-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
The nation’s third-largest city is preparing for its first school board elections, and the slate of potential candidates includes progressive activists, an afterschool squash program leader and a Grammy-winning rapper. “This is not a political race, this is a movement,” said rapper Che “Rhymefest” Smith.
“Here’s the rub – while taxes and the budget have ballooned over the last five years (and even before that), unemployment is higher, outmigration has continued unabated, key companies have moved their headquarters elsewhere, wealthy individuals, including our former governor, have left the state, student proficiency is down, and crime has skyrocketed.”
The city is leaning into the rise of remote work by promoting co-working spaces in iconic locations including Navy Pier, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Chicago Cultural Center. Led by civic boosters including World Business Chicago and billionaire Penny Pritzker’s nonprofit P33, the three-month “Work from Summertime Chi” initiative aims to bring $10 million in economic impact to the Loop and surrounding areas.
Proving the flaws of the Prisoner Review Board is a recent Auditor General report that reveals the board gave compassionate release to individuals in custody who did not present a medical release form.
Chicago’s Office of Inspector General expressed concern that current policing tactics could infringe on First and Fourth Amendment rights as they do not distinguish between peaceful and violent protests.
Stocks for sports betting giants DraftKings and FanDuel took a dip following news that the budget includes a progressive tax of up to 40% on sports betting companies. Some industry insiders are speculating those companies might ditch Illinois.
State Rep. Dale Fowler said the budget is not prioritizing Illinoisans. “This isn’t about tax relief for the citizens, it’s about tax increases to fund an irresponsible, unsustainable agenda built on the backs of Illinoisans.”
“Not only do families of Illinois have to pay more for their own health care, now they have to pay more so that non-citizens can get extreme, wonderful health care at our expense, for the taxpayers,” Bennett said.
The top two mobile betting giants — who raked in more than $729 million from Illinois bettors last year and have come out on top by nearly a quarter-billion so far this year — say the hike is enough to make them “reevaluate their level of investment and participation in the state.”
In the past three years, Sangamon County saw a $5,124 real GDP growth adjusted to inflation, or 1.25 index, which has continued to rise since 2020 according to a 2021 report by Bureau of Economic Analysis. Besides GDP, Sangamon saw an 11.80 percent boost in businesses established, making it the 7th highest business growth in Illinois since 2021.
“But we still need to answer the fundamental question, which is, how are people’s taxes being used now to make our city safe?” said the executive director of the Fulton Market Association. “And to be honest, we can’t get an answer.”
Even more moderate Illinois Republicans who don’t support the former president said they were “troubled” by the case that resulted in a conviction on 34 felony counts in New York.
Still, state Rep. LaShawn Ford says he still holds out hope for the school system. “There’s a lot of areas that I have concern with the city’s governance, but I feel confident that the mayor has a handle and understanding of the need to have equitable funding and fair access to high quality education.”
The person who was arrested tried to break through a barrier erected by police, and is unaffiliated with U. of C., according to a statement from the university. Several demonstrators were also pepper sprayed by officers. The university said “a small number of protesters acted violently.”
“The budget the House sent to (Gov. JB) Pritzker in the wee hours Wednesday after a tumultuous night that made sausage-making look good by comparison strikes us as imprudent.”
SIGN UP HERE FOR OUR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER