-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
The county worked with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to devise an “equitable funding formula” that considers a municipality’s immediate needs, median income and public health statistics, she said.
“It would be great if we could believe our representatives when they say that they are looking out for our best interests. But the new gas tax hike clearly shows they have no qualms with raising taxes on Illinois’ middle-class residents.”
The governor said the mobile testing sites can be moved as needed to areas with “emerging outbreaks” of the virus; such as at meat packing plants, nursing homes, migrant worker housing, or other communities with less access to traditional testing.
A new coalition of disability rights groups is calling on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to take emergency action. “While the nursing homes may be cutting off social contact in the name of safety, why in the name of security is more not done to protect people in nursing homes with protected gear?” one advocate asked.
“The virus doesn’t care if you are Black or Latino or Native American, doesn’t care, but we create conditions that make it impossible for groups that are oppressed to fight off the virus effectively,” said Dr. Linda Murray, former Chief Medical Officer for the Cook County Department of Public Health.
More than 20 percent of Illinoisans are covered by Medicaid, making it the second-largest type of insurance behind Medicare.
“If you can spend trillions of dollars helping large corporations survive, $500 [billion] to support state and local governments, which provide such vital resources for our residents, I would say is a small price to pay,” Pritzker told the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security on Wednesday.
Until Clay County Circuit Court Judge Michael McHaney decides whether Pritzker’s April 30 emergency declaration correctly defines COVID-19 as a disaster, the state is procedurally barred from asking a higher court to reconsider the Xenia Republican representative’s lawsuit.
Politicians from suburbs in Cook County all the way to Springfield have been charged with multiple counts of corruption related to their relationship with SafeSpeed, although the company’s chief has denied wrongdoing or knowing bribes were being paid.
The Rockford-based Technology & Manufacturing Association said the amendment would put a burden on small business owners, families and seniors especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It just opens our tax code up from a free and fair and an understood one to one where politics enters in,” TMA President Steve Rauschenberger said.
“The feds may indeed bail out Illinois. But if the feds don’t, Mendoza says draconian budget cuts are in store to make it through the fiscal year. It’s a situation that begs for advance planning, including planning for a potential doomsday scenario. But instead, the attitude seems to be worry not. We have hope in our corner.”
“The fact is, every Chicago cop needs to make daily efforts to build relationships with residents to repair the broken trust from years of abuse and misconduct by bad officers.”
“I don’t put too much weight into what President Trump says particularly given his lack of leadership over the course of this pandemic,” Lightfoot said, but deferred to CPS when asked for specific details about Chicago schools reopening in September.
That capacity restriction, which allows occupancy to reach just 25%, is partly why the Adler Planetarium is waiting to reopen until phase five. “For both our financial health and the well-being of our staff, we made the decision to wait until we can have a full public opening again,” an Adler Planetarium spokesperson said.
On Tuesday night, Northside College Prep’s Local School Council, a representative body made up of parents, teachers and one student, voted — with 8 in favor, 0 opposed and 1 abstaining — to remove officers from campus this fall.
The department’s announcement this week means that it will have for the first time in nine years the kind of permanent roving team that in the past has has been both praised and come under fire.
During a virtual hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security Wednesday, Pritzker criticized the federal government for not implementing the Defense Production act early on in the COVID-19 pandemic:”States were forced to play some sick hunger games game show to save the lives of people. This is not a reality TV show. These are real things that are happening.”
The coalition of labor unions, environmental advocates and public health associations wants to ensure the state is “following the science” in its plan to reopen. “There’s a fatigue,” said Tom Hughes, director of the Illinois Public Health Association. “I think people are tired.”
“Lawmakers could, for example, enact a 1% pension tax surcharge on top of the normal rates if voters approve the amendment. In fact, multiple taxation schemes have appeared in governments with progressive tax systems before. In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed legislation that imposed a 10% federal surcharge on income to help fund the Vietnam War.”
Ryan Ori: “At 74 stories and an expected cost of $470 million, the 1000M tower would be difficult to pull off even in the best of times.”
“For the purposes of this certification, a person or entity is “insolvent” if it is in bankruptcy or any other Federal or State insolvency proceeding (as defined in paragraph B(ii) of Section 13(3) of the Act), or if the person or entity was generally failing to pay undisputed debts as they become due during the 90 days preceding the date of borrowing under the Facility.”
Chicago’s debt increased by $2 billion in 2019, which will only deteriorate further with the current pandemic. Chicago will see a significant loss of revenue and increase in spending due to the coronavirus pandemic, which is something the city simply cannot afford.
“In the 10-county region, about 18% of people live in poverty, compared to 12% in the state as a whole. The childhood poverty rates are even more staggering…A lot of people are frustrated — and many blame Springfield. They see the state’s financial predicament putting a squeeze on Southern Illinois, and also look to state government to reverse the economic decline the region has experienced.”
“When faced with protesters, and the assembly of people she agreed with, or people whose political support she desired, Lightfoot did not disburse or interfere with their violations of each and every of the restrictions on the rights and liberties of citizens which (she) had deemed to be life and death matters just the day before,” the complaint said.
“The fact is, and we need to pay attention to this, crime reduction isn’t a turn on a light switch and it happens,” he told Fox News on Tuesday. “Chicago, unfortunately, is unwilling to stay the course.”
SIGN UP HERE FOR OUR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER