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"When NPR faced criticism this week, it shot back with deceptive statistics, claiming less than 1 percent of its money is from the government. That’s three-card-monte accounting."
When Illinois enacted a law allowing students to take five mental health days each year as excused absences, educators like Mike Lubelfeld, the superintendent of North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park and Highwood, said it added to absenteeism.
"While policies can favor one class of technology over another, neither political rhetoric nor financial largesse can make the impossible possible. ... Delivering reliable 24–7 electricity using episodic power sources (wind and solar) unavoidably necessitates both over-building (to supply extra energy) and some kind of energy-storage system. The combination of these two requirements leads to a doubling or tripling of delivered energy costs compared with the 'spontaneous' cost of one machine operating."
Kimako Patterson, chief of staff at the Illinois State Board of Education, said that in the last two years, a total of 62,644 “newcomers” have arrived in the state’s schools: people age 3-21 who were born outside of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico and have been attending school in the U.S. for less than three years. She said those students come from 147 different countries, led by Mexico, Colombia, Ukraine, India and Venezuela.
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The average fuel price in the Midwest region has risen about 16 cents since last month.
Note: Lion Electric and Rivian, two of those three makers, have production facilities subsidized by the State of Illinois.
The company would not say how many workers are employed at the Joliet plant.The number of employees in Joliet, however, could affect more than $8 million in state and local tax incentives provided Lion Electric if the job numbers don’t improve.
"While no real child may be harmed with AI-generated content, the harm is that it normalizes abusive behavior mainly when it purports to depict the sexual abuse of a child," state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz said.
"Mr. Biden will never admit it, but privately financed fossil-fuel production is doing far more to boost the U.S. economy than his hundreds of billions of dollars in spending on electric vehicles and green energy.... Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a climate-change obsessive, nonetheless tweeted last month that 'thanks to the Biden Administration’s vision and leadership, the US has achieved energy independence for the first time in 40 years!'"
During a House Personnel and Pensions Committee hearing, Alexis Sturm, director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, noted the plan shows annual required contributions to the state’s pension funds are estimated to reach $18 billion by 2045 and afterwards “drop off drastically.”
"In this proposal there are equity tiers, which are designed quite frankly to address the failings of our K-12 school system that’s sending kids to our higher education system that aren't ready for higher education, and we all agree there needs to be compensation for that,” state Sen. Chapin Rose said.. “But they’re doing it based on race of individual students.”
“(Red dye 3) was banned by the FDA for use in makeup over 30 years ago. So, the FDA doesn't allow you to put it on your face for makeup. But yet kids are eating this in candy,” state Sen. Steve McClure said. “That to me is outrageous. So, for that reason I am voting for this bill.”
There are inconsistencies in how the law is being applied at different facilities and poor recordkeeping. Meanwhile, a lack of transparency in how prison staff are calculating sentence credits has further complicated efforts by people inside to make sure they are getting appropriate credit for the work and education they’ve completed.
This plan would give housing developers tax credits to exchange with private investors to reduce mortgage debt and make apartments more affordable for renters. Lawmakers said their $20 million plan could help build up to 1,150 affordable homes and create more than 7,000 jobs.
State Rep. Justin Slaughter noted that Illinois can pay for this program by using funds from national opioid settlements and federal grants.
President of the University of Illinois System Timothy Killeen called for a 12 percent increase in the funding provided from the state. The Governor proposed his own version of the budget, which only included a 2 percent increase to the higher education funding.
The demonstration Monday by Pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the I-190 ramp toward O’Hare’s domestic terminals, causing major traffic delays in the area and frustrating travelers. Bill 5819 would create stiffer penalties for individuals who block “an exceptionally busy public right-of-way” for not less than five minutes, or when these actions prevent the free passage of emergency responders.
House Republican leader Tony McCombie, who chose not to vote on the bill, questioned why workers from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services weren’t part of the measure. She referred to DCFS employees, Pamela Sue Knight and Deidre Silas, who were killed during the performance of their duties at home visits in recent years.
