* ICYMI: House Dems eye taxes on entertainment, billionaires’ investments to fund transit. Capitol News Illinois…

- Two key negotiators on public transit reform in the Illinois House filed a bill Tuesday to raise up to $2 billion for public transit by taxing entertainment and the unrealized investment gains of billionaires.
- The future of Senate Bill 2111 in the Senate is not clear, however. Delgado said the proposal represents what House Democrats think are the best solutions to pay for public transportation.
- Buckner and Delgado said of the $1.5 billion and $2 billion that would be raised, about $220 million would go to downstate transit agencies.

* Related stories…

• Crain’s: Springfield weighs ‘billionaires tax,’ 7% amusement levy to rescue transit
• ABC Chicago: Chicago aldermen travel to Springfield to lobby for Johnson’s budget proposal, transit funding

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Sponsored by Ameren Illinois

The summer of 2025 has been a tough one for residents and businesses in the Ameren Illinois service territory. Supply constraints, extreme hot and humid conditions, and increased energy usage have led to a significant spike in electricity prices and higher-than-normal monthly bills for residential, commercial and industrial energy users. We appreciate and thank legislators, regulators and stakeholders who are working hard to address the energy challenge in Illinois. Energy policy is complex, and we’re encouraged that there are some creative ideas being proposed and a willingness to work together to find answers.   

While Ameren Illinois cannot control the price or availability of energy, we can ensure that the system that delivers energy to homes and businesses — electric poles, wires, and technology; and natural gas distribution pipelines and storage fields — is equipped to operate at peak performance to withstand severe weather events, facilitate business expansions that grow local communities, and enable the transition to renewable generation.

We have an opportunity to build an energy system that is smarter, cleaner, reliable, resilient, and affordable for Illinois families and businesses. As discussions on short- and long-term legislative solutions occur this fall, we will continue to advocate for our 1.2 million customers.   

If you know of someone who is struggling to pay their energy bill, please encourage them to visit www.AmerenIllinois.com/PathToSavings for information on available financial assistance and energy saving programs. 

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* Governor Pritzker will be in Taylorville at 10:15 am to sign an Executive Order to support Illinois farmers. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* CBS Chicago | Texas National Guard troops remain stationed in Elwood, Illinois, costing taxpayers millions: In Illinois, 200 Texas troops have been sent to Elwood and have spent about 30 days so far, costing taxpayers nearly $3.5 million. “You’re going to have to feed them, and you are going to have to house them, so you are going to have to hire vendors or buy food and have the cooks cook the food,” Hayes said.

* WBEZ | Murder case of ex-cop who fatally shot Sonya Massey goes to jurors: Jurors began deliberating Grayson’s fate around lunchtime and ended the day Tuesday without reaching a verdict. They will resume deliberations Wednesday. But jurors did pose two questions to the judge overseeing the case after they went behind closed doors. One was a request to review police-worn body camera videos that have been a critical piece of evidence in the trial. The jury asked to look at Grayson’s and at his partner’s recordings, and to view them side-by-side. The other question had to do with a reference in jury instructions to a state law that governs when use of force is impermissible as an act of self-defense.

*** Statewide ***

* WAND | IL turkey hunters harvest 255 wild turkeys in ‘25, down from last season: Turkey hunters in the state of Illinois harvested 255 wild turkeys during the fall season from Oct. 18 to 26. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said 294 turkeys were harvested in 2024. IDNR shared that 2005 was the record harvest, when 1,218 birds were harvested.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WAND | Illinois Power Agency says solar battery storage proposal could save ratepayers $13.4b over 20 years: The Illinois Power Agency says deploying three gigawatts of battery storage technology could save Ameren and ComEd customers $13.4 billion over 20 years. That is one of the main components Democrats hope to see approved under the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act. The legislation would also bring more solar and wind projects online while investing in geothermal technology and empowering state agencies to better plan for energy demand spikes.

* Tribune | Cook County leaders want property tax relief for more seniors, but south suburban mayors group resists: As election season kicks off in earnest and the Springfield veto session hurtles to its conclusion, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Assessor Fritz Kaegi are both pressing state legislators to expand property tax break eligibility for lower-income seniors. But they have faced pushback from a group representing south suburban municipal leaders who fear those breaks would hike bills for everyone else, pushing up already-high tax rates and making collections even harder.

* WAND | House committee approves bill cutting red tape for craft brewers, distillers: The plan could create a Class 3 craft distiller license and self-distribution exemption. It also clarifies that using third-party platforms to deliver liquor is not illegal reselling, transferring, or exchanging of alcoholic drinks. The bill would allow craft brewer license holders to offer rewards and loyalty programs like mug clubs for customers as well.

* WAND | IL Senate GOP: Democrats should not raise any taxes during veto session: Pritzker and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch have suggested lawmakers could pass a plan this week to decouple from some of the new federal tax benefits for businesses. However, Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) said decoupling will prevent taxpayers from automatic savings and could make tax filing more complicated.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Chicago-area Head Start programs spared from government shutdown — until December: Without an end to the federal government shutdown by Saturday, some 65,000 children and their families nationwide stand to lose Head Start early childcare and preschool services as soon as next week. None are in the Chicago area, the Illinois Head Start Association says. A lone program in downstate Illinois could be impacted next month. Local families have a longer runway because budget years vary for recipients of Head Start grants.

* Tribune | Gene & Georgetti owner says the city is pushing her out at Midway to make way for Bally’s: Michelle Durpetti, whose grandfather started Gene & Georgetti nearly 85 years ago, said she received notice last week from Midway concessionaire SSP America that it was closing their Gene’s Bistro outpost and abruptly ending a 20-year licensing agreement within 90 days. No explanation was given to Durpetti in the termination email, but she believes the city is looking to leverage its agreement with Bally’s Chicago to generate additional revenue at the airport – at her expense. “They’re basically pulling the rug out from under a local Chicago brand,” Durpetti said. “You lend people your brand equity, which we have spent decades building and protecting in my family, only to be treated like this.”

* Sun-Times | U of C resident doctors win first-ever union contract after nearly a year of negotiating: The five-year contract for the roughly 1,000 residents and fellows “will have a direct impact on both their well-being and their ability to provide high-quality patient care to their patients,” according to the Committee of Interns and Residents, their union representation. The victory is the latest in a growing movement in Illinois and nationwide to unionize residents and secure contracts that make their working conditions more humane and sustainable.

* Crain’s | 1871 is on the move to Edelman’s downtown HQ: As 1871 was preparing to depart the Merchandise Mart in May, without a firm decision on where it would set up shop next, CEO Betsy Ziegler got an email from Amanda Edelman. She said: “We’re excited about innovation, and we have some space,” Ziegler recalls. 1871 is moving into nearly 23,000 square feet, or a half-floor of space at 111 N. Canal, along with Current, a water-innovation hub, and the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which was a tenant at 1871’s space in the Merchandise Mart. Edelman calls the space its innovation hub and is providing it rent-free to the nonprofits.

* Tribune | Dates are announced for David Byrne’s ‘Theater of the Mind’: Presented as part of the Goodman’s anniversary Centennial Season, the project is described as an “immersive journey of how we perceive and create our worlds, inspired by both historical and current neuroscience research.” It will be directed by Andrew Scoville, with technology direction by Heidi Boisvert. Audiences of 16 at a time will explore “a 15,000-square-foot immersive experience,” with the attraction expected to take about 75 minutes.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Injustice Watch | Rare criminal trial of former Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center employee expected to start Thursday: Kevin Walker, 58, a former rapid response team specialist at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, is facing felony charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct for allegedly injuring a child at the facility in December 2023. This is the first time in more than a decade that a current or former employee has been criminally charged with hurting a child at the detention center. The trial comes on the heels of a class-action lawsuit filed last year by more than 300 former detainees who claim they were sexually and physically abused while at the detention center going back to the early 1990s. In recent years, the facility has also faced scrutiny from outside experts who say staffers use dangerous and excessive restraint practices and are sometimes “entirely inhumane” to the children they oversee.

* Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan bars federal agents from city properties: ‘This is a good step forward’: “This resolution is not about politics,” Mayor Sam Cunningham said after signing the resolution. “It is about people. It is about ensuring that every person who calls Waukegan home can go to City Hall, the police station, the library and any other municipal facility without fear.” Along with prohibiting federal immigration enforcement agents from using city property “as a staging area, processing location, operations base or other support for civil immigration enforcement,” the resolution dictates that signs be placed in all appropriate places to warn agents.

* Elgin Courier-News | Efforts to help businesses know their rights step up in wake of Elgin-area immigration raids: “ICE/CBP agents do not have consent to enter this business/restaurant unless they have a valid judicial warrant. Staff are not authorized to consent access to this business/restaurant.” Elgin Area Rapid Response Team members confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were inside the mall at 535 Dundee Ave. at 9:20 a.m. Sunday and detained a person who was reportedly an employee. The scene was cleared by 9:30 a.m.

