* Rep. Chad Hays talks about how the Boat Drink Caucus has helped the Statehouse come together. Watch it…
Rep. Hays sat down with us to talk about his work on 911 funding and the interesting way that he has found common ground in Springfield – a bipartisan musical group called the Boat Drink Caucus. Listen to the full podcast: https://t.co/O4mk6NJ9Y6pic.twitter.com/SfIttdQate
Ives is a conservative, which to her means belief in fiscal restraint, limited government, freedom of speech and conscience, rule of law and personal responsibility. She is often called a social conservative, but Ives says she is running for governor as a fiscal conservative.
“It is 100 percent not true that I am all about social issues,” Ives said.
She used taxpayer funding of abortion as an example.
“Taxpayer funding of abortion is a fiscal issue. You don’t start programs when the state is practically bankrupt,” Ives said.
She is also concerned about education funding and was adamantly opposed to the education funding bill that passed.
“We now have made another promise we cannot keep,” Ives said.
“Illinois can do a lot better with the right leadership,” said Ives. “We have a very strong governorship. We happen to have a weak man in office right now.”
Ives’ “grassroots campaign” focuses on what she calls, “Rauner’s lies”. […]
After Ives filed her paperwork Monday, Gov. Rauner called her a “fringe candidate”. She says, he’s the one on the fringe with his policies.
Ives said, “Actually, Rauner’s the fringe governor, quite frankly. He’s the one really extreme. He’s not been moderate on anything.”
Ives also stresses, she’s not a “Chicago politician.” She thinks southern Illinois’ resources provide another key to growing the state’s economy.
“Forty percent of our energy still comes from coal, that’s great,” said Ives. “I’m a proponent of it. We need to invest in our infrastructure to expand our energy resources.”
That’s legislation that the governor signed and he did not have to sign that. So he imposed the agenda of Mike Madigan rather than fighting Mike Madigan.
Today, Citizens for Rauner released a new digital ad highlighting J.B. Pritzker’s shady tax history.
On Tuesday, Governor Rauner pointed out some of the questions surrounding Pritzker’s reported income. Pritzker’s disclosure of just $15 million in income despite his $3.4 billion in assets suggests that Pritzker is either the “worst investor in the world” or “hiding from taxes.”
This coming after just last week, Pritzker made it clear he believes “Illinois may need another tax hike to balance the books.” JB Pritzker’s plan is to raise your taxes, but is he even paying his fair share?
With the Pritzker family’s history of stashing money abroad, the people of Illinois deserve answers.
You knew I was running for governor to get Illinois back on track, but you didn't know the best advice I've ever received or my favorite TV show – until now. Check it out! pic.twitter.com/37Q9wkYPeW
Whatever else you may think of Pritzker, I cannot imagine Gov. Rauner pulling off something like that.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
In response to JB Pritzker’s “Up Close & Personal with JB” video, Daniel Biss asked a question of his own, calling out Prtizker for the continued questions swirling around his usage of offshore tax havens to avoid paying his fair share of taxes.
JB Pritzker isn’t the only billionaire candidate running for governor in Illinois who has a history of using offshore accounts to shift their tax burden to working families. During his time as a chairman of private equity firm GTCR, Bruce Rauner had a stake in several Cayman Islands-based investment pools. He’s falsely claimed to have placed his assets into a “blind trust” but it’s been repeatedly demonstrated that isn’t the case.
The only way for both Pritzker and Rauner to earn the trust of Illinois voters is to release their full tax returns as Daniel Biss did more than 8 months ago.
A Chicago Public Schools plan to close four high schools on the city’s South Side has been met with an avalanche of criticism, including from students in the area.
“It makes me feel like I’m worthless,” Harper High School student Traivon O’Neil said.
O’Neil was one of several students who staged a sit-in at the high school on Friday. Harper is one of four in the neighborhood that CPS is planning on closing to make way for a privately-operated new $85 million charter school that is slated to open in the fall of 2019.
The plan has been criticized by the Chicago Teacher’s Union and elected officials, including State Representative Sonya Harper. […]
Harper, Hope, Robeson, and Team Englewood are all set to close in June as part of the plan, meaning that hundreds of students in those schools will have to transfer to different institutions for the 2018-19 school year.
* JB Pritzker tweeted out his support last night…
I stand with our students because public education needs investment, which will help bring stability to our communities. Juliana and I stand in opposition to school closures, which further destabilize communities that are most in need. https://t.co/WyFW0qSKBR
We strongly support a progressive income tax in our state to ensure that Illinois public schools are fully funded, so that every child gets a quality education no matter where they live.
Today, Daniel Biss will join members of the Chicago Teachers Union, and students and parents at a press conference and rally being held at 9:30 a.m. at Chicago Public Schools headquarters to speak out against Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to close more schools in mostly Black and Latinx neighborhoods.
“I stand in support of Chicago’s students, parents, and teachers,” said Daniel Biss. “Once again, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has targeted schools that serve mostly black and brown communities for closure — ripping the heart out of neighborhoods already weakened by years of disinvestment.
“We’re being sold a lie, that we can’t afford schools. But that’s only true in a system that doesn’t make the wealthy pay their fair share. It’s no wonder that when the wealthy and well-connected govern, their schools are funded without debate while black and brown working class families have to constantly fight to keep their schools open.
“I’m proud to stand united with the working families of Chicago to demand an end to school closures, a moratorium on charter school expansion, a repeal to private school vouchers, and a duly elected school board.”
* Kennedy campaign…
Five years ago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel closed 50 Chicago Public Schools. Since 2013, we’ve seen 32,000 students leave CPS schools, which is enough to fill over 50 additional schools.
Now, the Mayor says it’s not enough. CPS has put out its School Action Plan that includes closing even more public schools — primarily impacting students in the black community.
“Closing schools is not a plan for building up communities and fostering economic growth,” said Chris Kennedy, Democratic candidate for governor. “It’s a recipe for more violence. It’s a plan to push people out. It’s a tool of strategic gentrification. We should be investing in our neighborhood schools by ending our reliance on the broken property tax system that is chronically underfunding our schools. Our public schools are the backbone of rebuilding our economy; they’re not line items in our budget that we can cut.”
Kennedy’s running mate, Ra Joy, spoke at a Chicago Teachers Union press conference this morning in front of CPS Headquarters in support of students whose schools are facing closure.
“What’s happening with our schools is a symbol of dysfunction, it’s a symbol of racism: the massive cuts, the massive layoffs, the massive school closings,” Joy said. “If politicians had half the courage that these student advocates have, Chicago would be a just and more vibrant city. We need a Chicago where equity is paramount.”
*** UPDATE *** Ra Joy spoke eloquently on this topic. Watch this video…
