A Freedom Peaceful Assembly and Convoy / Motorcade Rally will be held near the Lincoln statue at the Illinois Capitol Building grounds, corners of S. 2nd Street, 1st Street , Monroe Street and E. Capitol Avenue in Springfield Illinois starting at 11 am on April 30, 2022.
The rally will begin at High Noon near the statue and along the “Grassy Knoll” along Monroe Ave.
For the Convoy and Motorcade beginning at 11 am, participants are encouraged to display one or more American flags and signs of their choice conspicuously on or in their vehicle’s windows to identify participants to each other.
Participants will drive the streets surrounding the Capitol building and “follow the leader”, driving only on the streets and allys that are closest to the Capitol complex, and joining together into an impromptu motorcade.
Any legally licensed roadworthy vehicle is encouraged to join: semi trucks with or without trailers, tractors and farm equipment with proper safety placarding and licensing, campers, RVs, pickups, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, or mopeds.
Also horses and/or horse drawn wagons and carriages with road safety placards are welcome to show support of the assembly.
Pedestrians, joggers, wagons, strollers, wheelchairs, families, and legally operated drones, kids battery powered vehicles, roller skaters, those with walkers or prosthetics are all encouraged to safely participate and carry flags and signs and walk the sidewalks around the capital at the same time as the motorcade from 11 am to noon. Or simply bring your favorite chair to watch the event unfold.
At 12 noon or thereabout the participants will peacefully assembly for a rally aimed at citizens airing their dissatisfaction publicly on the loss of their rights and freedoms, and how the misuse of the Governor’s Emergency Orders and ever-changing rules of his health department and pressuring of private businesses and medical facilities have impacted the lives of them, their children and livelihood.
The motto for the Protest and Rally for April 30, according to the handout flyer, is to “Remind the government that THEY WORK FOR US, and not the other way around”. Their handout also states that “Emergency Powers = Tyranny” and get involved to “STOP The Tyranny NOW!!”
Every resident of Illinois is encouraged to join the protest. Lord knows that our elected representatives are not representing us in Springfield and are passing impossible unfunded budgets, killing small businesses with their impossible regulations and taxes, caving to personal and special interests, spending money they don’t have, infringing on our free speech and medical privacy and trying to force us into submitting to their narratives of oppression and control.
Add to that the tyrannical and out of date Emergency Orders ad nauseum and our tromped upon Constitutional Rights over the last two years, and their ever increasing laws and rules for increasing pay raises and benefits for themselves that pad their pockets and set themselves as a preferred status Ruling Class Citizen, and you have statewide frustration and distrust of lawmakers and Governor.
The government we have before us is NOT a representational government OF the people and BY the people. This misbehavior by our elected and appointed officials must stop.
Bring megaphones, bells, whistles, sirens, noisemakers, pots and pans, cymbals, gongs and horns! Maybe they will hear us. If they don’t, we will continue pressuring them to stop their lies and deceit.
Republican governor candidate Richard Irvin’s campaign is out with another mailer that’s full of irony. In the latest item landing in mail boxes, the Aurora mayor slams fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate Jesse Sullivan for backing open borders and amnesty for illegal immigrants.
It’s apparently based on an article Sullivan wrote some 15 years ago. The funny thing, though, is that Irvin has supported Aurora as a sanctuary city and has praised DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It’s the policy that allows some immigrants to stay in the United States even if they don’t have citizenship.
In a little bit of oppo, Irvin in 2019 said Aurora backs Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in “prohibiting the use of our resources to aid or support ICE in its enforcement activities.” In the same statement, Irvin vowed that Aurora Police will continue their practice of declining to ask for a person’s immigration status.
The Irvin campaign is a well-funded exercise in pure projection.
The City of Aurora joins with Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in prohibiting the use of our resources to aid or support ICE in its enforcement activities.
While Aurora does not have any jurisdiction over federal actions, including the pending raids, I fully support our immigrant and refugee families who live in Aurora and object to any such raids that will separate families and traumatize entire segments of our community.
As Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman and I have both previously stated, our Aurora police officers do not, have not and will not ask for or use immigration status in routine police activities. These policies have been in place for many years and, rest assured, they will not be compromised during my administration. Furthermore, the City of Aurora will not enter into a ‘287g Agreement’ with ICE and deputize our officers to engage in immigration enforcement work.
Aurora remains focused on unifying and not dividing our community. We are One Aurora and support all residents in our city.
I encourage all of our immigrant residents - and their families, friends and allies - to review their rights by visiting the National Immigrant Justice Center’s website at www.immigrantjustice.org.”
…Adding… From Eleni Demertzis at the Irvin campaign…
Aurora is not a sanctuary city, and Aurora police regularly work with federal law enforcement to fight violent criminals. Mayor Irvin opposes Illinois having sanctuary cities, and believes that immigration is a federal responsibility where federal resources should be used to enforce immigration laws, not state or local resources.
* I will be in Florida soon, but it ain’t for the alleged “freedom” unless you count freedom from cold and grey and long pants…
We want Illinois to look more like the free states of Texas and Florida, not New York and California!
* Here’s a quick primer on how political coverage too often works: A candidate, in this case Democratic 19th House District candidate Tina Wallace, sends an exclusive preview of a press release to a reporter which makes a claim of fundraising prowess. The reporter dutifully hypes the impressive fundraising claim, but doesn’t bother taking 30 seconds to check the candidate’s report online to see that, instead of “raising” $100,000 as claimed, Wallace actually raised only $18,450 from named contributors, $500 from not-itemized others and loaned herself the rest. The money will spend the same, though.
With Republicans already on defense over their agenda of tax hikes, which could raise taxes on 33% of Illinoisans, and raised premiums, now they will also have to explain their recent votes against measures to lower costs for Illinois families.
