-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Greg Bishop reviews the findings of a report by Wirepoints looking into the homicide rates and totals for the nation’s most populated cities.
The train system had to be taken off-line for at least 30 minutes or more 53 times in the 10 months since it fully reopened. Some of the outages were for planned maintenance or software upgrades; but the train system unexpectedly failed to function on 17 days due to weather or various system failures.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said he’s willing to spend what it takes in the next election to help President Joe Biden keep his job. “It’s very important to me that we elect a Democratic president and that we make sure to keep DeSantis, Trump and the retrograde views that they carry out of the White House,” Pritzker, a longtime Democratic donor, said. “I’ll continue to support Democrats in the best way I can to help them get elected.”
The proposal of HB 1185 would extend the repayment date for downstate public safety pension funds from the end of MFY 2040 to MFY 2050 or later. The schedule is significantly shorter than other statewide, state-administered, and Chicago-based pension systems, despite downstate public safety pension funds having better funding ratios.
“Just weeks ago, we enacted changes to U.S. law to enable more support to the International Criminal Court’s Ukraine investigations… But more not only can be done internationally, it also must be done. The United States is conspicuously absent from a core group of world powers — including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Finland, Poland and Sweden — dedicated to achieving accountability for aggression through a tribunal.”
Federal prosecutors want University of Illinois at Chicago Professor Emeritus Dick Simpson to explain Chicago’s Ward system, “including the operation of the political machine as it works through the Ward political organizations including the Ward Committeeperson, precinct captains and patronage hiring.”
During the past 10 years, Chicago’s property tax levy has doubled, growing from $860 million to more than $1.7 billion in 2023.
Chicago’s woefully underfunded pension plans face insolvency unless the city sticks with a new contribution schedule that makes actuarially determined payments for the first time in its history.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other statehouse Democrats heralded the news as a sign of their budget management. “Our continued fiscal responsibility and smart budgeting will save Illinois taxpayers millions from adjusted interest rates, and my partners in the General Assembly and I look forward to building on that success,” Pritzker said in a statement. “I’ve been saying for a while now that I prefer 7’s to 6’s so I’ve been looking for today’s 7th credit rating upgrade from Standard & Poor’s,” Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza said. “This is a testament to the responsible budgeting we’ve done along with the Governor,
Wetmore’s 17-year tenure with the Civic Federation includes previously serving as a communication director, researcher and research director before being promoted to her current role in 2013. She was also president of the Governmental Research Association from 2020 to 2022.
If no deal is reached today, the union will picket at job sites across the city tomorrow. On Saturday, a temporary ban on work stoppages will end and the union would then begin the internal process to authorize a strike, union leaders have told the city.
At its meeting yesterday, the board agreed with a hearing examiner that “justifiable grounds” exist “with some basis in fact” to believe that Proft coordinated with Bailey’s campaign in efforts to promote Bailey, then a state senator, and bash his Democratic rival, incumbent Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who was re-elected.
According to a statement from the guild, union members want Chicago Public Media to add four seats to its 25-member board and two to be added to the Chicago Sun-Times’ five-member board. The new members would be appointed by rank-and-file members of the guild. There are currently no working journalists on either board.
Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed budget puts $50 million toward the project. if the legislatures in Illinois and Michigan approve the proposed spending, the combined $114 million would cover the 10 percent project costs which the eight Great Lakes states were expected to collectively share. Michigan and Illinois both feature Democratic Party trifecta control of state government.
“The city seems to be three steps behind on so many issues, particularly crime and schools. To see officials at least trying to do some forward thinking on an important aspect of downtown development is a positive thing…The fact is, LaSalle Street as we once knew it — a place jam-packed with offices for commodities traders, lawyers, financial players and the like — is no more…”.
Since August, more than 5,140 immigrants have arrived in Chicago, including those sent on chartered buses from Texas and Colorado. But there are more than 3,000 beds at 50 facilities that get support and funding from the city’s Department of Family and Support Services, according to its website. Efforts to convert spaces into temporary shelters at times have been met with controversy.
The governor’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget includes more than $350 million to provide homeless prevention services and expand emergency housing options through Home Illinois, an initiative of the Illinois Department of Human Services. DHS Homelessness Chief Christine Haley stressed that racial equity will be at the forefront of this plan.
“There was above average population growth in tax-friendly states and below average population growth in the least tax-friendly states,” analyst Melody Kasulis said. “That’s a general take away from the study, but that being said, Illinois being at the bottom did have a pretty stark population decline.”
“In Chicago, we’ve got the trifecta of [Mayor] Lori Lightfoot and her anti-policing rhetoric. You’ve got [Cook County State’s Attorney] Kim Foxx and her goal to decriminalize crimes. And you got Tim Evans, the chief judge, who has created a revolving door by not sentencing strictly,” Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski said. “New York is pursuing, generally, a tougher stance on crime.”
While residents overwhelmingly supported school choice, responses also show 54% of Chicagoans disapprove of the current public education system.
State leaders touted legalization as a chance to repair the damage done to communities of color which were hit hardest by the war on drugs. But according to the state’s report, in 2022, 88 percent of the state’s dispensaries are white majority owned.
As the Bears look for help to make their next move, this time from Chicago’s Soldier Field to suburban Arlington Heights, their original hometown is joining with more than 100 cities and towns in signaling to state lawmakers that broader tax-increment financing reform — viewed by some as a prerequisite for any Bears incentives — should be punted.
“Those things house hundreds of gallons of oil,” Ford County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Terry Whitebird said. “At this point there’s no definite amount of how much was spilled.” The Ford County Board recently adopted an updated, more-restrictive wind turbine ordinance, only to see the Illinois General Assembly take site restrictions out of the hands of county and
Jim Dey: “Parties to the case are mum. But the dispute dates to 2016, when the Illinois Department of Human Services and Tap In CEO Sally Carter signed a series of grant agreements. After the funds were transferred to Tap In, the agency dropped off the radar screen, as far as state officials were concerned.”
Chicago and New Orleans were the nation’s murder capitals in 2022. They’re just two of the local governments in America’s homicide hot-spots that continue to falter in their role as protectors of public safety more than two years removed from George Floyd’s murder and the covid pandemic. Chicago led the nation in total homicides with 697. New Orleans led the nation with a homicide rate of 74.3 murders per every 100,000 residents.
Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer to talk about who will make it to the Chicago mayoral runoff, the growth of crime in 2023, the Chicago Teacher Union’s election financing scandal and its extreme powers, the state’s dismal education results, the DeSantis visit to Illinois and more.
The union is comprised of “Republicans, Democrats, progressives, libertarians and Green Party,” said CTU retiree delegate Reggie O’Connor. “Every one of those people have a right to be heard, and they aren’t.” Added CTU delegate David Arredondo. “Members becoming disenchanted with the union, members wanting to pull their dues — this is going to dissipate the union’s political power.”
The RTA will see a $730 million gap in operating funds by 2025 as federal COVID-19 relief dollars run out, Chairman Kirk Dillard said. “Prior to COVID, 70% of everybody that worked in the central business district took mass transit to work,” Dillard said. “If you want to revitalize the city … you better help us revitalize mass transit.”
“It’s not just about wind or solar,” said Ogle County Board member Benjamin Youman. “What’s next? What are they going to take away from local control?” The Ogle County Board is looking into if they can challenge the law.
State Rep. Mike Coffey has continued his ownership of Saputo’s early in his appointed term in the 95th House District. His Monroe Street Italian restaurant uses polystyrene, cardboard, and tinfoil for carry-out, and most restaurant owners, he said, are willing to use more eco-friendly options but it often comes down to what the product allows. “As far as mandating things to small businesses, I’m not really in for mandating,” he said.
SIGN UP HERE FOR OUR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER
