Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Friday, Oct 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

A federal judge in Chicago on Friday clarified that all immigration-enforcement agents must have body-worn cameras in the field as part of a temporary restraining order over the tear gassing and rough treatment of protesters and media during the Trump administration’s ongoing “Operation Midway Blitz.”

In a hearing at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Friday, U.S. District Judge Sarah Ellis said she was displeased by the lack of response from the government Thursday when she asked them to come up with suggested language to modify her restraining order when it came to body-worn cameras.

“Nothing came in,” Ellis said Friday. “This was not a suggestion, it was not a hint, it wasn’t a topic of conversation. It was an order.”

The move came in the wake of a public statement from the Department of Homeland Security. After Thursday’s hearing, a DHS spokesperson said there was currently no order requiring body cameras, but if a court were to enter such an order, it would be “an extreme act of judicial activism.”

***************** Advertisement *****************

Illinois families are already stretched thin and a delivery tax would push them even further. For Illinois residents, delivery services are essential, not optional. Working parents, seniors, and those with limited mobility rely on them for groceries, meals, and everyday needs. Now, a proposed delivery tax threatens to raise costs on the families who can least afford it.

Learn more about the impact of a delivery tax and why we MUST stop it.

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* Press release…

State Senate candidate Nick Uniejewski today called on incumbent Senator Sara Feigenholtz to return a $5,000 campaign contribution from Sam Sanchez, a well-known restaurant owner who has publicly said he voted for Donald Trump and serves as a leader in the Illinois Restaurant Association—a group that has fiercely opposed efforts to raise wages for low-wage workers.

“We shouldn’t settle for a Democrat who jumps at the biggest check from someone who proudly voted for Trump,” Uniejewski said. “If Senator Feigenholtz truly stands with working people, she should return that money—or better yet, donate it to 19th District Mutual Aid, a grassroots group supporting immigrant families right here on the North Side.”

Uniejewski had just $29K in his campaign account at the end of September.

* Capitol News Illinois…

People in Illinois who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace are likely to see big increases in the cost of their premiums next year, but state officials are encouraging them to reach out for help before they decide to drop their coverage.

“We’re really encouraging people, don’t walk away. Come and talk to a navigator,” Illinois Insurance Director Ann Gillespie said in an interview this week. “Make an appointment to talk to a navigator, because there are over 1,100 plans that we’re going to be offering on the marketplace. There might be an option that will be affordable for you.”

Open enrollment for the 2026 plan year begins Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15. This year will be the first year in which Illinois residents will use a state-based online platform, Get Covered Illinois, to shop for their plans.

“Last year, we were a state-based marketplace, but on the federal platform still. It was our transition year,” Gillespie said. “So last year was technically the first year of the state-based marketplace. This year, we’re on our own platform for the first time.”

…Adding… The Will County Executive Office…

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant has issued an executive order that clarifies how county government will respond to increased federal immigration enforcement actions. The order creates restrictions on the use of county property for immigration enforcement staging areas, establishes guidelines for immigration enforcement actions on county property, and provides guidance on referring residents to legal resources and temporary visas available to crime victims.

“I am deeply concerned about reports I am receiving about federal immigration activity occurring locally and tactics causing fear throughout the community,” said Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant. “The steps we are taking today are aimed at ensuring our residents voices are heard by providing resources and actions that fall under the county jurisdiction. All people should be safe in their neighborhoods and supported in their community.”

The four-part Executive Order, officially titled Executive Order 25-01, includes two directives to Will County offices and departments that set guidelines on federal immigration enforcement actions on county property. This includes prohibiting the use of County-owned properties under the control of the Executive’ Office, including buildings and lots, to serve as staging areas for enforcement operations.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Semafor | Governor JB Pritzker on Chicago, ICE, and the information war with Trump’s White House: This week, Ben and Max bring on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to talk about how he’s navigating a communications crisis and a messaging battle against the Trump White House in the new media landscape. They also talk about how conservative media is shaping the situation on the ground, what he thinks of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s trolling approach to Trump, and whether we should bet on the Chicago Bears.

* The Southern | Mueller launches campaign for Illinois State Senate: Tamiko “T.C.” Mueller is hoping her message of unity, economic growth and working across party lines will help carry her to victory next year as she seeks the open seat in the Illinois State Senate’s 59th District. Mueller formally launched her campaign this week, aiming to return the seat to Democratic control after Gary Forby last held it from 2003 to 2017. She told supporters she’s ready to bring a fresh voice of action and results to Springfield.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | ‘Feeling the pain’: Chicago’s federal court starts reducing operations amid ongoing government shutdown: The ongoing federal government shutdown is starting to have dire consequences at Chicago’s Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where money has run out to pay staff for non-essential duties and jury trials are being canceled amid growing uncertainty. The shutdown, which began Oct. 1, initially affected only civil litigation involving the United States as a party since the court keeps a reserve of funds that allow most operations to continue.

* Block Club | Belmont Cragin Business Owners Beg For Support As ICE Fears Devastate Sales And Closures Loom: The Northwest Side neighborhoods have seen increased immigration arrests and ICE activity in recent weeks under the Trump administration’s large-scale immigration operations — ICE’s Midway Blitz and Border Patrol’s At Large — which started in September. That has stoked fear among would-be customers, with foot traffic and sales dropping, business owners said. “It’s been really difficult. We could close the restaurant if we don’t get more business in the next two months,” said Jesus, the manager of Las Casitas restaurant, 5746 W. Belmont Ave. in Belmont Cragin. Jesus, who has worked for the restaurant since 2020, asked to not have his last name published out of fear federal agents would target him.

* Block Club | Unmarked Officers At Calumet Park Station Aren’t Immigration Agents, Coast Guard Says: The officers are “additional Coast Guard security forces,” not immigration agents, U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson and Lt. Cmdr. Steve Roth told Block Club Thursday. Additional security was deployed in response to “destruction of Coast Guard property at the station and threats made against Coast Guard members,” Roth said.

* Sun-Times | Ex-CBP chief details ‘unreasonable use of force,’ ICE cites ‘brazen’ hostility in dueling lawsuit narratives: A day after President Donald Trump summoned 300 Illinois National Guard troops into federal service, one of his immigration enforcement officials 700 miles away in Illinois sent an email praising the people who turned out to be “the difference maker” in calming local protests. His email didn’t brag about soldiers, border agents or any branch of federal law enforcement. Instead, the official wrote that the Department of Homeland Security “did not have to intervene with any protesters” the weekend of Oct. 4 — after the Illinois State Police showed up outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview. “It’s clear that ISP is the difference maker in this scenario, and we are grateful for their leadership,” Peter Sukmanowski, assistant director of ICE’s Chicago field office, wrote. “Hopefully, we can keep it up for the long-haul.”

* Block Club | Chicago Cyclists Are Buying Out Tamale Carts To Keep Vendors Home And Safe From ICE: Cycling x Solidarity, a collective of Chicago cyclists who organize group rides and mutual aid efforts, will host a Street Vendor Bike Tour Saturday with the Street Vendors Association of Chicago. The ride will begin 10 a.m. at Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park and wind through Pilsen and Little Village, where the group will buy food from street vendors.

* WBEZ | ‘Incredibly important’ Imagist Roger Brown gave his collection to Chicago. How’d it end up in Wisconsin?: Against this backdrop comes a new exhibition at the Kohler Center that gives audiences a look of Brown’s visual world and what inspired his cartoonish, folksy style and depictions of semi-imaginary architecture and landscapes. The exhibition, located at Kohler’s satellite Art Preserve and running through spring 2026, shows only a fraction of the newly acquired objects but aims to provide visitors with an introductory taste of the artist’s vast collection, which it plans to fully showcase down the road.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | More arrests outside Broadview ICE center as protests continue: Friday’s confrontation was the first in almost a month to take place on Beach Street after federal officials removed what the town called an illegally constructed fence from outside the facility. Protesters began to chant around 8 a.m. Friday in violation of Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson’s recently issued order that protests only occur between 9 a.m. and 6 a.m.

* Block Club | State Police Led Broadview Protesters Into Street And Attacked Them, Demonstrators Say: About 8:15 a.m. Friday, state police told a crowd of about 100 protesters they could go into the street — but then attacked them with billy clubs and arrested several people, activists said. […] In a statement, Illinois State Police said “a number of individuals repeatedly blocked a street” outside the facility and “after providing repeated instructions and opportunities to move to the designated protest areas, 11 individuals were ultimately arrested.”

* MediaITE | Democratic Congressional Candidate Kat Abughazaleh Claims Cop Hit Her With Baton During ICE Protest: Abughazaleh, who is running for Congress in Illinois’s 9th district, was among numerous protesters at the ICE facility in Broadview on Friday morning when Illinois State Police advanced while clutching batons. “Cops led us into the street as the new ‘protest zone’ and then beat us repeatedly,” Abughazaleh said in a social media post. “Got hit in the face with a baton. Leaving to pick up my friends who were arrested.”

* Tribune | Aurora’s proposed 2026 city budget includes funding, staffing cuts: In total, the budget proposed for next year is $163.6 million less than this year’s, city officials told reporters at a meeting on Thursday. That decrease, which sets the overall budget at around $569 million, is mostly because of bonds the city took out this year for big construction projects, according to Mayor John Laesch. Actual cuts to the city’s main operating fund made throughout the budget process totaled around $19 million, or around 7% of the starting budget, city officials’ presentation showed. The proposed 2026 budget still has a difference between revenue and expenses of $2.5 million in its main operating fund, down from the nearly $30 million deficit that officials said the budget had earlier in the process.

* Daily Herald | More cargo, more problems? Why retired suburban police chief is leading fight against heavier trucks: To former Buffalo Grove and Cary Police Chief Steve Casstevens, the formula is obvious: bigger, fuller and heavier trucks equal bigger, more and worse crashes. That’s why the retired law enforcement leader has found a new role helping to lead the fight against proposals before Congress allowing more densely packed semis on federal highways. “There’s never been a study by anyone saying higher weights are safer,” said Casstevens, who also served as president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. “Common sense, engineers and truck drivers will tell you higher weights mean more crashes. Everything tells us it’s a bad idea.”

* Daily Herald | Schaumburg panel endorses more flexibility on when apartments must switch from heat to A/C: Last month his air conditioning was turned off a week before the Sept. 15 requirement for heat to make the transition. During the hot days that recurred for the rest of the month, not only was he without A/C but the heat was actively on. “There’s radiant heat coming from the vent,” Finch said. He shared a general email from the management of The Grove explaining to residents the village’s requirement to maintain a temperature of at least 68 degrees from Sept. 15 to June 1.

