* ICYMI: As Illinois revamps property tax sales, questions over repaying homeowners loom. Crain’s…

- Legislation signed on Friday will phase out third-party capture of the excess equity in a property above the amount of its unpaid taxes.
- The legislation makes substantial changes going forward to the annual tax debt auction, but does not get Illinois and its counties off the hook for the liability built up over decades by the old system, which a series of federal court decisions has hung on the government’s shoulders.
- Also not settled is the question of whether the legislation will have one of its intended effects: generating enough money from fees on tax buyers to pay out claims of lost equity by property owners who lost their homes since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision finding tax systems like the one in Illinois are unconstitutional.

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

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | Illinois elections board judge recommends Mayra Macías’ name not be on 4th Congressional District ballot: A hearing officer for the state Board of Elections is recommending to the board that independent candidate Mayra Macías be blocked from running for Illinois’ 4th Congressional District in the contest to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García. The recommendation Friday determined the independent candidate did not gather enough valid signatures for her name to be placed on the November ballot. The decision is not final but marks a major blow to Macías in a race defined by García’s late decision to drop out and handpick a successor in the Democratic primary who is now challenging efforts to prevent other candidates from running in the general election.

* Tribune | Can Indiana pay for a Bears stadium? Analysts ask how it will pay its debt as some residents balk at new taxes: A fiscal analysis by the state’s Legislative Services Agency did not address the costs, but estimated the proceeds for the stadium from a slew of proposed taxes in the legislation. A 1% food and beverage tax in Lake and Porter counties could generate an estimated total of at least $12 million to $18 million annually, legislative Chief Economist Randhir Jha estimated. A 5% increase to double Lake County’s innkeeper’s tax could collect at least $5 million annually. An admissions tax of 12% of the ticket price for events at the stadium could bring in around $12 million a year.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WGN | Mayoral speculation abound as Giannoulias drops new campaign ads: The timing is impossible to ignore, as the ads come two weeks before candidates can begin circulating petitions for next February’s mayoral contest. The Giannoulias campaign says the ads will run on TV, cable and digital platforms. It’s a major flex. Giannoulias ended the last campaign filing period with close to $20 million in the bank, which would help propel him into the mayoral campaign top tier should he enter the race.

* Austin Weekly News | 8th House candidate Franklin introduces herself to local Dems: Franklin got a healthy round of applause when she noted that she’d be the first woman to represent the 8th District. And one of the youngest. She’ll soon have a direct say in other legislation, and said she’s keeping an eye on the West Suburban Hospital situation. The 8th House District is ground zero for the ongoing financial and legal debacle that threatens to take a major safety net hospital permanently off the board for West Side residents. She will soon represent much of the Austin neighborhood east of Austin Boulevard, areas heavily impacted in numerous ways by the closure of West Sub.

* Video: IL Governor JB Pritzker Gets Personal: Family, Weight Loss, His Political Future & Chicago Bears

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Finance Committee stalls showdown vote on sale of Chicago parking meters: A City Council committee poised to reject a New York investment firm’s $2.53 billion bid to acquire Chicago parking meters instead postponed that politically-volatile vote Monday under threat of a lawsuit by the current owner. In a July 3 letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson, Finance Chair Pat Dowell warned that the proposal by Chicago Parking Meters LLC to unload the 57 years that remain on the lopsided deal “has not secured the support necessary to advance from committee at this time.”

* WBEZ | CTU endorses 15 school board candidates, throwing weight behind incumbents, mayoral picks: The Chicago Teachers Union announced Monday it will endorse only 15 candidates in the upcoming school board race in which all 21 seats are up for election — a decision that could make it difficult for the union to hold onto its majority. The union will back 10 incumbents who they supported in the election two years ago or were appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson. Johnson, a former organizer for the CTU, is an ally of the union. Notably absent from their list of endorsements is Yesenia Lopez, who won in 2024 with the union’s endorsement, but occasionally voted independently of other CTU-aligned school board members over the past year and half.

* ABC Chicago | Chicago Public School lays off more than 160 employees: As of Friday, 162 people have been notified. Of those, 82 are central office positions and the other 80 are citywide positions. The cuts come as CPS tries to close a budget deficit that exceeds $730 million. Officials plan to unveil details of the district’s proposed budget later this week.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | CPS lays off 162 employees as it works to close budget deficit for 2026-27 school year: The layoffs will save the district $18 million, CPS spokesperson Mary Fergus said in a statement. […] Of the 162 people laid off, 38 people are represented by SEIU Local 73, the union that represents support staffers at CPS, such as custodians, and 25 were represented by the Chicago Teachers Union. The unions did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

* WTTW | Key City Panel Gives Green Light to $425M Subsidy for Chicago Fire Stadium Site: The subsidy will make it possible for the team’s owner — Joe Mansueto, the billionaire founder of financial services firm Morningstar — to build a new $750 million stadium south of the Loop. The soccer club is privately financing the stadium, even though it would not be reachable unless the city agrees to use taxpayer dollars to build the necessary infrastructure. Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th Ward) was the only alderperson to vote against both parts of the massive subsidy, while Ald. Bill Conway (34th Ward), Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward) and Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st Ward) voted against the portion of the subsidy that will be used to build a city-owned parking garage.

* ABC Chicago | Derek Mayer returning as special agent in charge at US Secret Service Chicago Field Office: In his first interview as SAC, he tells the I-Team it’s an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. For the past year, while working as the chief security officer and vice president of executive protection for P4 Companies, Mayer acted as ABC7’s law enforcement expert, which he is unable to continue to do in his new role.

* Tribune | Munetaka Murakami back for Chicago White Sox — and slugger added to AL roster for All-Star Game and HR Derby: “Just truly happy,” Murakami said through an interpreter of the All-Star selection. “Because of the injury I thought I was not going to be playing for the All-Stars. So I’m just really happy that they called my name.” Murakami went 1-for-5 with an RBI double Friday after returning from a lengthy stint on the injured list. He suffered a right hamstring strain on May 29 and went on the IL the next day.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* CBS Chicago | First public hearing held on proposed toll hike tied to $26.5 billion road improvement program: During the 5:30 p.m. meeting at the Greenbelt Cultural Center, no one at the hearing outwardly spoke out against the hike. However, at a nearby rest stop, some expressed that they don’t support the proposed toll increase. “You commute every day, whether it’s a job or anything of that nature, yeah, it can become expensive,” said Jericho Harris. Harris says though he doesn’t want to see the price increase, he feels like he has no choice in the matter.

* Naperville Sun | Naperville commission votes in favor of ban on kratom products: Naperville already restricts the sale of kratom to anyone under the age of 21 and prohibits its possession by anyone under the age of 18. But the commission voted Thursday, July 9, to recommend that the city council take a stronger stance in the wake of health experts raising concerns about new synthetic variations of the drug, which are producing a stronger, more opioid-like effect.

* Daily Herald | Prestige neighbors now battling warehouse proposal in Mount Prospect: The homeowners cited public safety issues and traffic concerns in their letter. “Mount Prospect should have consideration for the public safety issues and the residential fabric of our neighborhood,” they wrote. “Our communities pay well over $1 million a year to get our kids safely to River Trails school district. Our roads are busy enough with semitruck traffic.”

* ABC Chicago | Northwest suburban high school principal to lead National Principals Association: Huntley High School Principal Marcus Belin will take a leave of absence from the school next academic year after being named president of the National Principal’s Association. Belin, who has led Huntley High School for nearly a decade, said his time at the school has been rewarding.

* Daily Herald | Rosemont mall keeps parking fees despite shopper decline: Fashion Outlets of Chicago officials and Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens don’t appear to be budging from their positions about paid parking at the indoor mall. […] He cited the mall’s statistics that track foot traffic year over year. The number of shoppers walking into the mall was steadily increasing until the paid parking policy started in February. Then it was down 17% in March — compared with the same period last year — 14% in April, 12% in May and 14% in June.

*** Downstate ***

* Tribune | Lawsuit alleges IDOC inmates denied exercise in ‘dungeon-like’ solitary cells: The Illinois Department of Corrections confined inmates in “dungeon-like conditions” in solitary confinement and refused to allow them to exercise, causing chronic physical and psychological pain, a complaint filed on Monday alleges. The amended complaint, filed in federal court in Southern Illinois, names IDOC Director Latoya Hughes, along with other wardens and officials, accusing them of depriving some inmates at Menard Correctional Center of nearly all ability to move their bodies on a daily basis.

* WGLT | Bloomington sets date at BCPA for public forum on data centers: The City of Bloomington will host a public planning commission meeting focused on “hyper scale” data centers at 5 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. City Manager Jeff Jurgens said a panel will be available to the commission. He did not specify who would be on the panel during his report at the city council meeting Monday night, adding more information would be released later. […] Bloomington is in the midst of a six-month moratorium on proposals for data centers. It started in late May, following similar action by Town of Normal.

* WCIA | Separation agreement sheds new light on Clinton Board of Education, superintendent parting ways: The document reveals that Goebel and the Board of Education “mutually” enter into the agreement, which waives any “charges, grievances, lawsuits, claims or other potential litigation between the parties.” But, the agreement makes the distinction that it is not an “admission of any wrong-doing” by the board or Goebel, because both parties “expressly deny any and all liability or wrong doing in connection with disputed issues.” The agreement also states that Goebel will remain a licensed administrator of the Board until June 30, 2027. During that time, he will be “absent from duty on paid administrative leave” and will continue to receive his $148,526 salary, along with his district benefits.

*** National ***

* ABC | LAPD ending deal with company operating license plate-reading cameras: “This contract is not being renewed because of serious concerns around civil liberties and civil rights issues, particularly around privacy and the data that is being collected from these cameras,” said Dean Gialamas, LAPD’s chief information officer. “The LAPD had to make a difficult decision, in this case discontinuing using Flock services until we can get those data, privacy, security and sharing concerns ironed out through a contractual relationship.”

* WaPo | One of sci-fi’s most difficult questions about AI is becoming real: “I just don’t think the developer is in a position to know exactly how their product is being used,” David Sacks, a venture capitalist who until recently was one of the White House’s top AI advisers, said in a podcast interview with Politico in May. Just as Microsoft isn’t held liable when a money launderer uses an Excel spreadsheet, AI companies shouldn’t be blamed when a criminal uses their technology, Sacks said. For decades, technology companies have been shielded from liability for things said and actions committed by people using their platforms thanks to Section 230, a foundational internet law enacted in 1996. But critics of AI companies say that the current technology is fundamentally different. Chatbots and other AI tools are interactive, engaging with users and stating their own perspectives.

* AP | New York to impose the country’s first statewide moratorium on data centers: New York will block the construction of any new large data centers for up to a year so the state can create rules to protect the environment and energy grid from the power-hungry facilities that fuel artificial intelligence technology. Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to sign an executive order Tuesday morning imposing the country’s first statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers, which house thousands of computer servers and require massive amounts of energy and a steady supply of water to keep cool.