-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
“For 110 years, four generations of Mills family members earned their money by expanding their great-grandfather’s Chicago apron business into a medical supplier that ranked among the nation’s largest private companies. But soon after Democrats turned their attention toward raising taxes for the wealthy this year, the family signed a deal to cash out billions.”
Jim Dey: “For example, Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope, a former appellate court justice, has complained publicly that she is forced by current law to be a toothless, somnolent watchdog…As a consequence, the new law no longer requires Pope to get permission from a panel of legislators to begin inquiries. But, at the same, it denies her the authority to issue a subpoena for records germane to her investigations.”
State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit didn’t blame Pritzker’s administration, but said leaving thousands out of the lottery was likely “an indication that…not enough veterans are serving in elected office.” She also pointed to state and federal systems that don’t communicate well with each other — an issue that goes well beyond immunization records.
There were at least seven homicides on Monday, one shy of the worst day for murders in Chicago so far this year. That was just a week ago when eight people were shot to death, including four at a mass shooting in Englewood.
“One semester with an alarming number of F’s may not sound like cause for alarm. But down the road, the city’s hard-won uptick in high school graduation rates is at stake. Landmark research by the University of Chicago has shown that every failing grade given to a freshman puts that student at much higher risk for eventually dropping out.”
While the Illinois State Board of Education last week delayed their vote on the proposal, officials have not shelved what some say is an estimated $200 million plan that would replace the annual Illinois Assessment of Readiness for students in grades 3 through 8 during the next 10 years with three, interim assessments delivered in the fall, winter and spring of each school year.
The progressives also want to create a $50 million program that provides a base level of income to the city’s poorest residents. The idea — known as “Universal Basic Income” or “Guaranteed Basic Income” — is not new. Ald. Gilbert Villegas introduced an ordinance in April to create a “COVID-19 Guaranteed Income Program,” but it’s been stuck in Rules Committee, where legislation historically goes to die.
The need for a referendum was broached in late 2020. General Superintendent Arnold Randall told commissioners that in the past decade, the preserves had doubled the amount of land under restoration, but that the district’s budget has grown less than 10 percent.
Eight percent of Illinois’ interstate bridges are rated in poor condition, the third highest share in the U.S., according to the report. Pavements on four percent of Illinois’ interstate highways are in poor condition, the 16th highest in the nation.
The sentencing of former Markham Mayor David Webb comes more than three years after he pleaded guilty to “honest services” wire fraud and filing a false tax return. He admitted to taking bribes from contractors doing business with the city made through campaign contributions, shell companies and even cash stuffed into coffee cups.
They hope the plan can close gaps in enrollment, retention, and completion rates for Black and Latinx students and those who live in rural communities.
The delay comes as city officials wait for U.S. Treasury Department officials to decide whether they will give Lightfoot the green light to use $465 million in federal funds to pay off the high-interest debt. However, progressive members of the City Council introduced their own plan to use the bulk of the funds to send direct aid to Chicagoans struggling to stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In the past decade, eight other states have had success getting more drivers insured with similar programs. But this is Illinois, using an automated system generating fines, an outside vendor, millions of drivers’ records and insurance information in a state database. Throw in drivers unable or unwilling to buy insurance and a pandemic economic downturn with nearly 440,000 out of work. What could go wrong?”
“The prisoner review board needs to review each and every case individually on its own merits. My problem is… they’re intentionally manipulating the system by putting extremists on the prisoner review board, including a double murderer, and then hiding those people and their decisions from not just the people of Illinois, but from the state Senate of Illinois,”said state Sen. Jason Plummer.
A recently passed bill would add self-identified gender identity and sexual orientation to the existing annual reporting requirement for public corporations. While SB 1730 is not a mandate for people in the LGBTQ community, it is meant to help people who wish to self-identify, state Sen. Emil Jones said.
State lawmakers passed a bill allowing local governments to waive licensing fees and registration costs for businesses harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it won’t spare them from state taxes.
Arizona, Michigan and Texas are showing how to create resilient systems for government retirees.
It’s a mouthful, but Mayor Lori Lightfoot and aldermen were considering Tuesday an idea to dub the street “DuSable Lake Shore Drive” in a bid to avoid another racially tinged City Council floor fight Wednesday.
Chicago Public Schools is advising administrators against contacting police in non-emergency situations and will remove “criminalizing” language from its student code of conduct in an effort to help eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline, according to a proposed set of revisions.
$50 gift cards will be given as an incentive to those who use the program.
According to a new study by the Chicago Department of Public Health, Black residents in the Windy City have a life expectancy 9 years shorter than non-Black Chicagoans. Mayor Lightfoot joined Jonathan Capehart to discuss.
According to the Chicago Teachers Union, more of the layoffs are coming to the North Lawndale and Little Village area that were underserved during the coronavirus pandemic. CTU President Jesse Sharkey suggests some of the layoffs are retaliatory.
In a 9-0 decision Thursday, the nation’s high court ruled against the city of Philadelphia, which had refused to renew a contract for foster care services with Catholic Social Services. Illinois went through a similar controversy in 2011, shortly after the state legalized civil unions among same-sex couples, when the Department of Children and Family Services refused to renew a contract with Catholic Charities of Illinois.
The proposal could require the State Board of Education to create an affidavit helping non-citizens register for school board elections. Current bill language requires potential voters to verify they are a parent, legal guardian or caregiver of a student; that they live within the boundaries of a school district; and that they intend to stay there until the next school board election.
The latest on the expanding school of thought in journalism that openly says facts and objectivity don’t matter.
“The state affiliates that I support would be appalled at the stance that NEA Management is taking.”
Are they? What say you, Illinois Education Association?
Approximately 26,850 Chicagoans applied for $137 million in grants designed to stave off a wave of evictions and keep the lights on across Chicago, officials said Monday. However, city officials have only $80 million available in this round of assistance, which means thousands of Chicagoans could be out of luck.
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