* Letter to Gov. Pritzker today signed by leaders of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, BOMA, Illinois Municipal League, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Chemical Industry Council of Illinois and several others…
In 1997, Illinois deregulated the energy market resulting in billions of dollars in savings for homeowners and businesses. Our low-cost energy prices and reliable grid have been cited by governors time and again as reasons why businesses should stay in or relocate to Illinois.
Twenty-four years later, instead of building on this strength, the proposed energy legislation being circulated will be the largest rate hike on consumers and businesses in history. At least as it has been described to us by several of those who have been fortunate enough to be included in the discussions.
This legislation not only includes a rate hike for low-income families in every part of this state, but also on every business and organization large and small. Lobbyists for the environmental community and many others appear to have had unfettered access in writing a bill that imposes massive costs on others. On several occasions we have requested economic, reliability, and rate impact studies and the raw data inputs that undergird them. Those requests have been ignored. These are landmark energy changes will upend Illinois’ competitive energy marketplace. Ironically, as the state and Chicago proudly announced the Phase 5 reopening many of those same businesses and organizations are going to be saddled with significantly higher electricity costs, as reflected by those industries that have signed this letter.
At a minimum, we project the first installment of the cost increase on businesses and municipalities to be $700 million annually; including an additional $215 million to pay for new programs paid for by ratepayers without their input. Due to the lack of transparency and accountability in this process – meaning there is no data provided to outline the costs of every fee, mandate, and regulation in this bill – we are calling this legislation an installment because this legislation will only keep sending higher bills every step of the way. In a nutshell, this legislation will be a credit card that keeps spending money without any accountability. Period.
Since 1997, there has never been energy legislation subject to less transparency or accountability. Given the lack of transparency under which it has been developed, rate payers and policy makers deserve the benefit of full disclosure and independent verification of the cost impacts.
On behalf of the people most impacted by this legislation, we urge you to delay this legislation and meaningfully engage the consumers, business owners, organizations and municipalities that will be saddled with the costs.
I’ve asked the governor’s office for a response.
*** UPDATE *** Jordan Abudayyeh…
The Governor’s Office involved the business community in over 30 working group meetings that informed the clean energy package. Transparency and accountability have been nonnegotiable for the Governor, which is why the legislation contains critical ethics reforms, such as restitution, tax repayment, and more robust reporting requirements.
The latest draft of the energy bill also contains policy proposals that IMA and IRMA voiced support for, such as an option for large commercial and industrial users to opt out of energy efficiency requirements and increased support for combined heat and power.
The Governor also heard loud and clear that the business community did not want a new ratemaking structure to compromise reliability. That’s why, under the new system, reliability will be a performance metric. That means that ComEd and Ameren will be rewarded for improved reliability and penalized for decreased reliability.
* Meanwhile, here’s a weekend press release from Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…
After more than three years of community organizing and leadership, today the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC) announced its support for the nation’s most comprehensive and equitable climate and energy plan proposed by Governor Pritzker.
“After years of hard work and community collaboration, the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition is proud to support Governor Pritzker’s energy proposal, the only plan which takes a monumental leap forward on climate change and equity. ICJC welcomed the opportunity to work with the Governor, legislators, and community stakeholders to help bring this plan to fruition.
“The Governor’s proposal is a bold, equity-centered plan that shares the goals, vision, and values of the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA). This will put Illinois on a path to a 100% clean energy future with hard dates for phasing out coal and gas in the power sector while providing a just transition for workers and communities historically dependent on dirty fossil fuels, enacting some of the toughest utility accountability measures in the nation, and creating thousands of jobs and wealth in Illinois’ communities of color.
“This is an overdue victory for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities who are often the first to suffer the negative consequences of pollution but the last to reap the health and economic benefits of a clean energy future.
“The plan also saves 1,000 union jobs at nuclear plants without giving Exelon the huge bailout they demanded, a giant subsidy which would have cost ratepayers nearly $5 billion more over 10 years. And, it holds utilities like ComEd and Ameren accountable by ending formula rate increases that burden consumers and small businesses, and places an independent ethics monitor inside all utility headquarters to prevent another ComEd-type scandal.
* Illinois PIRG…
Omnibus energy legislation under consideration by the Illinois General Assembly this week maintains key formula rate policies, the value of which could be higher than the legislation’s reported Exelon subsidy, according to new analysis published today by Illinois PIRG.
The legislation maintains a key formula rate policy that guarantees utility profits, while also increasing utility profit margins, providing what could be a significant windfall for ComEd and Ameren.
The report analyzed a scenario based on projections ComEd’s parent company Exelon presented to its shareholders, using a profit level in line with recent Illinois practice, to calculate an indicative view of potential ComEd profits under the legislation. Under such a scenario, ComEd would swiftly be authorized to collect over $1 billion in annual profits from customers, resulting in an additional $664 to $893 million in profits over four years.
“Completely ending formula rates is the bare minimum we should expect from our elected leaders in response to the ComEd scandal. This legislation fails to,” said Abe Scarr, Illinois PIRG Director. “Illinois needs to marshall all its resources to reach our climate and clean energy goals, not direct billions of dollars in excess profit to ComEd and Exelon.”
Drafts of the omnibus legislation circulated last Thursday allow the current formula rate law to continue through the end of 2022, meaning proposed ComEd and Ameren rate increases will go through this year, and both can file for an additional formula rate increase next year.
Additionally, the legislation would allow ComEd and Ameran multiple end-of-year formula rate true-ups, or “reconciliations” based on actual costs, the key policy that guarantees their profits, beyond formula rate’s 2022 sunset.
The legislation’s new rate-making structure also includes an annual reconciliation based on actual costs, called an ‘Annual Adjustment” in the proposed legislation. The Annual Adjustment includes two of three accounting practices codified by a 2013 law ComEd advocated for after not getting its desired outcomes from regulators.
Because the formula created in 2011 tied profit margins to interest rates, which have remained historically low, profit margins under formula rates have been relatively low. Under the proposed legislation, utility profit margins would be set by regulators who typically set higher profit margins than those set by formula rates.
Illinois PIRG is calling on Governor Pritzker and legislative leaders to amend the legislation to immediately end formula rate increases and to completely remove key formula rate policies from future ratemaking structures.
The full analysis is here.
* Steve Daniels had the PIRG report first…
A Pritzker spokeswoman defended the measure, saying in an email that the “absolute worst parts of formula rates are gone.”
In an emailed statement, ComEd took aim at PIRG, saying it didn’t understand the regulatory process and hadn’t participated in most of the ICC’s regulatory reviews of ComEd rates over the past decade.
“Our review of the public draft of the governor’s energy bill shows that if it’s enacted, Illinois will return to a traditional process for setting rates, with the ICC determining utility compensation based upon performance,” ComEd said.
Utility rates go up as they invest in the power grid. ComEd originally won support for the formula in return for a promise to spend $2.6 billion to install smart meters in every home and business and make the grid more reliable. It’s done that. But its capital spending budget for the next four years is at levels equivalent to the highest-spending periods during the smart-grid period. Given the higher returns ComEd is expected to earn on that investment, the effect on rates will be more dramatic than they were under the formula rate that all the parties now supporting the Pritzker bill profess to abhor.
* Another weekend press release…
A bipartisan group of 52 lawmakers from the House and Senate have signed a letter to Gov. JB Pritzker in opposition to plans to prematurely close not-for-profit coal-fired power plants, warning such a move would raise utility bills on consumers, eliminate jobs, place new financial burdens on communities forced to find replacement sources of power and threaten energy grid reliability.
Lawmakers are asking not-for-profit plants operated by City Water, Light & Power in Springfield and the Prairie State Energy Campus in Marissa to be excluded from the 2035 premature closure date proposed in energy legislation under consideration this week by the General Assembly. This will allow for a more responsible transition to a cleaner energy future that gives communities time to put in place new power sources, train and develop workers, keep utility costs stable and protect grid reliability.
The letter follows similar request to exempt the plants by organized labor and mayors from across the state led by the Illinois Municipal League.
The letter and signatories are here.
* More…
* Toxic waste left behind by coal-fired power plants could endanger drinking water for years to come: Dumps of water-soaked coal ash scattered around the state are chock-full of arsenic, boron, chromium, lead and other heavy metals. Nearly all of them are leaching pollution into lakes, rivers and groundwater near low-income communities, state records show.
