Author: John Klingner

Chicago area loses population for third year in a row, third-worst loss among big metros – Wirepoints

The latest 2023 Census population estimates show migration and population changes have largely returned to their pre-pandemic patterns across the country. Metro Chicago’s loss of 16,600 people is the 3rd-highest decline among the nation’s metropolitan areas. Only the Los Angeles area (down 71,000) and the New York City area (down 65,000) lost more people than Chicagoland.

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There are CPS schools where zero students can read. These kids are going to fail, and the system doesn’t care. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Illinois State Rep. Kam Buckner’s dismissal of the dismal educational outcomes in Chicago, the fact that the Chicago Teachers Union is pulling children out of class to have them vote, some of the damaging bills coming out of the General Assembly, and more.

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Mock TX, TN, AL education all you want, but Illinois spends 60-80% more per student and gets similar results – Wirepoints

We recently highlighted that Alabama will become the nation’s next state to offer school choice to all of its students. Unsurprisingly, some in social media scoffed…for Alabama is a Southern state and must have stereotypical poor student outcomes. What those detractors don’t know is that states like Tennessee, Texas and Alabama have reading results roughly on par with Illinois, even though Illinois spends 60% to 80% more per student than those states.

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The cottage industry behind passing school district tax referendums is the Illinois machine at its finest – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly to talk about the cottage industry of school officials, unions, lawyers, construction firms and more that work together to pass multi-million tax and bond school district referendums, why the spending on unreliable, expensive EV buses might be headed to your school district, why the EV push is an example of why governments are terrible at picking winners and losers, and more.

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The best thing for the children trapped in the failing CPS system would be to reconstitute it entirely – Wirepoints on The Shaun Thompson Show

Mark joined The Shaun Thompson Show to talk about the demands of the CTU for its next contract with Chicago, how the education system is manipulated to avoid accountability, why CPS needs to be rebuilt from the ground up, the growing property tax burden across Cook County because of Chicago’s “doom loop,” Chicago’s attempts to find new tax revenue, and more.

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It’s wrong to focus on asylum seekers alone. Illinois has 500,000 illegal immigrants here already – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Mark joined Dan and Amy to talk about the fallout from the unanimous Supreme Court ruling striking down Illinois and other states’ attempts to keep Donald Trump off the ballot, the power of special interests to get what they want during off-year and primary elections, why Illinois is a moderate state that’s stuck with an overly-powerful political machine, the latest news on the illegal immigration crisis, and more.

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Another school referendum, another pro-referendum machine starts its engine – Wirepoints

Like other Illinois school districts this month, Glenbard Township High School District 87 is asking voters to approve a bond issue to fund improvements to its schools. And like other districts, the vast majority of the political contributions in favor of the project come from the parties that stand to financially benefit. It’s yet another example of the local machinery that exists to get tax hikes passed in school districts across the state.

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Property tax bills come due: Cook County residents will repeat last year’s sticker shock – Wirepoints

Elk Grove Village property tax bills grew 24% in 2023. Des Plaines’ jumped 29%. Northlake, 37%. And homeowners in Melrose Park experienced a near 50% increase. Residents across the Northwest suburbs were hit with the largest tax hike in 30 years – a consequence of Cook County’s revaluation of property values. Overall, Cook County homeowners were hit with a 7.2% increase in their FY 2022 taxes (paid in 2023), the biggest hike in 16 years.

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We have far higher taxes and far fewer people employed today than when Gov. Pritzker took over. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s exorbitant spending, the tax increases included in Gov. Pritzker’s 2025 budgets, why Illinois budgets are created for politicians and not people, the fallout from Mayor Johnson’s “mansion tax” referendum being struck down by the courts, and more.

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Rivian shaping up as another example of why government shouldn’t pick winners and losers – Wirepoints

Electric vehicle maker Rivian’s recent stock price drop to all-time lows points to the dangers – and the failed policy – of Illinois bureaucrats trying to pick winners and losers with taxpayer money. With the EV market struggling despite massive government intervention and subsidies, it shows it’s not just difficult to pick the right companies, it’s hard to pick the right industries.

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Wirepoints and Jeff Daly of WZUS run through everything you need to know about Illinois’ 2025 budget

Ted joined Jeff Daly for an in-depth discussion on Gov. Pritzker’s proposed budget for 2025: what the governor plans to spend a record $52.7 billion on, which kitchen table issues really matter, why the elimination of the 1% grocery tax does so little, and why this and all previous budgets have failed to make life better for Illinoisans. They also talked about Illinois’ failing schools and why it’s so hard for residents to oppose school district spending referendums.

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City Club of Chicago plays host to education officials’ latest excuse for dismal student outcomes: The covid pandemic – Wirepoints

Chicago officials want you to think that the only reason black and Latino student scores are bad now is because of the pandemic. Nonsense. Failure by CPS leadership and the CTU was already harming “the long-term outcomes of a whole generation of children.” The pandemic – and the draconian decisions to shut down schools by officials – only made horrific 2019 scores even worse.

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We’re trumpeting about Illinois’ failing schools to force education officials to finally focus on literacy – Wirepoints on with WJOL’s Scott Slocum

Ted joined Scott Slocum to talk about the mistakes of politicians like Mayor Brandon Johnson, the fact that no student can do math in 67 Illinois schools and zero can read in another 32, why education officials continue to push failing students up and out of the system, why Illinois is losing college-educated adults to out-migration, and more.

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The cottage industry built around passing tax hikes for school districts is just one example of Illinois’ legalized corruption – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the cottage industry dedicated to passing bond and tax referendums for school districts, why proponents have a well-oiled machine in place ahead of time so any opposition is handicapped, just who is calling for more spending on homelessness in Chicago, the latest developments in the illegal immigrant crisis, and more.

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How Illinois’ political machine gets billions in school bond referendums passed – Wirepoints

Every year, dozens of school districts across the state add bond referendums to local election ballots asking for more taxpayer money – for tens or hundreds of millions of dollars each – for a variety of renovation and construction projects. Yes, many school referendums are necessary or even essential in some cases. But the process for getting them passed is part and parcel of the machine politics Illinois is so well-known for.

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Chicago criminals out on probation/parole/pretrial release continue violence in 2024 – Wirepoints

Chicagoans have a right to be concerned considering just how many stories there are of released defendants committing mayhem. Many make the news every day, but it’s hard to know just how prevalent they are among the sea of other crimes committed. That’s why we’ve compiled a short list of defendants who’ve been accused of committing violent crimes since the start of the new year.

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Education fail: Not a single child tested proficient in math in 67 Illinois schools. For reading, it’s 32 schools. – Wirepoints Special Report

In 2023, there were 67 Illinois schools where not a single student tested proficient in math and 32 where no student tested proficient in reading. In a sane world, schools that don’t and can’t teach a single student the most basic of skills would be shut down. Instead, such schools carry on and students suffer.

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When moving, most people say ‘I want a good job, I want my kids to do well’ and that’s just not what Illinois offers anymore – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly to talk about why Illinois is losing its brainpower – well-educated residents – to out-migration, the $2.2 billion spent by Illinois on migrant welcoming programs alone, the news of Elon Musk and others helping expose Illinois’ education failures on X, the latest data related to the SAFE-T Act, and more.

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The well-educated are fleeing Illinois, too – Wirepoints

Illinois’ population woes continue. Not only is Illinois’ population shrinking overall, it’s also experiencing a consistent brain-drain of well-educated adults. In 2022, Illinois experienced a net loss of 54,000 educated residents age 25 and older to other states.

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Ted Dabrowski, et al.: Will the mayor’s pension working group seriously tackle the problem? – Wirepoints, Taxpayer Pension Alliance in the Chicago Tribune*

The Chicago Tribune printed an OpEd by Wirepoints, the Illinois Policy Institute, the Technology and Manufacturing Association and the Center for Pension Integrity – all members of the Taxpayer’s Pension Alliance – that calls for Mayor Johnson and his Pension Working Group to heed the sage advice of experts right here in Chicagoland: to consider only structural, actuarially sound solutions to the city’s pension crisis.

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DEI continues to flourish at the University of Illinois even as universities across the country scale back programs – Wirepoints

Wirepoints has warned Illinois universities, especially U of I, to get ahead of the surging anti-woke backlash. To eliminate or pare down their DEI programs before they face wrath of unhappy donors and Americans fed up with “woke” excess. Unfortunately, there seems to be no evidence of a pullback. The university is still employing dozens of DEI admins with salaries in the six-figure range.

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Jail populations shrink, electronic monitoring drops and appeals opposing detention orders ‘skyrocket’: Three concerns about impact of Illinois’ no-cash bail law – Wirepoints

While it’s still too early to know if the concerns regarding the SAFE-T Act are true, there are three data points that are already a cause for concern. Jail populations are shrinking. The number of defendants on electronic monitoring are down. And appeals against detention orders have skyrocketed.

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The Gaza ceasefire vote and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ‘Fixer Mentality’ – Wirepoints

Saturday Night Live recently made fun of Chicago’s vote on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. It’s funny, for sure, but the mockery highlighted the absurd “fixer mentality” of Chicago’s current political class. They’re willing to spend time addressing the world’s “politically-fashionable” problems rather than tackle the city’s own issues.

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We’re handing out all these benefits, it’s costing Illinoisans billions…the simple answer is to end our sanctuary status. – Wirepoints on with WJOL’s Scott Slocum

Ted joined Scott Slocum to talk about the failing student results in Joliet and across the state, the billions spent on the illegal immigrant crisis in Illinois, the sad fact that Gov. Pritzker is celebrating Illinois’ record marijuana tax revenues, the collapse of print media in Illinois, and more.

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The SAFE-T Act is making the detention of alleged criminals difficult – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the continued influx of migrants into Chicago, the growing fight between Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Johnson over where migrants should be sent/located, why the SAFE-T Act has led to an overwhelming number of appeals taking place, the continued attempts to further weaken policing in Illinois, and more.

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‘Parents are our most powerful asset. We can mobilize & inspire them to fight for School Choice.’ – Wirepoints moderates discussion with Ian Rowe

School Choice is the civil rights issue of our time. It’s vital for Illinois parents to fight for it, even though the entire educational system opposes it. Parents are more powerful than they know. Those are just some of the key takeaways from Ian Rowe talking about his own experiences fighting for choice in New York during a New Trier Neighbors roundtable discussion moderated by Wirepoints.

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Loss of 225,000 students since 2010 helps confirm Illinois is losing people – Wirepoints

Data overwhelming shows Illinois is losing population and people to other states. The Census, the IRS and several moving companies have published migration and population figures that show Illinois is shrinking. Now we can add the National Center for Education Statistics data to the pile. Their latest data shows Illinois lost nearly 225,000 public K-12 students between 2010 and 2021 – the nation’s 2nd-most behind only California.

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Governor Pritzker is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the migrant crisis with no accountability – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Johnson’s failure to work together on solutions for the migrant crisis in Chicago, why Pritzker isn’t focusing on the migrant crisis as he celebrates his increasingly progressive laws, why Johnson’s mansion tax won’t ‘solve’ homelessness, and more.

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School choice leader Ian Rowe fought teachers unions in the Bronx and won. Join us Jan. 22 to learn how Illinoisans can do the same.

Join Ted Dabrowski Jan. 22, when he moderates a discussion with Ian Rowe, the founder of Vertex Partnership Academies and a senior fellow of the American Enterprise Institute, on the power of school choice and the ways to revive it in Illinois. Presented by New Trier Neighbors and the National School Choice Awareness Foundation.

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Mayor Johnson wants federal aid for the city’s illegal immigrants…but Chicagoans should expect increased taxes – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about why Chicagoans should expect tax hikes to pay for Chicago’s continuing illegal immigration crisis, why CPS isn’t being challenged on its sexual abuse allegations or millions in stolen laptops, how the northern suburbs are responding to migrants as they come up from the city, and more.

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Sadly, the only way parents can hold CPS accountable is by leaving the system – Wirepoints joins Freedom Square on the Blessed News Network

Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski joined the Blessed News Network’s “Inside the Square,” sponsored by Freedom Square, for an in-depth discussion about Gov. Pritzker’s multiple executive orders regarding the migrant crisis, why CPS’ plan to eliminate selective-enrollment schools will only damage student outcomes, and how Illinois’ population losses will result in a loss of political influence in D.C., and more.

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A message to Mayor Johnson: Ensure Chicago finds sound and sustainable solutions to its worst-in-nation pension crisis. – Press Conference

Wirepoints joined the Technology & Manufacturing Association, Illinois Policy Institute and the Center for Pension Integrity in drafting a letter to Mayor Johnson regarding the city’s worsening crisis. We’re calling for the Pension Working Group to base its recommendations off the core principles created by the Society of Actuaries.

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Illinoisans pay the nation’s 7th highest taxes…the services they receive don’t match up with that – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly to talk about how Illinois’ high-ranking taxes continue to burden residents, how government-imposed mandates hurt businesses in Illinois, why motor vehicle thefts in Chicago grew 37% this year, why Illinois politicians care more about the needs of migrants than they do their own constituents, and more.

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Chicago has demanded future generations pay for its unaffordable pension debts – WBBM’s coverage of Wirepoints’ press conference

“Spearheaded by research from Wirepoints, a coalition that called itself the Taxpayer Pension Alliance commended Mayor Brandon Johnson for accelerating payments to bring down Chicago’s pension debt. They worried, though, that the Pension Working Group Johnson established will recommend actions that kick the problem down the road.”

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It’s scary that in Chicago, robberies, looting, carjackings and retail theft is more and more normalized – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Mayor Johnsons’ plan to open a government-run grocery store while theft continues grow across the nation, how CPS should be held accountable for its millions in lost tech materials and its sexual assault scandals, why Gov. Pritzker’s 18th disaster proclamation for the migrant crisis remains unchallenged, and more.

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With the DNC coming to Chicago, be prepared for a lot spin from Gov. Pritzker and others in 2024 – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Gov. Pritzker’s misleading end-of-year message on the success of Illinois, how taxpayers are paying billions to provide healthcare services to migrants, how the migrant crisis has exposed a rift between Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Johnson, the final results on Chicago 2023 crime, and more.

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As Illinois shrinks, its influence at the federal level shrinks, too – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daley to talk about the latest Census data showing Illinois has lost a quarter of a million people since 2020, how Illinois’ population woes led to a loss of congressional representation, why Mayor Johnson is blaming Gov. Abbott for the migrant crisis when he should be blaming the Biden administration, how Johnson and the CTU are set to shut down Chicago’s top performing schools, and more.

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The Equality of Failure in Chicago – Wirepoints cited in the Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board cited Wirepoints’ data on Chicago Public Schools’ student reading proficiencies in its new editorial criticizing the district’s decision to end selective enrollment schools. The board says those schools are on the chopping block because their success undermines the union line that public schools merely need more money.

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Illinois’ ruling class has decided to go full extremism on their policies, so now is the best time to fight back. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly to talk about the victory for free speech regarding Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s blatantly unconstitutional pregnancy center law, why Illinois is falling behind our neighbors in tax competitiveness, the collapse in the state’s manufacturing jobs, why the Evanston school district is segregating classrooms, and more.

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The true racism in places like Evanston schools is their elimination of merit and achievement – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the many new laws that are coming to Illinois on January 1st, why Gov. Pritzker is taking a gamble on EV plants despite their growing failure across the nation, why suburbs are unwilling to assist Chicago with its migrant crisis, the complete failure of Evanston to educate its minority students, and more.

