

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Hexaware, a leading global IT services company with deep local roots, exists to empower organizations from Springfield to Singapore with innovative technology and unwavering partnership. Our Purpose Statement Video reveals how we align our mission with your goals—driving digital transformation, fostering inclusive growth, and delivering measurable outcomes for every community we serve.

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A quick fact check

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* There’s so much wrong with this Homeland Security press release. He wasn’t released “onto the streets of Chicago,” for one. Much more importantly, Megan Bos’ mom and the Lake County Coroner have both said she wasn’t decapitated, and the coroner said there were no signs of trauma or struggle. The local cops are now investigating threats against the county judge who released the guy, but, prior to the Pretrial Fairness Act, accused people were routinely released on cash bail for the same offense. There’s more, but behold…

ICE Arrests Criminal Illegal Alien Who Concealed and Abused Body of a Missing Woman After Sanctuary City Judge Freed Illegal Alien onto Streets of Chicago

On July 19, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Chicago arrested Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, a 52-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico, who was charged in April with concealing the body of a missing woman in a storage container on his yard for two months, abusing her corpse, and obstruction of justice.

Waukegan Police Department officers discovered the body of 37-year-old victim Megan Bos in a container in Mendoza’s yard in April after she had been reported missing on March 9, 2025.

Her body was found decapitated and in a bleach storage container by officers. Mendoza was charged in April. However, Lake County Judge Randie Bruno released him from custody at the conclusion of his court appearance, where he was immediately allowed to freely roam the Chicago streets.

This criminal illegal alien is currently being held at Lake County Jail in Waukegan, Illinois.

“Everyday ICE is arresting sickos like criminal illegal alien, Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, and stopping them from terrorizing Americans. This depraved alien was charged with concealing the body of a missing woman in a storage container for months and abusing her corpse,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “It is absolutely repulsive that a judge freed this monster and allowed him to walk free on Illinois’s streets after allegedly committing such a heinous crime. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, Megan Bos and her family will have justice.”

* And, despite the claims of the Illinois Freedom Caucus, the suspect hasn’t been accused of killing Megan Bos because, as noted above, there is no evidence of trauma…

After a judge released a dangerous illegal immigrant accused of brutally killing and concealing the body of a woman, ICE was able to arrest him and make another community safer.

* I asked the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice for a response because I have yet to see any local news media outlets try to inform their own coverage. Excerpt…

Our heart goes out to Megan Bos’s family. Losing a child is unimaginable, and we cannot begin to comprehend the pain her family must be experiencing.

Unfortunately, as has been the norm for those who opposed the Pretrial Fairness Act, State Representatives Patrick Sheehan and Tom Weber have used this tragedy to attack the state law that ended the use of money bond. Because of the Pretrial Fairness Act, the size of a person’s bank account is no longer the main factor determining who is released pretrial.

The legislators have falsely blamed the law for the pretrial release of Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, who is accused of hiding Ms. Bos’s body after she died from a drug overdose in his home. He is not charged with her murder or harming her in any way or even providing her with drugs. As the Representatives know, before passage of the Pretrial Fairness Act, Mr. Mendoza-Gonzales also could not have been detained for the charged offenses. At most, he would have been ordered to pay a sum of money to secure pretrial release—as people routinely did in even much more serious cases. Blaming Mr. Mendoza-Gonzales’s release on the end of money bond is simply an opportunistic political stunt.

Based on the facts available to the public, Mr. Mendoza-Gonzales has complied with all of the conditions of his pretrial release. In fact, his case was scheduled to go to trial this November—that is, until his arrest on July 19th by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Disturbingly, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is now sharing gory fabricated details as part of its attempts to villainize immigrants through false accusations. A statement from DHS falsely claimed that Ms. Bos had been decapitated, an accusation both her mother and the Lake County Coroner have publicly dismissed.

More here and here.

* Also…

The Lake County state’s attorney’s office said a criminal trial and sentencing is more appropriate than deportation hearings because Mendoza-Gonzalez could face consecutive prison sentences on conviction but could be “free in days” if deported.

18 Comments

SB 328: Separating Lies From Truth

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

For more information, click here.

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It’s just a resolution: Chicago leaders call on Springfield to ban masks, require identification for ICE agents (Updated)

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The Hill…

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting Director Todd Lyons said agents can continue to use masks in the field, even as the agency has increasingly come under fire for moves that limit identification of its personnel. […]

“I’ve said it publicly before, I’m not a proponent of the masks. However, if that’s a tool that the men and women of ICE to keep themselves and their family safe, then I will allow it,” he said. […]

Masked, plainclothes officers have also been conducting arrests at immigration courthouses. ICE attorneys will move to dismiss a case, a practice that most migrants interpret as the agency dropping efforts to deport them but opens the agency to then arrest them and place them in expedited removal proceedings that largely receive no court review.

Lyons disputed that agents are not identifiable, saying they should be wearing clothing with some kind of ICE insignia.

* NBC Chicago…

During a controversial ICE action in Chicago earlier this year, federal agents wearing facemasks could be seen in the South Loop taking undocumented people into custody. Many of the agents wore civilian clothing, with no name tags or badges.

* Block Club Chicago today…

Alds. Michael Rodriguez (22nd) and Andre Vazquez (40th) on Wednesday introduced a resolution to the City Council that calls on state legislators to pass laws banning federal agents who are conducting arrests from wearing masks.

Lawmakers should also pass legislation that would require federal agents to wear appropriate uniforms and identify themselves, according to the proposed resolution, which was co-sponsored by Mayor Brandon Johnson and 18 alderpeople. […]

With the resolution, which is not legally binding, city leaders join a growing number of state, local and national officials pushing for legislation banning mask-wearing among federal agents and requiring immigration agents to identify themselves.

The proposed resolution was referred to the city’s rules committee, where legislation is often sent to die.

* The Gothamist…

New York lawmakers are pushing for a bill that would ban law enforcement officers — including federal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — from wearing masks. […]

That’s a major constitutional question raised by the bill, according to Jessica Bulman-Pozen, a constitutional law professor at Columbia Law School. She said that if the measure advanced, it was likely to face a legal challenge.

She also said there’s a “strong case” that the state should be able to enact the bill, if it becomes law, since it affects all law enforcement officers and doesn’t single out federal officers.

[State Assemblymember Tony Simone, the bill’s sponsor] said he’s been in touch with constitutional lawyers who say the bill is legally sound.

…Adding… Rep. Patrick Sheehan…

State Representative Patrick Sheehan has introduced House Resolution 428 to affirm his support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to call attention to the growing threats faced by ICE officers.

“Many ICE officers and their families are being harassed and assaulted which is horrific and unacceptable,” Rep. Sheehan said. “They wear masks, sunglasses, and hats in the field to avoid being targeted at home by dangerous individuals. As a police officer, I know this is a common practice used by tactical and undercover officers during dangerous encounters. These officers and their families deserve to be protected from malicious intent.”

HR0428 outlines the crucial role ICE plays in upholding national security and federal immigration law, noting its collaboration with law enforcement agencies across Illinois. The resolution raises serious concerns about provisions in the Illinois TRUST Act, which prevent local authorities from assisting ICE in their duties, potentially undermining enforcement efforts and exposing officers to increased danger.

ICE officers have faced a sharp rise in assaults during enforcement operations, a reported 830% increase, alongside a troubling trend of personal information being published online with malicious intent. HR0428 recognizes the need to protect ICE officers from doxxing and harassment both on and off duty.

“I filed this resolution to make it clear that protecting public safety includes protecting those who enforce the law,” said Rep. Sheehan. “Our federal officers deserve respect for their service.”

Thoughts?

* More…

Press Release | Attorney General Raoul Joins Coalition Urging Congress To Pass Legislation To Curb Unscrupulous ICE Tactics:

* The Tribune | ‘We’re tired of this’: Cicero residents demand action from town president after Latina aunt stopped by federal agents: Vanessa Mendoza, an early childhood educator in Cicero, was gathering materials for her classroom in late June when she paused to look at Facebook. What she saw shocked her. Posted on the social media site was a video of her aunt, Rocío, being pulled over by unidentified agents driving black vehicles who questioned her citizenship — despite her legal status to be in the United States. The agents did not specify why they pulled Rocío over or which agency they were affiliated with, Mendoza, 32, who grew up in Cicero, said at a news conference outside the town hall Thursday morning. After Rocío showed identification, she was not arrested or detained, her niece added.

* WaPo | ICE chief stands by mask use in immigration raids, despite criticism: On Sunday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) voiced her objections to the practice in a television interview, saying: “These masked men pull up in unmarked cars and jump out of the cars with rifles and detain people. So, for the average citizen, it looks like it’s a violent kidnapping.” Protests in Los Angeles over the immigration raids prompted the unprecedented deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to the city in June.

* Axios | ICE arrests of noncriminals spike in Illinois: In January, ICE arrested 160 people in Illinois, of whom 31% had no criminal charge, an Axios analysis found. By June, 61% of the 333 people ICE arrested in the state had no criminal charge.

28 Comments

Open thread

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

8 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois joins suit to block Trump administration from barring undocumented immigrants from public benefits. Sun-Times…

The suit,

filed a lawsuit

* Related stories…

∙ K-12 Dive: 20 states sue over immigration restrictions for Head Start, other programs
∙ Chalkbeat: Head Start advocates pursue legal challenge to new Trump policy barring undocumented children
∙ WTTW: Advocates Denounce Plan to Ban Undocumented Children From Head Start: ‘Where is the Compassion?’

* Governor Pritzker will speak 1 pm today from Chicago’s Union Station, celebrating 100 years of service. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Federal housing credit expansion could increase affordable rental units in Illinois: report: The latest domestic policy plan signed by President Donald Trump on July 4 will increase available funding by 12% for a key tax credit used by developers to offset a portion of construction costs. It also lowers the threshold of private investment needed to take advantage of another tax credit. It’s a lesser publicized inclusion in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that cleared Congress with only Republican support, a bill more widely publicized for its cuts to Medicaid, food assistance and individual income taxes.

* Tribune | Economic opportunities tied to climate goals, Gov. JB Pritzker says at Aspen conference: Though Pritzker recently announced that he will seek a third term as governor, many have speculated that he will throw his hat in the ring for the 2028 presidential election. Pritzker did not comment on a potential 2028 candidacy but when asked if he thought he’d make a good president, he said he thinks “the bar has been set pretty low.” “(Democrats) still believe that the most important role that we have in government is to stand up for working families, for the most vulnerable, for the middle class,” he said. “Do Democrats get it right all the time? No, and I think that it is as much a failure of messaging as anything else. I’m not suggesting that Democrats haven’t gotten policies wrong. But let’s not walk away from civil rights because we lost an election.”

* Crain’s | Chicago’s $1 billion quantum computer to start operating in 2028: The startup behind Chicago’s more than $1 billion quantum computing deal said operations are expected to start in three years, a win for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who backed the investment and is widely seen as a potential presidential candidate. PsiQuantum Corp. will start construction at the state’s new quantum and microelectronics park in the South Side of Chicago later this year, Chief Executive Officer Jeremy O’Brien said in an interview at Bloomberg’s Chicago office. The supercomputer — one of two utility-scale, fault-tolerant machines the company is building globally — is expected to be online in 2028, he said.

*** Statewide ***

* WTWO | Illinois governor announces applications for Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program: The Illinois governor and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that applications are open for the fifth round of the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The program provides training opportunities, expands the talent pipeline, and boosts diversity in the construction industry and other building trades. Grantees for the program are selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity process.

* CBS Chicago | Corn sweat from crops exacerbates humidity during Illinois heat waves: CBS News Chicago Meteorologist Kylee Miller explained the effects of transpiration are showing up in this week’s forecasts. “Dew points could be about 5 to 10 degrees actually higher, adding with that corn sweat, compared to what Mother Nature is giving us,” Miller said. Other crops, like alfalfa and sugarcane, have higher evapotranspiration averages than corn. The evapotranspiration average for alfalfa is 6 to 8 mm/day for alfalfa and 5 to 7 mm/day for sugarcane, compared with 3.5 to 5mm/day for corn.

*** Statehouse News ***

* ABC Chicago | Gov. Pritzker signs ‘Squatter Bill’ into law, making it easier for police to remove trespassers: The law differentiates squatters from tenants, making it easier for property owners to regain control of their home. “This outdated eviction law has treated squatters the same as tenants, leaving property owners in limbo and tying the hands of law enforcement,” Pritzker said. The law also establishes a clear distinction between lawful tenants and unlawful squatters, ensuring that property owners are no longer forced to navigate a long court process to remove unauthorized occupants.

* WCIA | Republican legislators call on IL governor to participate in federal school choice program: State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) said it’s the best way to ensure low-income students get the best education they can. He’s sponsoring a resolution calling on Governor J.B. Pritzker to participate. “The money needs to follow the student, not the system, not the bureaucracy,” Halbrook said. “And this is a great opportunity to give students that are in schools that are failing, gives them an opportunity to excel.”

* WEEK 25 | Pritzker chooses Peoria’s Allen for economic development panel: Peoria’s 4th District City Council member Andre Allen is Gov. JB Pritzker’s choice to serve on the Tri-County River Valley Development Authority, which issues tax-free bonds to finance economic development projects. The authority serves Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties. In a release, the governor’s office said Allen is a “collaborative and results-driven leader with extensive experience in government administration, civic engagement, and higher education.”

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Gambling machines in Chicago bars, airports? Aldermen weigh revenue potential: Johnson’s top finance leaders shared with aldermen a study analyzing how legalizing the machines would affect city finances Monday during a Revenue Subcommittee meeting. Under the state’s current tax structure, the payout would be underwhelming, Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski said. “We don’t expect it to make a big impact,” she said. “Maybe we make $10 million one year and lose $5 million another.” The study by gambling consulting firm Christiansen Capitol Advisors LLC determined legalization would likely neither make nor cost the city money. While the machines would generate tax revenue, legalizing them would take business away from slot machines at Bally’s Casino.

* Tribune | Police Department brass accused Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget office of ‘systemically’ delaying paychecks: Police Department Deputy Director Ryan Fitzsimons emailed multiple officials in Johnson’s budget office June 2 to alert them of the department’s overdue A-forms, paperwork required to process paychecks for new hires and promotions. After following up the next day to confirm that police recruits were not getting their first paychecks, he sent an additional message June 10 saying Johnson’s budget office was purposely sitting on the forms. […] A joint statement last week from the mayor’s office, the Office of Budget Management and Chicago police acknowledged that about 60 police academy recruits saw late paychecks, along with six Chicago Fire Department employees. The response cast the snafu as an “administrative” error that has since been rectified.

* WTTW | City Council Panel Skeptical of Study Showing Legal Video Gambling Won’t Ring Up Jackpot: But several alderpeople questioned the validity of the Christiansen analysis, with Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) saying the potential job losses seemed “made up.” Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward) questioned why the Christiansen analysis did not include Rivers Casino in his analysis, noting that its revenues have increased even after Des Plaines legalized video gambling. Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th Ward) called the presentation of the Christiansen study “disingenuous” and called its analysis “flawed.”

* WBEZ | A family came to Chicago seeking asylum. He was deported. Now she wants to leave: Maria enrolled in President Donald Trump’s new, voluntary self-deportation program. Trump is promising travel assistance and a stipend of $1,000. Maria says that, stipend or not, she just wants to go back to Venezuela. “What I want is to leave,” Maria says in Spanish while her 2- and 6-year olds played in the family’s nearly empty apartment. Her 9-year-old lay on the floor watching a show on a small phone. “I’ve lost everything here,” the mothers says, looking around. Maria’s husband, Marcos, was recently deported to Venezuela. He says he spent nearly three months in 10 different detention centers after being arrested in Chicago as part of a wave of detentions under Trump. At their request, WBEZ is not using their real names because they fear retaliation.

* Sun-Times | Thomas Durkin dies at 78; Chicago lawyer ensured the rights of ‘the most demonized among us’: The trial lawyer was best known for taking on high-profile federal cases often related to accusations of terrorism and violations of civil rights, though he didn’t seek them out, his son Matt Durkin said. “They found him.” “He really believed in the principle that everyone, no matter how derided you are, you are owed your constitutional right to defense,” Matt Durkin said. “He would never say no. … It didn’t matter who it was, a white-collar defendant, a public official, or someone accused of doing a heinous crime, he was going to be your fiercest advocate.”

* Sun-Times | Suddenly potent White Sox offense overpowers Rays for season-best four-game wining streak: ‘Offensive juggernaut’’ was not a phrase often uttered in the same sentence as ‘‘White Sox’’ before the All-Star break — at least not without a tongue planted firmly in cheek. But that’s the only way to describe MLB’s hottest offense coming out of the break, which has powered the Sox to a season-high four-game winning streak. A day after the Sox completed a weekend sweep of the Pirates that saw them rack up 27 runs, they overpowered the Rays 8-3 in their latest dominant effort.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Cook County Bureau of Asset Management chief Elizabeth Granato has entered the race for the 12th District County Board seat. Press release…

Today, Elizabeth Granato announced her candidacy for the 12th District seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Granato, a lifelong resident of Chicago and proud graduate of Chicago Public Schools, has served the people of Cook County for the past decade and a half at multiple levels of government. Raised by a single mom whose union job provided stability and security for her family, Liz is a second-generation Latina and first in her family to graduate from college. The granddaughter of an immigrant small business owner who started as a seamstress when she came to Chicago and a union carpenter, Liz represents the promise of the American dream. She’s been involved in her community from an early age, determined to make it a better place.

“Cook County is on the front lines of the battle against the Trump MAGA Republican effort to take away healthcare from those who need it most, raise the cost of living, and let the wealthiest corporations and billionaires dump their tax obligations on the middle class. I’m running to stop the MAGA Republican agenda and make sure nobody is left behind in Cook County,” said Elizabeth Granato.

Granato announced the endorsement of the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers ADC 1 Illinois and Ironworkers District Council of Chicago & Vicinity.

Granato, married to state Sen. Ram Villivalam, faces competition from Cat Sharp, who has the support of outgoing Commissioner Bridget Degnen.

* ABC Chicago | Cook County SA O’Neill Burke to attend hearing on domestic violence: Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke has been on a mission to restructure her office for tougher prosecution in cases of domestic violence, something she has referred to as a “house of fire.” Tuesday will be the first hearing that specifically targets domestic violence since 2023 and Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke is expected to announce how she’s restructuring the prosecutor’s office to increase lock ups and help fight domestic violence crimes.

* Daily Herald | Authorities investigating threats against Lake County judge: But the ICE action Saturday quickly garnered social media attention. “The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is aware of threatening social media posts and harassing correspondence directed at the judge who presided over the initial court hearing of Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez,” Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Chris Covelli said Monday. “We have launched an investigation into the matter,” he added. “Making threats, especially against a sitting judge, crosses the line from protected speech to potential criminal conduct, and we take such behavior very seriously.”

* Shaw Local | McHenry County aims to increase security for judges by removing personal info: ‘Days we’re living in’: Removing the personal information of 18 judges from the internet, including the dark web, is the aim of a contract newly approved by the McHenry County Board. McHenry County Circuit Court Administrator Dan Wallis said IronWall by Incogni system, which also will scrub his and his deputy administrators’ personal information, is “unfortunately” necessary.

* Daily Southtown | More problems at troubled Park Forest apartments that village claims are unsafe: More problems have surfaced at a troubled Park Forest apartment complex, where air-conditioning woes earlier this summer left many residents sweltering during a heat wave. Separately, in a court filing earlier this month, the village said that Autumn Ridge, with nearly 400 apartment units in Will County, is unsafe and a public nuisance. The filing calls on a Will County judge to appoint a receiver who will collect rents and make necessary repairs, which Park Forest complains cover virtually every aspect of the buildings, including plumbing, roofs, windows and electrical systems.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council to vote on doubling hotel room tax: The city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax rate is currently set at 3%, but many nearby communities have higher rates that are similar to what is being proposed, according to Chief Financial Officer Chris Minick. He estimates that the proposed 6% rate would bring in an additional $1.1 million for the city each year, especially after the opening of the new $360 million Hollywood Casino-Aurora resort.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Proposed data center project in Yorkville advances to City Council for discussion: The development site is just over 1,000 acres — a total of 20 parcels — in the northwest corner of Yorkville on the border with Sugar Grove, generally located northwest of Route 47 and Galena Road, south of Baseline Road and east of Ashe Road, according to the agenda item from the July 9 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. There would be a total of 14 data center buildings, along with two electrical substations, a utility switchyard and stormwater detention basins, according to plans.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora likely to stay in Fox River dam removal study: The state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers previously recommended the removal of nine dams along the Fox River, including the two in downtown Aurora, for environmental reasons. But following concerns and questions from many of the communities that would be impacted, including Aurora, the Corps said last year that it would be taking another look at those recommendations to more broadly study the effects of dam removal. Mayor John Laesch is set to send a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers letting the agency know Aurora wants to stay part of the study. The letter does not commit the city to either remove or keep the dams.

* Tribune | Olmsted Society offers free Vintage Base Ball exhibition in Riverside: Visitors at this free event will watch baseball players in reproductions of historical uniforms play baseball the way the sport was played in the 1860s. The annual event began in 2019, the sesquicentennial of the year landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and architect Calvert Vaux, who had previously collaborated on the plan for New York City’s Central Park, created the general plan for Riverside.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Normal approves funding pause and audit of mental health sales tax fund: McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said if all three governing bodies approve, the next step would be to have discussions on what such an audit would survey. “We believe the time is right for all three parties to come together,” said Pam Reece, city manager. “We’ve had good conversations, the county attorney and the county administrator’s office drafted the language, worked with us on language that we believe the Normal Town Council and ultimately Bloomington and the county [board] can support.”

* WJBD | Salem City Council to be asked to move forward on water, sewer, and TIF projects: Three TIF agreements will come before the council. Cindy Quinn and Quinn Realty are requesting $20,000 in TIF assistance to help renovate the ‘Old Library’ at 402 South Broadway into her new offices. Work will include repairs to the brickwork, a new roof and exterior and interior painting. Paul and Lynn Riehm of Riehm Renovations is requesting half of the remaining $ 70,000 in reimbursable expenses be paid now to allow for the renovation of their second building in the 300 block of West Main to be completed more quickly. Brice McGee of the ‘Odd Fellows’ building at 115 East Main is seeking $750 or 50-percent reimbursement for the outside painting of the building.

* BND | Professional “kings” rocked, rolled and remembered at metro-east Elvis Festival: The convention consisted of three days of scheduled performances from each Elvis, along with heaps of merchandise paying homage to both the original Elvis and those who honor his legacy through imitation. Fans as near as a mile down the street and as far away as Norway came to see the show. “It took us more than 12 hours to drive here,” said Paula Harrison of Richmond, Wisconsin “I saw Elvis in the 60s and it was so incredible that I knew I just had to come.”

* WSIL | Touch of Nature’s new trailhead opens with $500K support: The trailhead pavilion was made possible by a $500,000 donation from SIU Credit Union. Mike Lantrip, CEO of SIU Credit Union, expressed the credit union’s commitment, saying, “We wanted to do something for SIU and the region. We think it’s going to help put Southern Illinois on the map even more.” Touch of Nature has welcomed more than 50,000 visitors this year and serves as an introduction to SIU through various programs and events. A new Wildlife Habitat Education Center is also in development, with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for August.

* WCIA | ‘Football is for everyone;’ Watseka Warriors hosting camp for disabled children: It’s called the “Tackling Disabilities Football Camp,” and it will take place on Saturday, July 26. Each camper will be paired one-on-one with one of the Warriors football players to serve as their buddy through the camp and through the stations. Those stations will include football activities such as passing, catching, kicking, tackling, running and even touchdown celebrations.

*** National ***

* WIRED | EPA Employees Still in the Dark as Agency Dismantles Scientific Research Office: On a call with ORD administrators and staff held Monday afternoon, audio of which was obtained by WIRED, leadership—including ORD acting administrator Maureen Gwinn—was unable to answer basic questions from employees, including a timeline for when the agency planned to permanently end ORD, how many employees would be transferred to other offices, and how many would lose their jobs. Employees at ORD who spoke with WIRED say that Friday’s public-facing email was the first concrete news they had heard about their organization’s future. One worker told WIRED that employees often learned more from news outlets, including WIRED, “than we do from our management.”

* Politico | ICE will ‘flood the zone’ in NYC: The Department of Homeland Security will “flood the zone” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New York City after the City Council blocked federal law enforcement agencies from opening an office in the city jails, President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan said Monday morning.

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Tuesday, Jul 22, 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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