* Qasim Rashid is challenging incumbent US Rep. Bill Foster in the Democratic primary. And this UAW endorsement of his candidacy was unexpected, to say the least…
Qasim Rashid’s campaign for US Congress in Illinois’ 11th District gains significant momentum as it announces its endorsement by the United Auto Workers (UAW) Union. The only candidate in IL-11 to receive the endorsement, UAW’s support of Rashid’s candidacy underscores his commitment to represent organized labor and champion the rights and well-being of working families in the Chicago suburbs and nationwide.
Rashid, a human rights lawyer raised in DuPage County, has dedicated his career to fighting for justice, equity, and opportunity for all. His platform seamlessly aligns with UAW’s steadfast commitment to economic, social, and climate justice.
“UAW is proud to endorse Qasim Rashid, a proven advocate for working people,” said John Gedney, UAW Illinois Legislative/Political Representative for Region 4. “Qasim is the only candidate in this race aligned with UAWs principles. He’s the only one who never accepted contributions from Ford or GM as they abused our workers for decades. He’s the only candidate who champions guaranteed universal healthcare, has experience protecting civil rights for all Americans, and advocates for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine.”
As one of the largest labor unions in the country, UAW’s endorsement of Rashid reflects his dedication to economic justice for all working families. He pledges to fight for debt-free college and trade schools, dismantle monopolies, combat price gouging, pass the PRO Act, advocate for a $17 federal minimum wage, and mandate paid sick and parental leave. His platform centers on holding billion-dollar companies accountable by advocating for campaign finance reform, penalizing companies that pay poverty wages, and curbing stock buybacks to prioritize investment in workers and infrastructure.
“I am grateful to UAW for recognizing my unwavering commitment to people and working families. For nearly 90 years, UAW has stood as a beacon of leadership and economic justice for tens of millions of working Americans, and I am honored to partner with them to build a future that continues to expand on worker’s rights,” said Rashid. “After the UAW won its contract negotiations with Ford, GM, and Stellantis, non-union automakers Hyundai, Toyota, and Honda all increased wages for their workers to keep up. I am excited to work with the UAW and other labor organizations to increase membership, improve pay and benefits, and build an economy that prioritizes working people.”
Rashid has made an issue out of Foster’s campaign contributions from automakers. Also, the UAW called for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine back in December. Congressman Foster has not done so.
* Even so, the endorsement is baffling because Foster has been a big UAW supporter, even inviting Belvidere’s UAW Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen to this year’s State of the Union as his guest…
“I’m honored to join Congressman Foster at this year’s State of the Union Address. After Stellantis idled the Assembly Plant last February, Bill was one of the first to call asking how he could help. From getting the White House involved to securing federal incentives, he played a vital role in ensuring the plant reopened and workers could return to Belvidere,” said Matt Frantzen.
* So, in a split with his region’s leadership, Frantzen told me his local will be endorsing Foster.
“Foster’s been here with us,” Frantzen said today. “He’s been here for us. He stepped up when we needed him. I see no reason to step away from him now.”
Frantzen also said he has “no idea why the region is making the decision they’ve made.”
[Thanks to Isabel for helping put this post together.]
…Adding… Rashid’s financial disclosure report indicates that he bought a BMW in November of last year, not long before the Belvidere plant was shuttered. Foster drives a Ford.
…Adding… And here it is…
Today, the Foster for Congress campaign announced that Congressman Bill Foster has been endorsed for reelection by Belvidere United Auto Workers Local 1268.
“Belvidere UAW Local 1268 is proud to endorse Bill Foster for reelection to Congress. Simply put, our plant would be closed and our jobs would be gone if not for Bill,” said Matt Frantzen, President of UAW Local 1268. “Last February, when Stellantis announced it was shuttering the Belvidere Assembly Plant, one of the very first phone calls we got was from Bill asking what he could do to help get the plant reopened. And Bill’s offer to help wasn’t just hollow words – he took action. He went to bat for us, getting the White House and President Biden involved and making it possible for the plant to reopen and for workers to return to Belvidere. The fact is, Bill Foster had our backs from day one. We’re proud to have his back so we can make sure he remains our representative in Congress.”
