* Illinois is apparently last in the nation for opportunity zones…
First, IRS data confirms the geographic reach of OZs is enormous. Nearly half of all OZs–roughly 3,800 communities–had received investment through 2020, less than three years after the policy took effect. For comparison, it took NMTC investment 18 years to achieve the same reach. pic.twitter.com/BwydW6Y3s5
Tillamook Creamery plans to expand its operations in 2024 by opening a new ice cream manufacturing facility in Decatur, Illinois, the Tillamook County Creamery Association announced on Tuesday. […]
The proposed Decatur plant was previously owned and operated by Prairie Farms, which used the location for ice cream production prior to closing the facility in 2022. TCCA said that it will spend the next 18 to 24 months upgrading the facility and bringing it up to its manufacturing quality standards.
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, said while he never felt intimidated by Madigan, he’s glad he’s not been asked to testify. He said the “ComEd Four” trial is on the top of mind of all legislators at the Illinois statehouse.
“And it’s a real life experience being played out to teach all of us a lesson,” Ford told WMAY.
Ford contends things have changed under new Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside.
“Speaker Welch is a collaborator. He works with his caucus and he does everything to get input and consensus on issues,” Ford said. “Madigan, he worked for consensus too, but … there were some things where he probably just persuaded and wanted it to happen because it was in his estimation time for it to happen.”
State Rep. Wayne Rosenthal, R-Litchfield, who is back in the legislature after eight years away, remembers Madigan always having somebody else being the messenger. He hopes the revelations from released tapes and the criminal cases bring changes to how the people’s business is handled in Springfield.
“When people look at that and they know that that gets highlighted, then maybe it changes their way of doing business,” Rosenthal told The Center Square. “We won’t know for sure for a while, but I think it’s got the opportunity to do that.”
Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas reported another big fundraising haul above $1 million just a few days after reporting a similarly big haul, extending his contribution domination in the runoff.
According to the latest A-1 report filed by Vallas For Mayor this morning, the campaign reported over $1.4 million in contributions from a long list of investors, unions, political action committees and individual contributors. It also further solidified Vallas as the choice of Chicago’s business leaders.
Dude can’t walk down the street without people throwing money at him these days.
Brandon Johnson, the real Democrat for mayor, today released a new TV ad –– “The Difference” –– highlighting the stark choice for Chicagoans this election. In the new spot, Johnson touts his public safety plan and how he will invest in a stronger Chicago without raising property taxes by making wealthy corporations pay their fair share.
I’m Brandon Johnson, the real Democrat for mayor, and here’s the difference.
I’m the only candidate for mayor with a plan to make Chicago safer by finally going after the root causes of crime.
And I’m the only candidate for mayor who won’t raise your property taxes.
My plan invests in our neighborhoods by making wealthy corporations pay their fair share.
The difference is real.
I’m Brandon Johnson, asking you to vote for a better Chicago.
* Sierra Club Illinois…
Today, Sierra Club Illinois announced a lawsuit against Prairie State Generating Co. (PSGC) for operating the Prairie State Energy Campus (PSEC) without a permit. Sierra Club’s lawsuit urges PSGC to cease operations until it obtains a lawful CAAPP (also known as a Title V) permit required by the Clean Air Act. The Prairie State coal plant is one of the dirtiest and deadliest plants in the United States.
“No plant is above the law, especially one that is among the most polluting coal plants in the country,” said Christine Nannicelli, Senior Campaign Representative for the Beyond Coal Campaign of Sierra Club Illinois. “PSEC’s owners, like the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) and the Northern Illinois Municipal Power Agency (NIMPA), are actively pursuing federal taxpayer subsidies and investors to install carbon capture technology at the plant. Prairie State should instead be focused on complying with basic environmental laws like the Clean Air Act, not pushing for more taxpayer subsidies for risky, expensive technologies.”
In 2021, Prairie State exceeded federal limits on mercury emissions for a month, prompting a Violation Notice from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), which was issued in January 2022. In 2022, Prairie State emitted almost twice as much carbon dioxide as the next biggest greenhouse gas polluter in the state, and has been the number one contributor in Illinois to ozone-forming nitrogen oxide pollution for the last six years. Soot pollution from the plant contributes to 76 premature deaths each year, making it one of the deadliest coal plants in the country, according to a recently released study on soot pollution from coal plants by the Sierra Club, which used triennial emissions inventory data.
“Prairie State is now on notice that it can no longer operate in violation of the Clean Air Act,” said Megan Wachspress, Staff Attorney with the Sierra Club Environmental Law Program. “A Title V permit is a fundamental operating requirement for major stationary sources under the Clean Air Act. These permits include limits on how much mercury, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide a plant is permitted to emit and impose monitoring and reporting requirements. The people of Illinois must also have the opportunity to comment on the terms of the Title V permit to ensure the IEPA protects their health from Prairie State. By filing this lawsuit, Sierra Club aims to protect Illinoisans and our environment from the Prairie State coal plant’s egregious, decade-long mismanagement and deadly pollution.”
The Prairie State coal plant is owned by nine utilities that serve 277 municipal utilities and rural electric cooperatives across eight states. The plant owners signed contracts directly or indirectly committing themselves to paying off the $5 billion price tag to build PSEC.
…Adding… From Prairie State…
The statement below should be attributed to Alyssa Harre, Vice President of External Affairs & Organizational Strategy for Prairie State Generating Company:
“Prairie State, a not-for-profit owned energy campus, is operating legally under a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). To comply with this permit, Prairie State installed and has maintained more than $1 billion in state-of-the-art emissions control technology and continuous emissions monitoring system.
This action by the Sierra Club’s California-based Environmental Law Program is a politically motivated attempt to circumvent the Illinois regulatory process, the consequences of which will bring instability to our electric grid to the detriment of the consumers we serve.
Prairie State remains committed to working with the IEPA to maintain compliance with environmental regulations and will not let this lawsuit distract from our mission of providing value to the communities served through the continued production of reliable and affordable power, all while providing jobs and maintaining economic prosperity for hardworking men and women across downstate Illinois.
As the lawsuit was filed today, March 22, Prairie State is currently reviewing the Sierra Club’s complaint and will respond through the appropriate channels.”
* Illinois State Board of Education press release…
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has highlighted Illinois as a national leader in advancing students’ mental health using Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds set aside for state use. The national education organization featured the Resilience Education to Advance Community Healing (REACH) Statewide Initiative, which is a collaboration between the Illinois State Board of Education and the Center for Childhood Resilience at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and other key partners, at its legislative conference in Washington, D.C., on March 21. The annual conference convenes state education agency leaders from all 50 states and additional U.S. territories to highlight best practices.
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced $175 million in available grant funding through the Back to Business (B2B) program. Following state recovery for businesses totaling nearly $1.5 billion, the latest American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) -funded opportunity is designed to provide additional support for the hardest-hit sectors, including restaurants (B2B Restaurants), hotels (B2B Hotels), and businesses or organizations in the creative arts sector (B2B Arts). To provide hands-on support and raise awareness about the program, the State has mobilized a network of more than 100 community navigators across Illinois.
“In the three years since COVID-19 brought our state, our nation, and our world to a standstill, Illinois businesses have come back swinging—in part thanks to our Back to Business program,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “My administration is committed to helping small business owners move past survival and onto long-term success—and this latest investment of $175 million in B2B grants does exactly that.”
As outlined in statute, B2B Arts and B2B Restaurants grant award amounts will be determined by revenue declines, as reflected on tax returns, and funding for hotels will be allocated by number of rooms. Applications are open from April 5 through May 10, 2023 and awards are expected to be made several weeks after the deadline date. All eligible applicants will receive a grant as long as the business meets eligibility requirements and submits proper documentation and attestations.
The program design is based on legislation establishing the Restaurant Employment and Stabilization Grant Program ($50 million), Hotel Jobs Recovery Grant Program ($75 million) and the Illinois Creative Recovery Grant program ($50 million). The funding is designed to offset losses and support job retention in the hardest-hit industries. […]
DCEO has enlisted a robust network of more than 100 community navigators to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance in the hardest hit communities. Community Navigators will be conducting outreach, hosting webinars, and supporting prospective applicants to prepare before the application opens on April 5, 2023. This is in addition to available small business support available through Illinois’ network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).
In order to manage a high volume of applications in a timely manner, DCEO has enlisted a program administrator – the National Community Reinvestment Coalition Community Development Fund (NCRC CDF) – to support with application review, provide technical portal support for applicants, manage the development of the application portal and provide support in processing payments.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Fox 2 | Illinois strengthens regulations on health insurance companies following Blue Cross Blue Shield investigation: Under the new rules, health insurance companies will need to clarify the distance a doctor is from a patient in their directory in two ways. One listing includes the distance between the patients address and the provider if a straight line was drawn between the two. The other is the distance and time it takes to drive to the provider’s office from the patients house. Before these new rules, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois was only including the former on their directories.
* Fox 2 | 2nd Illinois prison guard sentenced: According to the release, the government presented further evidence that Sheffler, as the lieutenant and senior officer to co-defendants Hedden and Banta, not only participated in the assault but had a duty to intervene to prevent it. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Earvin, including multiple broken ribs, a punctured mesentery (tissue in the abdomen), and other serious internal injuries, and resulted in Earvin’s death in June 2018.
* HuffPost | Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker Takes Swipe At Chicago Mayoral Candidate Paul Vallas: Pritzker campaign spokesperson Natalie Edelstein replied with a statement that both defended Pritzker’s conduct and took a subtle jab at Vallas, homing in on his affinity for right-wing talk radio. “Throughout the pandemic, Governor Pritzker spent every day fighting to save people’s lives and livelihoods,” Edelstein said. “He did it by following the advice of the nation’s best virologists and epidemiologists, many of whom are at Illinois’s world-class research institutions and hospitals.” “Leadership requires making tough choices and not pandering to the loudest voices driven by politics,” she added. “The next mayor of Chicago may be called upon to lead in a similar type of emergency and residents deserve to know if their next Mayor will listen to experts or instead to right wing talk show hosts when making decisions about people’s lives.”
* Tribune | Naperville stopped ticketing students at school. But it’s still pushing a 3-year-old case about AirPods to trial.: Her attorneys asked the judge at the end of February to dismiss the case, noting that the original ticket accused her only of having the classmate’s AirPods, not of intentionally taking them, which is required to prove theft. In response, prosecutor Joseph Solon Jr. updated Naperville’s allegation to state that Harris had “knowingly” taken the classmate’s AirPods. Judge Monique O’Toole set a hearing for next month to give Harris’ attorneys time to formally respond.
* Crain’s | State Farm nearly matches last year’s record pay for CEO despite deep losses: Unlike most companies its size, State Farm doesn’t pay its executives in stock as well as cash. As a mutual insurer, it’s technically owned by its policyholders and doesn’t have publicly traded shares to distribute to execs. So in recent years, State Farm has dramatically increased cash payouts to execs. In 2019 Tipsord’s total compensation was $10 million. That soared to about $20 million in 2020 and then $24.5 million in 2021, a record-setting payday for a State Farm CEO.
* Bob Seidenberg | ‘Neither solicited, nor requested,’ candidate says, turning back two large donations: Second Ward City Council member Krissie Harris said earlier today she has already taken steps to return a pair of $6,000 donations — the most allowed individuals under election law— that critics have maintained were being used to buy influence in Northwestern University’s stadium project. … Harris said the donations came in at a time when she had gone to the hospital for medical treatment, with members of her campaign team holding off notifying her about the money.
* AP | Federal Reserve raises its key rate by a quarter-point: At the same time, the Fed warned that the financial upheaval stemming from the collapse of two major banks is “likely to result in tighter credit conditions” and “weigh on economic activity, hiring and inflation.”
* Tribune | Chicago’s runoff election: Everything you need to know about races for mayor and aldermen: April 4 is the date of the runoff election and the deadline for a mail-in ballot to be postmarked in order for it to be counted. April 18 is the last day that mail-in ballots (postmarked by April 4) may arrive at the offices of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners to be included in the count.
* Tribune | Emergency injunction filed Tuesday to prevent imminent vendor lockout at Little Village Discount Mall: But for merchants, there’s a glimmer of hope, however temporary: They are now waiting on the Cook County Circuit Court to schedule an emergency hearing on their motion for a temporary restraining order. If vendors are locked out of the mall, the complaint filed Tuesday states, they would potentially face irreparable harm and suffer the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars of merchandise and goods, given that they operate on small margins and day-to-day sales.
* AP | 119K people hurt by riot-control weapons since 2015: The vast majority of the data comes from cases in which a person came to an emergency room with injuries from crowd control weapons and the attending doctor or hospital staff made the effort to document it, said the report’s lead author, Rohini Haar, an emergency room physician and researcher at the University of California School of Public Health in Berkeley.
* WSJ | Job Listings Abound, but Many Are Fake: Hiring managers acknowledge as much. In a survey of more than 1,000 hiring managers last summer, 27% reported having job postings up for more than four months. Among those who said they advertised job postings that they weren’t actively trying to fill, close to half said they kept the ads up to give the impression the company was growing, according to Clarify Capital, a small-business-loan provider behind the study. One-third of the managers who said they advertised jobs they weren’t trying to fill said they kept the listings up to placate overworked employees.
* Tribune | Fast-food giant McDonald’s named founding promotional partner of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race: The televised Cup Series event on July 2 will feature a 12-turn, 2.2-mile racecourse, with top NASCAR drivers navigating Grant Park on closed-off streets lined with temporary fences, grandstands and hospitality suites. McDonald’s will have branding on a section of the course, at the start/finish line in front of Buckingham Fountain and additional locations throughout the event’s footprint.
* Sun-Times | Dare I say it? The White Sox get more media attention in town than the Cubs do.: The Sox have been much more interesting than the Cubs for several years. Now, my definition of interesting and your definition of interesting might be completely different, especially if you fall heavily on the Cubs side of the Cubs-Sox demarcation in Chicago. Many Chicagoans do. But from a newspaper writer’s perspective, it’s not even close. The Sox are compelling. The Cubs aren’t.
The mayoral race in Chicago is going to really be interesting, I believe, for the future of Illinois. I’ve said it before, Brandon Johnson has the capability to be as bad if not worse than Lori Lightfoot. And interestingly enough, just yesterday, Pritzker kind of took a swing at Paul Vallas, the other gentleman. Basically, Paul Vallas is being supported by the police unions and Brandon Johnson is being supported by the teachers unions. And the teachers unions have spent, I think, upwards of $2 million supporting him. I want you to think about that, Chicago Teachers Union and the Illinois Education Association is doing the same thing supporting the same caliber of candidates across the state. So think about that. […]
So anyway, those are the things that I kind of wanted to mention be watching for the election coming up for the Chicago mayor’s race because that will be a tale that we will be able to tell if Chicago is remotely ready for change. If they elect Brandon Johnson, it’s going to be a dark day for not only Chicago, but Illinois I believe.
* Bailey didn’t actually “endorse” Vallas, but it was close enough for the Johnson campaign…
“I am proud to support a campaign that is opposed by Republican Darren Bailey. I was proud to support Governor Pritzker when Darren Bailey attacked our governor. And I am proud to support Brandon Johnson when Darren Bailey attacks our next mayor,” said Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “The choice is clear Chicago. Vote for the real Democrat, Brandon Johnson.”
“Paul Vallas followed up insulting Governor Pritzker with an endorsement from Trump Republican Darren Bailey. It is yet another example of why Paul Vallas is wrong for Chicago,” said State Sen. Omar Aquino. “Both Darren Bailey and Paul Vallas have said they think Chicago is a ‘hellhole.’ Enough. Paul Vallas must disavow all extremist right-wing support or admit he is unfit to represent Chicago’s diverse communities.”
“Darren Bailey compared abortion to the Holocaust and Paul Vallas said he is fundamentally opposed to abortion,” said State Rep. Kelly Cassidy. “Paul Vallas and Darren Bailey are two peas in a pod. This is just more proof that Paul Vallas is wrong for Chicago.”
“Both Paul Vallas and Darren Bailey have called our city a ‘hellhole’ and we all know that’s a dog whistle attack on our Black and Brown communities,” said Ald. Pat Dowell, Chair of City Council Budget Committee. “If you don’t love the people of Chicago, then you shouldn’t run for mayor or governor.”
Bailey’s endorsement was made this morning in a Facebook live post, where Bailey also commented that the Chicago mayoral race would be “interesting for the future of Illinois” before directly and repeatedly attacking Brandon Johnson. Bailey said if Brandon Johnson is elected “it’s going to be a dark day for not only Chicago but Illinois” while lifting up Paul Vallas and his backers.
* His spouse, Cindy, is also still stumping. This event was in GOP Sen. Jason Plummer’s district, which the Bailey’s live in. Maybe there’s something to the rumors about her state Senate campaign? I dunno, but stay tuned…
Thank you Marion County, for your continued pursuit of Freedom! I am grateful to my wonderful wife Cindy for speaking on my behalf! My granddaughter Claire accompanied her for the first time! God bless!!!
* This argument, particularly the last excerpted paragraph in Hannah Meisel’s report, is basically the heart of the government’s bribery case. ComEd had to do what Madigan wanted or it could “provoke a reaction”…
On Oct. 26, 2011, the General Assembly overrode then-Gov. Pat Quinn’s veto on the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act, also known as “Smart Grid.”
The override vote came one day after O’Neill agreed to execute a contract with the law firm Reyes Kurson, headed by Democratic operative and bigtime Madigan fundraiser Victor Reyes.
[Former ComEd general counsel Tom O’Neill] described himself as having “relented” after months of inquiries from McClain about whether ComEd’s legal department was going to retain Reyes Kurson, even in the middle of working “around the clock” on the Smart Grid veto override effort. […]
O’Neill was pushed to renew Reyes Kurson’s agreement in the coming months, he told the jury, noting McClain was “engaged, active, relentless at a point” in making the push. […]
Prosecutors sought to firm up O’Neill’s perception by next showing the jury an email McClain wrote to [then-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore] two days later. In the email, McClain admonished Pramaggiore that she had to get involved with the Reyes Kurson contract renewal, or else “provoke a reaction from our Friend” – a nickname McClain used often when speaking of Madigan.
So, I am trying to get my arms around it if you would allow me.
In 2011,we agreed to a contract with them for 850 billable hours of work for each year for three years. I am going through my notes so please forgive me. I may not be exactly accurate.
So, in 2011, because the contract began in the Fall there were no billable hours.
In 2012, we hired them for only 280 hours.
After you learned that we were terribly short on the hours in 2012, you may a concerted effort to use them more and they billed 910 hours in the calendar year, 2013.
In 2014, again with your efforts they billed 1,130 hours. In 2015, they billed 690 hours.
So, forget the exact three year contract for a minute. Three years at 850 hours would be approximately 2,550 hours. 2,550. If you add up the billable hours that my notes reflect, again, you probably have exact numbers they have billed 3,010. 3,010.
I think you said you liked their work.
So, I know you are concerned about how many hours to “guarantee” them. Do you intend to offer something less than 850 per year or could you give me some idea? I know I will hear about it no matter what.
So, I am not displeased. There is no doubt that the company has kept the spirit of their word with this Law Firm. They love working for the company. I think you are professionally okay with their work.
I just would like to get up to speed when you are ready.
I am sure your people may have different numbers or maybe I have done a better job than I thought.
Please advise when it is convenient. I know that Victor is nervous about keeping this relationship. He often talks to me about how great it is to work with your people.
McClain attorney Patrick Cotter promised jurors last week they would “hear no words” linking job recommendations from Madigan with any piece of legislation. The explicit connection has yet to be made, but prosecutors have seemed to work methodically to link the hiring pressure described by O’Neill to key bills.
“Well, I hate to bring this to your attention but I must,” McClain wrote [to Pramaggiore]. “Sorry. I am sure you know how valuable Victor is to our Friend.”
McClain added, “I know the drill and so do you. If you do not get involve [sic] and resolve this issue of 850 hours for his law firm per year then he will go to our Friend. Our Friend will call me and then I will call you. Is this a drill we must go through?”
Pramaggiore wound up forwarding McClain’s email to O’Neill without comment. O’Neill said he also wound up forwarding a separate email to Pramaggiore, without comment, that discussed ComEd’s consulting contract with Roosevelt Group, Reyes’ separate lobbying firm.
“Because I felt he was double-dipping,” O’Neill said.
Pramaggiore’s mantra, according to O’Neill, was essentially, “What’s important to the speaker is important to ComEd.” […]
The defendants’ attorneys contend that the so-called scheme was nothing more than legal lobbying, part of the state’s high-stakes, often-messy politics where myriad interest groups and stakeholders compete for access to lawmakers. […]
Though the contract was unusual because it guaranteed an amount of hours, O’Neill was careful to say that Reyes Kurson did perform for ComEd and that the utility was generally happy with their output.
* As an aside, check out this email. ComEd briefed Moody’s and S&P about their 2011 “formula rates” bill. One of the top items the ratings agencies asked about was “Madigan’s view.”
* Isabel’s coverage roundup…
* Sun-Times | Quinn endorses Vallas over Johnson in April 4 mayoral runoff: Quinn endorsed Vallas for mayor after extracting a promise to renegotiate the proposed franchise agreement with Commonwealth Edison that Lightfoot tried and failed to ram through the City Council in the waning weeks of her administration. Quinn called the ComEd bribery scandal surrounding Madigan — showcased by the ongoing federal corruption trial of the so-called “ComEd four” — the “biggest utility scandal in American history.” “People in Chicago and all over the ComEd service territory were bilked out of millions of dollars by a bribery scheme that went on for nearly a decade. We need a mayor of Chicago who’s gonna be tough on that kind of corporate crime just like street crime. Paul is the best person to do that. I know Paul 40 years. He’s not a shrinking violet,” Quinn, driving force behind the Citizens Utility Board, told the Sun-Times Wednesday. “We should call in the ComEd executives for hearings at City Hall to get to the bottom of what they were doing for almost ten years and specifically ask them why, in light of what they just testified the other day — that they were making record profits in 2022 — why they are not giving refunds to consumers and businesses from their ill-gotten profits,” Quinn said. “They made those profits through illegal conduct and bribery. That franchise agreement should be held up until it’s re-done … so consumers are treated fairly and the company doesn’t get away with highway robbery.”
* Capitol News Illinois | ComEd’s former top lawyer paints Madigan confidant as ‘double agent’ in testimony: O’Neill knew McClain had other corporate clients aside from ComEd as a contract lobbyist, but he also got the impression that Madigan was one of McClain’s clients. “By the way he conducted himself…he represented the speaker’s position on matters, to the point where it seemed like the speaker was his primary client,” O’Neill told the jury Tuesday.
* Center Square | In bribery case, prosecutors shift focus to former utility leader: Prosecutors spent several hours with O’Neill on the stand going through the passage of energy legislation in Illinois as they worked to establish a foundation for their case against former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker, former ComEd consultant Jay Doherty and former lobbyist and state lawmaker Michael McClain. All four have pleaded “not guilty” to conspiracy, bribery, and willfully falsifying ComEd books and records. ComEd is the state’s largest electric utility.
Today in unexpected Illinois "It's just a bill" news…On St Patrick's Day State Rep Cabello (R-Freeport) filed legislation to return the State's legal drinking age to 18? https://t.co/j1du4zkFYI
Today, State Representative Margaret Croke’s legislation to require the other party or intended parent to a pregnancy to pay at least 50% of the pregnant person’s expenses passed the Illinois House. The bill would require at least 50% of a pregnant person’s health insurance premiums not covered by an employer or government program and any medical costs incurred after conception until, and including, costs related to delivery to be covered by the other intended party. […]
The legislation, called the Pregnancy Expenses Act, would be incorporated into the Parentage Act of 2015, which currently allows for a parent to recover “reasonable expenses” incurred during the pregnancy if an action is brought within two years of a child’s birth. The bill is modeled after a similar piece of legislation passed in Utah last year.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where it is sponsored by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz.
* Illinois PIRG, Friends of the Chicago River…
Legislation to phase out the use of single-use plastic polystyrene foam foodware starting in 2024 advanced out of the Illinois House Thursday afternoon on an 67-43 vote.
The EPA estimates that Americans throw away almost 70 million plastic foam cups every day. Twenty-two million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes each year and just over half of that ends up in Lake Michigan alone. Already, eight states and roughly 200 cities and municipalities have enacted bans on polystyrene foam containers.
HB2376, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, is a priority for the Coalition for Plastic Reduction, a coalition of more than 35 organizations across Illinois.
In response to the favorable vote, Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River, a partner organization in the Coalition for Plastic Reduction, said:
“Illinois’ lakes and rivers are among its greatest assets. But plastic pollution puts our waterways at risk, polluting our drinking water and harming wildlife. We can’t recycle our way out of our plastic pollution problem. We need to stop it at its source. Phasing out single-use plastic polystyrene foam foodware is an important step toward addressing single use plastic pollution. We thank Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz for championing HB2376 and call on the Senate to follow the House’s lead in passing this critical legislation.”
The Illinois legislation, HB 1616, amends a previous bill passed in 2019 to extend the deadline for permitting and construction of a pilot pyrolysis or gasification facility in a locally zoned and approved site in either Will County or Grundy County by two years, from 2025 to 2027.
On March 14 the Illinois legislation was set for a third reading in the House. If it passes the House vote, it will move to the Senate. The deadline for it to move forward is March 31.
However, environmental groups are raising the alarm that the push to ease the path for certain kinds of chemical recycling processes could have serious public health and environmental consequences.
“The petrochemical industry is lobbying hard across the country to build chemical recycling plants, which they claim turn hard-to-recycle plastics back into monomers – the basic building blocks of plastics,” three environmental NGOs noted in a statement released March 15. “However, the reality is that pyrolysis, gasification and similar chemical recycling technologies are much closer to incineration in that they all result in burning plastics to create energy.”
* HB2791 was most recently referred to the Health Care Availability and AccessibilityCommittee….
Proud to carry a bill that will help alleviate medical debt.
“The CFPB estimates that Illinois residents owed about $2.5 billion of the $88 billion in medical debt that was on the credit records of 43 million Americans in 2022.”https://t.co/nzk2Fkh5Jx
The Illinois House Tuesday approved State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dietrich)-sponsored legislation creating a pathway for victims under 13 years of age to avoid appearing in open court when providing testimony in abuse cases.
House Bill 2607 passed without any opposition. The measure establishes a presumption that the testimony of a victim who is a child under 13 years of age shall testify outside the courtroom and the child’s testimony shall be shown in the courtroom by means of a closed-circuit television. The presumption could only be removed if the defendant proves the child will not suffer emotional distress by providing testimony in the courtroom.
“Protecting our kids should be our highest priority,” Niemerg said. “Kids should not have to be placed in the same room as their abusers when they give their testimony. We currently make allowances for kids to testify remotely in certain circumstances, but this legislation would make this practice the norm. It is a good idea that is long overdue. The safety and mental well-being of our kids are paramount. I appreciate the strong bipartisan support this legislation has received. I will continue to build support for it in the Senate.”
House Bill 2607 moves to the Illinois Senate for further consideration.
* Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) Education Foundation is pushing for passage of several bills designed to build a workforce of the future by increasing education opportunities and removing barriers that prevent students from exploring jobs in the manufacturing industry.
Nationally, there are nearly 800,000 open jobs in the manufacturing industry, including tens of thousands of available jobs in Illinois. The IMA Education Foundation is dedicated to working with employers, educators, and lawmakers to enact policies that help attract, retain, and grow a skilled workforce. These efforts are vital to ensuring Illinois can continue to experience strong economic growth in the coming decade, as more and more baby boomers are expected to exit the job market and companies will seek to fill the resulting knowledge and experience gaps. […]
2023 IMA Education Foundation Legislative Agenda Items:
- HB 3590: Establishes an advisory committee under the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to make recommendations on removing barriers preventing students from participating in career development experiences. The advisory committee will include representation of several key agencies including the State Board of Education, the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, the Department of Insurance and the Illinois Community College Board. The recommendations must include ways the state can establish a system of providing liability insurance for high school and community college students who are working with employers, including on manufacturing floors, during career development experiences.
- HB 3307: Allows students to take two years of career training education in place of two years of a foreign language that is currently part of the State’s high school graduation requirements.
- HB 3308/SB1450: Creates the Manufacturer Child Care Center Incentive Pilot Program. This pilot program will allow 10 manufacturers to open on-site, employee-only childcare centers at no cost to their employees. The employer is required to follow staffing, medication, background check and liability insurance requirements, but provides an expedited approval process.
- HB 3287/SB991: Creates stipends for manufacturing employees who also serve as teachers by providing financial incentives through stipends from ISBE, subject to appropriation, for a manufacturing employee, in the amount of one-half of the salary of the employee that is employed by a manufacturing company and working within a school district as a licensed career and technical education teacher.
- HB 3286/SB992: Creates state stipends for teacher externships. Requires ISBE, subject to appropriation, to provide stipends for teachers who participate in externships with a manufacturing company in this State. The externships experience is designed to give teachers the opportunity to spend time outside of the classroom and in manufacturing facilities.
The Illinois House sent 41 bills to the state Senate on Tuesday ahead of a scheduled Friday deadline.
The measures, among others, included a ban on polystyrene food containers, bills focusing on gender inclusivity in state law and a requirement that expectant parents have a “duty” to split pregnancy-related costs, including for abortions. […]
The long-debated idea of building a cargo-oriented airport and shipment center in Chicago’s south suburbs could get another look under one bill that passed the House.
House Bill 2531, by Rep. Will Davis, a Homewood Democrat, calls on the Illinois Department of Transportation to establish a process for prequalifying entities that could offer a public-private agreement to develop such a project.
* SEIU Healthcare…
Illinois home care workers are raising the alarm on a looming workforce shortage that is creating a crisis for Illinois seniors who depend on home care to remain living safely at home. On Thursday, March 23, hundreds of home care workers and seniors will rally in the Statehouse rotunda calling for passage of an $18 per hour minimum wage and a revamped paid training program for home care workers serving seniors through the Community Care Program (CCP). […]
Program speakers will call on the General Assembly to create lasting industry change by supporting legislation this session that would lift pay to $18 per hour (SB 1980/HB 2718) and create standards for paid training for home care workers serving seniors through the Community Care Program (SB 2004/HB 3021).
EVENT DETAILS
WHO: SEIU Healthcare home care workers from across Illinois
A Springfield lawmaker wants to make it easier for agriculture students to skip class – as long as they are learning and getting experience in their fields.
The bill would allow students at a 4-H or FFA competitions or exhibitions to be marked at school as “in attendance” instead of absent.
Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) is the sponsor of the bill. She said it’s important to let students learn through experience without being penalized for missing class, as events can often conflict with school days. […]
The bill is also co-sponsored by Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City). The bill passed the Senate Education Committee Tuesday.
* Sen. Mike Simmons…
To expand coverage of preventative screenings for liver disease, State Senator Mike Simmons advanced legislation from the Senate Insurance Committee on Tuesday.
“The best chance at fighting any disease is early detection,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “This bill will provide liver disease screenings to people who need them, regardless of their health insurer status. Identifying liver disease early improves long-term health outcomes, especially for those most at-risk.”
Senate Bill 1282 requires Medicaid, private insurance plans and government employee insurance plans to cover preventative screenings for liver disease for individuals who are at high risk for liver disease. These screenings may occur every six months, and plans will be prohibited from imposing a deductible, coinsurance, co-payment or any other cost-sharing requirement.
According to the CDC, in 2021, 56,585 adults in the U.S. died from liver disease, making it the ninth leading cause of death. […]i
Senate Bill 1282 passed out of the Senate Insurance Committee Tuesday and awaits further consideration.
The Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission (TIRC) was formed by the Illinois General Assembly in 2009 to investigate claims of torture by former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge or officers under his supervision. TIRC examines claims of tortured confessions and determines whether sufficient evidence of torture exists to merit judicial review. Convicts whom the Commission refers to court then receive a new hearing on whether their confessions were the product of torture and whether they deserve a new trial.
* The last paragraph in this excerpt of a recent Tribune story caught my eye…
A Cook County judge last year moved cases involving allegations of torture by a former Chicago police detective to Will County, because the detective was married to another sitting Cook County judge. […]
But in a surprise move nearly a year later, the special prosecutors assigned to cases connected to former CPD Detective Kriston Kato are taking aim at a 15-year-old statute enacted in the wake of allegations surrounding notorious ex-CPD Detective Jon Burge that created a torture commission to investigate claims of police abuse. […]
The defense attorneys have filed a motion to disqualify Fabio Valentini and Maria McCarthy, former prosecutors now in private practice, from serving as special prosecutors on the case. […]
“They’ve charged the taxpayers about half a million dollars for work on this case already to try to strike down (the) statute,” said Jennifer Bonjean, a defense attorney representing a man who has accused Kato of coercing a confession by torture. “They’re trying to invalidate the crown jewel legislation that responded to our terrible history of police brutality led by Jon Burge.” […]
Among other arguments in their motion, the special prosecutors contend that the commission’s ability to refer cases to judges for a hearing violates the Illinois constitution’s separation of powers clause by infringing on judicial authority. They make a similar argument to that made by prosecutors challenging the elimination of cash bail by the Illinois legislature.
This is a puzzler for sure. Special prosecutors who’ve already allegedly billed half a million bucks for their work now want the whole process dissolved?
Consequently, and for the following four reasons, this Court should dismiss the [Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission’s] referral of the Kevin Murray matter:
• The [Administrative Review Law], which the TIRC Act specifically incorporates, prohibits evidentiary hearings during judicial review;
• the ARL does not authorize the remedies [granting a new trial or vacating a sentence] that Murray seeks in connection with the TIRC referral;
• because TIRC determinations are not “final decisions” and because the TIRC referrals are not “justiciable matters” (i.e., matters where parties with concrete and adverse legal interests have litigated those interests in a civil forum) the circuit court lacks subject matter jurisdiction to conduct any review of those determinations under the TIRC Act; and
• because the TIRC Act requires the circuit court to hold an evidentiary hearing on a TIRC referral, the TIRC Act is unconstitutional where it violates the separation of powers provision in the Illinois Constitution, Ill. Const. 1970. art. II, § 1, because it abrogates the inherent authority of the judiciary to dismiss a TIRC Act claim prior to an evidentiary hearing.
We asked if you’ve ever called your state legislator.
Randy Bukas, Freeport city manager: “Called my state legislators on a number of issues. What’s really nice is when they call me about a municipal issue that’s pending and how it would impact the community.”
Graham Grady: “Called legislators who represent Cook County asking them to support a funding campaign for Brookfield Zoo and the Botanical Gardens.”
Christine Walker: “Called then-state Rep. Julie Hamos when insurance repeatedly denied speech therapy to my son when he was diagnosed with autism. Turns out it was happening throughout Illinois.”
Chris White: “Called my state for help when a health system denied Paxlovid to my kid who was eligible due to their disability.”
I think most people don’t realize how varied the job of a state legislator can be.
* The Question: Have you ever called your state legislator? Explain.
Kane County Republicans are rallying to block a $2 million grant they believe is a Trojan horse that will introduce Democratic influence into how local elections are run.
Just so we’re clear here, this grant was received by the Republican county clerk.
Kane County Clerk John A. Cunningham today proudly announced that the Kane County Clerk’s Office was named as a Center for Election Excellence by the nonpartisan U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, a recognition that the Clerk’s Office is committed to leadership in election administration and looking to develop even more resilient, trustworthy, and voter-centric election administration practices.
Clerk Cunningham said, “I am honored that our office was selected as a Center for Election Excellence. We are one of only ten election authorities in the country to receive this honor. Our office has been a model for other election authorities in Illinois and across the country, and our recognition as a Center for Election Excellence reiterates that. […]
The U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence is a nonpartisan program that brings together election officials, designers, technologists, and other experts to envision, support, and celebrate excellence in U.S. election administration.
Cunningham added, “As a former president of the National Association of County Recorders and Clerks, I built a network of hundreds of election authorities across the country. I understand the value of collaboration, sharing best practices, and discussing innovation and automation. Kane County was the first election authority in Illinois to have a Votemobile and more recently automated Vote by Mail processing equipment. We are proud to be trendsetters in Illinois and across the nation. We look forward to working with the other Centers of Election Excellence to develop new and innovative ways to improve elections for the voters and to help other jurisdictions across the country raise the bar of election administration.”
* Which brings us to the Kane County GOP’s response…
Friends of you haven’t heard, our clerk, Jack Cunningham was awarded a $2 million dollar grant from the US Alliance….
The term has become a catch-all to describe private entities donating millions of dollars to fund the official government vote-counts in the 2020 elections. Chief among them was Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, whose non-profit, the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), gave $350 million to 2,500 election departments across 47 states.
Election officials mainly used the money to buy masks, plexiglass dividers, and other resources to mitigate risks related to the Covid-19 pandemic during the 2020 election.
Following former President Donald Trump’s failed reelection bid, some Republicans pointed to the Zuckerberg donations as influencing the outcome. As a result, several GOP-led states, like Florida, have banned such donations.
Of course Florida banned them. It’s the state where wild conspiracy theories go to be stopped by statutes.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), co-chair of the Election Integrity Caucus, today reintroduced the “End Zuckerbucks Act” in the 118th Congress. This bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations from directly funding official election organizations through donations or donated services.
[Deputy Kane County Clerk John Duggan] said the $2 million grant likely would go toward the replacement of aging voting machines. […]
David Young, who won his seat on the county board in November as an “America first conservative,” said he sees a lot of red flags about the grant. He’s concerned, for instance, that the center may push the clerk’s office to purchase election equipment from specific vendors.
Former Illinois Governor and Taxpayer Advocate Pat Quinn will announce his endorsement of Paul Vallas for Mayor of Chicago on Wednesday. Quinn and Vallas will also discuss the effects of increasing taxes in gentrifying Chicago communities, as well as the current Com Ed corruption scheme and its impact on the city’s utility consumers.
* From Toni Preckwinkle…
Cook County Board of Commissioners President and Cook County Democratic Party Chair Toni Preckwinkle today called on Paul Vallas to directly address his statements attacking Democratic leaders, including Governor Pritzker, President Biden and President Obama.
“Paul Vallas’ right-wing attacks on Democratic leaders like President Biden and Gov. Pritzker are shameful,” said Preckwinkle. “Chicagoans deserve to know if their next Mayor will listen to the experts or right-wing talk show hosts. Paul Vallas must make it clear today: Why does Paul Vallas frequently attack Democrats? Does Paul Vallas side with his Trump Republican donors or does he stand with Democrats across Illinois?”
In recent weeks, news outlets have reported on Vallas’ criticism of top Democrats like Joe Biden and Barack Obama and his far-right social media activity. Now, newly unearthed comments show Vallas on right-wing talk radio, podcasts, and social media calling Gov. JB Pritzker a “dictator” who was “trying to fool voters” by providing tax relief and followed the “political science” when lifting mask mandates.
At last night’s WGN Mayoral Debate, moderator Tahman Bradley asked the candidates how they would hold repeat gun offenders accountable for their crimes. While Paul Vallas described in detail how he would utilize federal charging statutes to take repeat gun offenders off the streets, Brandon Johnson refused to provide any answer at all, raising questions on whether or not he would prioritize prosecuting dangerous criminals to the full extent of the law.
Below is a transcript of the exchange:
Bradley: Mr. Johnson, same question, 60 seconds, what should be the consequences for people repeatedly arrested and charged with gun crimes?
Johnson: Look, here’s the problem. Someone like Paul Vallas that wants to continue to give someone like me a lecture about what I know vs. what he knows is ridiculous, but I’m familiar with that.
As the Chicago Tribune reported: “At one point, Johnson was asked what consequences individuals who are repeatedly charged with gun crimes should face but he did not answer the question.”
Johnson went on to once again wrongly state that it takes two years to become a Chicago police officer, which has been thoroughly debunked by Vallas and the press. He did not address the serious issue of repeat gun offenders being let off on misdemeanors, which Vallas believes is contributing to the city’s crime problem.
“We already know that Brandon Johnson wants to defund the police, but now he won’t even say whether he would push prosecutors to pursue all possible criminal charges against the repeat gun offenders who are terrorizing many of our communities,” said Vallas. “As Mayor I will work with the city, county, state and federal prosecutors to ensure that we are doing everything possible to put repeat violent offenders in jail and get them off our streets and away from our residents. If Brandon Johnson doesn’t agree with that, then that’s absolutely disqualifying.”
* If you want a comparison of how much better Vallas’ 2023 campaign is than his 2019 mayoral campaign, just check out this Tribune story from September of 2018…
Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas has come under fire for the failure of his administration to launch an investigation into how a pedophile became a trusted mentor at a West Side elementary school after sex abuse crimes committed by the school employee and volunteer came to light 18 years ago while Vallas was the city’s top schools official. […]
The statement from Vallas’ campaign also said, “It seems if these community members’ allegations that the principal of Johnson School was aware of — and covering up for — Lovett’s criminal activities were earnestly believed, they would have endeavored to do more than simply send faxes.”
[Vallas] argued that CPS test scores have “plummeted” with only 6% of Black students meeting state standards in math and 11% measuring up in reading.
“It’s abysmal. They’ve lost ten years of gain, in large part because the schools were shut down for 15 consecutive months despite the fierce opposition by Janice Jackson, the CEO who ultimately left in frustration.
Vallas continues to use the pointy wires spin. We’ve discussed this topic before, but let’s look at it yet again. From the governor’s office last month…
Illinois evaluates schools based on multiple measures of performance, including growth, student attendance, climate and culture surveys, and graduation rates. Illinois has among the most rigorous proficiency standards in the nation. Evaluating schools based on growth in addition to proficiency gives us a more holistic understanding of school quality because even if a student starts school below grade level due to living in poverty, a good school can still help that student achieve significant growth. […]
• Illinois has some of the most rigorous learning standards in the nation: ranking fourth most rigorous for 4th grade reading and fifth most rigorous for 8th grade reading. In Illinois, a student needs to earn a level of 4 or 5 to be considered proficient. In comparison, the rigor of Florida’s standards ranks 39th and 42nd, respectively, and a student only needs to earn a level 3 on the state assessment to be considered proficient.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | Mayoral debate: Vallas and Johnson ‘lecture’ one another on the CTU, Donald Trump and ‘working class’ roots: Paul Vallas on Tuesday branded his runoff opponent Brandon Johnson a “wholly-owned subsidiary of the Chicago Teachers Union” that “wreaked havoc” on the city and students by keeping schools closed for 15 months during the pandemic. Johnson countered that Vallas was linked to members of the “extreme Republican Party who did not believe the pandemic was real” and was backed by donors “who also financially supported Donald Trump.”
* WBEZ | Vallas and Johnson ‘lecture’ one another on the CTU, Donald Trump and ‘working class’ roots: Johnson pressed the attack on Vallas as a closet Republican who “fundamentally opposes abortion” and is “supported financially by people who also financially supported Donald Trump.” He argued that Chicago “deserves someone who comes from the working class” and “understands the value of working class people.”
* WTTW | City’s 2022 Overtime Bill Stands at $441M, With $210M Going to Police — Resulting in Sharp Increase Over Last Year: The Chicago Police Department spent at least $210.5 million on overtime, 56% more than in 2021 and more than double the $100 million earmarked for police overtime set by the Chicago City Council as part of the city’s 2022 budget, according to data obtained by WTTW News through a Freedom of Information Act request and confirmed by the department as accurate on Friday.
* WBEZ | Nicole Lee and Anthony Ciaravino face off in Chicago’s first Asian-majority ward: For decades, Chicago’s Chinatown leaders and residents worked to consolidate their political voice under one ward instead of being split into two or three wards for so long. They finally got their wish last year when the ward maps were redrawn — with support from the Black and Latino caucuses — to create the city’s first Asian-majority ward. The 2020 Census showed that Chicago’s Asian population had grown 31% between 2010 and 2020, especially in the greater Chinatown area that includes neighborhoods like Bridgeport and McKinley Park.
* Crain’s | Investors sue Lightfoot administration over scuttled deal next to Michael Reese site: The complaint spotlights the conflict between city’s role in determining the fate of real estate projects and its long-running effort to inject new life into the vacant 50-acre site just south of McCormick Place. It also comes as the outgoing mayor and the team behind the Michael Reese redevelopment project — now dubbed Bronzeville Lakefront — are set to begin infrastructure work on the Michael Reese site, key steps toward construction of a mixed-use campus meant to help revitalize a dormant swath of land near the lakefront.
* Press release | U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley endorses Brandon Johnson for mayor: “On April 4, the people of Chicago have the opportunity to elect a mayor committed to pursuing bold policies that will make real, positive change for everyone in Chicago. Brandon Johnson will be that Mayor, and I am proud to endorse him,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.
* NYT | In Chicago Mayor’s Race, a Former Teacher Rises With Union Support: Loved and loathed, the teachers’ union has emerged over the last dozen years as a defining voice on Chicago’s political left, putting forth a progressive vision for the city that extends well beyond its classrooms. After highly public fights with the last two mayors that led to work stoppages, union leaders see in Mr. Johnson a chance to elect one of their own, a former teacher who shares a goal of rebuilding Chicago by spending more on schools and social programs.
