Top Illinois Stories
CUB embroiled in legal mud wrestling over ComEd corruption – Crain’s*
“Millions of dollars funneled into CUB from ComEd have neutered CUB, turning it from a statutorily mandated utility watchdog into ComEd’s lapdog, failing to so much as growl in response to defendants’ rampant bribery scheme and the corrupt regulations and exploitation of Illinois citizens arising therefrom,” according to a brief filed today in Cook County Circuit Court by attorneys handling the litigation in state court. “The public’s trust in this state’s utility operations has been rightfully shaken and CUB’s intentions must be evaluated with scrutiny.”
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‘Pessimistic’ budget projections has Pritzker looking for business ‘tax adjustments’ – Center Square
“The Governor will work with the legislature to identify corporate and business tax loopholes that can be closed and tax adjustments that can be made that will minimize the impact to lower- and middle-class families while ensuring that Illinois can meet its financial responsibilities,” the report said.
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Pritzker Extends Illinois Eviction Moratorium for Additional 30 Days – NBC5 (Chicago)
At his daily coronavirus news briefing, the governor explained the extension will only cover renters who have earned no more than $90,000 in annual income - or $198,000 for joint filers - during the calendar year.
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More Highlighted Illinois Stories
Commentary: Illinois’s Proposed ‘Fair Tax’ Gets Its Just Deserts – National Review
"Many of the state’s most vital programs already have been cut close to the bone because of the pension crisis. Inflation-adjusted spending on the state’s pension systems grew 501 percent from fiscal year 2000 to 2020...Higher taxes were accompanied by disinvestment in public safety, public-health programs, higher-education spending, and services for the poor and disadvantaged."
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Column: Pritzker unloads on COVID critics – State Journal-Register* (Springfield)
There was a lot of frustration on display there and he didn’t ease up when he concluded with the idea that hospitals will get filled up and the sick and dying will have nowhere to go. “I promise you, while you’ve failed to take responsibility for your city and your county, that day is coming closer and it will be on you,” he said.
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Rising COVID-19 rates statewide prompt reopening delays, setbacks among Illinois’ largest school districts – Chalkbeat Chicago
Among Illinois’ 10 largest school districts, eight have paused plans to reopen school buildings or reverted to virtual learning amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.
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Commentary: Gov. Pritzker, let the legislature work with you on COVID-19 surge, tanking economy – Chicago Tribune*
State Sen. Don DeWitte and State Rep. Dan Ugaste: "Illinois can be a leader in its response to the pandemic, but only if Gov. Pritzker embraces a decision-making process that brings together diverse ideas and disparate viewpoints. Instead, his continued refusal to allow legislators in the process has proved to have catastrophic impacts."
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Sangamon Co. judge dismisses restraining order sought by cannabis license winners – Capitol News IL
In the court’s 17-page opinion, Judge Adam Giganti wrote the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate how Pritzker’s administration giving losing firms a second chance would cause irreparable harm, and that “the public interest favors allowing (IDFPR’s) administrative process, including its announced supplemental process, to proceed.”
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Secretary of State shutting down in-person services at Illinois’ driver facilities again – Center Square
Commercial Driver License facilities will remain open for written and road exams. “Commercial truck drivers provide essential services by ensuring goods can be transported safely and efficiently throughout the state and country during this pandemic,” Jesse White said.
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Frustrated restaurant owners say Illinois health officials can’t prove they’re the problem while losses continue amid COVID-19 restrictions – Center Square
“For border counties, I would think that the economic effects would be even stronger,” University of Illinois Springfield Professor Kenneth Kriz said. “People have alternatives. They can go across state boundaries and participate in activities they couldn't otherwise here.”
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Wait Times Keep Getting Longer For FOID Cards In Illinois – CBS2 (Chicago)
By law the process should take 30 days. But ISP said the average wait time has ballooned to 122. “No one would wait 160 days for the Comcast guy to come to your house,” one applicant said.