* ICYMI: Is Trump still on Illinois ballot? What to know after judge rules to remove his name. Sun-Times…
- The Cook County Judge put the ruling on hold until Friday, expecting an appeal from Trump’s lawyers.
- So for now, nothing has changed at the ballot box. If Porter’s ruling does go into effect, she ordered that “any votes cast” for Trump “be suppressed” through administrative procedures.
- Once Trump’s lawyers appeal, what happens next will likely depend on action by the First District Appellate Court, the Illinois Supreme Court or even the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump delegates on the March 19 ballot have been certified and would still be free to vote for Trump at the Republican National Convention no matter how the court battle here plays out.
The real votes are the ones cast for delegates, who then cast those votes at the convention.
* Tribune | Migrants report reusing soiled diapers on babies amid essential goods shortages in Chicago shelters: Hygiene products, including diapers and toilet paper, are provided by the city’s emergency operations center’s logistics section, which was created to coordinate and allocate resources for migrants. The city receives supplies from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and outside vendors. Mary May, a spokesperson for the city, acknowledged that “supply shortages from IEMA and FEMA can result in temporary shortages of some supplies” for migrants, but said in the statement last Friday that officials had “received a large delivery of supplies” that included diapers to deliver to shelters.
* Daily Southtown | Dolton trustee candidate who lost in 2023 accuses Mayor Tiffany Henyard of libel, defamation: The two mailings targeted Tammie Brown, Steave and Stubbs as well as Williams, portraying them as “failed leadership” and being poor choices for elected office. One mailing, indicating it was paid for by Residents for a Better Dolton, accused Williams of committing theft of services from the village by forging medical documents related to a paid time-off fraud under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, according to the lawsuit.
Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria is apologizing for a controversial recruitment ad that referenced a violent video game. […]
“There was no ill intention there. Obviously it was a play on words to really target the younger generation and relate to a younger generation,” said Echevarria.
Echevarria said he takes ownership for the ad. […]
Going forward, Echevarria said they will vet recruitment ads with non-police partners to ensure the messaging is right.
* Sun-Times | At Democratic convention in Chicago, perks for big Biden campaign donors include coveted credentials, hotels: In June, the Chicago Host Committee perk packages for donors and sponsors — an important incentive tool needed to help the committee fulfill its promise to raise $84.697 million for the convention — included VIP access to credentials, exclusive hotels and suites in the United Center. The $5 million contributors get the most perks. For sponsors, custom packages will be available, with “other potential options signage within United Center, building out activation spaces, sponsoring hospitality spaces, etc.”
* Chicago Reader | Best new legislation that supports freelance workers: Thanks to the new Freelance Worker Protection Act (HB1122), cosponsored by Rep. Will Guzzardi, Illinois freelancers will soon be required to receive a written contract, compensation within 30 days of completing work, and protection from discrimination and retaliation when pursuing payment. It will also allow for double damages if freelancers aren’t paid on time.
* Daily Herald | 49th District GOP rivals debate their electability in November showdown with Hirschauer: Hannah Billingsley of West Chicago and Aris Garcia of Streamwood are business owners who say they don’t feel represented in Springfield by the Democratic party or Hirschauer. […] “I think it would be tough for … a male to beat Maura, and I’m not trying to make this a gender thing,” Billingsley said. “I was like, ‘Hey, it’s not personal, Aris, it’s you and I both want the same thing,’ we both want to flip this seat, and if I were a betting person I’d be be betting on me.”
* NBC Chicago | Emails show Chicago mayor pushed Sox for unified messaging amid stadium funding ask: The emails obtained via Freedom of Information Act request show a spokesman for the Sox reached out to Johnson’s communications staff at 4:38 p.m. on Jan. 16, asking for a call. Six minutes later, the Sox spokesman sent over a draft of a possible White Sox statement, reading “White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and team representatives met last week with Mayor Johnson and his staff to discuss potential future ballpark opportunities within the city of Chicago. While we look forward to continuing these conversations, we cannot respond to specific reports or speculation at this time.