* Illinois Senate President Don Harmon breaks down energy deal before lawmakers return to Springfield
* Energy working group negotiations to continue through weekend as new bill surfaces
* Jason Plummer: Gov. Pritzker and his party set to force massive utility rate increase to fund Exelon/ComEd bailout
* Jil Tracy: Bailout will bring massive utility rate hike
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Question of the day
Monday, Jun 14, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* First, some campaign developments…
* The Question: Who would you like to see run statewide? It doesn’t have to be next year, but please explain your response. Thanks.
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* This morning…
* Press release…
Gov. Pritzker Activates State Emergency Operation Center, Deploys National Guard to Respond to Chemical Fire in Winnebago County
Residents Within Two-Mile Radius Evacuated, Encouraged to Wear Masks Out of an Abundance of Caution
State Officials from Multiple Agencies Coordinating with Local Authorities to Keep People Safe
ROCKTON – Governor JB Pritzker has activated the State Emergency Operation Center to mobilize emergency response personnel and operational facilities to monitor a large chemical fire in Winnebago County. Upon notification of the emergency, the State notified authorities in Winnebago, Stephenson and McHenry counties. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) dispatched crews to the area to assist local jurisdictions to expedite assistance and resources. The Illinois State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield was activated and members of the Illinois National Guard and mobile response vehicles were dispatched to the area
Out of an abundance of caution, local authorities have evacuated a two-mile radius around the Rockton facility. Residents are encouraged to seek shelter at Roscoe Middle School, 6121 Elevator Road in Roscoe. State health officials are recommending that residents within the evacuation zone to northern part of Rockford utilize the use of masks or face coverings for the time being. This is to prevent the inhalation of particulate matter (soot). As this emergency progresses, it is important for residents to stay informed by monitoring local media for changing instructions.
“I am monitoring this situation closely and will make all resources available to the surrounding communities as we work to keep people safe,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Teams from multiple state agencies are on the ground and coordinating closely with local authorities and we will continue to make additional information available as soon we have it. To those impacted, please listen to guidance from emergency officials and know that the state of Illinois is doing everything possible to protect you and your loved ones.”
Shortly after 7:00 a.m., a large fire broke out at Chemtool, 1165 Prairie Hill Road in Rockton. Chemtool is the largest manufacturer of grease in the United States. Chemtool participates in the Tier II program. Tier II is an annual federal report that is mandatory for companies that store hazardous materials. This report is used by state and federal authorities to track and enforce rules related to the storing of hazardous materials in a facility. It also helps local authorities in the event of an emergency, such as a fire.
Personnel from the following State agencies and organizations are responding to this emergency:
Illinois Emergency Management Agency
Illinois State Police
Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Public Health
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Office of State Fire Marshal
Illinois National Guard
Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS)
American Red Cross
Salvation Army
In addition, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency has activated its Radiological Emergency Assessment Center (REAC) and the Illinois National guard Civil Support Team to monitor the environment to establish air monitoring to validate plume modeling. These teams are used to make environmental recommendations to keep the general public safe.
The plant sits next to the Rock River, so they’re letting it burn for fear that contaminated water could flow into the river.
…Adding… More…
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The other side of the eviction moratorium
Monday, Jun 14, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Clint Sabin…
Note: On Friday, June 11, Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a significant modification to the state’s eviction moratorium, which is the most restrictive moratorium in the nation. The change allows county sheriffs to execute orders of possession that were issued by a judge prior to the pandemic. These pre-Covid orders of possession are the last-step in a months-long eviction process. They will affect residents who stopped paying rent or otherwise violated the conditions of their lease in 2019 or at the beginning of 2020, but who have remained in their units throughout the pandemic. The Governor has indicated the moratorium will be completely lifted by August. For additional background material please click here.
June 14, 2021 (Chicago, Ill.) As the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago enters Phase 5 of its recovery plan, the Neighborhood Building Owners Alliance (NBOA) thanks those residents who worked with their housing providers to meet the housing challenges of this pandemic.
The Governor’s modified executive order is limited to those residents who have clearly been taking advantage of the moratorium. This action will help to stabilize housing after such a difficult year when housing providers were required by law to provide a public service but were rarely if ever provided with public support.
