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# Wirepoints

-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --

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## Posts

- [‘Minnesota Nuts’: Competition stiffens for Illinois’ title as the Midwest’s progressive paradise  – Wirepoints](https://wirepoints.org/minnesota-nuts-competition-stiffens-for-illinois-title-as-the-midwests-progressive-paradise-wirepoints/) - “Good riddance,” Illinois progressives often say to fleeing centrists and conservatives, and “welcome” to progressives. Illinois now has stronger competition in the region for that kind of thinking.
- [JB Pritzker among 3 Democratic governors raising their profiles, which could chart paths to White House: Experts - ABC News](https://wirepoints.org/jb-pritzker-among-3-democratic-governors-raising-their-profiles-which-could-chart-paths-to-white-house-experts-abc-news/) - "Some of Pritzker's involvement has been in his official capacity as governor. Democratic control of the Illinois Legislature since 2019 has allowed him to sign major new laws, including passing a preemptive ban on book bans, a minimum wage increase, marijuana legalization and more. But he is also going out of his way to support the national party, through securing donations in battleground elections, joining Biden's reelection advisory board and attracting the upcoming convention to Chicago."
- [Illinois gives a first look at a literacy plan for schools. Here are four things to know. - Chalkbeat Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-gives-a-first-look-at-a-literacy-plan-for-schools-here-are-four-things-to-know-chalkbeat-chicago/) - The plan says “universal screening for literacy skills is essential” because it can help teachers figure out where gaps are in a student’s reading skills. However, universal screening is not currently required by the state. A bill in the spring that would have required screening to test for reading difficulties and disabilities such as dyslexia for children in kindergarten to second grade did not pass.
- [Progressives launch their own campaign to flip school board seats nationwide - ABC News](https://wirepoints.org/progressives-launch-their-own-campaign-to-flip-school-board-seats-nationwide-abc-news/) - The Progressive Change Campaign Committee will be focusing its efforts in battlegrounds like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, as well as Illinois and Virginia, where several school boards seats will see vacancies, a spokesperson said.
- [Life in Illinois gets more expensive on July 1 with multiple tax increases, new laws - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/life-in-illinois-gets-more-expensive-on-july-1-with-multiple-tax-increases-new-laws-wgn/) - The end of a grocery tax suspension, the increase of the state’s tax on gas, the doubling of certain fees; there are multiple aspects of life in Illinois set to become more expensive on July 1.
- [Flannery interviews former governors Rauner and Quinn - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/flannery-interviews-former-governors-rauner-and-quinn-fox-chicago/)
- [Chicago Bears’ stadium bid unlikely to fly with unprecedented public subsidies like Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans received - Chicago Tribune/MSN](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-bears-stadium-bid-unlikely-to-fly-with-unprecedented-public-subsidies-like-buffalo-bills-and-tennessee-titans-received-chicago-tribune/) - New stadiums for the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans set records for public subsidies for NFL teams — but key differences between those projects and the Chicago Bears’ proposed new stadium could determine what taxpayers here may pay.
- [Sleeping on the floor of a Chicago police station for weeks, some migrants say it’s still their best option - Chicago Tribune/MSN](https://wirepoints.org/sleeping-on-the-floor-of-a-chicago-police-station-for-weeks-some-migrants-say-its-still-their-best-option-chicago-tribune-msn/) - As of Friday, there were 4,878 asylum-seekers in 13 city-run shelters and 460 waiting in police stations, according to a statement from Office of Emergency Management and Communications spokesperson Mary May.
- [At least 29 shot, 8 fatally, in weekend gun violence across city, police say - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/at-least-29-shot-6-fatally-in-weekend-gun-violence-across-city-police-say-abc7-chicago/) - Last weekend, at least 75 people were shot, 14 fatally, in gun violence across Chicago, police said.
- [Commentary: Cook County property tax sales compound history of discriminatory real estate practices - Crain's*](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-cook-county-property-tax-sales-compound-history-of-discriminatory-real-estate-practices-crains/) - John Bouman, executive director of Legal Action Chicago: The Supreme Court unanimously held that the excess market value is a species of property that no government can take away without just compensation. It is also clear that this whole system needs a reform that not only protects equity, but also keeps more people in their homes.
- [Real estate agent to Chicagoans: Please don’t leave - Crain's*](https://wirepoints.org/real-estate-agent-to-chicagoans-please-dont-leave-crains/) - On June 21, a Chicago real estate agent sent a newsletter to 20,000 people that addressed a sore subject: people leaving the city because of crime and other problems. He urged people to stay and help heal the city’s ills. The newsletter is the latest flashpoint in a contentious debate citywide and more specifically in real estate circles. Are people leaving Chicago and, if they are, is it because of crime?
- [The assessment on Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s home went down while his neighbors’ soared. - Chicago Tribune/MSN](https://wirepoints.org/the-assessment-on-cook-county-assessor-fritz-kaegis-home-went-down-while-his-neighbors-soared-chicago-tribune-msn/) - But there’s no fix in at the office, the assessor’s office insists. In fact, Kaegi said the decrease was a corrective counterbalance to a massive assessment hike his house received when he took the unusual step of tattling on himself three years ago, resulting in his family paying more per square foot than neighbors in comparable homes.
- [Editorial: Chicago teachers ponder funding Lincoln Yards, a development CTU once protested. Watch out. - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-chicago-teachers-ponder-funding-lincoln-yards-a-development-ctu-once-protested-watch-out-chicago-tribune/) - "As of 2021, the State Universities Retirement System of Illinois had some of the largest real estate holdings among public pensions. But its biggest investments were in broad-based funds run by professional real estate experts. A few very large pension systems, including California’s and Canada’s, have built in-house teams of real estate pros capable of conducting due diligence on big projects."
- [Democrats continue attacks on immigrants in Chicago and Illinois - World Socialist Web Site](https://wirepoints.org/democrats-continue-attacks-on-immigrants-in-chicago-and-illinois-world-socialist-web-site/) - "The recent attacks on immigrant workers in Chicago and throughout Illinois are peeling the mask off the identity politics rhetoric of the Democrat Party."
- [Chicago home prices fall for seventh straight month - The RealDeal](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-home-prices-fall-for-seventh-straight-month-the-realdeal/) - The median price of homes sold in Chicago fell 4.4 percent year-over-year in May to $335,000, the outlet reported, citing data from Illinois Realtors. That drop-off is greater than the nationwide figure of 3.1 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors. Population losses, perceptions of crime levels and the remote work movement pulling demand away from the city are among reasons for the drops.
- [Fraudulent Covid Aid Drove Up U.S. House Prices, Report Says - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/fraudulent-covid-aid-drove-up-u-s-house-prices-report-says-wall-street-journal/) - Researchers found that people who defrauded the government for pandemic relief poured money into housing markets, driving inflation in some areas. Fraud didn’t occur uniformly across the U.S. Illinois’ Cook County, where Chicago is located, saw suspicious loan rates around 30%, compared with 10% in New York County, which consists of Manhattan, and Los Angeles County.
- [Paul Vallas: The truth about the 2013 school closures the Chicago Teachers Union doesn’t want you to hear - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-the-truth-about-the-2013-school-closures-the-chicago-teachers-union-doesnt-want-you-to-hear-illinois-policy/) - In 2013, Chicago closed 50 nearly empty schools. Since then, the Chicago Teachers Union has barred charters and other schools from using these empty buildings to provide schooling options for local students. And after railing against these school closures, CTU leadership locked students out of full-time, in-person learning for 17 months during 2020-21.
- [Chicago's ambitious plan to convert 5 million square feet of empty office space into affordable housing places a big bet on remote work - Business Insider](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-ambitious-plan-to-convert-5-million-square-feet-of-empty-office-space-into-affordable-housing-places-a-big-bet-on-remote-work-business-insider/) - Amy Masters, the director of government and external affairs for the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, said, "During the pandemic, we couldn't imagine sharing elevators or attending in-person meetings without masks. But the current reality now sees us comfortably boarding trains, joining others in elevators, and participating in regular work meetings and social outings...Offices foster collaboration, innovation, and a sense of community. Office buildings will continue to evolve their offerings and create value for tenants."
- [Community summit held in South Shore to address displacement due to Obama Center - WBBM (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/community-summit-held-in-south-shore-to-address-displacement-due-to-obama-center-wbbm-chicago/) - Ald. Desmon Yancy is supporting an ordinance that includes more than $64 million in investments for housing and development in South Shore where prices are going up as the Obama Center is built. "That's a story that happens all across the country, but we're feeling it here in South Shore where a great new development comes, but the people who are living in this neighborhood suffer disinvestment for a long time."
- [How Chicago can benefit from upcoming NASCAR street race - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/how-chicago-can-benefit-from-upcoming-nascar-street-race-abc7-chicago/) - "It's a two day commercial for Chicago to show the best that we have to offer on a global stage," said Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce CEO Jack Lavin.
- [Rich Miller: Governor tries to cap health care costs for immigrants - Illinois Times](https://wirepoints.org/rich-miller-governor-tries-to-cap-health-care-costs-for-immigrants-illinois-times/) - "This is obviously an unusual position for the governor to be in. He’s been a darling, even a hero, of the progressive wing of his party since Day One. But, at least for now, he’s taking some real heat."
- [Column: Illinois taxpayers on hook for $5.6 billion pension fix - Daily Herald*](https://wirepoints.org/column-illinois-taxpayers-on-hook-for-5-6-billion-pension-fix-daily-herald/) - "The $5.6 billion needed represents 4% of the $137.9 billion already earmarked for those pension systems through 2045, according to the study."
- [Chicago Billionaire Believes He Can Reduce Murder Rate With Jobs - Moguldom Nation](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-billionaire-believes-he-can-reduce-murder-rate-with-jobs-moguldom-nation/) - Billionaire Chicago real estate investor James Crown promises to reduce the murder rate in Chicago and make it “the safest city in America” by creating jobs in poor neighborhoods, funding violence intervention programs and strengthening law enforcement agencies.
- [Biden to deliver major economic address in Chicago next week - Reuters](https://wirepoints.org/biden-to-deliver-major-economic-address-in-chicago-next-week-reuters/) - Plans for a speech in Chicago on "Bidenomics," which have not previously been reported and were seen in a White House advisory by Reuters, come as Biden is ramping up political events and travel two months after launching his re-election campaign.
- [Wisconsin Republicans pass plan to cut income taxes by 15% on average - A.P.](https://wirepoints.org/wisconsin-republicans-pass-plan-to-cut-income-taxes-by-15-on-average-a-p/)
- [Chicago’s all-boys charter school can stay open as lawsuit fighting its closure continues, appellate court rules - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-all-boys-charter-school-can-stay-open-as-lawsuit-fighting-its-closure-continues-appellate-court-rules-wbez-chicago/) - The Board of Education voted to revoke Urban Prep’s charter after it found only one-third of teachers are certified; a failure to provide special education services for disabled students; financial turmoil and mismanagement. Urban Prep is challenging the revocation of its charter by CPS, saying a state moratorium prevents the school district from closing schools until 2025.
- [Commentary: Success in other cities shows that a strong police superintendent can reduce Chicago’s violence - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-success-in-other-cities-shows-that-a-strong-police-superintendent-can-reduce-chicagos-violence-chicago-tribune/) - "As the Justice Department official who was responsible for implementing the 1994 federal crime law, I had a ringside view of changes in U. S. policing in the 1990s. I came to one clear conclusion: The single-most important factor in determining whether cities made real progress in reducing violent crime was the quality of police leadership...For more than a decade, except for less than six months of interim leadership by Charlie Beck, Chicago has not had police superintendent of that quality. Chicago’s crime levels show the consequences."
- [Millions of Illinois residents get their drinking water from municipal and private wells contaminated with toxic forever chemicals - Chicago Tribune/MSN](https://wirepoints.org/millions-of-illinois-residents-get-their-drinking-water-from-municipal-and-private-wells-contaminated-with-toxic-forever-chemicals-chicago-tribune-msn/) - “It would be great to find a source and stop it right there,” said Sandra Martell, the Winnebago County health administrator. “For now we are going to have to deal with immediate action people can take, in particular when it comes to protecting young children who are more vulnerable because their bodies are still developing. That means more people using water filters, and eventually getting them connected to municipal sources of water.”
- ['All Kids' health insurance audit shows ineligible recipients cost Illinois taxpayers $1.2 million - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/all-kids-health-insurance-audit-shows-ineligible-recipients-cost-illinois-taxpayers-1-2-million-center-square/) - The state-run All Kids Health Insurance program has been providing insurance to those over the eligible age of 18. State Rep. Charlie Meier said it's inexcusable. "If Facebook can send you an alert every time one of your friends has a birthday, if Facebook can do that, don't you think the state of Illinois, who is mailing these people money, ought to be able to do that."
- [Illinois education leaders discuss first draft of statewide comprehensive literacy plan - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-education-leaders-discuss-first-draft-of-statewide-comprehensive-literacy-plan-wand-decatur/) - Almost 40% of fourth graders in Illinois read below their grade level, according to the Illinois Early Literacy Coalition. Lawmakers and advocates hope the 54-page plan can get students back on track. Teachers and advocates are glad to see ISBE is also emphasizing the importance of high-quality, diverse, and culturally inclusive materials.
- [Jen Johnson, Chicago’s new deputy mayor for education, has a long to-do list. - Chalkbeat Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/jen-johnson-chicagos-new-deputy-mayor-for-education-has-a-long-to-do-list-first-up-youth-jobs-migrant-families-chalkbeat-chicago/) - As the district and union tackle negotiations over a new labor contract, Jen Johnson - the former chief of staff for the Chicago Teachers Union - will find herself on the opposite side of the table from where she sat during highly contentious contract talks in 2019 and later over reopening school buildings during the pandemic.
- [Black Americans Are Leaving Cities in the North and West - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/black-americans-are-leaving-cities-in-the-north-and-west-wall-street-journal/) - The latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates, released Thursday, indicate Black residents are continuing to leave many urban centers in the North and elsewhere, adding to decades of decline. These losses have hit many major cities with historically large Black populations, including Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and Oakland, Calif.
- [Cook County Set to End 2023 With $214.7M Budget Surplus: Officials - WTTW](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-set-to-end-2023-with-214-7m-budget-surplus-officials-wttw/)
- [Video: Illinois' Rep. Darin LaHood: 'Mind blowing' level of criminality shown in new Biden whistleblower evidence - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-rep-darin-lahood-mind-blowing-level-of-criminality-shown-in-new-biden-whistleblower-evidence-video-fox-news/) - Investigators at every level were told by the Justice Department to stand down to protect bid, says LaHood about new evidence.
- [Illinois Gives $300,000 to an Apparently Inactive BLM Group - RealClear Investigations](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-gives-300000-to-an-apparently-inactive-blm-group-realclear-investigations/) - Aside from concerns about government funding political activist groups, critics say that the BLM Lake County doesn’t appear to be an active organization anymore; Breakthrough Ideas found little social media activity from them, and no physical presence in the community. Additionally, the head of the group, Clyde McLemore, has faced charges from law enforcement.
- [James T. Weiss gets a victory in CPS school parking lawsuit a week after being convicted of bribing 2 legislators - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/james-t-weiss-gets-a-victory-in-cps-school-parking-lawsuit-a-week-after-being-convicted-of-bribing-2-legislators-chicago-sun-times/) - The lawsuit was filed three years ago by the Board of Education, saying Weiss and his business partner were in breach of contract in their deal to use 10 school parking lots during off hours for paid parking. Weiss — a son-in-law of Joseph Berrios, the former Cook County assessor who also formerly chaired the Cook County Democratic Party — was found guilty by a federal jury June 15 of bribing then state-Rep. Luis Arroyo and then-state Sen. Terry Link.
- [Hundreds Of Extra Officers Will Staff Sunday’s Pride Parade - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/hundreds-of-extra-officers-will-staff-sundays-pride-parade-block-club-chicago/) - There were a few instances of late-night mayhem after the parade last year, including a shooting and a stabbing, as well as crowds of younger people overtaking the streets near the Belmont CTA station. This year, the “most experienced” officers are scheduled through Sunday night, and undercover officers are assigned to work within crowds of people watching the parade.
- [Chicago Officials Look Toward More Sustainable Model in Aiding Thousands of Asylum Seekers - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-officials-look-toward-more-sustainable-model-in-aiding-thousands-of-asylum-seekers-wttw-chicago/) - “We are known as a welcoming city, we have an ordinance as such, and now this is building the infrastructure to be able to operationalize that concept,” said Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first deputy chief of staff. “We’re looking to partner with our community-based organizations so that they can staff our temporary shelters. They can also support the case management needed to be able to identify the permanent housing solutions, and we partner with the state to be able to cover six months of rental assistance so that individuals can start their life in Chicago and be on a path for sustainability and resettlement in our city.”
- [Pension board votes to take away the retirement benefits of former state Rep. Luis Arroyo - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/pension-board-votes-to-take-away-the-retirement-benefits-of-former-state-rep-luis-arroyo-wbez-chicago/) - “It is no small punishment that he’s going to spend five years of his life in the federal penitentiary for his corruption. But it’s an additional indignity that when he gets out, what would’ve been a quite generous … retirement security, that’s gone. He has nothing from his service in the General Assembly,” said state Sen. Robert Martwick, chairman of the legislative pension system board.
- [Illinois’ program of taxpayers subsidizing noncitizen health care criticized from all sides - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-program-of-taxpayers-subsidizing-noncitizen-health-care-criticized-from-all-sides-center-square/) - “You don’t necessarily think about what you’re doing and sometimes you get into things that you sort of start to realize were a bad idea and I think that is reflected in the governor’s decision to change the policy up a little bit,” state Sen, Steve McClure said.
- [Texas OLS: More than 500 buses sent to sanctuary cities - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/texas-ols-more-than-500-buses-sent-to-sanctuary-cities-center-square/) - Since August of last year, Texas has bused more than 8,200 to New York City and more than 2,600 to Chicago. While many have criticized Gov. Greg Abbott for his busing strategy, the Democratic-led city of El Paso has transported more people to New York City and Chicago than the state has this year. According to El Paso’s “Migrant Situational Awareness Dashboard,” the city has arranged the transportation of 13,972 people to New York City and Chicago as of June 23, via plane, train and charter bus.
- [Measure on Pritzker’s desk gives convicted felons the right to apply for casino jobs - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/measure-on-pritzkers-desk-gives-convicted-felons-the-right-to-apply-for-casino-jobs-center-square/) - The bill was supported by labor unions and the Illinois Gaming Board. A union job with benefits gives formerly incarcerated people a way to turn their lives around, state Sen. Robert Peters said. “Allowing workers to perform jobs in the casinos that do not involve gaming decreases the likelihood that they will backslide and wind up back in prison."
- [Sales tax incentives to promote E15 gasoline approved in Illinois - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/sales-tax-incentives-to-promote-e15-gasoline-approved-in-illinois-center-square/) - Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1963 that gives gas stations a 10% sales tax exemption to sell gasoline with a higher blend of ethanol. The new rule provides a 10% sales tax exemption for the E15 blend that most vehicles can use. There is a 20% sales tax exemption for fuel with a 20% to 50% blend of ethanol, and a 100% tax exemption for vehicles that can run on fuel with an 85% blend of ethanol.
- [Illinois 2023 End of Session Report - JD Supra](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-2023-end-of-session-report-jd-supra/) - At the end of session, the General Assembly passed a $50.599B budget, BIMP, revenue omnibus, Medicaid omnibus, procurement omnibus, energy omnibus, elections omnibus, property tax omnibus, TIF extension omnibus, and sunset extension omnibus; issued $700M in new capital development bonds; created a state health benefits exchange' and allowed the Department of Insurance to reject private health insurance rates deemed unreasonable.
- [Brandon Johnson Did the Impossible. Now Comes the Hard Part. - In These Times](https://wirepoints.org/brandon-johnson-did-the-impossible-now-comes-the-hard-part-in-these-times/) - "As we stare out from our train car, I ask Johnson about the theory, held by some within the progressive movement, that too much activism and policy is focused too explicitly on race and not enough on building broader class consciousness. It’s a criticism he rejects as we pass some of Chicago’s Blackest and most neglected blocks. It’s impossible, he tells me, to separate this inequity from the lived reality of race."
- [Guest Column: Growing Small Business Hopes and Dreams in a Small Midwestern Farm Town - John Kass News](https://wirepoints.org/guest-column-growing-small-business-hopes-and-dreams-in-a-small-midwestern-farm-town-john-kass-news/) - "(Youth summer program Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) was paid for by local businesspeople in Effingham who realized the benefits of having business savvy youth in the community, and there is an intentional shunning of CEO being inserted in public school curriculum. As (creator Jeanne Dau) said, 'People in Effingham wanted it independent of public schools.' This says a great deal about the public’s distrust of the Illinois State Board of Education."
- [Illinois AG ordered to provide documents from several state agencies in Monstanto litigation - Cook County Record](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-ag-ordered-to-provide-documents-from-several-state-agencies-in-monstanto-litigation-cook-county-record/) - Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a lawsuit against Monsanto and Solutia in 2022, alleging the companies for decades made and sold polychlorinated biphenyls that ended up contaminating creeks, rivers, lakes and beaches in Illinois and harming wildlife and other natural resources.
- [Recommendations to Strengthen the Council Office of Financial Analysis - Civic Federation](https://wirepoints.org/recommendations-to-strengthen-the-council-office-of-financial-analysis-civic-federation/) - "While there have been some improvements in scope and transparency since the office was created, the Council Office of Financial Analysis needs to be strengthened significantly to make it a more meaningful resource to City Council members."
- [Chicago Cubs prevail in lawsuit alleging Wrigley renovations violated accessibility requirements for wheelchair-bound fans - Chicago Tribune/MSN](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-cubs-prevail-in-lawsuit-alleging-wrigley-renovations-violated-accessibility-requirements-for-wheelchair-bound-fans-chicago-tribune-msn/) - In his 2017 lawsuit, David Cerda alleged many of the accessible seats were among the “worst views” in the ballpark, too small, not properly dispersed and relegated disabled patrons to isolated areas. The judge, who visited Wrigley Field during the trial, took a different view: “The site visit impressed upon the Court the variety of locations and views on offer for patrons who require accessible seating, as well as that ‘friendly confines’ feeling that is unique to Wrigley Field."
- [New report finds that affordable rental housing is nearly out of reach in Illinois - WICS (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/new-report-finds-that-affordable-rental-housing-is-nearly-out-of-reach-in-illinois-wics-springfield/) - The average full-time worker in Illinois will have to make nearly $25 an hour in order to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment.
- [Big suburban office buildings face foreclosure, imminent default - Crain's*](https://wirepoints.org/big-suburban-office-buildings-face-foreclosure-imminent-default-crains/) - Two of the priciest suburban office properties to change hands in the past decade are adding to the pile of buildings in distress or on the financial brink in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- [Do you believe in ‘magic’ lobbyists? Illinois businesses stick by Madigan-connected lobbyists. - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/do-you-believe-in-magic-lobbyists-illinois-businesses-stick-by-madigan-connected-lobbyists-wbez-chicago/) - “I’d like to say I’m surprised by that,” said the jury forewoman in the ComEd trial, Sarah Goldenberg, when told how little the trial appears to have impacted the “magic” lobbyists. “But knowing we’re in the state of Illinois, I’m not as surprised by that just because our state has always been riddled with corruption."
- [New Illinois law could curb recidivism by connecting inmates, communities - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/new-illinois-law-could-curb-recidivism-by-connecting-inmates-communities-center-square/) - House Bill 1496 requires the departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice to record each inmate’s last-known street address and demographic data for the U.S. Census Bureau, which can direct resources to communities based on accurate population data. “That goes to help reduce recidivism because most of the people that are currently imprisoned in our prisons are going to come home,” said Avalon Betts-Gaston, of Illinois Alliance for Reentry & Justice. “The message of belonging is very, very, very important for our incarcerated neighbors.”
- [Consumer advocates, utilities spar over potential energy price increases - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/consumer-advocates-utilities-spar-over-potential-energy-price-increases-capitol-news-il/) - Four gas utilities and the state’s two largest electric utilities are currently requesting authority from the Illinois Commerce Commission to increase rates. All told, electric utilities have asked to raise rates by a combined $2.8 billion over four years, while gas utilities have requested $890 million in increases next year. Customers of the four gas utilities could pay between $60 and $140 more for gas per year on average if the ICC approves their requested rates.
- [Greg Hinz: A sign the awkward honeymoon between Johnson and biz may be over - Crain's*](https://wirepoints.org/greg-hinz-a-sign-the-awkward-honeymoon-between-johnson-and-biz-may-be-over-crains/) - Johnson put no business people on his pension advisory panel. "That is exactly what many in business circles fear. That Johnson will smilingly take any financial offerings they choose to make in summer jobs, etc., and then ram through anything more he wants. It’s too early to say that for sure. But denying a key interest group a seat at the table, even at this stage, is not a good sign."
- [It's Not Just People - Illinois Suffered The Nation's 3rd-Worst Loss Of Businesses - ZeroHedge](https://wirepoints.org/its-not-just-people-illinois-suffered-the-nations-3rd-worst-loss-of-businesses-zerohedge/) - Our Wirepoints column republished.
- [A Venezuelan migrant is using his painting skills to brighten his new neighborhood - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/a-venezuelan-migrant-is-using-his-blossoming-painting-skills-to-brighten-his-new-neighborhood-chicago-sun-times/) - Juan Carlos Silva left his native Venezuela in 2020. He spent months in Colombia and Ecuador, passed through Brazil and Chile, carrying his art supplies with him, and finally arrived in Chicago from San Antonio, Texas, last month. The 46-year-old former military man is staying in the lobby of the 22nd District Police Station in Morgan Park, and lending his talents to the Edna White Community Garden, next door to the police station, volunteering to paint the garden’s sheds and benches.
- [Column: What options do Evanston and Arlington Heights have for clinching stadium deals? - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/column-what-options-do-evanston-and-arlington-heights-have-for-clinching-stadium-deals-chicago-tribune/) - David Greising, of the Better Government Association: "What these two proposed projects most have in common is their reliance on local governments to make them happen. And what the local governments need to keep in mind is that they, not their would-be coliseum constructors, have the controlling seat in negotiations."
- [Chicago pension task force begins work - The Bond Buyer](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-pension-task-force-begins-work-the-bond-buyer/) - A "working group" made up of city, state, and labor officials tasked by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson with finding long-term funding and structural fixes to pension funding strains held its first meeting this week with a fall legislative veto session the target for initial action.
- [Commentary: By limiting where laws can be challenged, Illinois state government is guilty of a power grab - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-by-limiting-where-laws-can-be-challenged-illinois-state-government-is-guilty-of-a-power-grab-chicago-tribune/) - "By giving undue influence to just two of the state’s 102 counties, residents of the other 100 counties are denied equal access to challenge laws they believe are unconstitutional, except potentially at a great inconvenience and expense to themselves. For those who don’t live anywhere near the state’s power centers, that can be a considerable barrier to seeking justice. Yet, residents of Cook and Sangamon counties — and public unions — need not overcome those same hurdles."
- [The impact in Evanston of the nation’s first cash reparations program for Black residents - PBS News Hour](https://wirepoints.org/the-impact-in-evanston-of-the-nations-first-cash-reparations-program-for-black-residents-pbs-news-hour/) - At Northwestern University, Professor Al Tillery is studying the response to the reparations initiative. He explained, "I don't think were going to be at the 15 percent (approval rate) for where white people are nationally. I think we're going to be much higher than that...I mean, so, if we found between 30 percent and 50 percent (of white Evanston residents) approve, I think that would be like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
- [Editorial: Flip-flop on immigrant health care shows high cost of 'free' - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-flip-flop-on-immigrant-health-care-shows-high-cost-of-free-champaign-news-gazette/) - "It may be emotionally satisfying for those who engage in rhetorical support of this nation’s quasi-open-borders policy. But there are real costs associated with inviting everyone from everywhere outside this country to drop in and stay a while. Some elected officials, including the governor, have purposefully closed their eyes to the burden they are imposing or have tried to impose on Illinoisans."
- [Inflation-boosted sales taxes and thousands of job vacancies add up to budget surplus for Cook County, but $85 million deficit is expected in 2024 - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/inflation-boosted-sales-taxes-and-thousands-of-job-vacancies-add-up-to-budget-surplus-for-cook-county-but-85-million-deficit-is-expected-in-2024-chicago-tribune/) - Among the unknowns: the cost of a recent rule change involving reimbursements for immigrants enrolled in a state insurance plan, and the ongoing expense of caring for recently arrived asylum-seekers not eligible for insurance. Cook County officials estimate they spend roughly $1.8 million a month to care for asylum-seekers at CCH’s Northwest Side clinic and at Stroger Hospital, but that varies based on the volume of new arrivals.
- [How Chicago City Council’s Newest Leaders Want to Use Their Power - Illinois Answers Project](https://wirepoints.org/how-chicago-city-councils-newest-leaders-want-to-use-their-power-illinois-answers-project/) - Four featured committee chairs - all members of the City Council Democratic Socialist Caucus or Progressive Caucus - said they want to use their power to help guide the direction of citywide policy. Among them, Ald. Michael Rodriguez said his Committee on Workforce Development needs to keep pressing forward to advance labor rights in Chicago.
- [New bill would allow migrants to serve as law enforcement pending Pritzker's approval - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/new-bill-would-allow-migrants-to-serve-as-law-enforcement-pending-pritzkers-approval-cbs2-chicago/) - In 2021, the Federal Government passed a bill that allowed some undocumented immigrants to become healthcare workers and military members. The bill's sponsor called the introduction of this new bill a "natural progression" in Illinois.
- [52,000 more Illinois residents died during the pandemic than is typical - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/52000-more-illinois-residents-died-during-the-pandemic-than-is-typical-wgntv-chicago/) - “We can see that COVID-19 accounted for approximately 70% of excess deaths in 2020-2021, but nearly all leading causes of death had increases during that time period as well,” Illinois Department of Public Health officials said in a prepared statement.
- [Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, 14 other states urge Target to resist harassment from anti-LGBTQ+ activists - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-attorney-general-kwame-raoul-14-other-states-urge-target-to-resist-harassment-from-anti-lgbtq-activists-cbs-chicago/) - They said removing pride merchandise sends the wrong message to both groups, making the LGBTQ+ community feel unsupported and telling the activists that bullying works. The full letter is here.