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The failures beyond Evanston High School’s segregated AP classes – Wirepoints

Critics are right to call out Evanston Township High School for its segregation of minority students from white students in several Advanced Placement classes. The district’s hypocrisy is on full display. Administrators blame “white-supremacy” and racism to justify those segregated classes, but at the same time they expect little-to-nothing from most of their minority students.

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Evanston’s segregated classes ‘prevent students from reaching their full potential’ – Wirepoints in the The Epoch Times en español

Schools like Evanston Township High School are so obsessed with equity that they no longer care about merit. They blame white supremacy for the achievement gap between white children and minority children. If kids hear that throughout their learning, when they get to competitive courses you will have an excuse to move them to separate classes so they can perform.

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Illinois households are burdened with $40,000 in pension debt. Without reform, that’s coming out of your wallet. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daley to talk about Gov. Pritzker’s fibs on Illinois’ ‘success’ in tackling Chicago crime and state employment, how businesses and private schools are pushing to succeed despite the obstacles in their way, why Pritzker refuses to talk about Illinois’ crippling pension debts and more. 

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Criminals robbing with impunity: Time to care about who replaces Cook County prosecutor Kim Foxx – Wirepoints

If you need a nudge to care about next year’s Cook County State’s Attorney race to replace retiring Kim Foxx, consider the robbery spree that occurred on Thanksgiving Day. The reasons for the current crime spike are many, but much of the blame resides with the failure to prosecute criminals, making next year’s race to replace Foxx the most consequential of the year.

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Illinois is moving backward by being the first in the nation to eliminate school choice – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daley to talk about why Illinois politicians refused to extend the Invest in Kids Act during veto session, why graduation rates are celebrated despite 1.2 million Illinois public school students unable to read at grade level, how Illinois lost 46,000 net residents to its neighboring states in 2022, how a Michigan township was successful in voting out gov. officials for approving an E.V. battery factory with CCP

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Naysayers say Chicago crime is down despite a 60% increase, a post-COVID high – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about how Chicago crime has grown nearly 60 percent compared to 2019, how more criminals are roaming the streets due to no-cash-bail coming into effect, how a Michigan township recalled its entire local government that supported a Gotion deal similar to that in Illinois, why New Trier Neighbors sponsored a discussion on trans issues that impact lives on the North Shore and beyond,

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WVON’s Perri Small and Ted Dabrowski discuss why Illinois’ public education system is failing 1.2 million children – Wirepoints on WVON

Ted joined Perry Small of WVON for an in-depth discussion on Illinois’ 2023 School Report Card results. They talked about the 1.2 million public school children who can’t read at grade level, why we should continue to support school choice for low-income students, why Illinois per student spending has jumped to nearly $24K, and more.

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CTU President Stacy Davis-Gates plays the political game at the expense of ordinary Illinoisans…most politicians do. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about how bureaucrats over-regulate businesses that are struggling to survive, how CTU president Stacy Davis Gates receives a tax break from an Indiana home she doesn’t live in, how the fate of the Invest in Kids Act will be decided during this week’s veto session, why per student spending continues to increase despite dismal results in reading and math, and more.

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1.2 million Illinois public school children can’t read at grade level, and yet legislature, unions push to kill state’s only school choice program – Wirepoints

It’s incredible that Illinois politicians and the teachers unions are focused on maiming – or even killing – the state’s tiny 9,700-student school choice program even though a whopping 1.2 million Illinois public school students can’t read at grade level and 1.4 million aren’t proficient in math.

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Too many schools in Illinois are no longer places of learning, they’re daycares – Wirepoints joins Tom Miller of WJPF Carbondale

Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about how Illinois student outcomes are still below 2019 levels despite a $6 billion increase in spending, how many students are grade levels behind despite a vast majority of teachers being rated “excellent or proficient,” how college professors are struggling to teach recent graduates, and more.

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Focus on literacy instead of always spending more money on education – Wirepoints on NBC 5 Chicago

Good on NBC 5 for not listening to ISBE’s rhetoric about Illinois’ 2023 student outcomes and instead citing the dismal results highlighted in Wirepoints’ report. Reporter Mary Ann Ahern pointed out that just 8 percent of black students statewide could do math at grade level this year. Ted pointed out that education officials are too focused on spending more money instead of what matters most: literacy.

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5 facts they don’t want you to know about Illinois’ 2023 student test results – Wirepoints

The casual skimmer of news can’t be blamed for thinking things are good in Illinois schools. But Wirepoints has analyzed the 2023 data and found there’s little to cheer about. Yes, 2023 student outcomes are somewhat improved over 2022, but they are still below pre-covid 2019 levels. And that’s despite a whopping $6 billion increase in operating expenses statewide.

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Chicago: Where violence and dismal education intersect – Wirepoints

There’s a good reason why Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis-Gates is sending her son to a private school instead of the public one in her neighborhood. Roseland is one of the 20 worst communities in Chicago where violence and a dismal education intersect, creating a toxic environment for families.

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Gov. Pritzker’s inconsistency on display: Right to condemn the attack on Israel, wrong to disparage Manteno residents on Gotion – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly to talk about Gov. Pritzker’s support for Israel in contrast to other politicians who refuse to fully condemn the attacks, Pritzker’s hypocritical comments when it comes to the Gotion controversy, the disregard for local control regarding the migrant mess, and more.

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Chicago struggles with the 15,000 asylum seekers sent here, but there are hundreds of thousands more illegals coming to Illinois – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Mark joined Amy and John to talk about CPS’ call for $14 billion in upgrades for hundreds of half-empty schools, why the lack of transparency may be the worst failure to come out of the Gotion and migrant scandals, why there continues to be an influx of migrants into Illinois with no real solution, and more.

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Data tells us the sad truth about Illinois, whether it’s about budgets, crime, jobs…everything. – Wirepoints joins Freedom Square on the Blessed News Network

Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski joined the Blessed News Network for an in-depth discussion about Illinois and Chicago’s many crises, including the focus of equity over merit in education, the damaging effect of equity across government, the latest on Chinese company Gotion’s attempt to build a battery factory in Illinois, the low chance a Chicago criminal will ever be caught and punished for a crime, and more.

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Chicago wants $14 billion to ‘modernize’ public schools, one-third of which are half empty – Wirepoints

CPS is at it again. The district says it needs $14.4 billion to address emergency building repairs and to fully renovate all 522 of its public school buildings. What Chicagoans should know is that much of that money would be wasted on hundreds of half-empty schools. Over one-third of the city’s 473 traditional schools are at less than 50 percent capacity.

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Residents of Manteno are fighting back against Gotion and the deal forced upon their community – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about how Chinese battery maker Gotion Inc. is set to receive $8 billion in tax incentives to build a battery plant in Manteno, Illinois, why Manteno residents met on Monday to rally against the battery plant, why Gov. Pritzker is asking for federal help as Chicago struggles with the migrant crisis, and more.

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Corruption in Mexico is a bunch of little shakedowns. Corruption in Illinois is worse because it’s bigger…and legal – Wirepoints on The Shaun Thompson Show

Ted was on the The Shaun Thompson Show to discuss the corrupt nature of commercial property assessments in Chicago, why Illinois home values have barely grown over the past 20 years, Gov. Pritzker’s failure to keep his promise to lower property taxes, how Illinois’ 7,000 units of government overwhelm residents’ ability to hold them accountable and more.

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Covering up Chicago’s literacy problem – Wirepoints

The spin is on. A few media outlets have gotten early access to the newest test data for Chicago Public Schools, and the reporting is a perfect example of how the media covers for Illinois and Chicago’s failed leadership. The results are dismal, with just 26 percent of students reading at grade level and just 18 percent in math.

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WVON’s Rufus Williams and Ted Dabrowski talk about why the chance of Chicago criminals being caught and punished is near zero. – Wirepoints on WVON

Ted joined Rufus Williams of WVON for a deep discussion about the calculus of Chicago crime and why criminals have a near-zero chance of getting arrested, why the morale of police officers has suffered, why Chicago’s leadership continues to downplay crime within the city, how minorities are overwhelmingly the victims of violent crime, and more.

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Illinois doesn’t need to just save the Invest in Kids Act… it needs a whole new model of education so all families have a choice. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly to talk about Illinois taxpayers being forced to subsidize EV-maker Gotion, Northwestern’s poor treatment of free speech, that the chance of a Chicago criminal getting caught and punished is near-zero, the hypocrisy of CTU President Gates sending one of her children to a private school, the need for a whole new model of education in Illinois, and more.

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The $300 million Chicago has spent on migrants is just the tip of the iceberg – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Mark joined Dan and Amy to talk about Mayor Johnson’s idea of measuring the success of a school based solely on funding, the $500 million in state subsidies granted to EV company Gotion, how Chicago is spending more than $300 million on migrants and how there’s more to come, why CTU President Stacy Davis-Gates’ recent statement actually proves need for school choice, and more.

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The CTU’s president claims that school choice is racist…and yet sends her own child to private school – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about how the risk of punishment for Chicago criminals has hit near-zero, why more than 60% of urgent 911 calls don’t have a police officer available to respond to them, the hypocrisy of CTU Pres. Stacy Davis-Gates sending her kid to private school despite calling school choice racist, and more.

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Chicago criminals have green light to rob, loot, burgle as odds of punishment collapse to near zero. – Wirepoints

The decision to commit a crime in Chicago has never been easier. The math is pretty straightforward. A demoralized, restricted police force. Plus a 1 in 20 arrest rate. Plus a high rate of unreported crime. Plus a dismal 911 response rate. Plus a city leadership that’s soft on crime. All that equals a near-zero chance of criminals ever getting punished.

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Gov. Pritzker’s veto of new nuke plants was based on political pressure and Illinois will be worse-off for it. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly to talk about Gov. Pritzker’s bragging about Illinois’ progressive status, why blacks in Illinois are constantly left behind despite leaders pushing progressive and equity-based laws, Pritzker’s brazenly political act of vetoing future nuclear energy even though half of Illinois’ power already comes from nuclear plants, and more.

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Illinois has been all-in on progressive policies for decades, yet data shows it is undeniably one of the worst places for black residents to live. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about why Illinois’ progressive policies harm black residents across jobs, incomes, poverty, education – it’s all a disaster. They also discuss Mayor Johnson’s own harmful policies and his inability to accomplish anything within his first 100 days, how Chicago’s sky-high commercial property taxes hurt businesses that want to stay in the city, and more.

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Chicago’s budget soared by 50% — $5.7 billion — in four years, but Mayor Johnson wants more – Wirepoints

If you’re a Chicago resident fed up with the city’s ever-increasing taxes, fees and fines, you might want to call your alderman and Mayor Brandon Johnson and ask them what they’ve done with all the extra billions in the city budget. Chicago’s $16.4 billion 2023 budget is much bigger than it was just four years ago and yet Johnson still wants lots

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Johnson approves progressive ‘mansion tax’: Hits Chicagoans, businesses when they’re down – Wirepoints

Mayor Brandon Johnson and city officials are determined to push through a tax hike on Chicagoans, never mind the risk of Chicago entering into a doom loop like the one San Francisco is in. Johnson’s latest plan is to raise the city’s real estate transfer tax on properties valued at $1 million and above, adding at least another $100 million burden on high-value properties.

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What’s playing in Peoria? – Former NYT reporter Mary Walsh’s deep dive into the troubled city*

Former NYT reporter Mary Walsh features Wirepoints’ recent trip to Peoria in a piece that looks at the state of public education in the city. Back in the days of the Nixon Administration, White House political operatives gauged every public policy decision against a question: “will it play in Peoria?” The article covers what’s playing in Peoria now.

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When everybody at Chicago Public Schools is agreeing that everything’s okay, that’s when you should worry about your wallet and kids. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about how commercial values are falling in Chicago and why that might cause a doom loop, the problems at CPS as students attend their first day of school, why the harmony amongst the current political class is so destructive to the wellbeing of Illinoisans, and more.

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State politicians would rather Illinoisans stay on Medicaid rather than be independent and earning money without government help – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly to talk about Peoria’s dismal education results, why it’s a good thing that the number of Illinoisans on Medicaid is about to fall, how Gov. Pritzker is trying to limit free speech through an Illinois abortion ‘misinformation’ law and an anti-doxing law, and more.

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Illinoisans are paying some of the nation’s highest property taxes to support a broken education system – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show

Ted joined Steve Cochran to talk about Peoria’s dismal education results, how 10 of the 24 schools within SD 150 have no more than 5 out of 100 students able to read at grade level, why the education system lacks accountability, why Illinoisans are paying out-of-control property taxes to fund education, and more.

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Some Peoria schools have reached ‘equity’… students of all races are failing equally – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the systemic failure of Peoria’s school system; how schools can be rated “commendable” when less than a quarter of students can read at grade level; the excuses Peoria’s superintendent has for students’ dismal achievement, including blaming historical racism and classism; why Gov. Pritzker denies the education data that comes from his own Board of Education; and more.

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“It’s impossible for Peoria to be successful, for Peoria to have a good workforce, for Peoria to thrive, if kids can’t read or do math at grade level.” – Wirepoints on Peoria’s 25News Now

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.

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Illinois is always the laggard on jobs and employment, leaving us worse off than most of the nation. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about Illinois’ high unemployment rate – including the nation’s 2nd-highest black unemployment rate, the state’s poor jobs climate, why so much of Illinois’ problems are due to the state’s poor policies, why equity initiatives harm the very minorities they supposedly help, and more.

 

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Illinois has suffered the nation’s 10th-worst GDP growth rate since Gov. Pritzker took office – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Mark joined Dan and Amy to talk about how Illinois has had no net new job growth in the past 20 years, why Gov. Pritzker continues to deny Illinois’ out-migration crisis, how retiree health insurance benefits are the state’s second-largest debt behind pensions, the details of TTX leaving Chicago for North Carolina, and more.

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“This is no longer a teachers union, this is a political group dedicated to pushing social justice, not education.” – Wirepoints on FOX News

Ted was on Fox News Special Report with Bret Baier to talk about how the Chicago Teachers Union has morphed into an organization more interested in pursuing “social justice” instead of helping students learn. Under their control, only 11 out of every 100 black students in Chicago can read at grade level, according to the Illinois State Board of Education’s most-recent data.

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Illinois’ pension crisis isn’t about residents not paying enough, it’s about politicians raising salaries instead of funding pensions. – Wirepoints on Cities 92.9 with Cat Petersen

Ted joined Cat Peterson to discuss the current status of the SAFE-T Act and why its so harmful for police officers, the ongoing Jenny Thornley worker’s comp fraud saga, why Illinois lawmakers refuse to cut taxes, the pension funding crisis at the state and Chicago level, and more.

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24 states have cut their income taxes, including all of Illinois’s neighbors. Illinoisans get nothing. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about how Chicago and Illinois have deeply rooted legalized corruption, how 24 states have cut taxes in the past 3 years, why Chicago police and fire pensions are heavily underfunded, the fraudulent worker’s comp claim that Jenny Thornley received with the help of Gov. Pritzker, and more. 

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There are fast-growing states that provide jobs, but Illinois isn’t one of them – Wirepoints joins Tom Miller of WJPF Carbondale

Ted joined Tom Miller on the WJPF Morning Newswatch to talk about the 24 states that have permanently cut their income taxes in the past 3 years and why Illinois isn’t one of them, why Illinois’ state employees are some of the highest-paid in the country, why Illinois is one of ten states that keep public-sector contract negotiations entirely hidden from the public, and more.