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Identity theft crimes surge in Illinois and across nation, along with persistent unemployment benefits fraud complaints – ABC7 (Chicago)
"We know from the data that Illinois is being targeted especially Chicago, Illinois ranks 13th in the nation as states, as far as identity theft," said Bryan Lewis, CEO of Intellicheck.
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Closure of indoor dining could have big economic impact – ABC20 (Springfield)
Restaurants make up 10-15% of Springfield’s sales tax revenue, so this closure could end up hurting the city budget, but City Budget Director Bill McCarty said he’s also worried it will hurt the city’s character. “Our local businesses, that’s the heart and soul of our community. That’s what makes us unique, so it’s heartbreaking any time we see one of those depart."
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96 Illinois Counties Now at ‘Warning Level’ for Coronavirus, Health Officials Say – NBC5 (Chicago)
"Although the reasons for counties reaching a warning level varies, some of the common factors for an increase in cases and outbreaks are associated with university and college parties as well as college sports teams, large gatherings and events, bars and clubs, weddings and funerals, family gatherings, long-term care facilities, correctional centers, schools, and cases among the community at large, especially people in their 20s," the Illinois Department of Public Health said in a statement.
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Independent analysis shows decline in Illinois’ COVID-19 case fatality rate – Center Square
“As a public, we’re running scared because all we hear is this massive increase of cases,” Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski said. “You’ll never hear the governor talk about how the fatality rate has collapsed, and that’s an important thing for people to know.”
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Indiana Restaurants Still Operating At Full Capacity Despite COVID-19 Surge – CBS2 (Chicago)
"We get a lot of phone calls from people in Illinois asking if our dining room is open,” said restaurant owner Sam Yfantis said. “We probably get more than a dozen phone calls a day...We want them to come in and enjoy their meal. We’re taking as many precautions as we can."
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Column: Do anti-Madigan Dems have stomach, means for a fight? – Champaign News-Gazette
Jim Dey: "Madigan rules through the use of a carrot and stick. Cooperate with him, and he’ll take care of you. Don’t cooperate with him and — well, he’ll take care of you. He needs 60 votes to be re-elected speaker in January, and has 72 House Democrats."
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Despite fiscal peril, experts say Illinois no closer to pension reform – Center Square
Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski said the math is getting closer to where it would make sense to address one of the state’s largest costs, but the relationship between Illinois’ political class and public-sector unions largely precludes the possibility.
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Bipartisan demand for leaders to call hearings over Pritzker’s handling of pandemic response – Center Square
State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, and state Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, said eight months into the pandemic, it’s beyond time to hold hearings. “To us, it is long past time that legislators, as well as the millions of Illinois residents, get the answers we deserve,” the co-signed letter said.
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COVID-19 to cost University of Illinois campuses $270M this year, budget projects – Chicago Sun-Times*
The university system plans to use $121.3 million in reserve funds to address some of the COVID-19 costs.
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Lawmakers seek public hearing on LaSalle Veterans’ Home outbreak – Capitol News IL
More than 150 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, including 82 residents as of Thursday. The LaSalle facility currently has 121 residents and 230 active employees.
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Report looks at how states, including Illinois, handled pandemic economy – Center Square
Pritzker, who has once again placed restrictions on bars and restaurants, blamed Illinois’ neighbors for the spike in coronavirus cases and the closure of businesses. “The massive surge of cases in our neighboring states will continue to have a spillover effect. There is no easy fix for the effects of this virus on our economy and on our public health.”
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Pritzker threatens another lockdown as COVID-cases continue rise – Center Square
“Those who have flat out told the businesses in their communities to ignore what their local and state public health departments are telling them, what is it going to take to get you to be part of the solution?” Pritzker asked.
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Opinion: Failure of ‘fair tax’ is an opportunity – Crain’s*
The state can better align its tax structure with its current priorities by revising three crucial tax policy parameters: the flat tax rate, individual exemption values and the income tax base. Broadening the tax base will keep rates lower than they otherwise would be, limiting efficiency distortions but raising needed revenues, while increasing exemptions will improve system fairness.