* Center Square | Transportation leaders urge Pritzker to not divert road funds to Chicago transit: Kevin Artl, president and CEO of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois, said he doesn’t think it’s a shock to anyone that work travel has changed post pandemic. “It’s not right, at this point, to begin diverting funds from the Road Fund, designed for roads and bridges … to fund a system that I think everyone has concerns with and is going to be going through some sort of major reform over the next couple of years,” Artl said, referring to Chicago public transit.
* Tribune | Melissa Conyears-Ervin gets backing from pastors in bid for Congress: Among those backing Conyears-Ervin were several high-profile Black clergy members who are known to help candidates they support get out the vote. They included the Rev. Byron Brazier, head of the Apostolic Church of God where Barack Obama spoke during his successful run for president in 2008, and Bishop Larry Trotter of the Sweet Holy Spirit Church.
* WTTW | Chicago Taxpayers Pay $99K to Ex-CPD Officer Who Said Boss Ordered Her to Protect His Bridgeport Block During 2020 Unrest: Former Chicago Police Sgt. Cassandra Williams, who worked for the Chicago Police Department for 32 years, retired after the harassment and retaliation she said she endured caused her such significant stress that she became ill as she watched as her career “went down the drain” in 2021. “I crossed the blue line,” Williams said, referring to the so-called “code of silence” that keeps Chicago Police officers from complaining about misconduct by other officers, even when it puts members of the public at risk.
* ABC Chicago | Loyola University Chicago students fueling shuttle buses with biodiesel made by used vegetable oil: They use cooking oil flows in from all sorts of places including Loyola cafeterias, other universities, museums and restaurants, Waickman said. […] “If you drop off your used cooking at Loyola, we’re then going to filter out any solids from it, run a chemical reaction to remove the glycerin molecule, clean up the resulting biodiesel with a little bit of water and then the final result is biodiesel fuel ready for a diesel engine,” Waickman explained.
* SJ-R | Reopening of longtime Springfield restaurant appears to be delayed: Fans of Fritz’s Wagon Wheel Restaurant continue to await the promised reopening of the landmark establishment. But that goal seems a little further off with the recent expiration of the business’s liquor license. […] “We relinquished (our liquor license) until such a time as we are either ready to reopen or to do something else entirely with the location,” Bart wrote in an email. Bart said the restaurant’s chef and kitchen manager are still working to assemble a reliable staff.
* Daily Southtown | Leap Day baby celebrates turning 100 at her 25th birthday party: Loretta, who was born Feb. 29, 1924, “used to joke that she was younger than her own children,” said her daughter, Maria Gotfryd. Her family members gathered a few Saturdays ago to celebrate Loretta’s 25 birthdays and century of life, throwing the party early to accommodate travel arrangements for 65 relatives, many from out of town. It was an advent that even garnered a note from the office of Pope Francis in Rome, imparting a “requested Apostolic Blessing” on Gotfryd.
As city and state lawmakers discuss public funding for the Chicago White Sox and Bears to build new stadiums, the Chicago Red Stars are making a move to be part of the conversation.
The National Women’s Soccer League club’s current stadium in suburban Bridgeview is not ideal for the team, and it has been a pressing issue predating the new ownership group. If elected officials use taxpayer dollars for new stadiums for the White Sox or Bears, then Red Stars executives contend they also should be included in whatever funding is allocated.
Red Stars Executive Chairperson Laura Ricketts and team President Karen Leetzow recently met with Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch in Westchester and are scheduled to meet this week with Illinois Senate President Don Harmon at his district office in Oak Park.
Just to be clear, “meetings” do not equal “support.”
The Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox are being urged to cobble together one financial request for their stadium proposals that state legislators can consider rather than dueling plans that could box each other out.
Representatives for the teams are hearing the same message from state officials as they jockey for public subsidies to build new stadiums. State Senate President Don Harmon specifically has told both teams there is little appetite in the General Assembly to approve separate stadium legislation.
“I’m not planning to referee fights between billion-dollar sports franchises,” Harmon told Crain’s in a statement. “I hope the teams took heed of the governor’s expression of reluctance to use tax dollars to subsidize new stadiums.” […]
In the past week, White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Related Midwest President Curt Bailey, the developer of The 78 property where the Sox are looking to build a ballpark, met with Bears Chairman George McCaskey, team President and CEO Kevin Warren and Chief Financial Officer Karen Murphy, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.
Mischaracterizing or even just leaking details of meetings with a legislative leader may get you a sweet headline (“Bears and Sox told to team up on stadium financing pitches”), but it won’t move the Statehouse ball forward, and it may actually do the opposite. Also, read Harmon’s statement carefully.
…Adding… Harmon is out with a slightly revised statement that makes his intent more clear…
“I share the governor’s reluctance to spend taxpayer dollars to subsidize private stadiums. I’m not going to referee fights between billion-dollar sports franchises.”
The teams probably need to stop listening so much to their PR people and start listening more to their lobbyists.
If the object is to pass a bill, then this ain’t the way to do it.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about the latest Crain’s story today…
I think organizing it together seems to make some sense if they can do that. I mean, these are different businesses. They will be in different locations. I’m not exactly sure how that will work.
I know that they, what do they have in common? They’re looking for taxpayer dollars. So that’s, as far as I can tell, the thing that they have most in common. And I think you’ve heard me say over and over, and I’ll repeat it one more time, which is taxpayer dollars are precious, and we ought to treat them as if we have priorities in this state. And I’m not sure that supporting private sports teams in their desire for a new stadium is more important than, for example, building jobs here and a grant program and across the state, or, as I said the other day you know, building birthing centers, in communities that where we’ve got maternal mortality rates that are three times what they are, let’s say in white communities versus a black family, we ought to be building birthing centers. So there’s so many priorities that I think rise above investing in you know, building a stadium for private enterprise.
In other words, it’s time the teams made a case for why these would be smart investments for government instead of publicly spiking the ball every time they set up a meeting. What would taxpayers get out of their proposals? What even are their proposals? Let’s hear it.
* In the days leading up to Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address, the Illinois Municipal League pushed a plan that would cost the state’s budget $800-875 million per year…
The [Local Government Distributive Fund] share is 6.47% of individual income tax collections and 6.845% of corporate income tax collections. Before 2011, 10% of state income tax dollars were dedicated to LGDF and distributed to cities and counties. IML is supporting a bill to reinstate the 10% number.
Tons of mayors, including Chicago’s, hotly opposed the state income tax increase back in 2011.
* In seeming reply, the governor’s budget office noted in its analysis of the proposed spending plan how much the state is spending on local governments since Pritzker took office…
The operations of local governments are a critical part of the state financial infrastructure. When possible, the State has provided additional funding mechanisms to help local governments, including one-time and permanent revenue supports to minimize the need for local property tax increases. Examples of on-going support, totaling over $1.3 billion annually, enacted since Governor Pritzker took office include:
• An additional $200 million a year in sales taxes from the passage of internet sales tax language following the Wayfair decision, including the Leveling the Playing Field for Illinois Retail Act, to help ensure compliance with state tax laws on internet sales.
• Over $680 million annually in additional motor fuel taxes directed to local governments and transit districts to support needed transportation projects through the passage of Rebuild Illinois.
• Granting $1.5 billion in state transportation bond funds directly to local governments for road and highway project expenditures, saving local governments $110 million annually in debt service costs from not issuing local bonds.
• Authorization of adult-use cannabis, generating an estimated $100 million in additional revenues for local governments.
• Increased allocations through the Local Government Distributive Fund process totaling $46 million annually from business loophole closures included in PA 102-0016.
• Increased tax rates and positions for video gaming operations expected to generate an additional $80 million a year for local governments Additional local revenues from the opening of new casinos authorized under the Rebuild Illinois plan, including the first revenues from the new Chicago casino licensed in 2023.
• Increased percentage of individual income taxes that state government shares with municipalities and counties from 6.16 to 6.47 percent of total individual income tax collections. This increase is worth $88 million annually.
Illinois distributed to smaller local governments $250 million from its Coronavirus Relief Fund allocation and established the infrastructure necessary to distribute the $740 million Local Fiscal Recovery Fund payment received pursuant to ARPA. These key sources of funding helped small local governments maintain services during uncertain fiscal times.
* So now, instead of focusing on expanding the LGDF, the Municipal League is playing defense against the governor’s proposal to eliminate a state-collected but locally distributed and very regressive tax…
A major element of the governor’s proposal of eliminating the 1% grocery tax will be entirely on the backs of local governments.
“That’s for the rest of time, hundreds of millions of dollars annually impact against local governments,” Cole told The Center Square. “That grocery tax solely goes to municipalities. There is no state money in there at all. So when the governor offered to reduce that, he eliminated local funding. So, take away three- or four-hundred million dollars, [cities] are going to have to come up with it somehow.”
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s plan to eliminate the grocery sales tax will result in an $800,000 loss in revenue to the village of Montgomery.
At Monday’s Montgomery Village Board meeting, trustee Steve Jungermann voiced opposition to the proposal: “State officials, you need to do your jobs and pass an honest, balanced budget.”
After the meeting, Jungermann was interviewed by WSPY News: “…The state, they need to pass an honest, balanced budget and not depend and fall back onto the municipalities. You’re essentially stealing money from the municipalities. We depend on that money.”
To be clear, Pritzker isn’t proposing that the state spend the $350 million or so per year from the grocery tax. He just wants to get rid of the tax altogether and allow locals to impose their own replacement if they want.
“They say ‘If you take this away and you save taxpayers $1 for every 100 they spend on groceries … they’re gonna have to raise taxes elsewhere.” So, the reporter asked Pritzker, “Are you willing to reconsider this? Because it’s going to hurt communities across the state of Illinois by taking away that source of revenue.”
No, I’m not willing to reconsider it. Here’s what I’m saying about the grocery tax. It’s the most regressive tax you could have, really We think about all the regressive taxes that exist in the state of Illinois. This one goes after people who are just trying to buy food. And when you say it’s, ‘Oh, it’s a dollar out of every 100.’ Well, that could be hundreds of dollars for a family across a year. So you know that that matters to many people.
And the grocery tax, by the way, we’re in the vast, vast minority of states that still have a grocery tax. Almost every other state has gotten rid of their grocery tax. We still have one, that’s not right.
Now, municipalities I absolutely believe that the state should be supporting municipalities. And indeed, as long as I’ve been governor, we’ve added $1.3 billion to the coffers of local governments across the state. That didn’t happen under my predecessor. It’s because I believe in investing in local government. It’s closest to the people. They deserve to have the kind of funding that they need to support local projects and local government, but the grocery tax doesn’t seem like the best way to do it.
But I want to be clear, I have said that the bill that would be put forward should include the ability for local governments, if they want to impose a grocery tax on their local residents, they should be able to go do that. I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. I wouldn’t do it locally. Having said that, I understand the need for the dollars and if they feel like they need them, they should think about imposing that tax on their own.
I have increased LGDF, that’s the Local Government Distributive Fund, which is one of the ways in which we send money from the state to local governments. I have increased the dollars that local governments get for infrastructure. By passing rebuild Illinois sending dollars directly without any conditions other than as for us for infrastructure to local governments. So I’m you know, I’m a believer in continuing to fund them. But you know, we have a tight budgetary situation this year, so we won’t be able to do as much more as we have done in previous years, but we’ll continue to look at ways to support them. Grocery tax, it seems to me, it’s time for us to end this regressive tax.
I’m thinking the mayors absolutely do not want to have the power to impose the tax on their own, up to and including Chicago’s progressive mayor.
Thoughts?
…Adding… Good point in comments…
I do wish the governor had chosen his words more carefully when talking about the savings that families will see. I doubt many families will even see $100 of savings in a year let alone “hundreds of dollars” a year as he said. I know groceries have gotten more expensive but a family would have to spend $10,000 on groceries a year to see even a $100 savings.