- [Civic Federation’s acting president makes case for major reform of city government - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/civic-federations-acting-president-makes-case-for-major-reform-of-city-government-chicago-sun-times/) - "Over the years, the Civic Federation has repeatedly advocated for cutting the 50-member City Council in half, only to have alderpersons protect their fiefdoms, aided by acquiescence from Chicago mayors who chose the political path of least resistance...But Sarah Wetmore, the federation’s acting president, believes the election of Brandon Johnson, Chicago’s most progressive mayor ever, along with a younger, more liberal Council, has created a host of reform opportunities once thought politically impossible."
- [IL Freedom Caucus: Bad policies fueling state’s high unemployment rate - WMCI (Mattoon)](https://wirepoints.org/il-freedom-caucus-bad-policies-fueling-states-high-unemployment-rate-wmci-mattoon/) - A statement from the Illinois Freedom Caucus regarding Illinois having the nation’s fourth highest unemployment rate reads, in part, "Illinois’ central location combined with our vast natural resources should make our state a destination for jobs...We need to lower taxes, enact spending reforms, repeal extreme environmental policies such as the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and make our streets safe again."
- [Mayor Johnson keeps focus on engaging youth to prevent violence, group tackles teen takeovers - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnson-keeps-focus-on-engaging-youth-to-prevent-violence-group-tackles-teen-takeovers-abc7-chicago/) - In a speech where he got fired up at times, Mayor Brandon Johnson stressed the need for city and business led investments to help transform communities and make Chicago safer. "Shame on a society that believes only some people should be invested in, shame on a society that will write off the child because of their past or because of the trauma that they are experiencing," he said.
- [Food truck growth in Illinois hits speed bumps - WGLT (Normal)](https://wirepoints.org/food-truck-growth-in-illinois-hits-speed-bumps-wglt-normal/) - Rep. Dave Vella believes because the food truck industry in Illinois sprouted so quickly, most communities simply transferred to food trucks nearly the same regulations for restaurants. For example, one community in Illinois requires a sprinkler system over food truck cooktops. “Each county has their own health department with their own rules, and each city has their own rules. So if you're in, for instance, Winnebago County, there's one rule. If you're in the city of Rockford, another rule, and so on and so forth all over the state.”
- [Illinois’ cocktails to-go law extended 5 more years - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-cocktails-to-go-law-extended-5-more-years-wgntv-chicago/) - Originally introduced to help struggling businesses amid the pandemic, the measure allows restaurants and bars to provide carryout, curbside pickup, and the delivery of mixed drinks and single servings of wine for off-premises consumption.
- [Biz groups excluded from Johnson's pension panel - Crain's*](https://wirepoints.org/biz-groups-excluded-from-johnsons-pension-panel-crains/) - Union officials and Democratic politicians but no one from the business community or tax watchdogs.
- [Central Illinois residents continue mounting opposition to CO2 pipelines - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/central-illinois-residents-continue-mounting-opposition-to-co2-pipelines-center-square/) - Safety is a main concern, but Kathleen Campbell said so are property rights. “After almost a year of trying to get easements, only 13.6% voluntary easements signed,” Campbell said. “How could we possibly give eminent domain to the other 80-some percent?”
- [Illinois home sales plummeted in May compared to last year - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-home-sales-plummeted-in-may-compared-to-last-year-center-square/) - In the latest report from Illinois Realtors, sales decreased over 22% in May compared to May 2022, and there were over 6,000 fewer homes for sale in Illinois last month compared to last year at this time.
- [Certain Illinois music venues must have overdose-reversing drugs starting next June - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/certain-illinois-music-venues-must-have-overdose-reversing-drugs-starting-next-june-center-square/) - Several pieces of legislation were introduced in the General Assembly during the spring session that dealt with fentanyl overdoses, including easier access to fentanyl test strips.
- [Illinois high school students struggle, yet graduation rate hits 10-year high - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-high-school-students-struggle-yet-graduation-rate-hits-10-year-high-illinois-policy/) - "In 2021, just 33% of 11th grade students could read at grade level. Only 29% could perform math proficiently. One school year later in 2022, 87.3% of that cohort of students graduated. Illinois also celebrated its highest graduation rate in a decade. Something is wrong with this picture."
- [Egged on by mom, 14-year-old boy killed man at Chicago restaurant: prosecutors - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/egged-on-by-mom-14-year-old-boy-killed-man-at-chicago-restaurant-prosecutors-cwb-chicago/) - While 35-year-old Carlishia Hood stood at the order counter, 32-year-old Jeremy Brown arrived at the restaurant, and the two began arguing. During the altercation, Hood texted her son outside and pointed at Brown. After the first punch, Hood’s son drew her firearm from his hoodie and shot Brown in the back.
- [School board, community members weigh in on Chicago Public Schools budget - Chalkbeat Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/school-board-community-members-weigh-in-on-chicago-public-schools-budget-chalkbeat-chicago/) - The district said proposed cuts were primarily driven by significant enrollment losses. But Dulce Arroyo, a community organizer and former CPS teacher, said enrollment losses should be taken as a sign of needing more support, not less. “Instead of keeping schools fully staffed and funded and making them safe spaces for these committees, the board continues to take away funds and resources. It makes zero sense that the district wants stellar enrollment rates, while it also takes more funds and resources away every year.”
- [‘Where are the funds?’ State elections board seeks accounting of Ald. Burnett’s missing campaign money - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/where-are-the-funds-state-elections-board-seeks-accounting-of-ald-burnetts-missing-campaign-money-chicago-sun-times/) - Wednesday the state Board of Elections discussed asking either the Illinois attorney general’s office or the Cook County state’s attorney’s office to investigate the missing money. Instead, the elections board told staff members to continue what’s now been an eight-month investigation into what happened with $375,000 in campaign contributions that Burnett’s campaign fund has reported putting into investment accounts at banks since 1999.
- [Cook County projects $86 million deficit, but proposes no tax or fee hikes - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-projects-86-million-deficit-but-proposes-no-tax-or-fee-hikes-wbez-chicago/) - Cook County expects to head into next year with a nearly $86 million budget gap and is still struggling to fill around 4,000 vacant jobs. While the estimated budget hole is larger than the $18.2 million gap projected this time last year, it is one of the county’s smallest deficits in the last decade.
- [Rep. Miller supports resolution about use of schools to house homeless migrants - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/rep-miller-supports-resolution-about-use-of-schools-to-house-homeless-migrants-center-square/) - H.R. 461 seeks to deny federal funds to public schools that are used “to shelter, house or otherwise serve as a sanctuary for aliens not admitted to the United States.” In Chicago, authorities are pushing to use a shuttered south side high school as a housing center. And New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed an openness to use as many as 20 public school gymnasiums for the same purpose.
- [Local lawmaker plans to introduce bill for lawmakers to vote on bills during the day - WICS (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/local-lawmaker-plans-to-introduce-bill-for-lawmakers-to-vote-on-bills-during-the-day-wics-springfield/) - State Rep. Mike Coffey plans to introduce legislation to limit final legislative votes on bills to between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. He said big pieces of legislation, such as the state budget, should not be approved after midnight when most people are asleep.
- [Column: DeWitt County embezzlement case raises legal issue with national import - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/column-dewitt-county-embezzlement-case-raises-legal-issue-with-national-import-champaign-news-gazette/) - Jim Dey: "The question raised is whether prosecutors have the authority to compel criminal suspects to provide the code to unlock their cellphones...The case of People vs. Sneed attracted considerable out-of-state attention because of its precedent-setting potential. Fifteen states — including Florida, Indiana, Minnesota and New Jersey — submitted friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the state’s position."
- [Officials try to figure out solutions for city's looming pension problems - WBBM (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/officials-try-to-figure-out-solutions-for-citys-looming-pension-problems-wbbm-chicago/) - Meanwhile Northwest Side Alderman Gilbert Villegas said he wants to sit down with officials from the city's four employee pension funds to suggest they invest in local development projects. "Would get projects finally going- would allow for jobs to be created...again, tax revenue being created," he explained. "Those are things that we want to continue to see going on. We need that positive activity to occur."
- [Letter: University of Chicago Lives Up to the Principles - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/university-of-chicago-lives-up-to-the-principles-letter-wall-street-journal/) - "My experience shows how the Chicago Principles work in practice. If I were at a different school, I might have been railroaded or officially denounced. Some of my classmates complained to the university’s DEI bureaucracy and communications team, but they were rebuffed. Administrators here consistently protect free speech, so students can write whatever they want without winding up in university discipline purgatory."
- [Measure queued for Pritzker’s desk makes noncitizens’ driver’s licenses same as citizens’ - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/measure-queued-for-pritzkers-desk-makes-noncitizens-drivers-licenses-same-as-citizens-center-square/) - “The phrase ‘Federal Limits Apply’ will be printed along the top of the standard driver’s license or ID per the [federal] REAL ID Act, but the wording ‘Not Valid for Identification,’ which is deep and personal and powerful and dangerous, will be removed,” Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said.
- [Thousands Of Students Will Be Harmed If Illinois Dems Let A Key School Choice Program Expire, Advocates Say - Daily Caller](https://wirepoints.org/thousands-of-students-will-be-harmed-if-illinois-dems-let-a-key-school-choice-program-expire-advocates-say-daily-caller/) - “By killing this program, Illinois Democrats are forcing thousands of low-income students into government schools that are failing them,” Corey DeAngelis, senior fellow at the American Federation for Children (AFC), a group working toward more school choice. “So much for all that ‘equity’ Democrats are always preaching about."
- [Dad appeals ruling he has no fundamental right to forbid Villa Park school from helping child change genders - Cook County Record](https://wirepoints.org/dad-appeals-ruling-he-has-no-fundamental-right-to-forbid-villa-park-school-from-helping-child-change-genders-cook-county-record/) - The school district has asserted Illinois state law goes “beyond constitutional guarantees by expressly recognizing a zone of personal privacy” and empowering school staff to ignore the wishes of parents who “are unsupportive of their children’s mental health and gender identity.”
- [Column: Waukegan firm is one of many ignoring Illinois space for new Wisconsin homes - Lake County News-Sun*](https://wirepoints.org/column-waukegan-firm-is-one-of-many-that-ignores-illinois-space-for-new-wisconsin-home-lake-county-news-sun/) - "This is happening even though Illinois has ponied up millions of dollars for economic development programs in the past and in the 2024 budget signed the other day by Gov. JB Pritzker. The budget adopted by the legislature includes $400 million to close major economic development deals, and attract businesses and jobs to the state. Money is also set aside for expanded workforce development programs to build industries of the future: Data centers, electric vehicles and clean energy."
- [Audit of the Illinois State Board of Education shows repeated findings - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/audit-of-the-illinois-state-board-of-education-shows-repeated-findings-center-square/) - Overstating its budget, failure to properly audit license requirements and other reporting issues are all listed in an Illinois Auditor General report of the Illinois State Board of Education.
- [Six aldermen join Chicago groups' call for raising minimum wage for tipped workers - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/six-aldermen-join-chicago-groups-call-for-raising-minimum-wage-for-tipped-workers-fox32-chicago/) - As of July 1, the minimum wage for non-tipped workers in Chicago will be $16.80 an hour, whereas those who receive tips will make $8.80 an hour in addition to their gratuities. Officials and groups are appealing to Mayor Brandon Johnson and his promise to address youth unemployment.
- [Johnson Set to Start Tackling Chicago’s Pension Woes, Hemmed in by Vow Not to Raise Property Taxes - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/johnson-set-to-start-tackling-chicagos-pension-woes-hemmed-in-by-vow-not-to-raise-property-taxes-wttw-chicago/) - Jason Lee, a senior adviser to Johnson, said the mayor was committed to dealing with the structural deficit that has left Chicago’s four pension funds less than 24% funded, combined, while fulfilling his campaign promises to invest in Chicago and its people. “The mayor has been very clear that he will not do that off the backs of working people, who have borne a disproportionate burden in years past,” Lee said.
- [Wall Street Sours on America’s Downtowns - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/wall-street-sours-on-americas-downtowns-wall-street-journal/) - The pessimism from investors who bet on office buildings and mass transit can be seen in market signals that are flashing red.
- [Which suburbs have more people collecting police pensions than officers on the job? - Daily Herald*](https://wirepoints.org/which-suburbs-have-more-people-collecting-police-pensions-than-officers-on-the-job-daily-herald/) - In 2021, 27 of the 80 suburban police department pension funds reported more pension recipients than officers. A decade prior, that was the case in just four towns. "What that means is more of the overall property tax levy is going to pay for pension obligations and money allocated to the day-to-day operations continues to decrease," said Dorothy Wisniewski, Des Plaines' assistant city manager and finance director. "You have to start looking at how you do more with less, cutting expenditures and possibly raising revenues elsewhere."
- [Chicago rental assistance program restarting soon as state takes over - Chicago Tribune/MSN](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-rental-assistance-program-restarting-soon-as-state-takes-over-chicago-tribune-msn/) - A Chicago Department of Housing spokesperson said the agency hopes other resources will be available for the city’s program once federal funds run out, which is expected to happen early next year. The Illinois Housing Development Authority already manages the court-based rental assistance program for all counties in the state apart from Cook County.
- [Opinion: Downtowns Are Business Centers. We Can’t Afford to Forget That. - Governing](https://wirepoints.org/opinion-downtowns-are-business-centers-we-cant-afford-to-forget-that-governing/) - "If cities lose production in their downtowns and replace it with residential and retail, which is primarily consumption... downtown becomes just another neighborhood. In that case, what advantages does it have over any other residential neighborhood? What makes it special? More to the point, what makes it capable of generating the economic value, and consequent tax revenue, cities have come to expect from their downtowns?"
- [Critics becoming impatient with Mayor Johnson’s approach toward crime prevention in Chicago - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/critics-becoming-impatient-with-mayor-johnsons-approach-toward-crime-prevention-in-chicago-wgntv-chicago/) - Mayor Johnson favors a multi-tiered long-term crime fighting strategy, as he works to promote 200 more detectives, but he’s not promised to fill vacancies. Interim police superintendent Fred Waller, and aldermen Jim Gardner and Matt O’Shea want to see improvement in the police staffing issues, Ald. Rossanna Rodriquez is among a group working to create new structures of crisis responders.
- [Criticism continues against Gov. Pritzker’s move closing health care enrollment for immigrants - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/criticism-continues-against-gov-pritzkers-move-closing-health-care-enrollment-for-immigrants-chicago-tribune/) - “For several years, the undocumented community has lived without health care and maybe that is why the whole process of the health care is so expensive now - because we could’ve done this years ago and prevented any additional sickness,” state Rep. Barbara Hernandez said. “But because we have neglected them for so long, now they have illnesses that they have to be in constant observation, or medication, and of course it’s going to be costly for the state, unfortunately.”
- [Metra weighing changes to fare prices as it adjusts to changing rider habits - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/metra-weighing-changes-to-fare-prices-as-it-adjusts-to-changing-rider-habits-chicago-tribune/) - The proposed changes are an attempt to simplify the fare system for riders and ticket collectors, and adjust to changing rider habits that have commuters coming into the city only a few days a week, if at all. Metra hopes the new fares will grow ridership, which, on weekdays in May, was about 51% of 2019 levels.
- [Candidate Brandon Johnson wanted police out of schools. Mayor Johnson says otherwise. - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/candidate-brandon-johnson-wanted-police-out-of-schools-mayor-johnson-says-otherwise-wbez-chicago/) - Mayor Brandon Johnson said he would defer to elected Local School Councils, who since 2019 have been responsible for voting on whether to keep their officers. “I support LSCs and the democratic process that has been established through that particular means of government,” he said. Those votes leave 39 of 91 Chicago public high schools with police officers.
- [Report: Nicor Gas customers to receive refunds, rate adjustments due to improper charges - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/report-nicor-gas-customers-to-receive-refunds-rate-adjustments-due-to-improper-charges-nbc5-chicago/) - A recent ruling from the Illinois Commerce Commission states that Nicor Gas improperly charged customers for $31 million in infrastructure spending in 2019. The move from the ICC comes months after Nicor filed a request for a $321 million rate hike to take effect in 2024, citing the need "to meet the current and future demands of our 2.3 million customers for clean, safe, reliable and affordable natural gas service."
- [The People's CDOT work on road projects they say the city won't - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/the-peoples-cdot-work-on-road-projects-they-say-the-city-wont-cbs2-chicago/) - A group of Chicago residents calling themselves "The People's CDOT" are working on city road projects they said the city won't; They won't show their faces or use their names because what they're doing isn't legal. "When CDOT needs to destroy something that's making people safer, they have a very rapid response," The People's CDOT said in a tweet. "But when people are asking CDOT to make our streets safer, it takes years and years to get a response."
- [Chicago residents speak out against amount of resources going to migrants - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-residents-speak-out-against-amount-of-resources-going-to-migrants-center-square/) - George Blakemore voiced his frustration with the handling of the situation by the city council: "Can't you see what is going on here, with these illegal immigrants and our so-called elected officials who vote against our interests. We are not going to tell them [migrants] to go. Maybe some of you all need to go."
- [Pritzker quickly wields expanded authority to freeze noncitizen health care enrollment - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-quickly-wields-expanded-authority-to-freeze-noncitizen-health-care-enrollment-capitol-news-il/) - Gov. JB Pritzker had previously defended and celebrated the programs when he signed them into law, agreeing with advocates that it is cheaper to provide preventative care to noncitizens rather than making them rely on emergency room visits. But the Department of Healthcare and Family Services billed the changes Friday as a necessary move to ensure “programs do not exceed the funds available and appropriated by the General Assembly” – an amount pegged at about $550 million.
- [West Side police district sees most shootings, killings for second straight weekend. ‘Challenges just keep coming,’ top cop says - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/west-side-police-district-sees-most-shootings-killings-for-second-straight-weekend-challenges-just-keep-coming-top-cop-says-chicago-sun-times/) - A 17-year-old girl was killed and two other teens were wounded on a porch. A man was killed while riding in a car a block away. Another man was found shot to death four blocks to the east. Across the park less than a mile away, a 14-year-old boy was killed and a 15-year-old boy was critically wounded. In all, 15 people were shot in the Harrison police district from Friday evening through early Tuesday. Five of them died.
- [$45 million from Illinois State Board of Education to help with teacher shortage - WCIA (Champaign)](https://wirepoints.org/45-million-from-illinois-state-board-of-education-to-help-with-teacher-shortage-wcia-champaign/) - The money will go to 170 school districts with the highest count of unfilled teaching positions. 60% are in rural areas, 40% in urban. Once the districts have the money, an ISBE spokesperson said it’s up to each district to decide how they’ll use it.
- [McClure says Illinois' job picture is 'upside down' - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/mcclure-says-illinois-job-picture-is-upside-down-center-square/) - Illinois’ unemployment rate is now tied for fourth worst in the country and the state only added in the neighborhood of 2,500 jobs in May; The construction (2,400) and manufacturing (1,700) sectors suffered the greatest losses, while government added the most jobs at 2,600. “It goes to show you how private businesses in this state are struggling, while Pritzker and Democrats work to put even more burden on taxpayers,” said state Sen. Steve McClure.
- [Briefs against Illinois’ gun ban filed in federal court as separate FOID case heard in state court - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/briefs-against-illinois-gun-ban-filed-in-federal-court-as-separate-foid-case-heard-in-state-court-center-square/) - In Illinois, Guns Save Life founder John Boch brought a case challenging Illinois’ FOID law in 2019. He said recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent requires courts to evaluate the text, history and tradition of the Second Amendment in such challenges.
- [Chicago cops demand parental leave after mayor gives it to teachers - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-cops-demand-parental-leave-after-mayor-gives-it-to-teachers-illinois-policy/) - Mayor Brandon Johnson said making the CTU negotiate for that leave - the same 12-week paid parental leave city employees already receive - would have been disruptive and problematic.
- [Chicago announces $5M fund to support survivors of gender-based violence - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-announces-5m-fund-to-support-survivors-of-gender-based-violence-abc7-chicago/) - The fund will support survivors of crimes like domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking through a one-time $1,000 payment to survivors in support of their economic stability.
- [Commentary: Mayor Brandon Johnson must make explicit commitments to transparency - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-mayor-brandon-johnson-must-make-explicit-commitments-to-transparency-chicago-tribune/) - "Johnson can set the tone of his administration by acting immediately on the transparency agenda formulated by open government advocates but blocked by the previous administration. There are three primary items on this agenda: Make inspector general reports public...Revise video release policy...Establish a public repository of police misconduct investigations."
- [Gage Park parents concerned after special education program moved out as migrants move in - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/gage-park-parents-concerned-after-special-education-program-moved-out-as-migrants-move-in-cbs2-chicago/) - Many are concerned that moving programming for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities could be harmful to their instruction, and their progress and even more inaccessible for those traveling long distances to get it. "It's a lack of communication; transportation," one participant's grandmother said. "You're moving me at least 20 blocks farther down the road."
- [Market Street gives up West Loop office building via deed-in-lieu - The RealDeal](https://wirepoints.org/market-street-gives-up-west-loop-office-building-via-deed-in-lieu-therealdeal/) - Market Street this month surrendered the 12-story building at 209 West Jackson Boulevard through a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. The lender on a $25 million debt tied to the property will now take ownership of the asset, while Market Street evades foreclosure litigation. It’s the latest sign of office distress in Chicago. The remote work movement, augmented by the pandemic, already dealt a huge blow to office landlords. More recently, high interest rates, banking failures, company layoffs and fears of a possible recession have compounded the issue.
- [End of grocery tax suspension, changes to school holidays among measures taking effect at start of July - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/end-of-grocery-tax-suspension-changes-to-school-holidays-among-measures-taking-effect-at-start-of-july-nbc-chicago/) - A look at the notable changes Chicago-area and Illinois residents can expect come the start of July.
- [Deep Blue Illinois Ranks Dead Last on Economic Racial Equality - Breitbart](https://wirepoints.org/deep-blue-illinois-ranks-dead-last-on-economic-racial-equality-breitbart/) - Illinois is very proud of it’s many “equity” policies to help its minority citizens. Yet the state is an incredible, crushing failure in achieving its own goals.
- [‘I knew what I was inheriting,’ says Mayor Johnson after another violent weekend in Chicago - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/i-knew-what-i-was-inheriting-says-mayor-johnson-after-another-violent-weekend-in-chicago-wgntv-chicago/) - The mayor explained, "I grew up in the 90s when 900 people were getting murdered a year. It was brutal and there were Black men and women who were getting tortured,” he said. “If anyone tells you they can single-handedly shift the political mindset that has led to the type of disinvestment that has led to the type of violence that we’re all experiencing, if any one person says they can do that, they’re not being honest.”
- [Tara Stamps, ‘mentor’ to Mayor Brandon Johnson, chosen to replace him on the Cook County Board - Chicago Tribune/MSN](https://wirepoints.org/tara-stamps-mentor-to-mayor-brandon-johnson-chosen-to-replace-him-on-the-cook-county-board-chicago-tribune-msn/) - Stamps is the CTU’s current administrator of teacher development. Following Stamps’ appointment, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates released a statement calling her “a champion for educators, students and working people. She is a true daughter of Chicago and stands in the legacy of her mother, Civil Rights icon, Marion Stamps..."
- [Chicago police: 1 injured in flash mob at Bronzeville gas station - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-police-1-injured-in-flash-mob-at-bronzeville-gas-station-abc7-chicago/) - A flash mob drew hundreds of young people and a large police presence Tuesday night, with some people jumping on cars at the gas station near 31st Street and Michigan Avenue. The incident raises concerns about how to best mitigate or control these sudden and sometimes unpredictable gatherings, both in the city and the suburbs.
- [Mayor Johnson has no idea how to put out Chicago's crime inferno – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnson-has-no-idea-how-to-put-out-chicagos-crime-inferno-wirepoints-on-am-560-chicagos-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.
- [In Chicago, a sanctuary city for migrants, the long, grueling wait for an apartment - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/in-chicago-a-sanctuary-city-for-migrants-the-long-grueling-wait-for-an-apartment-wbez/) - The Illinois Housing Development Authority is currently funding rental assistance payments through federal Covid relief American Rescue Plan dollars.
- [Chicago’s top cop sees signs of progress despite violent weekend - WBBM (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-top-cop-sees-signs-of-progress-despite-violent-weekend-wbbm/) - Following a Juneteenth weekend in which at least 11 people were killed and 63 others were shot in Chicago, Interim Chicago Police Supt. Fred Waller praised officers for work that he argued is already starting to show signs of progress.
- [$2 Billion and Fourteen Years - The Antiplanner](https://wirepoints.org/2-billion-and-fourteen-years-the-antiplanner/) - "In 2009, Congress appropriated $8 billion for high-speed rail, and the Obama administration gave Illinois more than $1 billion of that to speed up trains between Chicago and St. Louis. The state of Illinois provided its own funds, bringing total spending up to $2 billion. Now, fourteen years later, Amtrak is proud to announce the results: the top speed of trains in the corridor will increase from 90 to 110 miles per hour."
- [Brandon Johnson not taking Lori Lightfoot’s word on city finances - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/brandon-johnson-not-taking-lori-lightfoots-word-on-city-finances-chicago-sun-times/) - Johnson is doing his own fiscal forecast and holding a series of community roundtables next month before he releases that new document.
- [Inside the initial costs for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago - Washington Examiner](https://wirepoints.org/inside-the-initial-costs-for-the-democratic-national-convention-in-chicago-washington-examiner/) - The Chicago convention will be hosted from Aug. 19-22 and is expected to draw 5,000 to 7,000 delegates and alternates and bring about 50,000 visitors to the Windy City. It is projected to rake in anywhere from $150 million to $200 million for Chicago's economy.
- [Illinois to spend over $350 million to address homelessness - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-to-spend-over-350-million-to-address-homelessness-center-square/) - Investments in this area have not always worked out elsewhere. Despite devoting billions of tax dollars to fight homelessness over the past four fiscal years, California Gov. Gavin Newsom admits the state is losing the battle with the number of homeless people only growing.
- [Chicago police have concerns about ongoing violent crime - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-police-have-concerns-about-ongoing-violent-crime-center-square/) - Along with the heavy gun violence, aggravated batteries are up 17%, burglaries are up 12% and car thefts are up 153% compared to last year, according to Chicago Police statistics. However, Johnson recently claimed that his plan is working. Overall crime in Chicago has risen 38% since Brandon Johnson assumed office on May 15.
- [At least 11 killed, 63 others wounded over long weekend in Chicago - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/at-least-11-killed-63-others-wounded-over-long-weekend-in-chicago-fox32-chicago/)
- [LaShawn Ford Wants Riot Fest, Big Concerts In Parks To Pay 2% Fee To Communities Hosting Them - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/lashawn-ford-wants-riot-fest-big-concerts-in-parks-to-pay-2-fee-to-communities-hosting-them-block-club-chicago/) - A tax earmarked for specific parks could help rectify that issue, state Rep. La Shawn Ford said. “The festival organizers are going to spend some money to put the park back after their event, but at the end of the day they’re going to walk away with a profit and are better off as a result,” Ford said. “We need the park and the community to be put back whole and made better than when they found it as a result of these events.”
- [Chicago's NASCAR race is full speed ahead, but alders have questions - Axios](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-nascar-race-is-full-speed-ahead-but-alders-have-questions-axios/) - Ald. Daniel La Spata said last week that street closings are creating safety concerns for cyclists and pedestrians. And Ald. Derrick Curtis complained about high ticket prices — $269 for general admission — which he says are deterring residents of his Southwest Side ward.
- [Pot deal on Red Line ends with man shot - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/pot-deal-on-red-line-ends-with-man-shot-cwb-chicago/) - It all started routinely enough. Around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nahki Hines, 21, agreed to buy some marijuana from 27-year-old Ronnie Price as they rode the train near Cermak, according to prosecutors. But there was some confusion in court about what happened next. Both witnesses to the shooting know Price because they are also pot dealers on the Red Line.
- [Editorial: Will state study be end of the line for $6.5 billion One Central transit hub? - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-will-state-study-be-end-of-the-line-for-6-5-billion-one-central-transit-hub-chicago-sun-times/) - "No transportation agency, from the CTA to Amtrak, has voiced any real support for the center since it was proposed three years ago, which is telling. But they haven’t slapped it down, either, which is troubling. Now the state is evaluating which consulting firm will get paid up to $500,000 to conduct a feasibility study to determine if the center should be built — and ultimately paid for — by Illinoisans."
- [Future challenges on the new Illinois law limiting venue shopping - WICS (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/future-challenges-on-the-new-illinois-law-limiting-venue-shopping-wics-springfield/) - “Governor Pritzker and the Democrats and the General Assembly have insulted the legal process in Illinois and at some point, the Illinois Supreme Court is going to have to stand up for itself," said state Rep. Dan Caulkins.
- [Stalled bills include repeal of subminimum wage for disabled workers, BIPA reform - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/stalled-bills-include-repeal-of-subminimum-wage-for-disabled-workers-bipa-reform-capitol-news-il/) - Also stalled was House Bill 351, would have barred anyone convicted of a felony, bribery, perjury or misuse of public funds while serving as a public official from ever being elected to a state or local office again, and House Bill 2515, a bill requiring automatic deposits in the “rainy day” and pension stabilization funds when certain conditions are met.
- [Commentary: Getting hung up on rear-view mirrors - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-getting-hung-up-on-rear-view-mirrors-champaign-news-gazette/) - "The amendment is an example of the ritualistic enactment of symbolic legislation, a phenomenon that sacrifices informed intellect to shallow emotion on an altar of tribal politics. Thus a simple traffic statute objectively and validly addressing public highway safety somehow came to present an Illinois social problem."
- [Former Illinois state Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback sues opponent who defeated her, claims he defamed her with flyers - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/former-illinois-state-rep-denyse-wang-stoneback-sues-opponent-who-defeated-her-claims-he-defamed-her-with-flyers-cbs2-chicago/) - Wang Stoneback is suing state Rep. Kevin Olickal, Friends of Kevin Olickal, and the Gun Violence Prevention PAC - which backed him - on the grounds that they were "knowingly publishing false statements." She highlighted pertinent flyers that portrayed Wang Stoneback as being soft on gun violence preventionin her 49-page complaint.
- [Column: State management failures exact a high human cost - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/column-state-management-failures-exact-a-high-human-cost-champaign-news-gazette/) - Jim Dey: "Taking care of individuals in need — whether at the departments of Human Services or Children and Family Services — is tremendously difficult and requires sound management at all levels. Unfortunately, these shortcomings are common in state government, no matter whether they involve children and family services or employment services."
- [Letter: Families benefit from Invest in Kids scholarship program - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/letter-families-benefit-from-invest-in-kids-scholarship-program-chicago-sun-times/) - Joshua D. Hale, of the Big Shoulders Fund: "But a one-size-fits-all approach may not address the needs of all families, particularly those in under-resourced communities. This program is not intended to and does not undermine public education...Parents are not sacrificing quality by choosing to send their children to a values-based school."
- [New Chicago monuments will honor police torture victims, labor leader Mother Jones and gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, among others - Chicago Tribune/MSN](https://wirepoints.org/new-chicago-monuments-will-honor-police-torture-victims-labor-leader-mother-jones-and-gospel-singer-mahalia-jackson-among-others-chicago-tribune-msn/) - Funding for the monuments project is largely being provided by the Mellon Foundation, though Johnson said the city would contribute an additional $1 million.
- [IL Rep. Chris Miller: People fleeing Illinois because of bad policies - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/state-rep-people-fleeing-illinois-because-of-bad-policies-center-square/) - “People are pretty frustrated with all the incompetence,” state Rep. Chris Miller said. “All the reasons people are giving for leaving are self-inflicted. We’re pushing this woke agenda and people have found they have options and they’re exercising their vote with their feet.”
- [U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley: The debt ceiling deal was not perfect, but it was far better than a default - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/u-s-rep-mike-quigley-the-debt-ceiling-deal-was-not-perfect-but-it-was-far-better-than-a-default-chicago-tribune/) - "America is the only country that continually votes to raise its debt ceiling. This exercise is unnecessary at best and, as we just experienced, dangerous at worst. As we look forward, there is clear agreement across the ideological spectrum: Congress must vote to do away with our nation’s debt limit."
- [Gage Park field house to serve as respite center for hundreds of migrant men - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/gage-park-field-house-to-serve-as-respite-center-for-hundreds-of-migrant-men-chicago-sun-times/) - Ald. Ray Lopez said there are “less than 60” kids registered for summer camps, and other recreational programs who will need to make the move to other locations. Asked whether the Gage Park field house would continue to house migrants through Dec. 31, Cheif of Staff Rich Guidice said, “I wouldn’t take that off the table. We still have 4,800 people we’re taking care of. We want to hang onto it as long as we can.”
- [Minutes after reported Near West Side shooting, crowds twerk and taunt cops - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/minutes-after-reported-near-west-side-shooting-crowds-twerk-and-taunt-cops-wgntv-chicago/) - “It started as the occasional ‘F-U’ and name calling but has now evolved to this and more,” recently retired Chicago police lieutenant John Garrido told WGN Investigates. “There is no accountability, nobody goes to jail and their actions are protected by a mayor who coddles and justifies their behavior.”
- [University Park residents still using bottled water 4 years after lead found in drinking water - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/university-park-residents-still-using-bottled-water-4-years-after-lead-found-in-drinking-water-abc7-chicago/) - Decades ago, long before Joseph Roudez III was mayor, the village sold its water rights to Aqua Illinois. "Aqua owns the pumping station, the transfer lines the sewer system. And because of that, the village of University Park is ineligible to get all this water relief for replacement of lead pipes," he said. In the meantime, the company is facing legal action from the Illinois attorney general and the Will County state's attorney.
- [Caulkins: 'Reform' necessary to consolidate Illinois' 6,000 units of government - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/caulkins-reform-necessary-to-consolidate-illinois-6000-units-of-government-center-square/) - “We Republicans talk about consolidation in a way that won’t force our citizens to suffer,” state Rep. Dan Caulkins said. “We think there should be an easy way to support consolidations of things like townships and road districts. We think there should be an easy way to consolidate school district administrations. All of that would free up money that could be spent in the classroom, allowing property taxes to be reduced.”
- [Opposition building against freelance workers legislation in Illinois - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/opposition-building-against-freelance-workers-legislation-in-illinois-center-square/) - During debate of the bill, state Sen. Steve McClure said forcing someone to have a contract written up to get their lawn mowed or face a $5,000 fine is absurd. “This doesn't make any sense, and we talk all the time about laws that cause people to move out of the state. This is the exact type of law that causes people to move out of this state."
- [Plummer: Pause to noncitizen health care subsidies won’t put out ‘fire’ Pritzker started - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/plummer-pause-to-noncitizen-health-care-subsidies-wont-put-out-fire-pritzker-started-center-square/) - While the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program will be suspended starting July 1, the Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors will remain open but will pause if the number of individuals exceeds 16,500. State Sen. Jason Plummer said suspension or not, taxpayers will pay.
- [Bill on Pritzker's desk would allow noncitizens to become police officers in Illinois - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/bill-on-pritzkers-desk-would-allow-noncitizens-to-become-police-officers-in-illinois-center-square/) - Current federal law prohibits a non-U.S. citizen from becoming a police officer throughout the country. Illinois House Bill 3751 states that any immigrant who the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have deferred under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals process is allowed to apply for the position of a police officer, deputy sheriff or special policeman.
- [Study shows Illinois is the worst state for racial economic equality - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/study-shows-illinois-is-the-worst-state-for-racial-economic-equality-center-square/) - The personal finance website WalletHub placed Illinois near the bottom in several categories, including the difference between white and Black residents in median annual income. Illinois ranked 40th in the poverty rate, 46th in the homeless rate, and 49th in the share of unsheltered homeless.
- [Illinois expands use of police surveillance drones - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-expands-use-of-police-surveillance-drones-capitol-news-il/) - Kenny Winslow, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, supported the measure and is already planning to offer training on the new law to police departments. But he added that the protections contained in the bill – including requirements that police post notices if they are surveilling an event and keep a record of flight paths – were an important part of the final product.
- [Illinois unions made significant gains in recently ended legislative session - St. Louis/Southern Illinois Labor Tribune](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-unions-made-significant-gains-in-recently-ended-legislative-session-st-louis-southern-illinois-labor-tribune/) - “The heart of Labor continues to beat strong in Illinois,” Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea wrote.
- [Investor takes big loss in $173 million Streeterville apartment sale - Crain's*](https://wirepoints.org/investor-takes-big-loss-in-173-million-streeterville-apartment-sale-crains/) - Invesco sold North Water Apartments, a 398-unit property at 340 E. North Water St., to Miami-based Crescent Heights for $173 million, according to real estate data provider CoStar Group. The price represents a 28% drop in value for the Streeterville property since 2016, when Invesco bought it for $240 million. Brokers and landlords say many out-of-town investors have “redlined” Chicago, wary of the risk of rising property taxes, the city’s struggles in addressing crime and the progressive agenda of new Mayor Brandon Johnson. Fewer investors chasing deals in Chicago means less competition — and lower prices — for buildings on the market. But it’s hard to tell where values have settled because the volume of big apartment building sales has dropped in Chicago.
- ['I think everybody benefits from this budget': State Sen. Mike Halpin talks significant investments in Illinois budget - Quad City Times](https://wirepoints.org/i-think-everybody-benefits-from-this-budget-state-sen-mike-halpin-talks-significant-investments-in-illinois-budget-quad-city-times/) - Illinois' 2023 General Assembly marked Halpin's first term as chairman of the Illinois Senate Higher Education Committee. The 2024 budget appropriates $2.53 billion for higher education, a $279 million increase from last year. Illinois' public universities and community colleges will see a 7% direct funding increase, coming in at $80.5 million and $19.4 million, respectively.
- [Meet Chicago’s New Deputy Mayor for Community Safety - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/meet-chicagos-new-deputy-mayor-for-community-safety-chicago-contrarian/) - "To level the playing field and achieve the equity (Mayor Brandon) Johnson covets, Chicago can expect (Garien) Gatewood to formulate policies which are consistent with reform measures found in Kim Foxx’s State’s Attorney’s Office and Judge Timothy Evans’ Cook County court system. Though these policies have manifestly failed and endangered Chicago residents, City Hall will echo Foxx’s and the County Court system’s call for leniency for violent offenders and less condemnation of criminals."
- [Migrant soccer team trains for local ‘Refugee World Cup’ - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/migrant-soccer-team-trains-for-local-refugee-world-cup-chicago-sun-times/) - The squad is made up of asylum seekers staying at a South Side shelter. They will play in a tournament against other refugees from around the world who now call Chicago home. “I feel good because I did this in Ecuador, and I thought coming here I wouldn’t have the time,” Jacobo Gomez said, “I’d be too busy working, you know, chasing the American dream.”
- [3 mass shootings reported in Chicago area in two-day span over the weekend - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/3-mass-shootings-reported-in-chicago-area-in-two-day-span-over-the-weekend-nbc5-chicago/) - In all three of the incidents, at least 33 people were shot, including the three who were killed. As of Monday morning, no one was in custody for any of the incidents.
- [Paul Vallas: Reparations? Let’s Start with the Chicago Teachers Union. - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-reparations-lets-start-with-the-chicago-teachers-union-chicago-contrarian/) - "If Chicago’s going to have a serious conversation about reparations, then it should not stop with the distant past. It should include the damage done right here, right now, to the children and families who have been trapped for years inside a failing public school system shaped and dominated by the Chicago Teachers Union."
- [Lawmakers sweeten pot to keep Bears in Illinois, with stadium bill linked to statewide property tax relief - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/lawmakers-sweeten-pot-to-keep-bears-in-illinois-with-stadium-bill-linked-to-statewide-property-tax-relief-chicago-sun-times/) - “It may look like a rebate. It may look like a circuit breaker piece. It may look like money up front on property taxes,” state Rep. Kam Buckner said. “I’m literally working on the fine points of it as we speak, and trying to put together the best version of it.”
- [Tiffany Henyard admits to living in Georgia while holding office in Illinois - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/tiffany-henyard-admits-to-living-in-georgia-while-holding-office-in-illinois-wgntv-chicago/) - When a member of the Georgia elections board asked how she could hold office in Dolton and Thornton Township while living in Georgia, she responded: “I was a lame duck. I couldn’t do anything.” An examination of public records suggest Henyard made roughly $20,000 from Illinois taxpayers after she says she stopped performing her duties.
- [CPS parents threaten legal action as confusion abounds over May Day plans - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/cps-parents-threaten-legal-action-as-confusion-abounds-over-may-day-plans-abc7-chicago/) - "They did this without the consent or the input of the parents. This is not only wrong, it is irresponsible or perhaps illegal," CPS parent Judy Velez said. "We are here to demand an end to the political indoctrination of our children at the hands of CTU and CPS."
- [Gunman shoots at Whitney Young HS principal, another driver in Washington Heights - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/gunman-shoots-at-whitney-young-hs-principal-another-driver-in-washington-heights-abc7-chicago/) - Dozens of shots from an automatic weapon rained down on Rickey Harris' white car as he drove down Throop from 95th Street (with video).
- [Illinois teachers union weighs in on Bears stadium debate - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-teachers-union-weighs-in-on-bears-stadium-debate-fox32-chicago/) - In a memo, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, led by President Stacy Davis Gates, said it has "serious concerns about the impact" the bill could have. "Proposed mega-project legislation, if not done correctly, could create long-term uncertainty for school districts," the union wrote, adding, "The legislation risks shifting additional property tax burden onto residents in and around a mega-project."
- [IL businesses eligible for $8B in tariff refunds; Pritzker wants more for families - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/il-businesses-eligible-for-8b-in-tariff-refunds-pritzker-wants-more-for-families-center-square/) - The Liberty Justice Center brought the legal challenge alongside multiple small business owners, and released the Tariff Equity Refund Resource for America, or TERRA, to guide small businesses through the refund process. A spokesperson said there are a number of steps companies must take to get their money back.
- [So. Much. Noise. - Eric Allie for Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/so-much-noise-eric-allie-for-illinois-policy/)
- [Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging National Guard Deployment in Illinois Months After Troops Removed - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-challenging-national-guard-deployment-in-illinois-months-after-troops-removed-wttw-chicago/) - Gov. JB Pritzker Monday again called the planned troop deployment a “reckless and illegal abuse of power,” adding that he was “grateful to the court for siding with our communities and slowing the erosion of our democratic norms.”
- [1 person dead, 11 injured in Chicago weekend shootings - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/1-person-dead-11-injured-in-chicago-weekend-shootings-cbs2-chicago/) - The ages of the victims range from 17 to 46.
- [Illinois law at center of Normal Township BDS referendum - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-law-at-center-of-normal-township-bds-referendum-center-square/) - The referendum’s exact language has not been publicly detailed, but similar measures in other municipalities, like Bloomington and Peoria, have asked voters to weigh in on whether local governments should align with or oppose Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS)-related policies. The debate has also raised broader questions about local decision-making, including the role of student populations in shaping policy outcomes in college communities.
- [Reentry housing bill draws support from advocates; debate centers on cost, public safety - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/reentry-housing-bill-draws-support-from-advocates-debate-centers-on-cost-public-safety-center-square/) - House Bill 5737 would fund the Home for Good program through state agencies starting in 2027, with the Illinois Housing Development Authority supporting housing development and rental subsidies, and the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority funding services like case management.
- [150,000 Illinois households may lose federal food assistance beginning May 1 - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/150000-illinois-households-may-lose-federal-food-assistance-beginning-may-1-capitol-news-il/) - Sen. Graciela Guzmán is the sponsor for SB3277, giving one-time $600 payments to families who lose SNAP funding due to the new work requirements, as well as SB3167, which would extend eligibility of Illinois’s Victims of Trafficking, Torture and other Serious Crimes program to certain immigrants if they are not eligible for SNAP benefits due to H.R. 1’s new citizenship or immigration status requirements.
- [How Illinois spends marijuana money - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/how-illinois-spends-marijuana-money-illinois-policy/) - Missouri legalized recreational marijuana 2023 with a state tax rate of 6 percent, one of the lowest in the country, tempting Illinois consumers to cross the border. Illinois cannabis taxes range from 10 percent to 25 percent.
- [60 dead people found on Illinois jury panel, triggering constitutional challenge - Daily Gazette (Sterling)/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/60-dead-people-found-on-illinois-jury-panel-triggering-constitutional-challenge-daily-gazette-sterling/) - Attorney Mertes said a meeting with the the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts last week revealed that of the 200 people summoned: 60 people are confirmed dead; 27 people are reportedly 100 years or older; and 52 people are reportedly 90 years or older, including one person who is 116 years old. Among those summoned is Mertes's own mother, who died in 2006. No one younger than 42 was summoned.
- [Editorial: Owner of massive Elwood Energy plant isn’t waiting for Illinois closure deadlines. They’re literally moving the plant to Texas. - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-owner-of-massive-elwood-energy-plant-isnt-waiting-for-illinois-closure-deadlines-theyre-literally-moving-the-plant-to-texas-chicago-tribune/) - "Does any of this make any sense in a rational world? No, it doesn’t. But it is a sorry reminder of the unanticipated consequences that can and do occur when policymakers interfere in such heavy-handed ways in complex industries like power generation that they usually don’t understand. ... The industry warned Springfield five years ago that the 2030 deadline wasn’t realistic. The warnings went unheeded."
- [Illinois House passes school pension bill - WIFR (Rockford)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-house-passes-school-pension-bill-wifr-rockford/) - The Illinois House passed a bill April 8 that would exempt teachers who take on extra classes and extracurricular work from a state pension penalty that has cost some school districts hundreds of thousands of dollars. State Rep. Steve Reick sees the bill as chipping away at limitations placed on school districts to prevent salary spiking and out-of-control pension costs.
- [Chicago mayor links restaurant industry to ‘slavery’ as tipped wage fight intensifies - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-mayor-links-restaurant-industry-to-slavery-as-tipped-wage-fight-intensifies-fox-news/) - "You just watched the entire city council, in transparency, try to take wages away from the very people who are part of an industry that has its ties to slavery is hiding from that," Mayor Brandon Johnson said in response to a question from a person who claimed that Johnson's Reparations Task Force was not in compliance with Illinois state law, which mandates that all public bodies hold public meetings. "I am boldly declaring that we need reparations in this city, and that's why I'm funding it."
- [Burdened by costs of an ICE facility in town, Broadview reckons with a spotlight it never wanted - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/burdened-by-costs-of-an-ice-facility-in-town-broadview-reckons-with-a-spotlight-it-never-wanted-wbez-chicago/) - Finance director Thomas Hood calls the hundreds of thousands of dollars in unexpected spending on police overtime, legal fees and ambulance transfers a “huge deal.”
- [Illinois lawmakers advance slate of bills ahead of chamber deadline - WCIA (Champaign)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-advance-slate-of-bills-ahead-of-chamber-deadline-wcia-champaign/) - Among them, HB 4540 would give the court system authority to assign sole or joint ownership of a pet, particularly in cases such as divorce. Judges will consider the well-being of pets when determining custody in certain legal disputes.
- [Illinois House Republicans split on bill allowing eligible high schoolers to register to vote - WGLT (NPR at ISU)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-house-republicans-split-on-bill-allowing-eligible-high-schoolers-to-register-to-vote-wglt-npr-at-isu/) - “The school should be teaching kids math and reading and all these other things, history, and maybe that would be part of it, voter registration for those who are age appropriate. But lets the schools make that decision,” state Rep. Bill Hauter said, adding he also is concerned about what he described as liberal schools influencing students to vote for more liberal candidates.
- [Bachelor’s degrees at Illinois community colleges may widen access, affordability - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/bachelors-degrees-at-illinois-community-colleges-may-widen-access-affordability-center-square/) - Community colleges in Illinois could soon offer Bachelor’s degree programs to Illinois residents. Officials, lawmakers and students all say the initiative would make higher education more accessible, affordable and benefit the state’s economy.
- [Gunman carjacked victim during auto test drive, then crashed in front of passing patrol car: CPD - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/gunman-carjacked-victim-during-auto-test-drive-then-crashed-in-front-of-passing-patrol-car-cpd-cwb-chicago/) - Moments later, a CPD officer saw the Mercedes traveling on Armitage Avenue with no license plates, tires screeching, and swerving lane to lane, according to a CPD report. The officer then saw the driver lose control while turning north from Armitage onto Laporte Avenue, striking two parked cars. Phillips bailed out of the driver’s seat and ran, the report said. Officers chased him and took him into custody after a foot chase.
- [Chicago man gets 25 years for running ISIS propaganda network, hacking Twitter accounts to spread terror content - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-man-gets-25-years-for-running-isis-propaganda-network-hacking-twitter-accounts-to-spread-terror-content-cwb-chicago/)
- [Why We Should Be Skeptical About High Graduation Rates - City Journal](https://wirepoints.org/why-we-should-be-skeptical-about-high-graduation-rates-city-journal/) - When state exams and standardized test scores show declining student proficiency, there’s no reason to celebrate.
- [Rich Miller: Illinoisans overwhelmingly want to impose strict rules on data centers - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/rich-miller-illinoisans-overwhelmingly-want-to-impose-strict-rules-on-data-centers-chicago-sun-times/) - "Whether the environmentalists’ bill (the Protecting Our Water, Energy, and Ratepayers, or POWER, Act) is the answer remains to be seen. But it seems clear from the poll that Illinoisans want some real regulation of this industry."
- [A 69-hour workday? City of Chicago paid head-scratching legal bills. - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/a-69-hour-workday-city-of-chicago-paid-head-scratching-legal-bills-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - In a decade’s worth of these bills, the city failed to catch at least 40 instances when a firm billed Chicagoans for a person alleged to have worked more than 24 hours in a day. Beyond those impossibilities, when the city’s system flags a billing entry for extra scrutiny because someone worked more than 10 hours in a day, a potential sign of overbilling, the city routinely still pays.
- [Stacy Davis Gates: In 2050, CPS will be rooted in sustainability - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/stacy-davis-gates-in-2050-cps-will-be-rooted-in-sustainability-chicago-tribune/) - "To continue on that path, by 2050, we will have reformed the role of money in politics and ensured a fairer tax system that supports public education. Because if we believe in the power of the village, then we must equip that village with the power to make decisions and create policies without undue influence."
- [CPS's May 1 ‘Day of Civic Action' pits Johnson against Pritzker - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/cpss-may-1-day-of-civic-action-pits-johnson-against-pritzker-nbc5-chicago/) - While Mayor Brandon Johnson directed his chief of staff to figure out logistics around the day, saying, “If we’re going to transform our economies, if we’re gonna push for the ultra wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes, voices of working people, every day people have to rise up,” Gov. JB Pritzker said, “Political operators trying to determine what the calendar should be for kids seems inappropriate.”
- [More than $550,000 has poured into historic Chicago school board races - Chalkbeat Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/more-than-550000-has-poured-into-historic-chicago-school-board-races-chalkbeat-chicago/) - For the first time in the city’s history, Chicagoans this November will elect all 21 members of the school board, which has long been handpicked by the mayor. In 2024, when residents chose 10 members and Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed the rest, the races drew more than $13 million in campaign cash.
- [Illinois lawmakers claim progress on Bears stadium legislation - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-claim-progress-on-bears-stadium-legislation-capitol-news-il/) - One potential change would end the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes tool after five years. This wouldn’t affect the Bears or any other developer with an agreement already inked, but it would allow lawmakers to assess the effectiveness of the tool. Deputy Gov. Andy Manar said he believes it “that was the intention” of negotiators to include the sunset, noting that state policymakers “do that with most of our incentives.”
- [Brandon Johnson wants a ‘millionaires’ tax. Should Springfield pass one? - The Last Ward](https://wirepoints.org/brandon-johnson-wants-a-millionaires-tax-should-springfield-pass-one-the-last-ward/) - "Massachusetts passed a new 4 percent tax on income over $1 million in 2023. ... Most concerningly, total Adjusted Gross Income in Massachusetts shrunk year-over-year, meaning higher taxes are hitting a smaller tax base. Massachusetts did get a sugar high of new tax revenue. But it came at the cost of shrinking the pie for everyone."
- [Editorial: Illinois is No. 1 in the embarrassing category of bloated government - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-illinois-is-no-1-in-the-embarrassing-category-of-bloated-government-champaign-news-gazette/) - "The Civic Federation report calls for the obvious: a rethinking of how state legislators can serve their constituents by eliminating roadblocks to consolidation and urging local officials to take a broad look at this spider’s web of government units financed by unaffordable property taxes. It’s much easier, of course, to do nothing. But the cost is increasingly unaffordable."
- [IL House Democrats pass plan requiring K-12 Latin American history - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-house-democrats-pass-plan-requiring-k-12-latin-american-history-wand-decatur/) - The plan requires school districts to include Latin American history curriculum in social studies classes starting with the 2027-2028 school year. Rep. Eva Dina-Delgado said students could learn about Latino contributions to the economic, cultural, social and political development of the United States and Illinois.
- [First chunk of new transit money to be spent on security, service for CTA, Metra and Pace - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/first-chunk-of-new-transit-money-to-be-spent-on-security-service-for-cta-metra-and-pace-chicago-sun-times/)
- [Watchdog finds Chicago owed $8.1 billion in uncollected debt, but can't calculate all the money it's due - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/watchdog-finds-chicago-owed-8-1-billion-in-uncollected-debt-but-cant-calculate-all-the-money-its-due-cbs2-chicago/) - The report revealed antiquated systems and policies dating back decades that prevent the city's Department of Finance from tracking and collecting all of the money owed. No single city department tracks all debt it is owed, different departments use different systems to track debt, and they don't talk to each other.
- [Chicago Teachers Union, CPS agree to "day of civic action" on May Day - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-teachers-union-cps-agree-to-day-of-civic-action-on-may-day-cbs2-chicago/) - According to the union, CTU and CPS signed an agreement that includes the district providing buses for field trips so students and teachers can attend a May Day rally in Union Park. The union said the agreement also include a pledge from CPS that there will be no retaliation against any staff or students who participate in May Day, and that the district agreed that future May Days that fall during the work week be teacher-directed professional development days "so that we all have clarity for the years to come."
- [IL Senate passes bill prohibiting private schools from banning religious hairstyles - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-senate-passes-bill-prohibiting-private-schools-from-banning-religious-hairstyles-wand-decatur/) - This plan expands the current state law that bans public and private schools from prohibiting hairstyles associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture. Sen. Mike Simmons said rabbis asked him to file the bill to protect Orthodox Jewish students who have beards.
- [Illinois GOP aims to keep power plants open, increase charge transparency - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-gop-aims-to-keep-power-plants-open-increase-charge-transparency-center-square/) - “As lawmakers, we should be using an ‘all of the above’ approach to energy policy. Illinois can't simply shut down coal and natural gas plants before reliable and affordable replacements are ready,” state Rep. Dave Severin said.
- [Pritzker says of BUILD Plan for homes would not cost taxpayers - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-says-of-build-plan-for-homes-would-not-cost-taxpayers-center-square/) - Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran said there is good and bad in the governor’s plan. “Cutting red tape would be incredibly important, incentivizing first-time home ownership, incredibly important,” Curran said, adding that the governor needs to roll back expensive mandates, like requiring electric vehicle plug-in stations in the garage of any new housing unit.
- [Freedom Caucus seeks to eliminate state diversity commission - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/freedom-caucus-seeks-to-eliminate-state-diversity-commission-center-square/) - The call to eliminate the Commission on Equity and Inclusion comes amid bipartisan criticism of its work as lawmakers consider its proposed $5.6 million budget for the next fiscal year. Additionally, the seven commissioners each earn about $150,000 annually that is paid from a separate funding source. Gov. JB Pritzker appointed the seven commissioners.
- [School cell phone ban, human composting bills among hundreds advancing in Springfield - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/school-cell-phone-ban-human-composting-bills-among-hundreds-advancing-in-springfield-capitol-news-il/) - The House and Senate both passed versions of a bill to authorize the state treasurer to set up and operate an investment fund that would manage the deposits of nonprofit corporations. Lawmakers passed similar legislation in 2025, but Gov. JB Pritzker vetoed it, saying such a fund could be used to benefit extremist groups that organize as nonprofit corporations.
- [Chicago Public Schools will stay open May 1 - kind of. - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-public-schools-will-stay-open-may-1-kind-of-illinois-policy/) - The school district rejected the teachers union’s demand to close school that day. Instead, 100 schools will be provided with buses so that students have the option to “field trip” to a massive pro-labor, anti-President Donald Trump rally in the afternoon. After May Day 2025, the union set a new year’s resolution to “raise the bar” by organizing the “largest May Day action yet” in 2026.
- [Several northern Illinois schools are cutting staff and reckoning with multi-million-dollar budget deficits - WNIU (DeKalb)](https://wirepoints.org/several-northern-illinois-schools-are-cutting-staff-and-reckoning-with-multi-million-dollar-budget-deficits-wniu-dekalb/) - Take Rockford Public Schools for example. In 2022, the state reimbursed pretty much all of their special education transportation costs. A lot of their regular transportation was reimbursed too, and the local district was left to foot the bill for the remaining $800,000. Fast forward to 2026, costs have gone up and reimbursements have stayed the same. So, now the bill is up to $7.5 million.
- [Video: State employees rip off taxpayers through PPP loan program - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/video-state-employees-rip-off-taxpayers-through-ppp-loan-program-wand-decatur/) - Investigators found more than 500 cases of state employees abusing the government loan program, at a cost to taxpayers of $2.8 billion.
- [Wauconda pursues annexation to stop solar farm: ‘Developing in a manner inconsistent with our long-term plan’  - Lake County News-Sun](https://wirepoints.org/wauconda-pursues-annexation-to-stop-solar-farm-developing-in-a-manner-inconsistent-with-our-long-term-plan-lake-county-news-sun/) - The proposal calls for solar panels to be just 150 feet from existing homes.
- [Chicago Democrats Deny Scholarships to Students to Spite Trump - Association of Mature American Citizens](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-democrats-deny-scholarships-to-students-to-spite-trump-association-of-mature-american-citizens/) - “How can we even consider the idea of not being opposed to a program that is being proposed by this president with his intentions to destroy the Department of Education,” said Chicago Board of Education member Debby Pope, ignoring that the program would provide more funding to students – who are supposed to be Pope’s first and only concern.
- [IBM doubles down on quantum tech with U of I - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/ibm-doubles-down-on-quantum-tech-with-u-of-i-crains/) - IBM and U of I’s Grainger College of Engineering at Urbana-Champaign launched a decade-long, $200 million research partnership called IBM-Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute in 2021, focused on artificial intelligence, supercomputing and materials research. Since then, IBM has collaborated with U of I to launch the National Quantum Algorithm Center, which will be a tenant at of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago that’s being built at the former US Steel factory site on the Far South Side. IBM plans to build a team of up to 50 researchers in Chicago.
- [Guest Commentary: What The Hell Happened to Chicago: There It Is - John Kass News](https://wirepoints.org/guest-commentary-what-the-hell-happened-to-chicago-there-it-is-john-kass-news/) - "Young, tough looking cops, standing in pairs every couple of blocks. Alert. Ready. I stopped to talk to them. Nice guys. Very guarded in how they answered my questions about what it was like. Things are better. People are mostly nice. No, you don’t come here after dark. No, don’t go off the avenue. No, don’t wander around Streeterville. I caught a Vietnam era vibe as if I was talking to soldiers back from a tour or two."
- [HB4416 and Its Fiscal Implications for CPS - Civic Federation](https://wirepoints.org/hb4416-and-its-fiscal-implications-for-cps-civic-federation/) - The Federation does not object to the goal of providing unemployment benefits to seasonal school district employees during the summer. However, it emphatically opposes any unfunded mandates to local governments, including school districts. This bill could impose hundreds of millions of dollars in costs on Illinois school districts without providing them with commensurate funding.
- [Helmut Jahn-designed Naperville office building sold for half of 2015 price - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/helmut-jahn-designed-naperville-office-building-sold-for-half-of-2015-price-crains/) - "The sale is another sobering data point for the suburban office market, where demand has been battered by the rise of remote work and vacancy has hit new record highs every quarter for more than five years. That landscape and elevated interest rates have scared off many investors, fueling rampant distress and sapping landlords’ equity."
- [Facial recognition helped cops identify mystery gunman who nearly killed 7-Eleven clerk in the Loop: prosecutors - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/facial-recognition-helped-cops-identify-mystery-gunman-who-nearly-killed-7-eleven-clerk-in-the-loop-prosecutors-cwb-chicago/) - The case is the latest to hinge on facial recognition technology that a North Side lawmaker is trying to ban. Rep. Kelly Cassidy’s bill would prohibit any local or state law enforcement agency in Illinois from accessing a facial recognition database and would bar agencies from sidestepping that prohibition by contracting the work to a third party.
- [Illinois bill would force one-year expulsions for students who commit sexual assault - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-bill-would-force-one-year-expulsions-for-students-who-commit-sexual-assault-chicago-tribune/) - State Sen. Steve McClure, the bill’s main Senate sponsor, said when enough schools are unwilling to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable, the legislature needs to step in. “Most schools do the right thing, but there are enough cases where the school is forcing the rape victim to still be in school with the rapist,” he said. “And it’s very detrimental to the victim and it also puts other students at risk. This is a very important bill that’s going to address what is a real problem.”
- [Energy demand in ComEd territory could double by 2040, in part driven by data centers - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/energy-demand-in-comed-territory-could-double-by-2040-in-part-driven-by-data-centers-capitol-news-il/) - Brian Granahan, director of the Illinois Power Agency, said that while IPA is assessing whether the deadline for closing gas and coal plants is viable, it’s also assessing the regulatory and legal barriers for new nuclear power following Gov. JB Pritzker’s executive order aimed at spurring nuclear development after CRGA ended a longstanding moratorium on new plant construction.
- [Illinois biometric data law a threat to businesses - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-biometric-data-law-a-threat-to-businesses-illinois-policy/) - Since 2019, more than 1,500 lawsuits have been filed under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act in Illinois state and federal courts. Employers across Illinois, ranging from trucking companies to cosmetic companies to hospitals, have faced BIPA litigation.
- [‘R-rated Groundhog Day’: Cook County tax bills will be late this summer, officials predict - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/r-rated-groundhog-day-cook-county-tax-bills-will-be-late-this-summer-officials-predict-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - Approximately 87,000 taxpayers are owed refunds at this point, said David Byrnes, chief of staff to Treasurer Maria Pappas, whose office mails the bills.
- [NASA device made in Illinois crowned coolest thing in the state - State Journal Register (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/nasa-device-made-in-illinois-crowned-coolest-thing-in-the-state-state-journal-register-springfield/) - With nearly 167,000 votes cast throughout the eight-week competition, the NASA Standard Initiator was awarded the title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. The NASA Standard Initiator is an electrically activated pyrotechnic device that has flown on every NASA mission since Apollo and was a critical part of the historic Artemis II mission.
- [Republicans rip Illinois and three other blue states for keeping taxes on tips, overtime after Trump reprieve - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/republicans-rip-illinois-and-three-other-blue-states-for-keeping-taxes-on-tips-overtime-after-trump-reprieve-fox-news/) - "The sad truth is that if President Trump is for it, JB Pritzker will always be against it."
- [Polls are clear: Voters want donated education money - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/polls-are-clear-voters-want-donated-education-money-illinois-policy/) - Nearly 64 percent of Illinois voters in 33 jurisdictions supported opting into the federal tax credit scholarship program in a non-binding question on the ballot.
- [Bill advances to prevent local governments from clearing homeless camps - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/bill-advances-to-prevent-local-governments-from-clearing-homeless-camps-center-square/)
- [Feds move to block controversial Illinois credit card swipe fee ban, siding with banks in ongoing legal fight - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/feds-move-to-block-controversial-illinois-credit-card-swipe-fee-ban-siding-with-banks-in-ongoing-legal-fight-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - Passed in 2024 and set to take effect this July, the state law bans certain so-called swipe fees on the tax and tip portions of customers’ bills, with a goal of lowering the amount that credit card companies can charge retailers. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, an independent bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, plans to put out an “Order Preempting the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act."
- [IL House Democrats pass bill allowing undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public universities - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-house-democrats-pass-bill-allowing-undocumented-immigrants-to-pay-in-state-tuition-at-public-universities-wand-decatur/) - This comes seven months after the Trump administration filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking the state from lowering the cost of college for undocumented immigrants.
- [Feds refuse to grant Mayor Brandon Johnson ally waiver to take over Chicago Housing Authority - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/feds-refuse-to-grant-mayor-brandon-johnson-ally-waiver-to-take-over-chicago-housing-authority-chicago-tribune/) - The conflicts were over the former alderman and his wife, Darlena Williams-Burnett, having an “ownership interest in” three properties that are occupied by CHA housing voucher holders, as well as him not meeting a one-year revolving door restriction until September.
- [Push to slow increase of Chicago's subminimum wage fails - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/push-to-slow-increase-of-chicagos-subminimum-wage-fails-chicago-sun-times/) - Johnson has now issued three vetoes in three years and made all of them stick. The first killed a snap curfew ordinance. The second killed a proposed ban on the sale of most hemp-derived products in Chicago, and the third killed efforts to freeze the hourly pay of restaurant servers, bartenders and other tipped workers at 76 percent of the minimum wage.
- [9 more Chicago cops busted in PPP loan fraud probe, inspector general says - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/9-more-chicago-cops-busted-in-ppp-loan-fraud-probe-inspector-general-says-cwb-chicago/) - A tenth city worker, identified as an aldermanic employee, also obtained a fraudulent PPP loan and then filed a false police report claiming someone had stolen their identity and used it to submit the loan application, according to the OIG’s first-quarter report. OIG recommended that the alderman who supervises the worker fire the employee and add them to the do-not-hire list, but the alderman failed to respond by the deadline.
- [CPS restores disability support funding in Catholic schools - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/cps-restores-disability-support-funding-in-catholic-schools-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - The archdiocese operates nearly 150 Catholic schools in the Chicago area, and reports more than 800 students with disabilities. Though the students attend private schools, they are entitled to federally funded support services under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act. CPS distributes the funding to Catholic schools within its attendance boundaries.
- [Gov. JB Pritzker pumped $10 million into Juliana Stratton’s Senate primary win through outside PAC - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzker-pumped-10-million-into-juliana-strattons-senate-primary-win-through-outside-pac-chicago-tribune-yahoo/)
- [Witzburg Ends Her Term as Chicago’s Inspector General With a Flurry of Reports — And Warnings - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/witzburg-ends-her-term-as-chicagos-inspector-general-with-a-flurry-of-reports-and-warnings-wttw-chicago/) - “I think there’s a great deal of room for improvement, to say the least, in the city’s cooperation with oversight,” Deborah Witzburg said. “If we are not all working in the direction of building a government that more closely resembles the one Chicagoans deserve, then at least some of us are in the wrong line of work.”
- [Illinois loses 18k jobs in February, unemployment rises to 5% - WCIA (Champaign)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-loses-18k-jobs-in-february-unemployment-rises-to-5-wcia-champaign/) - Deputy Governor Andy Manar placed blame for the job losses and rising unemployment on the Trump Administration.
- [Illinois leaders sweat over tight budget; GOP wants more cuts - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-leaders-sweat-over-tight-budget-gop-wants-more-cuts-center-square/) - Senate Minority Leader John F. Curran said his party’s focus in the Senate, other than attempting to pass their agenda, is to improve legislation from the opposing party.
- [House approves Pritzker initiative to regulate social media algorithms - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/house-approves-pritzker-initiative-to-regulate-social-media-algorithms-capitol-news-il/) - The bill does not limit social media use to certain ages but does require platforms to allow users setting up an account to input their age, which would trigger certain settings on the device for users under 18 years old.
- [Latin American history, pet custody bills advance in Springfield ahead of deadline - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/latin-american-history-pet-custody-bills-advance-in-springfield-ahead-of-deadline-capitol-news-il/) - State Rep. Laura Faver Dias argued that American history education too often centers on the study of white males. “That isn’t history,” she said. “That’s a fairy tale, and this mandate will not raise your property taxes.”
- [Man who ‘tried to set an entire train car on fire’ is ‘not a good candidate’ for electronic monitoring, judge rules - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/man-who-tried-to-set-an-entire-train-car-on-fire-is-not-a-good-candidate-for-electronic-monitoring-judge-rules-cwb-chicago/) - Quentin Williams, 38, is accused of setting multiple fires aboard a CTA Blue Line train in the Loop and threatening passengers with a box cutter, according to court records. Prosecutors said Williams has a prior felony conviction for stabbing a random person in the leg with a box cutter on a CTA train.
- [The Obama Presidential Center Is Finally Here. Prepare to Pay Up. - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/the-obama-presidential-center-is-finally-here-prepare-to-pay-up-wall-street-journal/) - At $30, adult admission to see the 44th president’s story is more than at any other U.S. presidential library, a Wall Street Journal review shows. That is 59% higher than the average for presidents from John F. Kennedy through George W. Bush.
- [Brandon Johnson calls Rahm Emanuel's mayoral record 'disqualifying' for a possible presidential contender - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/brandon-johnson-calls-rahm-emanuels-mayoral-record-disqualifying-for-a-possible-presidential-contender-chicago-sun-times/) - “I have very deep concerns about the former mayor of the city of Chicago. What he did in Chicago — from school closures to privatization to austere budgets,” Johnson said during a radio broadcast before a live audience. Johnson talks often about having “taken an arrest” while protesting Emanuel’s decision to close Dyett High School.
- [Pritzker wants Bears legislation to move faster; tax questions loom large - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-wants-bears-legislation-to-move-faster-tax-questions-loom-large-center-square/) - "I'm mostly concerned about the left tackle position,” joked Illinois Senate President Don Harmon. Harmon said members of his caucus had no interest in spending on a new stadium and said if Indiana is convinced to pay billions for Bears facility, “We might have to help them pack.”
- [Illinois lawmakers grill diversity commission over lack of progress - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-grill-diversity-commission-over-lack-of-progress-center-square/) - "This really needs to be fixed, and if it means making you guys full-time employees, I think maybe that's what needs to happen because $150,000 a year to lose 2,600 vendors, it's just unacceptable," state Sen. Chapin Rose said.
- [3D printed homes, an abandoned $590,000 deposit, the FBI: What really happened in Cairo? - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/3d-printed-homes-an-abandoned-590000-deposit-the-fbi-what-really-happened-in-cairo-capitol-news-il/) - Two men promised a $1.1 million 3D printer could fix Cairo, Illinois’, housing crisis. More than a year later, the one duplex it printed still isn’t finished.
- [Illinois posted slow job growth last year - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-posted-slow-job-growth-last-year-illinois-policy/) - Illinois’ 4.9 percent unemployment rate in January ranked eighth-highest in the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Michigan was the only state in the Midwest with a higher rate.
- [New task force aggressively prosecuting CTA crimes with hopes to prevent future ones: O'Neill Burke - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/new-task-force-aggressively-prosecuting-cta-crimes-with-hopes-to-prevent-future-ones-oneill-burke-abc7-chicago/) - "We ask for detention in every violent crime on the CTA ... We're getting detention in 81 percent of the cases. That's up significantly from where it was 15 months ago. And the way that we do that is make sure judges have the fullest picture possible on why this person presents a danger," said Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke.
- [Illinois Wagering Volume Continues To Be Notably Down - In Game](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-wagering-volume-continues-to-be-notably-down-in-game/) - The Illinois Gaming Board reported a sports betting handle of $1.17 billion for February, a figure that hides the continuing sharp year-over-year decline in the number of wagers placed in the Land of Lincoln. The state’s 10 mobile sportsbooks accepted 20.6 million wagers in February, down 25.2 percent from last year.
- [IL Attorney General Kwame Raoul Leads Coalition Urging Supreme Court To Preserve Temporary Protected Status For Haitians And Syrians - RiverBender (Alton)](https://wirepoints.org/il-attorney-general-kwame-raoul-leads-coalition-urging-supreme-court-to-preserve-temporary-protected-status-for-haitians-and-syrians-riverbender-alton/) - “I am a proud son of Haitian immigrants, so this issue is personal to me,” Raoul said. “TPS protects the health and safety of Haitian and Syrian immigrants who significantly contribute to our state and national economies.
- [Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline received record number of calls in 2025 - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-domestic-violence-hotline-received-record-number-of-calls-in-2025-cbs2-chicago/) - Nearly 70,000 calls for help were made last year to the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline – a 181 percent increase since 2019.
- [City Council chooses Ald. Villegas as Zoning chair in latest blow to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/city-council-chooses-ald-villegas-as-zoning-chair-in-latest-blow-to-chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-chicago-sun-times/) - “It certainly is another example of the Council stepping up and sort of rescuing an item to fill a void of what’s not happening on the Fifth Floor [mayor’s office] that’s consistent with what took place with the budget,” said Ald. Marty Quinn.
- [Chicago Pension Buyout Proposal Shifts Debt, Fails to Address Broader Fiscal Woes - Chicago Today](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-pension-buyout-proposal-shifts-debt-fails-to-address-broader-fiscal-woes-chicago-today/) - Mark Glennon, founder of Wirepoints, criticized the pension buyout program, stating that it simply shifts debt rather than reducing it. He emphasized that the broader fiscal picture facing Chicago continues to worsen across all metrics, indicating that the city's financial challenges extend beyond just the pension issue.
- [Cook County judge to consider sanctions against plaintiffs in sexual assault lawsuit involving Dolton, Thornton Township - Daily Southtown/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-judge-to-consider-sanctions-against-plaintiffs-in-sexual-assault-lawsuit-involving-dolton-thornton-township-daily-southtown-yahoo/) - Thornton Township is asking a Cook County judge to impose sanctions on those who filed a lawsuit alleging sexual assault and battery by Dolton Trustee Andrew Holmes during a 2023 work trip to Las Vegas, according to court records.
- [Illinois could limit how local governments treat homeless people on the streets - Yahoo News/WBHF](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-could-limit-how-local-governments-treat-homeless-people-on-the-streets-yahoo-news-wbhf/) - Lawmakers are considering House Bill 1429. The proposal would ban local governments from arresting or fining homeless people who are doing things like sleeping, eating or resting outdoors, or anything considered to be a life-sustaining activity. Local governments would also be required to provide social services to anyone being removed if possible.
- [Gov. JB Pritzker’s ambitious housing plan for Illinois: More four-flats, looser rules - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzkers-ambitious-housing-plan-for-illinois-more-four-flats-looser-rules-chicago-tribune/) - It’s an ambitious effort that could reshape housing from Chicago to Peoria and across downstate Illinois. But while Pritzker is trying to build support for a far-reaching proposal backed by housing advocates and many developers, he faces opposition from local leaders who say the sweeping approach is wrong for their communities.
- [Chicago mayor warns of ‘teen trend’ after takeover chaos, violence concerns grow - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-mayor-warns-of-teen-trend-after-takeover-chaos-violence-concerns-grow-fox-news/) - "Parents, be aware of where your children are going this evening. DO NOT allow your children to attend one of these gatherings; they are dangerous and can often turn violent," Mayor Brandon Johnson wrote on social media. "Together we can keep our youth and our communities safe."
- [Chicago leaders push Meta for stronger action on teen gatherings - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-leaders-push-meta-for-stronger-action-on-teen-gatherings-fox32-chicago/) - "When looking for a specific car, you got plate readers. When you're looking for specific suspects that are wearing certain types of clothes, cameras can zoom in," Ald. William Hall said. "You're telling me that a social media company doesn't have the tools to zero in on certain images that are being reported to them, certain phrases that are been reported to him, or certain problematic accounts that are be identified over and over and again? So we're asking for a bigger step, not just one step."
- [Catalytic converters stolen off more than 30 school buses in Chicago - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/catalytic-converters-stolen-off-more-than-30-school-buses-in-chicago-nbc5-chicago/)
- [Rahm Emanuel proposes betting and prediction markets tax, defends CPS reforms as he mulls presidential bid - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/rahm-emanuel-proposes-betting-and-prediction-markets-tax-defends-cps-reforms-as-he-mulls-presidential-bid-chicago-sun-times/) - Despite the resistance he faced, Emanuel said he asked three mayors, “‘Why don’t you take over your public schools?’ ... And they looked at me and said, ‘We watched what happened to you. Why would we want that?’” Emanuel said, adding that he “had to fight” when union members went to his children’s schools and held signs that read, “Your dad’s an a------" and “Your dad sucks.”
- [Column: Legal migration of "wealth" issue of growing importance - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/column-legal-migration-of-wealth-issue-of-growing-importance-champaign-news-gazette/) - Jim Dey: "Illinois is among the biggest losers, its migrating taxpayers taking $6 billion in taxable income with them in 2023."
- [Wisconsin sheriff sues Skokie woman who allegedly made up ICE detention, enjoyed spa day in ‘hoax’ compared to Jussie Smollett - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/wisconsin-sheriff-sues-skokie-woman-who-allegedly-made-up-ice-detention-enjoyed-spa-day-in-hoax-compared-to-jussie-smollett-fox-news/) - The lawsuit also details statements made by Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, who publicly amplified the claims and alleged Naqvi and five other individuals were transported across state lines by immigration agents, assertions Schmidt disputes. The complaint further alleges Morrison accused the sheriff’s office of a "cover-up" and said officials "have been lying from the very start of this."
- [Chicago IG Witzberg's last report reveals city employees drinking on job, falsifying work hours - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-ig-witzbergs-last-report-reveals-city-employees-drinking-on-job-falsifying-work-hours-abc7-chicago/) - Inspector General Deborah Witzburg says the office's work has not been welcomed by the Johnson administration, which she says has demonstrated hostility to oversight. "During this administration we have seen what I think is a pattern of decisions to challenge, disempower and to obstruct the work of this office," Witzburg said.
- [Teen boy killed, girl hurt in bus stop shooting near YMCA on Chicago’s South Side, police say - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/teen-boy-killed-girl-hurt-in-bus-stop-shooting-near-ymca-on-chicagos-south-side-police-say-fox32-chicago/) - A 16-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl were standing at a bus stop just before 3L30 p.m. when someone approached, pulled out a gun and fired, according to police. Witnesses at the scene described a growing sense of fear and frustration in the community. One person said it feels like young people aren’t getting the chance to live their lives, calling the violence "overwhelming and heartbreaking."
- [Amid artificial intelligence explosion, lawmakers debate best path to regulate - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/amid-artificial-intelligence-explosion-lawmakers-debate-best-path-to-regulate-capitol-news-il/) - “This isn’t about stifling innovation … but you need to have guardrails to protect minors,” said Sen. Sue Rezin. “This bill is about ensuring that as technology moves faster than the law, we don’t leave consumer protections in the dust, especially when it comes to minors.”
- [Chicago moves to buy Greyhound station, but key alderman demands more details - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-moves-to-buy-greyhound-station-but-key-alderman-demands-more-details-chicago-tribune/) - “That hearing really illustrated the ‘first we get the money’ mentality of this administration,” Ald. Bill Conway said as he walked out.
- [Soon-to-shutter Trinity Christian College campus up for sale - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/soon-to-shutter-trinity-christian-college-campus-up-for-sale-chicago-sun-times/) - Trinity is among a field of other small, private colleges and universities that have shuttered in recent years like Lincoln Christian University in 2024, due in large part to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- [‘Credit card chaos’? Financial institutions bet big on repeal of first-of-its-kind Illinois law - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/credit-card-chaos-financial-institutions-bet-big-on-repeal-of-first-of-its-kind-illinois-law-capitol-news-il/) - Adding a new wrinkle on Wednesday, the federal office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a subset of the U.S. Treasury Department, appeared poised to issue an order preempting Illinois’ law.
- [City of Chicago Employees Owe $19.5 Million in Fines, Half of Whom Refuse to Pay - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/city-of-chicago-employees-owe-19-5-million-in-fines-half-of-whom-refuse-to-pay-chicago-contrarian/) - Members of the city's education sector and the CTA reportedly owe 80 percent of the debt, adding up to nearly $15.7 million. The worst debtor is an employee of the CPS, a substitute teacher who has racked up a debt of almost $200,000 for building code violations, fines, and traffic tickets. CTA employee Nikita Hampton, 58, who was hired by the CTA after he spent 20 years in jail for bank robbery, owes $136,000 in fines and fees to the city.
- [Report: Chicago property taxes rise 182% in 30 years - Chicago Agent Magazine](https://wirepoints.org/report-chicago-property-taxes-rise-182-in-30-years-chicago-agent-magazine/) - Over the same period, inflation rose less than 91 percent, and average wages climbed about 161 percent. Cook County government itself has kept its property tax levy comparatively low, increasing just 26 percent over the 30‑year period studied. Cook County instead raised its sales tax to cover rising costs.
- [Chicago’s Anti-Tourism Hotel Tax - City Journal](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-anti-tourism-hotel-tax-city-journal/) - "Reliance on hotel taxes reflects a destructive pattern in Chicago’s fiscal policy: turning to narrow, politically convenient revenue sources instead of addressing core issues driving fiscal gaps. The city has used this approach with taxes on streaming services, sports betting, and social media to cover broader structural gaps."
- [IL bill requiring insurance coverage for preventative heart scans heads to Senate - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-bill-requiring-insurance-coverage-for-preventative-heart-scans-heads-to-senate-wand-decatur/) - The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services initially opposed the bill due to the potential cost for state employee health insurance coverage. However, the current language exempts state employee insurance from the mandate. "If the cost was significant enough that the state cannot absorb it within its own health plan, it raises important affordability concerns for those in the marketplace as well," said Kate Morthland from the Illinois Life & Health Insurance Council.
- [After 7 Years, CPD Now in Full Compliance With 25% of Consent Decree: Monitors - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/after-7-years-cpd-now-in-full-compliance-with-25-of-consent-decree-monitors-wttw-chicago/) - The monitors praised CPD for making “significant progress” between July 1 and Dec. 31 in an effort to comply with the consent decree, which has been in effect for seven years. The last report from the monitors found CPD had fully complied with 22 percent of the consent decree.
- [Chicago suit vs oil cos. may yet survive SCOTUS ruling, judge hints - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-suit-vs-oil-cos-may-yet-survive-scotus-ruling-judge-hints-center-square/) - The oil companies based their motion to stay entirely on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to take up a case out of Boulder, Colorado, centered entirely on one overarching question: Whether federal law prohibits cities, like Chicago, Boulder and a growing number of others, from using accusations of alleged "deception" over climate change to use municipal ordinances and state laws to extract potentially huge paydays from the companies.
- [7th Circuit orders release, new trial for two ‘ComEd Four’ defendants - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/7th-circuit-orders-release-new-trial-for-two-comed-four-defendants-capitol-news-il/) - The three-judge panel issued a short order barely four hours after it finished hearing consolidated appeals arguments in the cases. In it, they wrote that “Both (former Commonwealth Edison CEO Anne) Pramaggiore and (longtime Springfield lobbyist Mike) McClain are entitled to release” on bond while awaiting a new trial. It’s unclear when the judges will publish their longer opinion formally ordering a new trial.
- [March mass layoffs hit Cook County hardest - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/march-mass-layoffs-hit-cook-county-hardest-illinois-policy/) - Job loss news serves as a warning about Illinois’ business climate. The state has dropped to 38th in a nationwide business tax climate ranking, and in recent research ranks 45th in the country for entrepreneurship and economic growth.
- [Civics Teacher and CTU member Froylan Jimenez: Why I choose to teach in CPS on May Day - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/civics-teacher-and-ctu-member-froylan-jimenez-why-i-choose-to-teach-in-cps-on-may-day-chicago-tribune/) - "Keeping CPS schools open on May 1 is not a contract violation; it is not in any way opposing workers’ rights. It is perfectly acceptable to honor this labor holiday by having children attend classes and having labor and civic actions on the same day."
- [Proposed changes to state’s school accountability system face pushback - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/proposed-changes-to-states-school-accountability-system-face-pushback-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - The Illinois State Board of Education plans to eliminate several measures from its school rating system, including college and career readiness and 9th Grade on Track — a widely cited metric used to predict graduation rates.
- [2 found dead in Chicago home identified as widow, son of late Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/2-found-dead-in-chicago-home-identified-as-widow-son-of-late-cook-county-commissioner-dennis-deer-fox32-chicago/) - Barbara Deer suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene, while Kaleb Deer, who had been shot in the head, was also pronounced dead. A weapon was recovered at the scene, and detectives are investigating the deaths as a homicide. No arrests have been announced.
- [Poll finds support, warning signs for Pritzker’s BUILD plan - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/poll-finds-support-warning-signs-for-pritzkers-build-plan-capitol-news-il/) - The survey, conducted in mid-March, found that 85 percent of likely Illinois voters supported legalizing accessory dwelling units and 65 percent supported allowing the construction of “modest duplexes, triplexes, or four-unit homes on larger residential lots.” But when told it’s a one-size-fits-all approach that’s “really a way for Springfield politicians to override local decisions,” 39 percent are less likely to support versus 21 percent who are more likely.
- [Chicago’s surging rents dent its cheap big city image - Chicago Tribune/Bloomberg*](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-surging-rents-dent-its-cheap-big-city-image-chicago-tribune-bloomberg/) - The surge in costs reflects a major shift for Chicago, known as one of the last bastions of big-city affordability. Windy City rents surged on average 3.4% last year, with San Francisco being the only major US city to post a bigger increase — exactly 5.9%, according to CoStar.
- [Illinois Supreme Court amends rules to combat unmet legal needs across state - WCIA (Champaign)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-supreme-court-amends-rules-to-combat-unmet-legal-needs-across-state-wcia-champaign/) - The amendments to Rule 711 will extend the length of time a law graduate may qualify for a temporary license after graduating from law school by allowing a graduate who does not pass the first bar examination administered following graduation to retain their 711 license and practice law through the next administered bar exam.
- [Editorial: Before adding new rules on homelessness, let’s enforce the ones we have - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-before-adding-new-rules-on-homelessness-lets-enforce-the-ones-we-have-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - "The uncomfortable tension here is that this bill prioritizes the rights of unsheltered individuals without equally addressing the effects on other people who use public spaces ..."
- [Wirepoints' Mark Glennon on AM560's Morning Answer: John Deere Quietly Choosing Indiana and North Carolina Over Illinois, Springfield Moving to Mandate Homeless Encampments in Suburban Parks](https://wirepoints.org/wirepoints-mark-glennon-on-am560-john-deere-quietly-choosing-indiana-and-north-carolina-over-illinois-springfield-moving-to-mandate-homeless-encampments-in-suburban-parks/) - Audio and summary linked here.
- [Residential conversions gain steam with sale of two downtown office buildings — plus another deal in the works - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/residential-conversions-gain-steam-with-sale-of-two-downtown-office-buildings-plus-another-deal-in-the-works-crains/) - Two vintage loft office buildings downtown have sold to a developer who plans to convert them to apartments, and another office building marketed as a residential conversion candidate is moving toward a sale.
- [Opinion: Illinois risks raising health care costs on employers, workers by expanding 340B - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/opinion-illinois-risks-raising-health-care-costs-on-employers-workers-by-expanding-340b-crains/) - Among the key drivers of the health care affordability crisis is the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. The 340B program was created in 1992 to help safety-net hospitals and clinics stretch limited resources by purchasing outpatient drugs at deep discounts. In theory, those savings would be used to expand care for low-income and uninsured patients. In practice, the program has evolved into something different — and much more costly.
- [CPD Superintendent Snelling pushes back on call to probe rising use-of-force incidents - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/cpd-superintendent-snelling-pushes-back-on-call-to-probe-rising-use-of-force-incidents-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - CPD officials told U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer that reported use-of-force incidents fell sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic but have gradually increased each year since 2022. In 2025, CPD officers reported 3,044 such incidents — 800 more than were reported in 2023.
- [IL Senate unanimously passes bill protecting domestic violence survivors from digital harassment - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-senate-unanimously-passes-bill-protecting-domestic-violence-survivors-from-digital-harassment-wand-decatur/) - Sponsors said the bill also allows survivors to request a remote order of protection hearing so they don't have to be in the same room as their abuser.
- [Hyde Park neighbors set up "parent takeover" to try to halt expected teen takeover - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/hyde-park-neighbors-set-up-parent-takeover-to-try-to-halt-expected-teen-takeover-cbs2-chicago/) - Two weeks ago, a teen takeover in Hyde Park turned destructive. Cell phone video shows a seemingly endless rush of teenagers jumping on parked cars.
- [Chicago’s May Day Madness - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-may-day-madness-chicago-contrarian/) - "Let’s try a simple thought experiment. Imagine, for one moment, that the CTU had gone in the opposite direction. Imagine they had become a conservative union. Imagine they were organizing a May Day walkout in support of Donald Trump. Imagine preschoolers making pro-Trump signs and high schoolers studying a curriculum titled 'Why Trump Was Right.' The outrage would be instantaneous — and justified."
- [GOP candidate Bailey urges Trump to apologize to pope; bishop calls for dialogue - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/gop-candidate-bailey-urges-trump-to-apologize-to-pope-bishop-calls-for-dialogue-center-square/) - Bailey said the president’s posts were totally inappropriate. “There's no doubt about that. Secondly, we all make mistakes. We say things in the heat of the moment, and I know that firsthand. A simple apology and a little humility can go a long way to fixing that,” Bailey said.
- [Two of ComEd Four released. New trial pending - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/two-of-comed-four-released-new-trial-pending-center-square/) - The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals directed the federal government to release former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore on bond pending a new trial. The appellate court also ruled that codefendant Michael McClain is entitled to bond because “he is not likely to flee or pose a danger to the safety of any other person or the community” and because the appeal raises “a substantial question” that will result in an order for a new trial.
- [Lawmaker slams Illinois tuition bill favoring illegal immigrants - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/lawmaker-slams-illinois-tuition-bill-favoring-illegal-immigrants-center-square/) - State Rep. Adam Niemerg, who serves as a Republican spokesman on immigration issues, argued the policy creates inequities for U.S. citizens living in neighboring states. “You have students from Indiana who are citizens of this country who can’t get in-state tuition, but someone here illegally can," he said. “One question we’re looking into is whether foreign nationals could use this same pathway."
- [Pritzker could unlock $1 billion for Illinois students - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-could-unlock-1-billion-for-illinois-students-illinois-policy/) - The only cost of the program is minimal foregone income tax revenue to the federal government. There is no cost to participating states, only the benefit of more help flowing directly to students. A number of taxpayer-participation scenarios show that “even modest taxpayer engagement could translate into significant resources,” according to an analysis from Education Reform Now.
- [Lawmakers grill Department of Corrections after audit shows dozens of failures - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/lawmakers-grill-department-of-corrections-after-audit-shows-dozens-of-failures-capitol-news-il/) - The department allowed employees to earn overtime hours while working during paid leave, violated state purchasing rules and failed to maintain a list of paroled inmates who moved to other state facilities, according to the audit. “I don’t know why the two worst-run departments in the state are the ones that deal with lives of people … We are being fleeced – the taxpayers,” said commission co-chair Sen. Chapin Rose.