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Wisconsin hurtling toward ‘tipping point’ when hospitals won’t be able to save everyone who is sick, health officials warn – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"A lot of people in the population don't perceive themselves to be at high risk of severe COVID-19, but we are truly all at risk if we have hospitals and health systems that aren't able to be there for us when we need them," said Ryan Westergaard, state Department of Health Services chief medical officer.
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Over 67,000 Unemployment Claims Filed In Illinois For Week Of Nov. 2, Amid COVID-19 Pandemic – CBS2 (Chicago)
The most recent claims represent a nearly 9% decrease from the prior week when 73,515 unemployment claims were filed in Illinois, but a 510% increase over the 11,015 claims filed during the same week of 2019.
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Illinois reports more than 12,000 new coronavirus cases, setting record for third straight day – WGNTV (Chicago)
Illinois’ current 7-day average is around 11,600 new COVID-19 cases, five times the level it was at in early October. The state’s 7-day average of deaths is now around 63 after officials reported the biggest single-day increase since late May Wednesday.
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Top Chicago Area Stories
Chicago Becomes First Major U.S. City to Reissue COVID Lockdown As Cases Spike 36 Percent – Newsweek
Lightfoot also said over Twitter that the city would increase its coronavirus response team and deploy approximately 2,000 city workers, including up to 550 contact tracers, and hundreds of community-based organizations to reach at least half of Chicago's households.
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Stay-at-home advisory now issued for suburban Cook County – WGNTV (Chicago)
The advisory is scheduled to go into effect for both suburban Cook County and Chicago on Monday, Nov. 16 at 6 a.m., and will last at least 30 days.
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More Highlighted Chicago Area Stories
Lightfoot cancels 350 layoffs tied to her ‘pandemic’ budget – Chicago Sun-Times
Buoyed by higher than expected marijuana revenues, Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Saturday canceled plans to lay off 350 city employees to help secure the 26 City Council votes she needs to pass her “pandemic budget.”
Revenues generated by the sale of recreational and medical marijuana have “gone through the roof”— topping $100 million statewide for the first time in October and $800 million in the first 10 months.
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What We Learned From 11 Days Of Virtual Chicago Budget Hearings – WBEZ (Chicago)
There’s still the question of whether Congress will act before the end of the year to pass a second stimulus package for state and local governments — something Lightfoot has repeatedly called for. And with no veto session planned for the state legislature in Springfield, the door is also closed on a laundry list of potential revenue ideas from the more progressive side of the City Council.
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Mag Mile SSA Would Help Repair Downtown’s ‘Tarnished’ Reputation After Looting, Advocates Say — But Will It Happen? – Block Club Chicago
Typically, the city requires a lengthy application process to establish a new SSA that can span two years. But the planning department waived certain requirements, including gathering support signatures from at least 20 percent of affected property owners, to accommodate the expedited timeline.
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Why is Northwestern flunking 2020? – Crain’s
The myriad crises of 2020 are upending the world of higher education, but few institutions have been more thoroughly unsettled by this year's upheaval than Northwestern University, whose sterling reputation—and that of its president, Morton Schapiro—have been tarnished by protests on campus, layoffs, a tuition flip-flop and the lingering perception that the institution and its leaders are out of touch with the cultural crosscurrents roiling the campus community.
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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defends joining crowd celebrating Biden-Harris win as COVID-19 cases surge – Chicago Tribune*
“I will tell you in that big crowd a week ago, everybody was wearing masks,” the mayor told MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle. “Yes, there are times when we actually do need to have ... relief and come together, and I felt like that was one of those times. That crowd was gathered whether I was there or not, but this has been a super hard year on everyone. Everyone feels traumatized.”
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Some Schools Continue In-Person Learning, Despite Health Recommendations – WBEZ (Chicago)
Dr. Larry Kociolek, assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University, said while transmission between students and student to teacher is rare, the data is incomplete. “If we had data to support whether or not we should be in school, there would be universal recommendations."
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The push for reparations: How Evanston is trying to get it done – WGNTV (Chicago)
“What could ever be enough for the damages we’ve had? But we certainly should pursue some sort of redress and in doing that the healing begins for the entire community,” said 5th Ward Ald. Robin Rue Simmons.
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Despite Eviction Moratorium, Chicagoans Fear Housing Loss – Block Club Chicago
According to the Aspen Institute, one in three Illinois households is at risk of eviction by the end of the year—and some landlords are finding ways to advance the agenda by pestering their tenants with threats and other illegal measures.
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Now-closed McCormick Place COVID-19 hospital cost taxpayers $15M to staff, run – Chicago Sun-Times*
The temporary hospital at McCormick Place has since been dismantled, and state officials say there are no plans to rebuild the facility even though the number of COVID-19 cases is surging in Illinois. Said Rebecca Clark, a spokeswoman for Illinois’ emergency management agency, “(T)he McCormick Place equipment has been prepositioned throughout the state to help hospitals and other congregate-care settings enhance surge capacities.”
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Sheriff Asks For Help Limiting COVID-19 Spread At Cook County Jail – WBEZ (Chicago)
“The one thing we can adamantly tell you without any hesitation whatsoever is the majority of the people who are positive at any given moment inside the jail are people who came into the jail positive,” Dart said. “There isn’t this wild spread going on in the jail.”
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Arbitrator rules against Chicago Public Schools in labor dispute over clerks, but district will still require them to work mostly in person, saying COVID-19 measures in place – Chicago Tribune*
While arbitrator Jeanne Charles noted her final ruling “makes no finding with respect to the Board’s ability to reopen schools," she found that CPS violated its contract with CTU by requiring employees to work in potentially unsafe conditions. “The only way to eliminate the risk of COVID-19 infection and death is for school clerks, school clerk assistants, and technology coordinators to work remotely."
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Lightfoot Links Protections for Immigrants To Budget Vote – WTTW (Chicago)
Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th Ward) — who has been pushing for changes to the city’s sanctuary city ordinance for five years — said a member of the mayor’s office staff told him it was included in the budget bill “because there isn’t much good to vote for in this budget.”
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot has delivered a warning to Chicago aldermen who might vote against her budget: sources – Chicago Tribune*
Wednesday, Lightfoot met virtually with members of the City Council Black Caucus, where she made waves by telling them that aldermen who don’t support her budget won’t have their wards prioritized, according to six aldermen who were in the meetings. “Don’t come to me for s--- for the next three years” if you don’t support the budget, two aldermen recalled her saying.
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Landlords struggle to pay their own bills as tenants can’t make rent – WGNTV (Chicago)
“Tenants have not been paying; They have not paid the money, taxes are going up on us, on me. Water bills that the tenant does not pay, it goes on me,” Chicago Heights landlord Kevin Savage said. “I have to be able to pay all that in order to keep my house.”
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State restrictions on restaurants the target of small protest outside Lake County Health Department – Lake County News-Sun*
Organizer Tom Pizur, doesn’t own a restaurant and doesn’t work in the restaurant industry. "I’m just a customer that doesn’t want to feel like a criminal...The restaurants hold these communities together, not just in Lake and McHenry county, but all over the state. These restaurants have spent a lot of money, a lot of time trying to meet the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) regulations."
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Lightfoot needs to compromise to get pandemic budget passed, powerful ally says – Chicago Sun-Times*
"Over the years, the City Council’s final budget vote has been a test of the mayor’s political muscle. Former mayors Richard M. Daley and Rahm Emanuel won many unanimous votes, thanks to the relationships of trust they worked hard to build with individual aldermen. Lightfoot has a strained relationship with the Council, stemming in part from her Day One executive order stripping aldermen of control over licensing and permitting in their wards."