*** Downstate ***

* WIFR | Federal courts in northern Illinois reduce operations due to government shutdown: If the shutdown continues after Judiciary funds are exhausted, the courts will then operate under the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act, which allows work to continue during a lapse in appropriations if it is necessary to support the exercise of Article III judicial powers. Under this scenario, each court and federal defender’s office would determine the staffing resources necessary to support such work.

* WSIL | Southern Illinois regions receive portion of $2.5M for childhood development: The award, consisting of 43 subcontracts for fiscal year 2026, is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education. Since fiscal year 2023, Birth to Five Illinois has invested a total of $11,875,000. The organization has provided funding to 35 out of 39 regions in Illinois. This demonstrates their commitment to enhancing existing Early Childhood Collaborations and investing in less-funded areas.

* WSIL | New ADA doors enhance accessibility at Alexander County polls: These changes aim to improve accessibility for all residents in the county. Doors are already in place at the Tamms community building. The Olive Branch community building and McClure City Hall are set to have their doors installed next week.

* WCIA | 2025-2026 Wooly Worm Forecast: Judy Fraser is back in the studio with us this season with the 2025-2026 Wooly Worm Forecast. Watch her full forecast above as she talks more about the Wooly Worms, how she forecasts with them and some memories from over the years.

*** National ***

* LA Times | Susan Stamberg, NPR ‘founding mother’ and ‘All Things Considered’ host, dies at 87: Stamberg joined NPR in the early 1970s when it was getting off the ground as a network of radio stations across the country. During her career, she interviewed thousands of people, from prominent politicians and artists to the less well-known like White House chefs and people who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. She explained in an oral history interview with Oregon station KLCC in January that she didn’t have women in broadcast to model herself after when she became the host of “All Things Considered” in 1972.

* AP | US blocks a global fee on shipping emissions as international meeting ends without new regulations: The world’s largest maritime nations had been deliberating on adopting regulations to move the shipping industry away from fossil fuels to slash emissions. But U.S. President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia and other countries vowed to fight any global tax on shipping emissions. The U.S. had threatened to retaliate if nations support it. Trump urged countries to vote “No” at the International Maritime Organization headquarters in London, posting on his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday that “the United States will not stand for this global green new scam tax on shipping.”

* United States Courts | Judiciary Still Operating as Shutdown Starts: If the shutdown continues after Judiciary funds are exhausted, the courts will then operate under the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act, which allows work to continue during a lapse in appropriations if it is necessary to support the exercise of Article III judicial powers. Under this scenario, each court and federal defender’s office would determine the staffing resources necessary to support such work.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - News update (Updated)

Friday, Oct 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Pritzker pressed on gambling winnings (Updated)

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From earlier…

Since reporters noticed ⁦@GovPritzker⁩ reported $1.4M in gambling winnings on his income tax filing - so many questions. Today his spokesman says the Las Vegas blackjack winnings will be donated. pic.twitter.com/pXcYHHntLp

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) October 16, 2025

* From the governor’s press conference today…

Q: On your income, are you concerned that AOC or another potential rival in a presidential primary could use the capital gains, the gambling winnings against you as fodder in the campaign?

Pritzker: No. (Laughs). No. I think people know when I got elected, and have known for some time that, you know, I’m very fortunate in my life. And if they want to use something like that in the campaign, I don’t know, but I’m not, you know, right now I’m focused on running for reelection as governor. That’s the only thing I’m focused on politically, and of course, most importantly in my job as governor today, protecting the people of Illinois from the unlawful acts of Stephen Miller and Donald Trump, Kristi Noem, Tom Homan and Gregory Pavino.

Q: Governor, can you just explain a little more the circumstances of the $1.4 million? That’s some big winnings. Was it a high roller table? Were you gambling millions and millions of dollars?

Pritzker: I, I obviously, I’ve explained this, or at least we did in a statement. You know that I went on vacation with my wife, with some friends. I was incredibly lucky. You have to be to end up ahead, frankly. Going to a casino anywhere, it was in Las Vegas, and I like to play cards. And so you know that I founded a charitable poker match here in Chicago called the Chicago Poker Challenge that raises millions, has raised millions of dollars for the Holocaust Museum here, and particularly to stand up for civil rights. That’s much of what the Holocaust Museum does. And so anyway, that’s that’s all I can say about it. Had fun doing it. I encourage people to come to the state of Illinois and gamble in our casinos here, we have some really lovely places to go.

Q: The number that was reported, can you say how much you’ve lost gambling?

Pritzker: I believe that’s a net number. So, yeah, but, but, I mean, it was, it was all, you know, it all happened over one trip and again, it was just, I mean, incredibly lucky. And as you know, most of the time, anybody who’s been to a casino, you win, and you know all of anybody who’s played cards in a casino knows that you know you often play for too long and lose whatever it is that you won. I was fortunate enough to have to leave before that happens.

Q: What was the final hand?

Pritzker: Oh, I don’t remember.

Thoughts?

…Adding… Darren Bailey…

While hardworking Illinois families are stretched thin by record taxes and rising costs, Governor J.B. Pritzker was sitting at the high-roller tables in Las Vegas, winning $1.4 million.

According to his 2024 tax filings, Pritzker reported $1.4 million in gambling winnings from Las Vegas – a snapshot of just how far removed he is from the economic reality most Illinoisans live every day as a result of the Governor’s failed policies.

The Darren Bailey/Aaron Del Mar campaign is issuing the following statement:

“While hard working families are struggling, JB Pritzker is living the high life in Las Vegas. Not only is he gambling with his own money, but he also is gambling away the future of working families. Instead of rolling up his sleeves and working to improve public safety or bringing legislators to the table to lower property taxes in Illinois and solving the state’s pension crisis, JB Pritzker is playing high stakes games in Las Vegas.

We need and deserve a Governor who is focused on the problems of Illinois. The JB Pritzker/Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson cabal has been an abject failure. Both of these inept leaders are making our communities less safe and spending us into bankruptcy. We can’t afford to gamble on Illinois’ future. We need to make the safe bet and elect Darren Bailey and Aaron Del Mar.”

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Business groups put Chicago mayor’s budget proposal on blast, while CTU strongly supports (Updated)

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sun-Times…

Mayor Brandon Johnson Thursday delivered on his promise to “challenge the ultra-rich” and make corporations pay their fair share, proposing a $16.6 billion budget for 2026 that includes $586.6 million in progressive tax and fee revenues and a record $1 billion tax increment-financing surplus to rescue the city and Chicago Public Schools.

The tax-heavy budget, which aims to erase a $1.15 billion shortfall, would hit Chicago businesses hard. It includes a revived and dramatically expanded employee head tax, a second consecutive increase in the tax on cloud computing, a first-of-its-kind social media tax and a broadening of the city’s amusement tax to include online sports betting.

In his budget address to the City Council, Johnson said Chicago is the 10th wealthiest city in the world, with 127,000 millionaires and 24 billionaires — while 1 in 4 Chicagoans under the age of 18 are mired in poverty.

“Our budget proposal asks large corporations and the ultra-wealthy to chip in more so that working families are not burdened with higher property taxes, or grocery taxes or garbage fees,” Johnson said. “This intense and growing wealth inequity is not sustainable for our city.”

Click here to read the mayor’s budget outline, which includes some cost reductions and program expansions.

* IRMA…

Illinois Retail Merchants Association Statement on Mayor Johnson’s Proposed 2026 Budget

CHICAGO – The Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) released the following statement regarding Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget proposal:

“For several years now, Chicago retailers have faced smash-and-grab robberies and organized theft rings that have forced shop owners to lock up merchandise, reduce store hours, or close their doors entirely. Rather than supporting retailers, the City has responded with higher taxes, added regulations, and onerous licensing requirements. The mayor’s budget plan does nothing to reverse these trends and will instead lead to more empty storefronts in neighborhoods across Chicago, including shuttered restaurants, grocery stores, and pharmacies,” said Rob Karr, president and CEO, Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “Taxing job creators won’t drive economic growth or improve public safety. What we need are real, immediate solutions—not budget gimmicks or political blame games.”

* Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…

The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) today released the following statement regarding Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget proposal:

“Under the Mayor’s budget proposal, manufacturers would be punished for creating jobs in Chicago. Instead of fostering economic development, which is key to addressing the city’s underlying financial problems, he is giving businesses yet another reason to take their investments elsewhere,” said Mark Denzler, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “It’s time for this administration to get serious about solving problems, supporting growth, and creating opportunities for families throughout Chicago.”

* Illinois Chamber…

Illinois Chamber of Commerce Statement on the City of Chicago FY26 Budget Address

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce represents more than 3,000 member companies across the state, including hundreds of employers that are proud to call Chicago home. On behalf of these businesses and the thousands of employees and families they support, we must express our deep concern and disappointment with several challenging provisions contained in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed FY26 budget.

At a time of economic uncertainty, a stagnant labor force, and rising costs of doing business, this budget sends the wrong signal about the future of our great city. Proposals to revive an outdated and harmful head tax, presented as a tool for “community safety”, along with yet another increase to the cloud tax, and the creation of incredibly flawed social media tax place Chicago at a competitive disadvantage nationally. At a time Chicago seeks to establish itself as a global hub for quantum computing and technological innovation, policies that penalize job creators in rapidly growing sectors are shortsighted and risk damaging the city’s economic vitality.

The Illinois Chamber urges the City Council to reject this proposal and instead work in partnership with the business community to pursue solutions that foster growth, attract investment, and strengthen every Chicago neighborhood. We stand ready to collaborate with the Administration and Council members on pragmatic reforms, identifying efficiencies, applying reasonable cost controls, and advancing pro-growth policies that support both residents and employers across Chicago.

* Civic Federation…

Statement from The Civic Federation on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Budget Proposal

CHICAGO — Today, The Civic Federation released the following statement:

“The proposed FY2026 budget repeats past mistakes and fails to provide progress toward sustainable, structural solutions to the City’s immense fiscal challenges. Especially disappointing is that the proposed budget does not meaningfully engage or incorporate the recommendations of the Chicago Financial Future Task Force, relying on revenue increases over structural cuts and savings. As proposed, this budget limits prospects for future growth and leaves unaddressed the even larger deficit the City itself projects for 2027, all but ensuring that the City will likely be in a worse position next year. We see this as the start of a longer process that must involve deeper engagement by the City Council. We look forward to working with the Council and the Mayor’s Office to achieve a stronger, more sustainable plan that will support Chicago today and going forward.”

* CTU…

Chicago Teachers Union Applauds Mayor Brandon Johnson’s “Protect Chicago” Budget, Historic Investment in Public Schools

CHICAGO— Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates issued the following statement following Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget address:

Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson delivered the most transformative budget to come out of City Hall in generations. He is protecting our city from Trump’s cuts and proposing a budget that fights for working people instead of against them.

The record half a billion dollars proposed for Chicago Public Schools helps the majority of aldermen who lobbied CPS with a promise of a TIF surplus actually keep that promise. It goes above and beyond what our district was counting on. While we fight for the $1.6 billion the state owes, the City is stabilizing funding, protecting Black Student Success from Trump, and securing the retirement of the workers whose MEABF pensions have been treated as a political football.

Our union will be pushing every city councilmember to vote ‘yes’ on the Protect Chicago budget and then moving on to Springfield to demand Governor Pritzker and the IL General Assembly do their part.

Our mayor inherited generations of divestment – including school and mental health clinic closures in Black and brown communities – and is rebuilding broken systems while federal dollars are being withheld. He is showing us, to maintain vital services without burdening already overburdened working families, we must tax the wealthiest corporations and individuals – the entities that have profited from Trump’s tax breaks for billionaires.

Neither Chicago nor Illinois needs austerity or cuts; we need political leadership willing to stand up to Trump by delivering on the promise that brought generations here in search of freedom and opportunity: good jobs, safe communities, and fully funded schools. Today, we are one step closer.

Discuss.

…Adding… Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association…

CHICAGO – The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association issued the following statement in response to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed 2026 budget.

“While we appreciate that Mayor Johnson did not propose raising Chicago’s already high property and hotel taxes, we are disappointed that his proposed 2026 budget includes implementing a job-killing head tax. Businesses, especially hotels, continue to face a host of challenges caused by rising costs and ongoing economic uncertainty. This additional tax will only make it harder for them to grow, create jobs, invest in their employees and remain competitive. Rather than continuing to add to the existing burden, the city should prioritize policies that will allow long-term growth, create new opportunities for our workforce, and drive investment across the city. The hospitality industry stands ready to collaborate on creative ways to increase revenue and keep Chicago a world-class destination and a place where businesses and workers alike can thrive,” said Michael Jacobson, President and CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association.

* Chicagoland Chamber…

CHICAGO – The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce issued the following statement in response to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed 2026 budget:

“Mayor Johnson’s proposed 2026 budget relies on placing a tariff on jobs in Chicago and implementing policies that will further inflationary burdens on Chicago businesses and residents. If we want to be serious about fixing Chicago’s fiscal challenges, we need to focus on long-term strategies to grow and create jobs, not quick fixes and job-killing taxes like the head tax and cloud tax that hurt businesses of all sizes and sectors. The 2026 budget proposal includes about $200 million in cost reductions, when the budget has increased by more than $6 billion in recent years. Rather than embracing shared sacrifice, this budget seeks to tax and borrow its way out of a deficit and, in the process, disincentivize job creation and hiring, deter relocation and expansion, and make Chicago less attractive at a time when national and global competition for jobs and investment is at an all-time high.

“The best way to address our fiscal challenges and strengthen essential city services is through growth. We stand ready to work with the mayor and members City Council to find serious solutions that will attract and support new employers, expand growing industries, and strengthen our tax base through opportunity and investment in every neighborhood,” said Jack Lavin, President and CEO of Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

* Chicago Federation of Labor…

(Chicago, Ill.) – Today, Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter issued the following statement on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget address:

“Chicago needs a responsible budget with realistic revenue that protects the workers and services city residents rely on every day. Chicagoans recognize how dedicated city workers pick up trash, fill potholes, and help keep residents safe and healthy, even as the city’s workforce has shrunk over the past decade. They already do more with less.

“We are glad that the mayor’s budget proposal appears to avoid new layoffs beyond those previously announced. But we are concerned that shorting the advanced pension payment and filling long-term operational shortfalls with one-time maneuvers does not address the structural problems that put us in this $1.2 billion hole to begin with. These tactics impede public infrastructure projects across the city while continuing to kick the can down the road.

“This proposal will be the first draft of many. The CFL is ready to partner with those interested in exploring pragmatic revenue options, identifying operational efficiencies, and ultimately passing a budget that protects the high level of service Chicagoans expect and deserve.”

* Institute for Public Good…

“We applaud Mayor Johnson’s 2026 budget released today as it represents a major shift in how the city solves its budget problems. For decades, the city has relied on regressive taxation on working class Chicagoans, privatization, and cuts in city employment and services – and in this moment when the infrastructure working families rely on is being attacked by Trump, we need leadership that is willing to fight back. This budget turns the page on those decisions of the past and decades of corporate welfare. It taxes large corporations that will receive almost a trillion dollars in tax breaks from Trump’s tax policies over the next decade, and asks a portion of them – less than 3% of Chicago businesses – to give just a drop of those tax breaks back to the city. Mayor Johnson has opened the door to progressive revenue in this city, and we need to continue to push those largest corporations to increase their contribution to the city services we all rely on that make Chicago the cultural, economic, and talent hub that it is.