- [Costs of state employee health benefits continue steep rise - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/costs-of-state-employee-health-benefits-continue-steep-rise-capitol-news-il/) - Director Raven DeVaughn said the 9 percent increases have been due to several factors, including growth in the state’s workforce. Since 2019, she said, the state has added about 10,000 employees. She said the health plan now covers about 470,000 lives, including employees, retirees and qualifying dependents.
- [Illinois bill would override local law to allow homeless living in all public parks - Wirepoints](https://wirepoints.org/pending-illinois-bill-would-override-local-law-to-allow-homeless-living-in-all-public-parks-wirepoints/) - If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
- [15,600 IFT members don’t exist, according to a union filing - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/15600-ift-members-dont-exist-according-to-a-union-filing-illinois-policy/) - IFT spent a total of $52.3 million in 2025. Just $14.4 million of that was on representing teachers — not even 28 percent of the total. In total, IFT spent $13.4 million on its own officers and employees’ salaries.
- [Illinois voters back plan to shift data center energy costs, poll finds - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-voters-back-plan-to-shift-data-center-energy-costs-poll-finds-fox32-chicago/) - The poll of 800 likely voters shows nearly 70 percent support the bill after a short description. That number rises to 75 percent when people hear more details. In some areas, data centers make up about 1 percent of electricity demand but are linked to a 595 percent increase in certain capacity costs. That cost pool totals about $1.7 billion, with most of it being passed to other customers.
- [Southwest Airlines to layoff more than 100 at O'Hare - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/southwest-airlines-to-layoff-more-than-100-at-ohare-nbc5-chicago/) - Other large companies are also listed on the state's most recent WARN report, including 101 workers from the Saks Fifth Avenue department store on Michigan Avenue, which is set to close. Others include employees at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, which will close at the end of the academic year due to financial challenges, and more than 100 Walmart employees when the Matteson distribution center closes.
- [Chicago’s mayor fundraises in the Bronx with former Rep. Jamaal Bowman - City and State New York](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-mayor-fundraises-in-the-bronx-with-former-rep-jamaal-bowman-city-and-state-new-york/) - Bowman and Johnson have a great deal in common: they’re both Black former educators known for their unapologetically leftist politics who just turned 50 years old and have faced their share of negative press. Guests paid between $50 and $7,000 for a ticket enjoyed rum punch and hors d’oeuvres.
- [Chicago’s first chief homelessness officer makes her exit - Hyde Park Herald](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-first-chief-homelessness-officer-makes-her-exit-hyde-park-herald/) - Sendy Soto was candid about one of the central limitations of her 137-page, five-year “Blueprint on Homelessness.”, namely, that there remains no dedicated funding source for homelessness services in Chicago. The city draws from a patchwork of federal grants, philanthropic dollars and line items in the corporate budget, none of them guaranteed year to year.
- [Illinois governor calls transfer of Asian carp project to Michigan a stunt - Detroit News/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-governor-calls-transfer-of-asian-carp-project-to-michigan-a-stunt-detroit-news-yahoo/) - Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle is directing management and execution of the Brandon Road project to be "immediately" transferred from the Corps' Rock Island District in Illinois to the Detroit District in Michigan. "Our partners in the Great Lake States can't allow one state to have undue influence and use it to play more games," Telle wrote. "This is great news for every state in the region, including Illinois."
- [Gov. JB Pritzker defends Pope Leo after Trump blasts pontiff's stances on Iran - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzker-defends-pope-leo-after-trump-blasts-pontiffs-stances-on-iran-nbc5-chicago/) - Pritzker, who visited with the pope earlier this year in Rome, said that Leo has a “higher calling” when it comes to speaking out on moral issues, and that his remarks on the Iran conflict fit with that calling.
- [SB 3138: The Mental Health Industry’s Latest Power Grab - Illinois Family Inst.](https://wirepoints.org/sb-3138-the-mental-health-industrys-latest-power-grab-illinois-family-inst/) - "Look beneath the surface of this bill. You will find a troubling set of facts: a sitting state senator who is simultaneously the sole officer of a private consulting corporation and a founding board officer of a nonprofit that lobbies for the very industry her legislation is designed to expand — and a network of multimillion-dollar behavioral health organizations positioned to profit from every referral the system generates."
- [Illinois proposal would give unemployment benefits to striking workers - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-proposal-would-give-unemployment-benefits-to-striking-workers-center-square/)
- [Chicago teachers want no school on May Day, testing the city's mayor and school leaders - AP/Yahoo News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-teachers-want-no-school-on-may-day-testing-the-citys-mayor-and-school-leaders-ap-yahoo-news/)
- [What Peoria congressman Darin LaHood said about Trump's feud with pope - Peoria Journal Star](https://wirepoints.org/what-peoria-congressman-darin-lahood-said-about-trumps-feud-with-pope-peoria-journal-star/) - LaHood, a Catholic and ally of Trump, said in a statement: "Faith teaches us to show grace and respect, even when we disagree. The President's comments toward Pope Leo fell short of that mark." Other prominent Illinois Republicans, including gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, were also critical of Trump's remarks.
- [Inside an Earthrise peaker plant, a key to connecting Will County solar farms to the grid - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/inside-an-earthrise-peaker-plant-a-key-to-connecting-will-county-solar-farms-to-the-grid-chicago-tribune/) - The Will County Board will soon consider the 600-megawatt Manhattan solar farm proposal - across 45 square miles of prime Illinois farmland - and a similar 260-megawatt facility in Crete. They’ll also reconsider six smaller projects they’d already rejected. They’re doing so after the solar operators involved sued, and a judge ordered the county to issue the permits.
- [Chicago Board of Education member Jennifer Custer: Chicago’s students and working families shouldn’t pay the price for political theater - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-board-of-education-member-jennifer-custer-chicagos-students-and-working-families-shouldnt-pay-the-price-for-political-theater-chicago-tribune/) - "May Day has a long and important history rooted in workers’ rights. But using it to disrupt classrooms crosses a line. Solidarity means standing together. Solidarity is not forcing working families to bear the burden of a political message they did not ask for and cannot afford."
- [City Council panel advances ban on cops joining Proud Boys, other extremist groups - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/city-council-panel-advances-ban-on-cops-joining-proud-boys-other-extremist-groups-chicago-sun-times/) - The proposal from Ald. Matt Martin would ban Chicago cops from engaging in “extremist activities,” defined in the measure as any attempt to overthrow any level of U.S. government through violence or “unconstitutional means.” The prohibition also applies to the planning, execution or “material support” of hate crimes.
- [State House passes 133 bills, many potential impacts for Illinoisans - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/state-house-passes-133-bills-many-potential-impacts-for-illinoisans-center-square/)
- [Illinois has most government units, but consolidation brings challenges - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-has-most-government-units-but-consolidation-brings-challenges-center-square/) - The Civic Federation report found that Illinois has 8,923 local government units, over 3,000 more any other state in the nation.
- [High energy prices, federal dollars turn nuke subsidies into ratepayer relief in northern Illinois - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/high-energy-prices-federal-dollars-turn-nuke-subsidies-into-ratepayer-relief-in-northern-illinois-capitol-news-il/) - ComEd customers in Illinois will see an average $19 monthly reduction to their electricity bills over the coming months, thanks to a policy in the state’s landmark climate bill.
- [Faculty strike at University of Illinois Springfield continues into second week - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/faculty-strike-at-university-of-illinois-springfield-continues-into-second-week-capitol-news-il/) - Not all faculty members in the union are participating in the strike. Some professors are covered under a different collective bargaining agreement, meaning classes are continuing for many students.
- [Illinois property taxes up 27% under Pritzker - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-property-taxes-up-27-under-pritzker-illinois-policy/) - From 1996 to 2016, state education spending increased by $5.4 billion. But two-thirds of that growth, or $3.6 billion, went to pensions rather than students. During that time, pension costs grew from just over 8 percent of state education spending to more than one-third. That trend has continued.
- [House Speaker backs millionaires tax, but Democrats split over how much to devote to property tax relief - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/house-speaker-backs-millionaires-tax-but-democrats-split-over-how-much-to-devote-to-property-tax-relief-wbez-chicago/) - One of the proposed amendments would allocate all of the potential $4.5 billion yearly windfall toward property tax relief in the form of $1,500 rebates per property owner. A competing plan would allocate half of the millionaires tax’s proceeds to public schools and the rest toward property tax relief.
- [How to Address Chicago’s Affordable Housing Needs - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/how-to-address-chicagos-affordable-housing-needs-chicago-contrarian/) - "The (Johnson) administration’s numbers simply don’t add up. Spending hundreds of thousands in subsidies to produce a handful of units is unsustainable. Chicago needs a cohesive plan that expands available housing by removing regulatory barriers, enabling more homebuilding, and supporting the rehabilitation of vacant properties — all while protecting residents from gentrification through property tax stability."
- [Taxpayers face $9.5M settlement tied to alleged coerced confession by onetime CPD detective - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/taxpayers-face-9-5m-settlement-tied-to-alleged-coerced-confession-by-onetime-cpd-detective-chicago-sun-times/) - The Finance Committee also signed off on a $470,000 settlement to a husband and wife who were seriously injured after their motorcycle hit a pavement buckle on Lake Shore Drive near McCormick Place that had been the subject of 27 complaints to the city’s 311 emergency system in the prior two years before the 2023 accident.
- [Chicago Spent $58.8M on Police Overtime in 3 Months, 3% Less Than Last Year: Watchdog - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-spent-58-8m-on-police-overtime-in-3-months-3-less-than-last-year-watchdog-wttw-chicago/) - That includes $1.3 million earned by officers in January, February and March to patrol what CPD lists as “planned gathering/march/civil unrest,” according to data published by the inspector general. Officers earned an additional $1 million in overtime to police the funeral of civil rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
- [Attorney General Raoul Announces Settlement With Norwegian Cruise Line Over Business Practices During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency - RiverBender (Alton)](https://wirepoints.org/attorney-general-raoul-announces-settlement-with-norwegian-cruise-line-over-business-practices-during-covid-19-public-health-emergency-riverbender-alton/) - This multistate agreement bars the cruise line from deceptive disaster-era sales practices and sends $116,000 to Illinois as part of a $2 million payout to states.
- [When a Juvenile Points a Loaded Gun at a Family, the Public Deserves the Truth - The Memo](https://wirepoints.org/when-a-juvenile-points-a-loaded-gun-at-a-family-the-public-deserves-the-truth-the-memo/) - Chief Tom Weitzel (Ret.): "Illinois law currently prohibits the release of any juvenile information. Not the name. Not the city of residence. Not the mug shot. Not even the basic arrest details that every community has a right to know when a violent crime occurs. It doesn’t matter if the offender is 13 or 17. It doesn’t matter if the crime is petty theft or attempted murder. The law treats all juvenile cases the same: sealed, hidden, and untouchable."
- [‘Toll-Free in ’73’? Illinois tolls cost drivers $27 billion since then - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/toll-free-in-73-illinois-tolls-cost-drivers-27-billion-since-then-illinois-policy/) - In a move to gain union support, last year’s transit bailout bill allows the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board to implement a hike that could raise $1 billion more in tolls a year starting in 2027.
- [Matteson restaurant owner's viral message on teen takeovers gets supportive response from parents - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/matteson-restaurant-owners-viral-message-on-teen-takeovers-gets-supportive-response-from-parents-nbc5-chicago/) - "[Owner Dawndria Murray] told me a father came up there with his son by the collar — old school. He said he saw his son in the video and wanted to personally apologize. He also made it clear she would never have an issue with his son again," businessman and philanthropist EarlyWalker wrote to his followers on social media, saying, "this is what accountability looks like."
- [Editorial: Another public pension boost is last thing Illinois needs - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-another-public-pension-boost-is-last-thing-illinois-needs-champaign-news-gazette/) - "They say that Tier 2 benefits 'may' not meet 'safe harbor' requirements that mandate that they at least equal Social Security retirement payments. They may be correct, but they may not be. Before doing anything, why not find out for sure? And if they do fall short, why not find out how much it would cost to bring them into 'safe harbor' line?"
- [Chicago Archdiocese says CPS cut funding for students with disabilities - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-archdiocese-says-cps-cut-funding-for-students-with-disabilities-wgntv-chicago/) - Greg Richmond, superintendent of the Chicago Archdiocese, said students with disabilities who attend nonpublic schools have the right to receive federally funded academic support under the Disabilities Education Act; He said the way the law is written means federal funds are distributed by CPS, even if the child is not enrolled in public school. The archdiocese said if funding isn’t restored, they’re prepared to explore all possible remedies, including legal action on behalf of their students.
- [Trump admin moves Great Lakes Asian carp project from Illinois, Pritzker claims a ‘political stunt’ - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/trump-admin-moves-great-lakes-asian-carp-project-from-illinois-pritzker-claims-a-political-stunt-fox-chicago/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said on Thursday in a news release it was still moving forward with the construction of deterrents near Joliet to block the path of the carp, but would move management of the project to Michigan.
- [1 dead, 25 injured in Chicago weekend shootings - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/1-dead-25-injured-in-chicago-weekend-shootings-cbs2-chicago/) - The ages of the victims range from 14 to 46, according to Chicago police.
- [State Rep. Brandun Schweizer reacts to Gov JB Pritzker's comments on property taxes - Commercial-News (Danville)/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/state-rep-brandun-schweizer-reacts-to-gov-jb-pritzkers-comments-on-property-taxes-commercial-news-danville-yahoo/) - Schweizer noted that property tax reform and relief measures have bipartisan and bicameral support, yet none of the bills he has backed have been called for a vote.
- [Protesters Wield Sex Toys Outside ICE Facility In Broadview For ‘Operation Dildo Blitz’ - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/protesters-wield-sex-toys-outside-ice-facility-in-broadview-for-operation-dildo-blitz-block-club/) - The protests were held Saturday outside immigration facilities in Broadview, Portland and Los Angeles, as well as the ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C.,
- [Illinois bill would mandate infant allergy coverage, with unclear cost impact - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-bill-would-mandate-infant-allergy-coverage-with-unclear-cost-impact-center-square/) - State Sen. Darby Hills is backing Illinois Senate Bill 4182, which would require most insurance plans to cover a six-month supply of egg and peanut allergen supplements for infants when prescribed by a health care provider.
- [Mapped: Where Wealth Is Moving in America - Visual Capitalist](https://wirepoints.org/mapped-where-wealth-is-moving-in-america-visual-capitalist/)
- [Another day of learning lost - Eric Allie for Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/another-day-of-learning-lost-eric-allie-for-illinois-policy/)
- [Illinoisans to pay for other’s abortion services under proposed grant program - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinoisans-to-pay-for-others-abortion-services-under-proposed-grant-program-center-square/) - House Bill 5408, backed by Rep. Anna Moeller, would create the Abortion Access Fund under the Illinois Department of Public Health, receiving 90 percent of any leftover dollars insurers are already required by the Affordable Care Act to set aside to cover abortion services for policyholders.
- [Wisconsin sheriff sues Skokie woman for defamation over claims of immigration detention - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/wisconsin-sheriff-sues-skokie-woman-for-defamation-over-claims-of-immigration-detention-cbs2-chicago/) - Sundas "Sunny" Naqvi drew national attention with claims that she and five others returned from a work trip in Turkey March 5 and were held by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at O'Hare International Airport for 30 hours, moved to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, and then transferred to the Dodge County Jail. Her supporters, including Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, decried her alleged detainment before surveillance images were released to show Naqvi was able to leave O'Hare about 90 minutes after she landed.
- [New Illinois bill targets large online platforms with digital advertising tax - WTVO (Rockford)](https://wirepoints.org/new-illinois-bill-targets-large-online-platforms-with-digital-advertising-tax-wtvo-rockford/) - The proposal, Senate Bill 3353, would create the Digital Advertising Tax Act, establishing a 10 percent tax on revenue generated from digital advertising services in Illinois by companies that exceed a high revenue threshold.
- [IL House unanimously passes utility bill transparency plan - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-house-unanimously-passes-utility-bill-transparency-plan-wand-decatur/) - The Illinois House unanimously passed a bill to require the state to create an online portal detailing utility charges to consumers, separate from delivery and supply charges. The website should include the statutory authority for charges remitted to the state or retained by utility companies, the amount collected each year and a detailed accounting of how funds are spent.
- ['Painful to watch': Several colleges in central Illinois have closed - State Journal-Register (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/painful-to-watch-several-colleges-in-central-illinois-have-closed-state-journal-register-springfield/) - Among them, Lincoln College posted record-breaking enrollment in 2019, but was done in three years later by the "economic burdens initiated by the COVID pandemic" and hastened by a cyberattack. The closing of a college can impact a community from multiple angles, from loss of population base, to loss of revenues, to what to do with empty buildings.
- [Chicago refused to pay Bucktown woman when rusty light pole snapped, damaged her car - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-refused-to-pay-bucktown-woman-when-rusty-light-pole-snapped-damaged-her-car-cbs2-chicago/) - The car's owner said she called the Law Department for more information on the denial and was told if someone had called to report the rusty pole before it had snapped, the city would have paid her claim. CDOT said of the light pole that fell, "It was last inspected in 2017, at which time, inspectors noted no observed structural issues and a routine amount of rust."
- [Column: Sued for rights violation, Illinois justices say they answer to nobody - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/column-sued-for-rights-violation-illinois-justices-say-they-answer-to-nobody-champaign-news-gazette/) - "It would, as a matter of entertainment, be a shame to see this legal food fight among our black-robed rulers go without its day in court: one judge suing seven other judges in a lawsuit presided over by another judge. Observers wouldn’t be able to identify who’s who without a scorecard."
- [May Day: Chicago could be home to nation's only major school shutdown May 1 - The Last Ward](https://wirepoints.org/may-day-chicago-could-be-home-to-nations-only-major-school-shutdown-may-1-the-last-ward/) - "Why is shutting down schools for a union-led protest part of a contract discussion in the first place? In part, it’s because of a state law passed in 2021 that repealed limits on CTU’s collective bargaining powers. There are now virtually no limits on what CTU can demand at the bargaining table, which means unlimited political moves and unlimited grievances."
- [Illinois House approves ban on junk fees, Pritzker’s abortion fund proposal - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-house-approves-ban-on-junk-fees-pritzkers-abortion-fund-proposal-capitol-news-il/) - The House on Thursday voted along party lines 69-36 to pass a bill that would create a grant fund to cover abortion care for uninsured and underinsured people. House Bill 5408, another of Gov. JB Pritzker’s initiatives, would utilize an under-used provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires insurance plans that offer coverage for abortions in instances that go beyond rape, incest and the life of the mother to collect at least $1 a month from enrollees to cover the cost of abortion claims.
- [Gov. JB Pritzker warns Trump will send ICE agents to polling places as he calls on voters to push them aside - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzker-warns-trump-will-send-ice-agents-to-polling-places-as-he-calls-on-voters-to-push-them-aside-chicago-tribune/) - President Trump, Pritzker told a conference of Black activists in New York City, is “going to try to call out ICE and CBP and scare people away from the polls, everybody. He’s going to make it seem like you shouldn’t vote. We need to go with purpose and push them out of the way or at least tell them to get out of the way and go in and vote. And all of us as governors need to protect your right to vote.”
- [5.4 Million People Have Migrated To Pro-Trump Counties Since 2020 As The Great Divorce Continues - Issues & Insights](https://wirepoints.org/5-4-million-people-have-migrated-to-pro-trump-counties-since-2020-as-the-great-divorce-continues-issues-insights/) - Cook County, IL was the second biggest loser. But blue counties lost population even in states that had big gains. Of the 50 counties with the biggest net gain of population, all but four voted for Trump in the past three elections.
- [Aldermen bristle over Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson move on pension costs for aides - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/aldermen-bristle-over-chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-move-on-pension-costs-for-aides-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - A city spokesman said council members were told starting in 2024 that part-time staff should work under 700 hours in order to stay below the threshold of being entitled to pension contributions, per state law. “If they elect to have a part-time staffer work more than the prescribed hours per the pension code, they are required to make allowance for that within their appropriated expense budget,” the spokesman said.
- [CPS Board calls on Gov. Pritzker to reject federal program that funds private school tuition - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/cps-board-calls-on-gov-pritzker-to-reject-federal-program-that-funds-private-school-tuition-chicago-sun-times/) - Board member Che “Rhymefest” Smith, who abstained from the vote, said the board spends too much time talking about politics. “Fifty-four percent of our time is wasted on politics, and government things, and I’m not saying politics ain’t important, but what are we doing as a board when we only spend 14 percent of our time talking about student outcomes?” Smith said.
- [Pritzker joins bipartisan group of governors pushing for data centers to pay their own electric bills - Daily Herald*](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-joins-bipartisan-group-of-governors-pushing-for-data-centers-to-pay-their-own-electric-bills-daily-herald/) - Data centers have been popping up in the suburbs from Aurora to Hoffman Estates.
- [Illinois gives $500,000 to health advocacy non-profit - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-gives-500000-to-health-advocacy-non-profit-illinois-policy/) - Illinois’ 2026 budget included a $500,000 grant to Goal Digger Divas United, an amount more than 10 times the organization’s highest recorded annual revenue. The organization’s non-profit status was revoked for failure to file its federal 990 tax form three years in a row. While the status was reinstated early this year, it had not been at the time the state budget was passed.
- [Pritzker, GOP candidate say they support a free press, differ on tax credits - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-gop-candidate-say-they-support-a-free-press-differ-on-tax-credits-center-square/) - GOP candidate for lieutenant governor Aaron Del Mar said it’s important to support the Constitution and a free press, but taxpayer dollars should not support outlets like some in Chicago that only show one side of issues.
- [37-year-old woman shot while riding CTA bus near Chicago high school - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/37-year-old-woman-shot-while-riding-cta-bus-near-chicago-high-school-nbc5-chicago/) - The shooting occurred around 3:30 p.m. just down the street from Phillips Academy High School as students were let out for the day.
- [The cost of bond delays - A City that Works](https://wirepoints.org/the-cost-of-bond-delays-a-city-that-works/) - "In other words, Chicago’s finance team came to market with the bond deal and didn’t like the price that municipal markets were telling them they’d have to pay. Instead, they decided to defer the issuance, betting that they could get a better price in the future. That kind of bet is not generally a good idea."
- [Proposed Illinois law would expand access to solar power to people who can't install rooftop panels - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/proposed-illinois-law-would-expand-access-to-solar-power-to-people-who-cant-install-rooftop-panels-cbs2-chicago/) - The bill would allow renters and currently unqualified home owners to use panels designed to be connected to an electrical system through an existing outlet, placed on a balcony, patio, yard or porch, primarily intended to offset energy consumption.
- [Rich Miller: State revenues up but uncertainty looms as fiscal year closes out - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/rich-miller-state-revenues-up-but-uncertainty-looms-as-fiscal-year-closes-out-chicago-sun-times/) - "State government revenues were up $1.571 billion at the end of the third quarter, according to the most recent report from the legislature’s bipartisan, bicameral Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. The almost $1.6 billion in new revenues is an increase of 4.2 percent The state budget was crafted last year with an expectation that revenues would rise just 2.3 percent for the full fiscal year, so that’s pretty darned good news."
- [Committee’s ‘tone’ criticized for trying to price the poor out of gun ownership - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/committees-tone-criticized-for-trying-to-price-the-poor-out-of-gun-ownership-center-square/) - Opponents of House Bill 3320 estimate the Responsibility in Firearms Legislation, or RIFL Act could tack on thousands of dollars in taxes to one firearm purchase, and that would price lower income people out of exercising their Second Amendment rights.
- [Illinois bill would standardize ‘X’ gender marker on IDs - WTVO (Rockford)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-bill-would-standardize-x-gender-marker-on-ids-wtvo-rockford/) - Senate Bill 3495 would update state law to let applicants select “male,” “female,” or “X” when applying for or changing a driver’s license, instruction permit, or state ID. The proposal replaces older statutory language that referenced “non-binary,” aligning Illinois law with federal standards and practices used by other states.
- [New bill in Illinois seeks to end ticket-based police evaluations - WTVO (Rockford)](https://wirepoints.org/new-bill-in-illinois-seeks-to-end-ticket-based-police-evaluations-wtvo-rockford/) - Under current Illinois law, cities are prohibited from requiring officers to issue a specific number of citations within a set time period. The new proposal goes further, preventing police departments from comparing one officer’s citation totals to another when conducting performance reviews.
- [Chicago school board votes against helping thousands of Chicago students - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-school-board-votes-against-helping-thousands-of-chicago-students-illinois-policy/) - "Many on the board appeared to rely on the inaccurate claim (about the federal program) that public money will be diverted for private education. But some seemed wary of blindly following the Chicago Teachers Union, which is less popular than ever."
- [Chicago Cops Did Little to Probe Gun Stolen From Police Station and Used in Three Shootings - Illinois Answers Project](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-cops-did-little-to-probe-gun-stolen-from-police-station-and-used-in-three-shootings-illinois-answers-project/)
- [Black Chicagoans Weigh In At City’s 1st Reparations Town Hall: ‘This Didn’t Happen That Long Ago’ - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/black-chicagoans-weigh-in-at-citys-1st-reparations-town-hall-this-didnt-happen-that-long-ago-block-club-chicago/) - Vetress Boyce of the city’s Reparations Task Force suggested that reparations could include expanded educational programs in Chicago Public Schools exploring the history of racism in the United States; full tuition coverage for Black college students in Chicago; down-payment assistance for Black home buyers in Chicago to alleviate the impacts of redlining; and high-quality health care for all.
- [Guest Column: Illinois Democrats Lost Their Appetite for Columbus: Until He Was Served with Provolone - John Kass News](https://wirepoints.org/guest-column-illinois-democrats-lost-their-appetite-for-columbus-until-he-was-served-with-provolone-john-kass-news/) - "When the real statues were under siege, when they were being torn down and hidden away under the cover of “safety,” these same people were nowhere to be found. No outrage. No pressure. No backbone. But now? ... Now they’re brave enough to put Columbus back on display… as long as he’s standing next to a tray of antipasto."
- [Bullets whiz past camera in shocking video of Humboldt Park shootout; 100+ shots fired, one hurt - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/bullets-whiz-past-camera-in-shocking-video-of-humboldt-park-shootout-100-shots-fired-one-hurt-cwb-chicago/) - After some 27 seconds of continuous gunfire — yes, 27 seconds of continuous gunfire — at least four men enter camera view with firearms. Some of them are seen running into the street and returning fire downrange. They jog off-screen for a moment, then return and briefly mingle in front of the camera, some holding firearms in plain view, one toting a rifle, others more discreet.
- [Madigan’s high-powered appeals team urges 7th Circuit to overturn speaker’s conviction - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/madigans-high-powered-appeals-team-urges-7th-circuit-to-overturn-speakers-conviction-capitol-news-il/) - Defense lawyer Amy Saharia reminded the 7th Circuit panel that prosecutors’ theory of the “alleged benefits” prosecutors said Madigan enjoyed were “far outside the typical … bribery case. Speaker Madigan did not take cash from ComEd, he did not take Rolex watches, trips to Vegas, all the things you typically see in bribery cases."
- [Lawmakers weigh human composting of the dead in Illinois - Axios](https://wirepoints.org/lawmakers-weigh-human-composting-of-the-dead-in-illinois-axios/) - Rep. Mary Beth Canty's proposal to legalize it passed a House committee last month and she's currently writing an amendment to address concerns about regulation and liability in hopes of moving it forward.
- [Commentary: Mayor Brandon Johnson pins his hopes on Open Meetings Act to oust CHA chief  - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-mayor-brandon-johnson-pins-his-hopes-on-open-meetings-act-to-oust-cha-chief-chicago-tribune/) - David Greising, of the Better Government Association: "In 2023, Johnson sought to cut off rancorous public demonstrations at City Council meetings by banishing uninvited visitors to the upstairs gallery, behind plate glass. ... Against that backdrop, it’s bittersweet to see Johnson invoking OMA as a clout tool in his unrelenting effort to place (his crony Walter Burnett Jr., a former alderman) in the CEO’s role at the CHA."
- [Former Salesforce office to be filled with residents as River North building becomes apartments - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/former-salesforce-office-to-be-filled-with-residents-as-river-north-building-becomes-apartments-chicago-sun-times/) - The project is one of seven office-to-residential conversions under construction in Chicago. As of late 2025, the city has the third-largest office-to-residential conversion pipeline in the U.S., according to RentCafe.
- [Average Single-Family Home Property Tax Bill Rose 3 Percent in 2025 - ATTOM Data](https://wirepoints.org/average-single-family-home-property-tax-bill-rose-3-percent-in-2025-attom-data/) - The highest effective tax rates were concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest, led by Illinois (1.84 percent), New Jersey (1.58 percent), Vermont (1.4 percent), Connecticut (1.36 percent), and Ohio (1.32 percent).
- [Wisconsin’s southern border shows what freedom brings - Badger Institute](https://wirepoints.org/wisconsins-southern-border-shows-what-freedom-brings-badger-institute/) - Economist James Bohn recently documented the breathtaking resultsof that experiment in which Wisconsin — for a century a high-tax, high-regulation state atrophying in a straitjacket of antique progressivism — turned in 2011 toward free-market policies. Illinois, meanwhile, once one of the freer states, embraced interventionist economics.
- [State education officials present $10.9B budget request to fund public schools - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/state-education-officials-present-10-9b-budget-request-to-fund-public-schools-capitol-news-il/) - “I’m just wondering, if (the school districts are) 90 percent adequate (funding), and we’ve got probably 25 percent of the schools in the state of Illinois that are at full financial adequacy, why aren’t we seeing property taxes come down?” asked Rep. Blaine Wilhour.
- [Lawmaker pushes sales tax pause on gas as questions cloud 'fragile' ceasefire - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/lawmaker-pushes-sales-tax-pause-on-gas-as-questions-cloud-fragile-ceasefire-center-square/) - State Rep. Regan Deering said the Illinois gas tax hit 48.3 cents per gallon last July 1 and another increase is looming in 80 days. “Springfield here put the gas tax on autopilot, and taxpayers are indeed paying the price,” Deering said.
- [Pritzker joins wave calling for 25th Amendment. What that means for Trump - USA Today](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-calls-for-trumps-removal-as-iran-tensions-escalate-crains/) - Pritzker: "This is not foreign policy, it’s a deranged mad man threatening to wipe out an entire country. It's past time. The 25th Amendment must be invoked."
- [IL Supreme Court says it can remove Cook Co. judge for pro-Trump column - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/il-supreme-court-says-it-can-remove-cook-co-judge-for-pro-trump-column-legal-newsline/) - The Illinois Supreme Court justices argue their interests in ensuring Illinois state courts remain free of even the "appearance of impropriety" and bias override the ability of retired judges to exercise First Amendment rights, at least if they expect to be able to land temporary judicial assignments in the future.
- [Botched Tax Break Paperwork Leaves Cook County Homeowners Hanging - Hoodline](https://wirepoints.org/botched-tax-break-paperwork-leaves-cook-county-homeowners-hanging-hoodline/) - Roughly 20,000 approved certificate-of-error refunds, worth more than $46 million in total, are currently stuck at the Cook County Treasurer’s Office. Between late December and early April, the treasurer processed only about 1,343 refunds, worth roughly $2.57 million. That pace barely dents the backlog, and taxpayers and local taxing bodies say the delays are putting real pressure on their budgets.
- [Downtown Chicago office vacancy sets another record while top space tightens - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/downtown-office-vacancy-sets-another-record-while-top-space-tightens-crains/) - The downtown office vacancy rate ticked up during the first quarter to an all-time high of 28.6% from 28.2% at the end of 2025. The share of available workspace in Chicago’s urban core is up from 26.5% a year ago and 13.8% when the COVID-19 pandemic began, having now hit new record highs for 15 consecutive quarters. But competition is stiff for large spaces in prime buildings.
- [Mark Glennon on AM560's Morning Answer: Chicago Fiscal Crisis Worse Than Pre-Bankruptcy Detroit, HIV Surge and Public Health Threat From Open Borders Goes Unreported](https://wirepoints.org/mark-glennon-on-am560-chicago-fiscal-crisis-worse-than-pre-bankruptcy-detroit-hiv-surge-and-public-health-threat-from-open-borders-goes-unreported/) - Summary and audio linked here.
- [Gov. JB Pritzker says 'something genuinely wrong with' Trump, urges removal from office for 'national security' - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzker-says-something-genuinely-wrong-with-trump-urges-removal-from-office-for-national-security-fox-news/) - "President Trump threatened to wipe out an entire civilization. Let's be honest: There is something genuinely wrong with this man, and the 25th Amendment must be invoked before it's too late," Pritzker declared in a video posted to X this week. He called for removing Trump via the 25th Amendment last year, as well.
- [AFP-IL’s Brian Costin on Opposing Bears Megaproject Bill - Americans for Prosperity](https://wirepoints.org/afp-ils-brian-costin-on-opposing-bears-megaproject-bill-americans-for-prosperity/) - "There is no proposal to cap property taxes for surrounding homeowners or small businesses, no guardrails on levy growth tied to these projects, and no mechanism to prevent the shifting of costs onto those outside the district. The protections apply to the developer. The risk is borne by everyone else."
- [Stretch of Bridgeview designated as Little Palestine in sign unveiling ceremony - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/stretch-of-bridgeview-designated-as-little-palestine-in-sign-unveiling-ceremony-cbs2-chicago/) - The area stretching from 79th and Harlem south to 113th and Harlem now has a sign for formal recognition, the result of two formal resolutions at the state and county levels.
- [How Balanced-Budget Requirements Fall Short - Governing](https://wirepoints.org/how-balanced-budget-requirements-fall-short-governing/) - "In 2017, Illinois confronted fiscal problems years in the making. The state had accumulated more than $15 billion in unpaid bills, its pension systems were deeply underfunded and the legislature had been locked in a multiyear budget impasse — all under a constitutional balanced-budget requirement."
- [Lawmaker calls for department reform supporting Illinois families with disabled children - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/lawmaker-calls-for-department-reform-supporting-illinois-families-with-disabled-children-center-square/) - “I ordered that audit. I reviewed that audit as a member of the audit commission. It's one of the worst in the state history,” Rep. Charlie Meier said of the state’s Department of Human Services. “Faculty failures, personnel failures, lack of reporting, no oversight. You name it. It's in there.”
- [Illinois House pushes through bill restricting ICE detention centers in state - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-house-pushes-through-bill-restricting-ice-detention-centers-in-state-center-square/) - “The federal government is picking a fight with us. We have states rights. We know our rights. We know our power,” Speaker of the House Chris Welch said.
- [Illinois regulators have little power to stop hospital shutdowns. Lawmakers are stepping in. - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-regulators-have-little-power-to-stop-hospital-shutdowns-lawmakers-are-stepping-in-wbez-chicago/) - Bills from state Sen. Laura Fine and state Rep. Robyn Gabel would require all hospitals to file plans with the state in case they close or scale back services to make sure patients don’t fall through the cracks. For-profit hospitals owned by investors, like West Suburban, also would have to give the state a deeper look into their finances. Now, that’s largely shielded from the public.
- [State Representative’s Anti-Facial Recognition Technology Bill Is a Threat to Public Safety - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/state-representatives-anti-facial-recognition-technology-bill-is-a-threat-to-public-safety-chicago-contrarian/) - "The anti-informant culture that dominates Chicago’s criminal class is as strong as ever -- perhaps stronger. That societal illness partially explains why so few Chicago murders are successfully prosecuted. Banning law enforcement from utilizing facial recognition technology will only make solving crimes in Illinois even harder."
- [Illinois economy shows middling Q4 growth amid U.S. economic uncertainty - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-economy-shows-middling-q4-growth-amid-u-s-economic-uncertainty-illinois-policy/) - Illinois’ fourth-quarter growth ranked 13th in the nation and sixth in the Midwest, highlighting the region’s relative resilience under current economic circumstances.
- [CTU wants a day off for students and teachers — for political activism - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/ctu-wants-a-day-off-for-students-and-teachers-for-political-activism-illinois-policy/) - In a petition to Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Board of Education, CTU notes the importance of schools as “centers for learning.” Yet the union regards attending class May 1 as less important than its “equity” agenda and “the autonomy of locally governed public schools.”
- [IL House Democrats pass rental junk fee ban, send bill to Pritzker's desk - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-house-democrats-pass-rental-junk-fee-ban-send-bill-to-pritzkers-desk-wand-decatur/) - Sponsors said renters shouldn't be surprised by charges included in their rent, such as fees for after-hours service requests, renewing a lease, or routine maintenance. The bill states that all non-optional fees should be explicitly disclosed on the first page of a lease agreement. Tenants would not be liable to pay fees if they are not shown on the first page of a lease.
- [Answers wanted to 'pathetic' state procurement issues - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/answers-wanted-to-pathetic-state-procurement-issues-center-square/) - State Sen. Elgie Sims Jr. said Illinois-based companies get work in Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Texas, Florida and Georgia. “We are hearing it across the board, ‘I can get business elsewhere and I can’t get business from my own home state.’ That’s a problem,” Sims said.
- [Retired state employee backs pension buyouts for Chicago police, fire - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/retired-state-employee-backs-pension-buyouts-for-chicago-police-fire-illinois-policy/) - John VanVleet, 53, was the training coordinator at Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg when he retired in January 2025 and took a partial buyout. “People always say, ‘Oh, the government can and can’t do this!’ he said. “I’d rather have a contingency; we see the government do all kinds of stuff they shouldn’t do.”
- [Chicago launches monument response project - Axios](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-launches-monument-response-project-axios/) - The works are meant to build context around some of the 41 monuments deemed problematic by a city commission. Hector Gonzalez created "Tierra Nuestra" (Our Land), featuring a young man of mixed Mexican and Native-American heritage standing on a horse with a boom box on his arm in front of the current "Signal of Peace" monument at Diversey and the lake.
- [Mark Glennon on AM560's Morning Answer: Chicago pension buyout plan mostly shifts debt rather than eliminating it, property tax surge doubles inflation over three decades](https://wirepoints.org/wirepoints-mark-glennon-chicago-pension-buyout-plan-shifts-debt-rather-than-eliminates-it-property-tax-surge-doubles-inflation-over-three-decades-audio-morning-answer/) - Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
- [Mark Glennon on AM560's Morning Answer: Chicago’s Fiscal Crisis Has Passed the Point of No Return, Bond Market Already Signaling Collapse](https://wirepoints.org/mark-glennon-on-am560s-morning-answer-chicagos-fiscal-crisis-has-passed-the-point-of-no-return-bond-market-already-signaling-collapse-audio/) - Full interview and summary linked here.
- [Illinoisans paying 26% more for health insurance bought on Affordable Care Act exchange - Chicago Tribune](https://wirepoints.org/illinoisans-paying-26-more-for-health-insurance-bought-on-affordable-care-act-exchange-chicago-tribune/) - Illinois consumers who bought health insurance on the state’s Affordable Care Act exchange are paying 26% more for coverage, on average, than they did last year, and the number of people who enrolled in the plans dropped nearly 4%, according to the state. Though that 26% average increase in monthly premiums is surely tough for many, it’s a far cry from the 78% average jump that state regulators previously said could occur if the federal government didn’t renew enhanced premium tax credits and people stayed on their plans from last year.
- [Paul Vallas: Chicago Mayor’s “Reparations” Rhetoric Masks His Policy Failures - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-chicago-mayors-reparations-rhetoric-masks-his-policy-failures-chicago-contrarian/) - Johnson’s so-called “reparations” initiative is not a serious policy agenda. Rather, it is a political defense mechanism designed to rally his base, shield him from criticism, and distract from the growing discontent within the very communities that feel left behind by his administration’s decisions, especially his migrant policies.
- [Video: Loyola U. Freshman Killed by Illegal Migrant - Cortes Investigates](https://wirepoints.org/loyola-u-freshman-killed-by-illegal-migrant-video-cortes-investigates/) - "The tragic tale of Sheridan Gorman...her story must be told."
- [Illinois Republican lawmakers introduce a bill for a 6-month gas sales tax pause - WGLT (NPR at ISU)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-republican-lawmakers-introduce-a-bill-for-a-6-month-gas-sales-tax-pause-wglt-npr-at-isu/) - State Rep. Ryan Spain said now the revenue from the tax is being moved from downstate to Chicago transit. He added the bill can work with the budget because Chicago did not need as much money as they received. “This sales tax that I'm speaking about was promised as a delivery into the Road Fund,” Spain said. “Those dollars have now been rescinded and transferred beginning on July one to fund Chicago land transit.”
- [Illinois House passes youth voter registration bill and limits new immigration detention centers near homes - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-house-passes-youth-voter-registration-bill-and-limits-new-immigration-detention-centers-near-homes-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - “The result of this effort to not work together with the federal government to resolve the issues, particularly related to immigration and enforcement of our laws, has resulted in huge problems in our state,” said state Rep. Patrick Windhorst. The bill’s legality has also been questioned.
- [License suspension or speed control? Lawmakers explore alternative for reckless drivers - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/license-suspension-or-speed-control-lawmakers-explore-alternative-for-reckless-drivers-capitol-news-il/) - Rep. Marti Deuter is pushing a bill that would allow drivers to have a speed control device installed in their car rather than having their license suspended. “Speeding is a chronic problem on our streets and is a threat to public safety,” Deuter told a House committee last month. “Speeding is a factor in nearly half of all deadly crashes. Risk of fatality increases as speed increases.”
- [Humans Are Losing the Fight Against Flying Fish - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/humans-are-losing-the-fight-against-flying-fish-wall-street-journal/) - Politicians in Michigan and Illinois are pushing for help to build barriers and blast annoying sounds to repel the fish. Meanwhile, boaters are taking matters into their own hands.
- [Lawmakers hear debate over data centers including revenue, headaches - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/lawmakers-hear-debate-over-data-centers-including-revenue-headaches-center-square/) - “For the benefits, it is true that data centers bring revenue. In Aurora, that will mean approximately $1.6 million annually in both property and utility taxes to the city each and every year,” Aurora Mayor John Laesch said. “Aurora residents living near data centers have described a constant low-frequency hum day and night. It's not loud in a traditional sense, but persistent. People have described trouble sleeping, increased stress, a loss of quiet in their own homes."
- [Illegal Immigrant Murders Sheridan Gorman, but Chicago Mayor’s Concern Is with Safety of Illegals - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/illegal-immigrant-murders-sheridan-gorman-but-chicago-mayors-concern-is-with-safety-of-illegals-chicago-contrarian/) - "'Violating people's Constitutional rights does not make us safer,' (Mayor Brandon Johnson) exclaimed. Not that illegal aliens have Constitutional rights, mind you."
- [His rap sheet spans 36 years, now he’s AWOL after being found sleeping at Dunkin’ with burglary proceeds - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/his-rap-sheet-spans-36-years-now-hes-awol-after-being-found-sleeping-at-dunkin-with-burglary-proceeds-cwb-chicago/) - Fabian Jeffers’ criminal history - nearly 90 cases in Cook County, including 16 felony matters - stretches back to the Bush administration. No. The other Bush administration. This time, prosecutors didn’t ask a judge to hold him, so he was released.
- [Mayor Brandon Johnson names new deputy mayor of community safety, CDOT commissioner - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-brandon-johnson-names-new-deputy-mayor-of-community-safety-cdot-commissioner-cbs2-chicago/) - Emmanuel Andre, the deputy of policy for the Cook County Public Defender's office, will be deputy mayor for community safety. At the Public Defender's office, Andre helped expand the county's Restorative Justice Community Courts and co-founded Circles and Ciphers, a "hip-hop infused restorative justice organization led by and for young people impacted by violence."
- [Rep questions state ed board’s higher budget request, proficiency standards - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/rep-questions-state-ed-boards-higher-budget-request-proficiency-standards-center-square/) - State Rep. Blaine Wilhour said the board should do its due diligence about federal tax credit scholarships that would not cost the state a dime. “I really don’t want to hear people come in here and talk about inequity in education and all this when you’re just leaving that stuff off the table because of politics,” Wilhour said.
- [What the first federal challenge to Evanston's reparations program means for other cities - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/what-the-first-federal-challenge-to-evanstons-reparations-program-means-for-other-cities-fox-news/) - Meanwhile, not far from Evanston, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to hold a public engagement forum called "Repair Chicago" to "gather lived experiences of harm of Black Chicagoans" as part of an effort to implement reparations. On the state level, Illinois’ reparations commission released a report laying out what it called the state's history of harms against Black residents.
- [Ex-Chicago official’s emails accuse mayor’s staff of ‘lies’ and ‘hostile work environment’ - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/ex-chicago-officials-emails-accuse-mayors-staff-of-lies-and-hostile-work-environment-fox32-chicago/) - The complaints center around a report on antisemitism that former city human rights commissioner Nancy Andrade was leading — responding to data showing a rise in antisemitism hate crimes across the city. Andrade accuses the mayor's team of trying to micromanage the process and dilute the report.
- [Illinois Voters See Affordable Housing as Major Issue - Chicago Today](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-voters-see-affordable-housing-as-major-issue-chicago-today/) - The poll findings underscore the growing affordability crisis facing many Illinois residents, particularly in the state's urban centers like Chicago. “The pension buyout program moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension," said Mark Glennon, founder of Wirepoints.
- [New Reports Shine Light on Increased Use of TIF Districts throughout Illinois - JD Supra](https://wirepoints.org/new-reports-shine-light-on-increased-use-of-tif-districts-throughout-illinois-jd-supra/) - Both reports highlight the dramatic increase in the use of tax increment financing Statewide, along with the cost of that growth to local taxpayers. Just in Cook County over the past 30 years, TIF district property tax collections have increased by 1034 percent from $160 million to over $1.8 billion in 2024.
- [Walmart closing Illinois facility, notifies state of layoffs - Peoria Journal Star/MSN](https://wirepoints.org/walmart-closing-illinois-facility-notifies-state-of-layoffs-peoria-journal-star-msn/) - Walmart has notified the state of plans to close the Matteson facility and its impact on 111 employees.
- [16-year-old student shot and killed outside South Shore school - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/16-year-old-student-shot-and-killed-outside-south-shore-school-nbc5-chicago/) - Chicago police said Kenyae Franklin was walking near Safe Achieve Academy of Chicago when a white vehicle with three to four men inside approached, and one of them opened fire.
- [Pritzker: School boards ‘didn’t take the hint’ on property taxes - Muddy River News (Quincy)](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-school-boards-didnt-take-the-hint-on-property-taxes-muddy-river-news-quincy/) - State lawmakers have increased annual K-12 funding by more than $2.5 billion since 2017. More state funding should mean easing the burden locally, Pritzker said. “But you know what? School boards didn’t take the hint,” he said Monday. “And so they’ve continued to ratchet up property taxes over and over and over again, and that has led to a continued very high property tax burden on homeowners across the state.”
- [IL bill could require incarcerated demographic data reporting - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-bill-could-require-incarcerated-demographic-data-reporting-wand-decatur/) - Sponsors said lawmakers, state agencies and the public should have accurate and consistent information when making decisions about criminal justice policy, corrections funding and public safety programs.
- [Proposed Illinois bill could ban wild animals in circuses - WRSP (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/proposed-illinois-bill-could-ban-wild-animals-in-circuses-wrsp-springfield/) - The Traveling Animal Acts bill would ban circuses traveling through Illinois from featuring specific wild animals, including big cats like lions and tigers, bears, and primates. Illinois was the first state to ban elephants in traveling shows back in 2017.
- [Dozens of officials call for more Latino representation in Chicago Public Schools’ leadership - Chalkbeat Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/dozens-of-officials-call-for-more-latino-representation-in-chicago-public-schools-leadership-chalkbeat-chicago/) - The statement also called for CPS CEO Macquline King to keep partnering with community leaders to “protect every student’s right to a public education, regardless of immigration status." The signees included nine alderpeople and six state lawmakers.
- [Democrats' Open Borders Policies Caused a Massive Spike in Chicago's HIV Cases - Townhall](https://wirepoints.org/democrats-open-borders-policies-caused-a-massive-spike-in-chicagos-hiv-cases-downhill/) - Now another virus is on the rise in Chicago, and this time it's HIV. Infections rates grew nearly 30 percent between 2022 and 2024, and it's likely thanks once again to the Democrats' love of illegal immigration.
- [CEJA workforce hubs deliver hope - Evanston Now](https://wirepoints.org/ceja-workforce-hubs-deliver-hope-evanston-now/) - “The hardest part about Friday was to see all those people there, and the tears were because they knew it was over; they go back to the life they had before,” said Yvette Ewing, executive director at The Community Works, a nonprofit that helps recruit candidates for the CEJA hubs. “The hardest part, I’ll be honest, is knowing that there’s no job at the end specific to clean energy.
- [Opinion: Chicago can’t afford both bigger pensions and more services - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/opinion-chicago-cant-afford-both-bigger-pensions-and-more-services-crains/) - "Cities such as New York and Chicago are in deep financial trouble. Broadly speaking, they have two options: Make the difficult but appropriate choice to raise taxes and reduce the scale of government, or continue to live in a state of denial, increasing their pension obligations while also promising their residents more services."
- [Illinois' CGFA analyzes Pritzker's budget, sees more bonding - The Bond Buyer](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-cgfa-analyzes-pritzkers-budget-sees-more-bonding-the-bond-buyer/) - llinois' bond sales would total $3.2 billion in fiscal year 2027 under provisions of Gov. JB Pritzker's executive budget, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability found in its analysis of the spending plan. The state's outstanding principal would climb to $29.9 billion and debt service would hit $3.8 billion for general obligation bonds and $435 million for Build Illinois bonds, CGFA said in its analysis, released last week.
- [Editorial: City Hall is chaotic. So Chicago’s ‘sister agencies’ like CHA are learning to stand on their own. -Yahoo/Chicago Tribune](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-city-hall-is-chaotic-so-chicagos-sister-agencies-like-cha-are-learning-to-stand-on-their-own-yahoo-chicago-tribune/)
- [Mayor Brandon Johnson supports activists' plans to sue Chicago Housing Authority over process used to select new CEO - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-brandon-johnson-supports-activists-plans-to-sue-chicago-housing-authority-over-process-used-to-select-new-ceo-abc7-chicago/) - Claims of secrecy and deception are at the heart of the pending lawsuit against the CHA. The mayor says it is about transparency, and while he supports the private lawsuit, he would not say what steps the city might take to prevent the newly hired CEO from starting later this month.
- [Chicago office vacancy rates worsen, card swipe numbers offer hope - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-office-vacancy-rates-worsen-card-swipe-numbers-offer-hope-center-square/) - Wirepoints founder Mark Glennon said 28.6 percent is a terrible vacancy rate. When asked what people in the private sector could do about high office vacancy rates, Glennon said so-called civic leaders have been far too complacent and understated in their criticisms of government. “They’ve got to really take the bull by the horns and force some reforms on the city. It would start with crime. That's clearly a solvable problem if the city would get on it, and that's one of the factors that contributes to people not wanting to go downtown and makes work from home more popular,” Glennon said.
- [Attorney General Raoul Sues Trump Administration Over Unlawful Executive Order Attempting To Exert Federal Control Over Elections - RiverBender (Alton)](https://wirepoints.org/attorney-general-raoul-sues-trump-administration-over-unlawful-executive-order-attempting-to-exert-federal-control-over-elections-riverbender-alton/) - On March 31, President Trump signed an executive order attempting to establish a national list of eligible voters and directing the U.S. Postal Service to transmit mail ballots only to those on the list. In the order, the president threatens states and election officials with criminal prosecution and the loss of federal funding if they do not comply with his demands.
- [The Chicago Sun-Times Hits Rock Bottom - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/the-chicago-sun-times-hits-rock-bottom-chicago-contrarian/) - Neil Steinberg turns a murdered Loyola student into a prop for his immigration sermon — and calls it journalism.
- [Paul Vallas: Chicago’s justice system failed Sheridan Gorman, as it fails too many Chicagoans each year - John Kass News](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-chicagos-justice-system-failed-sheridan-gorman-as-it-fails-too-many-chicagoans-each-year-john-kass-news/) - "If you live in Chicago, you are far more likely to be shot or murdered than in surrounding communities. They reflect policy choices, enforcement failures, and a justice system that has too often lost sight of its first duty: protecting innocent people."
- [UIS tenured faculty to go on strike Friday morning - WICS (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/uis-tenured-faculty-to-go-on-strike-friday-morning-wics-springfield/) - One of the key issues the union won't accept is the proposal for a 1 percent raise.
- [CPD calls hundreds of murders ‘cleared.’ In most cases, nobody was ever charged. - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/cpd-calls-hundreds-of-murders-cleared-in-most-cases-nobody-was-ever-charged-cwb-chicago/) - As with 2026, the majority of last year’s clearances were “exceptional.” A total of 156 cases, more than half, were closed without charges filed. Of those, 26 involved suspects who were dead. The remaining 130 were labeled as “bar to prosecute” because the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office declined to approve charges.
- [Pastor Corey Brooks: Chicago's deadly sanctuary madness is costing innocent Americans their lives - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/pastor-corey-brooks-chicagos-deadly-sanctuary-madness-is-costing-innocent-americans-their-lives-fox-news/) - "On the South Side, we have lived with it for years: open-air drug markets, gang shootings that turn playgrounds into war zones and politicians who lecture us about 'equity" while the body count rises. We watched as certain criminals were coddled, released and protected while the Black families trying to raise children in peace paid the ultimate price. "
- [Minnesota, Illinois AGs challenge federal orders to keep coal plants running - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/minnesota-illinois-ags-challenge-federal-orders-to-keep-coal-plants-running-center-square/) - Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, joined by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, filed the petitions for judicial review against U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Ellison argued the U.S. Department of Energy “unlawfully” invoked emergency powers to keep the plants operating, a move he said will increase costs for ratepayers throughout the Midwest.
- [1,000 ISP vehicles need to be replaced, but it will take 18 years to replace them: director - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/1000-isp-vehicles-need-to-be-replaced-but-it-will-take-18-years-to-replace-them-director-cwb-chicago/) - While lawmakers have appropriated $30 million to the State Police for vehicle replacement each year since fiscal year 2024, the actual revenue that goes into the fund is about a third of that amount or less. In fiscal year 2025, for example, lawmakers gave ISP $30 million in spending authority, but the agency ultimately spent about $7 million due to the fund’s slower revenue pace.
- [Bears deal will be a top priority for lawmakers upon return - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/bears-deal-will-be-a-top-priority-for-lawmakers-upon-return-illinois-policy/) - The proposed incentive package, HB 910 House Amendment 1, would be devastating for Illinois’ property tax crisis. Although approved megaprojects would pay steeply discounted property taxes, a clause in the bill allows a taxing body to count the cash value of the megaproject in its total assessed value.
- [A Fire Sale Has U.S. Office Buildings Going for 90% Off - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/a-fire-sale-has-u-s-office-buildings-going-for-90-off/) - In Chicago, real-estate developer Marc Calabria bought a 485,000-square-foot office building for $4 million. The building sold for $68.1 million a decade ago. It will be converted into an urban farm and education center.
- [Column: State revenues continue to grow at a moderate pace - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/state-revenues-continue-to-grow-at-a-moderate-pace-news-gazette/) - March turned out to be another good month for state revenue collectors. Driven by increases in personal income and sales tax payments, the March totals jumped by $233 million (4.8 percent) over the same month in 2025. That makes two consecutive months of increased revenue after a bad start in January. February revenues increased by 9 percent.
- [Horrified tourists visiting Chicago confronted by nightmarish Mad Max scene unfolding outside window of their Hampton Inn hotel room - Daily Mail](https://wirepoints.org/horrified-tourists-visiting-chicago-confronted-by-nightmarish-mad-max-scene-unfolding-outside-window-of-their-hampton-inn-hotel-room-daily-mail/)
- [New DHS chief floats crackdown on sanctuary city airports, including O’Hare - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/new-dhs-chief-floats-crackdown-on-sanctuary-city-airports-including-ohare-crains/) - In comments Monday on Fox News, Mullin questioned whether cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement should continue to host international arrivals with full customs processing.
- [After rocky first year, Chicago’s top federal prosecutor says he isn’t taking orders from Washington - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/after-rocky-first-year-chicagos-top-federal-prosecutor-says-he-isnt-taking-orders-from-washington-chicago-sun-times/) - There are “some very serious cases” still coming out of Midway Blitz, U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros warned. “You can’t commit a serious crime in this district and think that that’s OK,” he said. “There will be consequences.”
- [Are you listening? - Eric Allie for Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/are-you-listening-eric-allie-for-illinois-policy/)
- [State Sen. Erica Harriss: Not Every Good Policy Shows Up as a Check, But It Still Matters to Your Wallet - RiverBender (Alton)](https://wirepoints.org/state-sen-erica-harriss-not-every-good-policy-shows-up-as-a-check-but-it-still-matters-to-your-wallet-riverbender-alton/) - "If government is going to ask taxpayers to contribute, it has a responsibility to protect and manage that money wisely."
- [Illinois must reign in spending - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-must-reign-in-spending-illinois-policy/) - Since 2020, the state has gotten $15.6 billion in federal aid related to the COVID-19 pandemic. While that funding was temporary, Illinois has permanently increased what it spends. That has caused a fiscal problem for the state, with projected budget deficits totaling nearly $21 billion during the next five years. Expenditures are forecasted to grow nearly 20 percent in that time, but revenues only 11 percent in that time.
- [SCOTUS won’t hear challenge to IL transit gun carry ban - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/scotus-wont-hear-challenge-to-il-transit-gun-carry-ban-legal-newsline/) - In the ruling, the unanimous panel said Illinois is allowed to ban people from carrying loaded, unsecured weapons on trains and buses and in stations, bus stops and "adjacent parking areas," because firearms are particularly dangerous in such crowded and confined public environments
- [Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias: Illinois inches closer to reining in excessive car insurance premiums - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-secretary-of-state-alexi-giannoulias-illinois-inches-closer-to-reining-in-excessive-car-insurance-premiums-chicago-sun-times/) - "In every state — except Wyoming and Illinois — regulators have the authority to stop excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory rates before they hit consumers’ wallets. Not here. Illinois requires drivers to purchase car insurance coverage, yet the state fails to provide the basic consumer safeguards that residents in other states take for granted. In other words, Illinois families get left holding the bill first and asking questions later. That would end with this legislation."
- [Illinois Poised to Pass Another Bill Shielding Illegal Aliens in the State - FAIR](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-poised-to-pass-another-bill-shielding-illegal-aliens-in-the-state-fair/) - Illinois lawmakers are advancing legislation that would significantly curtail where federal immigration detention facilities may operate in the state, further demonstrating the state’s willingness to obstruct federal law enforcement operations. The proposal, House Bill (HB) 5024, would prohibit immigration detention centers from being located within 1,500 feet of residential areas and numerous community locations, including schools, parks, daycare centers, forest preserves, cemeteries, and places of worship.
- [Ja’Mal Green: Don’t surrender Chicago to ‘teen takeover’ chaos - Chicago Tribune](https://wirepoints.org/jamal-green-dont-surrender-chicago-to-teen-takeover-chaos-chicago-tribune/) - "Let’s stop pretending we don’t know what’s going on. These “teen takeovers” downtown, such as the one on Wednesday, aren’t just harmless get-togethers. They’re organized disruptions — planned online, carried out in large groups and allowed to spiral out of control because the city has been too slow and too hesitant to respond. That needs to change."
- [Macquline King, interim CEO of Chicago Public Schools, hired as permanent leader - Chalet](https://wirepoints.org/macquline-king-interim-ceo-of-chicago-public-schools-hired-as-permanent-leader-chalet/) - King is poised to face a $520 million projected budget deficit. She’ll also be in place through school board elections this year and when a new, fully elected board is seated.
- [Obama's Tower Of Doom Is Harder To Get Into Than America Itself - ZeroHedge/Modernity News](https://wirepoints.org/obamas-tower-of-doom-is-harder-to-get-into-than-america-itself-zerohedge-modernity-news/) - In yet another jaw-dropping display of elite hypocrisy, Barack Obama’s Chicago Presidential Center – long derided as the “Tower of Doom” – now requires proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency just to enter a ticket giveaway for its grand opening ceremony on June 18, 2026.
- [Mayor Johnson announces $300 million investment in affordable housing - WGN](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnson-announces-300-million-investment-in-affordable-housing-wgn/) - Comment: Total cost of the project is $711 million that will "create or preserve" 1,223 housing units. That's $581,000 per unit. The median home price in Chicago is just $390,000 according to Redfin or $325,650 according to Zillow.
- [Cook County TIFs cost taxpayers over $2 billion - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-tifs-cost-taxpayers-over-2-billion-illinois-policy/) - By freezing property values in a specific area, TIF districts artificially manipulate who pays the levy, leading to effective property tax hikes.