* Sun-Times | Medical debt is devastating Illinois families, a new report shows: The report from the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Legal Council for Health Justice and Community Catalyst describes multiple instances in which patients racked up big bills and the emotional toll that takes because they didn’t know hospitals could have offered them financial assistance. Mandating the screening of patients and identifying those who could benefit from financial help could help alleviate the problem, the authors found.
* The Southern | Abortion opponents from across Illinois protest in Springfield: Organizers of the state’s March for Life said that’s one reason why abortion opponents from around the state gathered Tuesday in Springfield, rather than Chicago, where past events have been held. They hoped to meet with lawmakers and in particular to lobby against legislation aimed at anti-abortion pregnancy centers.
* Daily Herald | Arlington Heights mayor calls accusations of coziness with Bears ‘offensive’: The latest criticism came Monday night during the public comment portion of a village board meeting, when resident Debbie Fisher suggested Mayor Tom Hayes and others would personally benefit from the Bears’ proposed $5 billion makeover of the 326-acre racetrack property.
* WTTW | South Suburban Officials, State Lawmakers Renew Calls for Peotone Airport: An Illinois House committee this month easily passed a measure (HB2531) that would require the state transportation department to proactively seek out developers with the interest and potential of building out the state’s land into a cargo airport within six months of the proposal becoming law.
* Shaw Local | Annual report shows how not alone Illinois dementia caregivers are: The Alzheimer’s Association found that dementia caregivers report higher rates of chronic conditions, including stroke, heart disease, diabetes and cancer compared with caregivers of people without dementia or non-caregivers. Here in Illinois, 64.2% of caregivers reported at least one chronic condition. In my case, I’m still being treated for breast cancer.
* Tribune | Medical debt in Illinois disproportionately affects Black and Latino communities, advocates say: The series highlighted that the number of undocumented seniors 65 and older will increase 1,300% in the next decade and that most are blocked from accessing social programs that many seniors rely on, such as food stamps, public housing, Medicare and Social Security — programs that they pay billions into every year.
* Shaw Local | ISBE data on recovery spending can empower voting public: Sanders’ newsletter reported the 11 program areas have total funding of $748.5 million, representing 10% of Illinois’ almost $8 billion in federal relief. The websites explaining the programs are full of details, which is great for understanding the public administration approach, but the ISBE also is wisely looking to highlight individual success stories.
* Sun-Times | City Council urged to postpone declaration of independence: The Better Government Association and the League of Women Voters have long urged the City Council to shed its rubber-stamp reputation and establish its own rules, committee lineups and chairs, taking back the power they have ceded to the mayor.
* Tribune | Chicago and Cook County each call for 1,000 election judges before April 4: The required training and one long day of work will earn judges $250 and technicians $385. She encouraged veterans, students, those who are bilingual and all residents registered to vote in the county to apply. The county will hold training sessions for people who sign on as election workers through March 28, she said. Online training will also be offered, Michalowski said.
* WAND | Gov. Pritzker names Bria Scudder Deputy Governor: Scudder previously worked in the Governor’s Office as First Assistant to Christian Mitchell, the former Deputy Governor. Mitchell stepped down from his role earlier this month.
* Sun-Times | Notebaert Nature Museum workers urge support for union: The organizing campaign was made public Tuesday in a letter signed by 19 employees of the museum. It asks fellow workers to support the effort and urges museum managers to “honor our legal right to organize a union without facing intimidation or coercion.”
The Illinois Community College System has recorded its largest year-over-year enrollment growth in nearly 15 years. Opening Spring 2023 enrollment increased by 7.2 percent from the previous spring according to the Illinois Community College Board’s (ICCB) Spring 2023 Enrollment Report.
“This upward enrollment trend is encouraging and continues to signal a shift towards pre-pandemic levels. This data furthers our confidence that efforts to expand learning opportunities and increase access to a community college education are working,” said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham.
The 2023 Spring Enrollment Report shows the first Spring-to-Spring semester increase in the last five years. It’s also the second largest enrollment increase in nearly 15 years (7.8 percent increase between Spring 2009-2010), and the second consecutive semester of growth for the nation’s third-largest community college system.
Significant findings from the Spring 2023 Illinois Community College Opening Enrollment Report include:
• Thirty-nine community colleges experienced an enrollment increase from Spring 2022 to Spring 2023.
• Instructional areas primarily dependent on in-person instruction had two of the largest enrollment increases: Career and Technical Education (+9.6 percent) and Vocational Skill Training (+10.1 percent).
• Enrollment for transfer programs, which is the largest instructional area in the Illinois Community College System, increased 6.4 percent from the previous year, while General Studies Certificate programs increased by 9.1 percent during the same timeframe.
• Adult Education, which encompasses a substantial at-risk population, increased enrollment by 29.0 percent from Spring 2022 to Spring 2023.
• Enrollment for Dual Credit courses, which allows academically prepared high school students to simultaneously earn credits that count toward a high school diploma and a college degree, increased 10.4 percent in Spring 2023 compared to Spring 2022 and increased 23.9 percent from 2021.
* Big crowd today. A friend was near the Statehouse and said the marchers walked by for eight minutes…
Thousands gathered in Springfield today to protest some of the nation’s strongest abortion laws in Illinois. @BishopPaprocki said the end of Roe only means it’s time to increase anti-abortion efforts pic.twitter.com/U6qL3Yd5yO
Today Governor JB Pritzker announced that Bria Scudder will serve as Deputy Governor for Public Safety, Infrastructure, Environment, and Energy. Scudder previously worked in the Governor’s Office as First Assistant to Christian Mitchell, the former Deputy Governor who stepped down from his role earlier this month. She will begin her role on April 10.
“Bria Scudder has already shown her dedication to public service and the people of Illinois through her hard work earlier in my administration, and I’m thrilled to welcome her back to continue that work as Deputy Governor,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Her portfolio includes some of the most important issues currently facing our state, and I’m looking forward to working with her to continue making Illinois stronger.”
Currently, Scudder serves as Director of State Government Affairs for the Midwest region at AbbVie, where she manages state and local related issues in twelve states. She previously served as First Assistant Deputy Governor in Governor JB Pritzker’s administration. In her role in the governor’s office, she helped manage more than ten state agencies, and implemented the administration’s top policy initiatives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Scudder spearheaded response efforts, including securing medical supplies for front-line workers, and planning the transition to work from home for over 50 state agencies and boards.
“I’d like to thank Gov. Pritzker for his leadership and trusting me with such an important role.” Scudder said. “I’m looking forward to serving the people of Illinois and making strides towards safer communities, maintaining a world-class transportation system, and meeting our clean energy goals.”
Prior to serving in the governor’s office, Scudder was the Senior Government and Community Liaison at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. There, she developed strategies to advance the office’s legislative agenda and worked with communities on critical issues. She has also worked as a staff member for the Illinois House of Representatives and managed several state Statehouse campaigns. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri- Columbia.
Right headline. Initially identifies the correct former Senator in the cutline, but fails to realize that a different Cullerton was the subject of testimony, as the story plainly shows.
Stuff happens.
* Press release…
Senate Republican members of the Senate Executive Appointments Committee, State Senators Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) and Steve McClure (R-Springfield), issued the following statement regarding the recent appointment of Donald Shelton as the Chair of the Prisoner Review Board, replacing Edith Crigler:
“We are optimistic about the recent change in Chairmanship of the Prisoner Review Board and hope this is one of many positive changes to come to this controversial body. We are hopeful this new appointment signals a new day for the PRB, where transparency, victim notification and input, and community safety are once again made top priorities.
“Over the last several years, Governor Pritzker has transformed the Prisoner Review Board to fit his weak-on-crime agenda and has allowed several of his appointees to go unvetted and unconfirmed for multiple years. Fortunately, through persistent pressure by Senate Republicans, changes have started to take place following the bipartisan movement in the Senate to deny several controversial Pritzker appointees.
“While there is still a long way to go to reform this vital agency, we are encouraged by the recent change and will continue to advocate for a Prisoner Review Board that is just, transparent, puts the victims and their families first, and above all, protects Illinois families and communities.”
* Isabel’s roundup…
* SJ-R | Paprocki leads Illinois March for Life rally; abortion access groups have counter protest: Thousands of anti-abortion and abortion access advocates descended upon Springfield Tuesday, marking the first Illinois March for Life in the post-Roe era. Out-of-state demand for Illinois reproductive health services skyrocketed following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision last year as states such as Indiana and Wisconsin enacted bans or restricted access.
* Center Square | Lawmaker says speaker called shots on $1.8 billion ComEd legislation: State Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, was the sponsor of the Future Energy Jobs Act, a wide-ranging and controversial energy bill that state lawmakers passed in December 2016. Rita told jurors that when he was presented with an amendment to that legislation that he previously didn’t know about, Michael McClain, a close-confidant of Madigan, pulled him out of a committee hearing to direct him to proceed with the amendment.
* Crain’s | States’ rainy-day funds surge in promising sign for finances: Balances in rainy-day funds hit all-time highs in 37 states by the end of the 2022 fiscal year. That’s the biggest tally in over two decades and marks an improvement over last year’s record, according to an analysis by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
* Herald & Review | Decatur allows ADM to store CO2 under city-owned land: The Decatur City Council voted unanimously Monday to grant city manager Scot Wrighton broad authority to execute an agreement with ADM in what amounts to an expansion of the food processing giant’s industry-leading carbon sequestration program. The city will receive $450 per acre of land in which ADM injects and stores carbon.
* Daily Herald | A summary of endorsements in local elections: Expanded early in-person voting begins Monday for candidates for community college, school board and municipal offices in the April 4 election. Here are the Daily Herald’s endorsements in selected suburban contests.
* Crain’s | Economic Club names Sean Connolly as next board chair: Connolly, 57, will take over in July. He succeeds Foot Locker CEO Mary Dillon, whose two-year term as chair ends June 30. Connolly’s appointment was announced to members this evening at an event that featured Chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, which serves meals to communities impacted by conflict and natural disasters.
* NBC Chicago: On March 10, IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra warned that cases of group A strep throat leading to severe complications were on the rise in Illinois, “with more cases reported in 2023 than in any of the past five years.”
* AP | US home sales surged in February as mortgage rates dipped: Still, sales sank 22.6% last month from February last year, a sign many would-be homebuyers remain priced out of the market following years of price increases and sharply higher mortgage rates than a year ago.
* NBC Chicago | Here’s Everything You Need to Know About the 2023 Illinois State Fair: To top it all off, Grammy-winning country music star Maren Morris and 1960’s rock group REO Speedwagon will headline the Illinois Lottery Grandstand on Aug. 19. Tickets for the event have not yet been announced, but they will be priced in tiers beginning at $50.
* On December 21, 2021, when Paul Vallas was substitute hosting for Dan Proft on WIND, 4,178 people were hospitalized with COVID-19. More than 300 people died from the virus that week, bringing the total number up to more than 27,000. Hospitalizations surged to 7,380 just a few weeks later, on January 12th. Hospitalizations didn’t fall back to the December 21st level for a month, and didn’t fall below a thousand until late February…
Amy Jacobson: It’s a two-week peak. So, we’re going to have a two-week peak here. So as soon as the cases rise, that’s quickly as they are going to fall. And they are going to say it worked because of the vaccine mandates. You know that. Because two weeks from now on January 10th, this is going to be a nothing-burger.
Paul Vallas: We’ll be having strains every year and this is going to be the new normal.
OK, let’s stop right there. We’ve never again had a peak like the horrific winter of 21/22. The mini hospitalization spike we had this past December was around 1,800. That earlier winter’s spiral hasn’t become the “new normal,” as Vallas predicted, because vaccines work.
Paul Vallas: But I think for people like Lightfoot and others this is an opportunity. Well first of all, this gives them the ability to make decisions unilaterally with no input. How many executive orders has Pritzker [issued]?
Amy Jacobson: 24.
Paul Vallas: 24. Illinois Policy does great work, great work in terms of reporting on these things. I mean, really them and CWB, and of course, Wire Points and I mean, they just do great work on providing really independent research and reporting. On these executive mandates, no legislative input whatsoever. So it gives them the ability to act like dictators. The second thing it does is it creates the perception that somehow they’re being decisive leaders.
That “dictator” stuff is the exact same rhetoric used by Darren Bailey and his ilk. The courts ruled again and again that the executive powers already existed in state law.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I do not envy Chicago voters.
…Adding… Speaking of Darren Bailey, this was posted by Bailey in May of 2022, during the Republican primary…
Caption?
Also…
Feds provide $5 bil. in new COVID funds for IL public schools and Pritzker agrees to increase state K-12 funding by another $350 mil. Yet, Governor still tries to SLASH Tax Credit Scholarships for poor families who send kids to private schools, saving a paltry $14 mil. Shameless!
*** UPDATE *** From Natalie Edelstein at the Pritzker campaign…
Throughout the pandemic Governor Pritzker spent every day fighting to save people’s lives and livelihoods. He did it by following the advice of the nation’s best virologists and epidemiologists, many of whom are at Illinois’ world class research institutions and hospitals. Leadership requires making tough choices and not pandering to the loudest voices driven by politics. The next mayor of Chicago may be called upon to lead in a similar type of emergency and residents deserve to know if their next Mayor will listen to experts or instead to right wing talk show hosts when making decisions about people’s lives.
Vallas campaign…
“Paul Vallas looks forward to working with state leaders in tackling all the issues facing Chicago, from making the city safer to improving education to confronting crisis situations whenever they emerge. As a lifelong Democrat, Paul respects Gov. Pritzker’s leadership and voted for him in the past election.”
WHO:
Sarah Hartwick, Executive Director, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association Education Foundation
Rev. Courtney Carson, Assistant Vice President of External Affairs, Richland Community College
Sen. Don DeWitte
Rep. Amy Elik
Rep. Suzanne Ness
Rep. Katie Stuart
Rep. Travis Weaver
WHAT:
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) Education Foundation will call for passage of several bills designed to build a workforce of the future by increasing education opportunities and removing barriers that prevent students from exploring jobs in the manufacturing industry.
Nationally, there are nearly 800,000 open jobs in the manufacturing industry, including tens of thousands of available jobs in Illinois. The IMA Education Foundation is dedicated to working with employers, educators, and lawmakers to enact policies that help attract, retain, and grow a skilled workforce. These efforts are vital to ensuring Illinois can continue to experience strong economic growth in the coming decade as more and more baby boomers are expected to exit the job market and companies will seek to fill the resulting knowledge and experience gaps.
WHEN:
Wednesday, March 22
10:30 a.m.
* HB361 is currently on Second Reading. Block Club Chicago…
The Illinois Work Without Fear Act — House Bill 361 — would fill gaps in Illinois employment law to ensure companies can be punished if they retaliate against workers by calling immigration officials or making other immigration-related threats when the workers report violations, state leaders and policy experts said.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and state Rep. Lilian Jiménez were joined by members of workers rights’ groups Arise Chicago, Raise the Floor Alliance and United Workers Center to announce the bill Monday morning. […]
Raoul’s office has investigated unsafe working conditions during the pandemic, but many employees were fearful of speaking to authorities due to potential retaliation, he said.
“To encourage people to stand up, we need to ensure they will not be punished for doing so,” Raoul said.
Lawmakers are considering a bill that would treat ride-share companies such as Uber and Lyft as “common carriers,” opening them up to the same level of liability as other forms of public
transportation.
House Bill 2231 passed on the House floor this week with a 73-36 vote. The bill now awaits consideration in the Senate.
The common carrier status is defined as a “standard of care” under which passengers surrender their safety to certain modes of transportation. Currently in Illinois, this includes taxicabs, railways and elevators, among others. […]
“One of the reasons these entities have been so successful has been costs aren’t as great as they are with other entities,” Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, said during the House debate. “So by increasing regulations or burdens on business then we may drive them out or make them less successful.”
* Pastor Walter P. Turner, III of New Spiritual Light MB Church…
Dear Illinois General Assembly Member:
RE: House Bill 2231
As leaders representing communities throughout Illinois, we are writing to express our concerns about the impact House Bill 2231 could have on our neighborhoods. As written, the current bill will hurt Black & Hispanic residents who rely on Uber and Lyft for both income and reliable transportation.
By making Illinois the only State in the nation to treat Transportation Network Companies / Transportation Network Providers (“TNCs”) as common carriers, the legislature would drastically increase insurance costs, likely making it difficult for many in our communities to afford rides. Worse yet - the increased costs wouldn’t go to drivers, who would see decreased demand, forcing many of the tens and thousands of residents who use these platforms to earn money to find other work. With far fewer drivers, and unaffordable rides, TNC’s will end up serving only areas of our state that can regularly afford rides.
Importantly, if passed, the bill would likely require rideshare drivers to get fingerprinted in order to work with Uber or Lyft - the only state in the country that would have such a requirement. Unfortunately, the FBI’s national fingerprint database lacks complete information, and is biased against Black & Hispanic Americans. When someone is arrested police take their fingerprints and submit them to the FBI. However, more than half of the submitted records do not reflect whether someone was even charged much less convicted for the alleged offense. Since Black & Hispanic Americans are wrongly arrested at disproportionate levels they’re overly represented in the database, and hence are unfairly impacted.
A report from the National Employment Law Project found that, “[N]early half of FBI background checks fail to include information on the outcome of a case after an arrest— fundamental information such as whether a charge was dismissed. These inaccurate and incomplete records seriously prejudice the employment prospects of an estimated 600,000 workers every year.”1 Thousands of residents could lose access to work overnight for crimes they didn’t commit. It’s why civil rights and law enforcement experts alike agree that fingerprint background checks should not be used for employment.
The proposed law aims to make Uber and Lyft more like taxis. Unfortunately, taxis have a long history of ignoring our communities and discriminating against people of color and any move to recreate the taxi system is likely to recreate the same issues. Uber and Lyft are not perfect, but they’ve provided safe reliable transportation to communities left behind by taxis and mass transit. HB2231 looks to turn back the clock and leave our communities behind. I’d urge you to vote no.
* Illinois Freedom Caucus…
The Illinois Freedom Caucus is issuing the following statement on the proposals to bring Rank Choice voting to Illinois.
“One of the major issues facing our state is rank choice voting, which is a system of voting allowing voters to rank their list of candidates.
It is an expensive and impractical form of voting especially for a state the size of Illinois. Voting has always been based on the premise of ‘One Person – One Vote.’ We already have frequent voting irregularities undermining voter confidence in the safety and security of our elections. Turning our electoral process into something akin to the convoluted Hall of Fame balloting process is not the way to restore confidence in our elections.
Instead of focusing on rank choice voting, we need to prioritize restoring integrity to our elections. Elections should be free and fair. We support reforms such as measures to require the State Board of Elections to set up and maintain a system to track all mail in ballots (HB 1139), to ensure deceased individuals are removed from voter rolls (HB 1140) or to require photo IDs for voting (HB 1141). We need to be debating these reforms instead of completely upending our electoral process with rank choice voting.”
* SB1444 has been re-referred to Assignments. Press release…
To promote child care access and affordability, State Senator Mike Simmons took part in the White House State Legislative Convening on Tuesday, speaking on Illinois’ paid leave legislation and his proposed child tax credit.
“It was an honor to meet with White House officials and fellow Federal and State legislators today,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “Working parents are struggling more than ever before, and it is time we find solutions at State and Federal levels to help provide families with affordable and accessible child care and services. I want the next generation of moms, dads, caretakers, aunts, uncles, grandparents and children to live dignified and abundant lives where they are not always struggling to meet the most basic expenses.”
During the meeting, Simmons highlighted Senate Bill 1444, which would create an Illinois Child Tax Credit for eligible low- and middle-income Illinois families. Families would receive a $700 tax credit for each child under the age of 17, benefitting joint filers earning less than $75,000 and single filers earning less than $50,000.
“Children need to feel secure that their needs are being met,” said Simmons. “And every parent deserves to raise their children without chronic economic stress. I am proud of the recent steps forward Illinois has taken to support childcare access, and the proposals that are being considered this session, such as the state-level child tax credit I’ve introduced. The Biden Administration has made many important strides in passing policy that has provided families with relief, and I am honored to join the White House today for this timely discussion.”
Simmons also spoke about the recent signing of the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, chief-sponsored by Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood). The Act made Illinois the third state in the U.S. to guarantee paid leave. Under the new law, employees in Illinois will be provided a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave per year that can be used for any reason. Starting on March 31, 2024, or 90 days following commencement of employment, workers can begin using their earned time off for any reason without the requirement of providing documentation to their employer.
* HB1374 was re-referred to Rules Committee on the 10th. Center Square…
Police and firefighter shortages are an issue for many communities across Illinois. State Rep. Dave Vella, D-Rockford, told The Center Square that the workforce is aging and vacancies need to be filled.
Vella introduced House Bill 1374 to give local high school students a community college track that will lead directly to law enforcement and firefighting careers. […]
Vella’s vision is to develop a two-year community college degree that includes an internship in police work or firefighting. When the students complete the two-year associate degree, they will be prepared to take the police or the firefighter academy tests. […]
Offering a community college associate degree along with internships designed by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board is the pipeline that Vella envisions.
…Adding… Press release…
Leaders from the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association (IHHA) will testify before the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 3 PM in room 212 of the State Capitol. The subject of the Committee will be SB1732 and a portion of the law that gives Hawthorne Racetrack veto power over any entity that seeks to build a racetrack within 35 miles of the Hawthorne Racetrack in Stickney. The IHHA will testify in favor of sunsetting the 35-mile rule.
While IHHA members would be happy to race at any track owned by Hawthorne, the organization must act in the best interests of its members. Hawthorne has been slow to secure financing to develop a racino at their current racetrack during the last two years. Therefore, there is considerable concern that Hawthorne will be able to secure funding for a second racetrack and casino at the same time that they work to finance the build-out of what they call a shovel ready racino.
Horse racing is an agricultural and economic engine in Illinois that has ramifications well outside of Chicago. With the closure of Arlington Racetrack, Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses must share a racing calendar at Hawthorne Racecourse, the only track left in the Chicago region. The horse racing industry in Illinois desperately needs a second racetrack so that each breed can race in a dedicated space.
Because the second racetrack must be located in southern Cook County, and Hawthorne Racecourse has voiced their intention to build that racecourse, no other entity is even able to float a plan for construction without at the very least, bringing Hawthorne in as a partner. Unless a change is made, more breeding farms, training centers and jobs will be lost to other states.
Former Congressman Bobby Rush, who represented the people of Chicago in Washington for 20 years until his recent retirement in January, is endorsing Paul Vallas for Mayor. Rep. Rush is the latest highly respected Black political leader to back Vallas, and in making his endorsement Rush highlighted Vallas’ plans to invest in historically underserved communities and increase public safety. Vallas and Rush appeared together at an anti-violence march on Chicago’s South Side today followed by a press conference.