We are also heartened to see that this city is taking serious the responsibility to ensure we have consistent funding within the Department of Public Health. While Donald Trump has slashed federal funding for CDPH, we need to find every available pathway to protect our public health services – it’s the highest ROI we can have on every dollar that goes into the budget.

The choice is clear: To further Trump’s agenda to take money from working families and give it to corporations or to ask corporations to pay their fair share in order to invest in our people and our neighborhoods. This budget has made a clear choice, and we hope that City Council does the same.”

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Isabel’s morning briefing (Updated)

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: ‘Dramatic, quick, and devastating’: Prairie Research Institute losing millions in funding. WCIA…

*********************** Advertisement **********************

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

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* Governor Pritzker will hold a press conference with former U.S. Major Generals, Admirals, and veterans to discuss the militarization of American cities. Click here to watch at 11 am.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Gov. JB Pritzker won $1.4 million via gambling, 2024 tax returns show: The latest windfall was boosted by $1,425,000 in gambling winnings, their federal filing shows, in addition to $4.2 million in capital gains, nearly $3.9 million in ordinary dividends and more than $800,000 in taxable interest. Pritzker doesn’t take a salary as governor.

…Adding… NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern…

Since reporters noticed ⁦@GovPritzker⁩ reported $1.4M in gambling winnings on his income tax filing - so many questions. Today his spokesman says the Las Vegas blackjack winnings will be donated. pic.twitter.com/pXcYHHntLp

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) October 16, 2025

* Capitol City Now | SNAP changes leave a bitter taste: Kate Maehr, executive director and CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository and co-chair of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger, said the federal government, which has been paying virtually 100 percent of the costs, will eventually offload up to $800 million per year to Illinois. Maehr said such requirements add unnecessary hoops to jump through and do not promote work or economic stability.

*** Statewide ***

* Abortion, Every Day | Illinois Woman Denied Treatment for Ectopic Pregnancy: The 28-year-old—who had to go to multiple healthcare centers and hospitals before getting the care she needed—tells me that she was sure she was going to die. “I was 100% convinced,” she says. That’s in no small part because Harmonie lost her right fallopian tube in another ectopic pregnancy a few years ago. So when she was diagnosed again last week, she knew how dangerous the situation was—and how important it was to get quick treatment. […] Here’s what Harmonie didn’t know: this particular OBGYN was affiliated with Ascension—a multi-billion dollar Catholic health system that’s been at the center of similar firestorms. A federal investigation actually found that an Ascension hospital in Texas violated EMTALA when they refused another woman care for her ectopic pregnancy in 2023.

*** Statehouse News ***

* NCSL | His Advice After Beating Cancer? ‘Maximize the Moments’: “I’ve always had an enthusiasm and positivity,” Evans says. “But when you have cancer, and you’re near death, and you make it through, you just value time more. It has changed me tremendously because I don’t want to miss an opportunity. I just try to maximize the moments.” He adds, “I’m going to live life until life is no more. You’ve got to keep moving through life’s challenges.”

* AP | Illinois Joins Other States in Forming a Public Health Alliance in Rebuke of Trump Administration: They’re framing it as a way to share data, messages about threats, emergency preparedness and public health policy — and as a rebuke to President Donald Trump’s administration, which they say isn’t doing its job in public health. “At a time when the federal government is telling the states, ‘you’re on your own,’ governors are banding together,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a statement.

* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker tax summaries show more than $10M in 2024 income — not including trusts: The 2024 summary prepared by Deloitte Tax LLP shows Pritzker and his wife, MK, made $10.7 million, including $4.2 million from capital gains. Pritzker received a $4.8 million standard deduction, meaning he paid taxes on $5.9 million in income. The trust benefiting the Pritzkers paid $4.5 million in state taxes and $30.2 million in federal taxes last year, according to his campaign. The first family also reported $3.3 million in charitable donations. […] Mitchell made $595,830 last year and claimed a $65,841 deduction.

* WMBD | Illinois lawmakers clash on how to condemn political violence: Democrats and Republicans went back and forth, criticizing the other party in its failure to reduce political violence. […] Two lawmakers on the House floor said they have received death threats over being a lawmaker. Democrat state Rep. Harry Benton said he’s been physically assaulted and had his cars taillights smashed in. State Rep. Nicole La Ha has recently received threats to her life for being a lawmaker. The Republican from Lemont said the House should do more to reduce political tensions.

* WAND | Insurance group calls for ‘fairness’ in response to IL SOS town halls: Illinois Insurance Association Executive Director Kevin Martin told WAND News that no one from the Secretary of State’s office has “engaged experts” from the insurance industry. “Political theater is not the best approach for public policy development and risks doing a disservice to the millions of Illinoisans who rely on a stable, competitive insurance marketplace,” Martin said in a statement to WAND.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Same Name, New Legacy: Ald. Walter ‘Red’ Burnett on His New Role and Development in the West Loop: The 29-year-old Walter “Red” Burnett was confirmed Sept. 25, officially making him the youngest member of the City Council. Burnett says he is charting a new path for the 27th Ward, overseeing several development projects and addressing affordability for longtime residents.

* Sun-Times | What to know about PIT, the driving maneuver feds used in Southeast Side car chase: The maneuver, known as a precision immobilization technique, or PIT, is a driving tactic used by some law enforcement agencies to end a vehicle pursuit. However, some law enforcement professionals, legal experts and advocates say the move is ineffective and dangerous. Many police departments across the country, including the Chicago Police Department, bar or limit their officers from using the maneuver.