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Reopening questions: Six issues Chicago preschool teachers are weighing as the first to return – Chalkbeat Chicago
Chicago officials said they have spent $2 million on 86,000 containers of sanitizing wipes and $3.5 million on 50,000 portable hand-sanitizer stations for high-traffic areas. But until you’ve been in a preschool classroom, teachers say, it’s hard to estimate how many wipes and sanitation supplies get used — from wiping off toys between uses, to wiping down tables, to cleaning up after snacks and lunches. “There are lots of fluids in the pre-K classroom,” said Terra Calamari.
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BMO Harris launches $5 billion program to help Black and Latino businesses and communities, with ‘significant’ investment in Chicago – Chicago Tribune*
The program includes commitments of $3 billion for community reinvestment, $500 million for mortgage loans in low- and moderate- income communities and $500 million for commercial lending.
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With city data on restaurant COVID-19 infections in hand, Fulton Market Association decries clampdown on industry, pushes for relief – Chicago Tribune*
The complaint came one day after the Illinois Restaurant Association launched a new push of its #fightforillinoisrestaurants campaign on social media, asserting that “Illinois is the only state in the country where indoor dining is completely shut down,” in bold lettering.
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These People Changed The Name Of Douglas Park Long Before The Park District Did – WBEZ (Chicago)
This is the first time the vandals have spoken about their crime, which involved adding a very official-looking extra “S” to every park district sign in Douglas Park, a year and a half before Chicago’s Park District actually decided to change the name this September. “It was like, ‘No. We’re gonna do every sign. And if it falls apart, we’re going to fix it.’” So the two maintained 47 signs — and took care of every single extra ‘S’ — for more than a year.
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Police Reform Advocates Demand Aldermen Pass Law Requiring Detainees Get A Phone Call In First Hour – Block Club Chicago
Less than 2 percent of people arrested in Chicago get access to an attorney while in custody, police records show. A proposed ordinance would require police to allow detainees to use a phone within one hour of arrest — but the measure has languished for a year under Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th).
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Chicago issues stay-at-home advisory, new restrictions on gatherings as COVID-19 cases surge – WGNTV (Chicago)
Residents are advised to only leave home to go to work or school, or for essential needs such as seeking medical care, going to the grocery store or pharmacy, picking up food, or receiving deliveries. This advisory shall remain in place for 30 days or until such time as the Commissioner of Health determines a change to the guidance is appropriate.
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Disinvested: How Government and Private Industry Let the Main Street of a Black Neighborhood Crumble – ProPublica Illinois
"(A) succession of government programs attempted to lure private investors to this and other disinvested neighborhoods, but commercial development consistently bypassed Madison Street...Today, even Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s signature plan to spur development in disadvantaged communities on the South and West sides doesn’t include East Garfield Park."
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Editorial: New ideas — and a little more hope — for avoiding city layoffs during the pandemic – Chicago Sun-Times*
"We see a common thread in many of the cost-savings suggestions proposed by this editorial page, the CFL and, to a lesser extent, the Progressive Caucus of the City Council: It’s stuff Chicago should be doing even if there were no pandemic. Put it all on the table. Let the best ideas prevail."
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Police Racked Up So Many Complaints During Summer Protests A Special Unit Was Created To Investigate – Block Club Chicago
In total, the department received 520 complaints against officers May 29-Oct. 31 related to protests. Of those, 232 were handled by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability and 288 were referred to the Police Department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs.
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Some Chicago Cops Still Won’t Wear Masks Despite 1,200 COVID Infections — Will A New PSA Actually Help? – Block Club Chicago
“Just like anything else, nothing changes on a dime. Officers got extremely used to the rest of the world wearing masks but feel that somehow we are immune and don’t have to,” the lieutenant said. “It’s not that they are being defiant or ‘it’s a hoax’ or anything like that. But while the rest of the world was on quarantine and lockdown and masked up, we weren’t.”
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Top Chicago doc tells visitors to keep record of negative COVID-19 test handy while in Windy City – Center Square
"The goal of this order is to protect Chicago,” Arwady said.
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Restaurant owners say they’re being ‘scapegoated,’ ask Lightfoot to sue state over COVID-19 restrictions – WGNTV (Chicago)
“If the data does not point to and directly connect restaurants and their employees to the spread of the virus, then we’ve got to reassess what we’re doing here in the city of Chicago,” said Roger Romanelli, who heads the Fulton Market Association.
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Column: Take It From A City That Knows: Rahm Emanuel Is Bad For America – Patch Chicago
Mark Konkol: "His administration treated Chicago as if it were two cities — one for the rich and powerful, another for the poor and forgotten. Chicagoans remember how often Emanuel bragged of attracting an always increasing number of tourists from around the world, while turning a blind eye to the exodus of Black families fleeing neighborhoods neglected by City Hall."
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Wirepoints Commentary and Research
Updated 5-Year Budget Deficit Estimates From Illinois Governor’s Budget Office – Wirepoints
The revised cash-based deficit projection for the current year is $3.9 billion, but with a total bill backlog of $10.2 billion remaining at the end of the year.
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Illinois’ COVID-19 data: Daily update for November 14, 2020 – Wirepoints
Daily COVID-19 data update for November 14, 2020.
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Political Indoctrination In Illinois Schools Would Be Mandatory Under Pending Rule – Wirepoints
Make no mistake. The pending rule would be another major step in the conversion of education into state-controlled autocracy. It is a direct assault on free society.
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“Illinois’ collapsing COVID fatality rates show we can have our schools reopen safely and responsibly.” – Ted on AM 560’s Chicago’s Morning Answer
Ted was on with Amy Jacobson and Paul Vallas talking about the collapse in the state's case fatality rates. Illinois' COVID crisis is still centered in retirement homes. Over 40% of all deaths between September and November were linked to Long-Term Care facilities.
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Flashback to tragicomedy as ‘critical juncture’ again used to describe Illinois financial condition – Quicktake
Say, haven’t we heard that “critical juncture” thing before?
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Two ‘news’ front pages from the past week – Quicktake
Regardless of your views on the status of the election or of the candidates, are these appropriate front pages for news sources?
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More Wirepoints Original Stories
Illinois’ COVID fatality rate plummets: Cases skyrocket, deaths down since last peak – Wirepoints
Lost in the attention over Illinois’ massive spike in COVID-19 cases is the collapse in the virus’ case fatality rate, or CFR. The latest COVID data is quickly revealing how less fatal the coronavirus really is, and that has major implications for lockdown policies and, in particular, for school shutdowns.
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Give Us Better Data And Projections: With COVID-19 Cases Soaring, Officially Reported Information Is Increasingly Useless – Wirepoints
A lesson in how lacking the data and analyses are that health officials have provided to the public on COVID-19.
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Audio: Wirepoints’ Mark Glennon on the Financial Survival Network discussing the exodus from Chicago and other big cities
Thanks to Kerry Lutz for having Mark Glennon on to discuss the potentially historic flight from big cities to smaller communities.
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Profiles In Courage? Top Illinois Officeholders Turn On Michael Madigan. – Quicktake
What do Illinois' top politicians know now that they haven’t always known that would cause them to throw House Speaker Michael Madigan under the bus?
You’d think they’d have at least have tried to spin up some pretext.
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Reforms Instead Of Taxes. Here’s A List For Illinois To Start With. – Wirepoints
Illinoisans know the state faces a massive budget hole., though they rejected the "Fair Tax increase. What do they want instead of higher taxes? We don’t know, but we know what they should want: reforms.
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“The governor has only himself to blame for the tax hike failure. It was a bipartisan rejection of his plan.” – Ted with Tom Miller on Newsradio WJPF
Ted was on with Tom Miller this week talking about the clear rejection by Illinois voters of Gov. Pritzker's progressive tax hike.
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Illinois’ progressive tax amendment fails – Wirepoints
Everything was aligned in favor of the amendment. And yet, it failed. The reason why likely boils down to one word: trust.
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— Connecting the dots between our economy, government and people —
ILLINOISANS NEED PENSION REFORM,
NOT TAX HIKES.