“I’m supporting Paul Vallas because he’s a lifelong Democrat and he has a real plan to invest in our community and address the root causes of poverty and hopelessness that lead to crime,” said Congressman Rush. “Throughout Paul’s history as a public servant he has always prioritized collaboration, transparency and accountability. As Mayor, I’m certain that Paul Vallas will move our city forward and I’m proud to endorse him today.”
From the event…
Vallas appears to be taking a moment to collect himself before speaking: “Let me just get my composure for a second … This has been a really long campaign but this has got to be a highlight” pic.twitter.com/sgeQqZV8mr
Let’s recap: In 2019, Rush falsely said Lori Lightfoot was the FOP’s candidate (and preemptively blamed her for police shooting Black people). In 2023, he endorsed Lightfoot in first round. Now he is supporting candidate actually backed by FOP.
* Splits are developing all over the city, including in the churches. From the Triibe…
One prominent Wilson supporter who wasn’t in attendance [at Willie Wilson’s event with Black clergy endorsing Paul Vallas] was Bishop Larry Trotter of Sweet Holy Spirit Church on the South Side. Although Trotter endorsed Wilson in the Feb. 28 election, he split with him for the runoff, endorsing Johnson over Vallas. […]
Trotter also expressed dissatisfaction with Wilson’s hasty decision to endorse Vallas. According to the Chicago Crusader, Wilson had a meeting with dozens of pastors on March 4 at Trotter’s church. The majority of the room raised their hands in support of endorsing Johnson over Vallas. Trotter, who called Wilson his friend, said Wilson told people he would make his endorsement decision by March 15. Wilson also told them that he was going to bring in Vallas and Johnson so they could meet them, and that he’d have several town halls to discuss the matter.
Wilson instead announced his endorsement of Vallas on March 8. Trotter found out about the endorsement from the media.
“I wanted Dr. Wilson to know when he decided to go with Paul Vallas that we still had the right to do what we wanted to do; that he couldn’t just carry the pastors over with him,” Trotter said. “Some of the pastors felt a sense of betrayal, because the news media pushed [the endorsement] as if Dr. Wilson could influence the whole group and that’s not so.”
* Johnson campaign press release…
Today, as a grand jury is likely to indict former president and current Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump, records revealed Paul Vallas has received more than a million dollars in big money checks from Trump donors.
“It’s no surprise that Donald Trump’s big money donors are backing Republican Paul Vallas,” said campaign senior advisor Jason Lee. “Vallas’ campaign is powered by Donald Trump’s wealthy corporate donors, which explains Vallas’ platform of increasing taxes on working-class Chicago families while cutting taxes for billionaires, large businesses and corporations. Republican Paul Vallas represents billionaires, CEOs, and Trump megadonors – not us.” […]
Donors who have given to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., Trump Victory, or Trump Make America Great Again Committee and have given at least $10,000 to Paul Vallas include:
• Michael and Rosalind Keiser: $900,000 to Paul Vallas, $11,200 to Trump
• John Koudounis: $100,000 to Paul Vallas, $630 to Trump
• Noel Moore: $50,000 to Paul Vallas, $5,000 to Trump
• Scott Gidwitz: $10,200 to Paul Vallas, $5,400 to Trump
• Ron Gidwitz: $25,000 to Paul Vallas, $30,400 to Trump
• James Gidwitz: $10,000 to Paul Vallas, $40,280 to Trump
• Greg Kay: $30,000 to Paul Vallas, $3,800 to Trump
• Patrick Heneghan: $12,500 to Paul Vallas, $1,950 to Trump
• Mike Romano: $10,000 to Paul Vallas, $5,500 Trump
• Peter Huizenga: $10,000 to Paul Vallas, $16,600 to Trump
* Notice this is not on TV and it has some really shoddy production values…
In a new digital ad released today, U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania’s 2nd District and U.S. Rep. Troy Carter of Louisiana’s 2nd District expose Paul Vallas’ record of failure in Philadelphia and New Orleans, and endorse Brandan Johnson for mayor of Chicago.
“On April 4, Chicagoans have an opportunity to elect a strong, principled leader in Brandon Johnson, or a political opportunist who has left a trail of destruction behind him throughout his career,” said Congressman Boyle. “Chicago deserves better than Paul Vallas. I urge voters to not make this mistake again and elect a mayor who they can trust to deliver for their communities and schools.”
“Chicago deserves a mayor who will unite the city, not one who exacerbates existing inequities in the system. I know that mayor is not Paul Vallas because New Orleans still grapples with the destruction he imposed after closing more than a third of public schools and laying off hundreds of teachers,” said Congressman Carter. “Chicago has a clear choice to elect a leader who has the passion for people and the vision to invest in people and schools. That leader is Brandon Johnson and I’m proud to endorse him.”
Paul Vallas has left a trail of destruction behind him in cities across the country. In New Orleans, Vallas closed over one-third of public schools and laid off hundreds of teachers—schools there now rank among America’s most inequitable. In Philadelphia, Vallas suspended 33 kindergartners and created an $80 million deficit. Then after admitting he didn’t know how to fix the deficit, he gave himself hundreds of thousands in bonuses and went on vacations paid for by no-bid contractors.
* In two stories now, the Sun-Times has yet to disclose that James Franczek, the founding partner of Franczek P.C. which represents the city and the Chicago Public Schools in labor relations, contributed $1K to Paul Vallas’s mayoral bid in 2019 and another $2500 during Vallas’ gubernatorial bid, and his spouse contributed $5,000 to Vallas just last week. Beyond the contributions, he’s likely no fan of the CTU’s candidate because he’s had to bargain with that union during some very contentious times…
As the city’s longtime chief labor negotiator, attorney Jim Franczek worked for and survived four Chicago mayors: Jane Byrne, Harold Washington, Richard M. Daley and Rahm Emanuel. He couldn’t survive the fifth mayor: Lori Lightfoot.
Sources said a vacationing Lightfoot called Franczek on Monday and summarily fired him for doing a lengthy interview on a Chicago Sun-Times podcast where he essentially endorsed Paul Vallas over Brandon Johnson in the April 4 mayoral runoff.
* Umm…
We have 14 days left - we will need all the help we can get to help @Brandon4Chicago become our next Mayor!
— Ald. Andre Vasquez, Political Account 🌹 (@Andrefor40th) March 21, 2023
* Isabel’s roundup…
* CBS Chicago | Vallas, Johnson answer questions separately in latest mayoral forum: This latest candidate event was originally supposed to be a debate between Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas. But over the weekend, staffers from at least one of the campaigns expressed concerns that some past meetings were becoming a bit too contentious.
* Press Release | Brandon Johnson endorsed by coalition of Chicago pastors and faith leaders: “As the son of a pastor, I know the vital role our faith leaders play in our communities as trusted sources of guidance and support,” said Commissioner Johnson. “I’m honored to receive the endorsement of this coalition of pastors who care so deeply for their congregations and communities. I look forward to incorporating their vision and values into my plan to build a safer, stronger Chicago.”
* WGN | Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas talks retired police, Brandon Johnson, and potential endorsements: Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas, former Chicago Public Schools CEO, joins Lisa Dent to talk about the upcoming runoff election. He addresses how he’d bring back retired police officers, what he plans to do in response to Brandon Johnson’s proposal to reallocate police funds, and whether or not he’s seeking Mayor Lightfoot’s endorsement.
* Triibe | Does Willie Wilson still speak for the Black church?: “There’s always been what Senator Raphael Warnock calls the ‘divided mind’ of the Black church—always been a kind of bipolarity,” said Marshall Hatch Jr., whose father is the pastor of New Mount Pilgrim MB Church on the West Side. He supports Johnson for mayor. “There have been some Black churches that stress political transformation, even revolution, and on the flipside there are conservative churches. You see that playing out in who’s endorsing who in this race.”
* Tribune | In contentious 45th Ward race, Ald. Jim Gardiner tries to secure reelection over attorney Megan Mathias: The race has hinged in significant part on questions about Gardiner’s fitness. The last four years have been marked by allegations he used his power as alderman to target political opponents, including a reported federal investigation into whether he sought to withhold ward services from some residents who opposed his agenda. … Gardiner’s ward superintendent, Charles Sikanich, was arrested last year on charges he tried to sell an antique machine gun to an undercover ATF agent while he was on the clock for his Streets and Sanitation job. A sworn deposition was made public in January in a federal lawsuit against Gardiner that detailed how a former aide last autumn said the alderman obsessed over Facebook criticism and pledged to rid the ward of his detractors, who he referred to as “rats.”
* Tribune Editorial | Our choices for City Council: Robinson, Hone, Hall, Chico, Lee, Mosley, M. Scott: Here are our endorsements for aldermanic races in the upcoming runoff, which applies to wards in which no candidate received more than half of the vote in the Feb. 28 election. We begin with the 4th Ward along the lakefront, which encompasses parts of the South Loop, Kenwood and Bronzeville neighborhoods.
* Howard Ankin | : To save the Loop, support downtown housing for the workforce: A proposal gaining traction — to tap a portion of nearly $200 million in tax-increment financing dollars to pay landlords to convert office buildings into residential housing — has its share of supporters and detractors in the business community. The Loop’s survival may very well require the city to move in that direction. But before that’s even considered, we should first seek ways to support housing for the Loop employees who are already here — and could be persuaded to live closer to the office.
* Chalkbeat | Want to help draw Chicago’s elected school board maps?: Mapmaker, mapmaker, make me an elected school board map for Chicago. That’s what state lawmakers are asking the public to do using a new online mapmaking portal. The invite comes ahead of a July 1 deadline for drawing up districts for Chicago’s soon-to-be-elected school board.
The 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act is best remembered for the bailout of two nuclear power plants, which funneled more than $230 million of revenue annually to Exelon thanks to surcharges on monthly electric bills statewide.
That was just one portion of a heaping plate of revenue. While most of the focus — and controversy at the time — was on the nuke subsidies, the value of that law to Exelon’s utility subsidiary, Commonwealth Edison, was an estimated $1.8 billion. […]
But what likely accounts for the surprisingly lucrative aspect of FEJA for ComEd is that it was allowed for the first time to profit on its investments in energy efficiency — programs designed to help households and businesses use less power. Those programs existed before FEJA, but the charges to ratepayers were mere pass-throughs and included no profit kickers. […]
Asked to react, ComEd spokesman Paul Elsberg declined to discuss the $1.8 billion estimate. But, he said, “Without commenting on specific witness testimony, the bottom line is that FEJA provided substantial benefits to customers served by all electric utilities across Illinois, including by significantly expanding energy efficiency programs that have saved ComEd customers more than $7 billion on their electric bills, preserving nuclear plants that provide 24/7 carbon-free energy and the thousands of jobs associated with them, spurring new investment in renewable energy projects, and funding programs that train workers for clean energy jobs.”
But the utility’s fortunes really turned with the passage of the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act in 2011 – another of the laws central to the government’s theory of ComEd’s alleged bribery scheme. Included in that law, also known as “Smart Grid” legislation, was an overhaul of the way consumer electric rates were calculated. The new process, known as formula ratemaking, created a new tool for ComEd to recoup what it said was the true cost of running and improving electric service for its customers in northern Illinois. […]
However, the 2011 law included a provision that automatically “sunset” the formula rates a few years after they first took effect, necessitating ComEd to go back to the General Assembly to ask for the renewal of formula rates.
