A pair of bills backed by the Cook County Treasurer’s Office aims to reduce the burden on taxpayers who have fallen behind on their property taxes and crack down on private investors who profit from the sale of delinquent taxes.
Legislation introduced Friday by state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, would reduce the amount of interest charged on late property tax payments and close a loophole in the state tax code that leads to local governments losing millions of dollars each year to private investors. […]
The “sale in error” process was created to reverse tax sales that should never have occurred, such as those in which the property owner already paid the taxes before the sale.
But according to the treasurer’s office, investors have used the provision to argue that sales should be void because of discrepancies in the county assessor’s description of the property, such as saying a home had no air conditioning when it did, or a house had stucco when it was made of brick. […]
The other bill crafted by the treasurer’s office, Senate Bill 2395, aims to help residents who are behind on their property taxes by cutting interest rates on the payments from 1.5% to 0.75% per month starting this year.
* Chicago FOP…
This week, Senate bill 1631 was introduced to give @FOP7Chicago members a pension benefit comparable to members of @CFDLocal2.
— Fraternal Order of Police - Chicago Lodge #7 (@FOP7Chicago) February 11, 2023
* Rep. Scherer…
Rep. Sue Scherer has introduced legislation that would expand access to food assistance for foster families. This bill would make all foster families eligible for SNAP benefits. Currently, foster children cannot qualify for any SNAP benefits. #BuildingBackBetterpic.twitter.com/p7HFRFOtmf
— Democrats for the Illinois House (@DemsforILHouse) February 10, 2023
Proposed measures at the Illinois statehouse could require electric vehicle charging stations in the garage of new homes, a change one builder says would increase costs.
House Bill 2206 and Senate Bill 40 require a new single-family residence or a small multifamily residence to have at least one electric vehicle charging station for each residential unit with dedicated parking.
Dean Graven of the Home Builders Association of Illinois said neither measure considers the added costs.
“This is a mandate with no funding behind it, a mandate that every new house, single-family duplex, then it gets into the multi-family, would have to have electric car charging stations,” Graven told WMAY. “For every $1,000 price increase on a home, you knock out 6,000 buyers.”
* Illinois Family Institute…
With the beginning of a new Illinois General Assembly, it is imperative that each of us reach out to our state lawmakers to let them know that we are paying attention to their votes and actions.
Illinois State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) has introduced HB 1591 in an attempt to make Illinois a destination for same-sex couples to get a government “marriage” certificate. She and her like-minded friends are fearful that the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodgesdecision which struck down state bans on same-sex “marriage.” In that case, many states could opt to ban same-sex “marriage” in their state.
That is why Cassidy is repealing three specific statutes in the Illinois Marriage Act. These sections are the obstacles for same-sex couples residing in another state who want to “marry” and then go back to their state with a valid marriage license.
The reason Rep. Cassidy wants to repeal 750 ILCS 5/217 is because if a gay couple wants to get “married” here but live in another state that no longer recognizes same-sex “marriage,” their “marriage” would be null and void.
The reason Rep. Cassidy wants to repeal 750 ILCS 5/218 is because currently a judge or pastor has to ask the gay couple residing in another state to provide papers that their state does not ban same-sex marriage.
The reason Rep. Cassidy wants to repeal 750 ILCS 5/219 is because if a judge or pastor marries a same-sex couple knowing they are not supposed to be marrying them, liability for the judge or pastor exists. The repeal of Sec. 219 removes liability for a judge or pastor.
They may have just passed that bill /s
* SGOPs…
Several downstate Republican legislators joined together at the Capitol Tuesday calling for action to address the rising cost of energy impacting Illinois families and businesses.
“Do we pay our power bills or buy food to eat? That’s the question that far too many families are asking themselves,” said State Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet). “This is an emergency situation, the Legislature needs to act quickly, and the Governor needs to step up.”
Gathering a day before the Governor’s 2023 Budget and State of the State Address, the legislators said providing long-term relief for Illinois families should be one of Gov. JB Pritzker’s top budget priorities, and have introduced a number of proposals for short-term relief.
Citing energy rate increases that have almost doubled some families’ power bills since May 2022, lawmakers discussed Senate Bill 2200, filed by freshman State Sen. Erica Harriss, which would allocate $200 million in rebates to affected consumers. The Legislature approved an Ameren rate relief package during last month’s lame-duck session that would provide the average household with $170 in rate relief. The rate relief would be broken up into monthly bill credits likely occurring from April through October. The program is subject to appropriation, and it has not been funded.
“There are far too many families in our community being forced to choose between paying for utilities and paying for groceries,” said State Senator Erica Harriss (R-Glen Carbon). “This is a choice our people should never have to make. While I recognize this rebate won’t be enough to conquer the long-term energy increases, it’s something we can do right now, today, to bring immediate relief. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in supporting this legislation and working for more comprehensive solutions to solving this energy crisis.
State Senator Jil Tracy said she hopes the Governor’s budget proposal on Wednesday will include long-term solutions, but she is taking matters into her own hands now by sponsoring a pair of bills to address the need for greater energy capacity and supply.
Senate Bill 1548 would cut burdensome regulatory “red tape” at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which has prevented new power plants from coming online in a timely manner. And Senate Bill 1547 would create the Power Grid Task Force, which requires the General Assembly to look at the impacts that energy policies are having on Illinois’ ability to produce the required amount of energy to meet Illinois’ needs.
“We have to start addressing this issue right now,” said State Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy). “We need more energy investments in the Governor’s budget, and we also need to look at ways we can fill the demand of the grid so that consumer prices naturally go down.”
State Representative Dave Severin, who serves as the House Energy & Environment Committee Minority Spokesperson, is filing similar legislation in the House of Representatives and said it’s imperative that Illinois utilizes all forms of energy to adequately fulfill the state’s needs.
“State and national policies on energy production have shifted from independence to dependence, from using our vast reserves of clean, cheap, reliable, and efficient resources to prioritizing renewable technologies that just aren’t ready to fulfill our needs,” said State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton). “Make no mistake, I am for an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach on energy production, but an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach is not what we have.”
While Illinoisans await action on legislative measures to address energy costs and grid supply, legislators will be sending a letter to Gov. Pritzker requesting the filing of emergency rulemaking procedures to dump more power into the grid markets and revised permit procedures to fast-track the development of natural gas plants.
“We have more than 2,000 megawatts of clean, gas-generated power that Gov. Pritzker can instantly infuse onto the grid with one decision to increase capacity and help lower costs for families and businesses,” said State Senator and Senate Energy Minority Spokesperson Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro). “Adjusting these energy caps is something we can do right now to ease the financial burden crippling our downstate communities. It is vital that we take these actions to set us up for success while we continue to build our diversified energy portfolio.”