U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski has introduced a bill that would prevent the U.S. Postal Service from making major changes to processing and distribution centers — such as Champaign’s Mattis Avenue facility — based in regions with poor delivery rates.
Right now, Illinois sports books pay 15 percent tax on their revenue. But Gov. JB Pritzker's latest budget proposal would spike the tax to 35 percent. Sports betting companies warn the tax hike may drive all but the top three sportsbooks out of Illinois.
State Rep. Kam Buckner explained his plan could allow athletes to earn Name Image and Likeness compensation directly from their universities as permitted by the NCAA. The proposal would also block press or the public from requesting how much athletes make from their private NIL deals.
Two points of contention are landowner protections and safety regulations around the pipelines.
State Sen. Jason Plummer argued the bill could actually backfire, crippling local media. A local media owner "has to go out and disclose to the world four months in advance that he’s thinking about selling it. He has to open up his employees and his advertisers to being poached, and it destroys the value of his business,” Plummer said.
In response to the state legislative proposals to ban certain FDA-approved food additives, the National Confectioners Association said states shouldn't get ahead of the federal government.
Brian Granahan, the acting director of the Illinois Power Agency, said the current pace for solar developments is doing its part to help the state meet its renewable energy goals, but other renewables are falling short.
Richard Porter, National Committeeman to the RNC from Illinois: "The closest precedent is probably Anne Boleyn’s trial for adultery in 1536. It was about sex, the trial was in a hostile jurisdiction controlled by her accuser, and the whole point of the exercise was to lop off the head of someone who stood in the way of the regime’s continuity."
A new Electronic Notary system administered by the Illinois Secretary of State's office allows both the customer and notary to sign with an electronic signature and to electronically attach both the notarial certificate and notary seal to a document.
The justices agreed with the appellate panel’s assertion that “Illinois courts have recognized that an employee of a corporation can be a third party for purposes of finding a defamatory statement was published.” Among those examples are interoffice reports and other communications that don’t constitute “the corporation talking to itself.”
Sponsors of the bill believe students in 6th through 8th grade should learn the differences between synthetic and non-synthetic opioids and illicit drugs as well as the variations of fentanyl. Local school boards would be able to decide content that is age appropriate for students to learn about the drug.
“Right now, (the governor) is leaving vacant four positions that are, that have to be non-Democrats and he is artificially weighting this board towards his favor, what he wants to see which is more releases, a higher release rate and obviously we’re seeing some pretty bad results because of that,” state Sen. John Curran said.
Unions are marshaling resources at the statehouse, where Democratic House Floor Leader Jay Hoffman, a labor ally, is pushing a measure that would require the Illinois Commerce Commission to consider the impact to union jobs when it decides rate cases or other utility orders.
Top Chicago Stories
The tension among Democrats at various levels of government was evident in the response Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, gave to a question about how Democrats would handle attempts to use the migrant crisis to score political points during the conventio: “It’s evident that at a state level we’re doing all that we can, but we’re limited. It’s a federal issue."
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates said, “We don’t get to a strike unless we get to an impasse. … [But] we’re a labor union that understands the power of solidarity and the power of work stoppage. … It’s part of the DNA of who we are as an entity, the right to strike. And that is something that I wish for every worker in this country.” More Highlighted Chicago Area Stories
A school’s degree of need is determined by what is called an Opportunity Index score, based on a formula that includes a school’s percentage of vulnerable students and community characteristics, including poverty and historical funding. Scores across the district currently range from 14 to 52. For every Opportunity Index point above 14, the district will increase a school’s funding by $12 per student at elementary schools and $18 per student at high schools.
Dan Boland lives in Lake View, where he is currently unemployed. "You have to make the mayor accountable," he said. "The mayor is accountable to all voters of Chicago, not just brown Chicago or Black Chicago or white Chicago."
"The Windy City is out of control and the mayor is blaming guns, racism, or Trump. He never blames the criminals or let the police do their work. ... The '68 convention will look like a G-rated movie compared to what we will see this summer."
A California real estate investor has purchased a distressed office building half a block from Willis Tower for 89% less than it traded for more than a decade ago, the latest example of the extreme losses that remote work and higher interest rates have dealt to office property values. Los Angeles-based Brog Properties this week paid $2.5 million in cash for the vintage 10-story office building at 216 W. Jackson Blvd.
