* Not much of a surprise…
…Adding… Rep. Morgan…
State Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, issued this statement after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals resumed enforcement of the Protect Illinois Communities Act, staying a previous lower court ruling:
“Today’s ruling by the Seventh Circuit once again ensures that the Protect Illinois Communities Act can continue to save lives in Illinois. We know the fight isn’t over– the gun lobby will continue to try and block any common sense efforts to keep assault weapons off our streets. But we aren’t backing down, and this ruling only strengthens our resolve and confidence. Assault weapons are killing machines that have caused carnage in too many of our communities, and this law is a powerful step forward on the path to ending the devastating scourge of gun violence in Illinois.
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bp Is Investing In Illinois
Thursday, May 4, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
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Afternoon roundup
Thursday, May 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is a tiny budget pressure, but it’s still an ask. From another publication…
With a May 19 deadline looming to wrap up state legislative work, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle drove to the state Capitol on Wednesday to make a direct ask of lawmakers to pick up the slack on paying for the health care costs of asylum seekers coming to Illinois.
What she wants: Preckwinkle says the county needs an additional $1.8 million a month to run the Cook County Health system that has been caring for the thousands of migrants who have landed in Chicago — either by bus or plane — since last year. That funding would be in addition to the $1.8 million that the county already kicks in.
Up until February, the state had been paying an estimated $1.6 million for medical care. Then it stopped, and the county took on paying it all. Preckwinkle now worries the task will be more difficult with the expected influx of migrants when Title 42 expires May 11. That’s the Covid-era rule that has allows U.S. officials to turn back thousands of asylum seekers.
I asked the governor’s office for a response…
The Governor’s focus remains on investing in priorities he outlined during his budget address. His administration is working closely with the General Assembly to ensure that additional priorities fit within a balanced budget framework.
Not exactly an endorsement, but it looks like they’re keeping an open mind.
* Press release…
In an effort to prevent yet another long, hot summer of violence, Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-7th) is hosting a prayer and peace breakfast Friday, May 5th, 7 a.m.-12 noon, at the St. Paul Church of God in Christ, 4526 S. Wabash, where clergy and community leaders will hammer out an anti-crime agenda they plan to give to Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson.
The conference is a reaction to the recent teenage takeover of the Loop and the political fallout that pursued. However, the clergy want to present a holistic proposed solution to Johnson rather than focusing only on anti-crime suggestions.
“We are doing this to help create peace and forgiveness,” said Rev. Paul Jakes, pastor of the New Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church. “We have other issues that may be the basis for the crime, like the long neglected communities of color, homelessness, the lack of jobs, mental illnesses, inadequate schools and a need for better public safety.
“We are taking a pro-active stance in helping Mayor-elect Johnson get a handle on a myriad of social and economic problems he is inheriting,” Rev. Jakes said. We are inviting the public and they are welcome to bring their suggestions.”
* This is always a big event…
The annual Illinois Peace Officers Memorial Service to honor law enforcement officers killed in Illinois in the line of duty, including 12 who died in late 2021 and during 2022, was held Thursday, May 4 at the Illinois Peace Officer Memorial sculpture on the Illinois State Capitol grounds in Springfield.
“This annual ceremony honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities,” said Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “Every man and woman in this difficult and dangerous profession knows the risks they face every time they put on the badge. This memorial service is a testament to those risks and to the selfless courage of the officers who laid down their lives to keep us safe.”
The 12 officers killed during late 2021 and in 2022 include: Officer Nicholas Kozak, Forest Park Police Department, November 27, 2021; Officer James R. Svec, Chicago Police Department, December 8, 2021; CBP Canine Officer Jeffrey P. Dela Cruz, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, December 23, 2021; Officer Jose M. Huerta, Chicago Police Department, December 23, 2021; Detective Joseph A. Tripoli, Chicago Police Department, January 3, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Michael John Queeney, Will County Sheriff’s Office, January 8, 2022; Officer Brian Romel Shields, Aurora Police Department, January 11, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Joseph Robert Tinoco, Cook County Sheriff’s Department, January 13, 2022; Sergeant Kenneth John Thurman Sr., Aurora Police Department, January 19, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Brian J. Norton, Ford County Sheriff’s Office, February 5, 2022; Officer Brian Lee Sember, Ottawa Police Department, April 3, 2022; and Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Donald Weist, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, April 29, 2022.
In addition, five officers who were confirmed to have died in the line of duty in the past but who had not yet been officially included on the memorial were recognized. These include: Sergeant Claude E. Bowman, Cook County Highway Patrol, July 7, 1923; Sergeant Francis J. McGraw, Chicago Police Department, May 6, 1942; Officer Charles Hibsch, Chicago Police Department, November 9, 1947; Officer Dennis F. Collins, Chicago Police Department, July 3, 1953; and Deputy John Venton Donaldson Sr., Ogle County Sheriff’s
The day’s observance began with the lineup of squad cars from around the state at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The procession departed the fairgrounds and arrived at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for a memorial church service. The procession then traveled to the State Capitol for the 11 a.m. ceremony.
* Center Square…
Illinois generated about $562 million from marijuana in 2022, placing the state ahead of every of every other in the country in that department except California, according to data from the Marijuana Policy Project.
Overall, tax receipts grew by 10% in Illinois last year, with all the growth coming despite the state being slow to distribute new licenses after legalizing recreational marijuana sales in 2020. In addition, the state charges some of the highest taxes in the country at nearly 40% when local taxes are included, compared to just 10% for Michigan.
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Immigrant Impact Task Force released a report examining various issues affecting immigrant, refugee, and limited English proficiency communities, sharing recommendations the state can take to improve services to immigrant communities. The Task Force identified thirteen issues in the legislation ranging from citizenship assistance, business development, education access, discrimination prevention, immigration detention, COVID-19 relief, language access programs, and more.
The report emphasizes the importance of programs and resources provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in supporting immigrant communities. These programs include language assistance, referrals to community resources, and the Refugee and Immigrant Services Program, which offers various services to help refugees and immigrants integrate into their new communities.
The report also highlights Illinois serving as a welcoming state and IDHS’s efforts to address the unique challenges undocumented immigrants face. These efforts include the creation of a hotline for individuals to report fraudulent immigration services, as well as the provision of legal assistance to immigrants facing deportation.
The report is here.
* Press release…
In 2020, House Republican Representatives Ryan Spain, Jim Durkin, and Andrew Chesney launched a special investigation committee to examine then-Speaker Michael Madigan’s involvement in the ComEd bribery scandal. Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch served as chairman, called the process a sham and chose to abruptly end the investigation after hearing from just one witness. Welch now serves as Speaker of the House and was supported in this effort by Rep. Lisa Hernandez, who now serves as Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
“We convened and launched an important investigation with substantive work asking for follow-up and investigation into these matters we’ve heard about in detail in the prosecution and now the guilty verdicts which have been delivered this week,” said Rep. Ryan Spain. What was the response from the Democratic legislators that participated in that Investigating Committee? Coverup and sweeping the facts under the rug.”
This week, four of Mike Madigan’s ComEd allies were found guilty of bribery conspiracy in federal court because of their efforts to gain Madigan’s favor while he served as Speaker.
“For too long, we have allowed the poor ethical behavior of people like Mike Madigan, his associates, and others to become the way we do business in the State of Illinois, and unfortunately, the “Madigan Way” is still the way in which our government works here in Springfield. It has to stop now,” said Rep. Ryan Spain.
Nothing has changed since Madigan’s indictment to prevent this type of behavior and nothing will change until the majority party gets serious about ending corruption and reforming the Madigan Rules which govern the House of Representatives.
Emanuel “Chris” Welch is now Madigan’s handpicked successor as Speaker of the Illinois House. Lisa Hernandez is now Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Illinois. “It’s time to throw out the Madigan playbook, pass robust ethics reform measures, and give Illinoisans an honest state government they can believe in,” concluded Spain.
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup…
* Tribune | Illinois’ property tax sale system on path to potential reform: A new Senate bill amendment backed by the Cook County treasurer’s office and the Chicago Community Trust seeks to reform Illinois’ property tax sale system. Backers such as state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat, say the bill would cut the cost for homeowners trying to pay off property tax debt in half, close a loophole that critics said allowed private investors and hedge funds to profit off local governments and help get vacant or abandoned properties back on the tax rolls.
* WBEZ | Greater Ashburn residents want to revamp a program once designed to curb white flight: SWGHE is one of three such Chicago programs that were created under a 1988 Illinois law out of fear white homeowners would flee the city after the election of Harold Washington, Chicago’s first Black mayor. The programs on the Southwest and Northwest sides are funded by nominal property taxes collected from every homeowner in their respective districts. Those who enroll in the program by paying for an appraisal of their home are offered a guarantee: They won’t lose money if they hold on to their homes for at least five years before selling, even if property values fall. That’s unless the reason prices decline is an economic recession.
* Illinois Answers | Tax hikes to ebb for many north suburban businesses, leaving homeowners on the hook: Residential valuations in five north suburban townships are 15% higher for the 2022 tax year than they were in 2019, the last time north Cook County was reassessed, new data from the county Board of Review show. At the same time, combined commercial and industrial valuations edged downward by 1% compared to their last turn under the microscope.
* WBEZ | Cold hard floors, no privacy, asylum seekers make do at Chicago Police Stations: At several of Chicago Police Department Stations, you’ll find Little Caesar pizza boxes, Dunkin Donuts coffee cups and other items surrounding the migrants who lay sit or stand in the vestibule of these stations, with little to protect them from the blowing wind when the front doors open. The Diaz family arrived at one two weeks ago. Their journey began two years ago when they left their native Venezuela and found a temporary home in neighboring Colombia. Then they went to Mexico before arriving in Chicago. Joana Diaz says it’s been tough. She says they had to sleep on bare floors with no sheets, no food or access to showers and sometimes they aren’t made to feel welcome.
* AP | Proposed carbon dioxide pipeline that would end in Illinois hits legal road bump in Iowa: In his ruling Wednesday, District Judge John Sandy denied a pipeline company’s request for an injunction that would allow survey crews access to Martin’s Koenig’s farmland near Sioux Rapids in northwest Iowa. Sandy said a law giving crews that access violated the state constitution because it doesn’t provide just compensation for damages to landowners in exchange for the loss of their right to deny entry to their land, according to the Sioux City Journal.
* Tribune | From card dealers to seamstresses, Bally’s Chicago hiring more than 700 to open temporary casino at Medinah Temple: While Bally’s is staffing up, it remains to be seen whether the temporary casino will be licensed and ready to welcome gamblers by its planned opening in July. It is already slightly behind schedule, with the start date initially targeted for June.
* WTTW | A Faith Leader Was Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Student and Employee. He Still Lives Within Feet of the School: “It sounds like a very unusual and very specific allowance for somebody,” Rivette said. “If some sort of allowance like that was in place for somebody, there has to be a really big assurance that the person would not have access to children at all, or any vulnerable populations, because generally people that sexually offend have patterns of behavior that aren’t easily broken.”
* Sun-Times | Lincolnwood construction company owner charged with smuggling workers through Romanian ‘Godfather’ Luigi Cristinel Popescu: Tudor Deaconu, owner of TDA Construction Inc., arranged for Canadian smugglers from Romania to bring a married couple, their child and another adult to the United States without the proper visas, according to an indictment unsealed last month.
* WBEZ | Save A Lot officials face off with Englewood residents over plans for shuttered Whole Foods site: As a possible resolution for the months-long conflict, Ald. Stephanie Coleman (16th) — whose ward is where the site is located — and community members are asking the Ohio-based company to break its lease at the Englewood site and focus on their other stores around Chicago.
* Crain’s | Metra gets a lift from Kennedy construction: The biggest increase came on the Union Pacific Northwest line, which runs from downtown through suburbs such as Arlington Heights. It recorded a post-pandemic high of 25,900 passenger trips on Wednesday, April 12, up 30% from the same-day average during the previous six weeks, according to Metra. Eight of the 10 best weekdays for ridership on the UP Northwest since the pandemic began have come since the Kennedy construction started.
* SJ-R | Chicago group closes on financing for Poplar Place redevelopment: Construction will be done in phases and is set to begin later this month, Mayor Jim Langfelder said. It will consist of 25 structures, or 50 duplex units and 50 structures that are single-family houses, lessening the density from its previous 125 structures.
* Crain’s | Chicago firm closes $300 million fund for opportunity zones, plans another: The Chicago-based real estate firm announced today that it has closed its second qualified opportunity zone fund at $300 million, adding to the nearly $265 million it raised for its first fund in 2021. The combined total ranks Origin among the top 2% of fund managers by equity raised for the federal opportunity zones program, according to data tracked by San Francisco-based tax advisory and consulting firm Novogradac.
* WCIA | Is it safe to eat fish from Illinois water? IDPH releases mercury, PCB advisory list: The IDPH released an updated map of affected waters on Wednesday, including many in Central Illinois. In that update, three lakes were added to the list of waters with methylmercury advisories while seven lakes and rivers saw advisories for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) removed.
* KWQC | Illinois Extension Outreach Center organizes storm clean-up at Chippiannock Cemetery: Crews in Rock Island are still working to clean up storm damage from April 4, after an EF1 tornado passed right through the Chippiannock Cemetery, uprooting historic trees and causing significant damage.
* Crain’s | State Street and Deerfield office buildings listed among state’s most endangered: The nonprofit advocacy group’s annual list of the most endangered historic places, released today, warns of imminent threats to nine sites around Illinois, including an affordable housing project at the state’s extreme southern end, in Cairo, and a neglected mid-1800s wooden bridge at its extreme northern end, in Richmond.
* Tribune | Violins from the Holocaust part of Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra’s season finale in Palos Heights: Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra closes its 45th anniversary season with violins from the Holocaust. May 13′s Dvořák & Beach at Trinity Christian College’s Ozinga Chapel in Palos Heights also features the world premiere of Jonathan Cziner’s strings-only composition “Nifrach,” which is dedicated to his grandparents Manfred and Linda Blum, the former who lost many family members in the Holocaust.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
Thursday, May 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Describe what you think former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s official portrait will look like…
*** UPDATE *** Some of you will remember this infamous and hilarious Twitter account…
The Rauners obsessed over who was behind that account.
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* Press release…
Landmark legislation designed to prevent book banning passed the Illinois Senate, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced [yesterday].
HB 2789, which now awaits the Governor’s signature, sets a nationwide precedent in the fight against book bans, as libraries and librarians face unprecedented censorship of books and resources, including in Illinois. The bill passed the Illinois House in March.
Giannoulias, who also serves as the State Librarian, initiated HB 2789 after extremist groups – including the far-right nationalist group, the Proud Boys – targeted Illinois libraries, divided communities and harassed librarians, despite that the books are not required reading. […]
House Bill 2789, sponsored by State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (81st District – Downers Grove) and Sen. Laura Murphy (28th District – Elk Grove Village), allow Giannoulias’ office to authorize grant funding only to libraries that adhere to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights states that reading materials should not be removed or restricted because of partisan or personal disapproval, or that issue a statement prohibiting the practice of banning books or resources.
Currently, Illinois law does not contain language related to book banning or the eligibility for state grants if a library bans items from its collection. Last fiscal year, the Secretary of State’s office awarded 1,631 grants to Illinois libraries totaling more than $62 million. Of those, 97% of the grants were awarded to public and school libraries, with public libraries receiving 877 grants and school libraries securing 712 grants.
According to the Chicago-based American Library Association (ALA), there were 67 attempts to ban books in Illinois in 2022, increasing from 41 the previous year.
Nationally, the number of attempts to ban books has been surging. According to the ALA, last year more than 2,500 different books were objected to, compared to 1,858 in 2021 and just 566 in 2019. […]
If signed into law, HB 2789 would take effect on January 1, 2024.
* From Giannoulias’ press conference…
At the state’s librarian, we’ve traveled the state. We’ve spoken to librarians, and what we’ve heard unequivocally across the board is that librarians have never dealt with this level of intimidation, hatred. They’re scared, they’re quitting their jobs. It’s tougher to get new librarians for doing what they’ve always done … That, to me is absolutely unacceptable.
He went on to say that he was “blown away that this has become a partisan issue,” which, he said, “has been the most disheartening part of this whole process.”
* Sen. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport)…
“This is yet another example of extreme Democrats in the General Assembly taking rights away from parents and local communities and deciding what is best for people. This law, if signed by the Governor, installs a statewide doctrine that provides that all content will be equally available to minors and adults. Through its very nature, this legislation will subject minor children to inappropriate adult content.
“It is becoming commonplace at the Capitol for the majority party to push through legislation that tramples on the rights of people who don’t agree with them or don’t share their same liberal ideology. They’ve been pushing their agenda in our schools, and now they are forcing it upon our libraries. This isn’t about adults going to their library and viewing adult content. It’s about children having unfettered access to that same content, and that’s simply unacceptable.”
* Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville)…
This bill is another attempt by the super majority to make it easier to force their extreme ideology on communities across this state, by taking control away from locally elected library boards, and handing it to an outside national organization. It’s offensive to the ideals of good government to threaten to take public funding away from the very communities that generated that funding through their taxes. The members of locally elected library boards, who work to increase literacy in their communities, don’t need a book-ban agenda foisted on them by Chicago politicians who are just trying to get cheap publicity. I will continue to fight against these repeated attempts to take away local control from our communities, whether their target is schools, libraries, or other units of local government.
Sen. Plummer professed not to know what the American Library Association even is. He called it a “random organization” four times during floor debate. One excerpt…
A yes vote on this bill does two things that I think everyone in this chamber should really think about. One, it deprives local taxpayers of the very revenue that they spend to support their local schools and libraries. And it allows unelected and unidentified random people in some organization at the national level to ban books, to set local policy and to usurp the authority of the local elected officials that our constituents voted into their position to make decisions on their behalf. None of your constituents voted for this random organization. None of your constituents are funding this random organization. They’re funding their local libraries, they’re electing their local library boards, and you’re taking their powers away from them simply because you may not agree with their beliefs.
Yeah, no. First, the American Library Association was founded in 1876. It’s a pretty durable American institution. They published a Library Bill of Rights in 1939. It ain’t some rando.
Second, we covered this library board topic in March…
According to the Illinois Public Library Trustee Manual, issued by the secretary of state’s office, only library directors and their staff should be selecting library materials, not library boards.
And the comments by more moderate Senate Republicans during debate (including about drag shows) just confirms my belief that the party’s center is too willing to enable its far right wing to the point where the center (such as it remains) will soon disappear.
* More of that in Isabel’s roundup…
* Tribune | Bill aimed at deterring library book bans heads to Gov. J.B. Pritzker after party-line vote in Senate: “The conversation has been based around book bans. This bill is about taking local control from your elected officials who are elected locally to decide for their libraries what’s best for their libraries,” said Rezin, a Republican from Morris. “Southern Illinois may be different than the suburbs. The suburbs may be different than Chicago.” …
* WCIA | Illinois bill preventing library book bans passes Senate: “This is just a layer of bureaucracy and a threat to these local districts, a bureaucratic threat of taking away their funding that they desperately need,” Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) said.
* Capitol News Illinois | Bill blocking libraries from state funding if they ban books clears General Assembly: “I think what I heard is, regarding the Bill of Rights here, that if a library does not make its public space available for anyone who wants to use it, including, say, a drag show, because of what the local officials of that library feel is not appropriate for the library, that library can now potentially lose their state funding,” [Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris] said. Likewise, Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said that prohibiting libraries from banning books for any reason would mean they could not reject the donation of books from the public, including books that are purely hate speech or books offering directions on how to build a bomb. … At his news conference, Giannoulias described those arguments as “ludicrous” and said the legislation does not deal with drag shows or dictate to librarians what materials they have to maintain. “We’re not telling you what books to buy or not buy,” he said. “What we’re saying is, if a book is in circulation as determined by the libraries and the librarians, that book cannot be banned because a group of individuals don’t like or want that book in their library. That’s what the legislation is all about.”
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It’s just a bill
Thursday, May 4, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Patrick Keck…
The Illinois House of Representatives moved House Bill 3957 to the Senate on Wednesday, a bill blocking drug price gouging on off-patent and generic drugs.
Consideration was postponed on the bill during a third reading frenzy before the legislature’s spring break last month. Democrats adjourned that April 18 without having enough members to move it forward despite having a super-majority in the chamber.
Wednesday’s vote proved to be much less dramatic and advanced on a 84-25 bipartisan vote. House Minority Leader Tony McCombie and Rep. Mike Coffey, R-Springfield, joined Democrats in supporting the legislation.
Specifically, the bill from Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine, permits the Director of Healthcare and Family Services or Director of Central Management Services to inform the Attorney General when a price increase for a drug is merited as price gouging. From there, the AG’s office could request a drug manufacturer to explain why they have increased the medication and potentially file subpoenas to a circuit court.
* Illinois Times…
The Illinois House has passed a bill to make it possible for noncitizen residents to receive a standard driver’s license. Currently, such persons may only obtain a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License, which may not be used as identification. As of May 1 the bill was awaiting a final vote in the Senate. The legislation would prohibit state authorities from delivering personal information, including immigration status, to federal officials when individuals apply for a standard driver’s license.
The bill would also eliminate the current requirement that noncitizens either possess an unexpired passport or be able to prove residency in the state for a year before taking the driving exam. Instead, otherwise valid identification that has expired within the past two years would now be accepted. Noncitizens could only receive a standard driver’s license, not the REAL ID license, which remains available only to citizens.
Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, is opposed to the bill and says it improperly accommodates people who are in the country illegally. “The federal government is failing on the issue of immigration,” he said in an email to Illinois Times. “Meanwhile it’s costing the state of Illinois hundreds of millions of dollars in ‘free’ services for individuals who are here illegally.” Davidsmeyer says that the new license is an attempt to evade federal immigration laws. “I don’t believe that we should be rewarding individuals who are operating outside of [federal] law.” […]
Members of Springfield’s immigrant community expressed optimism about the new measure. They report that obtaining a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License under current law is so difficult that many do not take advantage of it. For instance, if an applicant does not have an unexpired passport, he must prove residency in Illinois for the past 12 months. Many recent arrivals live in shared accommodations where the lease and utilities are contracted in someone else’s name. This makes proving residency difficult. “I know a lot of people who would like to get a driver’s license, but they don’t have the right paperwork because nothing is in their name,” says Cristina.
* Press release…
A coalition of community developers, affordable housing advocates and tax policy experts led by The Chicago Community Trust today applauded the House Revenue Committee for passing legislation to reform Illinois’ delinquent property tax sale system that research shows will increase investment in historically disinvested communities across the state.
Senate Bill 1675 Amendment 1 reforms the Illinois Property Tax Sale system by closing loopholes that prevent blighted properties from redevelopment and allows local governments to intervene to save abandoned properties after only one failed delinquent tax sale rather than allow them to cycle through the tax sale system for years while the property deteriorates, requiring taxpayer-funded maintenance and eventually demolition. The measure is supported by cities with high concentrations of vacant properties across Illinois, including Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, Decatur and Kankakee.
These common-sense reforms would empower local governments to work with community developers and residents to restore vacant homes and return them to viable properties. In Cook County alone, an estimated 50,000 vacant or abandoned properties are concentrated in its Black and Latinx neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and West sides and in the south suburbs. […]
Under the current Illinois Property Tax Code, county treasurers are required to conduct an Annual Tax Sale at which private tax buyers — typically institutional investors such as hedge funds or out-of-state private tax buyers — can purchase tax debt and seek repayment from the property owners including interest up to 18%. Tax buyers are given up to three years to pay off the tax lien if an owner fails to repay the taxes.
However, a loophole in state law known as a “Sale in Error” allows tax buyers to ask a court for a full refund — plus interest — paid by local governments if the tax buyers don’t want to possess the deed to the distressed property after that three-year period. Under current law, tax buyers can claim a “Sale in Error” for any number of trivial reasons — if the property has a $100 municipal mowing lien on it, for example. […]
Senate Bill 1675 Amendment 1 would limit reasons a “Sale an Error” can be granted, for example, when there is an actual error in the legal description causing a tax buyer to bid on a parcel that doesn’t exist.
Importantly, the legislation would also stop abandoned properties from continually passing through the tax sale cycle while sitting vacant. The measure would allow county governments to intervene more quickly after only one failed delinquent tax sale and then work with land banks, community developers and local residents to rehabilitate the properties before the property deteriorates beyond the point of rehabilitation.
* Fox Chicago…
There is new hope for a revival of the Hotel Florence, with House Bill 779 continuing to make its way through the Illinois General Assembly.
HB0779 would provide $21 million in state funding to restore the once-opulent structure back to its former glory. Hotel Florence — named after George Pullman’s daughter — was built in 1881 as a 50-room hotel at the corner of 111th and Forrestville, complete with reading room, billiards room, bar, and restaurant. It sits within the footprint of the Pullman National Historic Park. […]
Quiroz used to spend time as a boy playing in the front yard when his mother was Hotel Florence’s head housekeeper. That was in the 1940s. But decades later, the hotel’s heyday is a distant memory. The building was barely saved from the wrecking ball in the 1970s, and despite efforts by the State of Illinois — which has owned it since the 1990s — to preserve parts of the structure, it has sat mostly empty for decades. […]
HB0779 has passed the state House and is now making its way through the Senate.
* Press release…
Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is leading a measure to require all schools in the state to provide an option of full-day kindergarten.
“Kindergarten is pivotal for children’s learning journey,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “Full-day kindergarten classes across the state will ensure equal access to early learning opportunities for all our families.”
Currently, it is optional for school districts to offer full-day kindergarten. Parents who live in districts without the option of full-day kindergarten are often faced with additional barriers to preparing their children for early elementary school. These barriers include, but are not limited to, mid-day transportation, loss of income due to being home with the child or finding additional childcare, and ensuring developmentally appropriate activities are being provided throughout the day. […]
House Bill 2396 passed in the Senate Education Committee and heads to full Senate for further consideration.
* Illinois Senate Democrats…
Opioid overdoses in Illinois alone increased 33% between 2019 and 2020 – a jarring statistic that has led members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus to champion measures to tackle the epidemic.
“The ongoing opioid crisis deserves our full attention, and expanding access to overdose prevention supplies is a critical step in our efforts to prevent overdoses and save lives,” said State Senator Paul Faraci (D-Champaign).
Faraci is sponsoring a measure to expand access to overdose prevention supplies for providers enrolled in the Illinois Department of Human Service’s Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Division Drug Overdose Prevention Team. House Bill 1121 would increase access to fentanyl test strips and improve public health outcomes by preventing fatal overdose.
“All providers enrolled in the Drug Overdose Prevention Program must store testing supplies so that they are accessible only by authorized personnel, including other trained overdose responders,” said Faraci.
Fentanyl abuse is on the rise, leading State Senator Laura Ellman to sponsor House Bill 3924, which seeks to combat the risk of overdoses by requiring all high school students enrolled in a state-required health course to learn about the dangers of fentanyl and fentanyl contamination.
“I’m proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to increase access to naloxone and protect people seeking help for someone experiencing an overdose from being arrested, but our work to address this crisis is not over,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “Educating people of all ages on the dangers of potential overdose is an effective way to save lives and combat overdoses long-term.”
To increase patron safety at concert venues State Senator Karina Villa is championing House Bill 1557. The measure would require for-profit music venues that have an occupancy of 1,000 or more to have opioid-overdose antidotes, such as naloxone, on hand and have staff members who are sufficiently trained in administrating it.
“People go to a music festival or concert to enjoy themselves — one bad decision should not cost them their life,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “Whether someone consumes a harmful substance on purpose or accidentally, this bill will save lives by expanding first aid in concert halls to include treating overdose.”
The Senators will work over the weeks leading up to the May 19 adjournment to pass the measures.
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* Background is here if you need it. Press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul [yesterday] issued the following statement after sending a letter to the mayor of Danville about the ordinance the mayor signed that ignores the Illinois Reproductive Health Act, but is not in effect and will not take effect based on a last-minute amendment.
“After stepping up to the brink of open defiance of state law, I am relieved that the city of Danville heard the concerns I raised in the letter I sent earlier this week and those raised by fellow advocates. Ultimately, after a last-minute amendment, the City Council decided to pass an amended ordinance that, by its own terms, is not in effect and will not take effect.
“Even if the city’s ordinance is merely symbolic, I do not want it to instill fear and confusion. Let me be clear: all residents of Illinois continue to enjoy the fundamental rights guaranteed to them under state law, and my office will continue to ensure that all localities in the state understand that access to reproductive health care is a fundamental right in Illinois.
“Illinois law could not be clearer. Our state is a proud safe haven for access to reproductive health care that respects bodily autonomy and fundamental rights. The Reproductive Health Act states that units of local government cannot limit abortion rights, and Danville has no authority under Illinois law to enact a municipal abortion ban or to otherwise impose its own restrictions on access to abortion care.
“As I said in the letter I sent to the mayor of Danville [yesterday], any future attempt by the city of Danville to restrict the fundamental right to access abortion care would be a violation of Illinois law and will not go unchallenged.”
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* David Bonagura Jr., author of the book “Steadfast in Faith”, was invited to appear on WTTW’s news program to talk about Rep. Kelly Cassidy’s bill to allow people to have their dead bodies composted under state regulations…
Bonagura: Cremation is allowed, but not preferred in the Catholic tradition precisely because of the value we place on the body as a religious tradition. We think the body has been ennobled in such a great way through the incarnation that Jesus Christ became God and gave the body an incredible dignity, He divinised it. So even in cremation, we allow that, the church requires that the ashes and bones be kept together and not separated. To separate is really to denigrate the nature of the person.
One of the great tragic elements of September 11 was that so many of those bodies were not able to be recovered, and those people were lost into oblivion, just like people who are composted are. There’s no way to bring closure or peace.
Rep. Cassidy: I’m sorry. You’re comparing this to a terrorist attack? Please.
Bonagura: It’s what happened to the bodies of those poor people.
Rep. Cassidy: And let’s stay with the facts, man. C’mon.
Bonagura: Those were bodies that were lost to all eternity, just like…
Rep. Cassidy: And that has nothing to do with a person making a conscious choice to use a low-impact process to dispose of their remains in a way that is consistent with their belief system. I respect your belief system. I’m not asking Catholics to be cremated, or to be composted. I have no business telling a Catholic what to do with their body post-death. Just as the Catholic Church doesn’t have any business telling an environmentalist that they have to use an environmentally damaging process to handle their remains.
Bonagura: We make laws that reflect the values of our culture. And to allow human composting, to allow our bodies to be thrown into oblivion…
Rep. Cassidy: This is not a Catholic country. [Crosstalk]
Bonagura: If we can defend the body in death, we can do it in life as well.
Please pardon all transcription errors. More on the panel discussion (and there was quite a bit more) is here.
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* The Patch…
Steven Woletz, of the 100 block of Jason Court, called the Governor’s Office of Constituent Affairs April 15 and left a voicemail threatening both Pritzker and his mother, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Officials allege the 46-year-old man spewed threats and profanities on the voicemail, saying, “F— you and your f—ing mother” and “I’m going to f—ing kill you, you f—ing silly f—ing a–hole.”
The state’s attorney’s office announced the charge against Woletz Wednesday evening. He posted the necessary 10 percent of a $100,000 bond to be released from custody after Illinois State Police arrested him without incident Tuesday afternoon following an investigation.
Pritzker’s mother died more than 40 years ago. Ugh.
And, just saying, but the General Assembly updated the SAFE-T Act last December to include a long list of alleged offenses that are detainable pretrial. One of those was “threatening a public official.” Woletz may not have been allowed out of jail if several state’s attorneys hadn’t sued to block the law.
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* Crain’s…
The Chicago Bears filed paperwork to begin tearing down Arlington International Racecourse, another step toward the team’s plan to transform the massive northwest suburban site into what could be a $5 billion stadium-anchored campus. […]
Yet the Bears spokesman cautioned that the application doesn’t mean the team will begin developing the project anytime soon. Team officials have repeatedly said it will move ahead with the redevelopment only if it gets taxpayer help financing a mixed-use portion of the proposed campus.
Tearing down existing structures on the site, however, could help lower the cost of owning the property in the meantime. That could be more important now that Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi has dramatically hiked the assessed value of the property. As Crain’s reported yesterday, Kaegi’s new valuation of the property at the price the team paid for it would increase the property tax bill by $15 million per year.
* Tribune…
The team said the demolition was in the works for a while and that the timing had nothing to do with the reassessment — though demolishing the grandstand is likely to significantly lower the property value and resulting taxes. The “improved value” of the site, meaning structures like the grandstand, racetrack, offices, stables and jockey dorms, makes up $168 million of the assessed value.
Removing the building’s heating, air conditioning, electrical, water and other utilities would also reduce maintenance costs. It’s not clear when the structures would be torn down, but if approved by the village, it could happen this year.
The Bears shared the following statement on the tax issue: “Paying property taxes is part of being a member of the community. We want to pay our fair share. But the proposed assessment of the unoccupied property we purchased, and the taxes associated with it, would be more than five times what the property generated when it had an income-producing racetrack operating on it. Arlington Park would not be redeveloped by anyone at such an excessive property tax rate.”
* NBC5…
“The Cook County Assessor has increased the cost potentially of a Bears’ tax bill dramatically by reassessing the property way above what it was,” said Greg Hinz, of Crain’s Chicago Business, who first reported the news. He said the move could raise the bill from $2.75 million to an estimated $16.5 million.
“By my calculations, the owners of that property have to pay at least another $15 million a year in property taxes right away if his decision is upheld,” Hinz said. “Fifteen million is a lot for the Bears. Fifteen million dollars is probably what a couple of good players cost a year.” […]
“Whenever a taxpayer disagrees with that value, they have the opportunity to appeal,” said Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele. She noted that an area school district is also intervening in the appeal, presenting an appraisal of the property at $150 million. […]
“This is not a team that’s known, or family that’s known for throwing around money,” [Hinz] added. “They tend to keep it pretty close to the vest and in their wallet and if the vehemence of their reaction is any indication, they don’t like this at all.”
* And the Daily Herald has this golden nugget…
Clearing the property of structures also would be a key consideration amid the Bears’ proposed Payments in Lieu of Taxes financing mechanism that would help bankroll the redevelopment.
Under the proposal, the assessed value of the property would be frozen a year before the Illinois Department of Revenue certified the so-called “mega project.” Then, instead of paying more taxes as the property grows in value, the Bears would make annual payments to schools and other local taxing bodies that are negotiated with village officials.
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Open thread
Thursday, May 4, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric, please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, May 4, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Tribune | United to hire thousands in Chicago as the airline looks to continue adding employees: The Chicago-based carrier is looking to add 3,800 new hires in its home city, including roles at O’Hare International Airport and the corporate office.
* Capitol News Illinois | Latest state budget forecast puts brakes on previously predicted surplus: While the commission’s $51.2 million estimate is now 1.2 percent below its estimate from early March, the impact on Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget proposal is relatively small because the governor’s plan relied on a more conservative estimate.
* Chalkbeat | Advocates call on Illinois lawmakers to fund after-school programs after state error: After-school programs for 27,000 Illinois students may be in danger of running out of money after next year because of an accounting error made by the Illinois State Board of Education. The error has caused a projected $12.4 million shortfall for 2024, according to a spokesperson with the state board. State Superintendent Tony Sanders says the state will use emergency COVID-19 funding to fill in the gap this year, but will not have new funding available in the future.
* Tribune | After resounding ‘ComEd Four’ verdict, former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s legacy on the line: In closing arguments last week, federal prosecutors called the ComEd Four defendants the “grandmasters of corruption.” But it was Madigan who allegedly was at the beginning and end of virtually every move.
* Sun-Times | Back-channel search for Chicago’s top cop? Not this time, says president of civilian oversight panel: Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s transition team members “have not tried to influence our process. They have not tried to submit names,” said Anthony Driver, president of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, which is conducting the search.
* WBEZ | A Chicago group aims to better track anti-Asian hate crimes in the Midwest: Abbey Eusebio, the center’s manager, said better tracking and more public awareness are needed in this region because Asian American communities are more spread out and isolated. “We’re not as concentrated in these different parts of the city as New York and parts of the West Coast,” Eusebio said. “That really contributes to the struggle” in data collection and connecting victims to resources.
* CBS Chicago | Aurora man charged with threatening Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker: An Aurora man was charged with leaving a threatening voicemail message for Gov. JB Pritzker. A judge set bond for Steven Woletz, 46, at $100,000.
* CBS Chicago | Organizers go to Springfield to call for new facility for St. Anthony Hospital: “There’s so many limitations because of the technology that we have these days, that we cannot implement fully in such an old building,” said Dr. Javier Fajardo, director of the OBGYN department at St. Anthony Hospital.
* The Telegraph | Committee balks at MCT appointment: A sometimes heated meeting of the Madison County Board’s Government Relations Committee resulted in the denial of another request by Chairman Kurt Prenzler to place former state Rep. Dwight Kay on the Madison County Transit (MCT) District Board, and ended in a three-way shouting match Tuesday between county board members who were not members of the committee.
* Daily Herald | Lake County considering $1,200 bonus for workers during early days of COVID: A special county board committee considering how to spend remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds has recommended the bonus to cover about 1,000 workers as “premium pay.”
* Tribune | Starbucks illegally fired Chicago barista, threatened workers during union drive: judge: The coffee giant also illegally threatened workers at the Hyde Park cafe and another location in Edgewater last year, administrative law judge Geoffrey Carter ruled. Managers at those stores threatened baristas that they could lose benefits or opportunities for raises as a result of the union campaign, Carter ruled.
* Evanston Now | More Ryan Field details expected soon: Northwestern University is expected to submit its planned development request to the City of Evanston to rebuild Ryan Field sometime this week. That was the word Wednesday from Ald. Eleanor Revelle, whose 7th Ward includes the stadium.
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Live coverage
Thursday, May 4, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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* From the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability…
General Funds revenues took a dramatic turn in April 2023 as receipts fell a stunning $1.844 billion as compared to the same month the year prior. Despite having the second highest monthly revenue total on record, this month’s General Funds total of $6.193 billion was well short of the historic monthly high of $8.037 billion received a year ago. Greatly contributing to the decline was April 2023 having one less receipting day than April 2022.
The main contributor to the falloff was Personal Income Taxes, which fell $1.763 billion below last April’s levels, a drop of $1.507 billion on a net basis. While a substantial decline was anticipated, as final tax payments were expected to struggle to repeat last year’s extraordinary performance, the extent of the decline is much steeper than the Commission had projected. Midway through April, revenues were on pace with last year with a month-to-date total of $1.0 billion. However, this changed drastically over the last ten receipting days of the month as only $2.7 billion was receipted in the second half of April 2023 compared to the whopping $4.4 billion that was receipted at the end of April 2022. This discrepancy was greatly enhanced by an extra receipting day in April 2022 where $553 million in gross personal income taxes were receipted, thereby contributing to a year-over-year 32.4% decline in April revenues. [Further details behind this sharp decline and a history of April receipts are provided on page 13 of this briefing].
Corporate Income Tax receipts were also down in April, but not nearly as severe as personal taxes, with a decline of $94 million or down $66 million on a net basis. Considering the comparatively high levels from a year ago, the extent of the corporate income tax declines here is better than anticipated. Sales Tax revenues slowed again in April with a year-over-year decrease of $5 million, a drop of $31 million when adjusting for the nongeneral funds distributions to the Road Fund and to other transportation funds. […]
The substantial declines in April erased nearly all of the growth accrued throughout the fiscal year. With only two months remaining in the fiscal year, General Funds receipts in FY 2023 are now only $132 million above last year’s pace. In comparison, at the end of February, FY 2023 receipts were $2.5 billion higher than FY 2022 year-to-date levels, which shows the extent that revenues have fallen over the last two months. When removing the increase of $325 million from one-time ARPA reimbursement funds, “base” receipts in FY 2023 are now actually down $193 million through April.
Again, the driver of this sharp decline is Personal Income Tax receipts, which is now $1.430 billion behind last year’s levels on a gross basis [-$1.241 billion on a net basis]. Year-to-date gains in the majority of the other State sources have helped soften this dramatic falloff. Despite the April declines, Corporate Income Tax receipts remain $467 million above last year’s levels [+$398 million on a net basis]. Sales tax receipts remain up $544 million [+$203 million net] despite its recent slowdowns.
* COGFA has now updated its FY23 revenue forecast…
The steeper-than-expected drop in General Funds revenues necessitates that the Commission make a downward adjustment of $728 million to its forecast, reducing the FY 2023 outlook to approximately $51.2 billion.
* But its FY24 forecast will not be significantly revised…
In regard to FY 2024, in light of April’s tax performance, the reduced revenue expectations for FY 2023 instantly created downward pressure on the Commission’s FY 2024 revenue projections. Despite this, the Commission will not be making a significant change in the overall FY 2024 general funds estimate, thereby keeping the estimate at approximately $50.4 billion. While the appropriate adjustments to the revenue base have been made in response to April’s revenue falloff, the primary reason that the FY 2024 estimate will not be effectively altered relates to the implementation of future tax disbursement changes by the Department of Revenue.
* Putting it into perspective…
The CGFA FY 2023 updated forecast of $51.176 billion is now $183 million below the GOMB February FY 2023 estimate of $51.359 billion. CGFA’s May FY 2024 projection of $50.446 billion is $729 million below CGFA’s FY 2023 updated forecast.
CGFA’s updated FY 2024 forecast is now $501 million higher than the Governor Office’s February FY 2024 estimate of $49.945 billion. However, it should be noted that the GOMB estimate would not reflect the recent information from the Department of Revenue and the expected modification of income tax disbursements into FY 2024.
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Afternoon roundup
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
To protect people’s freedom to read, State Senator Laura Murphy passed legislation to prevent the banning of books.
“Our nation’s libraries have been under attack for too long—they are bastions of knowledge and proliferate the spread of ideas,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “We have a duty as lawmakers to protect the rights of our people—including the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and expression.”
Under this measure, a library or library system must adopt the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights or develop a written statement prohibiting the practice of banning books or materials in order to be eligible for state grants.
Nationally, the number of attempts to ban books has been on the rise, with 681 attempts involving more than 1,600 titles throughout the U.S. in 2021, according to the ALA. Seven states have passed laws to impose restrictions on libraries, including Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida and Utah. If signed into law, Illinois would become the first state in the nation to ensure intellectual freedom for all across the state.
“Libraries are the beating heart of our communities, providing vital knowledge and invaluable services that allow our communities to thrive,” Murphy said. “Librarians are trained professionals, and we need to trust that they will stock our libraries with appropriate materials—they were hired for their expertise, and they deserve our respect.”
House Bill 2789 passed the Senate on Wednesday.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias along with original House sponsor Rep. Anne Stava-Murray and Sen. Murphy will hold a press conference about the bill today.
* Crain’s…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is supporting new state legislation that would establish an Illinois health care insurance exchange, an effort to protect an important Affordable Care Act provision in Illinois in the event future federal leaders ever look to roll back parts of the landmark law.
The proposed legislation in Illinois is being introduced through amendments to the state’s Administrative Procedure Act, or House Bill 579, and calls for Illinois to create its own one-stop shop for health care insurance. The federal marketplace, established under former President Barack Obama’s ACA in 2010, requires states to pay a fee to the platform, which gives every American the opportunity to buy a health plan. But by building its own exchange, Illinois would have control over its health care insurance market and insulate itself from any changes in federal policy.
* From the US Attorney’s office regarding the ComEd Four…
Sentencing dates have not been set. Count 1, charging the conspiracy, has a possible punishment of up to five years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Counts 2, 5, 6, and 8, charging bribery, have a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Counts 3, 4, 7, and 9, charging record falsification, have a possible punishment of up to 20 years in federal prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
* Illinois State Police yesterday…
The Illinois State Police (ISP) has located another fatality from the May 1, 2023 crash on I-55 near milepost 76. Initially, six individuals were found deceased at the crash scene. However, the severity of the crash masked the remains and what was previously believed to be the remains of one individual was two. ISP is working closely with the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office to confirm the identification of the seven deceased individuals and information will be released once identification is complete and proper notifications have been made. The coroner previously confirmed 88-year-old Shirley Harper of Franklin, WI. died in the crash.
A total of 37 people were transported to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to critical and ages spanning 2-years-old to 80-years-old. Approximately 72 vehicles are known to be involved in the crashes that occurred in both northbound and southbound lanes of I-55 between mile post 72 and 78 near Farmersville in Montgomery County shortly before 11 a.m. on May 1, 2023.
Apocalyptic.
* IDPH…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced updated consumption advisories today for sport fish caught in Illinois waters. These changes are the result of continued sampling by the Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program. IDPH maintains an interactive Fish Advisory Map that includes consumption advisories for more than 100 publicly accessible bodies of water across the state.
This year, IDPH added Lake Chaminwood, Lake McMaster, and Ramsey Lake to the list of waters with site-specific methylmercury advisories and issued more restrictive advisories for certain species in Anna State Pond, Lake Nellie, Wabash River, and Arrowhead, Gillespie, Kinkaid, and Pinckneyville City Lakes.
In line with the statewide trend of declining polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels, no new PCB advisories were issued. PCB advisories were relaxed for certain species in the Fox Chain O’Lakes, the Illinois River, and Waukegan North Harbor. PCB advisories were removed for certain species in the Fox Chain O’Lakes, Frank Holten State Lakes, Powerton Lake, and the Illinois, Mackinaw, Mississippi, and Wabash Rivers. Most notably, all PCB advisories were removed for channel catfish throughout the Mississippi River.
In addition to this year’s site-specific updates, a statewide methylmercury advisory remains in place for all Illinois waters. The statewide advisory cautions sensitive populations (those who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant, and children less than 15 years of age) to eat no more than one meal per week of predatory fish. Predatory fish include all species of black bass, gar, salmon, and trout, as well as striped bass, white bass, walleye, sauger, flathead catfish, muskellunge, northern pike, and associated hybrids.
While there is no known immediate health hazard from eating contaminated fish from any Illinois water body, there are concerns about effects of long-term, low-level exposure to PCBs and methylmercury in fish. More information is at the IDPH Fish Advisories website.
* IDOA…
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has announced the return of poultry shows for the 2023 fair season. The influx of highly pathogenic avian influenza cases forced the cancellation of in-person junior and open poultry shows at Illinois county fairs and the Illinois State Fair in 2022, with only virtual poultry shows being held.
“We have seen a decline in highly pathogenic avian influenza cases over the last several months prompting the Department to lift the ban of poultry shows at our fairs,” said Dr. Mark Ernst, IDOA State Veterinarian. “We still want to remind our exhibitors to practice good biosecurity on your farm and monitor your flock for signs of disease, especially the birds you plan to exhibit for 14 days prior to the show.”
* Vallas workers still unhappy…
* Last night’s game was probably the most exciting House vs. Senate match I’ve ever seen…
* Please celebrate responsibly…
That, um, doesn’t look like Jerry’s hand at the end.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | Federal appeals court in Chicago asked to intervene after judge blocks assault weapons ban: The request comes just two weeks after the same court, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, declined to take similar action when a federal judge in Chicago refused to block the law. And in the meantime, another bid for an injunction has made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
* Crain’s | Illinois near the top in U.S. in pot taxes collected: Michigan, which has a lower tax rate and pot prices but higher overall sales than Illinois, took in $326 million in taxes to rank No. 4, according to data compiled by the Marijuana Policy Project.
* Block Club | As Migrants Wait For Shelter Openings At Police Station, Northwest Side Neighbors Flock To Help: Brandelli, 32, has lived at the station, 5151 N. Milwaukee Ave., with his daughter and wife alongside two other families as they wait for space in city shelters to open up. Calls are made to 311 every day to try to place the families, but the city is struggling to find room for them and desperately needs federal assistance to deal with the “humanitarian crisis,” local officials and advocates have said.
* Tribune | One Illinois hospital earns an F for safety, while another climbs from an F to an A in new ratings: Roseland Community Hospital was the only hospital in Illinois to earn an F this spring. Meanwhile, St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center in Englewood earned an A for safety, after getting an F just two years ago.
* SJ-R | Horace Mann moving forward with parking lot, DiCenso calls action ’shameful’: Dave Leonatti, a Springfield architect and vice president of the Heritage Foundation, said he wasn’t surprised Horace Mann continued with demolition and that the company, outside of meeting with his group, has shown “little interest in being a good downtown neighbor.”
* Ohio Capital Journal | Billionaire backing effort to raise Ohio amendment threshold funded election deniers, Jan. 6 rally: The Columbus Dispatch last week reported that Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein had donated more than $1 million to a PAC supporting the effort to require 60% of the vote to pass a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment, as opposed to the current 50% requirement, which has been in place since 1912. Even though proponents want to make future amendments 20% harder, the one they’re pushing can pass with just the current 50% threshold.
* NBC Chicago | Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson Releases Details on Inauguration Day Festivities: According to Johnson’s inaugural committee, the swearing-in ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Credit Union 1 Arena, formerly known as the UIC Pavilion. Johnson will take his oath of office during the event, along with members of the Chicago City Council and citywide elected officials, including Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and City Clerk Anna Valencia.
* Sun-Times | Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson names Fred Waller as interim police superintendent: Johnson made the announcement at a downtown news conference Wednesday morning. “He is deeply committed to accountability, collaboration and excellence, which will set the tone for the entire department during this crucial interim period,” Johnson said.
* Crain’s | Merchandise Mart’s landlord Vornado looks to unload office buildings at depressed prices: Occupancy rates and cash flows are falling while borrowing costs march higher along with interest rates. Last week Vornado suspended its dividend payout to conserve cash. Its stock price, at $13.80 a share, is the lowest since 1996 and fell by another 6% Tuesday as executives acknowledged they may have to part with properties at prices they wouldn’t have considered before.
* Block Club | Chicago Is About To Have The Gayest City Council In The Country: The number of openly LGB-identifying alderpeople in Chicago will grow from seven to nine, comprising one-fifth of the council, when members are sworn in May 15. No openly transgender or nonbinary alderpeople have been elected in Chicago.
* Sun-Times | Amtrak now offering faster trains between Chicago, St. Louis: Right now, the fastest trains between the two Midwest cities take a little more than five hours — about as long as it takes to drive, said Marc Magliari, an Amtrak spokesman. “The goal is to make it demonstrably faster than driving,” Magliari said. For now, the rail service isn’t making any changes to the scheduling for those trains. “Trains will continue to operate at 110 mph for several weeks without a change in schedule to ensure everything on the system is running properly and to monitor the actual travel time between stations,” John Oimoen, Illinois Department of Transportation’s deputy director of rails, said in a statement.
* Sun-Times | Jerry Reinsdorf and the truth make an appearance as the White Sox struggle: The Sox usually do one of two things when media members want to talk with Reinsdorf about an underperforming team: They either refuse all interview requests for the man in charge or they choose a reporter they consider a friend of the program so Reinsdorf can take his cuts at softball questions. But put him in front of a crowd of smiling, nodding, lanyard-ed conference goers, and here comes the unfiltered truth. He told them about the importance of having faith in the people who work for him. As followers of the Bulls and Sox know, this is one of Reinsdorf’s great weaknesses. He gets comfortable with his front-office staff and does nothing when, year after year, nothing resembling a championship is in sight. This is how it has been with Rick Hahn. Since he became the Sox’ general manager in 2013, they’ve had a winning record just twice.
* NPR | Elon Musk threatens to reassign @NPR on Twitter to ‘another company’: In a series of emails sent to this reporter, Musk said he would transfer the network’s main account on Twitter, under the @NPR handle, to another organization or person. The idea shocked even longtime observers of Musk’s spur-of-the-moment and erratic leadership style.
* AP | Facebook misled parents, failed to protect privacy of children using its Messenger Kids app, FTC says: U.S. regulators say Facebook misled parents and failed to protect the privacy of children using its Messenger Kids app, including misrepresenting the access it provided to app developers to private user data. As a result, The Federal Trade Commision on Wednesday proposed sweeping changes to a 2020 privacy order with Facebook — now called Meta — that would prohibit it from profiting from data it collects on users under 18. This would include data collected through its virtual-reality products. The FTC said the company has failed to fully comply with the 2020 order.
* NBC Chicago | Illinois State Fair Announces New Headliners for Grandstand Concert Lineup: The Illinois State Fair announced new headliners on the grandstand concert lineup, adding Nelly, Ashanti and Ja Rule to the list. The newly scheduled performances will take place on Aug. 20 and tickets are set to go on sale Friday.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I followed up with one of the House Republicans who issued a press release after the ComEd Four verdicts to ask what ethics bills he supported. From his spokesperson…
Here is the full list of ethics reform bills filed by members of the Republican caucus:
HB 1641 (Wilhour) – amends the definition of “representation case” so that it includes going before local government and not just state agencies.
HB 2983 (Wilhour) – 3-year revolving door.
HB 3577 (Windhorst) – stricter ban on lobbying by legislators at the municipal, county, or township level
HB 3582 (Wilhour) – LIG doesn’t need the approval of the LEC to issue a subpoena. Requires the ethics commissions to make reports available within 60 days of receiving the report
HB 3756 (Ozinga) – LIG doesn’t need approval to issue a subpoena, and provides for the release of founded and unfounded reports
HB 3953 (Wilhour) – Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act to expand the definition of “officials” to include more positions at the local level. Expands the definition of lobbying regarding what is considered lobbying.
HB 3956 (Wilhour) – Adds more items for disclosure for the Statement of Economic Interest
* The Question: Which, if any, of these ideas do you support the most and which, if any, do you oppose? Make sure to explain your answers, please. Thanks.
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* Always a good idea to pass an ordinance that your corporation counsel considers illegal…
Abortion has become a fiery topic for the City of Danville. On Tuesday night, Danville City Council voted to pass an ordinance that would prohibit the shipment of abortion pills, such as Mifepristone, to the city.
Council members voted 7 to 7 with Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr. casting the deciding vote in favor of the ordinance. […]
James Simon, Corporation Counsel, with the city’s legal division also says legally, it does not add up.
“I do not believe under Illinois law or federal law that this is ordinance is legal,” said Simon.
* WCIA…
OB/GYN Dr. Bethany Halloran described other uses for medications restricted by the ordinance, and said: “Put simply, it will unnecessarily endanger the lives of women and could very well lead to preventable death.”
The city’s Corporation Counsel James Simon called the ordinance “poorly written,” saying it would still interfere with the mailing of medications that could be used both for abortions and the treatment of other conditions. He also stated during the meeting he believes it is illegal under state law, namely the Reproductive Health Act and related provisions, and wouldn’t be protected by the federal Comstock Act if the city is sued.
Audience members who spoke in support of the ordinance cited religion, morals and feelings of guilt they say women can have after receiving an abortion as reasons they believe voting “yes” is the right thing to do.
* This was an odd amendment…
Before its passage at a lengthy meeting attended by hundreds, the council amended the ordinance so that it wouldn’t go into effect until the city “obtains a declaratory judgment from a court” that the ordinance can be enacted and enforced. All court appeals must also be exhausted before the measure can go into effect, city officials said.
Some aldermen seemed to believe adding this language might help protect the city from legal action. In a recent letter to city leaders, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois threatened that passing the ordinance or attempting to enforce it “will do nothing other than expose the city to significant legal liability and fees.”
Shortly after the council approved the measure — even with the amendment — the ACLU of Illinois put out a statement calling it “an unlawful and unenforceable ordinance to limit access to abortion in the city.”
Full ACLU IL statement…
Earlier this evening, the Danville City Council after a long community discussion voted to approve an ordinance that would declare the community a “sanctuary city for the unborn” and attempts to place limits on abortion care in the community. The ordinance is illegal under Illinois law. The following can be attributed to Ameri Klafeta, director of the Women’s and Reproductive Rights Project Director at the ACLU of Illinois:
Today the Danville City Council adopted an unlawful and unenforceable ordinance to limit access to abortion in the city. Illinois has explicitly protected the right to abortion in this state, free from governmental interference, and Danville’s vote today is in clear violation of that law. We are evaluating next steps to challenge this unlawful ordinance.
* One of the chief architects of the Danville ordinance is Mark Lee Dickson, who founded the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative. More about Dickson…
Since 2019, Dickson and his partner, the former Texas solicitor general Jonathan F. Mitchell, have persuaded 65 cities and two counties to adopt the bans, almost entirely in sparsely populated rural areas. […]
In the past six months, the pair also have lobbied cities to adopt ordinances based on the 19th-century Comstock Act, which prohibits the shipment of “obscene” and “lewd” materials, including instruments, drugs and information related to abortion and contraception. While the law has not been enforced in decades, it remains on the books. […]
By and large, they also have not prevented people from getting abortions, said Andrea Miller, the president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health, an advocacy group. The existing ordinances collectively cover a population of fewer than 1 million people — mostly in states that already restrict abortion, or in rural communities that lack access to reproductive health clinics, she said.
That all changed with the Danville ordinance because it’s intended to stop a clinic from opening.
* Protesters on both sides gathered last night…
* Personal PAC CEO Sarah Garza Resnick…
The passage of this ordinance is an overt attempt to restrict the personal rights of residents of Danville and the surrounding region. It is also a blatant violation of the Illinois Constitution and the Illinois Reproductive Health Act, and will surely lead to legal action against the City of Danville. Danville voters should know that Mayor Williams and the seven members of City Council who cast aye votes on this ordinance will undoubtedly cost them untold taxpayer dollars in litigation fees when advocates to protect our rights inevitably file suit. The movement to protect reproductive rights isn’t backing down.
…Adding… Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez…
“I’m thankful for all of our partners at Personal PAC and the advocates at Planned Parenthood of Illinois and the ACLU of Illinois who work hard everyday to ensure reproductive freedoms are safe and secure in our state. While it’s become abundantly clear that women’s and reproductive rights will continue to face threats from the right as we navigate a post-Roe world, I am equally confident that these attempts to strip away civil liberties will never go unchallenged in Illinois. DPI will continue to defend our most fundamental freedoms against attacks from regressive politicians at every level of government,” said DPI Chair Lisa Hernandez. “People in every corner of Illinois, as well as those who come seeking refuge from retrograde laws in our neighboring states, must have access to abortion. I am deeply disappointed by the Danville City Council’s decision to strip away bodily autonomy from thousands of women in the area. This is an extreme overstep which prioritizes the Council’s personal beliefs over the wellbeing of the local community.”
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* Sun-Times…
Local and state officials are investigating whether neglect by new management was the reason a Lincolnshire nursing care facility with 104 residents was so understaffed that three residents had to receive care at a nearby hospital.
A contract employee at the facility at 150 Jamestown Lane called 911 for help Monday morning after no medical staff and only about one-third of the facility’s total employees arrived for duty, Lincolnshire police and Illinois Department of Public Health officials said Tuesday.
Monday was the first day The Wealshire LLC took over as the facility operator from the previous owner, Warren Barr Rehab Facility, said Lincolnshire Deputy Chief Kimberly Covelli.
* IDPH is investigating. Here’s the press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has opened an investigation into a nursing home in Lincolnshire after receiving reports yesterday that there were no medical staff on duty at Warren Barr Lincolnshire, a skilled nursing facility licensed to house 144 beds at 150 Jamestown Lane.
IDPH nursing home surveyors responded immediately to the home Monday morning after being alerted to the lack of clinical care staff. The Lincolnshire Fire Department EMS units also responded to the home to assist in caring for residents. When IDPH staff arrived, they encountered the facility medical director who had arrived to check on patients and no nursing or other clinical staff on duty at the facility.
The IDPH surveyors assisted in assessing the facility for safety and quickly worked to contact staff who had previously worked at the facility. IDPH worked with the staff to develop a plan for continuing care coverage for the residents for the next 24 hours and through the next week. There were 104 residents in the home at the time.
“Our first priority was to ensure the care and well-being of all affected residents,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said. “A comprehensive review and investigation is underway. We are grateful for the swift response by local EMS and police officials in Lincolnshire, as well as our sister agency, the Illinois Department on Aging, all of whom assisted in responding to this urgent issue.”
IDPH is investigating a failure to provide adequate staff and to provide for the health and safety of residents under Illinois’s Nursing Home Care Act. The department is also coordinating the investigation with federal CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) which is responsible for long term care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The investigation will assess if penalties will be handed down, including the possibility of citations and monetary fines.
* Daily Herald…
Monday was the first day The Wealshire, LLC took over as the facility operator from the previous owner, Warren Barr Rehab Facility, said Lincolnshire Deputy Chief Kimberly Covelli. […]
Covelli said three residents were taken by paramedics from the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for medical treatment. At least two of the residents received the type of care they usually get at the facility when there are enough employees, Covelli said.
State officials said IDPH nursing home surveyors responded immediately to the facility Monday morning after being alerted to the lack of clinical care staff.
Employees who had worked under the previous owners were called in to help and provide proper care to patients at the facility. IDPH officials worked with staff to make a plan to provide care for the residents.
* ABC Chicago…
Ceil Barrie said when she came to move her parents out, she found nearly no staff on site, leaving some seniors without medical care for hours.
“It’s criminal that they left those people unattended for that long,” Barrie said. “Walked through the front doors, police everywhere, and then just an eerie, eerie silence.” […]
Residents were made aware of the ownership changes in two letters last week. Barrie said when she arrived, the place was nearly empty of all staff.
“People, that morning, were calling ambulances. They were calling 911 just to get their parents out because they needed care,” she said.
* CBS Chicago…
The care facility, previously called Warren Barr Lincolnshire sent a letter to patients and their families late last week, notifying them of an ownership change in two days.
Warren Barr was out and the Wealshire Rehab Center was in, with little explanation. The incoming owner, Arnie Goldberg followed up with his own letter to residents: “The memory care facility would suddenly now be “devoted to kidney and cardiac rehabilitation” instead.
The letter was enough for Ceil Barrie to decide to move both of her parents out.
“There were a few red flags that something wasn’t quite right,” Barrie said.
On May 1st, the ownership transition was set to take place, the same day Barrie was moving her parents out.
…Adding… Press release
State Senator Julie Morrison is calling on the Warren Barr Lincolnshire nursing facility to ensure residents have 24/7 access to critical care staff, following reports that staff numbers were at dangerously low levels Monday morning.
“There is absolutely no excuse for medical staff to be at dangerously low levels,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Nursing home management has a duty to provide around the clock care. A delay in care could be the difference between life and death.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health opened an investigation into the Lincolnshire Nursing Home after reports that there was a lack of clinical care staff to help the facility’s 104 residents Monday. The agency quickly worked to develop a plan for continuing coverage and is launching a full investigation into the matter.
Morrison thanks IDPH for taking swift action, but is calling upon Warren Barr Lincolnshire to improve its operations so a future tragedy doesn’t occur.
“Our state’s most vulnerable residents are often in nursing homes for access to 24/7 care and assistance,” Morrison said. “The issue at Lincolnshire should have never happened in the first place – and we must ensure it never happens again.”
Morrison will continue to monitor the situation and work with IDPH to ensure residents are cared for.
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* We’ve talked about this before, but the CTBA has taken a new look at the Rauner-era school funding ramp…
Hi Rich,
Sending along the release from the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (CTBA), attached, and the link to the report released today - Fully Funding the Evidence-Based Formula: FY 2024 Proposed General Fund Budget – which finds that Illinois’s K-12 funding formula remains short of its goal of ensuring every school in the state has the capacity to meet the educational and social-emotional needs of all children it serves.
If Illinois continues its current rate of increasing its annual investment in the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act (EBF), the legislation will not be fully funded in real, inflation adjusted terms until 2038, which is over a decade later than what the legislation calls for. The EBF was passed by the Illinois Legislature in 2017. CTBA’s report recommends that the state’s annual increases in funding for the EBF grow from $300 million to $500 million. That bump in the rate of investment would fully fund the EBF by 2031, and not only benefit districts across Illinois, but also save a full generation of students from attending an underfunded public school system.
An earlier report from CTBA, Educating Illinois: A Look at the Evidence-Based Funding Formula, underscores the value of the EBF: it is working to close Illinois’ significant and inequitable funding gaps between schools in property-rich and property-poor districts, as well as between schools in predominantly white communities and schools that serve predominantly students of color.
Many thanks,
Rick
= = = = = = = =
Richard Melcher
Principal
Melcher+Tucker Consultants
* From the study…
The EBF establishes two ongoing funding metrics for state-level investments in K-12 Education. First, the EBF sets a target of having state-level formula funding for K-12 Education increase on a year-to-year basis by at least $300 million (the “Minimum Target Level”). Note that is $50 million less than the $350 million amount actually specified in Section (g) of the EBF. The reason for this is the Property Tax Relief Grant or “PTRG” established in paragraph 9.5 of Section (g) of the legislation.
Under the statute, the dollar amount of any year-to-year increase in funding the state appropriates to the EBF in a given fiscal year that is in excess of $300 million, up to and including $350 million, is dedicated to the PTRG— not to formula funding. This creates up to $50 million for property tax relief under the EBF for the fiscal year in question. The statute further provides, however, that if any of the funding earmarked for the PTRG is not actually used for property tax relief in a given year, then such unused PTRG revenue will be distributed to school districts as additional formula funding
This effectively reduces the state’s Minimum Target Level for increased, year-to-year formula funding from the $350 million specified in statute to $300 million each fiscal year. And that is precisely how the EBF has been interpreted by the Illinois State Board of Education (“ISBE”) since the EBF was first implemented in FY 2018. […]
Given its current, flawed tax policy, Illinois state government lacks the financial wherewithal to fund the EBF [$1.149 billion each year] by the statutory deadline—or even within a reasonable period of time. Building the state’s fiscal capacity to invest an adequate amount of funding in education within a reasonable period of time is an urgent matter. Which is why it is imperative that legislators in both parties drop partisan differences and work with the governor to resolve the state’s fiscal shortcomings as soon as practicable. Illinois’ school children should not have to wait another two decades to receive an adequately funded public education
* From the statute…
The purpose of this Section is to ensure that, by June 30, 2027 and beyond, this State has a kindergarten through grade 12 public education system with the capacity to ensure the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities in accordance with Section 1 of Article X of the Constitution of the State of Illinois.
Thoughts?
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Meanwhile, in Opposite Land…
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* North Carolina…
Republican lawmakers in the North Carolina General Assembly have reached a deal on legislation that would place restrictions on most abortions after 12 weeks.
Assuming the agreement holds, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, who has worked to enshrine abortion rights, would be unable to block the legislation due to a veto-proof GOP supermajority in the state that was reached last month after a Charlotte-area Democrat switched parties.
Senate Bill 20, dubbed the “Care for Women, Children and Families Act,” bans any licensed physician from performing surgical abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy. It provides exceptions in the case of rape and incest through 20 weeks of pregnancy or in the event of a “life-limiting anomaly” through 24 weeks. […]
The bill would additionally prohibit any health care provider who objects to abortion “on moral, ethical, or religious grounds” from being required to participate in medical procedures that would result in an abortion.
* Florida via Politico…
Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature agreed on Tuesday to shield the publicly-funded travel records of Gov. Ron DeSantis, giving his administration a way to block inquiries from the media and political opponents ahead of an expected run for president.
The far-reaching bill would not only apply to DeSantis’ future movements but also could be used retroactively to deny access to information on trips he’s already taken.
GOP legislators muscled the bill through just days after lawmakers agreed to change state law to ensure that DeSantis doesn’t have to resign if he becomes the Republican nominee for president. Taken together, the moves by the GOP-controlled Legislature pave the way for DeSantis to more easily jump into the presidential race and prevent further scrutiny of his travel.
The House approved the bill by an 84-31 vote along long strict party lines — and there were four votes above the required two-thirds threshold needed to enact a public records exemption since Florida has some of the strongest open records laws in the country. Republicans gained supermajorities in the House and Senate last November at the same time voters overwhelmingly elected DeSantis to a second term.
* More from Florida…
Deborah Dorbert’s son Milo died in her arms on March 3, shortly after he was born, just as her doctors had predicted he would. […]
She said her pregnancy was proceeding normally until November, when, at 24 weeks, an ultrasound showed that the fetus did not have kidneys and that she had hardly any amniotic fluid. Not only was the baby sure to die, her doctors told her, but the pregnancy put her at especially high risk of preeclampsia, a potentially deadly complication.
Her doctors told her it was too late to terminate the pregnancy in Florida, which bans nearly all abortions after 15 weeks. The only options were to go out of state to get an abortion or to carry the baby to full term, and Dorbert and her husband didn’t have the money to travel.
What followed was an agonizing 13 weeks of carrying a baby she knew would die and worrying about her own health. It left Dorbert with severe anxiety and depression for the first time in her life.
* Louisiana…
Louisiana legislators joined the national debate on if transgender minors should have access to gender affirming care. The debate was a long and tense debate over conflicting statistics and passionate pleas from the transgender community.
HB463 State Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, would punish doctors who provide gender affirming care which includes hormone treatments and gender reassignment surgery to minors. Already parents have to give permission for kids to get the care.
Firment made claims people are against the bill because it makes them a profit and claimed a lot of the statistics from doctors who treat transgender kids are not accurate. […]
Discussion from those in favor of the bill talked about kids regretting their transition and misinformation spread about the percentage of transgender people de-transitioning. The percentage point varied from speaker to speaker. Proponents for the bill brought in two young women who have testified across the country about having negative experiences transitioning young and have de-transitioned.
Parents of transgender kids talked about how it is already a years-long process to get access to hormones and surgery is in most cases off the table for kids. One parent said the conversation around the hormones being prescribed without care is not what they experienced and his child even struggled to get access to the treatment.
* Texas…
A Texas bill calling for the abolition of the position of elections administrator in Harris County is inching closer and closer to final passage after a Monday vote moved the legislation out of the Texas House Elections Committee. Senate Bill 1750 already passed the Senate on April 18. House Bill 3876, an identical piece of legislation, will be up for debate in the House Chamber.
The measures call for the “abolition” of election administrators in counties with populations larger than 1,000,000—a metric that only applies to Harris County, which Republican state lawmakers have taken a keen interest in in the aftermath of the 2022 midterm elections.
Local and conservatives have keyed in on paper ballot shortages and a number of voting machine malfunctions that were reported at a small number of polling locations on Election Day— incidents that prompted a district judge to extend voting by 1 hour at Harris County polls. Since then, the Harris County Elections Office report concluded that they couldn’t determine if potential voters were pushed away because of the issues at polling centers.
In the aftermath, a number of Houston Republican candidates who lost their races filed lawsuits against the county, alleging that those issues led to them losing on election day. They have requested to overturn the election results and redo their races.
* Montana…
A judge ruled on Tuesday against a Montana legislator who had sought a court order allowing her to return to the House of Representatives after she was barred during an escalating standoff over her remarks on transgender issues.
The lawmaker, Representative Zooey Zephyr, was ousted from the Republican-controlled chamber last week after making impassioned comments against a ban on hormone treatments and surgical care for transgender minors. The remarks led Republicans to silence her during debates on other legislation, prompting protests and arrests.
Ms. Zephyr, a Democrat from Missoula who is transgender, filed the lawsuit on Monday arguing that her rights had been violated, along with those of her 11,000 constituents. “I’m determined to defend the right of the people to have their voices heard,” she posted on Twitter. A spokeswoman for the state’s Republican attorney general called the legal action “political activism masquerading as a lawsuit.”
Judge Mike Menahan, who served in the House as a Democrat before being elected to the state’s First District Court a decade ago, said in a five-page order issued late Tuesday that he did not have the authority to intervene in the legislative dispute.
* Zephyr has been working outside the House chamber…
On Thursday, Zephyr started working on a bench just outside the House floor the day after her censure, although the Speaker first tried to stop her from using the space to work. On Monday, women who identified themselves as wives of legislators but did not wish to provide their names, sat on the bench Zephyr had been working on– one of them had a name tag that read Beth Hinebauch, which identified her as the wife of Sen. Steve Hinebauch, R-Wibaux. Darin Gaub, director of Montana’s Freedom Caucus Network, also sat on the bench. The women denied that they were making a statement by sitting on the bench, but said they were aware that Zephyr had been working there. They asked where else they could go, although seats were available outside the Senate Chamber.
Zephyr tweeted in response to the bench she’d been using being occupied, saying “some folks showed up early this morning and sat on the public benches near the entrance to the House, so Seat 31 has moved.”
“I’m up and ready to work. Plus, I hear stand desks are all the rage these days.”
* Kansas…
As officials strain to discern the impact of a sweeping proposal enacted last week that could affect transgender Kansans in virtually every facet of life, the clearest effect could well be on identification documents, such as driver’s licenses and birth certificates. […]
The bill has the impact of effectively counting transgender individuals for data collection purposes based on their sex assigned at birth, as well as requiring a whole host of state agencies to do the same. The bill also could restrict transgender individuals to using public facilities that align with their sex assigned at birth. […]
A spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Revenue said the agency was reviewing the bill ahead of July 1 and “will take the time to review the language as it pertains to the driver’s license act and make adjustments as necessary.”
Advocacy groups have urged transgender and gender non-binary Kansans to change their driver’s license or birth certificate before July 1, if they had considered doing so previously.
* South Carolina…
Democrats in the South Carolina Senate turned debate about a bill to set guidelines for history curriculum on subjects like slavery and segregation into discussion about why the body can’t take a vote on a hate crimes bill.
South Carolina and Wyoming are the only states in the U.S. without a law allowing extra punishment for hate crimes — which a judge or jury determines were motivated by hate over someone’s race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or physical or mental ability.
For the past three years, a hate crimes bill has made it through the South Carolina House and to the Senate floor, only to stop there. The outlook for the bill this year is grim. The Republican-dominated chamber has not held any debate or brought the proposal up for a vote despite the support of survivors of a racist attack that killed nine at a Charleston church, in addition to business leaders.
“You look at the news all day long, I think we can agree, hate is all around us. Hate exists. So why is this bill more important than the hate crime legislation?” Democratic Sen. Kevin Johnson asked.
“This bill actually has the potential to address hate,” said Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, about allowing students to come to their own conclusions based on facts about the history of slavery and segregation. “That bill doesn’t. That bill isn’t going to change how people act.”
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WAND…
Illinois Senate Democrats hope a new piece of legislation will create racism-free schools across the state.
Sen. Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) introduced a bill this spring requiring all Illinois schools to create, implement, and maintain at least one written policy prohibiting discrimination and harassment against students based on race, color, or national origin.
This proposal also bans retaliation against students who submit complaints to school administrators.
“This is a bill that would define racial discrimination, prohibit it in schools, and provide an avenue for some restitution and correction of that behavior,” Murphy explained Tuesday. […]
Senate Bill 90 passed out of the Senate Education Committee on a 11-3 vote. The plan now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration.
* HB4041 was introduced last month and has been referred to Rules. The Chicago Tribune…
Illinois may legalize online sports betting on in-state college teams, with HB4041 currently under deliberation. Right now, you can only bet on teams like Illinois football or Northwestern basketball at in-person sportsbooks. […]
Under the bill, mobile sportsbooks could offer pre-game betting or Tier 1 wagering on the 13 schools that play Division I basketball and the seven FBS schools. Tier 1 betting is considered “determined solely by the final score or final outcome of the sports event and is placed before the sports event has begun,” so things like full game spreads and totals, not props.
Critically, Carroll’s bill does not include any language about player props and there has been much more substantial pushback against that type of betting. Of the nearly 40 states that have legalized sports betting, roughly half include provisions barring collegiate player props as university officials have cited concerns over student safety. […]
That push, however, has not swayed many university officials, including University of Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman. Whitman spoke on behalf of the 13 local schools against the expansion during the Tuesday hearing.
Whitman highlighted that colleges were not getting support from the state to diminish the mental health risks to students and noted a supposed uptick in social media bullying of student athletes in the wake of the 2021 sports betting expansion.
* Riverside-Brookfield Landmark…
The Illinois State Senate has passed, without a single dissenting vote, a bill that would make it more difficult for Lyons Township High School to sell the approximately 70-acre tract of undeveloped land it owns in Willow Springs.
The bill, which passed the state Senate on 55-0 vote on March 31, would limit how a school district can sell land and give other units of local government a right of first refusal.
If a school district wants to sell property under the provisions of the local government transfer act, according to the text of the bill passed by the Senate, it must get at least three appraisals of the land within the current zoning and must first offer the land to the municipality, park district or school district within whose boundaries the property sits at the median price set by the three appraisals.
The bill, which seems to be inspired by LTHS’ attempt to sell the Willow Springs property to an industrial developer, would give the village of Willow Springs a right of first refusal to buy the land at a lower price than what was offered to LTHS when the school put the land up for sale a few months ago.
* State Journal-Register…
Environmentalists rallied at the Capitol on Tuesday, urging lawmakers to pass legislation regulating the carbon capture and sequestration industry in Illinois.
Two bills were discussed during a brief rally held in front of the Lincoln statue, one which advocates support and another, which they claim is more industry-friendly, that they oppose. The bill they back is the Carbon Dioxide Transport and Storage Protections Act listed under Senate Bill 2421 and House Bill 3119.
Both pieces of legislation - sponsored by Sen. Laura Fine, D-Glenview and Rep. Ann Williams respectively - have yet to advance out of their chambers, but action could still happen before the May 19 spring session adjournment of the Illinois General Assembly. Lawmakers could tack the existing or modified language through an amendment to a shell bill- a tactic oft-seen near the end of legislative sessions. […]
The other set of bills, House Bill 2202 and Senate Bill 2153, have support from industry groups like Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, Navigator CO2 Ventures and the Illinois Manufacturers Association. Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, and Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago are the bills’ sponsors - neither making it to a full chamber vote so far this session.
* HB3296 passed 68-40 yesterday and now heads to the Senate. From WAND…
State lawmakers hope to raise the annual credit union regulation fee for the first time since 2008.
Credit union operators currently pay $140,000 to be regulated by the state. House Bill 3296 could adjust the fee cap to $210,000 based on the consumer price index.
Sponsors were able to negotiate this change with the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation and the Credit Union League. […]
Croke noted that Illinois has seen what happens when the financial industry isn’t regulated. However, House Republicans said they couldn’t support a fee increase.
* The Daily Northwestern…
In March, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a bill that would remove liability protections for ride-share companies such as Uber and Lyft.
Illinois does not currently classify ride-share drivers as “common carriers” like train conductors, airline pilots and taxi drivers. That means if a rider sues a driver, the company will not be held liable for any damages. The proposed legislation would remove this exemption.
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview), the House sponsor of the bill, said current legislation must be reformed to reflect the modern transportation market. […]
The bill currently awaits a vote in the Illinois Senate, scheduled for Wednesday. […]
The bill passed mostly along party lines, with some Republican state legislators voicing opposition to the bill. According to We Are Central Illinois, State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) called the legislation “another attack on the free market.” State Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Harrisburg) said on the House floor that increased regulation could drive Lyft and Uber away from Illinois.
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React to ComEd Four verdict
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From my in-box. We’ll start at the top with Gov. Pritzker…
Since taking office, Gov. Pritzker has advanced the cause of ethics reform in key areas, especially in bringing more transparency to the process and tightening requirements for lobbyists. The Governor believes we must restore the public’s trust in government and today’s verdicts are proof that no one is above the law.
Background:
Among the measures the Governor has taken:
• Increasing the level of detail required on statements of economic interest
• Increasing lobbyist disclosure requirement, including whether they are elected officials anywhere in Illinois, whether they are registered lobbyists in any unit of local government and whether they subcontract
• Requiring the Secretary of State’s office to create a publicly accessible and searchable database combining registered lobbyist disclosures, contributions by registered lobbyists and statements of economic interest
On top of those important reforms, the clean energy package signed into law by the Governor also included additional reforms to address transparency and reporting for public utilities and their lobbyists to address the alleged conduct cited in the deferred prosecution agreement involving Com-Ed.
* House Speaker Welch…
“At every step, I have emphasized the need for due process and that the federal courtroom was the appropriate venue for questions of guilt or innocence. After reviewing the entirety of the evidence, this jury has sent a clear message that the behavior of the defendants was criminal.
“Since my election as Speaker, I’ve been clear that restoring trust in government was paramount. I’m proud to stand with a new generation of leadership in Illinois who share these values.”
* Senate President Harmon…
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, issued the following statement regarding the verdict in the ComEd trial.
“The behavior brought to light and put on display at this trial was shockingly gluttonous and unhealthy to democracy. We’ve taken concrete steps to discourage bad behavior. But most importantly, I believe we have people committed to behaving better.”
* House Republican Leader McCombie…
After a nearly seven week trial that included testimonies from 50 witnesses and countless FBI recordings, House Republican Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement in response to the trial’s conclusion:
“We have had an opportunity to tackle ethics in our statehouse for years. This trial has been a costly seven week reminder of just what is wrong in state government. This guilty verdict has proven that the system of doing business in Springfield is broken. This should not have been the first step to rooting out corruption in Illinois, but after today, it is clear there must be a sense of urgency in bringing back the people’s trust in state government.”
* Senate Republican Leader Curran…
Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) offered the following response to today’s GUILTY verdicts in the ComEd corruption trial:
“Today’s verdicts show that no one is above the law, and I hope it will be a catalyst for changing how business is done in Illinois government. We need real reforms that shine a light on the process and confront the culture of corruption that has gone unchecked for decades. It’s time to restore the public’s trust in their state government.”
* Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro…
On Tuesday, Rep. Sanalitro (R - Bloomingdale) released a statement regarding the return of the guilty verdicts in the ‘ComEd Four’ trial.
“A culture of self-dealing was allowed to thrive in the environment of secrecy created by former leadership. I look to spend my time as a State Representative contributing to a new era where service to the public is more common than service to oneself.”
* Rep. Rosenthal…
Following the announcement of the verdict in the “ComEd Four” trial, State Representative Wayne Rosenthal (R-Morrisonville) issued the following statement in response:
“This is my second stint serving in the Illinois General Assembly, and the mob-like culture of corruption that Mike Madigan allowed to spread has been little changed,” said Rosenthal. “Until Democrats get serious about ethics reform, there will be more trials like this, and trust in state government will continue to fall, if that’s even possible. The people of Illinois deserve better, and I will keep fighting for the serious reform we need.”
* Rep. Wilhour…
State Representative Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) is issuing the following statement on the ComEd Four guilty verdicts today.
“When everyday citizens have the opportunity to see how business in Springfield gets done, people go to prison.
Justice is being served with this guilty verdict, but the question needs to be asked, what will change in Springfield as a result of these convictions? If recent history is any indication, the answer is nothing. The influence peddling is as bad as it ever has been. Self-dealing, influence peddling, and backroom cronyism are the norm, not the exception, in Illinois.
Our state was held hostage to special interests before the ComEd Four went to trial, and we are still being held hostage. When Former Speaker Michael Madigan goes to jail, we will know things are really serious.
If we are going to move forward with credibility in this state, we need to enact the toughest anti-corruption laws in the nation to ensure these corrupt scumbags never have power over the citizens of Illinois again.”
I’ve asked his spokesperson whether he has reported his “The influence peddling is as bad as it ever has been” observations to the FBI. I’ll let you know if I get a response.
* Sen. Chesney…
On Tuesday, the “Com-Ed 4” were found guilty on all counts. In response to the verdicts, State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) issued the following statement:
“Justice was delivered today as key players in Illinois’ Com-Ed scandal were finally held accountable for crimes that have eroded the public’s trust in the utility giant and in their state government. There is a complicated and complex pay-to-play system in place at the Statehouse, and this verdict highlights how pervasive this culture of corruption is in Springfield. I applaud the jury for their decision to find all four defendants guilty on all counts related to their involvement in a multi-year conspiracy to bribe former House Speaker Mike Madigan in exchange for favorable votes on legislation that benefitted Com-Ed.
“With the arrival of these verdicts, I hope the majority party will finally recognize that Republican efforts at ethics reforms can no longer be swept under the rug and ignored. I believe Illinoisans will be outraged by the guilty verdicts and will demand action. With three weeks remaining in the legislative session, we still have time to pass meaningful reforms. We’ve seen huge legislation pushed through in a matter of hours, so there’s no excuse why we can’t approve sweeping ethics reforms prior to our May 19 adjournment.
“Government should be transparent. That means that major pieces of legislation should be developed and debated in the public eye rather than behind the scenes and in back rooms. By focusing on transparency, special interest groups and the politically connected cannot woo legislators into voting in favor of their legislative priorities.”
* Rep. Weber…
Following the announcement of the verdict in the “ComEd Four” trial, State Representative Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa) issued the following response:
“Today’s verdict in the ‘ComEd Four’ trial is a small victory for the people of Illinois, but it can’t stop here,” said Weber. “Hardly anything has changed to Illinois’ weak ethics laws since Mike Madigan left office, and we must act to stop this self-serving culture. This trial exposed the mobster mentality of self-dealing, pay-to-play politics, and it will happen again unless Democrats join us in passing the strict laws we need to hold politicians and lobbyists accountable to the people.”
* Rep. Ozinga…
Following the conclusion of the ComEd trial, State Representative Tim Ozinga (R-Mokena) released the following statement:
“This trial gave the public a look at the rampant corruption that plagues our state government, yet nothing in Springfield has changed to prevent this unethical behavior in the future”, stated Rep. Ozinga. “Numerous bills have been introduced to fix the problems that our state is facing, yet a majority of them never even made it to a vote on the House floor.
“It’s time for the politicians to begin holding themselves accountable for the years of corrupt and unethical behavior. Our state has many problems, but we will never be able to fix them until we pass serious and comprehensive ethical reform.”
* Rep. Fritts…
Following the conclusion of the ComEd trial, State Representative Bradley Fritts (R-Dixon) released the following statement:
“This trial is just one example of the disappointing and corrupt behavior that has plagued our state government for years,” said Rep. Fritts. “This is why I filed House Bill 2964, which would have placed term limits on leadership positions in the General Assembly. Unfortunately, this bill never moved past the Rules Committee. As members of the General Assembly, it is our responsibility to work together and finally pass some serious reform to prevent his corruption from continuing.
“To the people of District 74, I can promise that I will continue to act ethically in the Illinois General Assembly. As a representative of our community, it is my duty to uphold strong moral values, and to urge others to do the same.”
* Rep. Jed Davis…
Following the conclusion of the ComEd trial, State Representative Jed Davis (R-Yorkville) released the following statement:
“The ComEd Trial is just a small portion of the deep-rooted corruption in our state’s Democratic Party,” said Rep. Davis. “For years, the taxpayers of Illinois have seen indictment after indictment, with virtually zero ethical reform passed in the General Assembly.
“Enough is enough. It’s clear that Illinois Democrats are unable to police themselves. Now is the time for us to get serious about fixing corruption by working to pass a series of much-needed bills to end the shameful, unethical policies of the Madigan era.”
* Rep. Niemerg…
State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dietrich) is issuing the following statement on the guilty verdict of the ‘ComEd Four.’