* Media advisory…
Date and Time:
Thursday, February 16, 2023, 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Location:
Blue Room (room 010), Illinois State Capitol Building, 401 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, IL 62706 | BlueRoomStream.com will also be providing video coverage.
Who:
Eric Larson, Illinois State Dental Society Executive Director
State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz
State Senator Laura Fine
Dr. Lawrence White
Dr. Cheryl Watson-Lowry
Dr. Maggie Schaefer Gilpin
What:
Legislative package seeks to protect patients by increasing transparency and accountability for dental insurers while ensuring more patient dollars go to patient care.
Why:
Legislation responds to patient calls for more accessible and transparent dental care and has demonstrated wide-spread public support. As much as 40-percent of dental patient premiums go toward administrative costs like bonuses, profits and marketing instead of being directed toward patient care. Meanwhile, More than 1 in 2 Americans report delaying care or avoiding it altogether because of costs, and the most frequently skipped form is dental work. This legislation will mean more Illinois families will be empowered to seek the dental care they need.
Illinois is one of the top sports betting states in the country, and a gambling insider says online casino gambling would be even bigger.
A bill has been introduced at the statehouse that would legalize internet gaming. State Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, filed Senate Bill 1656, which proposes the initial cost of an internet gaming license would be $250,000 with applications limited to Illinois casinos and racetracks. Licensed operators would be taxed at 15% of adjusted gross gaming revenue that would be directed to the State Gaming Fund.
Amends the General Assembly Organization Act. Provides that, beginning in 2023, each member of the General Assembly shall, during each term of office, complete a training program and examination on the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the Commission may contract with the Illinois Community College Board to use the Illinois Constitution Module for this purpose. Provides that, upon completion of the training program and successful passage of the examination, each member of the General Assembly must certify in writing that the member has completed the training program and examination. Provides that each member of the General Assembly must provide to his or her ethics officer a signed copy of the certification. Requires the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability to develop and administer the training program and examination. Effective July 1, 2023.
From a pal in my favorite group chat…
If you’re gonna file this bill, why not have some fun with it? Require the test to be taken publicly. Or make everyone play a Jeopardy game!
State Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park) on Tuesday filed new legislation that would reinstate the death penalty in Illinois.
If passed, the death penalty would be allowed if a police officer or fireman are killed in the line of duty; a person is convicted of murdering two or more people; the victim of a murder is under the age of 12; or if the murder takes place at a religious institution.
The death penalty was abolished in Illinois in 2011, by Gov. Pat Quinn.
Twelve people were executed by the state between 1976 and 2011.
Cabello’s public safety package of bills would also repeal the SAFE-T Act, which eliminates cash bail.
Also included in the legislation are provisions for municipalities to provide health insurance to police and fire personnel after their retirement.
With less than two weeks left until Election Day, the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy (CSDD) at Northwestern University and a coalition of Black and Latino nonprofits released a nonpartisan poll showing common ground among Black and Latino voters in the Chicago mayoral race. Results from the survey showcase the need for candidates to address safety, cost of living and jobs, among other priority issues for Chicagoans.
The poll also shows a tight race between Paul Vallas (19%), U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (17%), Mayor Lori Lightfoot (14%) and Willie Wilson (12%). Broken down by demographics, 40% of Latino voters are leaning toward Rep. Garcia, 23% of Black voters are leaning toward Mayor Lightfoot, and 25% of white voters are leaning toward Vallas. More than 20% of voters still remain undecided.
The poll was conducted by BSP Research. Northwestern and a coalition of Black and Latino nonprofits funded and developed this poll to better understand the issues mobilizing Black and Latino Chicago voters. The coalition includes Hispanic Federation, Illinois Black Advocacy Initiative, Latino Policy Forum and Latino Victory Project.
The poll found that crime (57%), inflation/cost of living (44%), and wages/jobs (25%) dominate as the most important issues for all Chicago voters. A majority of Black (54%) and white (64%) respondents as well as a plurality of Latino voters (46%) identified crime as the most important issue. Equally important, 46% of all voters strongly support decreasing police funding and investing in addressing root causes of crime. […]
The poll also found that Chicago voters agree on an active and effective government, with overwhelming support across racial groups to:
• Create more affordable housing (56% of Latinos, 63% of Blacks, 47% of whites )
• Make childcare accessible to all parents (55% of Latinos, 57% of Blacks, 41% of whites)
• Increase the number of police on the force (48% of Latinos, 38% of Blacks, 47% of whites)
• Tax multi-million-dollar properties to help pay for services (54% of Latinos, 44% of Blacks, 39% of whites)
• Create a humane and orderly way to allow immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers to live and contribute to Chicago (88% of Latinos, 78% of Blacks, and 76% of whites)
[…] In terms of commonality among racial groups to work together on issues, 85% of Latino voters and 75% of Black voters think that both communities have more in common when it comes to government and politics in Chicago. Additionally, over 70% of Black and Latino voters think Chicago would be better if Black and Latino communities work together on issues.
Finally, Latino voters show the lowest rates of being 100% certain to vote at 69%, followed by 78% of Black voters and 83% of white voters.
The poll includes 643 registered voters in Chicago who were randomly contacted by cell phone, email or through other online panels and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.9%. The poll was in the field Feb 5-10, 2023 and available in English or Spanish. Respondents who said they were not planning to vote were excluded. Final data were weighted to match the known U.S. Census Bureau estimates for voters in Chicago.
After pressing likely voters who initially said they were undecided to pick a candidate they were leaning toward…
Vallas 23%
Garcia 16%
Lightfoot 15%
Wilson 12%
Johnson 8%
Green 5%
King 4%
Buckner 3%
Sawyer 3%
Undecided 10%
By the way, President Biden was rated favorably by 74 percent of likely voters, while Gov. Pritzker was rated favorably by 71 percent.
Vallas 13%
Lightfoot 15%
Wilson 12%
Garcia 10%
Johnson 7%
Green 7%
King 5%
Buckner 4.5%
Sawyer 1%
Write in/Other 3%
Undecided 22%
* The Get Stuff Done PAC is spending money in aldermanic races, both against progressives and for more moderate candidates. They just reported another $250,000 contribution from Michael Sacks. He’s now up to $750K.
A group that represents the real estate industry has quietly become a major player in this month’s Chicago aldermanic elections, spending funds in nearly a dozen races that will determine control of the City Council.
According to disclosures filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections, Illinois Realtors has spent money via an independent expenditure affiliate in at least 11 wards scattered around the city. Included are vacant seats in the Lincoln Park 43rd Ward, south lakefront 4th Ward, West Side 30th Ward and north lakefront 46th and 48th Wards, as well as embattled incumbents in the 11th, 12th, 23rd and 50th wards. […]
Illinois Realtors’ spending comes on top of donations from another group backed by business interests, the Get Stuff Done PAC. Former by allies of former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, it has reported raising about $1.5 million so far, with some spending in the same wards as the real estate group.
* Press release…
Fresh off of a series of polls showing him continuing to lead in the race for Mayor and a major endorsement from Alderman Brendan Reilly, mayoral candidate Paul Vallas is releasing a new television ad that starts running on broadcast and cable today. Titled “Great City,” the ad showcases the support Vallas is receiving from a broad, diverse coalition of Chicagoans who are backing the candidate and his vision of putting crime reduction and public safety first.
“I could not be more proud of the movement our campaign is building of Chicagoans from all different backgrounds who agree that we need a Mayor who believes that public safety is a human right, and who will deliver on the promise to make our city safer,” said Vallas. “With just two weeks remaining until Election Day our team will continue working hard to earn the support of every Chicago voter by staying focused on what matters most to them, which is making our city safer.”
The Vallas ad features genuine supporters from neighborhoods across the city including Southside, Little Village, Bridgeport, Loop/Downtown, Hyde Park, and Lakefront/Lakeview.
…Adding… Garcia campaign…
Today, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García, candidate for Mayor of Chicago, released the following statement in response to the story regarding the cover up of the Inspector General’s report on Hilco.
“I live near the old Crawford plant – this is my neighborhood and those harmed were my friends. That Lori Lightfoot would cover up a preventable disaster is unconscionable. Her administration’s cover up, bad decision-making, and lack of accountability is emblematic of the incompetent and corrupt decision making that we have come to expect from Lori Lightfoot,” said Congressman García.
“Chicagoans have long deserved to see the Inspector General’s report but rather than being open and honest with Chicagoans, Lori Lightfoot decided to cover it up, stick by the failed leadership that was responsible, and lie to all those that were harmed by this disaster. If Lori Lightfoot is willing to cover up something of this magnitude then we know she is willing to do anything to avoid accountability.”
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WTTW | City Officials Could Have Prevented Botched Little Village Smokestack Implosion, According to Full Watchdog Report: The report determined that city officials put Little Village residents at risk when they allowed the smokestack demolition to proceed based on a permit issued in July 2018 that did not mention the use of explosives. At the same time, other officials did not do enough to ensure the implosion did not cause a massive dust storm while others brushed off or downplayed concerns about whether the demolition should take place a month after the COVID-19 pandemic swept Chicago, according to the full report.
* Tribune | Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas insists he’s a lifelong Democrat. But he’s backed by conservative donors and the FOP: The encounter highlights a thorny campaign issue for Vallas: As he makes his second bid for Chicago mayor and proclaims himself a “lifelong Democrat,” he’s pivoted to run on law-and-order and other themes that have drawn support from conservatives in the city and state. While Vallas doesn’t want to lose conservative supporters — many on the Northwest and Southwest sides who could propel him past the Feb. 28 election into a runoff — he also can’t alienate the rest of the city if he wants to win on April 4.
* Block Club | Search Every Political Donation Made To Chicago Aldermanic Candidates: You can use the database to find out who’s donated to the alderpeople or challengers in your ward — as well as how much they’ve given, who else they’ve given to and how that compares to other wards across the city. Where candidates get their campaign money often reveals a lot about their connections and priorities: It pays to follow the money.
* Tribune | Lori Lightfoot takes aim at Brandon Johnson as mayoral race enters final two weeks: The mayor’s appearance highlighted a subtle shift in her campaign strategy as the candidates enter the last two weeks before the Feb. 28 election. While Lightfoot has worked to build a base of support among Black voters on the South and West sides since announcing her reelection campaign last summer, she has largely ignored Johnson and aimed her fire at business owner Willie Wilson.
* ABC Chicago | Chicago Mayoral Forum focuses on issues impacting African-American community: Monday night’s forum focused on issues impacting the African-American community. Some of the sharpest exchanges occurred between Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Brandon Johnson. “If Commissioner Johnson is not planning to impose a tax on people earning a $100,000 or more, he should say right here and right now that he will never support such a plan,” Lightfoot said.
* NBC Chicago | Here’s What Chicago Mayoral Candidates Have to Say About Ending Cash Bail: All nine candidates running for mayor of Chicago were asked about a bill passed by the Illinois General Assembly that would eliminate cash bail, a piece of legislation that is currently on hold as court challenges to the bill move their way through the court system.
* Tribune | Ghost buses, CTA budget woes, shared streets: Transportation challenges ahead for Chicago’s next mayor: The problems facing Chicago residents go far beyond long wait times for public transit and sometimes dirty train cars. Whoever becomes the city’s next mayor will contend with a CTA that is facing steep staffing shortages and a looming financial shortfall, and is struggling to address complaints about violent crime and nuisance behavior such as smokers on the “L.” There are also increasingly vocal concerns about pedestrian and cyclist safety and a steep decline in ridership.
* WBEZ | Mayor Lightfoot offers few details on fixing registries for sex, drug and violence crimes: The failure leaves people convicted of some crimes subject to arrest for failure to register, despite their efforts to follow the law. Advocates for survivors of sexual assault have expressed concern that the overburdened office is indicative of a department that isn’t prioritizing their safety concerns.
* WGN | Candidates for Chicago mayor square off in hotly contested forum: Brandon Johnson was under fire as his rivals in the race for mayor turned the spotlight on him. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot threw the first punch by raising Johnson’s “tax-the-rich economic plan,” to pay for massive new spending.
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, and state Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, recently introduced legislation, House Bill 2123 and Senate Bill 1392, to crack down on abusive and harmful use of digital forgeries known as “deepfakes” and create a path for victims experiencing physical, emotional, reputational or economic harm to seek justice.
Deepfake technology is used to create extremely realistic digital forgeries, which are increasingly being used to falsely portray people participating in pornographic activity without their consent. Victims are routinely humiliated, abused and blackmailed as the result of the creation and dissemination of pornographic deepfake videos.
Deepfakes are also being used to falsely portray public figures making offensive or harmful statements, including elected officials and world leaders. These false depictions have the potential to undermine public trust, obfuscate the truth, and spread dangerous misinformation. In a particularly dangerous example, Vice reported a video forgery that used deepfake technology to falsely depict Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy surrendering to Russian forces. This type of malicious misinformation has the potential to create mass confusion and provoke violence if not addressed.
“This ‘deepfake’ technology presents a very real threat to privacy and to the truth,” said Gong-Gershowitz. “Deepfakes can falsely and convincingly portray anyone saying anything, creating confusion and eroding public trust. This raises serious implications in a world already struggling with rampant misinformation and social media manipulation. Our laws and regulations must keep up with this rapidly-evolving technology to protect individual privacy and public trust.”
* It’s that time of the year…
It's my favorite time of year: seeing witness slips on a staggering array of bills from David Schwartz and Matthew Slade, the two most opinionated people in Illinois. pic.twitter.com/glyU4hrB36
Today, Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-IL) reintroduced the Safety & Opportunity for Girls Act.
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order to interpret Title IX as requiring schools to allow access to sex-segregated spaces and activities based on gender identity. The Safety & Opportunity for Girls Act, sponsored by Rep. Mary Miller, adds a clear definition of sex to Title IX to clarify that “sex” means biological sex, not gender identity.
Rep. Mary Miller says that she is sponsoring the Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act to protect spaces for women and girls in school.
“Democrats continue to push radical gender ideology on our children, and we must draw the line to protect women and girls,” Miller said. “Title IX was created to enhance opportunities for our daughters, not threaten their safety. No girl should be robbed of athletic opportunities by being forced to compete with biological males in school sports. The Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act would make it clear that the definition of sex in Title IX means biological sex, not gender identity.
My goal is to protect spaces like bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams for women like my five daughters, and so many others across the country.
The Northwest Suburban High School District 214 and Palatine Township Elementary District 15 school boards plan to retain a still-to-be-named lobbyist to oppose — or at least get amended — recently filed state legislation that would take a cut of their future property tax revenues and give the Chicago Bears a massive tax break at Arlington Park.
The District 214 board unanimously supported hiring a lobbyist Thursday night, which followed the District 15 board’s similar vote Wednesday night. The districts want to present a united front before legislators in Springfield and hope to get Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 on board as well. The District 211 board next meets Feb. 16.
“We would like to have a seat at the table so our voice is not lost as we move through this large, complex and certainly rapid-moving and high-stakes issue,” said District 15 Superintendent Laurie Heinz. “The board has always and will support everything that has to do with the economic development within District 15 boundaries. But the economic development must make sense and fully address any impact on District 15 and residents within our communities.” […]
The legislation, filed Monday by Democratic state Sen. Ann Gillespie of Arlington Heights, would allow developers of “mega projects” — those worth at least $500 million — to make payments to local taxing bodies like schools while also getting an assessment freeze of up to 40 years. Under the proposal, the Bears’ payments would be negotiated, but it’s the village of Arlington Heights — not the school districts — that would be doing the negotiating.
Gillespie, an admitted skeptic of her own bill, said she filed it so that it could be part of a larger conversation about her long-sought reforms to tax-increment financing.
Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin reintroduced legislation to designate the sites of the 1908 Race Riot in Springfield, Illinois, as a national monument.
According to a press release, both senators have been longtime supporters of turning the site into a national monument, originally introducing the legislation in 2019 and 2021.
It has the support of the NAACP, Sierra Club, The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and the Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum.
If a Democratic lawmaker has her way, non-citizens will be able to vote in school board elections in Illinois.
State Sen. Celina Villanueva has introduced legislation to allow “non-citizens of the United States” to register to vote in school board elections. The measure is headed to the Assignments Committee, where it will be reviewed. School board elections will take place this year on April 4.
Creates the If This Is Such A Good Idea, Let’s Start With You Act. Provides that the following actions must be completed no later than June 30, 2024: (1) the City of Chicago must convert Millennium Park into a solar energy park by building solar energy facilities on all open space and by mounting solar energy facilities on structures, except that no solar energy facility is required on Cloud Gate; (2) the City of Chicago must mount one wind energy turbine on Cloud Gate (The Bean exhibit) in Millennium Park; and (3) the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District must place at least one wind energy facility in each public park operated by the City or Park District. Also requires each forest preserve district in Cook County to place at least one wind energy facility in each forest preserve operated by the forest preserve district. Requires reports to the General Assembly on the progress of complying with the requirements and the benefits that the wind and solar energy requirements have conferred upon the City of Chicago and Cook County. Limits concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Defines terms. Effective immediately.
Some Democratic lawmakers are proposing pushing back high school start times across Maine.
They say it’s a serious issue involving teenage health.
The bill, An Act to Provide for a Later Starting Time for High Schools, is very simple. If approved, high schools in Maine wouldn’t be allowed to start before 8:30 a.m.
“I’ve been having kids all over the state actually write me saying how much they really want to see this pass,” said State Sen. Mattie Daughtry, (D) Brunswick.
“If you look at teens and development, their circadian rhythms are actually different than the rest of us,” Daughtry said. “So waking a teen up at 6 a.m. is the equivalent of you and I getting shaken awake at 3 a.m.”
The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild filed bill with the state Legislature that would allow craft breweries to ship beer directly to consumers.
Allowing brewers in the state to sell beer online and ship to customers’ homes would serve as a lifeline to the craft beer industry, which continues to face economic fallout from the pandemic, said Ray Stout, executive director of the trade organization. It would also bring the industry up to speed in a world where people are accustomed to buying almost everything with the click of a mouse. […]
The bill, which has been introduced in the Illinois Senate and is expected to be introduced to the Illinois House of Representatives in the coming days, marks the guild’s second attempt in as many years to try to codify direct-to-consumer beer shipping into law.
The newest bill puts a cap on how much beer a consumer can order online — 12 cases, which contain 24 beers each — per year. Stout said he thinks that cap makes the bill more likely to pass. He does expect push back from distributors, however.
Vallas explained by saying that he and his wife, Sharon, have “lived apart” for decades.
“When I left Philadelphia to go to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, my wife did not want to go with me. She wanted to move back to where she was most comfortable. She bought a home right next to her aged parents in the same house where she grew up….My kids were still relatively young, and she thought that’s where she could be most easily supported,” Vallas said.
“Sometimes, people stay married because they make certain arrangements…I’ve always lived where I’ve worked. This has been our understanding. I wanted my wife to be in her most comfortable setting with her friends and family…while she allowed me to do what I do: rescues, turnaround projects, crisis management.”
Vallas said he listed Palos Heights as his home address when he contributed to Giannoulias because his wife, who cares for her parents and his 94-year-old mother, “pays the bills and handles the finances.” They have one credit card between them that’s in her name.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* The Paul Vallas residency story has been floating around Twitter for a bit now…
How did they miss the fact that his “residence” is a 600 sq ft 1 bedroom and he’s still taking the homeowners exemption in the burbs?
Paul Vallas’ wife, Sharon, can’t even vote for her husband because she is registered to vote in Palos Heights
Why should we elect someone that shows absolutely no commitment to being a part of our community, other than wanting to be mayor? pic.twitter.com/mpVKuNkOxq
Once again, Vallas used a Palos Heights address in his role as the firm’s President (renewed in August, 2022.)
Do we have any actual evidence Vallas even lives in Chicago? Even Vallas seems confused on where he lives as he used 2 addresses on the same document 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/E9DKrgONy5
If Paul Vallas is a Chicago resident, why did he make a $250 contribution to Alexi Giannoulias using a Palos Heights address in Sept, 2022? pic.twitter.com/e95Ke7TKNQ
It looks like @royalpratt@ad_quig have copies of Vallas’ federal tax returns going back till 2018
That would show if Vallas took the mortgage interest dedication for the full years of 2018 & 2019, while Vallas was allegedly a Chicago residenthttps://t.co/OW2MokWDRa
Vallas, who has been registered to vote in Chicago at an apartment in Bridgeport for less than a year, declined to answer questions about his residency directly from WTTW News. Instead, a spokesperson for his campaign issued a statement saying he lives in Chicago while his wife, Sharon, lives in Palos Heights to care for her elderly parents and 93-year-old mother-in-law.
“The couple has made this sacrifice so that their elderly parents can be cared for in their residences,” according to the campaign, which said Vallas visits the Palos Heights home “when his schedule permits.”
However, when Vallas contributed $250 to Democrat Alexi Giannoulias’ successful campaign for secretary of state in September, Vallas listed his address as his Palos Heights home, according to records filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections. A spokesperson for Vallas said that was an error and would be corrected.
Vallas also uses the address of his home in Palos Heights for his consulting business, according to documents on file with state officials. A spokesperson for Vallas said that was done when Vallas was living in New Orleans more than a decade ago.
Vallas has been registered to vote in Chicago since 2018. These candidate residency requirements are not difficult to skirt. But he has some more explaining to do.
Also, I’m told Vallas flatly denies owning any property in Monee.
*** UPDATE 3 ***
NEW: the Cook County Assessor is out with a new statement, saying it has concluded its investigation and determined the Vallas’ did NOT improperly claim a homeowners exemption on its Palos Heights property.
Because Ms. Vallas applied for the exemptions and the documents provided by her representative established that the Palos Heights property is properly receiving an exemption, and neither she nor Paul Vallas are receiving homeowners exemptions elsewhere, the investigation is concluded with no violation.
* Meanwhile…
Protesters right now outside Union League Club calling out Paul Vallas’ involvement with Awake Illinois. pic.twitter.com/4YI4dMfqdI
*** UPDATE 1 *** Another Vallas hit from the Kam Buckner campaign…
During his time at CPS, Paul Vallas censored students by banning a coming of age novel that depicted the life of a young woman on Chicago’s South Side after protests from religious and conservative leaders. If Vallas had actually read Coffee Will Make You Black, he may have realized that the book is about having pride in your heritage, love for your family and hope for a brighter future.
“Republican politicians ban books because they are cowards,” said Kam Buckner. “Paul Vallas’s history of book banning, specifically a book with a strong young Black female protagonist, demonstrates how little he values representation, free thought, and a holistic public education.”
“This is yet another example of how Vallas failed CPS’s students. Instead of broadening and challenging their perspectives, Vallas chose to stand on the side of the establishment that has historically chosen to disregard Black authors,” Buckner said.
The Vallas for Mayor campaign is responding to a malicious, untrue story that ran last night on WTTW News that made false assertions about the candidate’s residency.
Here are the facts:
• Paul Vallas has lived in his current home in an apartment on S. Normal Avenue in the City of Chicago since January of 2022, meaning that he clearly, unequivocally meets the one year residency requirement to run for Mayor and serve in the office.
• Vallas was born and raised in Chicago and has unquestionably deep roots in the city. He has lived outside the city due to various positions in other cities over the years, but has always maintained his close connection to the community.
• The allegation raised by WTTW and the Cook County Assessor’s Office with respect to a duplicate homeowner’s exemption is FALSE. Vallas and his wife own a home in Palos Heights where his wife resides in order to care for their elderly parents. Vallas has NO CONNECTION to a second property in Monee, and this was clearly communicated to WTTW and to the Cook County Assessor’s Office prior to publication of their story.
The following is a statement from Vallas campaign counsel Steven Laduzinsky:
“As the frontrunner in this race, we expect criticism from our opponents and scrutiny from the press. However, this false attack on Paul’s residency is absolutely baseless and he clearly, unequivocally meets the legal requirements to run for Mayor. It is truly disappointing to see that WTTW pushed forward with this false narrative, apparently buoyed by the Cook County Assessor who failed to contact our campaign or even conduct any type of due diligence before releasing false information. Based on the facts, we have demanded that the Assessor’s Office publicly retract its statement and close its investigation immediately.
This kind of unprofessional reporting misleads voters and spreads disinformation. Our campaign is focused on communicating Paul’s message of putting crime reduction and public safety first and we will not be distracted by baseless allegations and rumor mongering.”
That still doesn’t explain the Giannoulias contribution.
* Here’s a Toddlin’ Town roundup from Isabel…
* Tribune | Donors to political committee supporting Paul Vallas are secret, but leadership has ties to current campaign: Like all so-called independent expenditure committees, the new Chicago Leadership Committee is not allowed under state law to coordinate with any candidate or campaign it supports, which in this case is Vallas’ mayoral bid. But recently disclosed campaign finance reports show the Chicago Leadership Committee paid $165,000 to Mad River Communications, a Maryland-based firm registered under the name of Vallas campaign adviser Joe Trippi.
* Chicago Reader | Police brutality survivors and former cops are running in Chicago’s police district council races: Of the 112 candidates running in the newly-created Police District Council races, 63 used resources provided by CAARPR to file election paperwork. These 63 candidates support police accountability: overwhelmingly, they want Chicago Police Department funding to be redirected to violence prevention and transformative justice programs, for care workers to accompany police to mental health crises, and for their churches, block clubs, and community organizations to be included in public safety. Despite what they have personally endured at the hands of police, only a few want to totally defund or abolish CPD.
* WTTW | Political Fund Created by Lightfoot’s Allies Used Cash from City Contractors to Attack Johnson: Those contributions exploit what campaign finance experts told WTTW News is a loophole in laws governing the role of money in Chicago’s elections opened up by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to lift most limits on campaign spending. Former Inspector General Joseph Ferguson, a harsh critic of Lightfoot, said that while the political activity by The 77 Committee is legal, it is “unethical.” “Any Chicagoan will tell you: ‘Well, jeez, that’s a quid pro quo,’” Ferguson said. “It doesn’t pass the smell test.”
* A few quick observations about this: Lightfoot is an embattled, unpopular incumbent, so she needs to spend a ton of cash. Vallas is a surging challenger and he has the dollar momentum as well; Wilson’s ads are subpar at best and, in three elections (2015 and 2019 mayor and 2020 US Senate), he has never received more than 11 percent citywide, so I’m not even sure what he’s doing; Brandon Johnson is about to up his buy to take him to the finish line. Garcia is once again struggling to raise money and his ads aren’t the greatest…
#ILPol: The Chicago Mayor race has now seen $14.4M in total ad spending.
Top 5 spending advertisers: Lori Lightfoot: $4.4M Paul Vallas: $3.2M Willie Wison: $3.1M Brandon Johnson: $2.2M Chuy Garcia: $1.3M
* I’ve been thinking lately that Chuy has been running Pat Quinn’s “You know who I am” campaign and this just confirms it. /s…
Former Gov. Pat Quinn endorses Jesùs “Chuy” García for mayor of Chicago, as state Rep. Theresa Mah looks on. García will ensure Chicagoans get real property tax relief, Quinn says. pic.twitter.com/xWPvOpEfm5
But Quinn did choose Vallas as his running mate during the ultimately disastrous 2014 campaign, so it’s news…
“Chuy García has an unrivaled record of delivering for Chicago, and he understands the urgency of now. I endorse Chuy because his plans to bring property tax relief and build a stronger economy are the best in the field and he has the experience to deliver,” Quinn said. “Trust me when I say, it is so important for the City of Chicago to have a worthy advocate in Springfield. And when Chuy says he has the best relationships of all the candidates with Springfield, he’s telling the truth.”
Most people despise Congress, but Chuy has been playing up his role in that tainted body. And most don’t love Springfield, either.
On 19 January, the Chicago Reader revealed that 36-year-old Pericles “Perry” Abbasi — a campaign attorney, who was running for office in Chicago’s 25th police district with the backing of the Fraternal Order of Police — had a history of posting bizarre and unseemly content on social media. He had, among other things, retweeted a photoshopped image of himself as the police officer Derek Chauvin, with one knee on George Floyd’s neck. In a leaked screenshot from a group chat, he had written that “the horrible black diet” was the reason for “13/50”, referencing a common internet meme about Black Americans’ percentage of the population (13%) and supposed share of violent crime they commit (50%).
Abbasi denied these accusations of bigotry. He claimed he didn’t remember everything he was alleged to have written (without necessarily denying his authorship, either), while also offering a second more general defence of his behaviour: this was the internet, he argued, and if he thought of something funny, he’d immediately post it. If this meant writing a tweet about how a relationship with a 36-year-old woman led him to conclude that child porn sentencing is far too long, then so be it. If it meant “making up insane things to stir shit up”, then it meant just that. Abbasi admitted he couldn’t even remember what he posted 48 hours ago; it was all just a blur of posting, retweets, engagement, and likes. He has posted nearly 104,000 times over the past four years, averaging roughly 70 tweets per day (one can also assume he retweeted hundreds of replies each day). In a sense, Abbasi was telling the truth: he was lost in the sauce, living from post to post.
Many of Abbasi’s clients were less than impressed by this. The original report in the Chicago Reader was quickly amended to insert various statements from political figures whose campaigns had him, each stating his comments were unacceptable. But Abbasi doubled down, posting a series of tweets about how being cancelled “was a choice”, that he was an “alpha male” and thus above apologising for things out of principle, and that Osama Bin Laden himself taught us that people will always prefer a “strong horse” to a “weak horse.” Then, he received a “like” on one of his tweets from Elon Musk and declared that the era of his cancellation had ended.
* Speaking of fruitless, Mayor Lightfoot’s YouTube video on Paul Vallas has garnered just 116 views in 22 hours…
* As we discussed the other day, a poll taken in late January and early February found that the Chicago Teachers Union had a 57% favorable rating from likely Chicago voters and a 40 percent unfavorable rating. Only Gov. JB Pritzker had a more favorable rating among people and groups tested (65-33). The Chicago Fraternal Order of Police’s rating came in at 35 percent favorable and 55 percent unfavorable. And Darren Bailey received 15.5 percent of the Chicago vote last year.
The trailer for the Illinois Policy Institute’s documentary criticizing the Chicago Teachers Union is posted in advance of the YouTube release on Monday. I do not think it was wise of the IPI to trot out Charles Thomas — former respected TV political reporter turned paid Republican mouthpiece — to boost interest in the film.
* In the grand scheme of things, DoorDash is a relatively small player, contributing about $100K since mid-November…
Here’s the thing…it’s just so brazen. This delivery app isn’t donating $1k and sponsoring some charitable projects in wards too to generate goodwill & friendly ears. The DD tech bros are just dumping buckets of campaign cash to elected officials who can block local regulation.🙄 https://t.co/cJq0Znxoju
"CDOT is aware of the issue and is in contact [with] the contractor to remove the signage. Chicago’s municipal code prohibits advertising messages on any construction canopy located within the public way." https://t.co/V0GTvFNpMi
2/ These new schedules decimated blue line service even further. Rush hour service was cut by more than 50%, and weekends now see a 15 minute headway during the day - up from 6 minutes, making it the worst weekend L line (along with the yellow).
* WTTW | Sluggish Pace of Chicago Police Reform Effort Complicates Public Safety Debate in Mayor’s Race: In fact, the department is in full, preliminary or secondary compliance with just 53% of the consent decree requirements, according to data released by the Chicago Police Department. It is not clear why Lightfoot’s remarks did not match the data reported by the department. Lightfoot told WTTW News that when she took office in May 2019, three months after the agreement was finalized by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Dow, the city’s compliance with the consent decree was “in dismal straights.”
* Tribune | Paul Vallas campaign defends his son, 1 of 3 police officers who fatally shot a man in Texas last year: Vallas often talks about his son, San Antonio cop Gus Vallas, on the campaign trail, noting that they are a family of public servants with close ties to police. But the family relation arose in a starker context after the Triibe, a news site focused on Black Chicago, published a story about Gus Vallas’ role in a 2022 incident where three San Antonio police officers shot and killed a Black man who police said was wanted on felony warrants.
