-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
“The phrase ‘Federal Limits Apply’ will be printed along the top of the standard driver’s license or ID per the [federal] REAL ID Act, but the wording ‘Not Valid for Identification,’ which is deep and personal and powerful and dangerous, will be removed,” Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said.
A Chicago Department of Housing spokesperson said the agency hopes other resources will be available for the city’s program once federal funds run out, which is expected to happen early next year. The Illinois Housing Development Authority already manages the court-based rental assistance program for all counties in the state apart from Cook County.
“If cities lose production in their downtowns and replace it with residential and retail, which is primarily consumption… downtown becomes just another neighborhood. In that case, what advantages does it have over any other residential neighborhood? What makes it special? More to the point, what makes it capable of generating the economic value, and consequent tax revenue, cities have come to expect from their downtowns?”
Mayor Johnson favors a multi-tiered long-term crime fighting strategy, as he works to promote 200 more detectives, but he’s not promised to fill vacancies. Interim police superintendent Fred Waller, and aldermen Jim Gardner and Matt O’Shea want to see improvement in the police staffing issues, Ald. Rossanna Rodriquez is among a group working to create new structures of crisis responders.
“For several years, the undocumented community has lived without health care and maybe that is why the whole process of the health care is so expensive now – because we could’ve done this years ago and prevented any additional sickness,” state Rep. Barbara Hernandez said. “But because we have neglected them for so long, now they have illnesses that they have to be in constant observation, or medication, and of course it’s going to be costly for the state, unfortunately.”
The proposed changes are an attempt to simplify the fare system for riders and ticket collectors, and adjust to changing rider habits that have commuters coming into the city only a few days a week, if at all. Metra hopes the new fares will grow ridership, which, on weekdays in May, was about 51% of 2019 levels.
Mayor Brandon Johnson said he would defer to elected Local School Councils, who since 2019 have been responsible for voting on whether to keep their officers. “I support LSCs and the democratic process that has been established through that particular means of government,” he said. Those votes leave 39 of 91 Chicago public high schools with police officers.
A recent ruling from the Illinois Commerce Commission states that Nicor Gas improperly charged customers for $31 million in infrastructure spending in 2019. The move from the ICC comes months after Nicor filed a request for a $321 million rate hike to take effect in 2024, citing the need “to meet the current and future demands of our 2.3 million customers for clean, safe, reliable and affordable natural gas service.”
A group of Chicago residents calling themselves “The People’s CDOT” are working on city road projects they said the city won’t; They won’t show their faces or use their names because what they’re doing isn’t legal. “When CDOT needs to destroy something that’s making people safer, they have a very rapid response,” The People’s CDOT said in a tweet. “But when people are asking CDOT to make our streets safer, it takes years and years to get a response.”
George Blakemore voiced his frustration with the handling of the situation by the city council: “Can’t you see what is going on here, with these illegal immigrants and our so-called elected officials who vote against our interests. We are not going to tell them [migrants] to go. Maybe some of you all need to go.”
Gov. JB Pritzker had previously defended and celebrated the programs when he signed them into law, agreeing with advocates that it is cheaper to provide preventative care to noncitizens rather than making them rely on emergency room visits. But the Department of Healthcare and Family Services billed the changes Friday as a necessary move to ensure “programs do not exceed the funds available and appropriated by the General Assembly” – an amount pegged at about $550 million.
Four featured committee chairs – all members of the City Council Democratic Socialist Caucus or Progressive Caucus – said they want to use their power to help guide the direction of citywide policy. Among them, Ald. Michael Rodriguez said his Committee on Workforce Development needs to keep pressing forward to advance labor rights in Chicago.
A 17-year-old girl was killed and two other teens were wounded on a porch. A man was killed while riding in a car a block away. Another man was found shot to death four blocks to the east. Across the park less than a mile away, a 14-year-old boy was killed and a 15-year-old boy was critically wounded. In all, 15 people were shot in the Harrison police district from Friday evening through early Tuesday. Five of them died.
The money will go to 170 school districts with the highest count of unfilled teaching positions. 60% are in rural areas, 40% in urban. Once the districts have the money, an ISBE spokesperson said it’s up to each district to decide how they’ll use it.
As of July 1, the minimum wage for non-tipped workers in Chicago will be $16.80 an hour, whereas those who receive tips will make $8.80 an hour in addition to their gratuities. Officials and groups are appealing to Mayor Brandon Johnson and his promise to address youth unemployment.
In 2021, the Federal Government passed a bill that allowed some undocumented immigrants to become healthcare workers and military members. The bill’s sponsor called the introduction of this new bill a “natural progression” in Illinois.
Illinois’ unemployment rate is now tied for fourth worst in the country and the state only added in the neighborhood of 2,500 jobs in May; The construction (2,400) and manufacturing (1,700) sectors suffered the greatest losses, while government added the most jobs at 2,600. “It goes to show you how private businesses in this state are struggling, while Pritzker and Democrats work to put even more burden on taxpayers,” said state Sen. Steve McClure.
In Illinois, Guns Save Life founder John Boch brought a case challenging Illinois’ FOID law in 2019. He said recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent requires courts to evaluate the text, history and tradition of the Second Amendment in such challenges.
Overstating its budget, failure to properly audit license requirements and other reporting issues are all listed in an Illinois Auditor General report of the Illinois State Board of Education.
Mayor Brandon Johnson said making the CTU negotiate for that leave – the same 12-week paid parental leave city employees already receive – would have been disruptive and problematic.
“We can see that COVID-19 accounted for approximately 70% of excess deaths in 2020-2021, but nearly all leading causes of death had increases during that time period as well,” Illinois Department of Public Health officials said in a prepared statement.
The fund will support survivors of crimes like domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking through a one-time $1,000 payment to survivors in support of their economic stability.
“Johnson can set the tone of his administration by acting immediately on the transparency agenda formulated by open government advocates but blocked by the previous administration. There are three primary items on this agenda: Make inspector general reports public…Revise video release policy…Establish a public repository of police misconduct investigations.”
Many are concerned that moving programming for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities could be harmful to their instruction, and their progress and even more inaccessible for those traveling long distances to get it. “It’s a lack of communication; transportation,” one participant’s grandmother said. “You’re moving me at least 20 blocks farther down the road.”
Market Street this month surrendered the 12-story building at 209 West Jackson Boulevard through a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. The lender on a $25 million debt tied to the property will now take ownership of the asset, while Market Street evades foreclosure litigation. It’s the latest sign of office distress in Chicago. The remote
Book ban ban bunk.
Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the Chicago area’s violent weekend with 71 shot and 11 murdered, why Mayor Johnson is leaning further into progressive policy “solutions,” why Gov. Pritzker is staying away from Chicago as he prepares to run for president, why “evidence-based” funding may end up in higher education, and more.
A flash mob drew hundreds of young people and a large police presence Tuesday night, with some people jumping on cars at the gas station near 31st Street and Michigan Avenue. The incident raises concerns about how to best mitigate or control these sudden and sometimes unpredictable gatherings, both in the city and the suburbs.
SIGN UP HERE FOR OUR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER