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Top Illinois Stories
Biden may be in for a rerun of 1968, with a ruinous Democratic Chicago convention.
U.S. District Judge Marvin E. Aspen specifically declared that the new Illinois law, known as the Civil Rights Remedies Restoration Act (CRRRA), should allow plaintiffs to demand schools and other institutions which receive federal funding under Title IX pay damages for emotional distress. And the judge said those demands can be applied retroactively, to lawsuits filed before the law took effect.
“For years we’ve had no payroll growth and coming with that means no labor force growth,” said associate professor Richard Funderburg, of the University of Illinois Springfield. “Even before the pandemic I was pointing out while our labor force growth is tepid, our employment growth was pretty healthy. … What’s changed in the economy today is more so is that workers are extremely precious – and have a lot of market value.”
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"The members of the Senate, as well as the general public, deserve to know why Pritzker’s hand-picked (Illinois Commerce Commission) is making questionable decisions that increase public risk rather than prioritizing safety and reliability. We can’t expect our state to grow when we have outdated and potentially dangerous utility infrastructure. We’ve already seen the devastating consequences of Pritzker’s dangerous appointments to the Prisoner Review Board."
Last year, over $780 million was distributed through SSP and another program that went to organizations and sanctuary cities across the country that provided services to illegal immigrants. Well-known sanctuary cities include Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans, New York City, and San Francisco.
James Montgomery most recently served as the director of administrative services for the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Sheriff's Department. He also served two terms as mayor of Montgomery, Illinois, according to the governor's office.
For fiscal year 2025, Gov. JB Pritzker has pledged $182 in direct support from state taxpayers. Cook County has pledged $70 million in direct support. If the Chicago City Council votes "yes" Wednesday to appropriate $70 million in direct support to the migrants, then the total taxpayer cost of direct support will be $322 million for fiscal year 2025.
"The language of the bill says the agency shall do 'all things necessary, incidental or appropriate for the implementation' of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, including the adoption of rules in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedures Act. That’s a lot of power that the department is looking for and it begs the question, ‘Why is all that necessary?’" state Sen. Win Stoller said. "It was mentioned in committee that sometimes you need to trust the department to do the right thing. If there’s one thing that makes me nervous it’s when the government says ‘trust us.’”
The Strengthening Community Media Act as amended would create a student journalism scholarship program and prevent local news organizations from being purchased by out-of-state companies unless there is a written 120-day notice. A separate measure, Senate Bill 3591, to require social media companies pay local news outlets when someone shares their stories on a different platform, has not advanced.
State Rep. Dan Caulkins said it may sound like a good idea, but the legislature must balance priorities especially as he said state agencies are requesting increased budgets across the board. He also warned, taxpayer subsidies to a nonprofit to liquidate select medical debt may not provide the benefits supporters are looking for.
Illinois has already netted nearly $180 million in fiscal year 2024. State lawmakers have full discretion over general funds, so millions of those cannabis dollars likely go to pensions, which took up 20 percent of general funds in the most recent budget.
In her analysis, Professor Elizabeth Powers said that since the state’s grocery tax is 1 percent, a family would have to spend at least $30,000 on FAH grocery items to save a “few hundred bucks” in one year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2022 that households’ average annual spending on FAH items ranged from about $3,600 to $8,500.
"With nearly two decades of service as a police officer, Patrick Sheehan brings a wealth of experience and dedication to his role as State Representative," the 37th Representative District Committee said in a press release. "Additionally, he has served as a Lockport Alderman and former Park Commissioner, illustrating his longstanding commitment to community engagement and leadership.
The Illinois EPA began testing Illinois community water supplies for PFAS back in 2020. The state agency identified some concentration of PFAS at 149 sites out of the more than 1,400 sites sampled.
During his budget address, the governor proposed eliminating $4 billion of medical debt for more than one million people in Illinois. Loyola Medicine had already announced it was forgiving $112 million in medical debt, helping more than 60,000 people in Illinois.
Filed by Senate President Don Harmon, the so-called Office of Public Defense Trial Support bill seeks to create a statewide office that offers public defenders greater support and resources as they strive to defend often indigent criminal defendants.
From addressing the mishandling of human remains at a Carlinville funeral home to establishing a new state mushroom the bills now move to the House.
"I believe that leaders have a responsibility to create pathways for every community to meet their basic needs. To foster a fair Illinois and reach true health equity, we must advance racial justice. "
"Meanwhile, in Illinois, a harbinger of what awaits other states that go deeper into pensions. A proposed Tier 2 pension change may cost taxpayers billions of dollars at a time when the Illinois state pension plan is already on the verge of collapse."
He added that the new arrivals should be seen as an investment — not a burden.
Illinois has a state tree, state flower, state insect and even a state prairie grass, yet no state mushroom. But after being contacted by a fifth-grade teacher at Prairie School of DuPage, state Sen. Seth Lewis was inspired to change that.
Senate Bill 2832 would allow for the estate of a deceased individual to apply for a waiver which would prevent interest and penalties from being charged on delinquent property taxes for the deceased individual. “Government shouldn’t be taxing and fining people who are dead, it’s that simple,” said McClure.
"Far too often, disadvantaged communities and working communities of color bear the brunt of industrial toxins and waste that pollute their air, land and water, damaging the health of children and adults alike in those communities while also driving away the kind economic opportunities all Americans deserve. The same smart policies paired with innovative waste and energy technologies that help strengthen both our economy and our national security could also help alleviate the injustices these communities have faced for too long."
"Journalism has become a lot like nuclear proliferation and deterrence; someone has to have the courage to disarm. For the sake of the country."
“We passed through the pensions committee a couple bills that are going to put billions of dollars onto the taxpayer when property taxes are already out of control. Let’s be honest about the conversation we are having. Are we trying to fix the Tier 2 system or are we trying to do a massive pension enhancement?” state Rep. Blaine Wilhour said.
A 2023 National Recreation and Parks Association study shows the average American park district generates enough nontax revenue from service charges to cover 24.6 percent of annual operating costs. However, most suburban park districts surpass that national benchmark. Among them, park districts in Bensenville, Hampshire, Hoffman Estates, Prospect Heights, Wauconda and Wheeling reported nontax revenues in excess of 65 percent.
Duckworth said the deal to bring Monarch to Rockford is coming together and close to being finalized.
"The state faces its most challenging budget outlook since the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor continues to grapple with controversies over his handling of criminal justice issues and leaders on both sides of the political divide say Pritzker’s approach sometimes falls short of fully addressing the state’s biggest problems." "Texas school-district officials are charged with unlawfully using public funds for electioneering.... Unfortunately, these alleged abuses aren’t unique to Texas. The Chicago Teachers Union was caught last month “partnering” with Bring Chicago Home—an advocacy group campaigning for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s failed $100 million tax-hike initiative. The group had encouraged teachers to take students out of class and “march to an early voting site” in support of the initiative. The nonprofit Illinois Policy Institute filed an ethics complaint with the school district, but Chicago officials haven’t taken meaningful action against the union."
Top Chicago Stories
Before the lobbying squeeze, key members of the Black Caucus, in closed-door briefings, had strenuously opposed new migrant funding, sources said. Her success leaves Chicago taxpayers to shoulder a burden that has exacerbated historic political tensions between Black and Hispanic Chicagoans and fueled a “what about us” debate between migrants and local residents.
The demonstration started as a peaceful protest at Federal Plaza but turned chaotic around 4:30 p.m. At one point, police created a barricade on Adams Street near LaSalle and Clark in an attempt to stop the massive crowd from marching too far. The protesters were heard chanting "let us march!"
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"We made our point. We stood in solidarity with our comrades in Palestine, and we disrupted business as usual," Simone Tucker said.
Ald. Bill Conway’s effort to cut the deal’s size and require more council oversight of spending failed, but signaled challenges ahead for the ambitious bond plan.
