* ICYMI: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, other leaders press lawmakers for more funding. Capitol News Illinois…

- Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and an army of suburban mayors descended on Springfield on Wednesday to call on the General Assembly to boost funding for local governments.
- Governor Pritzker proposed reducing the share that municipalities get from income tax collections from 6.47% to 6.28%. While a decrease in percentage, the governor’s office says it would keep total funding for LGDF flat at $2.3 billion in fiscal year 2027 due to rising income tax collections.
- Johnson said Pritzker’s proposal means Chicago would receive $12.7 million less from LGDF in FY27 than if the rate remained the same.

* Related stories…

• Sun-Times: Mayor Johnson pushes back on local government funding cuts, calls for administrative cuts instead
• Fox Chicago: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson lobbies state lawmakers for more funding, taxing power
• Center Square: Johnson, municipal leaders statewide clash with Pritzker over local funding cuts
• Capitol City Now: Mayors fight for funds

* Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today.

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

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Illinois attorney general pushes for rate cut as Peoples Gas seeks $202 million hike: It will be up to the Illinois Commerce Commission to rule later this year on the gas company’s request for a $202 million rate hike, which would bump gas bills by an average of $130 per year. But the Illinois attorney general’s office suggested a $4.1 million decrease instead, listing at least $97.2 million in “unsupported and unexplained” cost increases for the company’s pipe retirement program, among other “unsubstantiated” charges.

* Sun-Times | Broadview protesters sue feds over DNA collection after arrests, saying it violates rights: All four plaintiffs were arrested while protesting; two were charged but their cases were dismissed. They allege the cheek swabs used to collect their DNA violated their Fourth Amendment rights and created a chilling effect on free speech, according to the suit.

* Tribune | Poll finds Illinois residents think funding for a new Bears stadium should be limited: Another 13% said Illinois should offer more than Indiana to keep the team, while 22% said the Bears should be forced to stay in Soldier Field for the rest of their contract, which runs through 2033. The survey of 1,000 Illinois residents released Tuesday was conducted in March by the University of Illinois Springfield Center for State Policy and Leadership, and first published by NPR Illinois. Respondents were representative of Illinois’ population based on characteristics such as gender, race, political affiliation and urban and rural residency.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois lawmakers question progress under Evidence-Based Funding for public education: The budget lawmakers pass this year will be the 10th written under that formula. But as the anniversary approaches, state records show that despite an additional $3 billion in state funding for public schools during that time, most of the state’s 851 districts remain underfunded, including dozens that receive less than 70% of what the formula says they need to operate effectively. “That underfunding is not theoretical. It has real consequences across the state,” Crystal Mallory, a lobbyist for the Illinois Federation of Teachers, told a Senate committee Tuesday. “We are beginning to see staffing shortages and increased attrition. program cuts and loss of student supports, districts developing deficit-reduction plans due to uncertainty.”

* WICS | Latino Unity Day sees calls for help, support amid ICE operations: Magdalena Rivera, CEO and president of the Illinois Migrant Council, says, “In our community, in the Latino community, we firmly believe that it takes a village. So, the village comes out in the time we need, and this is the time we need.” There are also legislative pushes being made at the Illinois statehouse to protect members of their community.

* WICS | Black farmers advocate for better food systems in Illinois: Wednesday is the fourth annual Black Farmers and Growers Lobby Day…where cultivators and advocates alike from across the state will make their voices heard on the importance of farming in the state. […] NewsChannel 20’s Emily Jordan spoke to Yves Doumen, the founder of Motherland Community Project, a program that works with neighborhoods and communities in Springfield’s east side to transform vacant land into urban farms…making healthy, fresh food accessible.

* WLPO | Mautino Officially Retires As Illinois Auditor General: Staying true to his word that one, ten-year term was enough, Frank Mautino of Spring Valley is officially no longer Illinois’ auditor general. The longtime Democratic politician handed the keys to his office over to new Auditor General Christopher Meister last week. Mautino thanked his Springfield staff by saying online “I have to say that I learned more from them than they learned from me and that’s what made this last decade a tremendous success”.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Rapid-responders in Chicago shift tactics as ICE enforcement continues at a lower profile: Organizers and other rapid-responders who try to warn people about immigration enforcement activity say they remain on high alert and are shifting tactics. “This is going to be the new normal at least for the next couple years, and we just have to be always ready and always prepared,” said Mimi Guiracocha, a lead organizer with Pilsen Unidos por Ñuestro Orgullo, known by the acronym PUÑO, a rapid-response coalition based in the Lower West Side community.

* WBEZ | Botched raid victim Anjanette Young slated for Chicago police oversight role: In her remarks, Young appeared to appeal to more conservative committee members who might feel her reform work makes her an enemy of the police. “Over the past seven years, part of my healing journey has included collaborating with and learning from top officers within CPD,” Young said. “That work has reinforced my belief that accountability and collaboration are not opposite forces… My lived experience does not compromise my ability to be fair.”

* Crain’s | Now we know what Uber paid to buy Chicago’s SpotHero: Uber Technologies says it paid $600 million for parking-app company SpotHero. The deal was announced in February and closed last month. It’s among the largest recent acquisitions of a Chicago-based tech startup, alongside Logik.io, which was acquired by ServiceNow last summer for nearly $500 million, and data provider Tegus, which was acquired for $930 million in 2024.

* Sun-Times | New Zoning chair Villegas begins chipping away at backlog of stalled projects: The message was delivered even before Wednesday’s marathon session, the first of two Zoning Committee meetings this month to clear the decks of stalled projects that included the office-to-residential conversion project at 30 N. LaSalle. After a nearly four-hour session, Villegas thanked colleagues for approving an overall total of 2,000 units.

* Sun-Times | Longtime aide to Rep. Danny Davis charged with Covid-19 unemployment fraud: A longtime deputy district director for Congressman Danny Davis has been hit with federal charges for allegedly obtaining more than $31,000 in unemployment insurance benefits during the pandemic — while still working for the congressman. Gerard C. Moorer, 42, of Chicago, is charged with three counts of wire fraud, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced on Wednesday.

* ABC Chicago | Visitation to be held Thursday for fallen Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew: Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew was shot at Swedish Hospital. Officer Bartholomew is being remembered as being kind hearted and dedicated to his job and family. Visitation is at St. Andrews Greek Orthodox Church, located at 5649 N. Sheridan Road in Chicago, and will begin at 2 p.m.

* Sun-Times | CTU threatens to sue CPS over unpaid stipends for dozens of athletic directors: On Monday an attorney representing the union sent the district a letter saying “to avoid a lawsuit” CPS should distribute the $7,525 stipends to athletic directors at 41 high schools who haven’t been paid for their work during the fall athletic season. The union’s lawyer gave the district a deadline of Thursday.

* WBEZ | What did America sound like in 1776? A local ensemble goes sleuthing for the answer: For the first time in its history, the Newberry Consort is premiering a new work. Composer and bass-baritone Jonathan Woody’s “When Shall America” leans on an arsenal of 17th- and 18th-century musical styles to accompany the words of three prominent, if undersung, Americans: Phillis Wheatley, a Black female poet; Lemuel Haynes, the first Black American to be ordained as a minister; and Samson Occom, the first Native American to write an English-language memoir.

* Nadig Newspapers | 5th Annual Windy City Hot Dog Fest starts May 29 at Six Corners on Chicago’s NW Side: The title “Best Frankfurter” will once again be awarded at the annual “Windy City Hot Dog Fest” the weekend of May 29-31 in the 4000 block of North Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago’s Six Corners business district. Fest-goers will be able to vote via text for the best hot dog while at the event. Nine hot dog vendors are scheduled for the festival.