Wirepoints Original Stories
Updated 5-Year Budget Deficit Estimates From Illinois Governor’s Budget Office – Wirepoints
The revised cash-based deficit projection for the current year is $3.9 billion, but with a total bill backlog of $10.2 billion remaining at the end of the year.
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Illinois’ COVID-19 data: Daily update for November 14, 2020 – Wirepoints
Daily COVID-19 data update for November 14, 2020.
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Political Indoctrination In Illinois Schools Would Be Mandatory Under Pending Rule – Wirepoints
Make no mistake. The pending rule would be another major step in the conversion of education into state-controlled autocracy. It is a direct assault on free society.
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Top Illinois Stories
CUB embroiled in legal mud wrestling over ComEd corruption – Crain’s*
“Millions of dollars funneled into CUB from ComEd have neutered CUB, turning it from a statutorily mandated utility watchdog into ComEd’s lapdog, failing to so much as growl in response to defendants’ rampant bribery scheme and the corrupt regulations and exploitation of Illinois citizens arising therefrom,” according to a brief filed today in Cook County Circuit Court by attorneys handling the litigation in state court. “The public’s trust in this state’s utility operations has been rightfully shaken and CUB’s intentions must be evaluated with scrutiny.”
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‘Pessimistic’ budget projections has Pritzker looking for business ‘tax adjustments’ – Center Square
“The Governor will work with the legislature to identify corporate and business tax loopholes that can be closed and tax adjustments that can be made that will minimize the impact to lower- and middle-class families while ensuring that Illinois can meet its financial responsibilities,” the report said.
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Pritzker Extends Illinois Eviction Moratorium for Additional 30 Days – NBC5 (Chicago)
At his daily coronavirus news briefing, the governor explained the extension will only cover renters who have earned no more than $90,000 in annual income - or $198,000 for joint filers - during the calendar year.
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Other Illinois News
Top Chicago Stories
Chicago Becomes First Major U.S. City to Reissue COVID Lockdown As Cases Spike 36 Percent – Newsweek
Lightfoot also said over Twitter that the city would increase its coronavirus response team and deploy approximately 2,000 city workers, including up to 550 contact tracers, and hundreds of community-based organizations to reach at least half of Chicago's households.
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Stay-at-home advisory now issued for suburban Cook County – WGNTV (Chicago)
The advisory is scheduled to go into effect for both suburban Cook County and Chicago on Monday, Nov. 16 at 6 a.m., and will last at least 30 days.
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Other Chicago News
Lightfoot cancels 350 layoffs tied to her ‘pandemic’ budget – Chicago Sun-Times
Buoyed by higher than expected marijuana revenues, Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Saturday canceled plans to lay off 350 city employees to help secure the 26 City Council votes she needs to pass her “pandemic budget.”
Revenues generated by the sale of recreational and medical marijuana have “gone through the roof”— topping $100 million statewide for the first time in October and $800 million in the first 10 months.
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What We Learned From 11 Days Of Virtual Chicago Budget Hearings – WBEZ (Chicago)
There’s still the question of whether Congress will act before the end of the year to pass a second stimulus package for state and local governments — something Lightfoot has repeatedly called for. And with no veto session planned for the state legislature in Springfield, the door is also closed on a laundry list of potential revenue ideas from the more progressive side of the City Council.
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Mag Mile SSA Would Help Repair Downtown’s ‘Tarnished’ Reputation After Looting, Advocates Say — But Will It Happen? – Block Club Chicago
Typically, the city requires a lengthy application process to establish a new SSA that can span two years. But the planning department waived certain requirements, including gathering support signatures from at least 20 percent of affected property owners, to accommodate the expedited timeline.
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Why is Northwestern flunking 2020? – Crain’s
The myriad crises of 2020 are upending the world of higher education, but few institutions have been more thoroughly unsettled by this year's upheaval than Northwestern University, whose sterling reputation—and that of its president, Morton Schapiro—have been tarnished by protests on campus, layoffs, a tuition flip-flop and the lingering perception that the institution and its leaders are out of touch with the cultural crosscurrents roiling the campus community.