Over the past two weeks, Illinois Republicans in Congress have voted against bills to make insulin more affordable, which as many as 993,000 Illinoisans rely on, and help more than 11,000 Illinois restaurants and businesses who didn’t receive the first round of Restaurant Revitalization Fund relief cover costs. Plus, state Republicans belittled critical tax relief efforts for Illinois families while voting against a balanced state budget.
Illinois Democrats, meanwhile, are hard at work in Springfield and in Washington, D.C. to lower costs and provide tax relief. In Congress, Illinois Democrats overwhelmingly voted in favor of bills to cap the monthly cost of insulin at $35 and get much needed relief to local businesses. At the state level, Democrats just passed more than $1.8 billion in tax relief as part of the FY2023 balanced budget, including direct relief checks to working families along with relief at the gas pump, at the grocery store, and on property taxes.
The difference couldn’t be clearer: while Illinois Democrats at the state and federal level want to help lower costs and provide relief for Illinoisans, Republicans have no plan to lower costs — leaving working families to foot the bill.
* From the League of Women Voters of Illinois…
You can apply for permanent vote by mail status as early as 45 days before election day. Voters with permanent vote by mail status will be automatically sent a vote by mail ballot for every election. You can ask to be removed from this list at any time.
May 19: First day for the election authority to send vote by mail ballots to applicants.
June 13: Early voting begins. Voters may place their vote by mail ballots in a drop box, if drop boxes are available in their county. Voters may also deliver their vote by mail ballots in person to their local election authority during early voting. Check with your election authority for locations.
June 23: Last day for an election authority to receive vote by mail ballot applications via mail.
June 27: Last day for a registered voter to apply in person at an election authority for a vote by mail ballot.
June 28: General primary election day! Mailed-in ballots must be postmarked by this date. Voters may also drop off vote by mail ballots with their election authority or in a drop box. Check with your election authority for locations.
NOTE: If you change your mind, you may surrender your vote by mail ballot at your polling place and vote in person instead. If you lose your vote by mail ballot, or it doesn’t arrive in the mail, you can vote with a provisional ballot at your polling place. Provisional ballots are counted 14 days after the polls close, once the election authority confirms that you haven’t cast a vote by mail ballot.
Consumer prices rose 8.5 percent in the year through March, reaching the fastest inflation rate since 1981. Stubbornly rapid price increases have been exacerbated by a surge in gas costs tied to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Fuel prices jumped sharply higher last month, with the U.S. average for a gallon of regular gas peaking at $4.33 on March 11.
Gas is not the entire story. Stripping out volatile fuel and food, so-called core prices climbed at a brisk 6.5 percent in the year through March, up from 6.4 percent in the year through February. Even so, the core index offered a rare glimmer of good inflation news: It slowed down a bit on a monthly basis, rising 0.3 percent from February, compared with 0.5 percent the prior month.
March’s data may represent a high-water mark for inflation, some economists have said. Overall price increases could begin abating in the coming months in part because gasoline prices have come down somewhat — a gallon cost $4.10 on Tuesday, according to AAA. Researchers have been expecting consumers to stop buying so many goods, like cars and appliances, potentially taking pressure off overburdened supply chains and allowing prices for those products to moderate.
* More…
* Richard Irvin Only Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Who Broke From Trump: So was Mayor Irvin being intentionally naive when he worked with Underwood to undermine the Trump tax cuts? Remembering after Underwood was first elected and flipped the IL-14, Irvin, in late December of 2018, gave Underwood the key to the city. As for the results of Irvin’s efforts working with Underwood to undermine the Trump tax cuts, the U.S. House Democratic leadership rejected Underwood’s bill, and opted to go for a two-year repeal of SALT deduction caps. The Democrats’ plan went nowhere with the Senate. So in light of this record, and the Irvin gubernatorial campaign accusing rival Darren Bailey as “leaving Trump” and a “Never Trumper”, the evidence overwhelming Mayor Irvin’s campaign was projecting.
The War on Ukraine is an unimaginable tragedy… As a human, and as an artist, I felt compelled to respond in the most significant way I could.
So today, for the first time ever, I publicly performed my Dad’s song, IMAGINE.
Why now, after all these years? - I had always said, that the only time I would ever consider singing ‘IMAGINE’ would be if it was the ‘End of the World’…
But also because his lyrics reflect our collective desire for peace worldwide. Because within this song, we’re transported to a space, where love and togetherness become our reality, if but for a moment in time…
The song reflects the light at the end of the tunnel, that we are all hoping for…
As a result of the ongoing murderous violence, millions of innocent families, have been forced to leave the comfort of their homes, to seek asylum elsewhere.
I’m calling on world leaders and everyone who believes in the sentiment of IMAGINE, to stand up for refugees everywhere! Please advocate and donate from the heart. #StandUpForUkraine
With children under watch of the Department of Children and Family Services continuing to die and contempt of court citations piling up, how long can Gov. JB Pritzker continue to stick with director Marc Smith? […]
Pritzker summed it up: you can’t just fire the director every time there’s a problem.
* Pritzker’s full response…
Let me remind you that there have been over a dozen leaders of DCFS over the prior years to my becoming governor. It’s important for us to bring stability to DCFS with a good leader who is bringing change. It is hard to make changes in a bureaucracy when you walk in Day One. It takes some time, and especially after you had two years of no budget, and essentially defunding of DCFS over an awful lot of years.
So we’ve increased budgeting. We brought in outside help for the agency from both the University of Chicago Chapin Hall, as well as the Annie Casey Foundation and others to make sure that we’re surrounding the leadership at DCFS with the right kinds of advisors. They bring their own experienced leaders to DCFS. And together they’ve made a lot of progress.
Are there still challenges? Absolutely. Every circumstance of a death or neglect or abuse is a tragedy at DCFS. So we’re trying to address those. And but you can’t do it by just saying every time there’s a problem, ‘Let’s toss out the director. That’s the answer, toss out the director.’
There are a lot of changes that needed to happen at DCFS. And they are happening. Do they always happen fast enough? No. But look at just the hotline at DCFS where just three short years ago, only 50% of the calls coming into that hotline, were getting answered. Think about that. Neglect and abuse charges, 50% were getting responded to immediately. Now 99% are getting responded to immediately.
And not every time that you hear about a tragedy of a child that has had some contact with DCFS is it simply DCFS’ fault that something occurred. There often are state’s attorneys involved, and sheriffs and local authorities. And DCFS is just one of a number of agencies. And yes, DCFS should take responsibility, but so too, should local authorities engaged in that child’s life, engaged in that family.
So look, we’ve got to continue to make changes. I’m dedicated to that. I’ve stood out front here on this issue when many governors have tried to bury DCFS, put it aside and not stand up for our most vulnerable children. That’s something that matters a great deal to me, and I will continue to stand up for them and make the investments necessary.
A measure intended to protect Illinois restaurants from unauthorized third-party delivery services has cleared the House and Senate.
The plan, known as the Fair Food and Retail Act, would prohibit services like Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats from using the name, likeness, or intellectual property of a merchant without first obtaining written approval. The delivery services also would not be allowed to provide delivery or pick-up services without that approval.
“If you have somebody representing your goodwill within your community, you’ve got to have an understanding of who that is and what they’re doing with it,” state Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, said. “We need to make sure our mom and pop businesses, after what they’ve been through under COVID, are looked out after. We have to stop this abuse.” […]
“Their entire being and their entire life’s work is in that restaurant,” Keicher said. “For someone to come in and damage that reputation or alter the experience of the customer that the owner has worked sometimes generations to experience, it’s wrong.”
Keicher was a hyphenated co-sponsor. This bill was the brainchild of Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago).
* SEIU Healthcare…
Greg Kelley, President of SEIU Healthcare Illinois, issued the following statement in response to the budget passed by lawmakers in Springfield over the weekend:
“As a union of the frontline home care, child care and healthcare workers who have experienced the direct impact of underfunded public services greatly exacerbated by a pandemic, we applaud the leadership of Governor Pritzker, President Harmon and Speaker Welch in passing a balanced budget with significant increases to home care programs, investment in affordable housing and no cuts to crucial programs.
“We also appreciate the continued investment in child care, safety net hospitals and other avenues of crucial community support.
“The final budget contained much that will strengthen the care and service programs through which our members provide crucial support to many of the state’s most vulnerable residents, from small children to seniors in need of home care. In addition, through our advocacy and that of lawmakers committed to fighting for the services their communities most need, we were able to win significant nursing home rate reform and funding, 65% of which is slated to go directly to workers and a rate increase and training improvements for Developmental Disabilities Services home care workers.
“While the budget passed this weekend will provide crucial help to the workers and communities hardest hit by the pandemic, additional investment is still needed. We look forward to continue working with the Governor and the General Assembly to address the need for additional investment in crucial care services and infrastructure in communities across the state.”
* AIDS Foundation of Chicago…
On April 7, 2022, HB4430—Increasing Access to PrEP and PEP sponsored by State Representative Kelly M. Cassidy—passed the Illinois House on concurrence with a vote of 72-30. This bill specifically prioritizes pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which are two highly effective prevention methods in reducing the risk of acquiring HIV. The bill will soon be sent over to the Governor’s Desk for the final step in the state legislative process.
Once signed into law, HB4430 would enact the following reforms:
• Allow pharmacists, under a standing order, to initiate lifesaving pre-and post-exposure prophylaxis medication and care to the communities most vulnerable to HIV.
• Aid pharmacists in referring individuals to ongoing preventative care and giving them the ability to connect patients to laboratories for additional tests to determine if PrEP is the most appropriate course of care. Pharmacists will continue to facilitate connections to ongoing medical care and social support services.
With Governor Pritzker’s signature, Illinois will become the 8th state in the nation to make HIV prevention care more accessible by expanding access through pharmacies.
“The passing of HB4430 is momentous as we are truly changing lives and circumstances for many Illinoisians who’ve been too often left out and left behind,” said State Representative Kelly M. Cassidy (D-Chicago). “This win exemplifies our power to change once we engage the whole community, from medical providers to community advocates. We are one step closer to our goal of getting to zero new cases of HIV transmission by 2030, but work does not stop here. Together, we must continue listening and addressing the needs of our community.”
* Illinois Families for Public Schools…
Young children will be protected from any current or future plans to expand state standardized testing into prekindergarten through second grade if Governor Pritzker signs a new Too Young To Test law passed by the Illinois General Assembly this session.
The Too Young To Test bill, SB 3986, received broad and bipartisan support from legislators and a coalition of Illinois parents, educators, researchers, and advocacy orgs concerned about the possible encroachment of the state testing system into PreK-2. The Too Young To Test bill prevents the state from requiring or paying for any non-diagnostic standardized testing of children before third grade.
“Too Young To Test seeks to safeguard the early years by ensuring that the Illinois State Board of Education does not spend finite resources or require standardized assessments in K-2 that have been proven to be developmentally inappropriate during such a fluid time of child development.” said State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago), the bill’s chief sponsor in the Senate. “Instead, the state should invest in research-based practices that support whole child development such as play-based learning, social-emotional skill building, and teacher coaching. Especially after the unprecedented disruptions of these last two years, we cannot forget that the same part of the brain that registers stress and trauma is also responsible for memory and learning.”
“Our decisions about state standardized testing should reflect evidence-based research and provide reliable data,” chief House sponsor of SB 3986 State Representative Lindsey LaPointe (D-Chicago) said. “Encouraging schools to focus on unreliable standardized tests for children too young will change the focus of classroom instruction and create further inequity. We need to direct our education resources and energy toward proven strategies that enrich the classroom experience for our youngest learners.”
Assessment experts, teachers, and early childhood researchers all agree that test scores from children below age eight are not statistically reliable or valid measures of what children know and can do and should not be used to assess academic achievement or school performance.
Despite this, the Illinois State Board of Education has been considering a proposal to add optional, state-funded K-2 testing in Illinois to the existing 3-8th grade tests. That proposal has been unpopular with parents and teachers. A petition from grassroots public ed advocacy group Illinois Families for Public Schools calling on ISBE to drop the plan garnered over 1300 signatures from parents and community members in over 150 towns and cities across Illinois.
Too Young To Test wouldn’t restrict the ability of districts, schools, and teachers to use or develop assessments paid for with local funding dollars. It also does not stop the state from creating or funding tests or evaluations used for screening or diagnostic purposes.
Since the passage of the federal No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, overtesting has become a significant problem in early elementary school because younger students are being prepped for high-stakes tests in later grades. “We are relieved and encouraged by the General Assembly’s action to set clear criteria for what types of assessment the state can develop, fund and require before third grade.” said Cassie Creswell, director of Illinois Families for Public Schools.
“Before age eight, and even after, kids should be learning via play, exploration and inquiry, and the way teachers assess what they’ve learned should reflect that. What parents want for their children is small classes with teachers who use meaningful assessment methods, not more contracts with commercial test vendors,” added Creswell. “Governor Pritzker has said he’s committed to Illinois becoming the best state in the nation for families raising young children, and we think the Too Young To Test bill is an important part of fulfilling that. We hope we can count on him to sign this bill into law as soon as it gets to his desk.”
Too Young to Test was supported by a broad coalition of organizations, including the Chicago Teachers Union, Defending the Early Years, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois School Counselor Association, Learning Disabilities Association of IL, and the National Association of Social Workers - IL Chapter.
* Illinois Partners for Human Service…
Budget Highlights for Health and Human Services
Mental/Behavioral Health: $170M increase from FY22, which includes Mental Health and Substance Use Medicaid rate increases (to learn more about the incredible advocacy behind this investment, view this fact sheet).
Intellectual/Developmental Disability Services: Appropriations remained the same as the Governor’s initial proposal, which included $2 billion for services for people with developmental disabilities, including funds for the implementation of the second phase of the Guidehouse rate study (though the second phase of implementation is not fully covered through this appropriation). Included in this is $94.8M to support mid-year implementation of a $1.00 an hour rate increase for DSPs and the CILA Rate Study calculator; $45.1M to fund the annualization of the FY22 rate increases and liability changes; $69.6M to support 700 new PUNS placements, a 5.9% increase in the Home-Based program liability, a 2% mid-year grant COLA, and additional support for the DD service delivery system.
Childcare: Appropriations remained the same as the Governor’s initial proposal, which includes funding to support Child Care Assistance Program rate increases and anticipated caseload growth and also includes sufficient budget for federal ARPA stabilization programming. The Budget continues support for FY22 Child Care policy changes (co-pay caps, 250% FPL exit eligibility, 70% attendance policy).
Early Intervention: Appropriations increased by $7m (6.4%) from the Governor’s proposed budget.
Domestic Violence Services: Appropriations increased from $20m in the Governor’s proposed budget to $70m, thanks to the incredible advocacy of Domestic Violence providers and coalitions across the state.
Older Adult Services: Appropriations were the same as the Governor’s proposal, which included $14 million to fund a rate increase for CCP providers beginning January 1, 2023; $100.7 million funding increase for the Community Care Program (CCP) to accommodate caseload growth and utilization, with the assistance of increased federal aid.
Homeless Services: An additional $15M in homelessness prevention funding was appropriated in the General Revenue Fund from the Governor’s initial proposal, along with $1M for homeless Youth through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Healthcare: There were no cuts from the Governor’s proposed budget, and additional funding was included for nursing homes, hospitals, and expansion of Medicaid for undocumented individuals down to age 42.
* Healthy Illinois…
We were told over and over that the state budget was tight this year, and it wasn’t the right time to expand healthcare access. But we didn’t give up–we kept organizing, making calls, sending letters, telling our stories, and meeting with legislators. And we built the power necessary to win an expansion of healthcare coverage for tens of thousands of additional undocumented Illinoisans. Starting July 1, 2022, everyone in Illinois ages 42 and older will have a pathway to healthcare coverage, regardless of their immigration status.
This win is the result of 8 years of campaigning and thousands of hours of work by dozens of organizations and countless individuals. Congratulations to all who have made a phone call, sent an email, shared their story, and helped build this campaign. Because of you, tens of thousands of people in Illinois will have access to healthcare coverage, many for the first time in decades.
* One Aim Illinois on HB4383, the ghost guns bill…
The passage of the new legislation adds Illinois to the list of the eleven other states that have passed similar ghost gun laws and ensures the following solutions:
• Immediately prohibits the sale of unserialized gun parts that can be turned into guns.
• Requires serial numbers on guns manufactured with a 3D printer.
• Creates standards for serialization for existing unserialized firearms at federally licensed firearms dealers and other federal licensees authorized to imprint serial numbers.
This legislation requires gun companies to serialize gun kits and goes one step further than today’s federal rule by requiring individuals who currently possess ghost guns to get them serialized.
Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Declares that it is the public policy of the State to prevent discrimination based on source of income in real estate transactions. Defines “source of income” as the lawful manner by which an individual supports himself or herself and his or her dependents. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for various people to participate in specified discriminatory actions related to real estate transactions because of an individual’s source of income.
Paul Arena, director of legislative affairs at the Illinois Rental Property Association, said if the bill is signed into law, landlords statewide will lose control.
“It’s a blank check for government to further control rental property moving forward, and that is why it is so dangerous,” Arena said.
Under the measure, landlords would continue to be able to screen tenants. However, if those tenants meet the landlord’s criteria, and the tenants use Section 8 subsidies, landlords would be required to sign Section 8 contracts and abide by Section 8 rules and restrictions.
The legislation also mandates that housing providers who require tenants or prospective tenants to have a certain threshold level of income must subtract any subsidies the tenant receives from the monthly rent before calculating if the income criteria have been met.
The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, said the law has been enacted in 19 other states with success.
“No one across the country that has this law has repealed it,” Ford said. “It is the right thing to do, and it was great negotiations because even the realtors decided to be in support.”
This story has been edited since initial publication to reflect changes to the legislation that were made before final passage and add a comment from a supporter of it. Also, the Illinois Realtors now support the measure.
Gotta read those amendments.
* More…
* Illinois lawmakers approve incentivizing nursing home quality with more funding: House Bill 246 would inject more than $700 million from state and federal tax funds annually into Medicaid-funded nursing homes to reform the facilities by offering a number of incentives for safe staffing. The measure also includes a pay raise for certified nursing assistants. More than $300 million would be used as incentive payments for nursing homes to increase their staffing levels up to or beyond certain target levels.
* Illinois lawmakers pass budget with more money for schools, tax relief for families: The Monetary Award Program, otherwise known as MAP, provides scholarships to students who demonstrate financial need. The fund has grown to $601 million in the latest budget plan and would give an additional 24,000 students funding for tuition and fees as they pursue an undergraduate degree. The maximum award for students increased from $6,438 last year to $8,508 this year.
* Proposal to remove NRG’s Waukegan coal ash ponds stalls in state legislature: Once the bill arrived in the House in late February, Mayfield said NRG and lobbyists like the Illinois Manufacturers Association, the Chamber of Commerce and others began to question members about the proposed legislation. “They took them to dinner and fed them misinformation,” Mayfield said. “There is still an opportunity for the bill to pass. Schrader, who said the company representatives testified several times before the legislature, claimed the legislation was aimed at one entity. He said there is existing law establishing a regulatory process to deal with coal ash ponds.
Criminals continue to feel empowered in J.B. Pritzker’s Illinois as brazen acts are committed repeatedly, and in some instances, on the Governor’s front lawn. In just one week, the Chicago Transit Authority saw five violent incidents that included stabbings and beatings on platforms in the Loop, and in one case a CTA employee was pushed onto the tracks. The CTA’s union president said that the “violence has gotten out of control.”
Carjackings continue to be an epidemic. An 18-year-old man who carjacked a rideshare driver downtown this weekend was the same individual who carjacked another driver in front of J.B. Pritzker’s front lawn in the Gold Coast last year.
Just last week we learned that a four-time convicted felon for gun possession and narcotics charges was paroled by the Illinois Department of Corrections and didn’t last six months before being arrested for carjacking, robbery, and heroin delivery. The Illinois Department of Corrections failed to revoke his parole and he was eventually released on electronic monitoring. Just nine days after being released, he was arrested again for drug dealing. He is now being held without bail.
“The simple truth is that criminals run rampant throughout Chicago and Illinois because they know J.B. Pritzker and Kim Foxx will not hold them accountable for their actions,” said Irvin for Illinois campaign spokesperson Eleni Demertzis. “We need leaders who will prioritize the safety of our citizens over criminals.”
Prisoner releases are gonna be the gift that keeps on giving for the GOP this year…
The Irvin for Illinois campaign is announcing a new list of 20 endorsements for Richard Irvin and Avery Bourne from law enforcement leaders across the state. The support from these influential leaders in our law enforcement community shows Irvin has a strong record in supporting police and giving them the resources they need to keep communities safe.
“I am thrilled to have the support of even more law enforcement leaders from across Illinois who will help me take our state back from out of control crime,” said Mayor of Aurora and gubernatorial candidate, Richard Irvin. “Working with law enforcement is essential to creating safe communities, and earning these endorsements today is one step closer to achieving that for Illinois.”
Sangamon County Sheriff, Jack Campbell, is backing Richard Irvin because he is the only candidate that can truly take Illinois back from sky high crime by working with law enforcement, not signing dangerous anti-police policies into law.
“Our great state of Illinois has been made less safe by politicians who backed false narratives, rather than enforcing the rule of law,” said Campbell. “They didn’t bother asking law enforcement for our input on the disastrous crime bill. Richard Irvin is the candidate who will listen to us and seek our counsel. I have gotten to know Mayor Irvin and he is the real deal. I believe he is the best chance to return safety and security to the forefront of Illinois politics.”
Brian VanVickle, Ogle County Sheriff and Past-President of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, spoke to Richard Irvin’s proven record as Mayor of Aurora, working with police and against Pritzker’s damaging crime policy.
“From Northern to Southern Illinois, Governor Pritzker’s crime bill has made all of our communities less safe,” said VanVickle. “In his time as Mayor, Richard Irvin has shown a blueprint for how he will govern, that he will work with local Sheriffs’ offices and empower law enforcement with the resources needed to keep our communities safe. Mayor Irvin is the best chance that we have to defeat Pritzker in November and reverse his dangerous pro-crime policies.”
Wilson ran for Mayor of Chicago in 2015, being one of several challengers to incumbent mayor Rahm Emanuel. […]
Wilson placed third in a five-candidate race with 50,960 votes, equal 10.66% of the votes cast. Wilson’s endorsement in the runoff was actively sought by both candidates Rahm Emanuel and Jesús “Chuy” García. Wilson endorsed García [who lost]
2016 U.S. presidential campaign
After setting up an exploratory committee on May 11, 2015, Wilson officially announced on June 1, 2015, that he would be running as a candidate for President of the United States in the 2016 election. He ran as a Democrat. […]
Wilson received 1,314 votes, or 0.35% of the total, in South Carolina […]
In the general election, Wilson voted for Republican nominee Donald Trump.
2019 Chicago mayoral campaign
In March 2018, Wilson formally announced that he would run a second time for Mayor of Chicago in the 2019 mayoral election.
During his campaign, Wilson generated controversy for handing out money to churchgoers. This practice of his was challenged before the Illinois State Board of Elections, which found that it did not violate any campaign finance laws since the money came from his non-profit foundation. […]
Wilson was endorsed by the Cook County Republican Party. Wilson failed to make it to the runoff, placing fourth with 59,072 votes, equal 10.61% of vote cast […]
2020 U.S. Senate campaign
In August 2019, Wilson expressed his intention to challenge incumbent United States Senator from Illinois Dick Durbin in 2020, running in the general election as an independent challenger to Durbin. Rather than run as an independent, he ultimately opted to run under the ballot line of his newly created “Willie Wilson Party”. […]
Wilson received 4% of the vote statewide, finishing in a distant third place. His highest support came from the majority-black wards of Chicago where he had done well in both his mayoral campaigns. Totaling up all 18 of Chicago’s majority-black wards, Wilson garnered 18.5% of the vote, well ahead of Republican Mark Curran, who received only 4%, but still far behind Durbin who received 75.9%
What Wilson has demonstrated so far is that he has a ceiling of about 11 percent in Chicago. His relationship with Rauner and Trump won’t help this time, either. Yes, Wilson could take votes away from Lightfoot in the first round. But I’m not sure those voters would be with her anyway.
A significant list of pressing issues facing the State of Illinois was left largely unaddressed by JB Pritzker and Springfield Democrats as they closed out the legislative session early Saturday morning, showing just how skewed their priorities are: one-time election year gimmicks rule all.
Richard Irvin, Mayor of Aurora and candidate for governor, commented on the outstanding issues JB Pritzker refused to address:
“Instead of committing to real solutions to combat crime and deliver permanent tax cuts, J.B. Pritzker pushed election year gimmicks that don’t reverse his anti-police, pro-criminal policies but do set up his campaign to permanently raise taxes after the election. The people of Illinois are paying a steep price for a governor who will do anything to win re-election, even if it means mailing checks to voters right before hitting them with the largest income tax hike in state history. It’s time to take back our state.”
That’s pretty darned bold to predict that this budget sets up “the largest income tax hike in state history.” I’d love to see the numbers. In fact, I asked for them. I didn’t get anything specific except for a comment that Pritzker is growing spending while revenues will decrease next fiscal year. But revised projected spending for this fiscal year (including tax cuts and debt paydown) is $49.119 billion; and projected spending for next fiscal year is $46.541 billion. Discretionary spending will rise $2.6 billion over the originally budgeted amount, but revenues are rising $2.2 billion over the originally budgeted amount. So, again, even if money will be tight, I do not see how this budget is setting the stage for “the largest income tax hike in state history.”
But, hey, this is the same campaign which is claiming that Darren Bailey, of all people, is a Trump-hating liberal…
Yeah. So, please tell me more about a candidate who is willing to “do anything” to win a race.
* Meanwhile, I’m kinda curious how much of this cash is from our own governor as the DGA ramps up its anti-Irvin and pro-Bailey spending…
The DGA is shattering fundraising records heading into the 2022 midterms, reporting raising a massive $23.25 million in Q1 across all entities. https://t.co/6LopLkvCtI
* Not a campaign release, but it might as well be since she’s running for Congress…
On the heels of State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-Chicago) passing a plan to ban the production and distribution of ghost guns, President Joe Biden is set to unveil national policy to address the issue.
“Although I’m proud to see this threatening issue be taken to the national stage, Illinois must act quickly to enact my legislation to ban the production and distribution of ghost guns.” Collins said. “We cannot allow fatal gun violence to continue to run rampant in our communities. HB 4383 tackles these issues at their source.”
With the alarming rise of gun violence in a number of Illinois communities, the existence of untraceable firearms has become a pressing public safety concern. Ghost guns are firearms that lack serial identification, and they are growing in popularity because of their ease of accessibility. Not only can they be ordered online, but they can also be purchased absent a background check or a FOID card, which is required to carry either a firearm or ammunition in Illinois.
House Bill 4383, an initiative introduced by Senator Collins, would require all firearms –including 3D printed guns –to be serialized, effectively prohibiting the creation and sale of these weapons. Unserialized guns prevent law enforcement from thoroughly conducting their criminal investigations, which hinders their efforts to address the violence in our state. Illinois law enforcement has seen a 400% increase in these types of weapons in just the last five years.
The federal rule, however, is expected to only regulate gun companies and not individuals who possess an existing stock of ghost guns. Collins’ legislation will require individuals who currently possess ghost guns to go get them serialized as well.
“Enacting a nation-wide policy that protects our most vulnerable populations is a positive first step,” Collins said. “Although I would like to see a national policy that addresses individuals who possess ghost guns as well as dealers, I am pleased we are moving in the right direction.”
HB 4383 passed the General Assembly Friday and goes to the governor for final approval.
* More stories…
* Illinois’ newest Latino congressional district brings heavy competition, divided Democratic visions: Both the Ramirez and Villegas campaigns said they expect more than 70% of the votes in the Democratic primary will come from Chicagoans. That’s despite the fact that the 3rd District stretches about 30 miles from the city’s Avondale neighborhood on the east to West Chicago on the western edge of DuPage County.
* Mayor Lori Lightfoot is ramping up her expected re-election campaign with three new political hires: Eric Adelstein is media consultant. He’s founder of Chicago-based political media firms AL Media Strategy and Adelstein & Associates. He was 27 when he served as Illinois state director for the 1992 Clinton/Gore campaign, consulted for President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign and has advised the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and the Democratic Governors Association. He and his firm also have advised Georgia Democrats, including Stacey Abrams and Raphael Warnock. Deborah Cosey-Lane is political coordinator. She recently served as the financial secretary/ treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308. She has been a member of her union for 31 years. Last year, Cosey-Lane was elected as the first woman president of ATU Illinois Joint Council. She also is advising Jonathan Jackson in his bid for the 1st Congressional District. Valerie Martin is general consultant. Martin co-founded Silversmith Strategies, a national political consulting and media firm that creates TV and digital advertising and develops campaign plans. She previously helped elect Congressman Brad Schneider and Congresswoman Robin Kelly, as well as managed out-of-state U.S. Senate races and fundraising for Claire McCaskill’s 2006 upset victory in Missouri.