- [Trump administration sues Illinois over state’s attempts to regulate prediction markets - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/trump-administration-sues-illinois-over-states-attempts-to-regulate-prediction-markets-capitol-news-il/)
- [Illinois pursues abortion coverage for people with little or no insurance - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-pursues-abortion-coverage-for-people-with-little-or-no-insurance-capitol-news-il/) - House Bill 5408 would take advantage of an under-used provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires insurance plans that offer coverage for abortions in instances that go beyond rape, incest and life of the mother to collect at least $1 a month from enrollees to cover the cost of abortion claims.
- [Lawmaker criticizes surplus spending bill - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/lawmaker-criticizes-surplus-spending-bill-center-square/) - “Senate Bill 4175 would allow municipalities to establish OPEB trusts to fund retiree fringe benefits. These trusts allow municipalities to invest the funds more broadly than typical municipal accounts and can help improve credit ratings. I’ve worked to put guardrails in place to protect municipalities, ensuring financial responsibility is a priority,” Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Western Springs, told The Center Square.
- [Malpractice in Journalism at NBC-5 - WP Original](https://wirepoints.org/malpractice-in-journalism-at-nbc-5-wp-original/) - By: Mark Glennon* Do Chicago journalists need to make stuff up to do a juicy story about political criminality, greed, and conflicts of interest? At NBC-5, apparently so. Let's start with a few whoppers by its reporter, Mark Anderson, in an article last week. The story was about supposed violations by some investment
- [New companies, more jobs for Illinois in the new year - Editorial - News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/new-companies-more-jobs-for-illinois-in-the-new-year-editorial-news-gazette/) - "Illinois is off to a fast start in 2026 when it comes to business expansion and job creation. Gov. J.B. Pritzker takes hits for bad news, so it’s entirely appropriate for him to take a victory lap when he has good news to announce."
- [Ralph Martire: Why school districts drastically hike Cook County property taxes - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/ralph-martire-why-school-districts-drastically-hike-cook-county-property-taxes-chicago-sun-times/)
- [Mayor Johnson talks crime, homelessness, Bears at latest press conference - WGN](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnson-talks-crime-homelessness-bears-at-latest-press-conference-wgn/) - “The focus is keeping the Bears in Chicago. That’s my top priority."
- [16-year-old girl arrested, cars vandalized as teen takeover descends on Hyde Park - ABC Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/16-year-old-girl-arrested-cars-vandalized-as-teen-takeover-descends-on-hyde-park-abc-chicago/) - "There are hundreds of teams, like 500 of them just scattered around, acting crazy. There's cops everywhere. It's chaos," said Jason Hale. Hale and his wife watched as hundreds of teenagers took over his neighborhood near 52nd and Dorchester. His car was among those left damaged in the aftermath.
- [The Hunger Industrial Complex, Part II: The Six-Figure Charity Racket - Illinois Family Inst.](https://wirepoints.org/the-hunger-industrial-complex-part-ii-the-six-figure-charity-racket-illinois-family-inst/) - Read that again. A Walmart General Manager is the top leader at a facility responsible for billions of dollars in inventory and hundreds of employees. That person earns $218,317, which is at the high end for that role. Meanwhile, the Vice President of Operations at the Greater Chicago Food Depository—who has a much less demanding logistical role—earns $353,845. That’s $135,000 more than the top executive at a for-profit organization."
- [State vs. local property tax debate rages in Illinois - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/state-vs-local-property-tax-debate-rages-in-illinois-center-square/) - Gov. J.B. Pritzker says property taxes are a local issue, but a county treasurer’s report says hefty tax increases are allowed by state law.
- [College funding bill draws dissent from big Illinois universities - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/college-funding-bill-draws-dissent-from-big-illinois-universities-center-square/) - The “Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act,” proposes a yearly increase over 15 years of $135 million to state university funding, each public university getting a specific percentage, with priority given to universities that are the most in need.
- [Chicago owed millions from its own employees, who aren’t being forced to pay up - WTTW](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-owed-millions-from-its-own-employees-who-arent-being-forced-to-pay-up-wttw/)
- [2 separate street takeovers held in Marquette Park, South Loop - CBS Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/2-separate-street-takeovers-held-in-marquette-park-south-loop-cbs-chicago/)
- [Waste of the Day: Lawyers Rake in Fees From Chicago’s Wrongful Convictions - RealClear Investigations](https://wirepoints.org/waste-of-the-day-lawyers-rake-in-fees-from-chicagos-wrongful-convictions-realclear-investigations/) - The City of Chicago has spent almost $160 million paying private lawyers to fight wrongful conviction lawsuits since 2016, but The Chicago Tribune found there is “little evidence that the strategy has paid off financially.”
- [More Nonprofits and High Salaries - BLNNews](https://wirepoints.org/more-nonprofits-and-high-salaries-blnnews/) - Fat salaries, taxpayer funded.
- [Harvey’s request for financially distressed relief rejected by Illinois Department of Revenue - Chicago Tribune](https://wirepoints.org/harveys-request-for-financially-distressed-relief-rejected-by-illinois-department-of-revenue-chicago-tribune/) - The Financially Distressed City Law allows home-rule municipalities in the top 5% of tax rates and the bottom 5% of tax income per capita to apply for fiscal relief via a state takeover of finances. The law was invoked once before, in East St. Louis in 1990. The Department of Revenue determined that while Harvey meets the requirement of being in the top 5% of tax rates, it is not in the bottom 5% for tax yield per capita, according to the letter.
- [Mailee Smith and Micky Horstman: As Chicagoans sour on the Chicago Teachers Union, politicians are taking notice - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/mailee-smith-and-micky-horstman-as-chicagoans-sour-on-the-chicago-teachers-union-politicians-are-taking-notice-chicago-tribune/) - Chicago voters’ appetite for the union has shifted — drastically — and politicians have noticed. The CTU was a kingmaker, but its endless support for new and higher taxes coupled with organizational scandals, its latest “May Day” push to cancel school for a day and recent electoral defeats suggest the mighty has fallen.
- [Bailing Out Chicago Would Send a Dangerous Message - City Journal](https://wirepoints.org/bailing-out-chicago-would-send-a-dangerous-message-city-journal/) - "The door is open, then, for Illinois and Chicago to return to D.C. and ask for federal assistance. If granted, taxpayers nationwide will pay for the Windy City’s fiscal recklessness. And the bailouts likely won’t stop there. Officials in other cities, such as Mayor Zohran Mamdani in New York, will be watching closely. If Chicago can get a bailout, why not the Big Apple?"
- [Illinois, by far, remained the most popular destination nationally among patients who had to cross state lines to obtain abortion services in 2025 - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-by-far-remained-the-most-popular-destination-nationally-among-patients-who-had-to-cross-state-lines-to-obtain-abortion-services-in-2025-chicago-sun-times/) - Illinois-based providers performed nearly one out of every four abortions for patients seeking the procedure outside of their home state, often as a result of outright abortion bans or prohibitive restrictions where they live.
- [University of Illinois Springfield faculty go on strike - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/university-of-illinois-springfield-faculty-go-on-strike-capitol-news-il/)
- [Rich Miller: Poll shows Illinois voters think affordable housing is a problem](https://wirepoints.org/rich-miller-poll-shows-illinois-voters-think-affordable-housing-is-a-problem/)
- [Don't be greedy! - Eric Allie Cartoon](https://wirepoints.org/dont-be-greedy-eric-allie-cartoon/)
- [How to bring professional excellence to the Chicago Police Department - The Last Ward](https://wirepoints.org/how-to-bring-professional-excellence-to-the-chicago-police-department-the-last-ward/) - Two landmark studies on the Chicago Police Department just dropped. Here’s what they revealed.
- [New study lays out case for millionaires tax - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/new-study-lays-out-case-for-millionaires-tax-capitol-news-il/) - The report, authored by ILEPI’s Frank Manzo and UIUC professor Robert Bruno, found that a 3% surcharge on income over $1 million would generate $3.8 billion in its first full year and $4.2 billion by 2030 — revenue estimates the researchers labeled as “conservative.”
- [Poison Ivey: Chicago Bulls Release Forward After He Speaks Out Against Pride Month - John Kass](https://wirepoints.org/poison-ivey-chicago-bulls-release-forward-after-he-speaks-out-against-pride-month-john-kass/)
- [City Hall’s fine mess. City workers owe millions, remain on the payroll - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/city-halls-fine-mess-city-workers-owe-millions-remain-on-the-payroll-chicago-sun-times/)
- [Mayor Johnson’s administration ‘reflexively hostile to oversight,’ outgoing Chicago inspector general says - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnsons-administration-reflexively-hostile-to-oversight-outgoing-chicago-inspector-general-says-chicago-sun-times/) - “This administration has shown itself to be reflexively hostile to oversight. This has come largely through the Law Department … interfering with OIG’s access to city premises, withholding records from OIG, declining to provide records even though they were, in fact, publicly available, declining to implement recommendations from OIG,” Witzburg told the Chicago Sun-Times.
- [‘A hardship’: Peoples Gas customers rally against requested rate hike - Capitol News Illinois](https://wirepoints.org/a-hardship-peoples-gas-customers-rally-against-requested-rate-hike-capitol-news-illinois/)
- [Non-compliant offender with two warrants tried to murder Chicago cop: prosecutors - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/non-compliant-offender-with-two-warrants-tried-to-murder-chicago-cop-prosecutors-cwb-chicago/) - A non-compliant sex offender with two active warrants, now accused of trying to murder a Chicago Police Officer, bragged to cops who arrested him that he just got out of prison for beating other police officers, prosecutors say.
- [WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times falsely blame Texas Gov. Abbott for 2020 to 2024 surge in Chicago Latino HIV, AIDS infections - Wirepoints Quickpoint](https://wirepoints.org/wbez-and-chicago-sun-times-falsely-blame-texas-gov-abbott-for-2020-to-2024-surge-in-chicago-latino-hiv-aids-infections-wirepoints-quickpoint/) - Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
- [The Pols Who Failed Sheridan Gorman - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/the-pols-who-failed-sheridan-gorman-wall-street-journal/) - Mr. Pritzker’s real message wasn’t the “real failures.” It was: This is Donald Trump’s fault, notwithstanding that there’s hardly a Republican to be found in Illinois. Alderwoman Maria Hadden told Fox32’s Chicago Live last week that Gorman “might have been a wrong-place-wrong-time, running into a person who had a gun. Not to be outdone, Mayor Brandon Johnson gave a master class in deflection when asked if he would apologize to Gorman’s parents for her death.
- [Most Cook County property taxes for police and fire go to pensions, not protection - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/most-cook-county-property-taxes-for-police-and-fire-go-to-pensions-not-protection-illinois-policy/) - Only about $150 million of the nearly $600 million in police and fire property tax levies for 2024 went toward public safety services. The rest — over $450 million — went toward funding pensions.
- [Court battles hit taxpayer wallets - Yahoo News/Chicago Tribune](https://wirepoints.org/court-battles-hit-taxpayer-wallets-yahoo-news-chicago-tribune/) - The costs of decades of misconduct by Chicago police have grown enormous as the city settles lawsuit after lawsuit using expensive private counsel to handle most of the work. Now a Tribune investigation has provided the most detailed analysis yet of how Chicago’s legal strategy has run up costs, making these misconduct cases more expensive on average for taxpayers than similar legal claims in New York and Los Angeles.
- [Slain college student’s mother vows ‘fight for justice’ after illegal immigrant charged in Chicago killing - Fox News](https://wirepoints.org/slain-college-students-mother-vows-fight-for-justice-after-illegal-immigrant-charged-in-chicago-killing-fox-news/) - I want to say this gently, but honestly, as a mom. I'm angry," Jessica Gorman said. "I'm like completely heartbroken, and we are going to fight for justice for our sweet Sheridan, and we're going to fight for change." At the vigil, the family’s attorney, Thomas Tripodianos, warned against what he described as growing complacency about public safety. "If we accept this, even silently, then we are accepting a reality where young people are not as safe as they should be. And that is not acceptable," Tripodianos said. "And there must be justice. Real justice."
- [Chicago Launches Task Force to Implement Reparations in the Midst of Budget Crisis - Jonathan Turley](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-launches-task-force-to-implement-reparations-in-the-midst-of-budget-crisis-jonathan-turley/) - Johnson, who (like New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani) supports programs such as city-run grocery stores, has sought massive tax increases and bond issues to support the city’s bloated budget and union pension funds. With the new bond set to be paid in 20 years, he can continue to spend and leave the actual payments to future mayors.
- [The murder of Sheridan Gorman and the stifling of Chicago - John Kass](https://wirepoints.org/the-murder-of-sheridan-gorman-and-the-stifling-of-chicago-john-kass/) - "Since Sheridan Gorman’s murder, Chicago news media, particularly the newspapers, have predictably shamed themselves.... Why would Democrats who created the problem and media work together to cover it all with a bushel? Is there more to this than mere political partisanship?"
- [Property Taxes in Cook County Soared at Double the Rate of Inflation During the Last 30 Years: Report - WTTW](https://wirepoints.org/property-taxes-in-cook-county-soared-at-double-the-rate-of-inflation-during-the-last-30-years-report-wttw/) - Property taxes in Cook County soared at double the rate of inflation between 1995 and 2024, according to a new report from Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.
- [Energy affordability report ranks Illinois 31st, warns of 'burdensome' mandates - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/energy-affordability-report-ranks-illinois-31st-warns-of-burdensome-mandates-center-square/)
- [Illinois senators scrutinize diversity commission's high salaries, poor performance - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-senators-scrutinize-diversity-commissions-high-salaries-poor-performance-center-square/) - An Illinois state senator, responding to an investigation by The Center Square, suggested Wednesday that the state's highly paid diversity commissioners should be required to work full time in light of their poor job performances.
- [Pritzker calls for year-round E15 gasoline in letter to Congress - Capitol News Illinois](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-calls-for-year-round-e15-gasoline-in-letter-to-congress-capitol-news-illinois/)
- [Cutting Red Tape: Chicago makes progress but a long way to go - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/cutting-red-tape-chicago-makes-progress-but-a-long-way-to-go-illinois-policy/) - Two years after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson unveiled 107 recommendations to reduce bureaucratic requirements strangling residential and business development, he can claim notable successes, but housing abundance requires more progress.
- [767-page study finds some of CPD’s most violent districts are overstaffed - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/767-page-study-finds-some-of-cpds-most-violent-districts-are-overstaffed-cwb-chicago/) - A long-awaited, detailed study of the Chicago Police Department’s workforce allocation is now public and some of its findings will surprise the department’s biggest critics.
- [Illinois balks at climate superfund bill - E&E News*](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-balks-at-climate-superfund-bill-ee-news/) - Illinois lawmakers failed this year to advance a bill that would have forced fossil fuel companies to pay for climate resilience after a coalition of business and labor groups lined up against it.
- [I call them MEGO numbers. That stands for My Eyes Glaze Over. - Newsbreak](https://wirepoints.org/i-call-them-mego-numbers-that-stands-for-my-eyes-glaze-over/) - "I call them MEGO numbers. That stands for My Eyes Glaze Over." In Chicago the shortfall is $42,600 burden per taxpayer. In fact, they point out that if you include public school pensions in those future obligations, Chicago is in even more financial trouble than New York.
- [IL biometrics privacy reforms apply to past cases, too: Appeals court - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/il-biometrics-privacy-reforms-apply-to-past-cases-too-appeals-court-legal-newsline/) - Pending class action lawsuits under Illinois' stringent biometrics privacy law may have become significantly less lucrative, after a federal appeals court declared reforms enacted to limit financial payouts under the law don't just apply to the lawsuits filed since the reforms took effect a little less than two years ago.
- [Oberweis & Lauf Again Face Off for Congress - in Florida -- McHenry County Blog](https://wirepoints.org/oberweis-lauf-again-face-off-for-congress-in-florida-mchenry-county-blog/)
- [Man sexually attacked woman in Loop parking garage before bystanders intervened, prosecutors say - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/man-sexually-attacked-woman-in-loop-parking-garage-before-bystanders-intervened-prosecutors-say-cwb-chicago/) - Crystal Lake man with a long history of violent offenses is charged with sexually attacking a woman inside a Millennium Park parking garage Monday morning, a crime that prosecutors say was stopped only by witnesses who beat the assailant with a water bottle and a wet floor sign.
- [Gov. Pritzker Builds on Economic Momentum as Global Companies Choose Illinois to Invest and Grow - Press Release](https://wirepoints.org/gov-pritzker-builds-on-economic-momentum-as-global-companies-choose-illinois-to-invest-and-grow-press-release/) - "With record investments and job creation already underway in 2026, Illinois is building on its momentum—proving that a focus on fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and opportunity is driving businesses to choose Illinois."
- [Johnson seeks ouster of the CHA’s acting leader — who says he’s not going anywhere - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/johnson-seeks-ouster-of-the-chas-acting-leader-who-says-hes-not-going-anywhere-crains/) - Removing Brewer has opened another front in the mayor’s ongoing struggle for control of the city’s sister agencies and could lead to a protracted legal battle because Brewer is fighting the move with the apparent support of a majority of the board.
- [Ideology over Accountability: The Hollowed-Out Fifth Floor and the Crisis of Chicago Governance - Paul Vallas - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/ideology-over-accountability-the-hollowed-out-fifth-floor-and-the-crisis-of-chicago-governance-paul-vallas-chicago-contrarian/) - "Mayor Brandon Johnson’s latest purge of senior aides is as predictable as it is perilous.... Let’s be frank: This is not Mayor Johnson seeking "ideological alignment" to better serve the people of Chicago; it is Johnson systematically eliminating accountability."
- [Can the GOP Thrive in Illinois and Chicago? - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/can-the-gop-thrive-in-illinois-and-chicago-chicago-contrarian/)
- [Operation Midway Blitz in numbers: Roughly 3,800 detained, and 2,500 deported, most with no criminal record - Yahoo/Chicago Tribune](https://wirepoints.org/operation-midway-blitz-in-numbers-roughly-3800-detained-and-2500-deported-most-with-no-criminal-record-yahoo-chicago-tribune/)
- [Quincy pushes back against Pritzker’s proposed state-wide zoning laws - KHQA](https://wirepoints.org/quincy-pushes-back-against-pritzkers-proposed-state-wide-zoning-laws-khqa/) - Pritzker's BUILD plan would establish statewide zoning laws — limiting the ability of local governments to intervene, hold public forums on zoning issues, or act on local residents’ objections.
- [Cook County property tax bills are due: Why do we pay property taxes anyway? - Fox Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-property-tax-bills-are-due-why-do-we-pay-property-taxes-anyway-fox-chicago/)
- [Betting on a Losing Horse Named Bailey - Chicago Magazine](https://wirepoints.org/betting-on-a-losing-horse-named-bailey-chicago-magazine/) - "The Republican nominee for governor won’t win, but Downstate will have a champion in its war against Chicago’s political influence over Illinois."
- [Illinois paying big price for high cost of leaving - Yahoo Finance/News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-paying-big-price-for-high-cost-of-leaving-yahoo-finance-news-gazette/) - Imposing higher taxes requires having enough people to tax. It's a balancing act that requires ensuring that those who pay the most feel they're getting their money's worth. Illinois apparently is failing that test, and the consequences are severe.
- [The High-Tax Wealth Flight Continues - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/the-high-tax-wealth-flight-continues-wall-street-journal/) -  States with the highest taxes continue to lose the most income to other states. California lost on net $11.9 billion, mostly to Texas, Nevada and Arizona. Other big losers include New York ($9.9 billion), Illinois ($6 billion), Massachusetts ($4 billion), New Jersey ($2.6 billion), Maryland ($1.8 billion) and Minnesota ($1.5 billion).
- [A Maintenance Budget: How Illinois’ FY2027 Budget Proposal Balances The Books - Civic Federation](https://wirepoints.org/a-maintenance-budget-how-illinois-fy2027-budget-proposal-balances-the-books-civic-federation/)
- [Chicago’s Hotel Tax Gamble: Raising Prices to Attract Tourists - The Daily Economy](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-hotel-tax-gamble-raising-prices-to-attract-tourists-the-daily-economy/) - "There is an old economics adage that says if you want people to buy more of your good or service, you should raise the price. Right?"
- [Illinois business leaders press lawmakers as child care costs face scrutiny - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-business-leaders-press-lawmakers-as-child-care-costs-face-scrutiny-center-square/) - Illinois business leaders pressured Illinois lawmakers Tuesday to approve billions of dollars in taxpayer‑funded child care investments, arguing that without more public spending, families and small businesses will continue to shoulder the burden of a system they say is already stretched thin.
- [Chicago Park District pushes $630M Museum Campus overhaul as Bears exit nears - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-park-district-pushes-630m-museum-campus-overhaul-as-bears-exit-nears-crains/) - The Chicago Park District is intensifying its lobbying campaign for a $630 million revamp of Soldier Field and the Museum Campus even as Mayor Brandon Johnson remains focused on trying to keep the team.
- [Excessive force complaints against Chicago cops soar, but only 4% were sustained last year - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/excessive-force-complaints-against-chicago-cops-soar-but-only-4-were-sustained-last-year-cwb-chicago/) - Allegations are just allegations. And WTTW’s report did not explore how many of those complaints were ultimately found to be valid. In fact, the outlet does not appear to have requested that data before filing its story. So, CWB Chicago did it for them.
- [Bill targets zoning laws that block homes for adults with disabilities - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/bill-targets-zoning-laws-that-block-homes-for-adults-with-disabilities-capitol-news-il/)
- [Chicago’s Brandon Johnson blasts 'assaults against immigrants' as slain Sheridan Gorman is laid to rest - Fox News](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-brandon-johnson-blasts-assaults-against-immigrants-as-slain-sheridan-gorman-is-laid-to-rest-fox-news/)
- [Teen Takeover Raises Questions About Public Safety, Spaces for Young People - WTTW](https://wirepoints.org/teen-takeover-raises-questions-about-public-safety-spaces-for-young-people-wttw/) - Last week Chicago saw its first so-called teen takeover of the year. Hundreds of young people gathered in the Loop on packed sidewalks and streets, resulting in eight arrests, 24 curfew violations and renewed calls for a stricter curfew ordinance.
- [Chicago’s empty ‘ghost schools’ teach us about how the system is failing - Fox News](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-empty-ghost-schools-teach-us-about-how-the-system-is-failing-fox-news/) - "Chicago’s empty schools serve as a cautionary tale for policymakers everywhere. More money funneled into broken systems yields only more brokenness."
- [In Illinois, a short-term guardianship can help youths during ICE deportations - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/in-illinois-a-short-term-guardianship-can-help-youths-during-ice-deportations-capitol-news-il/)
- [Illinois hormone‑therapy bill draws clash over minors’ access - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-hormone-therapy-bill-draws-clash-over-minors-access-center-square/) - Legislation in the Illinois Capitol could allow for more lax rules regarding some hormone medications. Republicans say the bill was quietly snuck through with vague language that would allow pharmacists to prescribe a 12-month supply of hormone therapy medication to minors.
- [IL GOP: Vandalism fueled by toxic rhetoric - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/il-gop-vandalism-fueled-by-toxic-rhetoric-center-square/) - The chair of the Illinois Republican Party is speaking out after a “disturbing act of vandalism” targeting a suburban GOP office, calling it a “symptom of escalating political hostility.”
- [Illinois missing out on big savings - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-missing-out-on-big-savings-illinois-policy/) - The state should implement long-term saving measures, such as a spending cap. Under such a cap, annual spending cannot increase more than the 10-year average growth of the state’s nominal gross domestic product. That way, increases in spending are tied to growth in the tax base, which could mean limited tax increases.
- [Rich Miller: Voter analysis from election - Illinois Times](https://wirepoints.org/rich-miller-voter-analysis-from-election-illinois-times/) - The trend in special elections around the country for the past several months has shown spiking Democratic voter turnout and tanking Republican turnout. And some preliminary primary election results from earlier this month show the same trend here.
- [Dozens of Evanston Township students walk out of school to protest war in Iran - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/dozens-of-evanston-township-students-walk-out-of-school-to-protest-war-in-iran-chicago-sun-times/)
- [Chicago moves toward reparations with bus tours and town halls as $150M deficit looms - Fox News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-moves-toward-reparations-with-bus-tours-and-town-halls-as-150m-deficit-looms-fox-news/) - Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to hold a public engagement forum called Repair Chicago to "gather lived experiences of harm of Black Chicagoans" in an effort to provide reparations for Black residents.
- [The real reason Brandon Johnson fired his public safety leadership - The Last Ward](https://wirepoints.org/the-real-reason-brandon-johnson-fired-his-public-safety-leadership-the-last-ward/) - "Chicago policing is overly political, by design."
- [Legislator presses forward with facial recognition ban even after it helped solve Loyola student murder case in her district - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/legislator-presses-forward-with-facial-recognition-ban-even-after-it-helped-solve-loyola-student-murder-case-in-her-district-cwb-chicago/) - Rep. Kelly Cassidy said, in part, "It is tragic that some people want to use individual tragedies to justify the use of flawed technologies that risk the private information of millions in our state. ... House Bill 5521 does not limit state and local police from investigating crimes. It simply protects the privacy of millions of Illinois residents simply because they have an Illinois driver’s license.”
- [$4.4B budget request for new Illinois early childhood agency draws scrutiny - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/4-4b-budget-request-for-new-illinois-early-childhood-agency-draws-scrutiny-center-square/) - Illinois Department of Early Childhood Secretary Teresa Ramos said funding is primarily being allocated to the agency in line with the programs being taken over from other agencies, though she clarified the focus of efficiency is in the efficacy of programs, above financial efficiency.
- [Teen mobs swarm downtown in chaotic takeover—fights erupt, cars targeted before curfew crackdown hits - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/teen-mobs-swarm-downtown-in-chaotic-takeover-fights-erupt-cars-targeted-before-curfew-crackdown-hits-fox-news/) - Seven juveniles, ages 13 to 16, were each charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct. One of those teens, a 15-year-old boy, also had an outstanding warrant. Another 16-year-old boy faces more serious charges, including three felony counts of aggravated assault of a peace officer. A private security group, the Community Intelligence Unit, observed multiple fights and said one teen was beaten unconscious.
- [Chicago Teachers Host Curriculum Fair to Ensure Lessons Don’t ‘Facilitate Genocide’ - National Review*](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-teachers-host-curriculum-fair-to-ensure-lessons-dont-facilitate-genocide-national-review-2/) - Chicago Public Schools dedicated its 19th annual “Teachers for Social Justice” curriculum fair to encouraging teachers to use their positions to promote radical left-wing concepts around race, gender, and international relations.
- [Johnson devising strategy to tackle pension crisis that includes 'deferred retirement option' - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/johnson-devising-strategy-to-tackle-pension-crisis-that-includes-deferred-retirement-option-chicago-sun-times/) - The pension commission that Mayor Brandon Johnson created shortly after taking office disbanded without releasing a single report after Gov. JB Pritzker signed a police pension sweetener that, over time, will make Chicago’s pension crisis $11 billion worse. Now, the Johnson administration has asked EY, the consulting firm that recommended $1.4 billion in savings and revenue-generation options for the city to consider, to start climbing the mountain of unfunded pension debt.
- [Chicago Pensions Watch: DROP Will Not Save the Pensions - Stump](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-pensions-watch-drop-will-not-save-the-pensions-stump/) - By actuary Mary Pat Campbell.
- [Where gas prices are rising the fastest from the Iran conflict - Fox News](https://wirepoints.org/where-gas-prices-are-rising-the-fastest-from-the-iran-conflict-fox-news/) - "In the Midwest, Illinois stands out at $4.21 per gallon, while much of the region remains closer to the mid-$3 range."
- [Alderman Lopez: Illinois taxpayers should revoke funding of non-profit allegedly paying for illegal alien Loyola murderer’s apartment - Chicago City Wire](https://wirepoints.org/alderman-lopez-illinois-taxpayers-should-revoke-funding-of-non-profit-allegedly-paying-for-illegal-alien-loyola-murderers-apartment-chicago-city-wire/) - Chicago Ald. Ray Lopez (D-15th) says the city should pull the funding of RefugeeOne, the taxpayer-backed non-profit allegedly funding the living expenses of Venezuelan Illegal alien Loyola University murderer Jose Medina-Medina.
- [Evanston can’t end discrimination lawsuit over black ‘reparations’ - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/evanston-cant-end-discrimination-lawsuit-over-black-reparations-legal-newsline/) - In the ruling, Kness specifically rejected the city's attempts to claim the white plaintiffs can't sue because they never actually attempted to apply for payment through the program, which the city had made clear was limited only to people who are black.
- [Chicago’s ICE playbook spreads as cities challenge Trump’s crackdown - Politico](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-ice-playbook-spreads-as-cities-challenge-trumps-crackdown-politico/) - Blue-state leaders are swapping executive orders, legislative strategies and public warnings.
- [Thousands gather for anti-Trump 'No Kings' protests across Chicago area, downtown march - MSN/ABC Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/thousands-gather-for-anti-trump-no-kings-protests-across-chicago-area-downtown-march-msn-abc-chicago/)
- [Court Declares “Interested Party” Provisions of the Illinois Day and Temporary Labor Services Act Unconstitutional - JD Supra](https://wirepoints.org/court-declares-interested-party-provisions-of-the-illinois-day-and-temporary-labor-services-act-unconstitutional-jd-supra/) - The Act imposes a range of pay and benefit requirements for covered temporary workers.
- [With Discussion Beginning About Pension Buyout Program For Chicago, Beware of Baloney - Wirepoints](https://wirepoints.org/with-discussion-beginning-about-pension-buyout-program-for-chicago-beware-of-baloney-wirepoints/) - The state's existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
- [Chicagoans Reject Brandon Johnson’s Agenda - Letter - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/chicagoans-reject-brandon-johnsons-agenda-letter-wall-street-journal/) - Former Harris Poll CEO: "We’ve been polling Chicagoans throughout Mr. Johnson’s term and consistently find that most disagree with his priorities."
- [Former Dolton, Illinois, 'super mayor' pushes for federal troops in Chicago after father shot in neck - Fox News](https://wirepoints.org/former-dolton-illinois-super-mayor-pushes-for-federal-troops-in-chicago-after-father-shot-in-neck-fox-news/) - Former Dolton mayor and Thornton Township supervisor Tiffany Henyard urged Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to accept federal assistance to help clean up crime, noting in a statement that her father had become a gun violence victim.
- [Column: Illinois Supreme Court ruling against Amazon could be expensive - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/column-illinois-supreme-court-ruling-against-amazon-could-be-expensive-champaign-news-gazette/) - Jim Dey: "In a brief, but potentially explosive, opinion, the Illinois Supreme Court recently ruled that employees are entitled to be paid for required pre- or post-work activities. Although federal law provides a specific exclusion for that, the state high court’s seven justices ruled that because Illinois law contains no such exclusions, 'we must refrain from departing from the statute’s plain text by reading into it exceptions ... that conflict with the plain language of the statute.'"