Michael Glasser, president of NBOA, said, “As we join all of Illinois in celebrating the many sacrifices that led to the lifting of pandemic restrictions, we especially thank those neighborhood housing providers who, often at great personal cost, kept all their tenants housed and safe during this long year.”
NBOA research indicates that housing providers are owed over $1 billion in delinquent rent. It also shows most housing providers had to cut spending on repairs and maintenance, and one-third of neighborhood housing providers lack the funds for basic building expenses such as the mortgage, property taxes, utilities, and payroll.
Fortunately, rental assistance programs were eventually created to assist tenants and housing providers with these problems. Glasser added, “We are grateful to the Illinois Housing Development Authority, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, and the Chicago Department of Housing for administering the federal rental assistance programs which provided funding for those who had fallen behind on their rent.”
Evictions are always a last resort for any housing provider. Not only are they emotionally draining, they are also time consuming and expensive. As the statewide eviction moratorium is lifted, it is important that residents know most housing providers are willing to negotiate an amicable solution to their problems.
The NBOA is asking members of the media to inform the public that should they continue to have difficulty in paying their rent, they should not wait to contact their housing provider to ask for assistance. In most cases a housing provider and resident can come to an amicable solution if the lines of communication are open. Moreover, the City of Chicago’s emergency rental assistance program is still open for applicants through Tuesday, June 15, 2021.
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News-Gazette throws in the kitchen sink
Monday, Jun 14, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Conservative all-white Downstate editorial board which serves a liberal and diverse university/health care community quotes Martin Luther King, Jr. in its lede about the pandemic, tosses in a reference to chains (and, later, handcuffs) for effect and then mocks people with legit anxiety…
Free at last? Let’s hope so.
The chains are off — mostly.
People — finally — are going about their business in a normal way, save for the relatively few having trouble coming to grips with independence.
* Related…
* Experts: ‘Reopening Anxiety’ is Real, Widespread and to Be Expected
…Adding… Yep…
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* Mark Palmer asks: “Any insight on which IL Bill re: Juneteenth will @GovPritzker sign this week (SB1965 or HB3922)? Or is there a process where they are combined, or otherwise?”
The differences between the two bills include the effective dates and the days off if June 19th falls on a Sunday or Saturday. From SB1965…
Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that Juneteenth National Freedom Day shall be observed on June 19 of each year as a holiday throughout the State (currently, not a holiday and is observed on the third Saturday of June of each year). Provides that when June 19 falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be held and considered the holiday. … Effective immediately.
HB3922…
Provides that when June 19 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, neither the preceding Friday nor the following Monday shall be held or considered as a paid holiday (rather than the following Monday being considered a holiday). Effective January 1, 2022.
Juneteenth falls on a Saturday this year.
* The only hint the governor’s office gave me was pointing to the Statute on Statutes…
Two or more Acts which relate to same subject matter and which are enacted by the same General Assembly shall be construed together in such manner as to give full effect to each Act except in case of an irreconcilable conflict. In case of an irreconcilable conflict the Act last acted upon by the General Assembly is controlling to the extent of such conflict. The Act last acted upon is determined by reference to the final legislative action taken by either house of the General Assembly
Final passage for SB1965 was May 27th. Final passage for HB3922 was May 31st. So if he signs them both, HB3922 becomes controlling and there will be no Monday off this year and it won’t take effect until next year (when it falls on a Sunday).
*** UPDATE *** Flipped just in time…
Nearly a year to the day after ruling it out as too costly, Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared Monday that Chicago will recognize June 19th, known as Juneteenth, as an official city holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.
The mayor’s surprise announcement came during an event at Daley Center Plaza that kicked off a week-long Juneteenth celebration. […]
On Monday, the mayor explained her change of heart just days before Gov. J.B. Pritzker is set to sign a bill declaring Juneteenth a state holiday.
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* Daily Kos staff writer…
* Sheldon H. Jacobson, Ph.D., professor of computer science at the University of Illinois, writing in the News-Gazette…
However, when evaluating the likely outcome in the next election, the new maps position Democrats to win two additional Senate districts and four additional House districts, everything else being equal. This is something that the committee did not want you, the voters, to know.
Although Republicans fight against gerrymandering in Illinois, in neighboring states like Wisconsin or Indiana, Republicans hold the redistricting power and draw maps to serve their interests. However, with a Democratic governor holding veto power in Wisconsin, that division of power will create more balance in their final maps.
These remapping efforts also serve as a precursor to when Illinois’ congressional district map is redrawn later in the year. There is nothing to prevent the same partisan process being followed and the same egregious results achieved.
Gerrymandering is not a Democrat or Republican problem, it is an ethical problem, and any political body or people that willfully gerrymanders or is complicit with such activities is exhibiting questionable ethics. Are these the people you want running the state?
Now that these maps are law, the stage is set for Illinois to have another 10 years of dysfunctional government, a structurally imbalanced tax system and other artifacts of gerrymandering, effectively excluding voters from the democratic process. It is no surprise that people are fleeing Illinois en masse.
Numbers are numbers, but tossing in a screed on the “Illinois Exodus” is kind of a tell. Jacobson told me he used 2016 election results as a basis for these claims.
* Frank Calabrese was my consultant when the new maps were released. He posted a long tweet thread on the Senate, but here’s his conclusion…
Calabrese told me today that the key to rating these races is to plot the addresses of the incumbents. “I don’t think these other people did that. It takes a long time.” He did say, however, that he thought the House Democrats have a shot at as many as 5 more seats. But, as with everything, it will take some effort, the right candidates and could depend on what happens in DC.
*** UPDATE *** Good point…
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Prairie State is the largest single source of planet-warming carbon pollution in Illinois (and in the top ten polluters in the country when it comes to CO2). Its closure would provide significant benefits to public health and the climate.
According to the report, Prairie State’s emissions each year are equal to “2.7 million typical passenger cars—more than twice as much CO2 as any other point source in Illinois.”
It’s also the state’s top emitter of many pollutants that harm human health: it “emits more methane, SO2, and NOX than any other power plant in the state,” according to RMI’s report. Those toxins take a toll on Illinoisans: Prairie State causes about one premature death every week.
It’s time for Illinois to support a just transition away from the disastrous, dirty, Prairie State coal plant. Our wallets, our lungs, and our climate will be better off.
Learn more: https://www.nrdc.org/experts/jc-kibbey/consumers-win-if-illinois-prairie-state-coal-plant-closes
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*** UPDATED x3 *** Um, mayor? What the heck?
Monday, Jun 14, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I have never, in all my days, seen an email quite like this…
* Politico has the excuses…
It offers a glimpse at how Covid-19 ravaged the psyche of the mayor’s office. She and staffers worked 24/7, trying to respond to one crisis after another. That January week in particular was strenuous.
She sent the email Jan. 28, the same day that Chicago Public Schools and its teachers union were in the throes of a battle to get children back in classrooms. In an interview that evening, the mayor told WTTW’s Brandis Friedman that the CTU had just proposed “defunding police and having the CTU dictate housing policy in the city. Neither of those two things are appropriate for bargaining a teachers’ contract.” Lightfoot looked tired and frustrated.
Earlier that week, the mayor was on the phone with the Biden administration pressing for more vaccines. The day before she sent the email, Lightfoot headed a six-hour City Council meeting that focused on a disturbing number of car-jackings in the city. On top of all that, the mayor’s spokesman, Michael Crowley, resigned, a move that by all accounts had been known for two months. Still, it couldn’t have made the week any less stressful.
“A lot was coming down on her that week,” a source close to the mayor’s office told Playbook. “A lot was happening. Her intentions were good,” though there were times during the most stressful days of the pandemic that Lightfoot was “completely awful” as a manager.
Yeah, OK.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Oh, this is rich…
…Adding… I didn’t notice this at the end of the Politico story…
The mayor’s job is tough. It’s not hard to imagine her predecessors — Rahm Emanuel or Richard M. Daley — erupting similarly. Hers was just memorialized in an email.
Um, no.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Response…
*** UPDATE 3 *** MLL should probably read this morning’s subscriber edition because this fight is pretty much ovah…
…Adding… Whew…
Eight days?
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“The 19″ rally around Speaker Welch
Monday, Jun 14, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
On Nov. 19 last year, the number of Illinois House Democrats who had publicly stated they would not vote to reelect Speaker Michael Madigan grew from 12 to 17, meaning that Madigan at that point did not have enough votes to win. By Dec. 1, two more House Democrats, including a member of Madigan’s own leadership team, had turned against him. “The 19” became a real force in Illinois politics.
The fight didn’t end there, of course. Unions, the Black Caucus, the Latinx Caucus and others tried to reverse the tide, but it was no use. Madigan couldn’t reach the 60 votes he needed to win reelection and he eventually stepped aside. Rep. Chris Welch was quickly elected to replace him, becoming the first Black House Speaker in Illinois history.
Almost all of the media analysis of Speaker Welch’s first spring session has centered around the opinions of Republicans. Members of the super-minority party didn’t say too many nice things about their chamber’s new leader.
But I was curious what those 19 House Democrats had to say about Speaker Welch’s freshman session. Not everyone initially supported him, after all, and Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) didn’t vote for him when the House formally cast its votes.
All 19, down to a person, gave Welch glowing reviews on his first session. Even Cassidy said Welch “did really well” during the session.
Rep. Cassidy also said she agreed with a statement sent to me by Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-Naperville). Stava-Murray said she’s been “impressed” with Welch’s leadership, saying that he brought their diverse caucus together, which was also reflected in his leadership team.
“There were wins that seem small but were huge, like having digital access to our bill analyses anywhere beyond the House floor,” she said, adding that the remap and budget processes went “relatively smoothly,” and concluded, “All in all, I’m proud of what we’ve been able to get done for the people of Illinois under the leadership of Speaker Welch.”
One member of Welch’s new leadership team is Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston), who was also one of the 19. “I think he performed very well,” Assistant Majority Leader Gabel said. “We were able to pass significant legislation. The new speaker is accessible and fair to all.”
“He made real strides on building a new house that has some bad muscle memory,” said Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (D-Chicago). Like a lot of her colleagues, Rep. LaPointe praised Welch’s accessibility. “He seems to care about us as humans and our success, instead of as just cogs in a larger machine,” LaPointe said, noting that small things like “the use of a shared Google drive” has made life easier.
Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford) was the only Black Caucus member to openly break with Madigan. “I think he’s doing a fine job thus far,” West said of Welch. “Morale is different than it was before. It feels good to have a speaker who is accessible.”
Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) made a bid for the chamber’s top post, but said Welch has done a “great job” during a difficult period, “both with regard to managing caucus dynamics and empowering individual members to have an enhanced role in policymaking, which I’ve not experienced before.” Williams said later that she didn’t realize how little input she had until Welch became speaker and opened up the process so that member priorities were addressed.
Rep. Kathy Willis (D-Addison) was the 19th person to register her opposition to reelecting Madigan and was on Madigan’s leadership team at the time. She also ran for Speaker herself, but said she thought Welch did an “excellent” job this spring. Like most everyone else, she praised his openness and willingness to listen and singled out his caucus management skills as a big plus.
Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) also made her own bid for the top job. I talked to Rep. Kifowit last and told her that not one member of the “19” had said a bad thing about Welch and asked if that surprised her. It didn’t.
“I think that the caucus had been starved for so long that a fresh glass of water is just thrilling,” she said. “We were treated so horribly that it is a breath of fresh air to have somebody that respects you enough to meet you where you’re at, or to actually listen to you, look you in the eye and listen to you, not gloss over it.”
I honestly expected at least a little criticism from at least some of those 19 people. I heard none.
Subscribers have all 19 responses.
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Honor An Illinois Statesperson
Monday, Jun 14, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Nominations are open now for the inaugural Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award. Inspired by the service of former U.S. Senator Paul Simon, a Democrat, and former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar, a Republican, the award will affirm and celebrate the best traditions of Illinois politics and government.
The Simon-Edgar Award will be presented each year to an elected Illinois official at the state or local level who has demonstrated a pattern of public service characterized by vision, courage, compassion, effectiveness, civility, and bipartisanship.
We seek guidance from fellow Illinoisans and urge citizens from the Prairie State to nominate someone from local or state government who has displayed exceptional leadership. We are not seeking the perfect public servant, but a leader who has consistently endeavored to serve the public good and prepare their constituents for future challenges and opportunities.
Visit our website to submit your nomination by June 15.
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Open thread
Monday, Jun 14, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We raised over $23K to help this young lady pay some of her college expenses after her father died. There’s no doubt that Wordlsinger would’ve been so proud of Emma…
Anything else on your mind today?
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