"In Chicago, where just 15 percent of Chicago’s 8th-grade students are proficient in math and 21 percent are proficient in reading, the Chicago Teachers Union is focused on other things. As the Illinois Policy Institute documents, the union spent nearly three times more on politics in 2023 than the year before, and just 17 percent of its spending was on representing teachers."
Unlike negotiations in the past that resulted in strikes, the teachers union and the mayor CTU helped put in office are on the exact same page when it comes to union demands. "This is making sure that every single child has a library, a librarian, wrap-around services, class sizes that are manageable. There is a lot of work to be done," Mayor Brandon Johnson said.
“I think it makes sense as we wait for the elections for the elected school board in Chicago, and then the elected school board will be able to make the decisions about what the future of those (selective enrollment) schools is,” Pritzker said.
"Corporate defendants often seek to move lawsuits against them to federal court to better defend themselves under the federal courts' generally stricter standards. Illinois state courts, such as Cook County's courts, have built a reputation of being notoriously friendly to plaintiffs, with much more lax standards to prove injury under the law and wider latitude for trial lawyers to present evidence allegedly backing their claims."
The taxing authorities that impose taxes on consumers in the City of Chicago include the federal government, State of Illinois, Cook County, City of Chicago, Regional Transportation Authority, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, and Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. Many goods that are subject to specific excise taxes are also subject to the general sales tax.
"This has been an issue that people want transparency on,” Commissioner Bridget Gainer said. “We do not want to make it difficult, but we also don’t want to just hand it over without being able to see the changes, because the umbrella is large.” In response to these concerns, Board President Toni Preckwinkle said that the county will receive invoices before reimbursing the City of Chicago for the food expenses.
"It's entertainment for the whole community to get the kids excited about going to school, so that's a positive thing. That's a good thing, so why take it away?" Melvin Walls said. But the parade chairwoman said police resources are needed Aug. 17 in advance of the Democratic National Convention.
The region’s three major transit agencies are hoping $375 million in Inflation Reduction Act funds will usher along their transition to zero-emission fleets by 2040.
During each crime, multiple men confront victims on the street to take phones and other valuables at gunpoint.
According to court documents, funding for the 2013 project was to come from a grant for $2.5 million from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; $2 million from IDOT's Economic Development Program; $900,000 from Cook County motor fuel tax funds; and $250,000 from Harvey. According to court documents, Capitol Cement is still owed more than $2 million.
The lawsuit, filed last November, argues that Evanston Mayor Dan Biss and some council members disregarded city and state laws that should have required more votes by the council to allow events, like concerts, at the future stadium.
"... one figure that doesn’t make sense is that even though over 40 percent of Chicago students are chronically absent, graduation rates remain extremely high, at 83 percent."
“They (CPS) have been — unfortunately — I don’t think very transparent or forthcoming with a lot of the decisions that they are making,” state Rep. Margaret Croke said. “And that miscommunication for those decisions I think have led parents and families and citizens of Chicago to have a lot of mistrust about what is going on.”
The nonprofit Cook County Health Foundation — established 14 years ago to fund-raise for and support Cook County Health, the county’s health division — spent nearly $80,000, entered into contracts and hired attorneys with ties to the foundation’s leaders, sometimes without full foundation board approval, the report stated.
"Elected leaders have been quick to respond to the needs of migrants by investing millions of dollars to provide for their well-being. ... The senior citizens in Austin voted to elect (Mayor Brandon) Johnson, (Gov. JB) Pritzker and (Cook County Board President Toni) Preckwinkle. The least these leaders could do is provide resources to remedy environmental inequities that could further exacerbate serious health issues. It is common sense to take care of your own citizens’ needs first."
Statewide, there have been 64 confirmed cases, with 58 of them concentrated in Chicago, notably among individuals who stayed at a migrant shelter in Pilsen. With Chicago potentially welcoming up to 2,000 migrants weekly this summer, public health officials expressed concern.
Chicago Public Schools and the Illinois State Board of Education produced different numbers, based on different definitions and methods of categorizing newly arrived students. But an accurate picture of how many immigrant students are arriving and enrolling in local public schools is becoming more important, as a proposal in the Illinois legislature would provide money to districts faster to help new students.
"From the storied factories of the South Side to the bustling tech hubs of the West Loop, our city is once again on the move and ready to welcome thousands of Democrats this August. Our thriving local businesses, diverse workforce and vibrant communities are testaments to the positive impact of Democratic leadership at the local, state and national levels — all of which will be on display this summer."
“Voters get an opportunity every two years, four years,” Johnson said, adding that the “extreme right wing” is “not pleased” with the diversity of Johnson’s cabinet.
Mayor Brandon Johnson continued Wednesday to point to the financial stress put on the city by the federal government’s failure to help meaningfully fund the migrant response. “We have what we have. We don’t have an inordinate amount of reserves,” he said. “This has been a strain on Chicago.”
“Without the ability to re-examine selective admissions and attendance policies, selective schools may become more and more racially and economically segregated and create barriers to access for the majority of CPS students,” Chicago Board of Education Vice President Elizabeth Todd-Breland said.
The so-called "buffer zone" will include a ban on seemingly innocent activities like dog walking. The buffer zone will be in place for nine days and it just so happens that stretch will include two Sundays, meaning services at eight nearby churches in the lockdown area could be affected.
Mayor Brandon Johnson said there is no legal basis for managing ShotSpotter on a ward-by-ward basis. His office has previously said "public safety is a citywide issue within the responsibility of the police department, with oversight by the Office of the Mayor, and can not be effectively managed on a ward-by-ward basis in a way that undercuts that authority."
Wirepoints Research and Commentary
A set of state lawmakers want to extend CPS’ current school closing moratorium to February 1, 2027 – the same year CPS is set to transition to a fully-elected school board. That means schools like Manley High School, with capacity for more than 1,000 students but enrollment of just 78, can’t be closed for anther three years. The school spends $45,000 per student, but just 2.4% of students read at grade level. 
Ted joined Jeff Daly to discuss why Illinois' property taxes are such a national outlier, why Illinoisans are forced to pay the high, guaranteed salaries, benefits and pensions of the government class, why Illinoisans aren't getting their money's worth for what they pay, the teachers unions' influence over elections, and more. 
Hopefully, all media will get the message, in Illinois, too. 
Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about Illinois' highest-in-the-nation property taxes, why lawmakers don't want to touch the tax's cost drivers, just how much Illinoisans' tax burden has grown over the decades, why Gov. Pritzker failed to meet his promise to reform property taxes, and more. 
Illinois' dismal education numbers – especially for minority students – are embarrassing to politicians and officials. But rather than admit there’s a problem with Illinois’ education system, they attack the state’s own standards for being “too high,” instead. SIGN UP HERE FOR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER
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Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the free speech controversy brewing in Wilmette due to the city's refusal to fly a religious freedom flag, the city's left-wing excesses and the growing culture war, the latest money spent on the illegal immigrant crisis, and more. 
Weekly crime statistics from the Chicago Police Department: Report through 4/14/2024. 
Chicago Public Schools is failing its students in almost every way. What can be done to save the educational futures of Chicago's children? Join Wirepoints' Ted Dabrowski as he participates in an education roundtable discussion hosted by Seeking Educational Excellence (SEE). 
If you’re frustrated with Illinois’ educational results, you may want to follow the money from teachers unions. In the last four years alone, Illinois lawmakers and political candidates have taken nearly $30 million in contributions from teachers unions and their national affiliates. 
Lawmakers conveniently ignore the full impact of inflation when it comes to ordinary Illinoisans. Take the personal exemption on the state income tax. For tax year 2023, the exemption will not rise with inflation as it should under current law. And that means a higher tax bill for everyone. 
Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski testified on April 10, 2024 to members of the House Revenue and Finance Committee at the invitation of Rep. Joe Sosnowski. Ted told lawmakers that the state's property tax burden has become dire for countless Illinoisans.
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