Toward the end of Vogt’s lengthy testimony on Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Schwartz asked Vogt “what control” the sunset provision gave Madigan “over ComEd’s financial future.”
“A fair amount,” Vogt said.
He loved sunsets more than any southwest Florida resident.
* We talked yesterday about the Senate Democrats’ 2018 TV ads that pushed legislative leader term limits and mentioned Madigan by name. The Sun-Times has the full exchange, but here’s a telling excerpt where Madigan is mulling what he’s going to say to then Senate President John Cullerton…
MADIGAN: And number three, John, do you understand the position you’ve put me in? In terms of do I do something or do I do nothing. So, do I just do nothing about this or do I do something about it?
You did not want to be on the receiving end of that sort of message. Whew.
Illinois state Rep. Bob Rita told jurors in the “ComEd Four” bribery trial Monday that former House Speaker Michael Madigan for years had “total control” of the state General Assembly and ruled his fellow Democrats “through fear and intimidation.” […]
Rita also said Madigan was “very good at raising money,” and that his control of the purse strings come election time made members dependent upon his support for their political survival.
Rita said Madigan valued “loyalty to himself, to the caucus, to the party” above all else. He said he counted himself as among Madigan’s loyal supporters in the 18 years they served in the House together.
Asked how Madigan typically exercised his power, Rita paused for a second before saying flatly, “Through fear and intimidation.”
And when asked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker if he’d personally experienced that aggressive tactic, Rita responded, “yes.”
If anyone gets angry at Rep. Rita for saying what he said, they must’ve either forgotten that Madigan wanted people to fear him, or they were part of his mechanism. It’s just how things were done. Nobody ever denied it. He deliberately cultivated the image.
Federal prosecutors planned to have Rita testify about McClain’s role in the gaming legislation. They alleged in a court filing that Rita met with the speaker in his office in 2013, where Madigan told Rita that Rita would sponsor a major gaming bill. When the meeting ended, Madigan walked Rita out of his office and McClain was standing near the doorway.
Madigan pointed to McClain and said “he will guide you,” according to the feds.
U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber barred prosecutors Monday from getting into the topic of gaming at the request of defense attorneys, though. Rita is also likely to testify about the influence that McClain — a ComEd lobbyist —Â had on the passage of another bill Rita sponsored: the Future Energy Jobs Act, or FEJA.
FEJA is one of the key pieces of legislation at issue in the trial.
Rita says he grew "frustrated" that he wasn't more involved in more meetings about the legislation, which were being run by Heather Wier Vaught. "I was looking forwqrd to being more involved in the process."
* Speaking of “our friend,” this is from a federal transcript introduced yesterday where McClain is explaining why he refers to Madigan that way…
I generally never refer to the speaker. I just say our friend. […]
—its uh, it’s just more, it’s easier because um, um I’ll never forget there’s one time one of the ComEd people were at a coffee shop, and it was the Speaker this, and the Speaker that, and the Speaker this, the Speaker that and the, right next to her at the table was Tiffany Madigan. […]
And so suffice it to say, about two weeks later she was no longer working for ComEd. […]
(Laughs.) And so um, the um, so if you just say our friend, no one really knows what we’re talking about so. So, uh that’s the way I’m gonna talk, if that’s okay?
…Adding… Ken Dunkin was mentioned in the trial yesterday as an example of Madigan’s power. Dunkin was again a topic today during cross-examination…
The Madigan-led Democratic Party of Illinois successfully ran a candidate against Dunkin.
"And that's politics. That's politics, isn't it sir," Cotter asks.
* So, according to this, the equivalent of 10 percent of all registered Kias and 7 percent of all registered Hyundais in Chicago were stolen last year? I knew the problem was bad, but whoa…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 22 attorneys general, today called on Kia America (Kia) and Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) to take swift and comprehensive action to help remedy the crisis of car thefts that has occurred as a result of the companies’ failure to equip vehicles with anti-theft immobilizers.
From approximately 2010 to 2021, Hyundai and Kia failed to equip base vehicle models with anti-theft immobilizers, which prevent the vehicle from operating without a key or key fob. In 2022 alone, there were over 7,000 Hyundai and Kia thefts in Chicago, which account for 10% of all registered Kia vehicles and 7% of all registered Hyundai vehicles in the city.
Kia and Hyundai recently announced a customer service campaign to upgrade the software of affected vehicles; however, Raoul and the coalition said in a letter that the plan is insufficient, incomplete and long overdue.
“I urge Kia and Hyundai to accelerate a software upgrade to ensure consumers’ vehicles are properly equipped to guard against theft. Additionally, these companies need to provide free alternate protective measures to owners with vehicles that cannot support the software upgrade,” Raoul said. “I stand committed to protecting consumers and our communities, and I urge these car companies to do their part to prevent these thefts.”
Raoul and the attorneys general explain that Kia and Hyundai chose not to include anti-theft immobilizers as standard equipment on several vehicle models sold in the United States, despite including the immobilizers on the same affected models sold in other countries. As a result, the number of thefts and the use of stolen vehicles to commit other thefts in the U.S. significantly increased.
Raoul and the attorneys general are urging the companies to accelerate the planned software upgrade because in addition to dealing with the risk of their vehicle being stolen, Hyundai and Kia owners now face the threat of being unable to insure their vehicles. According to the coalition, several major insurance companies are now refusing to insure the Hyundai and Kia models most susceptible to theft.
Joining Attorney General Raoul in submitting the letter were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, along with the Utah Division of Consumer Protection.
* Organized labor has been divided on Chicago’s mayoral race for months, but the split has been mostly amicable and professional until this week.
During the first round, the unions were scattered around, with progressive labor organizations like the Chicago Teachers Union backing Brandon Johnson, numerous trade unions staying with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Local 150 of the Operating Engineers and various Teamsters locals endorsing Chuy Garcia, and the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police going with their former labor negotiator Paul Vallas.
Since the runoff began, however, the unions quickly polarized, with trade unions lining up behind Vallas (Local 150 quickly switched gears, for instance, and pledged $1 million for Vallas) and more progressive public employee unions uniting with Johnson (including SEIU Local 1 and AFSCME, which sat out the first round).
* Tensions have been building in the runoff, including over race, and they escalated quickly yesterday when CTU President Stacy Davis Gates spoke to a national publication about the contest…
Organizers in Johnson’s camp say the CTU is the glue holding together a coalition, not the sole force of his campaign. Davis Gates noted that she and the heads of the local SEIU and SEIU Healthcare, also behind Johnson, are all Black, and her members are mostly women.
That shows union membership isn’t just “white guys in hard hats,” she said.
“The organized labor that’s behind Brandon are unions that have routinely fought for issues that lift up working people,” said Bill Neidhardt, a campaign adviser for Johnson.
“White guys in hard hats.” OK.
…Adding… The CTU membership is not exactly representative of the city nor the public school student population. From the Tribune in 2021…
Of the 22,000 CPS teachers, 48.8% are white; 22.3% are Hispanic; 20.7% are Black; and 4.2% are Asian.
About 330,000 students are enrolled in CPS, with 46.6% Hispanic; 36% Black; 10.8% white and 4.4% Asian.
* Trade unions have been criticized for a lack of diversity, mainly by Black and Brown politicians, but rarely has that criticism come from within labor itself. And the CTU president’s comments badly stung some trade union leaders yesterday. From the Building Trades Council…
“There is no room in the labor movement or politics for divisive statements like Stacy’s,” said Mike Macellaio, President of the Chicago and Cook County Building Trades Council, which represents 15 unions and more than 80,000 members. “The building trades are a diverse group of highly skilled men and women of every race, color and creed; and we committed to protecting the rights of every worker and opening doors for the next generation. Building trades unions funded the vast majority of the Workers’ Rights Amendment campaign, which protects every worker in Illinois, and we have invested millions in programs to increase access to apprenticeship programs and provide skill training to a diverse new generation of workers. We call on Brandon Johnson to make clear where he stands on Stacy’s comments as well.”
Tensions between the two union sides have existed for years, even before the issue of pension reform bitterly divided the house of labor in the past decade. Teachers unions and AFSCME refused to contribute to then-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s personal campaign fund after he pushed through a pension reform package. Some of the trades, which backed Madigan, then began publicly calling for pension reform to free up state money for things like infrastructure.
But then Bruce Rauner came along and his strident anti-union rhetoric and his publicly admitted decision to hold the state budget hostage until Democrats went along with his “right to work” agenda fused organized labor together like it had never been before.
The bond has mostly held since then because both sides have done pretty darned well under the current governor and there’s no reason to fight over crumbs, but the split has been particularly obvious in the mayoral runoff as the trades congregate behind the conservative White guy and the public employee unions align with the lefty Black man.
Bob Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor is also concerned. “The labor movement fights every day to provide pay and opportunity to members. But we have to make sure that we can disagree with each other without getting to a point where it divides us — because the labor movement has to endure.”
Staying neutral: Neither the CFL nor the trades council have endorsed anyone in the mayor’s race.
Gates responds: “I truly don’t understand the response to my comment. And, I think we are saying the same thing: Labor is diverse, and its leadership is diverse, too. It is important especially for women during Women’s History Month to know they are represented at the highest levels of union leadership,” Gates said in a statement.
But it’s obviously more than just her comments about women which have sparked the ire of the trades.
* In response to the Johnson campaign’s statement that “supporters of Brandon tend to be the people who lift workers up,” a high-level member of the building trades pointed out that their unions - the so-called “white guys in hard hats” - put their money where their mouths were last year to back the Workers Rights Amendment…
The official noted that the money spent by teachers’ unions on the amendment ($162K) pales in comparison to the seven-figure sums those unions are now putting behind Johnson. That difference, the official said, “tells the story about lifting up workers vs. getting a contract this summer.”
* Sun-Times | Madigan ruled ‘through fear and intimidation,’ ComEd bribery trial jurors told: Rita’s testimony came during the trial of Madigan confidant Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, ex-ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and onetime City Club President Jay Doherty. The four are accused of arranging for jobs, contracts and money for Madigan’s associates while legislation crucial to ComEd moved through Springfield.
* Crain’s | How much is Lolla worth to Chicago? Three NASCAR events.: It appears that Lollapalooza will be a better financial deal for the city than NASCAR, even factoring in the fact that Lolla runs for four days, and NASCAR vehicles are due to race for two days in Grant Park earlier in summer.
* Shaw Local | State must address corrupted workplace cultures: When considering such situations in their entirety – at Choate, more than 1,500 reported incidents of abuse and neglect over the decade ending in 2021 – it’s easy to detach from the individual stories, or to apply simplistic characterizations to everyone who punches the same time clock. Myerscough wouldn’t follow that trend, even while issuing a deserved 20-year prison sentence.
* WBEZ | Pitchfork Music Festival announces 2023 lineup: Perhaps the most notable programmatic shift is that the Sunday programming, which historically leaned more heavily into Urban Alternative performers (such as Toro y Moi, Noname, Erykah Badu and Flying Lotus) is headlined this year by Bon Iver. There also aren’t any of the throwback acts that were earmarks of the fest in years past, a’la George Clinton in 2017 or Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys) performing in 2016 … That is unless you count The Smile, which is made up of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead with drummer Tom Skinner, or perhaps Panda Bear + Sonic Boom (members of aughts indie darling band Animal Collective and 80s alt-rock band Spacemen 3, respectively).