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Red states, blue cities: Who’s to blame for America’s homicide crisis – Wirepoints Special Report

There’s a debate raging over who’s responsible for the surge in homicides and violent crime across the country, with some politicians and media blaming “red state” policies. But the problem with homicides is that it’s not a red vs. blue state debate, but rather a red vs. blue city one. And when you look at America’s homicide hotspots, the vast majority are run by blue leadership and

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Illinois charges the most for gas east of the Rockies. Why? The state’s fuel taxes. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about the Supreme Court’s ruling on Affirmative Action and how this can affect both the private and public sector in Illinois, why gas is expensive dues to taxes and where that money is going, why people are voting with their feet as Illinois continues to lose residents, and more.

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Chicago murders: Good news, bad news – Wirepoints

If you’re looking for some good news about Chicago crime, here’s some. Murders this year through June 25 are down 7 percent compared to the same period in 2022. Chicago Police Compstat has reported 287 murders so far this year, while the comparable number last year was 310. 

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Raising property taxes may burden middle-class families and force them out of CPS. – FOX32 Chicago covers Wirepoints’ joint press conference on CPS’ tax hike

FOX32 Chicago highlighted Wirepoints’ Wednesday press conference in front of the Chicago Public Schools headquarters, where a coalition of concerned Chicagoans spoke out against the district’s 5% tax hike. Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski explained: “the problem is parents aren’t putting up with this. People are fleeing CPS. It’s too expensive, the teaching is not working, and in less than 20 years, it’s gone down 116,000 students.”

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Ted Dabrowski and the Tax Doctor explain to WVON’s Rufus Williams why CPS’ 5% property tax hike is so terrible. – Wirepoints on WVON

Ted joined Anthony Travis, the “Tax Doctor,” on Rufus Williams’ WVON program to discuss the reasons why CPS’ 5% property tax hike is so terrible. In short: because district spending continues to rise even as already-dismal student results fall further. Ted asks the important question: Where is the money going and why isn’t the district teaching Chicago’s kids?” CPS doesn’t deserve any more money until it is held accountable

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CPS officials have the option to not raise property taxes 5% on struggling Chicagoans, but they’re going to do it anyway. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Charles to talk about the silent exodus of Chicago residents as the city continues to worsen, why CPS enrollment has shrunk by 116K in the past two decades, why residents are livid about their increased property tax bills, and why Mayor Johnson will have to break his campaign promise to not raising property tax bills in order to meet his other spending promises.

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Mayor Johnson has no idea how to put out Chicago’s crime inferno – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

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.

 

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In Chicago, only 5% of major crimes result in an arrest. Crime pays in the Windy City. – Wirepoints on Shaun Thompson Show on AM560 The Answer

Ted joined Shaun Thompson Show to talk about Chicago’s ongoing crime wave, Gov. Pritzker’s preparation to push his policies nationwide, the massive raises lawmakers just gave themselves, the false nature of Illinois’ “balanced budget,” the potential for yet another federal bailout, the corrupt nature of Chicago’s TIFs, and more.

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Census, IRS and U-Haul data all show Illinois is bleeding people, yet Gov. Pritzker keeps denying those losses – Wirepoints joins Greg Bishop on WMAY

Ted joined Greg Bishop of WMAY to talk about the new Census data detailing where the 146,000 net Illinoisans that left in 2021 moved to, the multiple reasons why Illinoisans leave, why those issues can’t be solved as long as Gov. Pritzker refuses to acknowledge Illinois’ losses, how crime is up 38% in Chicago vs. the same month last year, and more.

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Hispanics are going to be a big part of Chicago’s future… yet very few Hispanic children in CPS can read at grade level. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about how Hispanic students, which make up nearly half of the population of Chicago Public Schools, are largely unable to read at grade level, how Gov. Pritzker can deny out-migration from Illinois despite all the evidence, why the CTU continues to get whatever it wants from Mayor Johnson, and more.

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Telemundo’s in-depth investigation on Wirepoints’ new report: “Hispanic students graduate CPS unprepared for college or a career.”

Telemundo Chicago joined Wirepoints at our press conference in front of Pilsen’s Benito Juarez High School, where 85% of students graduate despite just 4% of them being proficient in reading, to cover Wirepoints’ new special report: “Chicago Public Schools fails its Hispanic students: Only 17 of every 100 read at grade level.” Wirepoints has added English subtitles to the interview.

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CPS is failing its Hispanic students – Wirepoints Press Conference at Pilsen’s Benito Juarez High School

ABC 7, FOX 32, Telemundo, Univision and WBBM joined Wirepoints at our press conference in front of Pilsen’s Benito Juarez High School, where 85% of students graduate despite just 4% of them being proficient in reading, to cover Wirepoints’ new special report: “Chicago Public Schools fails its Hispanic students: Only 17 of every 100 read at grade level.”

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WBBM’s coverage of Wirepoints’ press conference – “A look at the ‘dismal’ results from a new report about Hispanic students within CPS”

WBBM Radio joined Wirepoints at our press conference in front of Pilsen’s Benito Juarez High School, where only 48 out of 1,700 students can do math at grade level, to report on Wirepoints’ new special report: “Chicago Public Schools fails its Hispanic students: Only 17 of every 100 read at grade level.”

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Univision’s in-depth investigation on Wirepoints’ new report: “This is something that worries us. In math, only 8% of Latino students are at grade level in 4th, 5th and 6th grades. This is a big problem.”

News anchor Enrique Rodríguez interviewed Ted as part of Univision’s in-depth analysis of Wirepoints’ new special report: “Chicago Public Schools fails its Hispanic students: Only 17 of every 100 read at grade level.” Wirepoints has added English subtitles to the interview.

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FOX32 coverage of Wirepoints’ press conference – “The biggest problem we have is Chicago Public Schools are passing children along regardless if they can read or not”

FOX 32 Chicago joined Wirepoints at our press conference in front of Pilsen’s Benito Juarez High School, where only 70 out of 1,700 students can read at grade level, to report on Wirepoints’ new special report: “Chicago Public Schools fails its Hispanic students: Only 17 of every 100 read at grade level.”

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Illinoisans should be outraged that politicians are paying themselves $90,000 a year for part-time work – Wirepoints on Fox News Illinois

Ted was interviewed as part of Fox News Illinois’ investigation into the salary hike state lawmakers just gave themselves. State politicians are responsible for the policies that consistently leave Illinois at the bottom of the barrel nationally – they don’t deserve a new annual salary that’s 25% higher than the state’s median household income of $72,205.

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Illinois’ budget hands out billions to non-profit groups every year…and there is no accountability for how that’s spent. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the host of new bills about to be signed by Governor Pritzker, why Medicaid is severely underfunded, why there are no true accountability measures for programs that waste taxpayer money, why most Republicans refuse to put up a fight against bills that harm the state, and more.

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Austin is Chicago’s homicide hub and just 3% of students are proficient in math there. There’s little chance for success in Mayor Johnson’s home neighborhood. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Mayor Johnson’s soft approach to crime during Memorial Day weekend, how violent crime is radiating out toward the suburbs, why Pritzker is bragging about a “balanced budget” when pensions are underfunded by $4 billion, why the Invest in Kids Act didn’t make it onto the budget, and more.

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Illinoisans aren’t better off under Gov. Pritzker’s budgets, economy – Wirepoints

The real measure of success isn’t what the governor says it is, but rather how the state’s residents are faring under his leadership. And that, by most measures, has been a failure. Fewer people are employed today than when Pritzker took office. Illinois’ economic growth is stagnant, at best. Tax burdens are higher than ever. And residents are fleeing in record numbers.

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Chicago pensions nearly insolvent, yet lawmakers look to boost public safety pension benefits – Wirepoints

Illinois lawmakers are considering major pension boosts for Chicago police and firefighters this week even though those pension plans are effectively insolvent and among the nation’s worst-off. The benefit increases threaten the already-tenuous retirement security of Chicago police and firefighters and create an additional burden on city taxpayers.

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Ordinary Illinoisans want property tax relief, lower costs and a better jobs environment. That’s not what this budget delivers. – Wirepoints on with WJOL’s Scott Slocum

Ted joined Scott Slocum of WJOL to talk about why the Illinois budget appears to be a done deal yet few people know what’s in the 3,900 page document, the continuing saga of the billion-plus dollars in Medicaid benefits for illegal immigrants, why the federal stimulus has made the current budget possible, and more.

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Rank-and-file lawmakers on both sides are left in the dark by their leadership. This is no way to craft a budget. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the latest developments in the plot to end the Invest in Kids Act, why State’s Attorney General Kwame Raoul waited until now to release a report alleging more cases of sexual abuse in the Catholic community, the fact that nobody but legislative leaders know what’s happening with the state’s budget, and more.

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Risks under Mayor Johnson – Wirepoints with WBBM’s Craig Dellimore

Ted and Matt Paprocki of the Illinois Policy Institute joined Craig Dellimore of WBBM Radio for a special interview covering the risks Brandon Johnson faces as Mayor. Ted and Matt agreed that more cops won’t matter unless city officials restore the chain of criminal justice: to arrest, prosecute and sentence again. Ted also said Johnson should be obsessed with achieving literacy among Chicago’s schoolchildren, but worries the Mayor will try to erase standards instead.

 

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Chicago is at risk of losing more businesses, including CME, if Johnson neglects the city’s real problems – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about how the Invest in Kids Act is on the verge of being shut down by pro-union lawmakers, how the migrant issue is hurting the residents of Chicago, why Mayor Johnson needs to tamp down on crime immediately, CME’s threat of leaving the city if it doesn’t see improvements, and more.

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Ken Dunkin y Ted Dabrowski, de Wirepoints, analizan la crisis de las escuelas públicas de Chicago y debaten la necesidad de la elección escolar – Wirepoints en WVON

Ted Dabrowski se unió al ex diputado estatal Ken Dunkin para hablar sobre cómo los legisladores de Illinois pueden acabar con el único programa de elección de escuela del estado, lo malos que son realmente los resultados de los estudiantes de las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago, por qué el poder sobre la educación debe ser quitado a los administradores/sindicatos y devuelto a los padres, y más.

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La elección de escuela devuelve a los padres el control de la educación de sus hijos – Wirepoints on with WJOL’s Scott Slocum

Ted se unió a Scott Slocum de WJOL para hablar sobre nuestro informe del IRS sobre la emigración de Illinois, los aumentos de impuestos que los habitantes de Illinois enfrentarán debido al éxodo, los 9.000 estudiantes que van a perder sus becas debido a que los legisladores podrían eliminar la Ley de Inversión en los Niños, y más.

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Introducing Wirepoints’ new Chicago Weekly Crime Tracker – Wirepoints

Chicago’s crime crisis is devastating the city. It’s killing hundreds of residents every year, with Chicago serving as the nation’s murder capital for 11 years running. It’s driving companies out of the city – including big names like Citadel, Walmart and Guggenheim Partners. And it’s robbing Chicagoans of their safety, their property, and even their lives. Check out Wirepoints’ Chicago Crime Tracker to learn the facts about the city’s crime wave.

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Here’s another option for educational freedom in Illinois: Indiana’s Choice Scholarship Program – Wirepoints

Indiana, too, is moving toward a universal school choice program. Some 95,000 kids are expected to use the voucher program in 2025, up from 53,000 today. Contrast that to Illinois’ tax credit program which awards scholarships to just 9,000 students. The Invest in Kids Act is worth just 0.16% of Illinois’ public system, and yet teachers unions consider the scholarships to be an existential threat to their existence.

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9,000 students will lose their scholarships if Illinois lawmakers refuse to extend the Invest in Kids Act – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the 9,000 students that are about to lose access to tax credit scholarships if lawmakers refuse to extend the Invest in Kids Act, what Johnson and the CTU’s takeover means for school choice, how Iowa and Indiana give taxpayers the opportunity to choose the best school for their children, and more.

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We have to find ways to be more inviting to businesses and to people. Right now our crime, education and tax policies do the opposite – Wirepoints on FOX32 Chicago

Wirepoints joined FOX 32’s GoodDay Chicago to talk about the challenges facing Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, including Illinois and Chicago’s loss of residents (which Gov. Pritzker continues to deny), the increasingly empty downtown, why high taxes, growing crime and a lack of opportunity are forcing people and businesses out, and more.

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In Illinois, the more that people leave the more pressure there is to raise taxes, which pushes more out-migration. We’re in a negative spiral – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the flight Illinois’ wealthiest residents and how that causes Illinois to miss out out on billions in tax revenues, Gov. Pritzker’s denial of out-migration despite the facts, the loss of Guggenheim as it plans to move to Florida, Evanston’s radical racial politics in education, and more.

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If you’re Gov. Pritzker and you refuse to acknowledge Illinois is losing people, you’ll never fix the tax, crime and corruption issues that create those losses. – Wirepoints joins Tom Miller on WJPF Carbondale

Ted joined the WJPF Morning Newswatch to talk about the new IRS data migration data that shows Illinois lost another 105,000 people to other states in 2020, Gov. Pritzker’s denial of the IRS and its facts, the problems that are causing Illinoisans to leave in droves, and more.

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New IRS migration data: New York, California, Illinois are the nation’s big losers of people and their wealth, Florida, Texas the big winners – A Wirepoints 50-state survey

Illinois, New York and California continued their streak as the nation’s biggest losers of residents and their wealth to other states, according to a Wirepoints analysis of newly-released Internal Revenue Service migration data. Texas and Florida continued to be the nation’s big winners.

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Criminals have the green light as Brandon Johnson excuses the city’s recent ‘teen takeover,’ declares youths make ‘silly decisions’ – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Brandon Johnson justifying the criminal actions of the ‘teenage takeover’ last weekend, the amount of 17 to 19-year-olds committing serious crimes, Kim Foxx rejecting serious cases making it difficult to keep Chicagoans safe, the $1 billion program granting Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants, and more.

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Add up crime, remote work and high taxes and you’ve got Chicago skyscrapers with 30, 40, 50% vacancy rates. That means higher taxes on homeowners. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about Brandon Johnson’s reception in Springfield, the impact of the teen takeover of Chicago over the past weekend, the city’s vacant downtown office buildings and what that means for property taxes, Illinois’ risky property market, and more.

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NYC’s low homicide rate is due to the decades-old policies that Manhattan D.A. Bragg loves to hate – Wirepoints

Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg used Wirepoints’ recent New York City homicide data as a bludgeon in his ongoing fight with Ohio U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan over Trump’s indictment. The big irony of Bragg’s comments is that he’s flaunting NYC’s success story based on policing and sentencing policies that are antithetical to his own progressive, decarcerationist policies.

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There are no institutional voices condemning the mess on Chicago’s streets because the pendulum has not swung to peak chaos yet. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the “teen takeover” of Chicago’s downtown, the lack of response from Chicago’s traditional institutions, how New York City managed to get its homicide problem under control decades ago, the problem of repeat criminal offenders, Brandon Johnson’s potential tax hike trouble, and more.

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At $4.07, Illinois is still the extreme outlier east of the Rockies when it comes to gas prices. Gov. Pritzker, where’s the relief? – Wirepoints

Remember when Gov. Pritzker promised gas price “relief” – just in time for his reelection campaign last year? Well that’s come and gone and Illinoisans are still getting stiffed, paying the highest gas prices of any state east of the Rockies. That’s in large part because Illinois has the second-highest gas taxes in the country.