Three years after his secret cooperation with federal investigators became public knowledge, turning him into “Alderman A,” federal prosecutors have finally filed a criminal charge against former longtime Chicago Ald. Danny Solis (25th).
The bribery count leveled against Solis in a one-page, lightly detailed document at least confirms that Solis will face public charges. A lengthy investigation into his own alleged misdeeds prompted him to turn on some of the state’s most powerful politicians.
Federal prosecutors have used evidence gathered by Solis, 72, to secure racketeering indictments against Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) and, more recently, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. […]
The charge against Solis alleges he agreed to accept campaign contributions between July and September 2015 in exchange for amendments to a zoning ordinance sought by an unnamed developer.
A litany of alleged misconduct by Solis was revealed in a bombshell FBI affidavit first obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times in January 2019. The document, filed in federal court in May 2016, alleged that Solis, once the Council’s powerful zoning chair, “received a flow of private benefits” from people in exchange for official action.
In an August 2020 court filing, lawyers for Burke revealed Solis had entered into a deferred prosecution agreement that will likely mean Solis will not spend even one day in jail — and keep his city pension — in return for his extraordinary role in the prosecution of both Burke and Madigan.
That agreement has not been confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Solis flipped and agreed to help investigators after he was accused by federal agents of accepting sex acts, Viagra, free weekend use of an Indiana farm once owned by Oprah Winfrey and a steady stream of campaign contributions in return for City Council actions, as first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th Ward), who replaced Solis, said his predecessor should have been held accountable years ago.
The deferred prosecution agreement means Solis will not only escape any jail time — he’s likely not going to be prosecuted for the crime at all. What’s more, the deal could allow the 72-year-old Solis to keep collecting his nearly $100,000 annual city pension, which could easily bring in a sizable sum from the taxpayer-funded system over the remainder of his lifetime.
Last, year, the Tribune interviewed nearly a dozen longtime members of the city’s legal community, including several who worked on public corruption cases for the U.S. attorney’s office, and none could remember such an arrangement being made for a public official caught abusing their office.
Solis’ work as an FBI mole began in mid-2016, when he was confronted by investigators who had secretly listened in on hundreds of his phone calls over the course of nearly a year, including conversations where the alderman solicited everything from campaign donations to sexual services at a massage parlor, court records show.
Illinois Legislative Jewish Caucus Helps Pass Balanced Budget, Secures Funding to Protect Houses of Worship from Terrorism
Springfield, IL – As part of their efforts to pass a fiscally-responsible state budget that prioritizes providing resources to public safety initiatives, the Illinois Legislative Jewish Caucus (ILJC) secured $20 million in new funds for the Non-Profit Security Grant Program (NSPG), which provides resources to non-profits that are at high risk of terrorist attacks.
“Over the past few years, we have seen an alarming rise in the number of crimes targeting minority communities in their houses of worship,” Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Highwood, said. “No one, regardless of their background, should be made to feel unsafe, and investing in the Non-Profit Security Grant Program is an important step toward that goal.”
In response to the rise in attacks targeting religious, ethnic, and racial minorities in communities across the state, the ILJC worked to include $20 million in funding for the NSPG in the state’s budget. The NSPG provides grants to non-profit organizations, including houses of worship, to keep them protected by purchasing equipment such as bulletproof glass and reinforced doors, offering safety training and planning for staff, and even hiring security professionals.
“Today’s action brings needed investment to communities looking to protect themselves,” said Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago. “This funding is the result of vulnerable communities across our state joining together and keeping each other safe. Not only will this help to save the lives of Jews who have faced devastating attacks in recent years, but of people of all different backgrounds across our state.”
“With many Illinoisans facing increased threats of violence due to bigotry, we must do everything in our power to provide the necessary tools to keep everyone safe,” said Sen. Ram Villivalam. “We cannot allow those who are blinded by their hate to intimidate residents and make them live in fear. I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow ILJC members to stamp out hatred and keep Illinois a welcoming home for all people.”
* Press release…
Illinois House and Senate overwhelmingly passed the Mychal Moultry Jr. Funeral and Burial Assistance Act. The State of Illinois will now pay funeral and burial service providers up to $10,000 for respectable funerals and burials of children under the age of 17 who are murdered by gun violence if their family’s income is within 150% of the federal poverty level ($40,000 for a family of 4 in 2021).
Recent statistics:
• 45 children were murdered by gun violence under the age of 17 in Chicago, IL (2021). 14 already in 2022, on pace for 60 in 2022, a 33% increase than 2021
• 5 children were murdered by gun violence under the age of 17 in Peoria, IL (2021)
• 7 children were murdered by gun violence under the age of 17 in East St. Louis, IL (2021)
• The average cost for a funeral with burial in 2021=$9,420
(Source: National Association of Funeral Directors)
All direct payments to funeral and burial service providers are intended to alleviate some of the pain of families who are experiencing trauma and financial hardship following the loss of their child due to gun violence. Illinois currently reimburses families of murder victims for up to $10,000 in burial expenses. While helpful, many families have to take on tremendous debt or raise funds in a short time period to bury their children. Families may wait months or years for reimbursement. Now, families no longer are forced to take on debt or raise funds in a short period of time to bury their murdered child.
* Press release…
State Rep. Anna Moeller has championed new legislation to expand the amounts of savings and income spouses of nursing home residents can keep to care for themselves and their families.