* Daily Herald | ‘Leading the way’: DuPage’s new Crisis Recovery Center making an early impact: His remarks came during a presentation on the proposed health department budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The health board has authorized the use of reserve funds from the health department to help bridge an anticipated $3 million gap in the center’s operational budget during fiscal 2026. “It’s important to note that this gap is not what I would consider a shortfall. It is a strategic investment that we have planned and prepared for,” Forker said. “It’s about taking care of our residents, and the health department reserves are there in place to support the CRC operations as we launch services for the first time.”

* Daily Herald | Arlington Heights to set new speed limits for motorized devices: The revised rules, which could be considered by the board as soon as next Monday, would bar anyone of any age from riding devices that exceed 28 mph — whether an electric bicycle, scooter, unicycle, hoverboard, skateboard or related product — on any street or sidewalk in Arlington Heights.

* Tribune | Gary King, DuPage County clerk for decades, dies at 78: In all, King spent more than 47 years working in the office of the clerk, which mails property tax bills and stores and manages vital records like birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses and political candidates’ economic interest statements. “He knew more about his job, including about taxes and the tax cycle, than anybody in the county. He just knew everything,” said former DuPage County Recorder J.P. “Rick” Carney, a longtime friend. “He was an expert. I would consider him the best clerk in the state of Illinois.”

*** Downstate ***

* WGEM | Potential loss of SNAP benefits impacting local Illinois food pantries: “We’ve already seen the impact already,” Stephens said. “Food pantry was open on Sunday here from 2-4 and unfortunately we have to turn away 60 individuals because we simply did not have enough food.” Stephens said this is the worst it has ever been for them. This isn’t just an issue at Horizons. Stephens said other food pantries in the community are struggling to keep up with the need.

* WSIL | Local food pantry launches emergency fundraising campaign amid SNAP benefit halt: Last Saturday, the food pantry recorded serving a record 239 households, representing 603 individuals, with 22 households visiting for the first time. Charley Sands, an eight-year volunteer, expressed concern, saying, “I was in the building Saturday night. It was 7:30. I knew pantry had been going for an hour. The place was still packed with a line out the door, and I was overwhelmed. I said to myself, ‘what are we going to do?’”

* WGLT | Bloomington’s gun violence commission wants to keep going: The Special Commission on Safe Communities delivered its final report during the Bloomington City Council’s meeting on Monday, while urging the council to make the commission permanent. “Every commissioner I’ve talked to would like to continue on,” Scott Denton, a forensic pathologist who chairs the commission, said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. “We think the work isn’t done.” The 29-page report, compiled through interviews and data collection, compares Bloomington to national trends and points to areas of concern, including suicide, domestic violence and youth interaction with guns.

*** National ***

* Time Magazine | Stephen Miller Claims ICE Agents Have Immunity. Is That True?: Stephen Vladeck, a professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center, argues no—at least on its face. “The federal government absolutely retains the ability to prosecute federal law enforcement officers who break the law, even in the course of carrying out their duties,” Vladeck writes in a newsletter published Monday. Vladeck argues that while these agents are protected by an immunity doctrine, that doctrine is not as absolute as Miller makes it out to be.

* AP | Federal trial to start over Trump’s efforts to deploy the National Guard in Portland, Oregon: U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, will preside over the trial in Portland. The trial stems from a lawsuit filed by the city and state against the Trump administration in a bid to block the troop deployment. Immergut has already issued two temporary restraining orders in the case blocking the troops pending further litigation. She found that Trump had failed to show that he had met the conditions set out by Congress for using the military domestically. She described his assessment of the situation in Portland, which Trump called “war ravaged,” as “simply untethered to the facts.”

* 404 Media | ICE Is Using a University Building as a Deportation Office and the University Says It Can’t Do Anything About It: In 2023, an alum of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) sold a building at 310 E. Knapp St. to the school for a massive discount, with the intention of the building being renovated and turned into an academic facility. At the time, ICE was a tenant of the building but was in the process of building a new office elsewhere in Milwaukee. Its lease was set to expire in April, but ICE, through the General Services Administration (GSA) which handles real estate for the federal government, unilaterally extended the lease through April of next year and has the option to remain in the building through 2028, the university says. The university says there is nothing it can legally do to evict ICE.