“These convictions are certainly well-deserved, and when former House Speaker Michael Madigan is found guilty, we can close this chapter of corruption in Illinois. But we need to bring a permanent end to the culture of corruption that has become far too commonplace in Illinois. These convictions should not be the end of this story. If we want to close the book on corruption in Illinois, then we need to enact meaningful laws that will systematically end the pay-to-play politics culture in our state. If we do nothing, we are merely setting up a future ComEd Four scenario just with different people and different special interests. If we don’t take action and root out corruption in Illinois, these convictions will be for naught.”
* Rep. Ugaste…
In response to the conclusion of the infamous “ComEd Four” trial, State Representative Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) released the following statement:
“I have called the federal investigation of Mike Madigan a disgrace to our chamber and yesterday’s actions indict the culture of corruption that thrived under his inner circle. The public has now seen how influence was peddled for personal gain and self-dealing under Democrat supermajority control. Given the evidence at trial, is it any wonder the Republicans have spent so much of the last 15 years in the superminority.
“It’s obvious the Democrats will not police themselves and the taxpayers of Illinois cannot wait for comprehensive ethics reform any longer. Democrats need to get serious, work with Republicans on the ethics reform for which we have advocated for many years, restore the broken trust with the residents of Illinois and allow Illinoisans to fairly pick who represents them in Springfield after these shameful abuses of power.”
* Rep. Haas…
Following the conclusion of the “ComEd Four” trial, House Assistant Minority Leader Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) released this statement:
“Today’s court actions indict the culture of corruption that was allowed to thrive under Speaker Madigan’s inner circle. Illinoisans should be furious, and nothing has changed in Springfield to prevent this kind of behavior. We owe our constituents and taxpayers changes that create real accountability for these reprehensible actions; not actions like the Democrats’ so-called ethics reform bill that was so fundamentally flawed, the Legislative Inspector General resigned in protest.
“Unfortunately, though House Republicans introduced dozens of ethics and corruption reform bills, none have been addressed by supermajority Democrats. Democrats need to finally get serious about ethics reform in Illinois and do what’s right for the people of Illinois.”
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ComEd Four trial verdict coverage roundup
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Press releases with reactions to the verdict will be posted later this morning…
* Sun-Times | Jury convicts all four defendants in ComEd bribery trial — and fires a warning shot at Michael Madigan: That indictment was the result of an aggressive federal investigation into Chicago-style politics that has had Madigan at its center since 2014. It helped end Madigan’s record-breaking grip on power in the Illinois House of Representatives in January 2021. But it’s also clearly bound for the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and maybe beyond. The panel of seven women and five men listened over the last two months as lawyers battled in a 17th-floor courtroom at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse over the difference between honest, legal lobbying and criminal activity. In the end, the jury rejected the idea that the allegations amounted to politics as usual.
* Sun-Times | ComEd jurors say they didn’t believe the jobs and money that went to Madigan allies were just legal lobbying: During their weeklong deliberations, jurors “ached about” how the allegations crossed the line from legal lobbying into criminal activity, according to the jury foreperson, Sarah Goldenberg. “The term we reviewed heavily was goodwill, where goodwill is to have those relationships with representatives in the political arena for the benefit of the company you’re associated with. And we felt this went beyond goodwill to ‘intent to influence,’” said Goldenberg, a 34-year-old data analyst.
* Capitol News Illinois | ‘ComEd Four’ found guilty on all counts in bribery trial tied to ex-Speaker Madigan: Speaking to reporters after the verdict, jury member Amanda Schnitker Sayers said the jury grew to like the defendants over the course of the trial. “All in all, they’re good people that made bad decisions,” she said. Schnitker Sayers said the jury stayed away from discussing Madigan outside of his role in the case at hand, but said they came to believe the speaker’s involvement with ComEd “was key.” “He really did cause this all to happen,” she said. “If it wouldn’t have been for him, these people would not have been in the position that they would need to commit crimes in the first place.”
* Sun-Times | ComEd verdicts jolt Illinois political world — sparking strong reactions from Republicans (and a few Democrats): “Since taking office, Gov. Pritzker has advanced the case of ethics reform in key areas, especially in bringing more transparency to the process and tightening requirements for lobbyists. The Governor believes we must restore the public’s trust in government and today’s verdicts are proof that no one is above the law,” governor’s office spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said in a statement.
* CBS Chicago | Guilty verdict in ‘ComEd 4′ trial is likely to be bad news for Mike Madigan: “I don’t want to speak for the whole jury about Madigan, we tried not to discuss him as far as outside of this case. But his involvement with this case, of course, was key – and our perception was that he really did cause this all to happen,” said juror Amanda Schnitker Sayers. “If it wouldn’t have been for him, these people would not have been in this position they would need to commit crimes in the first place.”
* ABC Chicago | All defendants found guilty on all counts in ‘ComEd 4′ trial surrounding ex-Speaker Mike Madigan: “The state of Illinois unfortunately has a deep-seated public corruption problem. Corruption that erodes and eats away at the people’s confidence in their government and in their elected officials. Rooting out and prosecuting those who participate in that corruption has been, is and will continue to be the top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said acting US Attorney Morris Pasqual after the verdict was announced.
* WTTW | ‘ComEd Four’ Found Guilty of Conspiring to Bribe Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan: When Madigan said jump, MacArthur said, the defendants asked “how high.” Prosecutors argued the four did this through a number of means, including paying Madigan allies as ComEd subcontractors, who in turn would actually do little or no work for the utility company. They also allegedly offered a lucrative contract to a law firm run by Madigan ally Victor Reyes and fought to get Juan Ochoa appointed to the ComEd board of directors at the former speaker’s behest.
* WGN | ‘ComEd Four’ found guilty in bribery trial: Bhachu likened the alleged conspiracy to a toll that drivers pay to continue their journey on state highways, and suggested Madigan was the gatekeeper. “It was a corruption toll to make sure that Mr. Madigan was not an obstacle to their legislative agenda,” said Bhachu, according to the Chicago Tribune. “And they paid that toll every month, from 2011 to 2019, when they were caught.”
* Tribune | Illinois lawmakers react to ‘ComEd Four’ convictions and actions that led to them: ‘Shockingly gluttonous and unhealthy to democracy’: “How many indictments is too many? How many more court rulings do we need to make unethical behavior stop?” state House Republican Leader Tony McCombie of Savanna said at a GOP news conference following the verdicts. “There’s definitely some folks on the other side of the aisle that are honest, transparent and work in good faith. Now whether or not they can get the rest of the Democratic caucus to follow their lead will be the question that only time will tell.”
* WAND | Illinois House Republicans demand ethics reform following ComEd Four guilty verdict: Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) said the Legislative Inspector General should also be given subpoena powers to help the office perform thorough investigations and root out bad behavior. State senators voted on a joint resolution to appoint former judge Michael McCuskey as the next Inspector General on Feb. 16, 2022. Former Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope told state lawmakers in July 2021 that she would resign at the end of that year. She later pushed back her exit date, hoping to help a successor transition into the role.
* BGA | “ComEd Four” Trial Underscores Need for Strengthened Ethics Reforms: In response to today’s guilty verdict in the federal corruption of former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, lobbyist Mike McClain, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker, and former lobbyist and City Club president Jay Hooker, Better Government Association President David Greising said the following: “The jury’s guilty verdict on all counts strikes a blow against the culture of corruption that for years has robbed Illinois residents of their right to an honest and accountable government. It is a flat rejection of the claim that the systematic effort to corruptly influence House Speaker Mike Madigan was just ‘politics as usual.’ The jury spoke for all Illinoisans in demanding better from government officials, as well as from businesses and lobbyists who seek to influence policies that affect all Illinoisans, not just the connected, powerful and wealthy among us.”
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Open thread
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Hope ya’ll got some sleep after all of yesterday’s events. What’s going on Today?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Tribune | Defendants found guilty on all counts in ‘ComEd Four’ trial; juror says panel wanted ‘politics to run in a correct manner’: Found guilty of bribery conspiracy and falsification of business records were: Former ComEd contract lobbyist Michael McClain, 75, a longtime Madigan confidant; former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, 64; ex-ComEd executive John Hooker, 74; and Jay Doherty, 69, who worked as a lobbyist for ComEd for 30 years and served as president of the City Club of Chicago civic forum.
* Tribune | Staffers for Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch seek to unionize: The staffers, members of the newly formed Illinois Legislative Staff Association, issued a statement on Twitter saying that since Welch, a Democrat from Hillside, became speaker in early 2021, “it has been more of the same for his legislative employees.” “Many employees struggle to pay their bills, are forced to work overtime hours with little compensation, and work extra jobs to make ends meet,” the association said in a statement. “These conditions have led to unsustainable staff turnover and have impeded our ability to serve the people of Illinois.”
* WAND | Danville City Council votes to move abortion ban ordinance forward: Abortion has become a fiery topic for the City of Danville. On Tuesday night, Danville City Council voted to pass an ordinance that would prohibit the shipment of abortion pills, such as Mifepristone, to the city. Council members voted 7 to 7 with Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr. casting the deciding vote in favor of the ordinance.
* Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s IDOT secretary violated rules by letting high-ranking officials delegate duties to keep job options open, IG finds: Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman personally approved “blanket recusals” of certain duties for at least three employees who reported to him during his three-decade career at the agency, a direct violation of a policy prohibiting the practice. according to the report from the Office of Executive Inspector General.
* The Trace | Chicago’s Violence Prevention Committee Hasn’t Met in Nearly Two Years: Lance Williams, a professor at Northeastern Illinois University, said he wasn’t surprised to hear that the committee was no longer active. “To this day I think that the Lightfoot administration’s strategy to deal with gun violence was a public relations strategy,” Williams said. “They didn’t have a strategy to deal with the structural problem of violence and gun violence.”
* Sun-Times | South Shore leaders left out of city’s plan to convert high school into shelter for families seeking asylum: Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office is organizing a community meeting for 6 p.m. Thursday at the former South Shore High School at 7627 S. Constance Ave., according to an online invitation. Lightfoot’s office Tuesday wouldn’t confirm details of the plan.
* Crain’s | Kaegi moves to jack up Bears’ Arlington Heights tax tab: Kaegi concluded the property was worth not the $33.5 million that 2022 owner Churchill Downs’ taxes were based on but $197 million — almost exactly the $197.2 million the Bears paid Churchill Downs for the property in February. Assuming property taxes rise by the same proportion, the bill for the property would go from $2.75 million to an estimated $16.5 million.
* CBS Chicago | Advocates say Illinois’ system to help people with developmental disabilities needs fixing, funding: The advocates want the money to help stop the exodus of workers providing services for that community. But CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov found the problems are bigger than wages. The state is also in violation of a 12-year-old consent decree – leaving thousands without care.
* WTVO | Illinois drivers’ data at risk without funding for upgrades, warns Giannoulias: “We have no choice,” Giannoulias warned. “We have to this. We have over 2 billion pieces of data in the office from people’s driver’s license numbers, their social security numbers, their credit card information, very personal data, that is very susceptible to hacking and cybersecurity threats. So we have no choice. This is not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.”
* WLS | Most Asian Americans elected to Chicago city council, Illinois legislature in 2023: More Asian Americans, particularly women, have been elected to the Chicago City Council and Illinois state legislature, part of a new wave of Asian Americans serving in public office. Chicago Alderman Nicole Lee is the first Chinese American to represent the city’s 11th Ward, which is also the city’s first ever Asian American majority ward. But her history in the city is deep; some of her relatives are on display in the Chinese American Museum of Chicago.
* NYT | Seven Dead After Dust Storm Causes Crashes on Interstate 55 in Illinois: The death toll, which had previously been reported at six, rose on Tuesday, the state police said in a statement, because the severity of the crash had masked the additional victim’s remains.
* Daily Herald | Three Des Plaines aldermen move to disregard term-limit vote but come up short: “The passage of the binding referendum made the will of the voters clear,” Goczkowski said. More than 64% of Des Plaines voters favored a proposal on the April 4 ballot that strengthened the rules for term limits. It passed 2,857 votes to 1,590 votes. From now on, the mayor, the city’s eight aldermen and the city clerk are limited to two terms in each of those positions.
* Sun-Times | White Sox shuffle deck with 11 roster moves, top Twins for second consecutive win: On a night the Sox beat the Twins 3-2 in 10 innings for their first two-game winning streak of the season, the rash of moves points to where the Sox, still a woeful 9-21 after Andrew Benintendi’s walk-off single, were standing on the second day of May. Is there such a thing as two-game momentum?
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Live coverage
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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