* Tribune | CPS tells JROTC students to only wear military-issued uniforms inside: The district is immediately revising its dress code policy to require students to travel to and from school in civilian clothes, wrote Tyese Sims, executive director of CPS’ JROTC department, in a Friday letter to families. “Unfortunately, when they are in uniform, there is no way for the general public to distinguish these CPS students from members of the military, including the National Guard,” Sims said.

* Sun-Times | Driven by arts and culture, pedestrian traffic in Downtown Chicago exceeds pre-pandemic levels, report finds: New data from the Chicago Loop Alliance show that Downtown pedestrian traffic now exceeds pre-pandemic levels from 2019, with more visitors drawn by arts and culture and dining. The new numbers validate efforts to make the Loop a social destination and combat high retail and office vacancy rates that have plagued the area since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to CLA President and CEO Michael Edwards. But even as the Loop evolves into a more complete urban district, there are concerns that threats from President Donald Trump to send the National Guard to Chicago — currently delayed due to a federal appeals court ruling — could impact progress.

* Chicago Reader | Chicago’s creatures of the night: Fidino studies how animals change their behavior according to their environment, especially when their environment contains humans. In Chicago, he and his colleagues at the zoo monitor one hundred or so motion-triggered trail cameras, or camera traps, that they’ve scattered in a 25-mile radius from the city’s center: in city parks, outside forest preserves, on golf courses, along the 606 trail, and in cemeteries. “We’ve got cameras next to the Bean!” he told me. Four times a year, for the last 15 years, those cameras are turned on for a month.

* Sun-Times | ‘Chicago Rat Hole’ was not made by a rat, say rodent researchers: The “Chicago Rat Hole” captured hearts in Chicago and on social media last year. Researchers analyzed the anatomical dimensions of the famous imprint and found the creature responsible was not a rat, but most likely a squirrel.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Press release…

U.S. Reps. Jesús “Chuy” García, D-Chicago, and Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago, join elected officials, community leaders, advocates and voters to launch Juanita Irizarry’s candidacy for District 1 commissioner on the Cook County Board of Review.

The Chicago Democrat will be supported by Illinois’ Latino and progressive communities, including state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago; former Cook County Clerk David Orr; Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th); Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st); Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd); Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th); Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th); Ald. Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14th); Josina Morita, County Board commissioner; and Ebony DeBerry, member of the Chicago Board of Education. They will stand with Irizarry as she draws sharp ethical contrasts between herself and her opponent who has long been supported by corporate interests.

WHO: Speakers at the news conference will include:

U.S. Rep. Jesús G.
“Chuy” García, D-Chicago
U.S. Rep Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago
State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago
Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th)
Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd)

WHEN & WHERE: 9:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20, 2025

Northwest Corner of Wabash Street and Wacker Drive on the Chicago River across from Trump International Hotel & Tower

* Shaw Local | McHenry County Board to consider raising property tax levy to pre-referendum level: Under the state lookback law, a taxing body is permitted to reset its property tax levy to the highest level in the past three years. In the county’s case, doing that would bump the levy up to the $73.8 million it approved in 2023. The levy was lowered to about $65 million last year after voters approved switching the Mental Health Board funding mechanism to a sales tax.

* Tribune | Hollywood Casino Joliet posts higher revenue at new land-based facility in September: The new Joliet casino, which opened in August, generated more than $11.2 million in adjusted gross receipts last month, ranking fourth in revenue among the state’s 17 casinos, according to Illinois Gaming Board data. That’s up 48% year-over-year, when Hollywood Casino Joliet was an aging vessel docked on the Des Plaines River. Admissions to Hollywood Casino Joliet topped 96,000 for September, ranking fifth in the state and up nearly 75% over last year, according to Gaming Board data.

* Daily Herald | Metra reviewing cause of glitch that delayed thousands: About 80 trains and thousands of passengers on the Metra Electric Milwaukee District, Rock Island, Southwest Service and Union Pacific lines were delayed. The glitch started around 5 p.m. and involved the Positive Train Control (PTC) system, technology designed to stop a train if a crash is imminent. “What happened was a telecom network time-source failure,” Metra spokesperson Meg Thomas-Reile explained Wednesday. “Basically, the times weren’t syncing in the system, and when it did that … some of the devices went back to 2006.

* Daily Herald | Barrington borrowing $6.8 million to replace iron filtration plant: The village board this week agreed to issue general obligation bonds to be paid off over a 20-year period. It will pay off the bonds by charging water users a fixed monthly fee. Deputy Village Manager Marie Hansen said the village is still deciding out how much users will pay. That will be determined when the village passes next year’s budget.

* Crain’s | Maplewood Brewery expands to Glen Ellyn, defying industry headwinds: Maplewood plans to take over the home of Two Hound Red, a brewpub that closed Oct. 12. Co-founder and CEO Adam Cieslak said he expects the new location, which will be Maplewood’s second, to open by early spring. “For some time, we had been looking at just growth and expansion opportunities,” said Cieslak, who grew up in the western suburbs along with co-founders Paul Megalis and Ari Megalis. “We’ve looked at a lot of different buildings, a lot of different areas. . . .We went and saw (this one) and really, really liked the spot, and thought it’d be a nice growth opportunity out into the suburbs.”