While his giving in Illinois totals more than $650 million, including the $130 million he donated to 40 Chicago organizations as he departed for Miami, Griffin’s philanthropic priorities and donations appear to have shifted to Florida, where his donations now total over $300 million.
The private liberal arts and sciences college was downgraded two notches to BBB-, the lowest investment grade designation, by S&P Global Ratings Friday. It’s the latest salvo to the increasing pressures facing U.S. colleges and universities.
Community organizers won’t stop trying to protect a historic park from the Obama Presidential Center.
“I represent a community that isn’t sure about this right now, what that means,” said Evanston City Council member Krissie Harris. “We keep talking about tax dollars, and while it isn’t about money, it is. At the end of the day how will we sustain this?”
Johnson’s decision to ask the City Council to amend the city’s 2024 budget is an acknowledgment that city officials’ repeated and impassioned pleas for help from the federal government in addressing the humanitarian crisis engulfing the city had fallen on deaf ears, alderpeople said.
The Chicago Board of Ethics found Conyears-Ervin committed 12 total violations of Chicago’s Governmental Ethics Ordinance for violating her fiduciary duty to the city, for the unauthorized use of city property and prohibited political activity when she used city resources to host a prayer service.
"The number, the number of shell casings that were found at that location for multiple weapons. Right now I believe the number is 76," Larry Snelling said. "I would really like to know where the outrage is for that. I really like to know where the outrage is for people in this city who had been victimized who had been traumatized who are going to continue to go through that trauma."
"... I don’t think that anybody’s unfamiliar of the protests that have occurred because of the Israel-Hamas war," the governor said. "But I do think that again, we have to make sure that at all times that people are able to get where they want to go while at the same time respecting the people who were protesting."
St. Bede School in Ingleside will shut its doors without the support from Invest in Kids scholarships. Even a $500K fundraising effort failed to save the school.
The mayor's “Cut The Tape” proposal represents a stark departure from the “Bring Chicago Home” initiative in attempting to solve the city’s affordable housing crisis. Most importantly for Chicagoans, the plan does not call for tax hikes but instead seeks to make Chicago a friendlier environment for developers to build housing and commercial properties.
Israel’s Consulate in Chicago posted to X, “We condemn in the strongest terms this Chicago Alderwoman’s celebration of Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel. This is the same Alderwoman behind the highly controversial ‘ceasefire’ resolution. We see a pattern – not aiming for peace, but for Israel’s destruction."
“There is a tyrant at the border who is looking to create chaos in Black cities,” Johnson said, referencing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. “I get this has been difficult for our people, this migrant [issue] … This is a quintessential example of how a white individual and his [iniquitous behavior] is trying to cause chaos in my city. Almost 11,000 migrant children are being educated. We have moved 37,000 people through our city. That is the size of Maywood, Bellwood, Forest Park … If it was chaotic, you would know by now.”
"On April 8, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down its latest opinion that consciously shielded from any judicial oversight the construction of the Obama Presidential Center in historic Jackson Park."
One example Park Forest officials pointed to was a disparity between two properties located next to each other. With the triennial reassessment, the property’s value at 56 South Street decreased by 45 percent. The value at 49 North Street increased by 59 percent.
"The merits of his proposal are noble and necessary. However, there are too many unknowns — notably, a lack of specificity on the projects — and a tenuous track record on trust to approve the measure as currently drafted. ... The current proposal upends the decades-old TIF system to incentivize development and bets big on several questions to which we have no guaranteed answers."
The number of scheduled trains running across the system is still 20 percent below pre-pandemic levels, said Brandon McFadden, a cybersecurity analyst who tracks CTA reliability, and the agency continues to lose rail operators faster than it can hire them.
The last Park District site still being used as a migrant shelter was Broadway Armory Park in Edgewater. It was not clear how soon migrants living there would be moved to other shelters, but the mayor's office said it expects all five park district sites to be ready for a full slate of summer programming.
