Illinois had several weeks of continued decrease in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. However, that quickly changed over the past ten days.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has tracked an uptick in new cases across the entire state. IDPH officials also said that led to more people going into the hospital in certain regions. […]
Gov. JB Pritzker recently said he hoped to ease back the mask mandate for the holiday season, but that may not happen now. IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike said it’s inappropriate right now to think of going mask-free for the holidays. […]
Ezike said many events that may have been held outdoors with warmer weather moved inside over the last few weeks.
“As we’ve moved indoors, we haven’t maybe taken our masks indoors with us. So a lot of unmasked indoor gatherings are likely part of the problem,” Ezike said. “Of course, COVID is so complicated. It’s been throwing us curveball after curveball.”
Ezike said she understands the fatigue around wearing masks and that people want to return to the lifestyle they enjoyed before the pandemic started, but she stressed we’re not beyond this virus. COVID-19 is still spreading quickly in indoor settings.
Displeased by that development, some of Casten’s DuPage County-based allies in the Illinois House threatened to withhold voting for the congressional maps unless he was treated more favorably. That appeared to be why the final map that won approval on Oct. 29 moved Newman’s home in LaGrange six blocks out of the 6th, unleashing fury in her camp.
“Clearly, the folks who did that little maneuver in the middle of the night didn’t understand Marie Newman,” she told WBEZ. […]
So, in a last-ditch political Hail Mary, Newman’s backers got their hands on the personal cell phone numbers of Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, and made call after call after call to protest her treatment. It was pure lobbying chutzpah, multiple legislative sources confirmed.
Ultimately, it didn’t move the needle, and it’s a tactic from which Newman seeks to distance herself.
“I know they made calls to all the legislators that had involvement in remapping,” she said, when asked whether she signed off on the move. “So I have no idea who was called or who wasn’t called. But I do know that my constituents followed all of the rules, and they were very angry about these middle-of-the-night shenanigans.”
So, wait. She says that the people who drew the map “didn’t understand Marie Newman” and yet she claims no knowledge of her people bombarding the two legislative leaders’ private mobile phones?
Right. OK.
Both Newman and Casten complain about their predicament in the article, but Illinois lost a congressional district and a Latino-influenced district had to be created. Somebody in the Chicago area was gonna end up with the short end of the stick.
* Last year’s General Funds Walk Down produced by GOMB projected the Fiscal Year 2021 deficit at $3.9 billion with a payment backlog of $10.16 billion. That backlog was projected to grow to $33.16 billion by Fiscal Year 2026, with deficits between $4.2 billion and $4.8 billion every single fiscal year.
This year’s GOMB walk down is a whole lot different. GOMB is projecting a surplus in FY 2022 of $418 million, with deficits of $406, $820, $1,061, $903 and $598 million in the coming fiscal years.
That still ain’t great, but it’s a world away from where the state was. That is, of course, if those projections hold up. Last year’s projections were obviously way off.
* Press release…
The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) released the annual Economic and Fiscal Policy Report showing Illinois has made significant improvement in its structural deficit under Governor Pritzker’s leadership. As the state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, this progress has been fueled by the Governor and the General Assembly passing and implementing balanced budgets, promoting economic development to create jobs and boost economic activity, and closing corporate tax loopholes.
GOMB is now projecting significantly smaller deficits than estimated previously in the general funds budget for fiscal years 2023 through 2027. The forecasted fiscal year 2023 shortfall was reduced from $2.9 billion, as estimated in 2019, to $406 million, and the 2024 shortfall was reduced from $3.2 billion, as estimated in 2019, to a deficit of $820 million.
“With our partners in the General Assembly we’ve made tremendous progress in putting Illinois on the right fiscal path, supporting small businesses, and creating good jobs in every part of our state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am committed to building on this significant progress while tackling our remaining fiscal challenges. Together, we can build long term fiscal stability for Illinois while ensuring economic opportunity in all of our communities.”
The future years’ budget outlook also benefits from strong pension fund investment returns in fiscal year 2021, substantial early debt retirement in 2021 and interest cost savings from paying down the State’s unpaid bill backlog.
The Governor intends to pursue several actions to continue Illinois’ strong path forward, including directing funds to further reduce the state’s existing payables, reserving additional funds for fiscal emergencies or economic downturns, and continuing the management controls put in place at the beginning of the Pritzker Administration to continue to responsibly manage the limited resources of state government. With the Governor’s recommended actions, the state’s unpaid bills have been significantly tamed, with the vast majority of bills now paid within 30 days. The outstanding invoices, most of which are less than 30 days old, are estimated to fall below $2.75 billion by the end of fiscal year 2022, down from the $9.2 billion of outstanding bills and cashflow borrowings prior to taking office. This would be a nearly $6.5 billion - or 70 percent reduction - while replenishing the Budget Stabilization Fund that was drained during the previous administration.
Illinois’ significant improvement to its fiscal outlook was heralded last summer by the state’s credit rating agencies, with an upgrade to its general obligation bond credit rating granted by Moody’s Investor Services and S&P Global Ratings in June and July 2021.
GOMB is required to annually submit an Economic and Fiscal Policy Report to the General Assembly outlining the long-term economic and fiscal policy objectives of the state, along with the economic and fiscal policy intentions for the upcoming fiscal year and for the subsequent four fiscal years.
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today announced $38 million in federal funding to identify and support students experiencing housing insecurity. The funding will bolster schools’ efforts to identify students in temporary living situations and provide them with services.
Students in many different living situations qualify for extra resources. The additional funding announced today will help schools overcome barriers to identifying students for services, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools statewide identified 17 percent fewer students to receive services related to housing insecurity last school year compared to the year before. The number of students identified statewide dropped from 38,898 to 32,301.
* The Daily Herald’s Katlyn Smith had a good piece over the weekend about this very topic…
Months into the pandemic, school districts across Illinois braced for a rise in the number of students without stable housing.
The COVID-19 crisis had unleashed widespread job loss and health complications, leaving “many more families and children homeless or at risk of homelessness,” the Illinois State Board of Education warned in July 2020.
When the numbers came in, however, it was “quite a shock,” said Deb Dempsey, an advocate for homeless students with the Kane County Regional Office of Education. Schools identified thousands fewer homeless students in 2020-21 than in the year before.
“It was like, ‘Oh my God, where are these kids?’” Dempsey said.
But what appears to be a significant decline is not only misleading. It’s cause for concern. Educators say there isn’t a reduction in homelessness.
“It’s just that we’ve lost track of them, which is the worst thing that can happen because then they’re kind of falling through the cracks and not getting the services that they need,” said Tom Bookler, a regional homeless liaison in the North Cook Intermediate Service Center.
* Back to the press release…
“So many families have experienced financial hardship during the pandemic. We hope to increase understanding among parents and educators that students in many different living situations can qualify for and benefit from this funding,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala, “Living with friends or relatives, staying in motels or other short-term housing, or having to move out due to unsafe conditions or a disaster like flooding or fire – students and families in any of these circumstances are entitled to extra money to ensure they can continue to participate fully in all the opportunities school has to offer, as well as support for any trauma they may be going through.”
A new study by the University of Chicago’s Inclusive Economy Lab found that housing insecurity can affect students’ grade point averages, attendance rates, and graduation rates. The extra funding for schools will help ensure students experiencing housing insecurity have equitable opportunities by covering the costs of school fees and school supplies; transportation to and from school, extracurricular activities, and appointments; counseling; and other supports.
ISBE has already distributed $6 million to the state’s regional lead area liaisons and allocated $6 million in regular federal funding for students experiencing housing insecurity. An additional $24 million will go directly to school districts to boost their efforts to identify students who quality for extra services due to housing insecurity. ISBE will use the remaining $2 million to provide professional development to educators and community partners to increase understanding about the impact housing insecurity has on students.
“You know, I’m embarrassed if somebody says I’m a billionaire,” he said in an interview with another Chicago billionaire, Sam Zell. “It’s like I’m a criminal.” […]
“I’m a Democrat, but I worry that there’s part of our country that views that as being wrong because of the inequality over wealth,” Bluhm said. “Inequality in part has occurred because of the action of the (Federal Reserve) and interest rates being so low, so asset values have gone up, and our net worth has gone up. But it isn’t our fault. We took chances, we got educated, we went into business and there was the hope—and that was what America was all about.”
Bluhm knows something about the American Dream. He came from a modest upbringing, raised by a single mother, who worked as a bookkeeper, in an apartment over a drugstore in Albany Park. He went on to obtain a law degree from Northwestern University and made a fortune in real estate. He’s the founder of JMB Realty, Walton Street Capital, two Chicago real estate investment firms, and Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, a casino owner whose assets include the Rivers Casino in Des Plaines.
Bluhm is worth $6.4 billion, up from $4 billion in 2020, according to Forbes magazine. He’s slightly ahead of Zell, whose fortune rose to $6 billion this year, up from $4.7 billion.
Casino magnate Neil Bluhm has lined up a team of blue-ribbon lobbyists to try to convince the City Council not to lift the ban on sports betting in Chicago.
On Monday, Bluhm made the argument himself during a subject matter hearing on sports betting before a joint meeting of the zoning and license committees. It’s the political equivalent of a heavyweight boxing match that has pitted sports team owners against clout-heavy developers vying to build a Chicago casino. […]
Bluhm’s interest in blocking the ordinance is two-fold. His Rush Street Gaming company is part of two separate groups vying to build a Chicago casino.
And his Des Plaines-based Rivers Casino already has a sports book that stands to lose business if sports betting is legalized in Chicago.
Mara Georges, who worked as the city’s top attorney under former Mayor Richard M. Daley, said Bluhm’s projections on tax revenue losses “are not to be taken seriously.” Georges is lobbying for the ordinance on behalf of the Wirtz family, who own the Blackhawks and the United Center, and the Ricketts family, who own the Cubs and Wrigley Field.
Bluhm’s projections “rest in conjecture and fail to accurately state the facts,” Georges said, adding his comments “seem to assume that no person who places a wager at a sports book venue will venture to a casino after the game.”
Plus, Bluhm’s Rivers Casino in suburban Des Plaines is already benefiting from the ban on sports betting in Chicago, Georges said.
“If the tax rate in Illinois gets too high on sports book or sports book is not allowed in the city of Chicago, all that will happen is those bettors will leave the city and flee to locations outside the city,” she said.
With the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill now awaiting only a presidential signature, a parade of state and local officials is moving to insure that a stalled plan to rebuild the Eisenhower Expressway is a priority to get some of that money.