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Officials share more information about Martinton grain bin collapse: Terry Winger, General Manager of the Donovan Farmers Cooperative location in Martinton, said employees noticed one of the cement silos showing “signs of distress.” Employees evacuated the site and contacted first responders. Several hours later, the silo collapsed.

* BND | Metro-east IDOT supervisor back at work, despite scathing report on bad behavior: Yet the yard supervisor, Joe Hamm, a non-management union member whose formal title is “lead worker,” returned to the job last fall after being on administrative leave for 10 months with full pay during the investigations, according to employees. “It was a paid vacation,” said Highway Maintainer Mike Turner, 32, of Godfrey, one of seven employees who complained about Hamm’s behavior in 2023, prompting the investigations. Investigators interviewed more than 25 other employees, past and present, before concluding that “sufficient evidence” existed to back up most of the allegations and that Hamm’s superiors had failed to intervene or take corrective action.

* Rockford Register Star | Rockford area judge suffers ‘threats and harassment’ after releasing homicide suspect: Winnebago County Chief Judge John Lowry is blaming a Facebook post by Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara for a spate of “threats and harassment.” They come after McNamara posted comments critical of Associate Judge Heidi E. Ruckman-Agustsson’s decision to grant pretrial release to a suspect charged with first-degree murder. The release came over the objections of the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s office which has filed a motion asking the courts to reconsider.

* IPM News | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign unlikely to join federal higher education compact: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leaders said Monday the school would likely decline to join the kind of compact the Trump administration has proposed for higher education institutions. Illinois’ flagship university was not one of the nine universities invited to join the compact. During a student and faculty senate meeting, Provost John Coleman recognized a similar request could come from the White House in the future.

* WGLT | Bloomington mayor says sales tax vote is consistent with earlier decisions: Last month, the council created the local tax to begin when a similar state tax expires at the end of the year. It was supposed to help narrow a structural budget deficit and be used for infrastructure. Brady broke a tie vote Monday night that now dedicates all the $3 million in estimated annual grocery tax money to infrastructure. “We tangibly show the electorate, the taxpayers, what are we going to do with the money. It’s not just going back to the city general fund,” said Brady.

* SJ-R | With the Sean Grayson trial on the brink, a timeline of the Sonya Massey shooting: With the trial of former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, accused of murdering Sonya Massey, set to begin in Peoria on Oct. 20, The State Journal-Register has compiled a timeline of events, beginning with the fatal shooting on July 6, 2024.

* WCIA | Central Illinois National Guard units under federal command in Chicago: WCIA confirmed with U.S. Northern Command, which is in command of National Guard troops in Chicago, that the troops will be mobilized for 60 days and will be under the command and control of the Commander of U.S. Northern Command for that time. This means the troops are under federal command, not state command. While the Northern Command was unable to break down the specific number of troops from each Central Illinois armory, staff could confirm troops from the armories in the region were among those in Chicago.

* WCIA | SNAP benefit cuts impacting food banks in Central Illinois: Volunteers with the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen in Champaign said with more SNAP benefit cuts on the horizon… the soup kitchen will be serving more people and handing out more meals. The president, Bob Goss, said they went from serving around 600 meals a day to nearly 1,000 in just the past six months. He said they serve a five-course-meal every day at noon… and then send their guests home with a sack lunch.

* WBEZ | Students for profit? University of Illinois campuses pay company per online student: The University of Illinois Chicago and the University of Illinois Springfield are paying a for-profit company for each student it recruits to online programs — a practice that would be illegal if done by the universities’ admissions offices and one that’s been banned by another state, a WBEZ investigation has found. Critics, including U.S. senators and consumer protection advocates, say this kind of arrangement incentivizes the company, Risepoint, to recruit as many students as possible, whether the online programs are a good fit or will help the students get better jobs or make more money.

*** National ***

* NYT | Trump Considers Overhaul of Refugee System That Would Favor White People: The proposals also advise Mr. Trump to prioritize Europeans who have been “targeted for peaceful expression of views online such as opposition to mass migration or support for ‘populist’ political parties.” That appeared to be a reference to the European far-right political party Alternative for Germany, whose leaders have trivialized the Holocaust, revived Nazi slogans and denigrated foreigners. Vice President JD Vance has criticized Germany for trying to suppress the views of the group, which is known as the AfD.

* The Atlantic | The Lincoln Way: How he used America’s past to rescue its future: Cautions aside, Lincoln’s claim that the Declaration carried across generations set him squarely against those who sought to narrow its promise. In its Dred Scott decision, the Supreme Court declared that Black Americans “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect” and sought to anchor that exclusion in the very history of the founding. To Lincoln, that teaching did not merely misread the past—it rewrote it, extinguishing the Revolution’s promise in the present. He claimed that whoever “teaches that the negro has no share, humble though it may be, in the Declaration of Independence” was “muzzling the cannon that thunders” the Revolution’s “annual joyous return.”

* SCOTUS blog | Court appears ready to curtail major provision of the Voting Rights Act: The Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared ready to strike down a 2024 congressional map that a group of voters has challenged as the product of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering – that is, according to them, it sorts voters based on race in violation of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. During nearly two-and-a-half hours of oral arguments, the court’s conservative justices signaled that they are likely to undermine a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, even if they may not ultimately strike it down altogether.

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