Protestors gathered as part of a “multi-city economic blockade” opposing the war in Gaza blocked inbound traffic to O’Hare Airport Monday morning. According to a website designed for the April 15 protest, the action aims to “identify and blockade major choke points in the economy, focusing on points of production and circulation.”
"The divisions within the Democrats’ political universe are by no means as fundamental as those that wracked the party (and the nation) over the Vietnam War, of course. But they are now reaching a level where the possibility of a convention catastrophe cannot be dismissed."
About 300 anti-war activists crowded into the basement of the Teamsters Union’s headquarters in Chicago on Saturday to hear organizers from all over the country describe their plans to disrupt the Democratic National Convention this August.
Saturday night, a mass shooting on Chicago's South Side left at least 11 people shot, including four children, Chicago fire officials said. The victims included seven adults and four children.
"When my fellow lawmakers, including members of the House Democratic Women’s Caucus, voted four years ago to legalize sports betting for professional sports teams in Illinois, we could never imagine that the largest companies in the business would choose to ignore investments in women’s sports. I recognize it’s not my role to tell private companies how to invest their money, but it is our collective responsibility to call those companies out when their decisions are so plainly inequitable."
"The gorilla in the room, however, is the state law that allowed Chicago to significantly underfund its pensions every single year for close to two decades. That law specified an annual pension payment that was well below the actuarial required contribution, or ARC."
The Community Safety Coordination Center has developed an initial response plan, which will include a mass canvassing event with the purpose of providing the community access to behavioral teams, victim services and case management; and financial support for the family of the child who died.
Wirepoints Research and Commentary
If you’re frustrated with Illinois’ educational results, you may want to follow the money from teachers unions. In the last four years alone, Illinois lawmakers and political candidates have taken nearly $30 million in contributions from teachers unions and their national affiliates. 
Lawmakers conveniently ignore the full impact of inflation when it comes to ordinary Illinoisans. Take the personal exemption on the state income tax. For tax year 2023, the exemption will not rise with inflation as it should under current law. And that means a higher tax bill for everyone. 
Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski testified on April 10, 2024 to members of the House Revenue and Finance Committee at the invitation of Rep. Joe Sosnowski. Ted told lawmakers that the state's property tax burden has become dire for countless Illinoisans. 
Ted joined WLS 890's PM Chicago Show to discuss Chicago's worsening pension crisis, why the city's crisis makes it such an outlier nationally, its negative impact on residents, government workers and retirees alike, and what Mayor Brandon Johnson should do about it. 
When has any company persisted with a project in the face of stronger local, statewide and national opposition? When have taxpayers subsidized a more harebrained project? SIGN UP HERE FOR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER
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Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about former Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot's investigation into corruption in Dalton, IL, why so many communities are struggling with legalized corruption, why Illinois has the nation's highest property taxes, the factories closing across the state, and more. 
Ted joined Ray Stevens, filling in for Steve Cochran, to discuss the reasons behind Illinois’ recent wave of major factory closures, why Illinois does not prioritize its businesses, and how to make the state more competitive versus its neighbors. 
Weekly crime statistics from the Chicago Police Department: Report through 3/31/2024. 
The Democratic National Convention is coming to Chicago in August and its organizers are likely sweating over the potential mess it might become. Not because of the pro-Palestinian protests that are likely to occur, but because of Chicago’s unabated crime. It’s a mess that Chicago Mayor Johnson and other city officials have been incapable of addressing. 
Quaker Oats just announced it’s closing its factory in Danville, Illinois, putting more than 500 workers out of a job. It’s the latest of four major factory closures that have occurred in Illinois this year. While every closure is disappointing and another black mark on Illinois’ dismal manufacturing performance, the loss of the Danville plant is particularly meaningful to us. One of the first articles we wrote for Wirepoints’ was about Danville’s struggles. 
Another tax study, another loss for Illinois taxpayers. Illinois again has the highest effective property tax rate in the nation. Not only that, five of the top 10 metro areas with the highest property tax rates in the nation are in Illinois: Rockford, Champaign-Urbana, Peoria, Springfield, and Chicago.
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