For the past 10 years, federal guidelines have increased what community spouses of nursing home residents can keep of their own money. But Illinois has kept that level flat, with no increases to account for inflation.
Rep. Moeller’s legislation will increase the amount community spouses can keep each year for the next 10 years, until Illinois has reached the federal rates.
“It is critically important that we recognize the needs of our seniors in our community when their spouses need nursing home care,” said Moeller, D-Elgin. “In this time of rampant inflation, our seniors need help. By allowing them to keep more of their own hard-earned income and assets, without jeopardizing the standard of care of their spouses in nursing homes, we are showing them the respect that our seniors and their loved ones deserve.”
The measure has the strong support of AARP Illinois, the Illinois State Bar Association and the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.
During debate, Sims noted there is no language in the budget implementation bill that blocks the cost of living increase for state lawmakers, something that is estimated to cost taxpayers $485,400. That would be about $2,742 extra for lawmakers, if split evenly, though senators get higher pay than representatives. […]
The grocery tax of 1% will be zeroed out for a year and retailers must note that on receipts “to the extent feasible.”
The message on receipts from grocery stores must say “From July 1, 2022 through July 1, 2023, the State of Illinois sales tax on groceries is 0%.” The legislation says “if it is not feasible for the retailer to include the statement on any cash register tape, receipt, invoice, or sales ticket issued to customers, then the retailer shall post the statement on a sign that is clearly visible to customers. The sign shall be no smaller than 4 inches by 8 inches.”
Page 281 of the budget says the state will fund costs of a feasibility study of “projects under the Public-Private Partnership for Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project Act.” That may include one of the casino projects being considered in Chicago.
The House passed clarifications to provisions that dealt with electronic monitoring of criminal suspects and other measures within the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (or SAFE-T) Act that was signed by Pritzker last year with the aim of making the criminal justice system more equitable.
Republicans over the last few months have tried to use the justice package, which includes an end to cash bail in 2023 for nonviolent offenses, as a way to paint Democrats as being weak on crime issues going into the election.
“Safety now? We want safety now. This bill doesn’t give us safety now. Vote ‘no,’” state Rep. Patrick Windhorst, a Republican from Metropolis, said, drawing applause from his fellow GOP members.
State Rep. Justin Slaughter, a Chicago Democrat, offered a loud and impassioned rebuttal to the Republicans, saying there is a “bad stench of racism” from the GOP side of the House.
“In the Black community, it’s been a state of emergency for a really long time now,” Slaughter said. “But as long as crime and violence is contained in the hood, it was OK. As long as my folks terrorize other people of color, it was fine. But now, Chiraq is in your communities. And now, it’s a state of emergency.”
Slaughter’s remarks drew an equally angry response from several GOP members.
“That’s wrong! That’s wrong!” said Durkin, the House GOP leader. “You know that’s wrong!”
* From early Saturday morning…
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more heated moment on the House floor. Several Republicans were calling on Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman to step in and cut Slaughter off during his speech.
* I told subscribers about some recent Republican State Leadership Committee mailers on behalf of Leader Durkin. Someone’s tweet reminded me of that effort. Here’s one of the mailers…
The RSLC appears to be spending money in order to bust the campaign contribution caps for Durkin. Leader Durkin has no control over the independent expenditure.
Delicate discussions among top Democrats in Illinois have been taking place since a Jan. 17 meeting about the control and structure of a coordinated campaign for the 2022 ticket.
Accounts of what happened at that meeting vary regarding the views of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s political team on the role of Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., on the coordinated campaign. […]
“I think we can be a lot further along. We need more cooperation,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told the Chicago Sun-Times on Friday.“We’re moving in the right direction but too slowly.”
What’s at issue?“There are a lot of personalities tied up in this. We got to put them aside for the duration of the campaign. We got to focus on November and focus on victory and do it together,” Durbin said.
Is this about control? “I don’t know if that is the reason. It could be something else. But whatever it is, it’s unacceptable,” Durbin said.
I dunno. I mean, I do get his point, but Sen. Durbin opposed the governor and seized control of the state party and now he’s publicly whining that the billionaire won’t fund his apparatus, which might not even be constructed to be fully in compliance with federal election laws. That might be seen in some quarters as a bit on the presumptuous side. Just sayin, Dick.
Republican state lawmakers, outnumbered and looking to boost their relevance, had one goal for the election-year legislative session — to paint majority Democrats as soft-on-crime and anti-police.
Democrats, sensing political vulnerability, knew they had to counter by passing some pro-police, anti-crime legislation that didn’t weaken their larger equity-based criminal justice goals.
They also sought to change the subject, pushing election-year tax relief for families amid public concerns over inflation.
Crime and inflation became the watch words as the final hours of the truncated spring legislative session played out early Saturday. Those two themes, brought from the national stage to the local statehouse, are likely to be struck repeatedly in TV ads and campaign literature as the June 28 primary and Nov. 8 general election grow closer.
* Tracy Swartz, Dan Petrella and Karen Ann Cullotta at the Tribune…
The state of Illinois will distribute $87.5 million to hundreds of school districts that were underpaid because of a “coding error” — while seeking repayment from Chicago Public Schools, which mistakenly got the funds.
The appropriation is part of the $46.5 billion spending plan lawmakers passed Saturday. The Illinois State Board of Education said a contractor made a “coding error” in the spring of 2018 during the initial implementation of a new state school funding formula.
As a result, 14 school systems are owed between $1 million and $5 million, while 565 are due up to $100,000 according to ISBE. In total, 762 school systems were underpaid over the past four years.
Meanwhile, the state is trying to recoup the $87 million it mistakenly paid CPS, its largest school district. ISBE said 52 other school systems were overpaid by a total of $3,396 during the affected period, and it will try to recover funds from districts that received at least $10 more than they should have.
$10? It’ll cost more to process those collections.