* Block Club | Baby Eaglets Are First Born In Chicago In More Than A Century, Officials Say: The chicks are believed to be the only eaglets born in the city in more than a century, if not longer, local birder groups and Chicago Park District Officials said. While there have been documented nests in the city in the past two decades, local birders say there is no documentation that any eggs successfully hatched. “This has never happened before, or at least not in a very long time,” said Edward Warden, the president of the Chicago Ornithological Society, who visited the nest over the weekend. “It’s a crazy coincidence that both are happening at the same time.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Lake County News-Sun | Grayslake data center project continues despite resistance: ‘They’re being lied to … or they’re all lying to us’: In a statement, Jess Ortiz, a member of the newly created Lake County Data Center Opposition Coalition, expressed a view hinted at by some comments shared Tuesday. “I think the Grayslake Village Board doesn’t know what they approved,” she said. “Either they’re being lied to by T5, or they’re all lying to us. I hope they listen to the community and remember who they’re supposed to serve.”

* Cook County Record | Foxx: Prosecutors’ ‘silence’ on murder exonerations doesn’t mean ‘innocent’: Attorneys for one of two Mexican men who claim they were illegally coerced into confessing to helping murder a Chicago couple to help a woman kidnap their children are asking a court to keep jurors from seeing sworn testimony from former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx which could be used to show the men’s claims of “innocence” may not hold up. In that deposition, Foxx appeared to admit she and her office allowed the men and potentially others convicted of “heinous” crimes to secure court orders declaring their “innocence” and tee up lawsuits against the city of Chicago for potential jackpot paydays, even though she and her team of prosecutors may have still believed they were guilty.

* Daily Herald | Teens arrested, but Arlington Heights school resource officer’s gun still missing: However, the whereabouts of the officer’s gun remain unknown and recovering it remains “our highest priority,” police said. The charges follow an investigation launched Monday when a school resource officer at Forest View Educational Center in Arlington Heights reported his service weapon missing, officials said. The officer reported that he had removed the firearm from his holster before using the bathroom, authorities said.

* Evanston Now | Alders lean toward leaving West Evanston TIF alone: The decision, which now moves to consideration by the full City Council along with recommendations on four other TIF districts, came after months of back-and-forth discussions about how to handle Evanston’s TIF districts, stemming from a referral from Ald. Parielle Davis (7th) to explore closing the districts early. The conversations have led to recommendations to close at least two TIF districts early, (Dempster/Dodge TIF and Chicago/Main TIF), while alders are looking to leave Howard/Ridge TIF in place until its natural expiration in 2028. The newer Five-Fifths TIF will also stay in place for now, but could be revisited in the coming years.

* Daily Herald | Schaumburg officials visit new village hall as construction enters final six months: Though many who toured the still skeletal interior had personal input on the design, seeing it at full scale and in three dimensions enhanced their vision of its future use. Mayor Tom Dailly stood in the lobby and appreciated the natural light that will continue to pour in from above and the view of the Friendship Stone delivered 20 years ago by the Sister City of Schaumburg, Germany, that now sits atop a central staircase.

* Daily Herald | ‘A game changer’: Mount Prospect receives $850,000 federal grant for fire station rehab: The money, approved as Community Project Funding through Krishnamoorthi’s office, covers approximately half the $1.7 million the village spent renovating the station at 1415 E. Algonquin Road. The station was formerly the headquarters of the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District. Mayor Paul Hoefert credited the station with transforming public safety on the village’s south side. The newly renovated station serves the area formerly covered by the rural fire district.

*** Downstate ***

* Illinois Times | Landowner leans on school districts: Darrel Thoma, chief financial officer of Dowson Family Farms, sent a follow-up email April 3 to Becca Lamon, superintendent of Ball-Chatham School District, to bolster support of the CyrusOne project. The emails, which were obtained by Illinois Times through a Freedom of Information Act request, show how the Divernon-based company pitched CyrusOne’s project to education officials. Thoma made it clear that CyrusOne would, if necessary, turn its attention and cash infusions to other school districts. Thoma told the Ball-Chatham superintendent that CyrusOne had committed to assisting local trade schools and committed to giving $2 million each to the Chatham and Auburn school districts over the next five years.

* WGLT | Bloomington residents speak out against data centers at public forum: Mayor Dan Brady and City Manager Jeff Jurgens led the sessions. Current members of the council, Micheal Mosley of Ward 2 and Michael Straza of Ward 5, and Deputy City Managers Billy Tyus and Sue McLaughlin, were in the audience. “The forum is about listening to you, ladies and gentlemen, and that is what I’ve tried to do in my entire political and government career is to be transparent, and that’s what we’re trying to do here today,” Brady said.

* WGLT | Bloomington’s data center hot topic is ho-hum in Normal: Mayor Chris Koos said during a Sound Ideas interview, as in the City of Bloomington, the amount of land needed for a large-scale data center makes it unlikely any site inside town limits would be suitable. “It lends itself more to a rural setting,” said Koos. He said the issues the town would be concerned about are the ones everyone looks at: the amount of electricity needed, the effect on the cost of power for existing ratepayers, the amount of water use, and quality of life issues.

* WAND | City of Danville unveils 20-year comprehensive development plan: Over 300 residents shared their thoughts through surveys to help create the draft, ensuring that community members feel they have a say in what happens in Danville. “It just fits within the city’s vision in terms of you decide what’s possible, and so here the city is laying out a comprehensive plan to really drive the growth and development. And so it’s really important for people to not only see that but give additional feedback to city leadership,” said Place Foundry Managing Principal David Sidney.

* WCIA | Former PBL teacher pleads guilty to grooming, indecent solicitation of a child: The former Paxton-Buckley-Loda teacher accused of crimes against children pleaded guilty during his latest appearance in court. Paul Meuser, 72 of Buckey, was in court on Wednesday for a planned preliminary hearing in the case against him. Facing two counts of attempted criminal sexual assault and one count each of grooming and indecent solicitation of a child, Meuser was expected to make a plea in the case against him.

* WAND | Central Illinois CEO 2026 Trade Show highlights student entrepreneurs: The CEO program features 15 high school juniors from Farmer City, Blue Ridge, Clinton, Maora-Forsyth and Warrensburg-Latham showcasing the businesses they have created. In the program, students develop their businesses from the ground up over the school year and receive hands-on experience with leadership, finance management, marketing and customer service.

* WAND | Students help shape school menus in Mahomet-Seymour: The district has partnered with Quest Food Management Services to launch the “Little Bulldog Taste Testers” program, where first- and second-grade students sample potential menu items and provide feedback before foods are added to school cafeterias. […] “My favorite part is that it’s like all options that, like, this is our opinion,” Eli said. “If I say it smiley face and everyone else does, the whole school has it.”

*** National ***

* Talking Points | States Rush to Gerrymander Away Black Electoral Power Following Supreme Court Decision: In states across the old Confederacy and beyond, Republican lawmakers are scrambling to carve up districts once drawn to give Black voters a chance to choose their representatives in government. While districts at the local, state and federal level are all at risk, the most urgent objective, for these lawmakers, is helping Republicans hold Congress in the 2026 midterms.

* CNN | Newly released documents reveal more than $300,000 in taxpayer-funded sexual harassment settlements involving lawmakers: From January 1, 1996, through December 12, 2018, the office approved 349 awards or settlements “to resolve complaints against legislative branch offices,” its general counsel said in a letter sent to House Oversight Chair James Comer obtained by CNN. Eighty of those cases were settled by a House or Senate office for a host of different reasons. From that subset, seven cases led to payments to address allegations of sexual harassment. The payments referenced in the letter used taxpayer money from a Treasury account that no longer exists as an option for lawmakers.

* ProPublica | Babies Are Bleeding to Death as Parents Reject a Vitamin Shot Given at Birth: In almost every case, the babies’ deaths could have been prevented with a long-standard vitamin K shot. But across the country, families — first in smatterings, now in droves — are declining the single, inexpensive injection given at birth to newborns to help their blood clot. Many of them are doing so out of a well-meaning but ill-informed abundance of caution. In the hopes of safeguarding their newborns from what they see as unnecessary medical intervention, they have shunned fundamental and scientifically sound pharmaceutical intervention. The trend is also fueled by a contradictory pairing: families’ fierce desire to protect their babies and a cascade of false information infused into their social media algorithms.