Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Center Square loves to normalize and highlight the outliers…

State Rep. Adam Niemerg, a Republican, has been against the continuance of the mask mandate and said that other options should be considered.

“As usual, the Governors’s only answer is to shut down businesses, mask our children, vaccination, vaccination,” Niemerg said. “We need to actually examine what we are doing, remove political theatre from these decisions and give Illinoisans a clear path to combatting this virus.”

…Adding… Good points in comments, including…

If the Eastern Bloc had to “remove political theatre” they would have nothing left.

63 Comments

State takes “massive step forward” toward selling the Thompson Center

Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Governor JB Pritzker today announced the selection of a proposer for the sale of the James R. Thompson Center (JRTC). After a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process to select a purchaser for the JRTC, the State plans to enter into exclusive negotiations with JRTC Holdings, LLC for the purposes of acquiring and redeveloping the site located at 100 West Randolph Street.

Following the evaluation of submitted proposals, the State elected to move forward with a public-private partnership structure, which includes:

• An up-front payment of $70 million to the State for the purchase of the property
• The selected purchaser preserving and substantially renovating the JRTC
• The State purchasing and occupying approximately 425,000 sq ft of newly renovated, Class-A office space at the JRTC
• The State will save approximately $20 million a year for the next 30 years through operating cost reductions and lease consolidations alone.
• The redevelopment of the JRTC is expected to result in thousands of new construction jobs, new tax revenues for Cook County, the City of Chicago, and its sister agencies, while maintaining thousands of jobs and operations with heavy public interactions in the LaSalle Street corridor

“Today I’m proud to announce that for the first time, we’re taking a massive step forward with a plan that will result in the sale of the Thompson Center and that will save taxpayers $800 million,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I came into office with a promise to manage state government resources more efficiently and to support local governments. By returning vital real estate in downtown Chicago to private ownership, tens of millions in revenue will be generated for Chicago Public Schools and for property taxpayers. This is a new era of responsible governance for Illinois – one that protects our taxpayers, and fosters the jobs and opportunities that working families deserve.”

From the beginning of the Pritzker administration, the Department of Central Management Services (CMS) not only prioritized completing the long-anticipated sale of the JRTC and the timely relocation of State offices and employees, it also focused on the realignment of the State’s real estate portfolio and looked for consolidation opportunities to maximize space utilization in state-owned and leased properties. This effort to identify opportunities for efficiency improvements, space consolidation and the cost avoidance of deferred maintenance repairs will result in over $800 million in taxpayer savings.

“The State can no longer afford to support unsustainable costs for the maintenance and operation of the JRTC or delay its disposition,” said Director of CMS Janel L. Forde. “This strategic public-private partnership allows us to retain a smaller presence in the property while partnering with an established development team to transfer significant financial risk and responsibility for the much-needed capital improvements at the JRTC to a third-party.”

* Renderings and other stuff…

Here is the architectural renderings of what the Thompson Center will look like after a $280 million dollar makeover that is expected to take two years pic.twitter.com/5UBd5cXQTz

— Craig Wall ABC 7 (@craigrwall) December 15, 2021

Prime Group principal Michael Reschke: "were a bit cynical because of the reputation building" but "we took a very hard conscientious look at the opportunity."
Reschke says his firm does NOT plan to demolish the building, which would be an "absolute travesty."

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) December 15, 2021

Reschke says the open atrium "is the strength of the building and will be the feature of the building going forward" but a new glass curtain wall will be installed to address problems like acoustics, which he says are "horrible" under current conditions.

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) December 15, 2021

Reschke says he hopes to close the sale with the state by mid-2022 and get shovels in the ground by end of next year.

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) December 15, 2021

Renovation will take 2 yrs, Reschke estimates. It could be quicker, but they want to keep the building open during the process. Says state will continue to lease offices here:

Total project cost estimate: $280M.

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) December 15, 2021

…Adding… Lots more at Crain’s, including high resolution pics. Click here.

36 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 *** No replacement yet for LIG Pope

Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This doesn’t mean a whole lot in the real world unless they leave the position vacant for an inordinate period. But it’s definitely a bad look. Center Square…

Another vacancy in the office that oversees state lawmakers means complaints won’t be investigated until the position is filled.

Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope is the most recent inspector to resign from the position. She gave notice six months ago, calling the office a “paper tiger.”