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Only 5% of major crimes in Chicago end up with an arrest, there’s no price to pay for lawbreaking in the city. – Wirepoints on Cities 92.9 with Cat Petersen

Ted joined Cat Petersen to discuss Chicago’s crime facts: that Chicago has led the nation in total homicides for 11 years in a row, that the city’s 2022 arrest rate was an abysmal 5%, that the city’s policies make it hard for police to do their job, that Brandon Johnson’s policies will only make things worse, and more.

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Wirepoints’ homicide data escalates war of words between Manhattan D.A. Bragg and U.S. Rep. Jordan over Trump indictment – Wirepoints

Wirepoints’ recent homicide report escalated the war of words between Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and U.S. House Rep. Jim Jordan over President Trump’s indictment. Bragg’s spokesman told reporters that New York City had a murder rate “nearly three times lower” than that of Columbus, Ohio, which falls into Jordan’s district.

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Chicago’s corporate elite have never been willing to take on the system, all they’ve ever done is appease. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson’s plan to multiply the taxes on city businesses, the failure of the city’s elite to challenge Chicago’s failed policies, the city’s recent loss in population, the continued crime spike, why Chicago’s pension crisis will soon reemerge, and more.

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It will take exceptional political courage to end Chicago’s ‘crisis of values.’ Good luck. – Wirepoints

After the disastrous one-term tenure of outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Chicago has landed hard at an urgent turning point. The city is wracked by disarray and dysfunction of epic scope. It’s moral decay that’s driving corrosive crime and failing schools – from which black and brown Chicagoans suffer worst. If Chicago can’t muster the courage to torpedo its underlying moral decay, the city’s troubling predicament will worsen even further.

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Illinoisans can’t afford to see Chicago fall into crisis…it would take the rest of the state with it. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about the results of Chicago’s mayoral election and why it matters to downstate Illinoisans, why residents chose the extreme progressive policies of Brandon Johnson, the dismal results found in Wirepoints’ school district Report Cards, why Gov. Pritzker is still issuing disaster proclamations, and more.

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Defenders of Illinois’ education system continue to make weak excuses for its failures, allowing dismal results to remain the status quo – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the importance and success of Wirepoints’ School District Report Cards, the pushback we’ve gotten from ISBE, the Chicago Tribune, the Pritzker Administration and others, our testimony in front of the House Committee on Education Appropriations, and more.

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What has Chicago done? – Wirepoints

Chicagoans kicked out Lori Lightfoot, a mayor more interested in imposing a progressive vision on Chicago than enacting reforms. Change was possible. But by voting for Brandon Johnson on April 4, Chicagoans chose someone even more extreme and exactly the opposite of what the city needs.

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If you’re the traditional media, the fact that only 12% of black students statewide can read at grade level is less newsworthy than the fact that Wirepoints is providing the public with that info – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about how neither mayoral candidate has a vision to turn around Chicago, the importance of spreading real crime and education data instead of rhetoric, how lawmakers in Springfield have embraced the soft bigotry of low expectations, why the Hispanic community has the power to demand a better education for their children, and more.

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Spending is up, student outcomes are down, property taxes are up, home values are down. Illinois’ education system is upside down. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the recent uncovered video featuring Chicago mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson. Johnson discussed the tactics he used to undermine achievement as a way of “rebelling against the structure.” They also discuss the results of Wirepoints’ new Report Cards on Illinois’ 20 largest school districts.

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A reminder for Chicago voters: 20 times Lori Lightfoot failed the city – Wirepoints

As Chicagoans evaluate their two choices for mayor, Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson, it may help to look at outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s many missteps over her four years. Lightfoot left virtually everything in Chicago worse off under her watch: schools, crime, pensions, union powers, taxes, city services, and even basic political civility. Here’s a trip down memory lane.

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Half the country is cutting income taxes, including all our neighbors. Illinoisans could use the same relief. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about Illinois’ high tax burden, the fact that 22 states have cut their income tax rates, the return of the progressive tax via Sen. Martwick, the need for nuclear energy to cope with Illinois’ radical green energy policies, and the fallout from Illinois’ Amendment 1.

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You can’t have murder rates, crime rates so high and not expect them to bleed into every part of Chicago. It’s happening now. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy this morning to talk about how crime in Chicago is getting even worse, why Chicago’s corporate elite failed to use their influence to to change the city for the better, Brandon Johnson’s past comments about “defunding the police,” Rep. La Shawn Ford’s misguided “parental bullying” bill, and more.

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Chicago suffered the 2nd-highest murder rate among the 20 largest U.S. cities in 2022. The courts, the schools, and the city’s leadership are all to blame. – Wirepoints on WNDZ 750

Matt Rosenberg joined Mary Hallan Fiorito and Lauretta Froelich on WNDZ-AM 750’s “Winds of Change” to talk about why crime in Chicago is as pressing as ever, why the city’s two final mayoral candidates are taking two very different approaches to the problem and why full-on school choice is a crucial piece of real long-term violence prevention.

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Programs, carve-outs, and sweet deals to the favored and connected make Illinois actively worse for ordinary residents – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted joined Dan and Amy this morning to discuss “kick back capitalism” – how government subsidies and bailouts contribute to political corruption and perpetuate inequality. They also discuss the real reason why the state is facing a teacher shortage, why businesses & families are fleeing big cities, and when we can expect a voter uprising in Chicago.

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Good luck attracting more teachers into Illinois classrooms…especially after looking at the record of Illinois’ new State Superintendent. – Wirepoints

It’s hard to argue against any proposal that wants to ensure a good pipeline of teachers for Illinois schools. Gov. Pritzker wants $70 million for attracting teachers. But in Illinois nothing is that simple. The first and main reason to be skeptical of more spending is that Illinoisans already spend more on education than most of the rest of the nation. A better starting point then, is

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Chicago has two diametrically opposed candidates for mayor…the result matters to downstate because Chicago’s health impacts all of Illinois. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about the results of the Chicago mayoral election, why the rest of Illinois needs Chicago, the fact that Illinois students can’t read in 30 Illinois schools, and the need for more parents to get involved in education statewide, and more.

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“Lori Lightfoot did nothing about the city’s massive crime problems. In fact, according to Wirepoints.org, Chicago’s homicide rate is about 5 times higher than that of New York City.” – Wirepoints cited by The Ben Shapiro Show

Wirepoints’ research on Chicago’s ongoing crime wave was cited by Ben Shapiro as one of the reasons why Lori Lightfoot lost her job as Chicago’s mayor last night. “She happened to do nothing about the massive crime problems inside the city. In fact, according to Wirepoints.org, Chicago’s homicide rate is about 5 times higher than that of New York City and 2.5 times higher than Los

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No matter who becomes Chicago’s mayor, they’ll have to push back hard against Kim Foxx and Tim Evans if they want to change anything – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about the dangers of riding on the CTA, why attacking the failed policies of Kim Foxx and Tim Evans is essential for whoever becomes mayor, why pensions are the number one financial issue for the city and the state, Gov. Pritzker’s complete failure to create an Illinois EV industry despite providing millions in subsidies, and more.

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So much for Chicago transit’s ‘anti-crime’ initiatives. 2022’s violent crime exceeded 2019, despite 46% plunge in riders – Wirepoints

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a new Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) anti-crime initiative in February 2020 after a series of disturbing violent crimes on the city’s transit system. But the initiative has failed. Full-year 2022 CTA data shows a 15 percent increase in violent crime versus 2020, even though ridership in 2022 was only half what it was before the pandemic.

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Chicagoans know their leaders have lost control when they learn their city has had the nation’s most murders for 11 years in a row – Wirepoints on with WJOL’s Scott Slocum

Ted joined Scott Slocum of WJOL to discuss Chicago topping the list of homicide leaders among the nation’s biggest cities, that crime in the city is up 55% YTD in 2023, the city’s inability to block and tackle on crime, why that’s the case, the city’s 5 percent arrest rate, and more.

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WVON’s Matt McGill and Perri Small Break down Gov. Pritzker’s dishonest budget with Ted Dabrowski – Wirepoints on WVON

Ted joined WVON’s Matt McGill and Perri Small to talk about Gov. Pritzker’s latest dishonest budget, why the governor’s positive portrayal of Illinois ignores the real suffering of Chicagoans and minorities, the ideological fight between Gov. Pritzker and Gov. DeSantis over sex ed and trans issues, the fact that only 3 in 10 Illinois students can read at grade level, and more.

 

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You look at Baltimore, St. Louis, New Orleans and, of course, Chicago and you see leadership failures that lead to a high number of murders, most often of black residents – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Matt was on Chicago’s Morning Answer to talk about the fact that Chicago was the nation’s murder capital with nearly 700 dead from homicide in 2022. What’s worse, this is the 11th year in a row Chicago has suffered the most homicides in the nation.

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Chicago’s pursuit of ‘criminal justice reform’ an utter failure: Windy City homicides top nation for 11th year in a row with crime still rising. – Wirepoints

Chicago was the nation’s extreme outlier for homicides in 2022, with 697 deaths. What’s worse, Chicago has out-paced the entire nation in murders for 11 years in a row. That’s not surprising given the failed policies of recent years, The pursuit of “social justice” instead of actual justice has only increased the protection of criminals, crushed police morale and increased the violence inflicted on ordinary Chicagoans.

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Chicago, New Orleans were the nation’s murder capitals in 2022 – A Wirepoints survey of America’s 75 largest cities

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

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The CTU is the most powerful, most militant teachers union in the country…and their students end up with dismal results. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

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.

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Illinois tries to “cancel” DeSantis as Pritzker, Chicago mayoral contenders play the de-platforming game – Wirepoints

Cancel culture is alive and well in Chicago’s mayoral race. This time, it’s Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ turn to be “de-platformed.” Mayoral challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia is trying to cancel a meeting Monday in Elmhurst between Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police, which endorsed another challenger, Paul Vallas, and DeSantis. Garcia has demanded that Vallas “condemn” the FOP for the invite to DeSantis, whom Garcia calls “a dangerous and xenophobic authoritarian.” 

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There are 30 schools in Illinois where not a single student is reading proficient. If a student can’t read in the 3rd-grade, they’ll struggle for the rest of their life. – Wirepoints on the Annie Frey Show

Ted joined the Annie Frey show to talk about the fact that there are 30 schools in Illinois where not a single student can read at grade level, the terrible act of simply pushing unprepared students up and out of the system, why education is the key to fixing wealth gaps and unemployment, and why Illinoisans have to stand up and challenge the actions of their local school districts and demand school

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Chicago’s mayoral candidates should obsess about actual results. About making sure far more than 1 out of every 10 black CPS students can read at grade level. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and guest Charles Thomas to talk about why Chicago’s mayoral candidates are actively avoiding the real issues that are crippling the black community and Wirepoints’ new report that shows not a single student is able to read at grade level in 30 Illinois schools. Ted argued that the city needs leaders who will obsess

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Unwed births, illiterate children and black-on-black crime: What Chicago’s mayoral candidates ignore – Wirepoints

Chicago’s mayoral candidates may seem like they’re paying attention to the plight of the black community when they talk about crime, boosting spending for city schools, and tough job prospects. But if you won’t talk about births to unmarried mothers, kids raised without fathers and students who are functionally illiterate, you’re skating past the root causes of today’s troubles.

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Yes, parents should be more engaged in their child’s education. But the education system is hiding the truth on student outcomes from them. – Wirepoints on WVON with Perri Small

Ted joined Perri Small on WVON to talk about why its such a problem for Tony Sanders – who ran a district where just two students in ten can read at grade level – to be promoted to State Superintendent, why teachers and administrators in Chicago and across the state get away with simply passing children up and out of the school system, why education is foundational to closing the economic gap for black Illinoisans, and more.

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The “equity” argument is so destructive in Chicago. It leads to more minorities getting killed and almost all students unable to read. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about the U.S House Republicans’ resolution on rejecting socialism, why Chicago’s obsession with “equity” only hurts those it supposedly helps, the latest news about Chicago’s mayoral race and the illusions that hide the problems with Mayor Lightfoot’s 2023 budget.

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Superintendent Tony Sanders joined Elgin when today’s 11th-graders were in 3rd grade. Only 2 in 10 can read at grade level today…he owns that. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about Gov. Pritzker’s promotion of Elgin’s Tony Sanders to Illinois State Superintendent despite the district’s poor results, the need for local school boards to demand better student outcomes and why Pritzker’s announced end to his covid emergency orders is long overdue.

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95% of all homicide victims in Chicago are minorities…the more lax the city’s crime policies are, the more blacks and Hispanics die. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about Pritzker’s announcement that his emergency Covid declarations will end in May, the lack of real solutions from Chicago’s mayoral candidates, the fact that Chicago’s progressive policies only end up hurting minorities they’re supposed to help, why public sector unions are so destructive, and more.

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Chicago’s mayoral candidates’ won’t like it. Ted Dabrowski lays out the inconvenient truths about Chicago that politicians don’t talk about. – Wirepoints on Public Affairs

Ted was on with Jeff Berkowitz of Public Affairs to talk about the issues that Chicago’s mayoral candidates have avoided talking about so far: the dangers of having 1,500 more violent defendants out on electronic monitoring. The fact that 95% of the city’s homicide victims are black or Hispanic. That 9 of every 10 black children in Chicago can’t read at grade level. That Chicagoans are burdened with

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Illinoisans are fleeing public schools. 218,000 kids have left the school system since 2010. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about Mayor Lightfoot’s attempt to sell ‘social bonds’ while sacrificing the city’s future sales tax revenues, Chicago mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson’s long list of proposed tax hikes, why companies continue to leave Illinois, the 218,000 enrollment drop in public schools, and the potential for school choice and Education Savings Accounts in Illinois.

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Politicians promise a progressive tax will only hit the rich…they always end up hiking taxes on the middle class, too. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about the reintroduction of Pritzker’s progressive tax scheme, the fact that states across the nation are moving toward flat or no income taxes, why the government’s focus on handouts is so destructive, Gov. Pritzker’s unwillingness to admit to Illinois’ out-migration problems, and more.

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It’s back…Illinois’ Sen. Martwick to again push for a progressive tax, even as U.S. states overwhelmingly move toward flat or zero income taxes. – Wirepoints

Illinois Sen. Bob Martwick, an ally of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, is reportedly planning to offer a new version of a progressive tax scheme for Illinois “as soon as next month.” A quick scan of national reporting reveals the foolishness of any such tax hike proposal. States across the country are overwhelmingly moving towards flat and zero income tax structures. An Illinois tax hike would be moving

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It’s not wealthy residents losing their homes. Governments are taking the homes of lower income people in South Cook County and other places. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about the absurdity of Mayor Lightfoot selling city “social bonds” to Chicagoans, why its akin to the city selling its own body parts off piece by piece, the injustice of governments taking and selling people’s homes to recoup unpaid property taxes, why poor residents in South Cook are suffering the most from Illinois’ property tax regime, and more.

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Lightfoot ad calls crime critics “haters,” but the real “haters” are the killers, robbers and carjackers that plagued Chicago in 2022 – Wirepoints

As Lori Lightfoot seeks reelection to a second term as mayor her new campaign ad continues the offensive against crime critics, calling them “haters” who fail to see she has a plan. But a slew of year-end data show Chicago is still mired in crime. All in all, it’s a portrait of a city stuck in an abyss.

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About Gov. Pritzker’s “$1 Trillion” GDP brag – Wirepoints

Gov. Pritzker’s says his administration deserves credit for Illinois’ GDP recently breaking $1 trillion. As with so many of his claims, the governor is taking credit for something he had little to do with. The sky-high inflation resulting from the bailouts has jacked up prices, artificially inflating GDP growth over the past two years. It’s the only reason why Illinois broke the $1 trillion mark.

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Where is the media on Chicago Public Schools’ latest sexual abuse revelations? – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about the new wave of extreme policies Gov. Pritzker and the legislature are beginning to enact, why Illinois loses people frustrated by the state’s policies, why the state’s pension crisis will lead to higher taxes, the lack of reporting on CPS’ latest sexual abuse revelations, and more.

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Illinois is zero for 18 in attracting EV battery manufacturing…we have bad policies in this state and it’s losing us both jobs and opportunities. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about how Illinois’ prohibition of Right to Work may crush lawmakers dreams to be a leader in EV manufacturing, what else drives companies away from Illinois, why the media is hiding the true extent of Chicago’s crime numbers and more.

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Illinois cannot become a Right to Work state because of Amendment 1, but almost all of the the successful EV and “green” investments in general are happening in Right to Work states. – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show

Ted joined the Steve Cochran Show to talk about what caused 104,000 people to leave Illinois in 2021, how the “Workers’ Right Amendment” and its banning of Right to Work may deter businesses from coming to Illinois and the 41 percent increase in crime in Chicago in 2022.

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Everything about Chicago’s near-empty public schools is sad, they aren’t community hubs, they aren’t places of learning. They’re little more than job centers for the CTU. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to review Illinois’ 2022 population losses, the potential consequences of the “Great Re-sort” going on between states, the depressing fact that hundreds of CPS schools are half-empty or less and the corrupt nature of Gov. Pritzker giving out millions in campaign funds to judges and doubling the pay of his

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Don’t buy the Tribune headline: Chicago crime worsened in 2022 – Wirepoints

The big bold Chicago Tribune headline on January 2nd said this: “CPD: Homicides down 14%.” While that number is factually correct, you can’t help but think the Tribune’s main goal is to make uninformed Chicagoans think crime is down, when in fact overall crime was up 41 percent in 2022. It’s the wrong message for a city struggling with increased lawlessness made worse by city leaders’ failed policies.

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You’ll never fix the minority wealth gap by handing out more food stamps and more Medicaid dollars. The only way to really help black communities is through encouraging entrepreneurship, jobs and investment. – Wirepoints on WVON’s The Matt McGill Show (Part 2)

Part 2 of Ted’s debate with WVON’s Matt McGill covered the problems facing the black community in Illinois and Chicago and what can be done to fix them. Matt said he had a great interest in Donald Trump, but that Trump and other Republican leaders never talked about a plan specifically for blacks. Ted argues that the message of “equity” preached by current leaders is destructive to the black community – that more handouts and government dependency only makes things worse.

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The choices of minority residents aren’t just defined by politics or single issue policies. Quality of life – better jobs, better educations, growing incomes for their family – matters, too. – Wirepoints on WVON’s The Matt McGill Show (Part 1)

Are Illinoisans leaving because of a toxic combination of high taxes, few opportunities and poor policies or is bad weather more to blame? Are states like Texas, Florida and Georgia really the free and prosperous places they claim to be? Is Illinois really all that bad a place to live? And is there really a “Great Re-Sorting” going on? All that and more was covered in Part 1 of Ted’s debate with

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New CPS data: Mayor Lightfoot, Chicago Teachers Union continue to keep dozens of empty, failing schools open – Wirepoints

More than one-third of Chicago’s 473 traditional public schools are currently running half empty or worse, and the city’s 20 most-empty schools are operating at 25 percent or less capacity. There’s absolutely no reason for these schools to exist, yet they do for two reasons: the Chicago Teachers Union wants them to and Chicago’s political leaders don’t have the spine to say no.

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Politicians like to blame the weather for Illinois’ population woes, but that’s no excuse. Almost all of Illinois’ cold weather neighbors grew in 2022 – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer to talk about the 2022 Census numbers and where people and corporations are moving to, why rising crime and high taxes are driving residents away, why Illinoisans continue to vote for the same politicians and when they’ll wake up, the stakes of Chicago’s mayoral race, and more.

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Red states Texas, Florida crush blue New York, California and Illinois when it comes to 2022 population growth – A Wirepoints 50-state survey

The red states of Texas and Florida grew their populations by more than 400,000 in 2022. Their pro-growth, pro-business, pro-taxpayer policies remain a magnet for both Americans and foreigners alike. In contrast, blue states New York, California and Illinois each had their populations fall by 100,000 or more in 2022. Americans continue to flee those same three states, year after year.

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The big question is, how much risk is sitting in Illinois’ pension funds that we simply don’t know about? – Wirepoints on Cities 92.9 with Cat Petersen

Ted joined Cat Peterson to discuss the impact FTX’s collapse may have on Illinois pensions, the need for pensions funds to be more transparent about the risks they take, and the impact Amendment 1 will have on the 460 teacher union/school board contract negotiations that will happen over the next two years.

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Every poll we’ve seen, minorities want more policing…they also want better policing, sure, but they want more of it, not less – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about the latest developments regarding the lawsuit against the SAFE-T Act, why minority communities want more and better policing, the madness that is Chicago’s gun violence victims fund and the importance of the school board elections coming in April.

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The mask mandates, closed schools, vaccine requirements…Gov. Pritzker has the power to reimpose all those tomorrow if he wants – Wirepoints on with WJOL’s Scott Slocum

Ted joined Scott Slocum of WJOL to discuss Gov. Pritzker’s issuance of his 37th Emergency Covid Declaration, the fact that the governor has the power to reinstate the most draconian restrictions if he wanted to and the negative impact of keeping so many Illinoisans dependent on government through Medicaid and food stamp benefits.

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Illinois government seems dedicated to trying to pick winners and losers…and making bad bets, this time with the EV auto industry – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about the how the closing of the auto plant in Belvidere shows that government is terrible at picking winners and losers – in this case the electric vehicle industry. They also discussed the sad milestone of 1,000 days of Gov. Pritzker running the state with emergency orders, the growing state pension crisis, the changes to the SAFE-T Act and more.

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Wirepoints and others made a laundry list of things that were wrong with the SAFE-T Act. Supporters said we were wrong, racist, etc. Yet every one of those things we pointed out has been changed. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about the hypocrisy of SAFE-T Act proponents calling criticism of the Act wrong and racist…then turning around and enacting those changes, why cashless bail is a massive experiment affecting the lives of black Chicagoans and the sad milestone of 1,000 days under Gov. Pritzker’s Covid executive orders.

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“Chicago is still a fantastic city, that’s why so many of us fight to try and get better policies enacted” – Wirepoints on “Common Bridge” with Richard Helppie

Matt Rosenberg joined an in-depth interview with Richard Helppie on his “Common Bridge” interview show. Matt explained how progressive governance has produced such awful results for Chicagoans and emphasizes Chicago is still worth fighting for: “…you see the vibrancy everywhere. I walk sometimes 10 or 14 miles in a day, across Chicago, many of my friends think I’m insane. I love this place. It’s still a fantastic city. So that’s why many

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The CTA ran near-empty trains and buses during the pandemic – and it’s still struggling to fill them. Now it wants higher taxes on Chicagoans to pay for that mismanagement. – Wirepoints

In 2020 and 2021, the CTA partied like it was pre-Covid 2019. The agency kept running trains and buses at the same levels even though ridership numbers collapsed. Now with the party set to end – federal relief runs dry in 2025 – Regional Transit Authority officials say they want tax hikes to keep running Chicagoland’s empty trains and buses.

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Chicago’s leaders double down on denial…and voters now clearly go for it. – Wirepoints on Cut the Bull

Matt Rosenberg joined Charles Love, Wilfred Reilly and Shemeka Michelle on the Cut the Bull podcast to talk about crime, policing and political leadership in major American cities with a particular focus on Chicago and Seattle. Matt also explained his theory that the source code of modern-day urban political anarchy in the U.S. was written in Seattle.

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Chicago’s CTA: You pay more, you get worse service, you’re at more risk. No wonder other cities are more attractive – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about the fiscal cliff Chicago’s Transit Authority and other public transport orgs are facing, the challenge of making Republican leaders stand up for good government, the reason why the limited changes to the SAFE-T Act happened and why its a win for the reform movement, and why cash bail is needed.

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The SAFE-T Act is still a bad deal: It still abolishes cash bail, still contains two toxic, anti-police provisions and still lacks transparency on sentencing – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show

Matt Rosenberg joined the Steve Cochran Show to talk about the differences between what the previous version SAFE-T Act did versus what the new amendments do, the need for transparency on sentencing reform, and why abolishing cash bail would hurt Illinois’ court system.

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Gov. Pritzker caused much of our unemployment problems with his severe Covid lockdowns. Now he’s trying to play the victim regarding the costs to Illinoisans – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about the limited changes happening to the SAFE-T Act, why the Governor’s ‘monumental’ repayment of the unemployment fund is little more than political theater, why Illinois hasn’t created a net new job in the last 20 years and why Amendment 1 has turned the private sector into second-class citizens.

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At the 11th hour we’re seeing a host of changes to the SAFE-T Act. Some are good, but far more needs to be done – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show

Matt joined Steve Cochran to discuss the proposed changes to the SAFE-T Act that lawmakers debated on December 1, the language that still needs to be changed and whether or not any of this will make a difference. Getting rid of the 48-hour free roaming pass for EM defendants, making more crimes detainable and restoring the community violence standard is a start, but much more has to be done.

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100 a day: Chicago motor vehicle thefts explode as SAFE-T Act changes debated – Wirepoints

One hundred motor vehicle thefts a day. That’s the recent daily count in Chicago in October as motor vehicle thefts spiked dramatically in the last three months. It’s just one part of the Great Unraveling of Chicago’s justice system that stems from emboldened criminals, a demoralized police force and a leadership class obsessed with soft-on-crime legislation like the SAFE-T Act.

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There are so many pitfalls to the SAFE-T Act it should be scrapped, but what lawmakers will do is enact cosmetic changes – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about the departure of Ed Burke from Chicago’s city council, the coming cosmetic tweaks to the SAFE-T Act, the explosion of crime in Chicago and chaos that would occur if the SEIU managed to push the city’s minimum wage to $25 an hour.

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Amendment 1 makes vast majority of Illinoisans subservient to government workers: 7 percent lords over 93 percent – Wirepoints

Amendment 1 is about to cause a lot of troubles: higher property taxes, complicated labor disputes, a tied-up court system, fewer parents rights, and a host of legal challenges in the private sector. But what will make Amendment 1 untenable and eventually strangle Illinois is that it prioritizes and protects just 7 percent of Illinois’ adult population, those with government jobs, over Illinois’ other 93 percent of adults.

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Companies don’t put their marginal investments in places that are shrinking, that’s partly why Illinois has seen no new net jobs in over two decades – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about why Illinois’ $38 billion in education spending produces such poor results, why Illinois hasn’t created any net new jobs in over 20 years, the low chance of lawmakers fixing the worst aspects of the SAFE-T Act, and what to expect from union negotiations now that Amendment 1 is in effect.

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Poor communities bear the brunt of crime unleashed by Cook County bail reform and the SAFE-T Act: New Manhattan Institute report – Wirepoints

A new Manhattan Institute brief argues that criminal justice reformers who backed bail changes in Cook County and the SAFE-T Act in Illinois callously ignore the harmful impacts on lower-income, crime-prone minority communities. “The costs of crime are borne on the backs of individuals, families, and businesses that all too often occupy the least privileged neighborhoods in society.”

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Chicago’s progressive agenda has been destructive for black communities – Wirepoints

Politico says the Chicago mayor’s race highlights the importance of the “progressive” agenda for Chicago and the focus will be on crime. There are grumbles that incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot isn’t progressive enough. But the urban progressive agenda under her – with its emphasis on “social justice,” managed outcomes, and performative politics – has hardened the city’s horrible results for blacks around crime and K-12 public education.

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Just because there was a sweep on Nov. 8 doesn’t mean that what our politicians are doing is right. There is still a reckoning coming when the math no longer works. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about the results of the midterm election, why extreme one-party rule is bad for everyone, what Amendment 1 will do now that it’s in place, why Dems won’t fix the SAFE-T Act, the coming flood of higher taxes due to more expensive union contracts, and more.

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50 years of failure: Norman Lear’s ‘Good Times’ first criticized Chicago’s policy of automatically passing students in 1974. It’s still happening today. – Wirepoints

Illinois education officials are passing hundreds of thousands of children from one grade to the next even though those students can’t read at grade level. What’s incredible – and infuriating – is just how long this policy has gone on in Illinois. An alert Wirepoints’ reader recently pointed out to us that Chicago Public Schools’ pass-along policy was the subject of a Good Times episode that ran in 1974 – almost 50 years ago.

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Illinois’ kitchen table issues – taxes, crime, corruption – haven’t gone away. But now Illinoisans will have to endure far more pain until they are addressed. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy to talk about the coming potential changes, or rather lack of them, to the SAFE-T Act, the damage done to Illinois Republicans during the election and the direction of Illinois going forward.

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No police available for shootings, robberies, assaults, and more: Ongoing 911 response failures heighten risk for Chicagoans – Wirepoints

Chicago, we have a problem. Emergency police response is a crucial public service to taxpayers and it’s failing. Police response times depend on overall department manpower, field patrol strength, and morale. All have been suffering. Sworn CPD personnel (with a gun and badge) numbered 13,353 in January of 2019 but this month were at 11,681.

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At some point the revolt is going to happen in Illinois, it might not be just yet – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan and Amy on the morning of the election to talk about why he stays and continues to fight for Illinois, why state’s business leadership remaining silent is an endorsement of the status quo and how an episode of “Good Times” reveals that Chicago Public Schools has been failing students for 50 years.

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More crimes, more weapons, few arrests: An Uber driver’s carjacking tale accents Chicago’s ongoing decay – Wirepoints

The terrifying stories of carjacking victims helps to put a face on a vexing violent crime problem that has worsened dramatically in recent years. Until local politicians decide they’re willing to spend their political capital on a hard line against crime, carjackings and other violent felonies in Chicago will continue almost at will.

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The SAFE-T Act will change things so fast that nobody really knows how bad the impact will be. But Cook County provides a clue. – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Ted joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about the six facts Gov. Pritzker doesn’t want you to know about Illinois’ 2022 Report Card, why Cook County’s failures with its electronic monitoring of criminals could find their way to your area thanks to the SAFE-T Act and why Illinois now has the worst unemployment rate in the nation.

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Six facts Gov. Pritzker doesn’t want you to know about Illinois’ 2022 Report Card – Wirepoints

Gov. Pritzker presented a very positive outlook last week when his administration released the state’s 2022 Illinois Report Card. In reality, statewide student reading proficiency dropped again in 2022. Illinois needs an honest look at just how poorly the state has done with what matters most in education: ensuring Illinois’ students can read and do math at a level that ensures their success in the real world.

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“Cook County’s bail reform offers a preview to life under the SAFE-T Act…it has not worked out well.” – Wirepoints joins Greg Bishop on WMAY

Matt joined Greg Bishop on WMAY to discuss the impact of the SAFE-T Act on the other Illinois counties outside of just Cook County. They talked about how Cook provides a frightening preview of the bail reform coming Jan. 1 as part of the SAFE-T Act, what parts of the act politicians absolutely need to fix, and why the excuse of “wait until after the election for changes” smells.

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Drifting, drag racing and carjacking: Motorized mayhem overwhelms Chicago streets – Wirepoints

Street “takeovers” in Chicago continue, drawing hundreds to meet-ups to watch stunt driving known as “drifting.” Recently three were killed in a gang-related shooting at a drifting event in Chicago’s Brighton Park community. Criminal and violent disorder on the city’s streets encompass far more than drifting. But the Brighton Park triple homicide should be a showstopper. 

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Wirepoints in the Wall Street Journal: Unions Ask Illinois Voters to Sign Over Control of the State.

Wirepoints has a new OpEd in the Wall Street Journal detailing the potential impact of Amendment 1: A November ballot measure, which its proponents style the Workers’ Rights Amendment, would make Illinois the nation’s extreme outlier when it comes to giving government unions power over taxpayers. If Illinoisans are fooled into voting for Amendment 1, they can kiss parents’ rights, lower taxes and any chance of a state turnaround goodbye.

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Chicago’s Great Unraveling – Matt Rosenberg on with Glenn Loury

Matt joined noted economist Glenn Loury in a wide-ranging discussion about Chicago’s decent into dystopia which included a dive into Chicago’s crime stats, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s lack of leadership, the potential for a citywide collapse and the reforms/policies the city needs to turn itself around.

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By pretending education isn’t a failure, Illinois leaders are throwing this state’s children under the bus – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on with Dan and Amy to discuss Gov. Pritzker’s dismissal of any facts he disagrees with, how those with vested interests in the current education system distract from their failures, and how the facts on the ground remain the same: that student achievement remains horrendous and yet teacher ratings remain near 100%.

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The governor’s continued Covid Emergency Declarations are about two things: money and power – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show

President Biden said the pandemic is essentially over, but Governor Pritzker issued his 34th Covid Disaster Proclamation. President of Wirepoints and the Steve Cochran Show talk about why Pritzker issued the proclamation, what the Federal Government is going to do about this, and if the Governor’s Office has too much power.

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Gov. Pritzker shows either hypocrisy or failure regarding illegal immigration, Covid policy, green energy, the SAFE-T Act and more – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk about the hypocrisy of Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot regarding the illegal immigrants from Texas, Pritzker’s continued use of Covid emergency orders despite President Biden’s declaration, Illinois’ collapsing energy independence, the dangers of the SAFE-T Act and more.

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Pritzker signs Illinois’ 34th Covid Disaster Proclamation even as Biden proclaims ‘Covid is over’ – Wirepoints Quickpoint

Never mind that President Joe Biden declared “the pandemic is over” during a 60 Minutes interview Sunday night. In Illinois, it’s apparently still a “disaster” that warrants a declaration covering the entire state – all 102 counties. Gov. Pritzker issued his 34th Disaster Declaration on September 16, 2022, marking more than 900 days of Illinoisans living under emergency rules.

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Pritzker and Lightfoot are on the wrong side of the immigration issue, yet they’ll play it up. They’ll use disaster proclamations, ask for more money and name call. – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show

Ted and Steve Cochran talked about the political situation surrounding the 500 undocumented immigrants bussed from Texas to Chicago. Both sides are playing politics with immigrants stuck in the middle. But the whole problem stems from the crisis at the southern border – which one side of the political aisle refuses to acknowledge.

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Gov. Pritzker deserves no credit for his ‘taxpayer relief’ plan – Wirepoints

Just in time for the elections, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is set to send out income and property tax rebate checks as part of his $1.8 billion “taxpayer relief” plan. The problem is, none of what the governor is offering is real relief for struggling Illinoisans. Instead, it’s just Pritzker giving back a few hundred dollars after stripping Illinoisans of thousands.

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Parents gasped when they saw their school district reading results. – Wirepoints’ presentation on Illinois’ collapsing student outcomes

Student outcomes were already dismal before Covid-19, but now they’re even worse due to the state’s draconian pandemic policies of school closings, remote learning and strict mitigations. Ted Dabrowski traveled to Geneva to speak to parents and concerned residents about who is responsible for the failures in Illinois education, the threat Amendment 1 poses to parents rights and what we can do to improve outcomes for all Illinois students.

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Residents in other states are growing their property nest-eggs dramatically. In Illinois, home value growth has been near zero. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk about the implications of giving government unions even more power under Amendment 1, why Illinoisans home values haven’t grown in the past 20 years and how Chicago’s data on crime and education show how much the city’s leadership has failed residents.

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Chicago not a “hellhole,” but the facts show it’s a living hell for far too many people – Wirepoints

The families of children shot or killed, the victims of violent assault, the people terrorized by random crime in their neighborhoods, the students stuck in empty, failing schools, the unemployed with no hope of a job – that’s misery that shouldn’t be ignored. Yes, there’s similar problems in other big cities, too, but that doesn’t mean Chicago should get a pass for the pain its broken policies inflict.

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Imagine a teachers union inserting a requirement for sexualized education into their contract and parents having no recourse. That’s a possibility under Amendment 1. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk about the damage done to students by the school shutdowns during Covid, the ironfisted control teachers unions will have over education if Amendment 1 passes and the continued growth of violence and crime in Chicago.

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If you’re worried about property taxes, parents rights, or better government, watch out. Amendment 1 will negatively impact all those things – Wirepoints joins Tom Miller on WJPF Carbondale

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joined Tom Miller on the WJPF Morning Newswatch to spread the word about Amendment 1. Under the amendment, Illinois would become the nation’s extreme outlier when it comes to government union powers. No other state protects bargaining, creates unprecedented rights or blocks Right to Work like Amendment 1 would.

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Amendment 1 has two objectives: To give massive new powers to government unions and to stop Illinois’ private sector from going Right to Work – Wirepoints joins Awake Illinois on Facebook Live

Ted Dabrowski joined Shannon Adcock of Awake Illinois to discuss the details of Amendment 1 and its potential impact on Illinoisans. If you care about property taxes, parents’ rights or union powers – and the future of Illinois – you should care about Amendment 1. It’s the most important vote Illinoisans will take this election, and perhaps the most important in decades.

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The numbers don’t match the rhetoric: No more than one unarmed black Chicagoan was killed by police in any given year since 2015. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk about the video on CPS’s website promoting a false narrative about police shootings of unarmed minorities. The actual numbers don’t match the hype: not more than one unarmed black Chicagoan was killed by police in any given year since 2015.

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A Chicago Public Schools-backed video says cops are routinely killing blacks; that extreme narrative is false. – Wirepoints

Eight in 10 African-Americans and about half of white Biden voters “thought that young black men were more likely to be shot to death by police” than be one of the 7,500 blacks to die in a car accident each year. The reality is far different. In 2020, a total of 243 blacks were shot and killed by police nationwide with 18 of them unarmed.

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Illinois education, Chicago in particular, has become a jobs program: big salaries, big pensions for teachers and admins. At the same time, the kids can’t read. – Wirepoints on Shaun Thompson Show on AM560 The Answer

Ted was on the Shaun Thompson Show to talk about how CPS and CTU are keeping dozens of near-empty schools open across the city. Shaun called the setup a money fraud, but Ted argues the situation is much worse: it’s a disaster for the students that are supposed to be the next generation of Chicagoans, but most can’t even read at grade level.

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Biden’s student loan relief is a bad idea. It’s unfair to those who paid their debts or have never gone to college. – Wirepoints on FOX32 Chicago with Mike Flannery

Ted and Mark were on separate segments with Mike Flannery of Fox32 to discuss the bad idea that is President Biden’s student loan relief. Ted remarked it’s unfair to those who sacrificed and already paid their debts or have never gone to college and Mark said that even the Dept. of Education and Speaker Pelosi know the action isn’t legal.

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At Chicago’s Uplift High School there are 55 students and only 3% are reading proficient, yet Uplift has a Principal and an Assistant Principal both making $120K-plus – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk about CTU’s “F*** YOU!” to Wirepoints, the fact that a third of CPS schools are only half full, Illinois’ continued failure to promote jobs and growth and how Gov. Pritzker refuses to consider the balance of lives and livelihoods on both sides of his heavy-handed Covid response.

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Illinois politicians show time and again they support radical policies. Illinoisans will have to wake up and vote them out for this state to turn around. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Mark was on with Dan and Amy to talk about the chances of Illinois turning around, the need for Illinoisans to throw out politicians that support the status quo, the failure of Chicago to recover from the pandemic compared to NYC and LA, the problems with the SAFE-T Act, and more.

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‘We want to keep our neighborhood schools’ isn’t a good argument when those schools are near-empty and the remaining students can’t read or do math – Wirepoints joins Will Stephens on WXAN

Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski joined WXAN radio host Will Stephens to discuss how Chicago leaders, administrators and teachers are failing students horribly by keeping dozens of near-empty schools open across the city. Chicago Public Schools is shrinking in enrollment and yet there is still a school-closing moratorium in place.

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That Tottering Town: Chicago on the brink – Claremont Review of Books*

Few readers will need “What Next, Chicago?’s” subtitle, “Notes of a Pissed-Off Native Son,” to grasp that journalist Matt Rosenberg is angry about conditions in the city where he grew up. During almost 30 years there he experienced Chicago as “a celebration and a calamity.” But coming home after the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots, Rosenberg encountered little worth celebrating and much that’s calamitous.

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The tentacles of city crime spread across Chicagoland: Here’s why – Wirepoints

Major crimes spread from Chicago’s South and West Sides to the city’s downtown and upscale neighborhoods. Now Chicago’s seemingly intractable crime problem is spreading across city and county lines, as well. This is what happens when basic principles of policing and law and order are subverted by a political establishment which puts the rights of the accused ahead of the rights of victims.

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If you look at the SAFE-T Act and getting rid of cash bail, it’s exactly the same problem with IL’s green energy bill: Politicians are getting rid of policies but have no plan for any new ones – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk further about Chicago’s descent into lawlessness and crime, the impact of the SAFE-T Act, the fact that a third of CPS schools are 50% empty or worse and how down markets and the economy are going to drive Illinois’ pension debts even higher.

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A lot of Illinois’ labor force hasn’t come back, it’s still down about 250K people compared to pre-Covid – Wirepoints joins Tom Miller on WJPF Carbondale

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joined Tom Miller on the WJPF Morning Newswatch to talk about how the federal bailouts papered over the state’s financial problems, how poorly Illinois compares to its neighbors on jobs and growth and why Amendment 1 is the most important vote for Illinoisans in November.

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Pritzker administration pushes back against Wirepoints’ critique of latest “Disaster Declaration.” Our response. – Wirepoints

Wirepoints recently criticized Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proclamation in which he declared Illinois a “disaster area” for a 32nd consecutive 30-day period. The governor can’t have it both ways, we said. He can’t claim he’s managed Covid successfully and yet, more than two years later, continue to say Illinois is a disaster. The administration’s response is hypocritical, at best. Here’s why.

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The exodus doesn’t faze Chicago leaders. They seem to think if they insert the word “equity” into everything that things will somehow get better. – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk about the exodus from Dem-run cities like San Francisco and Chicago, the Chicago leadership’s obsession with woke causes, Illinois’ stagnant economic growth and how Florida is the big winner in the battle for people and their wealth.

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Gov. Pritzker can’t have it both ways. He can’t claim he’s done a great job at managing Covid and yet still proclaim Illinois a “Disaster Area.” – Wirepoints Quickpoint

Gov. J.B. Pritzker can’t have it both ways. He can’t claim he’s managed Covid successfully and yet, more than two years later, still proclaim Illinois a “Disaster Area.” Illinois is now one of just 14 states still under Emergency Orders and the only one of its neighbors to still implement Covid rules via executive fiat.

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Illinois is a “disaster” regarding finances, Covid-19, crime, education, out-migration…you name it. – Ted Dabrowski on with Jeanne Ives of Breakthrough Ideas

Ted Dabrowski joined Jeanne Ives of Breakthrough Ideas to talk about crime, Governor Pritzker’s five phases of restoring Illinois, the financial disaster that is Illinois’ fiscal policy,  how much residents will have to pay to repay the federal government’s loans, and how Illinois’ education system is failing.

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Gov. Pritzker’s record is very poor when you look at it in economic terms for the ordinary Illinoisan, but it’s great if you’re a political progressive – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer

Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk about Governor Pritzker’s 31 consecutive emergency orders and how they allow him to manage the state via executive fiat, as well as the potential future of Pritzker becoming vice-president of the U.S. because of his championing of radical progressive policies.

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We’re in a very dangerous situation where bad guys feel emboldened to not only do bad things but actually attack police – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show

Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski joined The Steve Cochran Show on WLS 890 to talk about how a decline in manpower and morale led to Chicago police being unable to answer 400,000 911 calls in a timely manner last year. The problems in the force also embolden the city’s criminals, not only to commit crime but to actually attack the police.

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Keith Pekau on his track record as mayor of Orland Park, campaign for Congress and the issues facing Illinoisans – The Dialogue: Episode 38

In The Dialogue’s first video podcast, Mark Glennon sits down with Orland Park mayor and current GOP candidate for Illinois’ 6th congressional district Keith Pekau to discuss how got started in politics, how his policies in Orland Park could translate to the federal level and where he stands on a number of hot button issues this election cycle.

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New Census data: income advantages of marriage greatest for blacks – Wirepoints

If we really want to unwind and correct what puts some populations at such great risk for bad economic and social outcomes, we should figure out how to accentuate the advantages of marriage. 2020 Census data show that median income was a remarkable 173 percent higher for black married couples with children versus single black female householders with children.

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Gov. Pritzker is still proclaiming Illinois a Covid “disaster area.” How does he do it with a straight face? – Wirepoints

Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently declared Illinois a Covid disaster area for the 31st consecutive 30-day period. Even if you were sympathetic to Pritzker’s disaster declarations during the height of the pandemic, you’d have to admit his pronouncement is absurd today. Every major metric, from vaccinations to hospitalizations to deaths, tells us that.

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The most basic city service is for police to respond to 911 calls, but Chicago ends up with thousands of instances of ‘no cops available’ – Wirepoints on WVON with Perri Small

Matt Rosenberg joined Perri Small on WVON to talk about the facts of Wirepoints’ latest report: New 2021 Chicago data shows 400,000 high-priority incidents where dispatchers had no police available to send. Matt told Perri that two things could help increase the number of on-time police responses to 911 calls: more cops on the street and more cops in general.

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New 2021 Chicago data shows 400,000 high-priority incidents where dispatchers had no police available to send – Wirepoints

Years of no support from city leadership, anti-policing legislation and the damaging rhetoric of the “defund” movement have taken a toll on Chicago police morale and manpower. All that has left police so thin that, in 2021, one of law enforcement’s most basic functions, responding to high-priority emergency service calls in a timely manner, was regularly beyond their capacity.

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In a city this violent, Mayor Lightfoot’s outburst against Justice Thomas constitutes a grave dereliction of duty – Wirepoints

Chicago already suffers from a serious problem with the hair-trigger temperament of too many of its citizens. Tragically but repeatedly they settle their difference with guns and knives over the most trivial things – often at the cost of human lives. So it ill-behooves Mayor Lightfoot to lose control of her emotions and demeanor while representing her city and her office in a public appearance.

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This election will provide voters a great delineation between Illinois’ possible futures: What Gov. Pritzker wants and what Darren Bailey wants – Wirepoints joins Will Stephens on WXAN

Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski joined WXAN radio host Will Stephens to discuss the results of Illinois’ gubernatorial primary, the collapse of establishment candidates on both the right and left, the dynamics of J.B. Pritzker vs Darren Bailey and the big issues that will likely dominate their campaigns.

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In Champaign/Urbana, 80% of students graduate but only about a third score reading-proficient on the SAT. Why are we moving kids through the system when they can’t perform? – Wirepoints on the News-Gazette’s Penny for Your Thoughts

Ted joined Brian Barnhart on WDWS Radio’s Penny for Your Thoughts to talk about the poor education results in Champaign and Urbana’s public schools. In Champaign, 54% of white and just 10% of black 3rd-graders can read at grade level. It’s worse in Urbana – just 28% of white and 6% of black 3rd-graders are reading-proficient.

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WVON’s Perri Small: I thought I was having a nightmare looking at this data…how are only 2 percent of Decatur’s black 3rd-graders able to read at grade level?– Wirepoints on WVON

Ted Dabrowski appeared on The Perri Small Show to discuss how Illinois’ educational establishment fails to prepare Illinois’ students, both black and white, for a successful future. “Back in high school every child, at least, was working at grade level. What happened? This is the question we have to ask,” Perri told Ted.

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The excuse that Illinois doesn’t spend enough on education doesn’t hold water. We already spend the most on education in the Midwest. – Wirepoints joins WMAY Greg Bishop on Air

Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski joined Greg Bishop on Air to discuss the statewide failure of school districts to educate Illinois’ children. Ted pointed out the typical excuse, that Illinois doesn’t spend enough on education, doesn’t hold water. Illinois already spends more on education than any other state in the Midwest.

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There’s no plan. We FOIA’ed Gov. Pritzker for his plan on how he’s going to convert to 100% green energy by 2050. He couldn’t send us anything. – Wirepoints joins Chicago’s Morning Answer on AM 560

Ted joined Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson to talk about how Gov. Pritzker and other leaders have no plan for how Illinois is going to move to having 50% of its electricity production coming from renewable sources by 2040 and 100% from clean energy sources by 2050. Illinois is going too fast in terms of dependency on renewables – leading, in part, to sky-high gas prices and the potential for brownouts this summer.

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Your breakfast costs 45 percent more than it did two years ago. Who’s to blame for such sky-high inflation? – Wirepoints

The government has failed spectacularly to manage the risk of inflation. Consider the simple act of eating breakfast. It’s 45 percent more expensive than it was two years ago. For many, that’s no surprise given the unprecedented government-enforced lockdowns, the trillions of dollars spent on bailouts and a haphazard implementation of the green energy agenda.

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There are so many administrators enriching themselves with nation-high salaries and pensions. Yet only 38% of Illinois students can read at grade level. Something doesn’t add up. – Wirepoints joins Chicago’s Morning Answer on AM 560

Ted joined joined Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson to talk more about Wirepoints’ new indictment of Illinois’ education system. Tens of thousands of administrators and educators are enriching themselves with some of the nation’s highest salaries and pensions. Yet only only 38% of Illinois students can read at grade level. Something doesn’t add up.

 

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Illinois’ loss of people and their income to states like Florida show why this state is now a “taker” from the federal government – Wirepoints joins Chicago’s Morning Answer on AM 560

Ted joined joined Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson to talk to talk about the new migration data from the IRS that shows Illinois lost a record net $8.5 billion in taxable income (AGI) to other states in 2020, the fact that Illinois is a next taker from the federal government and who is responsible for the high gas taxes Illinoisans pay.

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An indictment of Illinois’ education system: Join Wirepoints on June 2nd for a Rockford town hall with State Rep. Joe Sosnowski

Just 8 percent of black students in Rockford Public Schools can read at grade level. And only 11 percent of Hispanic students and 27 percent of white students can do math at grade level. Join us as Ted Dabrowski and Rep. Joe Sosnowski discuss who is responsible for the failures in Illinois education and how we can restore power to parents and children through school choice.

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Violence: it’s not the hardware, it’s the operating system – Wirepoints

We’re amidst The Great Unraveling. This is why angry, twisted young men embark on mass killings. Like the young shooters taking Chicago down a greased skid to hell, they’ve let their worst instincts, resentments, and hatreds loose. This isn’t new. And no law has yet stemmed the tide of mass shootings. Chicago has been awash in mass shootings since at least 2019.

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The Chicago Teachers’ Union latest election was about “social activism” vs. “compensation.” Nothing about students or their welfare. – Wirepoints

Just a few sentences recently written by the Chicago Sun-Times on the recent CTU leadership election shed light on why education in Chicago’s public schools fails so miserably. It was a choice between more social justice activism vs. more pay and benefits. Student outcomes and welfare weren’t even part of the equation.

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New 2020 IRS migration data reveals Florida is the biggest winner, New York is the biggest loser, in the competition for people and their wealth – A Wirepoints 50-state survey

Every year, states across the country compete with each other for people and their wealth as millions of Americans move between states. Florida, the nation’s perennial winner, gained the most people and income overall in 2020. Illinois lost the 3rd-most behind New York and California.

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Obama was right: “Too many fathers are missing” – Wirepoints

Births to unmarried mothers heighten the risks of low achievement, lower adult income, and greater risk of incarceration. That’s all too evident in Chicago, where eight of every 10 black babies are born to unmarried mothers. Exactly when it’s most needed, the black fatherhood conversation has become off-limits. That’s all wrong.

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A statistic that continues to be ignored: The high rate of births to unmarried mothers across Illinois’ 20 largest cities – Wirepoints

The topic is fraught: Social scientists report that births to unmarried mothers heighten risks of poor educational, behavioral, and employment outcomes, especially for young black males in poor neighborhoods. In 2020, 79 percent of all Illinois black births were out of wedlock compared to 53 percent all Latino births, 27 percent of white births and 8 percent of Asian births.

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The Census numbers are a mess, but one thing is still clear: Illinois is still a loser in the competition for people and incomes. – Ted on FOX32 (Chicago) with Mike Flannery

Ted was on FOX32 (Chicago) with Mike Flannery to talk about the confusion surrounding the U.S. Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey of the 2020 Census. Ted emphasized that, no matter how things play out with the Census numbers, Illinois is still losing the battle for people and incomes compared to states like Texas and Florida.

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Illinoisans pay the nation’s highest property taxes but don’t get quality services. Instead we get more debt, crime and corruption. – Wirepoints on with WVON’s Perri Small

Ted Dabrowski appeared on The Perri Small Show to discuss Wirepoints’ latest report: “Thirty years of pain: Illinoisans suffer as property tax bills grow far faster than household incomes, home values”. Ted pointed out that any way you cut them, the property taxes Illinoisans pay are punitive.

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Thirty years of pain: Illinoisans suffer as property tax bills grow far faster than household incomes, home values – Wirepoints Special Report

Any way you cut them, the residential property taxes Illinoisans pay are punitive. As a share of household incomes, they’re up more than 60 percent compared to three decades ago. As a percentage of home values, Illinois property taxes are now the highest in the country. And as for their impact on house prices, property taxes have contributed to Illinois suffering the nation’s third-worst growth in home values over

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Violence prevention can’t be bought – Wirepoints

Last month in Chicago, a new study was unveiled showing the supposed benefits of a violence prevention program called READI. But the research that’s being hailed as proof of concept is anything but that. The program has no overall net positive effect.

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The Covid bailouts can paper over Illinois’ fiscal mess, but they can’t hide Illinois’ GDP, employment and population failures – Wirepoints

While “free” federal money might make Illinois’ finances look better temporarily, the state continues to struggle where it really matters – economic growth and job creation. Since the beginning of 2019 when Gov. Pritzker took office, Illinois has continued to lag most of the nation in GDP growth and its unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the country.

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Chief Executive Magazine ranks Illinois third-worst state for doing business, yet Illinois politicians think businesses will move here because of…“equity!” – Wirepoints Quicktake

It’s crazy, considering the facts, but Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot still thinks she can battle states like Texas for people and companies using her “equity” agenda as a lure. Somebody ought to tell the mayor that “equity” doesn’t sell in a business environment as bad as Illinois’.

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Nine things Gov. Pritzker didn’t tell you about Illinois’ 2023 budget – Wirepoints

Lawmakers have declared the 2023 budget responsible and historic, a win for the middle class, and more. All of their celebrations ignore a simple fact. Revenues are up, deficits are papered over and Illinois’ credit ratings are improved for one reason: the Fed’s unprecedented $200 billion stimulus. The reality is Illinois remains at the bottom of the barrel nationally.

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Real “equity” in Cook County requires sweeping reforms – Wirepoints

If Cook County really walked the equity talk, it would have better controlled sharply rising taxes, spending and debt. Its prosecutors and judges would have already done more to inhibit violent crime which victimizes primarily blacks and Latinos. And it would have already permanently stemmed its unending tide of government corruption, which favors insiders over the rest of us. 

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Rahmaan Barnes asks: What will you paint on your life’s canvas? – Wirepoints

Because Chicago’s strident and self-conscious “anti-racism” seems to lead nowhere good, it’s more crucial than ever to know and embrace real black power. Meaning: black agency, black possibility, and black accomplishment. This is the story of how a striking street mural on Chicago’s South Side led me into the life of a black power exemplar named Rahmaan Statik.

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Illinois legislature’s anti-crime efforts end with a whimper, not a bang – Wirepoints

With 2022 elections approaching and Cook County homicides in excess of 1,000 for the first time in 28 years, they needed to show movement on crime. It was a largely cosmetic crime bill package designed for campaign brochures. Worse, it did material harm by failing to unwind anti-cop, pro-criminal measures within a larger criminal justice “reform” bill approved last year.

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Illinois has two classes: The well-funded public sector and the private sector workers who are forced to pay for them – Wirepoints joins the Shaun Thompson Show on 560AM The Answer

Ted Dabrowski joined the Shaun Thompson Show this week to talk about the why pension obligation bonds are bad news for taxpayers, why there are two classes of workers in Illinois and how close Illinois came to being the nation’s fiscal bum before the federal bailouts were doled out.

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Debunking the “mass incarceration” myth. Just 0.56% of adults are behind bars. – Wirepoints joins Will Stephens on WXAN

Wirepoints’ Matt Rosenberg joined WXAN radio host Will Stephens to talk about the “mass “incarceration” myth that’s promoted in Illinois and across the nation. He points out that less than 0.56 percent of the adult population are in jail, and even when those on parole or probation are added the total share is still less than 2 percent.

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The words ‘mass incarceration’ are thrown around, but the share of Illinois adults in prison is less than one percent. That’s not ‘mass’ incarceration – Wirepoints joins the Shaun Thompson Show on 560AM The Answer

Matt Rosenberg joined the Shaun Thompson Show this week to talk about his latest article: Mass incarceration: a weaponized myth. Matt told Shaun we need to challenge the claim that there is a racial disparity in incarceration. There are no quotas in outcomes and we should be looking at individuals and the decision that people make, not judging based on color.

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Mass incarceration: a weaponized myth – Wirepoints

“Mass incarceration” is also meant to evoke the notion of a criminal justice system imprisoning Americans indiscriminately, in service to a “prison-industrial” complex. There’s just one problem. In Illinois the incarcerated are less than six-tenths of one percent of the adult population. That includes all major venues: local, state, and federal jails or prisons.

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I invite everyone to drive around South Cook to see what high property taxes, collapsed home values and corruption does to communities – Wirepoints joins Chicago’s Morning Answer on AM 560

Ted talked with Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson this week about the coming cost to taxpayers as hundreds of school districts renegotiate contracts with their teachers this year, the overwhelming power those unions have, and how Chicago’s South Cook communities have been destroyed.

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Chicago’s official corruption is corrosive. It’s time to fix that. Here’s how to start. – Wirepoints

The Munoz case is a timely reminder to take stock of the character of Chicago’s elected officials, and of our city’s current plight. Chicago is gripped by deadly violence, failing public schools, staggering public employee pension debt, and rising taxes. Yet at every stage of this great city’s modern-day devolution, too many aldermen and city workers have turned out to be crooks.

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State legislators in Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri are laughing at, and learning from, Illinois’ bad decisions – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joined Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur to talk about Illinois lawmakers’ unwillingness to take emergency powers away from the governor, the dangers of one-party rule, the impact of higher gas prices and the massive debts of the state’s unemployment insurance fund.

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High gas prices just add to the reasons why Illinoisans leave. They can see how much cheaper prices are just across the border – Wirepoints joins Tom Miller on WJPF Carbondale

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joined Tom Miller on the WJPF Morning Newswatch to talk about inflation and its impact on gas prices in Illinois. Ted pointed out that gas prices are far, far lower in states like Missouri thanks to a combination of transportation costs, higher taxes, and more regulation in Illinois.

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COVID, crime and education draw all the attention, but Illinois pensions will still have a staggering impact in 2023 – Wirepoints Quickpoint

Illinois’ nation-worst pension crisis is all but forgotten as COVID, crime and schools continue to take center stage. But that doesn’t mean that the state’s retirement problems have gone away or are any less severe. Pension costs alone are set to devour nearly 24 percent of Illinois’ $45.4 billion budget in 2023.

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CT, DE, NJ, and OR are taking masks off children. NYT says masks should go. Gov. Pritzker is far behind the curve, so the pressure is on. – Wirepoints joins Chicago’s Morning Answer on AM 560

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski went on on AM560 Chicago’s Morning Answer to discuss Gov. Pritzker’s school mask mandates. With 37 states imposing no mandate, the govs of NJ, CT, OR and DE announcing they’ll end their mandates and even outlets like the Atlantic, NPR and Time Magazine turning against masks, Pritzker’s position has become both politically and scientifically untenable.

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This this the best moment for an IL gov. candidate to distinguish themselves. Treat criminals as criminals, not victims. Make taxpayers the priority, not public unions. – Wirepoints on The Chicago Way with John Kass

Ted was on The Chicago Way with John Kass and Jeff Carlin this week discussing the state of the Illinois governor’s race. For too long, Ted told John Kass, the opposition in Illinois has surrendered its principles for a “seat at the table” to make bad deals less bad. But this year is the perfect time for a candidate to distinguish himself if he actually talks about Illinois’ problems and provides concrete solutions.

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Gov. Pritzker and the General Assembly haven’t passed anything to make Illinois stronger in the past two years – Wirepoints joins Tom Miller on WJPF Carbondale

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joined Tom Miller on the WJPF Morning Newswatch. Ted pointed out that Illinois’ fiscal improvements are due to the $186 billion federal bailout, not Gov. Pritzker. They also discussed the governor’s proposed 2023 budget, his disinterest in ever passing structural reforms and his planned tax relief gimmicks.

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Credit the near $200 billion federal bailout, not Pritzker’s actions, for Illinois’ “improved” 2023 budget – Wirepoints

Gov. J.B. Pritzker took credit for Illinois’ “improved” finances when he released his $45.4 billion spending plan for 2023. But little, if any, of the credit for Illinois’ temporary fiscal improvements belongs to Pritzker or his administration. The real thanks belongs to the massive $186 billion in federal COVID relief funds that have been poured into Illinois’ public and private sectors over the past two years.

 

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The CDC and others are finally admitting to what Wirepoints said all along: It’s the elderly and comorbid who die. COVID policies should focus on them – Wirepoints joins Chicago’s Morning Answer on AM 560

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joined host Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson on AM560 Chicago’s Morning Answer to discuss the latest news on COVID. It seems the CDC and others are finally admitting to the COVID facts that Wirepoints has talked about for two years now.

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“The fight over schools in Chicago matters to Illinoisans. We all end up paying for Chicago’s crises eventually.” – Ted on WXAN

Ted Dabrowski joined WXAN to talk about the latest walkout by the Chicago Teachers Union. It’s important for all Illinoisans to understand what’s going on in Chicago for two reasons. One, the CTU serves as a powerful example to their local teachers unions. And two, all Illinoisans eventually end up paying for the crises in Chicago.

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Six sources of Chicago Teachers Union power – Wirepoints

As the CTU/CPS stalemate enters a new week, it’s important to understand where the teachers union’s power to disrupt the lives of 300,000 children and their parents comes from: state bargaining laws, a long history of appeasement by CPS, generous compensation and political clout.

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Chicago teachers are paid some of the highest salaries of any big district in the nation. What do Chicago parents get in return? – Wirepoints

With Chicago children kept out of classes for a second day because of a Chicago Teachers Union walkout, now is a good time to remind Chicago parents just how much they pay city educators to teach their children. CPS pays teachers some of the highest, if not the highest, salaries of any big district after adjusting for cost of living.

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Decisions being made during campaign season are pushing Illinoisans out of the state – Wirepoints joins Chicago’s Morning Answer on AM 560


Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joined Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson on Chicago’s Morning Answer. They discussed how Gov. JB Pritzker is repackaging budget projections to suit his needs. A year ago, he delivered an abysmal five-year budget forecast with a sad face – timed to illustrate Illinois’ need for a federal bailout.

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‘Yeoman Work’

We are dedicated to the same approach on everything we cover – accurate information in stories otherwise not being told.

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Gov. Pritzker can’t take credit for Illinois’ improved budget projections when it’s the feds that bailed the state out – Wirepoints

Gov. J.B. Pritzker may be celebrating Illinois’ projected lower deficits, but they owe little to what he’s done since taking office. If the budget numbers look any better it’s overwhelmingly due to the $182 billion in federal stimulus/COVID funds that have flooded into Illinois government coffers and private sector accounts.

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Influx of federal cash to Chicago and Illinois help Pritzker and Lightfoot’s re-election odds – Wirepoints joins The Scott Slocum Show on WJOL in Joliet

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joins Scott Slocum on WJOL in Joliet. They discussed how the influx of federal cash to Cook County and Chicago inflated their respective budgets by 40% and 60%. They also discussed how the increase in federal cash could help bolster Pritzker and Lightfoot’s re-election odds.

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East Moline’s double-notch credit downgrade a warning for Illinois cities considering borrowing to fund pensions – Wirepoints

Just two weeks ago we warned East Moline residents of the dangers of letting their city officials borrow tens of millions of dollars to supposedly “fix” the city’s struggling public safety pensionsNow East Moline has gotten a double-notch credit downgrade from Moody’s, leaving the city’s credit rating just two notches away from a junk rating.

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City of Chicago 2022 budget up nearly 60 percent over pre-COVID 2019 as Lightfoot set to implement ‘equity’ agenda – Wirepoints

Lightfoot is unintentionally setting Chicagoans up for a bigger fiscal cliff by ignoring the city’s worsening debts, and by creating more dependency through a multitude of programs. When the Fed’s largesse runs out Chicago will have millions in additional expenses and even higher debts – and no plan for how to pay for them.

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Legislative review board votes 10-0 to have Pritzker Administration review school mask requirement rules – Wirepoints

The bipartisan JCAR committee voted 10-0 to request more answers from the ISBE regarding its authority to enforce Pritzker’s mask mandate for schools. JCAR wants to see ISBE’s enforcement policies actually included in the administrative rules and in harmony with Illinois law, rather than just based on “guidance” from the governor’s mandates and executive orders.

 

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Illinois’ Gov. Pritzker strips school districts, parents of control over masks with new mandate – Wirepoints

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has issued a new mandate requiring all Illinois public school students to wear masks when they return to school later this month, taking away the authority of school districts to make their own decisions based on local COVID conditions. The governor continues to act unilaterally, even though the state’s ability to manage COVID has improved dramatically in recent months.

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School District U-46 bars parents without masks from entering board meeting to talk mask policy – Wirepoints on Chicago’s Morning Answer

On Monday, School District U-46, the state’s second largest district, barred parents from entering a board meeting to talk about the district’s mask policy unless they wore a face-mask. Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joins Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson on Chicago’s Morning Answer to discuss this along with Pritzker’s re-election bid and pensions.

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Illinois gets its first credit upgrade in 20 years. It took $138 billion in federal relief for it to happen. – Wirepoints

Illinois has just received a credit rating upgrade from Moody’s to Baa2, a level two notches above junk. Ignore the claims by Illinois lawmakers of their heroic acts of “balanced budgets,” “fiscal discipline” and the like. Credit, instead, the massive $138 billion in federal funds from the multiple COVID relief and stimulus packages.
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Even more evidence the federal bailout of states was completely unnecessary – Wirepoints Quickpoint

 

Two new pieces, one from Pew and one from Illinois’ official number crunchers, provide more evidence that the federal government’s $350 billion bailout to state and local governments earlier this year was entirely unnecessary.

Far from lacking cash, most states had billions of extra dollars to draw on to cover pandemic costs. From Pew: States’ Total Rainy Day Funds Fall for First Time Since Great Recession:

The total amount set aside in state rainy day funds fell for the first time since the Great Recession as lawmakers in fiscal year 2020 filled budget gaps driven by the pandemic’s early fiscal and

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Pritzker finds $350 million for K-12, but still wants to cut school choice program to save $14 million – Wirepoints Quickpoint

Citing improved state revenue projections, Gov. Pritzker recently announced the state would go through with a planned $350 million increase in funding for K-12 public education – something he originally left out of the 2022 budget. 

“Parents, students and educators can breathe a sigh of relief,” Pritzker said. “As an education advocate myself, I am really all too happy that our improved economic and fiscal condition allows us to increase educational funding.”

That language rings hollow to the many Illinois low-income kids that depend on the

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Pritzker wants $350 million more for K-12 budget just as Illinois school districts are about to get $5 billion in new federal stimulus. A district-by-district view. – Wirepoints

Illinois’ K-12 school districts are set to receive $5 billion in federal dollars as part of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan package. Nevertheless, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is ignoring the windfall and wants Illinois taxpayers to add $350 million to the state’s 2022 education budget.

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Communities in crisis: More than half of Illinois cities get “F” grades for local pensions – Wirepoints Special Report

Illinoisans are suffering from more than just the nation’s worst state-level pension mess. For most residents, another problem hits much closer to home: Illinois’ local pension crisis. Wirepoints has quantified the negative impact of local pension costs by examining the finances of Illinois municipalities from 2003 to 2019. While just seven of the 175 measured cities received an F grade in 2003, that number had grown to 102 cities by

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It’s no wonder Illinois is losing people and representation in Congress. People vote with their feet when you have horrible policies, restrict freedoms and are bankrupt. – Wirepoints joins Chicago’s Morning Answer on AM 560

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski joins Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson on Chicago’s Morning Answer. They discuss how Illinois’ population losses led to the loss of another seat in Congress, how the state is working to strip local control from school districts, and why Illinois mayors are rebelling against Pritzker’s latest cash grab.

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Illinois’ failure to vaccinate the most vulnerable, how lawmakers have abrogated on COVID rules, and the continuing tragedy in retirement homes – Ted Dabrowski on AM560

Ted was on AM560 this week talking about the state’s failure to vaccinate the most vulnerable Illinoisans, how state lawmakers abrogated their duty over COVID and let Gov. Pritzker rule by executive fiat, and how we still know little about the state’s failure to protect retirement home residents from COVID.

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Why strong 2020 state revenues should halt Biden’s bailout, the damage closed schools continue to inflict, and when Illinois’ math will fail – Wirepoints on AM 560’s The Morning Answer

Ted Dabrowski was on AM 560 talking about how states’ 2020 revenues were far better than expected and why Pres. Biden’s $350 billion bailout is unnecessary, the damage that closed schools continue to inflict on students, and how reformers can save Illinois when the state’s math finally fails.

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Illinoisans’ spiraling job losses, why parents need school choice and the dangers of Illinois’ proposed progressive teaching requirements. – Wirepoints on AM 560’s The Morning Answer

Ted Dabrowski was on AM 560’s The Morning Answer talking about how Illinois’ job losses compound on themselves, what the failure of the progressive tax amendment says about voters, why Illinois’ wealthiest school districts remain closed to in-class learning, and why the proposed proposed progressive requirements are so dangerous for education.

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Officials refuse to open doors at top-spending Deerfield/Highland Park school district as surrounding districts return to in-class learning – Wirepoints

Board members of Township District 113, made up of two high schools serving more than 3,500 students, have shown no signs of wanting to open up even as nearby districts increasingly add in-person learning options. Not surprisingly, that has many parents in the north shore suburbs of Deerfield and Highland Park more than frustrated.

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How Illinois can save more lives by vaccinating the elderly first and how the inconsistency of Illinois’ lockdown rules create more chaos – Wirepoints on AM 560’s The Morning Answer

Ted was on AM 560’s The Morning Answer this week talking about how Illinois can save more lives by giving the elderly the COVID vaccine before any other group, the inconsistency of Illinois’ destructive lockdown rules, and how Illinois’ leadership doesn’t appear to have any real plan to bring the COVID crisis to an end.

 

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The Feds may force well-run states to bail out Illinois, Iawmakers’ emboldened spending, and Pritzker’s failed $500 million business tax hike. – Wirepoints on AM560’s Black and Right with John Anthony

Ted was on Black and Right with John Anthony this week talking about the how the Biden stimulus will ultimate force taxpayers in well-run states to pay for Illinois’ self-inflicted crises, how Madigan’s departure might hasten Illinois’ decline because big-spending politicians have more power, and lawmakers’ failure to pass Pritzker’s $500 million tax hike on businesses.

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Illinois A.M. (After Madigan) – Wirepoints

Mike Madigan’s tenure as House Speaker is over after nearly 40 years at the helm. In his place, Democrats have elected Hillside Democrat Emanuel “Chris” Welch to lead the chamber. Madigan’s loss of power is a monumental change, but just because he’s gone it doesn’t mean Illinois’ problems are over.

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“The Quincy region is losing people just like the rest of Illinois. The area’s population has shrunk 5% since 2010.” – Ted on The Mary Griffith Show on WTAD Quincy

Ted was on with Mary Griffith of WTAD talking about the loss of population in the Quincy area and across Illinois as a whole. Illinois competes with its neighbors for people, jobs and businesses, and right now it’s losing. In all, the Quincy area has lost over 5 percent of its people since 2010.

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“Nobody has a plan to fix the state. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. But that’s what we need in 2021.” – Ted Dabrowski on the Illinois Channel.

Ted was on with Terry Martin talking about how the COVID-19 crisis exposed to the nation just how much of an outlier Illinois really is, how politicians on both sides of the aisle have no plan to fix Illinois, how Mike Madigan’s possible end as House Speaker won’t likely change Illinois’ status quo, the reforms that Illinois needs to turn itself around, and more.

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True inequality: In-class education at Chicago’s Catholic schools but remote learning at public schools – Wirepoints

CPS teachers haven’t been in the classroom for nearly nine months and the CTU is hinting they’ll strike for the fourth time in less than a decade to stop any reopening from happening. In contrast, Catholic school teachers have been teaching in-person, five days a week, to 34,000 city students since the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.

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“If you’re not growing, you’re dying…many Illinois cities are trapped in a death spiral” – Ted on with Tom Miller on Newsradio WJPF

Ted was on with Tom Miller this week talking about how Illinois is shrinking more than any other state in the nation. “When you lose your population as Illinois is, restaurants can’t stay open, small businesses can’t stay open, companies can’t hire enough high-quality people…you can’t maintain your tax base, you can’t maintain quality of life, it becomes a death spiral.”

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“The ratings agencies are set to downgrade Illinois to junk if they don’t see a plan.” – Ted on with Tom Miller on Newsradio WJPF

Ted was on with Tom Miller this week talking about the state of Illinois’ fiscal crisis now that the progressive tax failed and a federal bailout seems less likely. The rundown: Illinois has $7 billion in unpaid bills, a budget $6 billion in the red, 5-year projected deficits of $4 billion each year, over $300 billion in state retirement debts and the state is rated just one notch from junk status.

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New poll details Chicagoans’ opinions about policing, race and Mayor Lightfoot’s performance – Wirepoints Special Report

While Chicagoans share many concerns over the city’s policing practices, 79% want the police to spend the same amount of time or more in their neighborhoods. That’s one of the key findings of a new Wirepoints/Real Clear Opinion Research poll that looked at a range of attitudes in Chicago on policing, race and Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s performance.

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Commentary by Wirepoints: A 60% tax hike on Illinois’ richest won’t be a free lunch for the rest of us – Chicago Tribune*

Illinois’ wealthy don’t need defending. They know how to take care of themselves just fine. But don’t assume that a tax hike on them will be a free lunch for the rest of us. If too many wealthy leave, our reform-shunning legislature will only have one place to make up for the loss in tax revenues: Illinois’ middle-income earners.

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The facts support in-person learning for most Illinois schools. Case study: New Trier High School District 203 – Wirepoints

It’s only natural for parents and teachers to be worried about the impact of returning students to the classroom. But it’s important to look at the science and data of the coronavirus. The reality is children are far less likely to get infected with COVID-19, are far less likely to get seriously ill, and are far less likely to spread the virus to adults and other children.

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“Speaker Madigan and others have built up this amazing machine that garners money, laws, and power. If Madigan is gone tomorrow that legally corrupt machine is still there.” – Ted Dabrowski on with Tom Miller

Ted was on with Tom Miller of WJPF this week talking about ComEd, Speaker Madigan and the Illinois machine. “If Madigan is gone tomorrow Illinois’ legalized corruption machine is still there. It’s not just Madigan, it’s the machine that must be deconstructed.”

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“The individuals with BLM signs in their yards may be well-intentioned people, but they’re just not paying attention to what the organization is really about.” – Mark Glennon on the Steve Cortes Show

Mark was on with Steve Cortez this week. “Some say it’s the movement I support, it’s just a phrase, I don’t care about the organization.’ But that’s the problem, by using that phrase, you are supporting that organization, giving them credibility.”

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What’s Illinois’ true COVID-19 fatality rate? – Wirepoints

Antibody testing results from around the country are showing the actual lethality of the virus is far lower than originally feared. CDC findings suggest that the true number of U.S. cases total 24 million, not the 2.4 million reported officially. That would drop the virus fatality rate to 0.5 percent from the known-case death rate of 4.9 percent.

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“The longer the economy is shut, the worse Illinois’ revenues and deficits will be. Politicians expect jobless Illinoisans to pay for those deficits.” – Ted on the Illinois Channel

“You’ve got one million Illinoisans unemployed, nobody knows what’s happening with the economy, we’re only now starting to open up. And yet the government passed a record spending budget – the biggest ever – with no cuts, no furloughs, no kind of savings whatsoever to give relief to Illinoisans that have to pay for that government.”

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