Legislative leaders, Chicago Transportation Commissioner Gia Biagi and top labor officials are set to hold a press conference in the morning intended to give a big push to fund reconstruction of I-290 from the Jane Byrne Interchange to Hillside.
The state in 2017 estimated the cost of rebuilding the road and the Chicago Transit Authority blue line, which runs in its center, at $3.2 billion. But no construction has occurred because the state has lacked funding.
Notice of the event came from a spokesman for IUOE Local 150, a politically connected union representing operating engineers that has considerable Springfield influence.
* Press release…
Following the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon will join the Rebuild 290 Coalition today to call for federal funds to speed up the reconstruction of Interstate 290 from Hillside to the Byrne Interchange and the CTA’s Blue Line. Both legislative chambers passed Senate Joint Resolution 31 in June, which requested federal support to expedite engineering and construction.
Local mayors, business leaders, organized labor representatives, community organizations and economic policy analysts will discuss I-290’s current state of disrepair as well as the economic, community and safety benefits of the proposed reconstruction.
* From the Illinois Economic Policy Institute…
A multi-modal infrastructure proposal that would modernize the 13-mile stretch of I-290 between I-94 and the I-88/294 interchange would create more than 22,000 jobs, reduce traffic congestion by 25-56%, and dramatically enhance access to jobs for Chicago’s most disadvantaged communities, according to a new study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI).
The $2.7 billion project, which combines innovative transit and pedestrian improvements alongside bridge and roadway upgrades, is projected by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to provide amongst the best economic, equity, and traffic impacts of any project in the region by 2050. The recently passed Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 31 encouraged priority funding for the project. […]
Originally built in the 1950’s alongside CTA’s blue-line, as much as ninety percent of the project’s existing pavement structure is original and exceeds the normal roadway design life of 25-30 years. Of its 44 bridges, 34% are considered “structurally deficient” and 86% are “functionally obsolete,” according to Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) data. According to CMAP, vehicle traffic on the stretch has increased by more than 16% since 1984.
In her research, Tyler illustrates the severely limited pedestrian access to adjacent transit facilities, emphasizing safety hazards from narrow sidewalks along busy roads and dangerous crosswalks across I-290 exit and entrance ramps. Tyler also found that over the past decade, I-290 had both the highest number of fatal crashes and the highest fatal crash rate amongst comparable stretches of highway in the Chicago metropolitan area. […]
The proposed I-290 reconstruction project, that was detailed in a 2017 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from the Illinois Department of Transportation, incorporates not only bridge and highway upgrades—including a new High Occupancy Toll lane (HOT3+) to support Express Bus service and promote carpooling—but also wider sidewalks, pedestrian safety islands, high visibility crosswalks, lighting, and signals to better facilitate pedestrian/bicycle traffic and transit riders. A concurrent CTA project would upgrade blue line transit facilities, including reconstruction of the entire Forest Park Branch (including track and related infrastructure) as well as stations from UIC-Halsted to Forest Park and six substations.
By 2050, CMAP projects the project will reduce travel times by 25-56%, while increasing the number of jobs within 45 minutes of each household in the region by more than 17,000, and high wage jobs not requiring a college degree for “Economically Disconnected Areas” (EDAs) by more than 1,300. Importantly, it projects that fully 31% of those using the rehabilitated stretch of I-290 will come from EDAs, making the project not only one of the region’s best values to reduce congestion, but to expand opportunity to historically marginalized communities.
Using industry standard IMPLAN modelling, Tyler’s study examined the potential overall economic impact of the project, concluding that it would create nearly 22,000 new jobs paying an average of almost $80,000 per year, while growing the economy by more than $2.6 billion and boosting local, state and federal tax revenues by more than $450 million.
“While I-290 is a prime example of an infrastructure corridor in dire need of attention for safety and traffic related concerns, it is an equally stark example of how such investments can be a game changer for the local economy that uplifts our most historically disadvantaged communities,” Tyler added.
While SJR 31 were recently passed, calling for the project to be prioritized, a funding source has yet to be identified. However, Tyler’s research highlights several potential sources—including tens of millions in toll revenues expected from the project, a new state law providing Tax Increment Financing for certain transit systems, and the possibility of over $300 billion in new federal transportation funds that have been proposed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Republicans outnumber Democrats 22-7 on the board.
I don’t pay much if any attention to the county board where I live, so I don’t know if the Democrats just run ridiculously horrible candidates and back them with amazingly lousy campaigns or if the map is truly that lopsided.
Either way, though… Wow.
In comparison, the Illinois Senate Democrats hold 70 percent of the seats in their chamber, but Biden beat Trump statewide by 17 points.
At the request of the Attorney General, Governor JB Pritzker today signed SB 1169 into law, clarifying the legislative intent of the Health Care Right of Conscience Act so that it cannot be abused or misinterpreted to jeopardize workplace safety. This amendment will ensure the long tradition of vaccine requirements by employers can continue with regard to the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Masks, vaccines, and testing requirements are life-saving measures that keep our workplaces and communities safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Keeping workplaces safe is a high priority, and I applaud the General Assembly for ensuring that the Health Care Right of Conscience Act is no longer wrongly used against institutions who are putting safety and science first.”
The Health Care Right of Conscience Act was originally enacted to allow medical professionals to refuse to receive or participate in healthcare services that are contrary to their personal beliefs, including religious or moral objections to specific services, such as abortion.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the law has been improperly invoked to evade employers’ requirements for testing, masking, and vaccines. The misuse of the law’s original intent has put customers, staff, and community members at risk by exposing employers to legal retaliation for enacting life-saving public health measures.