In a letter to members of the bipartisan Illinois Legislative Ethics Commission in July, Pope said she hoped to make a difference from the inside and improve the public’s view of the legislature by bringing true ethics reforms.

“Unfortunately, I have not been able to do so,” Pope said. “This last legislative session [in the spring] demonstrated true ethics reform is not a priority. The LIG has no real power to effect change or shine a light on ethics violations, the position is essentially a paper tiger.”

Her departure date is Dec. 15. She was approved for the job in 2019.

State Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, who chairs the Legislative Ethics Commission, said it’s troubling they can’t keep a watchdog in place.

“They’ve made it very clear that subpoena power is important, that their ability to investigate without getting permission from the commission would be very important,” Tracy told The Center Square on Tuesday. “I know I’ve been part of legislative initiatives filed to do just that and they’ve not gone anywhere, they’ve not gone through the legislative process, and so these inspector generals quit out of frustration.”

The commission meets Thursday where a nominee to replace Pope could be considered. But, the full General Assembly wouldn’t be able to approve anything until they return early next month at the earliest.

The most recent quarterly report issued at the end of September indicated there were 34 allegations received to the LIG, where six investigations were initiated. The total number of allegations referred by the LIG to any law enforcement agency was four. The total number of allegations referred to another investigatory body was five.

*** UPDATE *** I reached out to Sen. Jil Tracy, who co-chairs the Legislative Ethics Commission. Sen. Tracy said she spoke to LIG Pope yesterday, who said she doesn’t want to see the office vacant.

“I think she and staff will hang on through January 6,” Tracy said.

3 Comments

Sen. Bush won’t run again; Cannabis Czar Hutchinson leaving administration

Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I am really going to miss her…

Today, State Senator Melinda Bush announced she will not seek re-election to the Illinois State Senate. First elected in 2012, Senator Bush has built an unparalleled record of fighting for women’s rights and equality in Illinois, from enshrining women’s reproductive health rights into law to passing strict anti-harassment protections and advancing women running for elected office at all levels of government.

“Serving the residents of the 31st District for the last nine years has been the honor of my life. It’s not a place I ever expected to be, but I’m so grateful to all of the amazing people I’ve met as I have traveled across our district and our state working to make Illinois a better place for all who call it home,” said State Senator Melinda Bush. “I’m immensely proud to have helped advance policies that have moved our state forward: making Illinois the most pro-choice state in America; passing landmark legislation to make Illinois a global leader in the fight against climate change; changing the way our state funds education to ensure all students, regardless of zip code or economic status, receive a quality education; and so much more. While I will not be seeking re-election, I will remain an engaged voice on behalf of my community and am committed to lifting up the voices of women throughout Illinois.”

Senator Bush has successfully championed women’s rights and equality throughout her time in office. She was the chief sponsor of the Reproductive Health Act in 2019, which ensures abortion will remain legal in Illinois if Roe vs. Wade is overturned at a time as states across the country continue to enact restrictive abortion policies. She also led efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in Illinois, an important step toward bringing equal justice to women.

At the height of the #MeToo movement, Senator Bush chaired the bipartisan Senate Task Force on Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Awareness and Prevention. The task force resulted in the passage of some of the strictest sexual harassment and discrimination protections in the country, keeping Illinoisans safe for decades to come and fundamentally changing both the way the legislature and private businesses operate in the state of Illinois. As a member of the Anti-Harassment, Equality and Access Panel, Senator Bush traveled across Illinois and heard women tell their stories about sexual harassment, discrimination, and the way political parties excluded them from the process. As a result, she started the Lake County Democratic Women, which has trained, supported and funded more than 45 Lake County women at the state and local level in the last five years.

Senator Bush has also built a long record of advocating for environmental justice, fighting to combat the opioid crisis and standing up for Lake County citizens and their communities. She’s sponsored critical legislation, including:

• The Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, landmark legislation to replace the state’s lead pipes and ensure clean drinking water for our children
• The nation-leading Clean Energy Jobs Act to ensure Illinois achieves 100% renewable energy by 2050
• Numerous pieces of legislation to address the opioid crisis, expanding access to the life-saving heroin antidote Naloxone, strengthening prescription monitoring to prevent the over-prescription of opioids, and providing resources and treatment options to those struggling with substance abuse
• Legislation to bring millions of dollars in infrastructure funding to the 31st district

“Of all our accomplishments, I am most proud of the work that my team and I have done in our 31st District communities. From day one, we wanted to provide the best services and assistance to those we represented, and I sincerely believe we have done just that,” added Senator Bush. “When I first went to Springfield, I used to carry a frog necklace in my pocket to represent the old adage about a boiled frog, reminding me to be hyper-aware of how your environment can change you. I’m confident that during my time in office, I’ve been able to stay true to my ideals and values as we’ve worked to make life better for thousands of Lake County families.”

Senator Bush was born and raised in Lake County. Prior to running for Senate, she was a small business owner and a Lake County Board Member. She lives in Grayslake with her husband Andy.

* Ditto for her…

Today, the Marijuana Policy Project announced that Toi Hutchinson will join the organization as its new president and CEO. Hutchinson, a former Illinois state senator, most recently served as senior advisor to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on cannabis legalization implementation.

For the past year, MPP Executive Director Steven Hawkins has led both MPP and the United States Cannabis Council (USCC). Hawkins will now exclusively focus his efforts on federal cannabis reform at USCC. MPP will remain a member of USCC and continue to share staff, board members, and resources.

“Toi’s unique resume is perfectly suited to lead MPP as we finish our reform work state-by-state across the country,” said MPP Board Chairman Sal Pace. “Toi worked alongside MPP as one of the initial authors of the Illinois adult-use cannabis legislation to ensure that the law contained a strong social justice framework that included decriminalization in addition to legalization. MPP has always been focused not only on legalization but also on doing it right and ending the war on drugs.”

“I am proud of what we have accomplished at MPP and look forward to working alongside Toi in the fight to end cannabis prohibition,” said Steven Hawkins, president and CEO of USCC. “MPP played a pivotal role in incubating USCC, and we are now taking that work to the next level. Toi is an incredible leader, and I know that our organizations will work tirelessly to advance our shared goals.”

“The MPP Board is thrilled with the work Steve accomplished during his four-year tenure. These past four years have been the most productive years yet for marijuana reform. MPP will continue to work with Steve as a member organization of USCC, including continuing to share some staff between the two organizations,” said Sal Pace, MPP Board Chair.

“I’m pleased to be joining the team at MPP, where I will continue my years-long effort to develop and support cannabis legalization legislation that centers on equity and repairing the harms of the past,” said Toi Hutchinson. “We are incredibly proud of the hard work and lessons learned in Illinois, standing up programs to invest in equity entrepreneurs, reinvesting in communities, and clearing hundreds of thousands of arrests and criminal records.

“Steve Hawkins’ work at MPP was stellar, and I look forward to working with him in his new capacity along with legislators and partners across the country to advance the goals and mission of MPP by harnessing our collective power to advocate for changes to federal cannabis policies.”

In addition to her position as senior advisor to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Toi also served as an Illinois state senator and an attorney at the law firm of Chapman and Cutler. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences (English) from the University of Illinois and a Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law.

Toi is a member of the Chicago Federation of Women, the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership, Links, International, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Since MPP was founded in 1995, it has spearheaded most of the major state-level reforms that have occurred over the past two decades.

MPP played a leading role in 10 of the 18 adult-use legalization laws, starting with the historic 2012 Amendment 64 initiative in Colorado, which was the first state to legalize cannabis for adults. MPP also led the coalitions that passed initiatives to legalize and regulate cannabis in Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Michigan, and Montana between 2014 and 2021.

In addition to managing ballot initiative campaigns, MPP has also enacted numerous policies by passing laws through state legislatures. MPP spearheaded the advocacy campaigns that made Vermont and Illinois the first two states to legalize cannabis for adults through the legislative process and played a critical role in enacting the most recent legalization law to pass via state legislature—in Connecticut earlier this year.

…Adding… Terry Cosgrove…

Filling the shoes of Senator Melinda Bush will be close to impossible. Elected and re-elected from a district that was never considered “safe,” Bush fought for what she believed in time after time, knew standing up for what was right and just, being unafraid to tell people why she took the positions she did, was not only good policy, but good politics. The Illinois General Assembly is losing a pro-choice hero, a champion of justice, and one of the greatest examples of what the people of this state deserve in an elected official. Thank you Senator Bush for staying in the fight with us in the years to come as we will need you more than ever!