-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Gov. JB Pritzker has dedicated his administration to expanding the rights and protections of employees. Many of these changes place significant compliance requirements on employers, and being non-compliant risks hefty fines.
Corey Brooks’ publicized efforts started in late 2011 when he climbed into a tent on the roof of a run-down motel across the street from his New Beginnings Church in a bid to raise money. Work is finally underway on the 90,000-square-foot community center in Woodlawn., which will include a trade school, a pool, restaurants, a tech center, a theater, golf simulation room and basketball courts.
The agency faces a formidable challenge to eliminate obstacles fueled by the pandemic, which have slowly eroded its dependability. Daily delays continue to frustrate and demoralize riders, while “ghost” buses and trains exacerbate perceptions of incompetence and unreliability. Yet the CTA is still losing more employees than it is hiring.
Actuary Mary Pat Campbell: You are more likely to get money from aliens to make Chicago solvent than to do it from either Illinois or the Feds.
Chicago ranked No. 1 thanks to several local firms closing funds of more than $40 million in the past year. Minneapolis ranked No. 2.
State Rep. Robert “Bob” Rita – marking his third appearance on a witness stand in a federal corruption trial this year – took the stand to describe how former Chief of Staff Tim Mapes before his resignation ran “all aspects” of the Illinois House of Representatives, and kept artwork in his office referencing the Wizard of Oz that said, roughly, “no one sees the wizard.”
The study, by the University of Arkansas School of Education, looked at the differences between how much public money goes to charter and regular public schools in large U.S. cities. It found that charters face a sizable funding gap despite claims from teachers unions that the charters are soaking up public resources.
Grace Hou, secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services, announced the hiring of a new division director. “There are noticeable physical improvements happening all along the campus,” Hou said. “We want to make further improvements in that way.”
The moratorium has been on the books since 1987, but now a bill that passed both chambers of the state legislature awaits Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature that would allow the construction of new nuclear power facilities. “There are aspects of it that I think are worthy,” Pritzker said. “My concern is to make sure that we have all available options for growing our energy production in the state.”
Wirepoints president Ted Dabrowski blasted the low scores and called for action. “I think what really matters is that if the state is going to set standards, then we should meet those standards…I think what’s missing are some very serious goals to get that education level up.”
The state’s $50.6 billion budget includes $2.53 billion for education, the largest increase in education funding in over 20 years.
As an example, consider the $8.2 million Re-entry Workforce Development Program to help those facing employment barriers, focusing on people returning from incarceration, people with limited English skills and those experiencing homelessness. City officials initially told the feds they’ve spent $543,315 — or about 7% of the money. But in response to questions from Illinois Answers they said that number was in
Reports show overall transit crime was down 9% year to date and 21% compared to July of last year.
In total, the Illinois Department of Human Services confirmed that a total of 47 of its workers from three facilities had been fired, resigned or face pending discipline related to PPP loan fraud. IDHS is not the only Illinois government agency whose workers may face disciplinary action up to termination, but the loss of employees at the state’s developmental centers is particularly troubling given longstanding challenges to maintain an adequate workforce and provide care to some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
“I can only imagine how difficult it is to keep your doors open as crime runs rampant through the streets while so-called ‘leaders’ in blue states like yours work to fulfill their dreams to ‘defund the police.’ It must be both frustrating and infuriating,” Patronis writes in a letter to Illinois business owners, adding that “while failing states like California, New York, and Illinois are obsessed with pushing a far-Left agenda that makes doing business nearly impossible, Florida is open for business!”
Although Illinois is the first state to pass freelance worker protection laws, freelance worker protection is gaining steam nationwide with other states – such as New York, Kansas, and Missouri – which have introduced similar freelance worker protection bills in the last year. Likewise, city-specific freelance worker protections have long-existed in Seattle, Columbus, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and New York City.
Grassroots advocacy group CTAction also has a few thoughts on what state Rep. Kam Buckner should focus on next. “Additionally, we’d like to see Rep. Buckner working together with the governor to ensure more qualified members are appointed to the Chicago Transit Board – ones who have transit expertise and regularly use the system.”
Jim Dey: “The governor’s desire for new revenue has created something of a conundrum. Prices may not be too high for the consumers who patronize state-licensed retailers in Illinois, but they are certainly high compared with those in other states…That not only leaves Illinois vulnerable to competitors in bordering states, like Missouri, with significantly lower taxes and prices, but also creates an advantage for private entrepreneurs who sell marijuana illegally at lower prices.”
Wirepoints traveled to Peoria Wednesday to discuss with two local groups the failure of the Peoria public school systems to educate students in the tri-county area. In Peoria School District 150, just 5 of every 100 black students can read at grade level. In math, it’s just 2 in 100.
Wirepoints was interviewed by Peoria’s 25News Now to discuss the failure of the Peoria public school system to educate students in the tri-county area. In Peoria School District 150, just 1% of students at Manual High School, only 3% at Peoria High and 31% of students at Richwoods High, can read at grade level, according to state numbers for the past academic year.
It’s no longer a question of if but when the transfer tax will be raised, if voters approve it through a binding referendum. The question is how the referendum will be worded and what form the tax would take. “We are committed to getting to a ‘yes,’ because he believes that it is absolutely important that we have that dedicated funding stream to help deal with
Willie Wilson: “The politicians suggest they passed this law to address the shortage of police officers. Ironically, the Democratic and progressive policies of demonizing and not supporting our men and women in law enforcement have led to a shortage of officers. In addition, policies that handcuff law enforcement and prevent police from doing their jobs makes the profession less desirable.”
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