“With Governor Pritzker’s signature today, we continue our effort to keep the people of this state as safe as possible,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D- Westchester). “Despite deliberate attempts to misinform the public, nothing about this law takes away anyone’s rights to claim religious or medical exemption, which are protected by federal law. While only a small minority of people are skirting COVID-19 requirements, our goal is to make sure workers in high-risk environments are doing what’s needed to fulfill their responsibility to public health and keep everyone alive and healthy.”
“I hope this provides clarity to the situation as we work to protect the public’s health and beat back this pandemic that has taken so much from us,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park).
“Today we are taking critical action to protect people in high-risk environments—such as hospitals, veterans’ homes and schools—from the dangers of COVID-19,” said State Representative Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston). “While this law will not take away anyone’s right to claim exemptions based on religion or medical need, it prevents a small group of people from distorting the meaning of the Health Care Right of Consciousness Act and putting some of our most vulnerable members of society in danger. I would like to thank Governor Pritzker for the steps he’s taking today.”
This amendment preserves the legislative intent established by the Act’s 40 years of precedent, clarifying that it is not a violation of the Act to take workplaces measures intended to prevent the spread of deadly, communicable diseases like COVID-19.
The law explicitly reiterates federal protections of sincerely held religious objections.
“He continues to strip individual freedoms and make decisions that should be between an individual and their doctor,” said state Sen. Darren Bailey of downstate Xenia. “A few months ago we called healthcare workers heroes [but] now Pritzker wants to ensure they can be fired if they don’t submit to his tyrannical rule.
“These never-ending mandates and radical attacks by Pritzker on individual freedom must stop.”
The campaign of venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan argued the Health Care Right of Conscience Act was in place to “ensure no one could be discriminated against in their job because of their conscientious objection to not getting a medical procedure.
“Over 50,000 Illinoisans filed witness slips against this radical change,” according to Sullivan’s campaign statement. “Nevertheless, Pritzker pushed ahead, once again demonstrating his disregard for the will of the people. Jesse Sullivan opposes this scary legislation.”
“Scary.”
* Gary Rabine…
Gary Rabine, Republican candidate for Illinois Governor, is issuing the following statement on the Governor signing legislation to shield employers from litigation stemming from vaccine mandates.
“The Right of Conscience has long been a part of our nation’s heritage. Going all of the way back to the American Revolution, the Colonial Army made allowances for conscientious objectors. The Right of Conscience is engrained in our American heritage and our way of life.
The idea that employers can mandate a vaccine and be protected from lawsuits ought to frighten us all. If we cannot make healthcare for ourselves, what other ways can government limit our freedoms?
Governor Pritzker may not like the choices people make, but he should respect their right to make decisions for themselves. The courts will ultimately decide the legality of this new law, but there is no denying our individual rights and freedoms were dealt a major setback today.
Illinois does not need a despot. The residents of our state need and deserve a Governor who will listen to them and treat them with dignity and respect. Unlike JB Pritzker, I will put the rights and liberties of Illinois citizens first. I will end the war on families, and I will protect the Right of Conscience for all Illinoisans.”
Senate President Don Harmon argued there are legitimate limits to personal freedoms.
“The line of my personal liberty ends at the beginning of your nose,” Harmon said [during floor debate]. “That’s all we’re trying to do here. We’re trying to strike a balance. This law was never intended to preclude public health responses to a pandemic. And it shouldn’t be.”
Mark Maxwell: I want to move on to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act… The General Assembly passed this measure which would restrict the ability of some workers fired over their refusal to take a vaccine or a test, it would say, ‘Okay, you can’t sue your employer for discrimination on a religious objection basis.’ Do you think there’s a conscientious objection to taking a saliva test, for example?
Jesse Sullivan: Ummm, I’m not really sure. I do know, when I think of the Right of Conscience Act, when you just step back, and you listen to that. It’s like, the place we’re at in the state of Illinois, is that our governor and the legislature would like to remove the right to your own conscience.
Mark Maxwell: The right to sue your employer for discrimination of your conscience…
Jesse Sullivan: Right. Right. And, but it’s being able to right now as Illinois citizens, here’s how I feel. And I know I reflect the values of a ton of Illinois citizens. Our government does not share our values. Our government is doing a really, really bad job of being trustworthy. One in four Illinoisans actually think they have trust in our state government right now. When you, it’s the worst in the entire nation. And for good reason. I actually, I detest and despise these career politicians that have driven our state into the ground. Yet now you’re saying, ‘Oh, trust us with more power, trust us with more control.’ All the time. All these mandates, it’s always sucking away power and liberty and freedom. I want to be the type of governor that actually gives it back to the people. We need, we need people over politicians in the state of Illinois, anything that does the opposite and puts power into the hands of our corrupt politicians, I want to do the opposite.
Mark Maxwell: You would not have signed the health care right of conscience act changes?
Jesse Sullivan: No, I would not have.
Mark Maxwell: Why’s that?
Jesse Sullivan: You know, like I said, right now to be able to actually push to take more control back into the hands of anyone then individual freedom and liberty at this moment, I think is the wrong choice in the state. I think putting power back in the hands of people is the way to go and making these choices.
He doesn’t have a bad message. But he really needs to work on his segues…
Also, Maxwell asked the same question of Springfield Catholic Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, and Paprocki said there should be no such objection. So, maybe Sullivan should’ve seen this question coming.
* Some truly “out there” analysis from the Illinois Policy Institute…
In a little over a year, Illinois voters will make two major decisions at the ballot box: First, who will be their next governor? Second, and more importantly, how much power will they hand over to public-sector unions?
While the gubernatorial race is sure to make headlines, the lesser-known Amendment 1 vote could wreck the future of Illinois’ economy and make union bosses more powerful than voters or elected officials by cementing broad, sweeping control into the state constitution.
Proponents of Amendment 1 say a constitutional amendment would be about keeping right-to-work out of Illinois, but what it would really do is boost the power of government unions to make demands that state law couldn’t control, and taxpayers would be expected to fund.
There are four parts of the amendment, each granting unions an unprecedented amount of power.
First, the amendment grants unionization ability to all employees in the state – private or public. This language is incredibly broad, and there is no wording in the amendment to limit its application. On its face, it doesn’t matter if the “employee” works for a government unit, a private company or even an individual. It broadly applies to all employees. Could Illinois’ future legislature be made up of unionized lawmakers?
*eyeroll.emoji*
* The Question: What should we name this Illinois lawmaker union?
Monday, Nov 8, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The world’s first engineering-based medical school is leveraging technology and data to revolutionize the way health care is delivered to improve patient care and outcomes.
Carle Illinois is pioneering new approaches to medical education and health care as it educates a new generation of physician innovators.
Led by Carle Illinois Health Innovation Professors, the faculty are champions of interdisciplinary research and are translating new ideas to innovations and to impact.
A Carle Illinois College of Medicine research team is developing a new device that will improve the management of breast cancer using ultrasound imaging. The team has innovated new radiological clips that will increase visibility during imaging, reduce levels of radiation, and offer other new capabilities not previously available.
The time is now for Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
* Several US Reps. sent out dot points outlining what the federal infrastructure bill means for Illinois. This is from Rep. Lauren Underwood, with emphasis added by me…
• Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians: In Illinois there are 2,374 bridges and over 6,218 miles of highway in poor condition. Since 2011, commute times have increased by 7.3% in Illinois and on average, each driver pays $609 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system. Based on formula funding alone, Illinois would expect to receive $9.8 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $1.4 billion for bridge replacement and repairs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act over five years. Illinois can also compete for the $12.5 billion Bridge Investment Program for economically significant bridges and nearly $16 billion of national funding in the bill dedicated for major projects that will deliver substantial economic benefits to communities.
• Build a network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers to facilitate long-distance travel and provide convenient charging options: Illinois would expect to receive $149 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state. Illinois will also have the opportunity to apply for the $2.5 billion in grant funding dedicated to EV charging in the bill.
• Help connect every Illinoisans to reliable high-speed internet: Broadband internet is necessary for Americans to do their jobs, to participate equally in school learning, health care, and to stay connected. Yet 14% of Illinois households do not have an internet subscription. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Illinois will receive a minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including providing access to the at least 228,000 Illinoisans who currently lack it. And, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 2,926,000 or 23% of people in Illinois will be eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which will help low-income families afford internet access.
• Prepare more of our infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, cyberattacks, and extreme weather events: From 2010 to 2020, Illinois has experienced 48 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $50 billion in damages. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, based on historical formula funding levels, Illinois will expect to receive $27 million over five years to protect against wildfires and $22 million to protect against cyberattacks. Illinoisans will also benefit from the bill’s historic $3.5 billion national investment in weatherization which will reduce energy costs for families.
• Deliver clean drinking water: Based on the traditional state revolving fund formula, Illinois will expect to receive $1.7 billion over five years to improve water infrastructure across the state and ensure that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities.
• Improve airports: Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, airports in Illinois would receive approximately $616 million for infrastructure development for airports over five years.
The federal infrastructure funding will piggyback on Rebuild Illinois state programs and other infrastructure plans enacted by the Illinois General Assembly and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. […]
The infrastructure bill included a $1.7 billion competitive federal grant program pushed by Reps. Marie Newman, D-Ill., and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Ill., — both on the House Transportation Committee — to upgrade transit stations accessibility for the disabled, aimed at bolstering the CTA’s improvements for people with disabilities.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., was able to get in the bill vehicle safety provisions dealing with drunk driving prevention, collision warnings, automatic emergency braking and lane departure warnings. According to the bill, within three years, new motor vehicles must “be equipped with advanced drunk and impaired driving prevention technology.”
The measure also has provisions to combat distracted driving, drafted by Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.
Particularly worth watching in months and years ahead are the CTA’s proposed extension of its Red Line south to the city limits, replacement of lead water pipes in the city and some suburbs, money for electric-vehicle charging stations that will complement Gov J.B. Pritzker’s move to lure that industry to Illinois, and tens of billions of dollars for Amtrak, which has laid out plans for a huge increase in train service out of its Chicago mid-America hub.
I’m beyond disappointed that President Biden and Democrats in Congress paired bipartisan infrastructure investment to their reckless, multi-trillion-dollar, tax-and-spending proposal. At a time when inflation is persisting and the prices of goods and services continue to rise, we cannot afford pouring over three-trillion dollars of new government spending into the economy, particularly after the Democrats passed their nearly-two-trillion-dollar spending bill earlier this year. It’s time for Congress to stop the spending blowout and take action to address the supply chain crisis and get inflation under control. That’s what American families need.
Somebody please tell him this money will be spent over five years. $1.2 trillion divided by 5 equals $240 billion. Not much in a $21 trillion national economy.
That was an odd statement from an official who, if Republicans retake control of the House in the 2022 elections, is likely to become chairman of the House Transportation Committee. That position will give Davis huge sway over how some of the just-passed money will be spent. Is he going to turn it down and reject funds for Illinois and his district (assuming he runs for re-election)? Somehow, I suspect not.
Davis’ position is particularly interesting given that other, GOP-leaning groups were all for the infrastructure bill. Like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which termed it “a major win for America.” Or the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois, whose president, former Illinois House GOP Chief of Staff Kevin Artl, praised the “once-in-a-generation investment” as a vehicle for job and economic growth.
...Adding… DPI…
“Four out of five Illinois Republicans agree: they’d rather put petty partisan politics over people,” said Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Abby Witt. “That’s the message Illinoisans received when Reps. Mike Bost, Rodney Davis, Darin LaHood, and Mary Miller voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal last Friday night. By voting no, these Republicans opposed investing billions in Illinois’ roads and bridges, broadband services, cybersecurity, water infrastructure, and more. Instead of voting yes and creating good-paying jobs, these Republicans continue to use political spin as a cover for not doing their own.”
Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts, who led GOP fundraising efforts to re-elect former President Donald Trump, is stepping down as the Republican National Committee finance chair after serving in the role for almost four years. […]
Todd Ricketts has been mentioned as a possible 2022 contender for an Illinois statewide office. He is bowing out of his RNC role before his term is up in 2023. This may free him to consider whether he has or wants a political future in Illinois.
His close association with Trump — and an enormous fundraising base, between his wealthy family and his national contacts — would help him in an Illinois GOP primary. But being linked to Trump so directly would make it difficult to win a general election in heavily Democratic Illinois.
Hmm.
* Potential congressional candidate is named to Crain’s 40 Under 40 list…
Delia Ramirez, state representative for Illinois’ 4th District, was in Springfield just a few months when she passed her first major piece of legislation, to strengthen the state’s homeless prevention program in 2019.
Ramirez “hit the ground running,” says House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. Despite being short on seniority, she landed on Welch’s leadership team earlier this year. But not long before, she’d taken 12 years to get an undergraduate degree from Northeastern University.
That was because she was also working full time at what is now known as the Center for Changing Lives in her home base of Logan Square/Humboldt Park. That’s the organization where Ramirez’s parents first received supportive housing when they arrived from Guatemala (her mother had crossed the border pregnant with Delia at the time). She began volunteering at the organization—which offered food, shelter and casework—and rose from working in what was essentially the mailroom at age 17 to becoming the executive director at 21.
Retirements by Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) and Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) — and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez’s decision to run in a neighboring safe seat rather than a swing district that more closely resembles his current South Texas seat — have deprived Democrats of well-funded incumbents for tough races. Wisconsin Republican Derrick Van Orden has banked $1.2 million, and Republican Esther Joy King in Illinois has over $655,000. Meanwhile, no Democratic candidates posted significant fundraising by the end of the third quarter.
A three-judge federal court panel on Friday set the week of Dec. 6 as the time it will hear three consolidated cases challenging the new legislative district maps that were drawn by Democrats and signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker earlier this year. […]
[U.S. District Judge Robert M. Dow Jr., who presides over the panel] indicated that the case is being put on an expedited schedule in order to accommodate the 2022 election cycle. Under the current schedule, candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions on Jan. 13 and those petitions must be submitted to the State Board of Elections the week of March 7-14. In order to do that, though, candidates need to know what district they will be running in.
During Friday’s status conference, all of the plaintiffs agreed to submit their proposed remedies to the court by Wednesday, Nov. 10. That gives the defendants until Monday, Nov. 22, to file their response.
Sean Berkowitz, an attorney representing Harmon and Welch, said he does not intend to submit a new plan but instead will defend the maps passed by the General Assembly. An attorney for the State Board of Elections said she did not plan to submit any filings and would just “passively monitor” the proceedings.
In politics, timing is everything. That’s why state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, R-Elmhurst, says it’s not yet time to make up her mind about her political future. […]
“I’m probably getting three or four calls a day asking, ‘What are you going to do? What are you going to do?’” Mazzochi said.
Mazzochi has multiple choices. She can run in at least one state House district, the Illinois Senate or for chairwoman of the DuPage County Board. She can even run for Congress.
She said supporters suggested she run in the new 6th Congressional District represented by Democrat Sean Casten.
* Press release…
Today, EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed Rep. Marie Newman to represent Illinois’ 6th Congressional District. Laphonza Butler, president of EMILY’s List, released the following statement:
“Since her election to Congress in 2020, Congresswoman Marie Newman has fought tirelessly on behalf of her constituents. A champion for families, Rep. Newman is an advocate for paid parental leave, small business economic support, and high quality health care for all. She is also a champion for reproductive rights, voting rights, gun violence prevention , and LGBTQ+ rights. There is no doubt that Congresswoman Newman will continue her steadfast public service when she is elected to represent Illinois’ 6th District. EMILY’s List is proud to stand with Rep. Newman in this pivotal moment.”
Of greater significance is the group’s decision to insert itself into the lone Democratic matchup as a result of the new district boundaries.
Newman, a first-term Democrat from LaGrange, was mapped into a new strongly Latino district with U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García. But she opted to challenge the two-term Casten from Downers Grove in the adjacent 6th District, with new boundaries that range from the southwest suburbs of Tinley Park and Orland Park to the western suburbs of Elmhurst, Lombard, Villa Park and Lisle.
Members of Congress do not have to live in the district they represent.
EMILY’s List backed Newman in her successful 2020 primary victory over abortion-rights opponent, U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski of Western Springs, as well as in her 2018 primary loss to Lipinski.
* Danny Davis’ primary opponent…
On Monday, Indivisible endorsed Kina Collins for Congress in her primary against Rep. Danny Davis in Illinois’ 7th Congressional District. A leading national progressive organization formed in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election, Indivisible previously backed the successful primary bid of Rep. Marie Newman (IL-03) against Dan Lipinski in 2020.
“Kina has spent her career organizing in the streets and in the halls of her state legislature to deliver the change her community needs, and Indivisible is thrilled to endorse her campaign for Congress,” said Indivisible National Political Director Lucy Solomon. “Now more than ever, we need leaders who are accountable to the people, not corporate interests. Kina Collins is that leader, and we’re excited to see her campaign building a grassroots movement for the change we need.”
…Adding… Press release…
Today marks one year out from the 2022 General Election. While campaigning for secretary of state, David Moore continues to make youth engagement one of the major planks of his platform. He believes the secretary of state’s office is in a unique position to emphasize the role of civic responsibility at an early age.
The secretary of state’s office is the first introduction many young people have to state government and their civic responsibility. First, as bike riders and learning about bicycle safety and obeying the Bicycle Rules of the Road; Second, by providing young adults with a state identification card and/or driver’s license; and Third, by asking every Illinois resident who comes through the secretary of state’s office if they want to register to vote.
To encourage more young people to take part in the political process, Moore proposes sending every 18-year-old who comes through the secretary of state’s office a birthday postcard that also reaffirms they are automatically registered to vote.
“This small gesture is a way of letting teenagers know they are entering adulthood, which carries with it more civic responsibility,” explains Moore. “A study by the analysis website FiveThirtyEight shows that in states where new registrants are reminded of their voting status turnout increases.”
He also proposes sending a congratulations card to the state’s new citizens.
In 2017, Illinois became the 10th state along with Washington, D.C., to approve automatic voter registration.
In the 2020 presidential election, more than 6 million people voted statewide. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, turnout statewide was the highest since 1992. Of the 8.3 million voters eligible to vote, 6.1 million cast ballots. Moore believes by engaging young people early they will become lifelong voters.
* More…
* The Big Lie road show continues, with a new stop in Chicago’s suburbs: Ives’ approach is hardly novel. Backers of former President Donald Trump penned “The Georgia Report,” which used change of address data to claim more than 10,000 people voted fraudulently in Georgia in 2020 because they lived in other states. Those claims have been thoroughly debunked, as have similar Big Lie-inspired efforts in Arizona and Nevada.
* 2021 Legislative Results: Democrats Take A Victory Lap While Republicans Attack On Crime, Pensions And Taxes
Illinoisans are quitting their jobs in record numbers in what many have deemed the “Great Resignation.”
The 201,000 Illinois residents who left jobs in August set a new record for the state. The data recently released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also showed a record-setting 4.3 million resignations nationally, as Illinois’ record number of resignations ranked seventh among states for the month.
“This is unprecedented,” said University of Illinois labor law professor Michael LeRoy. “And it’s poorly understood.”
Robert Bruno, who has published research about the topic over the last year, prefers to refer to what’s happening as the “Great Refusal.”
The University of Illinois labor relations professor said some of what is being reflected in the trend is a response to how people were treated by their employers at the start of the pandemic — whether they were quickly fired, laid off, furloughed or found themselves in situations where they were asked to do more work with an increased risk.
That being said, a close family member has been unemployed for months and has had real trouble finding job openings. I’m not sure everything is at it seems.
The administration acknowledges that a small minority of Americans will use — and some may seek to exploit — religious exemptions. But it said it believes even marginal improvements in vaccination rates will save lives.
It is not clear how many federal employees have asked for a religious exemption, though union officials say there will be many requests. The Labor Department has said an accommodation can be denied if it causes an undue burden on the employer.
In the states, mask and vaccine requirements vary, but most offer exemptions for certain medical conditions or religious or philosophical objections. The use of such exemptions, particularly by parents on behalf of their schoolchildren, has been growing over the past decade.
The allowance was enshrined in the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, which says employers must make reasonable accommodations for employees who object to work requirements because of “sincerely held” religious beliefs.
A religious belief does not have to be recognized by an organized religion, and it can be new, unusual or “seem illogical or unreasonable to others,” according to rules laid out by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. But it can’t be founded solely on political or social ideas.
That puts employers in the position of determining what is a legitimate religious belief and what is a dodge.
“People will be able to claim a religious exemption well after the effective date of this law…,” Senate President Don Harmon, a sponsor of the change, contended in debate. “The religious exemption exists in federal law and is unaffected by this.”
Constitutional scholars contradict that claim. None of the laws cited by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office — prohibiting employment discrimination under the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, or those protecting age or genetic information — would likely recognize a religious objection to the COVID-19 vaccine, they say.
But if federal religious protections are that available, why the long nights and hours of debate at the end of the Legislature’s fall session to clarify that the Illinois right of conscience law doesn’t cover rejection of the coronavirus vaccine?
“It wouldn’t do much good to amend it if the same exemptions were available elsewhere,” said Douglas Laycock, a University of Virginia law professor whose writings on religious liberties have been compiled into five volumes. “They are not, unless the Supreme Court changes the law.”
I am not sure what it is, but so many reporters here have neglected to point out that the word “testing” is in the HCRCA’s definition of “health care,” and that some people who are refusing to comply with the vaccine mandate are also trying to use the law to get out of the alternative requirements for regular testing.
Another thing too often ignored in the coverage of this debate is that the HCRCA law goes well beyond religion to “conscience.” An atheist could try to claim a testing objection under state law.
*** UPDATE *** Freedom from weekly testing for a potentially fatal communicable disease? Please…
A Springfield School District 186 teacher who had been in defiance of a state mandate requiring teachers to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccinations or submit to weekly testing said she has informed the district that she is vaccinated. […]
Koen, 43, said her decision about not informing the district was “always about liberties and freedoms and medical autonomy.”
She admitted “disappointment” in not getting the issue into the court system and ultimately hoped some rendering might be made before she would have to go public about her status.
Koen was also disappointed with Illinois legislators in trying to pass the amendment to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act that would bar employees from citing their moral beliefs as a valid reason for refusing to comply with a workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Koen has cited the act as a reason for defying the mandate.
I interviewed Gov. J.B. Pritzker a few days before his Democratic Party was stunned by losses and near-losses in Virginia and New Jersey last week.
Now, I am not one of those folks who automatically believes that candidates should plan for the next election based on the most recent election results. I also don’t think that things that work well in one state will work in another.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom soundly beat back a recall effort in September partly by trumpeting his proud record battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Virginia’s Democratic governor also ran on his robust anti-COVID program and lost last week to a Republican who opposed mask and vaccine mandates. That same Republican ran as unabashedly pro-life and blasted the incumbent pro-choice Democrat for being against “parents’ rights.”
During the recent fall veto session, the Illinois House and Senate passed a bill repealing the state’s Parental Notification of Abortion Act. The conventional wisdom seems to be that repealing the law could be a politically dangerous thing for the Democrats to do. Several Democrats even voted against the bill.
I told Pritzker that most polls I’ve seen showed opposition to the bill he’s about to sign into law. For instance, when 600 registered Illinois voters were asked during a March 7-10 poll taken by the Tarrance Group, “If a minor under age 18 is seeking an abortion, do you think the law should require her parent or guardian to be notified before the procedure?” Of the respondents, 72% said “Yes.”
So, I asked Pritzker, who loves his long soliloquies, if he could give me a quick, brisk sound bite response to the question of why he supports the PNA repeal bill. We’re heading into campaign season and long soliloquies don’t usually play very well on the campaign trail.
“Well, the reasons why girls are afraid to tell their parents are frightening,” he said. “I mean, physical abuse, rape, incest. And we are, there is a certain percentage of minors fit into this category. And if we do not protect them, if we did not protect them by getting passage of the PNA repeal, we would see continued back-alley abortions and serious potential illness and death.”
But, I asked, what do you say to a good parent who simply wants to know when their daughter has an abortion and maybe for whatever reason she doesn’t tell them?
“Most importantly, the vast majority of situations, kids are telling their parents. And those good relationships that exist, nothing in this interferes with those good relationships and that has not been a problem. The problem has been where you don’t have the relationship or where the parents are abusive or worse. So this is about protecting the most vulnerable children, not about protecting the children of, for example, the members of the General Assembly.”
The only poll I’ve seen where even a plurality of respondents supported the PNA repeal was commissioned by the pro-choice Personal PAC back in late April.
“Most young women live in supportive and loving homes,” the question began, “but an Illinois law forces a small number of other young women who live in homes where there is violence and sexual assault to tell a violent parent she needs an abortion. Do you support this law that forces young women to tell their parents they need an abortion, or do you think it should be repealed?”
The Public Policy Polling survey of 700 Illinois registered voters found that 46% of Illinois registered voters favored repeal under those circumstances, 29% said they “support this law that forces young women to tell their parents they need an abortion,” and 25% were unsure.
But Terry Cosgrove of the pro-choice group Personal PAC believes that the 25% who said they were undecided is good news because it’s an indication the issue is not the all-encompassing sledgehammer that opponents portray it as.
Cosgrove, who raises a ton of money for pro-choice candidates every election cycle and spends even more on his group’s direct mail, online and TV ads, also seemed to indicate that the best defense of the bill would be a good offense.
“Come election time,” Cosgrove told me, “voters will completely and unmistakably understand that those who want to put the health and lives of Illinois’ young women at risk are the same people supporting the outrageous Texas law and seeking to make abortion illegal in Illinois, even in cases of rape and incest.”
Our trip to United Kingdom to promote Illinois and our status as a climate leader and the place to invest in electric vehicles has been amazing. There’s only one more thing to say, “London here’s to you” 🥃 pic.twitter.com/oFh7GFESX5
— Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (@RepChrisWelch) November 7, 2021