* Tribune | CPS teachers: Student and family needs are the backbone of Chicago educators’ fight: Matt Paprocki, president of the IPI, asserts that CTU leadership cares only about politics and not students. He has conveniently divorced the union’s politics from the needs of our students and school communities. But in reality, they are the same. Our so-called “political positions” and “aggressive” bargaining positions are driven by what we know our students, their families and our staff need to be successful.
* Chalkbeat | Mayoral hopeful Brandon Johnson promises students free transit, more staff: Johnson, a current Cook County commissioner, unveiled his vision for Chicago Public Schools Wednesday afternoon at a City Club of Chicago luncheon. His plan includes free bus and train rides for students on the Chicago Transit Authority, expanding opportunities for students through partnerships with City Colleges and trade schools, and having under-enrolled schools share space with child care and health clinics.
* Chuy’s 2015 mayoral candidacy hugely pushed up Latino turnout, but he’s not running the same sort of campaign this time, so we’ll just have to see. WBEZ recently calculated that turnout in majority Latino precincts last November was just 13 percent of the total city vote, about half of this poll’s sample size…
This is Lightfoot’s pollster, responding to new media poll showing Chuy (and Vallas) in a virtual dead heat with the incumbent Chicago mayor https://t.co/toYQnTo2Tlhttps://t.co/kDNwXN9FZQ
Garcia led with 20%, followed by Vallas with 18% and Lightfoot with 17%. Businessman Willie Wilson trailed closely with 12% and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson with 11%. Just 2% said they’d vote for activist Ja’Mal Green, and 1% chose either Ald. Sophia King, 4th Ward, or state Rep. Kam Buckner. Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th Ward, drew no support. Another 18% said they were still undecided.
* Paul Vallas attended the Equality Illinois gala last weekend. But Equality Illinois just sent out this media advisory…
Paul Vallas is Wrong for Chicago
WHAT: A diverse coalition of Chicago-based organizations is coming together to expose why Paul Vallas is wrong for Chicago communities.
WHEN: Thursday, February 8 at 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Outside the Union League Club
65 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL
WHY: Chicago voters deserve to know the truth about Paul Vallas. From Chicago to New Orleans and Philadelphia, Vallas’ budget disasters left taxpayers holding the bag. There’s no place at City Hall for his close alignment with right-wing extremists. He waffles on support for reproductive rights and even on the question of whether he identifies as Republican. Paul Vallas cannot be trusted to lead our city at this critical juncture.
Speakers include: Representatives from the Supporting Organizations as well as leaders in education and on reproductive rights.
Supporting Organizations
Asian Americans for Change, Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Equality Illinois, Indivisible Chicago Alliance.
Chicago Ald. Sophia King will launch her first TV ad of the 2023 mayoral election on Wednesday as she attempts to unseat Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
King, who represents parts of downtown and Hyde Park along the lakefront, is the only woman challenging Lightfoot in a nine-candidate field. On the campaign trail, King has argued that her rivals represent an overly polarized view of the issues. U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” García and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson are too far to the left, she has said, while businessman Willie Wilson and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas are too far to the right. […]
Earlier this year, the Tribune published an analysis of 2022 city data that found that tens of thousands of serious calls lingered in the 911 system for longer than it typically takes to get a pizza delivered.
Citywide, the wait for an officer to be dispatched topped an hour for more than 21,000 calls, according to the city’s data. That was roughly one of every 24 high-priority calls.
When you call the police, you shouldn’t have to wait 30 minutes, no matter where you live. I’m Sophia King. If we reject false choices, we can tackle today’s violence and root causes. We can uplift our police and hold them accountable. We can revitalize our neighborhoods and downtown. We can prepare our kids for college, and the trades. We can have safety and justice. That’s the power of ‘and.’ Sophia King for mayor.
Woman 1: And you know he’s really the only one who understands public safety.
Woman 3: But they say he’s too young.
Woman 4: Well, he wasn’t too young when he was leading marches against violence when he was 15.
Woman 2: And he wasn’t too young when he made Chase Bank give back a billion dollars to Chicago communities.
Green: Chicago! We can’t afford more of the same old political rhetoric. It’s time for someone new, so we can get things done and create a better future for our children.
Brandon Johnson is too extreme for Chicago. Johnson wants to defund the police, putting our safety at risk. Raise taxes on the middle class. And drive jobs away from Chicago. Brandon Johnson, a change for the worse.
* More Lightfoot oppo on Vallas…
Here’s the truth: Paul Vallas has twenty years of experience undermining public education across the country, including in Chicago.
* Vallas was integral in destabilizing Chicago teachers’ pensions, and his incompetence caused a lasting financial burden for Chicagoans. As CEO of CPS, Vallas oversaw financial manipulations that stripped Chicago teachers’ pensions of consistent funding. His “pension holiday” diverted over $1.5 billion from pensions and, by 2006, the system faced a $3.1 billion shortfall. At the end of Vallas’ tenure, the district faced two years of declining or stagnating standardized test scores and a busing bill that ran $11 million over budget after Vallas awarded a no-bid contract to a company tied to his family.
* Vallas was driven out of Philadelphia after digging the district into a $100 million budget hole. After five years of incompetence and mismanagement, Vallas announced a surprise, massive budget shortfall while simultaneously collecting nearly $400,000 worth of bonuses. Vallas was then forced out by local leaders for his negligence as the crisis threatened to eliminate 100 teaching positions, slash programming, and force pay cuts across the district. In the aftermath, a local reporter called him the “Master of Pretend and Spend,” Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said “Paul’s never seen a dollar that he wasn’t willing to spend three times,” and Vallas himself admitted to taking “his eye off the budget ball.”
* Vallas was fired from the Bridgeport school system over a lack of appropriate credentials. After just eighteen months as head of the Bridgeport, Connecticut school district, a judge ordered Vallas be removed as superintendent after he misled the state Board of Education and was found not to have sufficient credentials required to do the job.
* Along the way, Vallas was accused of abusing public funds. As chief of schools in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New Orleans, Vallas faced repeated accusations of misusing public funds for his own personal use, working in extravagance, using his access to benefit his friends, and failing to document his expenses.
— Reform for Illinois' Sunshine Money Tracker (@ilsunshine) February 8, 2023
* Press release…
Largest Self-Funder in City Council History Brags About Personal Wealth
Rebecca Janowitz — who has mounted what is believed to be the largest self-funded City Council campaign in Chicago history — is touting her personal wealth in a campaign message to a purchased list of email addresses (many of which are not even in the 43rd Ward).
“My campaign stands apart in that it is primarily self-funded. This uniquely frees me to remain totally independent. If elected, I will be beholden only to the people I am sworn to represent.”
Despite her claims of being “totally independent”, Janowitz is backed by the members of the far-left political machine — none of whom reside in the 43rd Ward. She touts endorsements from politicians from Hyde Park and Lake County in her ads and website.
Speaking of her wasteful spending, here’s where she’s unloading her $750,000 on ads:
MAIL: Janowitz has sent 15 campaign mailers, at least three of which include Chicago Police Department officers and/or vehicles. The Chicago Board of Ethics warned candidates against this practice, saying ” fines up to $20,000 per violation” could be issued.
TELEVISION: Janowitz has been running cable and network TV ads since mid January — the first aldermanic candidate to advertise to the entire Chicago metro area.
DIGITAL: Janowitz is outspending every mayoral candidate except for Lightfoot on Facebook (yes, even beating fellow self-funder Willie Wilson).
This record-breaking spending is aimed at taking out the youngest member of City Council. Ald. Knudsen, the first openly gay council alderman of the 43rd Ward, is available for interviews via phone, videoconference or in person on this record-breaking spending and the campaign in general.
…Adding… In response to the above…
Wait, the crypto guy is doing this attack!? As the supposed “far left” Hyde Parker, at least we’re not advocating stealing peoples money with a Ponzi scheme. https://t.co/x1sd2KtSYs
On Planet Jim Gardiner, he claims "opponents" are removing his campaign signs. Always playing victim. In reality, he's putting signs in without permission and lots of homeowners are then throwing them away.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center is denouncing 50th Ward candidate Mueze Bawany in regards to making anti-Israel comments on social media a few years ago. Bawany, who is challenging longtime Alderman Debra Silverstein for the 50th Ward city council seat, wrote in a Tweet from May 2019, “F— Israel and f— all you Zionist scum.” In other Tweets from the same year, he called a white woman a “Cracker” and wrote, “F— off honky.”
“The Chicago Jewish community, like its counterparts in New York, Los Angeles, and across the US, are in the throes of horrific anti-Semitism directed at them on social media and on the streets of our cities,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action at the SWC. “In Chicago, Jews in the 50th ward have also been targets. We denounce Alderman candidate Mueze Bawany for his past anti-Semitic social media posts, including incendiary tweets. Those tweets add fuel to the fires of bigotry.”
“We need leadership that will inspire all our of citizens with diverse backgrounds to work together for a better city. Mueze Bawany’s past outbursts show, at least for now, that he lacks those leadership qualities,” added Alison Pure-Slovin, SWC Midwest Director.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WBEZ | Lightfoot scolds rivals during testy mayoral forum for trying ‘to mansplain’ and ‘treat me like I’m some child’: “Of course we should not hire, we should not support, we should not retain any officer that is associated with any hate group,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said of the officer, who was suspended but not fired for his involvement with the far-right Proud Boys — a move that has been blasted by the city inspector general. […] Vallas, King and Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th) each said they would fire the officer affiliated with the Proud Boys. “I would have fired him immediately,” Sawyer said. “I don’t care what the unions would do. I don’t care what collective bargaining would do.”
* Tribune | Mayoral candidates bicker over police reform, schools as Mayor Lightfoot criticizes rival for ‘mansplaining’: “Absolutely not,” Buckner said about the troubled repository that the city is in the midst of overhauling. “The gang database has not made us safer. In fact, it has made people in communities, many of whom look like me, not be able to walk around the city and participate in a way that’s fair and equitable.” Johnson, meanwhile, touted his efforts to remove a gang database in Cook County, saying that list included an 8-year old and a 108-year-old. […] Activist Ja’Mal Green also said he would not proceed with a gang database as mayor.
* ABC Chicago | Candidates bicker over crime, CPD, schools, housing and more at latest mayoral forum: “Clearly, clearly there’s this perception - or maybe it’s reality - that downtown is unsafe. And if you talk to everyone, and I’ve talked to all the business groups there, public safety is the number one issue,” said candidate Paul Vallas. “You gotta stop the crime, alright? Lower taxes, keep people coming to shop,” said candidate Willie Wilson. Mayor Lightfoot was taken to task on the Chicago Police Department’s compliance with the federal consent decree.
* Fox Chicago | Chicago mayoral election: Abortion, women’s health taking center stage: Responding to attacks from several rivals, Paul Vallas told female supporters Tuesday he’d work to protect access to abortion if elected mayor of Chicago. Opponents have publicized an interview, from more than a dozen years ago, in which Vallas said he opposes abortion, but then added that he opposes legislation restricting access to the procedure.
* Block Club | Brandon Johnson Wants To Support Neighborhood Schools And Make The Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share — Not Hire More Cops: Johnson said that in his first 100 days, he will institute a citywide youth hiring program, particularly for Chicagoans 16-24 years old; pass the Treatment, Not Trauma ordinance, which would create a 24-hour crisis response hotline for mental health emergencies; and reopen the city’s closed mental health centers. Johnson on Monday unveiled his public safety plan, which he said focuses on addressing the “root causes” of crime. Among other things, the plan would promote 200 detectives from the rank-and-file, enact the Anjanette Young ordinance to end no-knock warrants, end the department’s contract with ShotSpotter, erase the city’s gang database and establish an illegal guns department.
* WGN | Three weeks before Election Day, a boost for Lightfoot: Three weeks before Election Day, a boost for Lightfoot as the 15,000-member strong UNITE HERE! hospitality union threw its support behind the incumbent. In the early days of the pandemic, Chicago’s hospitality industry was pummeled. But UNITE HERE says Lightfoot had their back.
* Streets Blog | New Better Streets Chicago Action Fund website endorses mayor and alder hopefuls: All of the mayoral candidates but Lightfoot and Willie Wilson responded to the survey. BSCAF has thrown its support behind Cook County commissioner Brandon Johnson. “We believe in Brandon Johnson because he listens and collaborates,” the site states. “He recognizes the crisis the CTA is in and is unafraid to tackle the staffing and housing crises that plague it. He understands the epidemic of traffic violence in Chicago, and we trust he will pursue changes to ensure every Chicagoan has access to safe pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.”
* Crain’s | Higher interest rates, fewer groundbreakings in the pipeline for Chicago’s construction industry: The local construction industry is losing momentum after a strong 2022 as developers hold off on big projects. But contractors aren’t bracing for a major downturn: After rising 12% to $13.4 billion in 2022, construction starts in the Chicago area will dip slightly this year, to $13.3 billion, according to a forecast from Dodge Data & Analytics, a Hamilton, N.J.-based research firm. Nationally, construction starts rose 14% to $829 billion last year.
[If you somehow need it, the headline is explained here by the chairman of the board.]