- [Lawmakers seek measure to make small-scale plug-in solar panels available to renters - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/lawmakers-seek-measure-to-make-small-scale-plug-in-solar-panels-available-to-renters-capitol-news-il/) - The plug-in solar bill allows people to install small solar panel systems that can be plugged into normal wall outlets for personal use. Instead of a rooftop, the panels could be set up on a balcony, in a yard, or on a porch or patio.
- [Illinois GOP senators urge action on business, worker tax relief - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-gop-senators-urge-action-on-business-worker-tax-relief-center-square/) - In a news conference, State Sens. Seth Lewis, R-Carol Stream, Dave Syverson, R-Cherry Valley, and Craig Wilcox, R-Woodstock, said they want to make Illinois a place where people want to live, instead of leave, by creating thoughtful policies to support businesses and individuals.
- [Energy choice and economic impact commission proposed in Illinois - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/energy-choice-and-economic-impact-commission-proposed-in-illinois-center-square/) - A proposal to create a new energy commission has renewed policy debate over the economic and environmental impact of state policies.
- [Illinois ride-share union bill pushed through amid disagreement on new fee - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-ride-share-union-bill-pushed-through-amid-disagreement-on-new-fee-center-square/) - House Bill 4743 would allow the more than 100,000 contract employees of ride-share services – such as Uber and Lyft – in the state to organize, requiring a minimum of 10% of active drivers to begin the process. The bill also sets a threshold of 30% of active drivers signing union authorization cards to begin any negotiations with the ride-share industry.
- [Bears stadium deal should not include lawmakers perks or raise property taxes - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/bears-stadium-deal-should-not-include-lawmakers-perks-or-raise-property-taxes-illinois-policy/)
- [New CTA crime data paints troubling picture - Axios](https://wirepoints.org/new-cta-crime-data-paints-troubling-picture-axios/) - CTA homicide, shootings, rape and aggravated battery are up from last year, per Chicago Police Department reports. Other categories — including larceny, aggravated assault and robbery — are not. CTA officials say some assault figures could be skewed by aggressive reporting practices in Chicago.
- [Chicago mocked for 'bizarre' plan to boost tourism by hiking hotel taxes to 19% - MSN/Daily Mail](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-mocked-for-bizarre-plan-to-boost-tourism-by-hiking-hotel-taxes-to-19-msn-daily-mail/) - "Let’s make it more expensive to visit Chicago so we can attract more visitors." Under the plan, a new 1.5 percent surcharge will be added to hotel stays at larger properties, with the money funneled into tourism marketing efforts run by Choose Chicago.
- [Lawmakers punt Bears property tax bill to April - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/lawmakers-punt-bears-property-tax-bill-to-april-capitol-news-il/) - The Chicago Bears will have to wait until at least April for action on a property tax measure that would boost their efforts to build a domed stadium in Arlington Heights. State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, the top House Democratic negotiator, confirmed to Capitol News Illinois that the bill won’t move before the House adjourns Friday.
- [Angel parents slam Illinois sanctuary laws after 'preventable' tragedy in student's death - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/angel-parents-slam-illinois-sanctuary-laws-after-preventable-tragedy-in-students-death-fox-news/)
- [Del Mar Steps Down From Local GOP Leadership To Focus On Statewide Bid - Journal & Topics](https://wirepoints.org/del-mar-steps-down-from-local-gop-leadership-to-focus-on-statewide-bid-journal-topics/) - Aaron Del Mar is stepping down as the Palatine Township Republican committeeman and Cook County GOP chairman to focus on his run for lieutenant governor.
- [Tax Increment Financing: A Primer - Civic Federation](https://wirepoints.org/tax-increment-financing-a-primer-civic-federation/)
- [Could Congestion Pricing Pay Off for Chicago? - Bloomberg](https://wirepoints.org/could-congestion-pricing-pay-off-for-chicago-bloomberg/) - Chicago leaders have discussed following Manhattan’s lead in tolling roads to ease traffic. But a Chicago-style version of New York’s policy might look very different.
- [Mayor Johnson vetoes plan to freeze subminimum wage for tipped workers - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnson-vetoes-plan-to-freeze-subminimum-wage-for-tipped-workers-chicago-sun-times/)
- [Sheridan Gorman’s Murder—and Chicago’s Silence - RealClear](https://wirepoints.org/sheridan-gormans-murder-and-chicagos-silence-realclear/) - "The insidious effect of local media’s near blackout of the story is not just defining deviancy down but ignoring it altogether. It’s a “shut up and take it” message by the media to the residents of Chicago – and even to the family of a young girl attending her dream school shot dead by a criminal illegal who should never have been in the city in the first place."
- [Gas spike continues for Illinoisans; state leaders offer no plan to help yet - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-mentioned-a-previous-time-the-legislature-suspended-the-states-fuel-tax-but-said-the-state-also-has-heightened-needs-to-consider-that-the-tax-supports-center-square/) - Pritzker mentioned a previous time the legislature suspended the state’s fuel tax, but said the state also has heightened needs to consider that the tax supports.
- [Video: "It's Orwell Come to Life" - Reading Through Pritzker's "Project 2029" Agenda, with Richard Porter - RealClear Politics](https://wirepoints.org/video-its-orwell-come-to-life-reading-through-pritzkers-project-2029-agenda-with-richard-porter-realclear-politics/)
- [Questions remain as previously-vetoed nonprofit measure moves through committee - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/questions-remain-as-previously-vetoed-nonprofit-measure-moves-through-committee-center-square/) - House Bill 5045 allows the state treasurer to set up an investment pool and electronic payment system for nonprofit organizations. The governor’s veto message specifically mentioned the Indiana Oath Keepers and said the bill could allow extremist groups to advance hateful missions.
- [University funding overhaul bill advances in House despite U of I opposition - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/university-funding-overhaul-bill-advances-in-house-despite-u-of-i-opposition-capitol-news-il/) - It calls for increasing university funding in Illinois by about $135 million each year over the next 15 years. That new funding would be distributed under a formula that sets an adequacy target for each institution and gives priority for new funding to those institutions furthest away from their target. Rep. Carol Ammons said funding for the plan would be subject to legislative appropriations each year while HB 1581 merely establishes a policy under which the new money would be distributed.
- [More than half of Illinois counties suffer outmigration - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/more-than-half-of-illinois-counties-suffer-outmigration-illinois-policy/) - Recent Census Bureau data shed light on one of the potential reasons so many Illinoisans are leaving the state: high taxes. In 2024, 95 percent of those who left Illinois fled to states with lower tax burdens.
- [In Sanctuary Cities, American Lives Don’t Matter - Chronicles Magazine](https://wirepoints.org/in-sanctuary-cities-american-lives-dont-matter-chronicles-magazine/) - "Sanctuary advocates preach empathy for the 'undocumented,' yet their policies create a ranking of worth: the lives of U.S. citizens like (Loyola University student Sheridan) Gorman become collateral in the pursuit of ideological virtue and are expendable when they collide with the protected status of those who crossed the border unlawfully."
- [Junk fees, child torture, tipped wage proposals among bills to clear committee - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/junk-fees-child-torture-tipped-wage-proposals-among-bills-to-clear-committee-capitol-news-il/) - The Illinois House passed more than 150 bills out of committee from Tuesday to Wednesday as it worked toward a Friday deadline to move legislation to the full House.
- [Mayor Johnson’s Budget Sinking Chicago Further Into Debt After Credit Agency Downgrades - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnsons-budget-sinking-chicago-further-into-debt-after-credit-agency-downgrades-chicago-contrarian/) - Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson blasted city officials for Johnson’s financial disaster. In a statement, he said, "The Civic Federation takes no pleasure in yesterday's news that two rating agencies have downgraded the City's credit rating. A credit downgrade is not just symbolic; it indicates real financial consequences and long-term ramifications for not just the City but its residents."
- [Trump: Loyola student would be alive if Pritzker, Johnson asked for help - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/trump-loyola-student-would-be-alive-if-pritzker-johnson-asked-for-help-center-square/) - The president spoke at a Cabinet meeting Thursday about 18-year-old Loyola student Sheridan Gorman, who was allegedly shot and killed by a Venezuelan migrant. “It would be great if people like the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois would say, ‘Please come in and stop the crime,’” he said.
- [Illinois bill could seize tipped‑wage control for state, undermining Chicago mayor - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-bill-could-seize-tipped-wage-control-for-state-undermining-chicago-mayor-center-square/) - House Bill 4263 would prevent local governments from setting rules regarding tips counting towards an hourly wage, making regulation of the allowance an exclusive power of the Illinois state government.
- [Police shut down illegal dental office in Granite City operated by immigrants - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/police-shut-down-illegal-dental-office-in-granite-city-operated-by-immigrants-capitol-news-il/) - According to police, Idania J. Moreno-Paal and her husband, Salvador Francisco Tabacco-Campos, fled Venezuela into Mexico. In 2022, both had been granted temporary protected status work visas to enter the U.S. Tabacco-Campos “possibly owned and operated a pharmacy in Venezuela, according to the police report. The illegal dentist office has since been shut down, and the whereabouts of Moreno-Paal and her family are unknown.
- [School staff rally around bill providing summer pay - Capitol City Now](https://wirepoints.org/school-staff-rally-around-bill-providing-summer-pay-capitol-city-now/) - An estimated 200 union members rallied on the east side of the Capitol Wednesday in favor of a bill to allow school support staff to apply for unemployment benefits during the summer.
- [Chicago Mayor Johnson unveils 'Abolish ICE' snowplow days after student allegedly murdered by illegal migrant - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-mayor-johnson-unveils-abolish-ice-snowplow-days-after-student-allegedly-murdered-by-illegal-migrant-fox-news/) - "This name derives from our city’s legacy of standing up for justice, dignity and the rights of all people, no matter where they come from," Johnson said in front of the city’s massive salt dome. "I want to take this moment to reiterate that Chicago does not want ICE on our streets, in our airports, nor in our city."
- [Cook County state's attorney's office training new prosecutor task force to focus on CTA crimes - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-states-attorneys-office-training-new-prosecutor-task-force-to-focus-on-cta-crimes-chicago-sun-times/) - A new internal transit crime task force will train more than 30 prosecutors and provide guidance on seeking court orders to restrict defendants from accessing parts of the CTA. “The goal of this task force is to make sure that we are effectively prosecuting these cases,” says Anastasia Harper, deputy chief assistant state’s attorney for policy and external affairs.
- [Commentary: Tax the super-rich? Not if Illinoisans distrust the government. - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-tax-the-super-rich-not-if-illinoisans-distrust-the-government-chicago-tribune/) - Andy Shaw: "That killed Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s graduated income tax amendment in 2020, which a majority of voters saw as a blank check to the Springfield sinkhole, and that skepticism hasn’t faded. If anything, it’s gotten worse."
- [United Center owners' massive 1901 Project could get nearly $55 million property tax break - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/united-center-owners-massive-1901-project-could-get-nearly-55-million-property-tax-break-chicago-sun-times/) - There have also been discussions between the United Center’s owners — the Wirtz and Reinsdorf families — and the city on public funding for a new Pink Line station near the United Center. But that proposal hasn’t advanced yet.
- [Mars Snacking to invest $100 million, add 600 jobs through Chicago HQ expansion - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/mars-snacking-to-invest-100-million-add-600-jobs-through-chicago-hq-expansion-chicago-tribune/) - Under the terms of the EDGE agreement, Mars Snacking commits to adding 602 jobs by December 2027 and investing $100 million in building out the three offices to be eligible for $42.8 million in state tax credits over 15 years.
- [Cook County population growth is flat due to decreased immigration, while Kendall County leads Illinois, census numbers show - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-population-growth-is-flat-due-to-decreased-immigration-while-kendall-county-leads-illinois-census-numbers-show-chicago-tribune/)
- [Gorman family calls out Johnson and Pritzker following college student's killing in Chicago - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/gorman-family-calls-out-johnson-and-pritzker-following-college-students-killing-in-chicago-fox-news/) - The family said, in part, "We are not interested in political arguments or in watching responsibility shift from one place to another. If there were failures—as the Governor himself has acknowledged—then every one of them must be identified, examined, and addressed directly. The location of those failures matters less than the willingness to confront them honestly."
- [What Happens When You Pay Ex–Gang Members to Stop Crime? Ask Chicago. - The FP](https://wirepoints.org/what-happens-when-you-pay-ex-gang-members-to-stop-crime-ask-chicago-the-fp/) - “The biggest lobby in Chicago is not big business,” Tabares said. “It’s the nonprofits, and they’re using the blood flowing in the streets, demanding funding with no strings attached. There is no accountability for how the money is being flown into these programs. No accountability whatsoever.... They are actually paying people for being a gang member—that’s what they’re doing.”
- [Pritzker Signals He Won’t Turn Migrant Accused Of Murdering College Student Over To ICE - The Federalist](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-signals-he-wont-turn-migrant-accused-of-murdering-college-student-over-to-ice-the-federalist/) - “Violent crime has no place in our streets, and we expect the alleged perpetrator to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” a Pritzker administration spokesman said. “The Trump Administration needs to stop politicizing heinous tragedies and instead focus on real solutions, like reinstating federal funds to prevent violence that support our public safety efforts.”
- [Facial recognition helps cops solve some of Chicago’s most heinous crimes. One state legislator wants to shut it down. - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/facial-recognition-helps-cops-solve-some-of-chicagos-most-heinous-crimes-one-state-legislator-wants-to-shut-it-down-cwb-chicago/) - The bill is called the Illinois Biometric Surveillance Act, and it’s being pushed by state Rep. Kelly Cassidy. Her proposed law would ban the use of facial recognition and other biometric identifiers by law enforcement statewide. No agency could use the technology or enter into an agreement with a state or federal agency to use it. The bill would still allow “fingerprinting pursuant to an arrest or conviction, or to collect forensic evidence at a crime scene.” The bill does not include the ultimate biometric, DNA, among its “biometric identifiers.”
- [Darren Bailey Gears Up to Face Pritzker for Second Consecutive Governor’s Race - WTTW](https://wirepoints.org/darren-bailey-gears-up-to-face-pritzker-for-second-consecutive-governors-race-wttw/) - He has also come out squarely against federal immigration agents in Cook County, a stance likely to resonate with voters following last fall’s “Operation Midway Blitz. “The whole ICE situation should’ve looked a lot different and better coordinated,” Bailey said. “And I’ll even go so far as to say there shouldn’t be federal agents in Cook County doing this work.”
- [Alderperson Closes Office After ‘Threats Of Violence’ Following Loyola Student’s Killing - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/alderperson-closes-office-after-threats-of-violence-following-loyola-students-killing-block-club-chicago/) - Ald. Maria Hadden, whose ward covers Rogers Park and much of Loyola University’s campus, has been the subject of several reports regarding remarks she made following the death of Sheridan Gorman. Since then, the alderwoman said she, her family and office have been receiving threats of violence, “including racist, misogynistic, and homophobic language."
- [Loyola newspaper apologizes for calling suspected murderer an ‘illegal immigrant’ - College Fix](https://wirepoints.org/loyola-newspaper-apologizes-for-calling-suspected-murderer-an-illegal-immigrant-college-fix/) - Facing backlash, the student newspaper edited the post to remove the term “illegal immigrant.” The newspaper refers to Medina as a “Rogers Park Resident.” The newspaper added in an editor's note, “No human’s existence is illegal, and we quickly changed our wording to reflect that.”
- [Pritzker's glowing review of lakefront resurfaces after college student killed by illegal alien nearby - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/pritzkers-glowing-review-of-lakefront-resurfaces-after-college-student-killed-by-illegal-alien-nearby-fox-news/) - The area where Sheridan Gorman was killed has improved in the categories of thefts, burglary and motor vehicle theft in recent years, according to recent police reports. However, reporting for murder, sexual assaults and aggravated battery have gone up, according to crime stats from March. District 24 has reported three murder cases, 19 sexual assaults and 32 aggravated battery incidents so far in 2026.
- [Pritzker: Trump administration ‘politicizing’ case of slain Loyola student - The Hill](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-trump-administration-politicizing-case-of-slain-loyola-student-the-hill/) - “The Trump Administration needs to stop politicizing heinous tragedies and instead focus on real solutions, like reinstating federal funds to prevent violence that support our public safety efforts,” a statement from the governor's office concludes.
- [Mayor Brandon Johnson says he prioritizes public safety in aftermath of Loyola freshman’s murder - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-brandon-johnson-says-he-prioritizes-public-safety-in-aftermath-of-loyola-freshmans-murder-wgntv-chicago/) - “As I prepare to send my oldest son off to college this fall, I can’t stop thinking about the Gorman family,” he said. “What I want for my child is what I want for every single child, every single person in this city, that is to be safe and to live out their purpose without fear.”
- [Rep: $111 million for community violence intervention is out of touch - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/rep-111-million-for-community-violence-intervention-is-out-of-touch-center-square/) - Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has repeatedly championed CVI funding. The mayor said on Tuesday his philosophy is to invest in communities that were previously ignored. “We have seen the punitive approach where you had, I guess, oversimplified, misguided policies of locking people up,” Johnson said.
- [Illinois school cell phone ban progresses as many districts already enforce policies - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-school-cell-phone-ban-progresses-as-many-districts-already-enforce-policies-center-square/) - Though the bill does not allocate any funds to securely store devices in schools, districts in the state have already started spending on solutions, including a nearly quarter-million dollar purchase by Peoria Public Schools in 2024.
- [White House calls on Pritzker to cooperate with ICE - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/white-house-calls-on-pritzker-to-cooperate-with-ice-center-square/) - White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Biden administration apprehended Sheridan Gorman's alleged killer at the southern border in 2023, but released him shortly thereafter. "The president will also continue to call on Democrat leaders in sanctuary cities and states, like J.B. Pritzker, where this young, beautiful girl was murdered, to cooperate with ICE and stop releasing illegal alien criminals into American neighborhoods," Leavitt said.
- [Illinois House committee advances bill banning immigration detention centers near homes, schools - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-house-committee-advances-bill-banning-immigration-detention-centers-near-homes-schools-capitol-news-il/) - House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch acknowledged that the legislation is not retroactive, meaning it would apply to future facilities, but not the existing facility in Broadview or others currently owned or leased by the federal government. And it is unclear whether the proposal, if passed and signed into law, would pass constitutional muster. Generally, the federal government is exempt from local zoning restrictions.
- [Prescription drug price control bill passes first committee hurdle - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/prescription-drug-price-control-bill-passes-first-committee-hurdle-capitol-news-il/) - Although a few other states have established similar prescription drug advisory boards, or PDABs, none have set and implemented an upper payment limit, or UPL, yet. Colorado has a UPL set to go into effect starting in 2027, but one manufacturer is suing to block it from going into effect.
- [An AI School, With No Teachers, To Open in Chicago This Fall - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/an-ai-school-with-no-teachers-to-open-in-chicago-this-fall-block-club-chicago/) - At Chicago Public Schools, teachers can use AI in the classroom as long as it follows the district’s guidebook, which allows AI’s use as a supplemental classroom resource to personalize lessons and support student work — but not as the primary mode of education.
- [Despite Executive Order, Johnson Now Says New CPD Policy Not Needed to Probe ICE - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/despite-executive-order-johnson-now-says-new-cpd-policy-not-needed-to-probe-ice-wttw-chicago/) - Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Jan. 31 executive order gave CPD brass 30 days to develop a policy directing officers to document suspected misconduct or criminal violations by ICE and Border Patrol agents and identify those responsible. But Johnson said Tuesday that a new policy is not necessary, despite that provision of the executive order and CPD’s acknowledgement that a new policy had been drafted but not finalized.
- [Politicians battle over immigration policy after Loyola student's death - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/politicians-battle-over-immigration-policy-after-loyola-students-death-nbc5-chicago/) - Republicans, including gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, have criticized Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for their “sanctuary city” policies, but those Democrats are firing back, arguing that failures at the national level helped lead to the tragedy. “It is the job of the federal government to go after immigration enforcement,” Pritzker said.
- [Chicago can’t ditch airlines’ suit vs ‘disruptive’ paid sick leave rules - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-cant-ditch-airlines-suit-vs-disruptive-paid-sick-leave-rules-legal-newsline/) - Saying it appears likely the city's sick leave ordinance would disrupt airlines' ability to function, a federal judge has rejected Chicago City Hall's attempt to ground a lawsuit from the airlines challenging the city's ability to force them to abide by the city's stringent paid time off rules.
- [State Police address FOID, cyber security audit findings - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/state-police-address-foid-cyber-security-audit-findings-center-square/) - Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said the FOID system has been modernized and the backlog has been eliminated. “The average processing time now for a new FOID card is 14 days, and that’s well below the statutory limitation,” he said.
- [Aurora City Council approves proposed restrictions for new data centers - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/aurora-city-council-approves-proposed-restrictions-for-new-data-centers-cbs2-chicago/) - Those include making those companies do certain studies on sound, noise, and water before development, meeting standards for noise, vibrations, and energy, and getting city council approval.
- [Commentary: Ranked choice voting is a better way to make votes count - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-ranked-choice-voting-is-a-better-way-to-make-votes-count-chicago-tribune/) - "In a crowded field, our current system rewards whoever can lock down a narrow slice of the electorate, not whoever can build a majority coalition. It pressures voters into defensive choices: Not who do you want, but who can win? Strategic voting was a defining feature of the 9th Congressional District race."
- [CHA board commissioner accused of defrauding the public housing agency - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/cha-board-commissioner-accused-of-defrauding-the-public-housing-agency-chicago-sun-times/) - Commissioner Debra Parker failed to report that her daughter, Lovie Diggs, lived in a four-bedroom home on the city’s South Side for which Parker has received subsidies since 2007, nor did she report Diggs’s income as a CHA contractor. Diggs owns a cleaning company that has received more than $1 million from CHA contracts, records show. Parker also failed to report other earnings from her fiancé (with whom she lived), gambling and her job at another housing authority.
- [Couple Used Nazi Symbols, Feces To Vandalize Republican Building: Arlington Heights PD - Patch](https://wirepoints.org/couple-used-nazi-symbols-feces-to-vandalize-republican-building-arlington-heights-pd-patch/) - Following a nearly two-month investigation into the defacement of the Republicans of Wheeling Township building, police have made two arrests. Brock McNerney, 72, and Moisette McNerney, 69, of the 1200 block of E. Clarendon Avenue, Arlington Heights, were taken into custody Monday without incident, according to the Arlington Heights Police Department.
- [Chicago mayor asked about city's immigration policies after illegal immigrant allegedly killed college student - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-mayor-asked-about-citys-immigration-policies-after-illegal-immigrant-allegedly-killed-college-student-fox-news/) - While Mayor Brandon Johnson said he hasn't spoken with Sheridan Gorman's family yet, he plans to do so. "Once again, I believe that we're all grieving the loss of Sheridan and other folks who have lost their lives because of senseless violence," he said. "And let's just be very clear, between the Safe-T Act and the welcoming city ordinance, the welcoming city ordinance was passed 40 years ago by the first Black mayor in the history of Chicago, and the Safety Act was passed under the governor at that time, who was a Republican."
- [Deadly night on Chicago's South Side after pair of shootings, CTA stabbings - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/deadly-night-on-chicagos-south-side-after-pair-of-shootings-cta-stabbings-fox32-chicago/) - Hours before these incidents, Mayor Brandon Johnson defended his approach to fighting crime on the CTA: "We are moving to strategically deploy additional safety resources to our trains and buses, including additional patrol hours by our CPD officers and a new partnership with the Cook County Sheriff's Office. As we have sought to address persistent rates of violence on the CTA, we are directing the full force of government towards ensuring Chicagoans can feel safe during their commute."
- [Chicago’s human rights commissioner resigns as Mayor Brandon Johnson defends public safety leaders’ firings - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-human-rights-commissioner-resigns-as-mayor-brandon-johnson-defends-public-safety-leaders-firings-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - The resignation comes after Human Relations Commissioner Nancy Andrade approved a plan last month, co-signed by the mayor, to address antisemitism, according to Ald. Debra Silverstein, the City Council’s only Jewish member. “He has not implemented any of the recommendations, so we are still waiting,” Silverstein said of the mayor.
- [Chicago man accused of synagogue shooting threat, targeting Israeli official released on bond - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-man-accused-of-synagogue-shooting-threat-targeting-israeli-official-released-on-bond-fox-news/) - During the investigation, FBI agents said they found additional threatening communications from Timothy Holmes’ account in March, including a series of derisive posts concerning Jewish people; several of the highly disturbing posts echoed radical slogans. He also allegedly posted the purported Florida address of relatives of an Israeli government official in an apparent doxxing attempt.
- [CTU can’t escape lawsuit over alleged hidden union spending - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/ctu-cant-escape-lawsuit-over-alleged-hidden-union-spending-legal-newsline/) - The lawsuit specifically accused the CTU of allegedly refusing to provide members with full audited annual financial reports, showing in full how the CTU is spending the money it collects from its more than 25,000 members. The plaintiffs argued most recently that CTU shouldn't be allowed to walk away without a potential court order or an agreement preventing them from committing the same alleged violations in the future.
- [Broadview mayor demands closure of ICE facility, reimbursement of village, business losses - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/broadview-mayor-demands-closure-of-ice-facility-reimbursement-of-village-business-losses-chicago-sun-times/) - In her letter to lawmakers, Mayor Katrina Thompson asked for help to close the facility and transfer its ownership from the federal government to the village for redevelopment as a museum. The “Broadview Justice Corridor,” as she called the project, would turn the ICE facility into a “national center dedicated to immigration history, civil rights education, civic leadership, and cultural tourism" and generate up to $31 million in economic activity.
- [Brandon Johnson Defends Proposal to Give Area Around United Center $55M Tax Break - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/brandon-johnson-defends-proposal-to-give-area-around-united-center-55m-tax-break-wttw-chicago/) - “This is a project that is going to create thousands of jobs and opportunities for the people across the city, but particularly for development on the West Side,” the mayor said at a City Hall news conference. “This is a clear indication that the city of Chicago remains open for business, but we’re just not for sale.”
- [More than a dozen cars stolen in Chicago Loop in past month, CPD says - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/more-than-a-dozen-cars-stolen-in-chicago-loop-in-past-month-cpd-says-cbs2-chicago/) - Police said that in each instance, the thief broke into a locked car on the street or in a public parking garage and stole the vehicle.
- [Illinois lawmakers call for policy changes after Loyola student killed in Chicago - WICS (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-call-for-policy-changes-after-loyola-student-killed-in-chicago-wics-springfield/) - State Sen. Steve McClure said the blame for tragedies in Illinois will be placed on the governor if he does not change these policies: “I think if you care at all about these victims and any future victims, any of these crimes that have taken place in the last few years, you would want to do something about it.”
- [Pritzker says Bears megaproject bill is in hands of state legislature - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-says-bears-megaproject-bill-is-in-hands-of-state-legislature-wand-decatur/) - This proposal could allow companies working on megaprojects to have their property taxes frozen for up to 40 years and negotiate an annual smaller payment based on a weighted vote of local taxing bodies during a public hearing.
- [Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily release $2 billion in CTA Red Line funds - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/judge-orders-trump-administration-to-temporarily-release-2-billion-in-cta-red-line-funds-cbs2-chicago/) - U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin noted that, out of hundreds of grants the federal government has awarded for various transportation projects around the country, the Trump administration suspended payment only to Chicago and New York after changing the rules regarding contracting goals for minority- and woman-owned companies.
- [Gas spike continues for Illinoisans; state leaders offer no plan to help yet - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/gas-spike-continues-for-illinoisans-state-leaders-offer-no-plan-to-help-yet-center-square/) - Gov. JB Pritzker mentioned a previous time the legislature suspended the state’s fuel tax, but said the state also has heightened needs to consider that the tax supports.
- [IL House GOP asks “Have you had enough yet” following student’s murder - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/il-house-gop-asks-have-you-had-enough-yet-following-students-murder-center-square/) - State Rep. Patrick Sheehan, who is also a police officer, said Pritzker called federal law enforcement the Gestapo and Johnson called law enforcement a sickness. “How will we ever have safe communities in Illinois when the people at the top are undermining law enforcement at every single turn?” Sheehan asked.
- [Legal battle intensifies over appointing special prosecutor for alleged ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ abuses - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/legal-battle-intensifies-over-appointing-special-prosecutor-for-alleged-operation-midway-blitz-abuses-capitol-news-il/) - “Petitioners are asking this Court to ignore the law and appoint a special prosecutor citing public outrage and the will of multiple political figures as support for their position,” the 24-page filing from from Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke read. “Illinois law simply does not permit prosecutors to initiate criminal investigations and bring prosecutions because the general public and elected officials would like them to.”
- [Chicago Teachers Union must answer for audits - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-teachers-union-must-answer-for-audits-illinois-policy/) - In sum, posting the previous audits on the member portal has not let the union off the hook yet. In the March 20 order, Judge David B. Atkin said CTU cannot close the door on the case, because the union has still refused to concede it won’t withhold the reports in the future.
- [Illinois’s Highway System Ranks 37th in the Nation in Overall Cost-Effectiveness and Condition - Reason Foundation](https://wirepoints.org/illinoiss-highway-system-ranks-37th-in-the-nation-in-overall-cost-effectiveness-and-condition-reason-foundation/) - In the subcategory of spending and cost-effectiveness, Illinois ranks 35th in Capital and Bridge Disbursements, which are the costs of building new roads and bridges and widening existing ones. Illinois ranks 18th in Maintenance Disbursements, such as the costs of repaving roads and filling in potholes. Illinois’ Administrative Disbursements, including office spending that does not make its way to roads, rank 27th nationwide.
- [Raoul joins lawsuit against Trump administration over USDA funding restrictions - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/raoul-joins-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-over-usda-funding-restrictions-wand-decatur/) - Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and 20 other state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over "unconstitutional" attempts to put conditions on USDA funding. The lawsuit asks the court to block the conditions relating to immigration, DEI and gender identity issues.
- [Editorial: Sheridan Gorman was not in the wrong place at the wrong time. The system failed her. - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-sheridan-gorman-was-not-in-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time-the-system-failed-her-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - "We’d like to see our local law enforcement agencies and judges determine how Medina fell through the cracks and to determine how their processes could be improved to ensure that those charged with crimes face justice rather than seemingly allowing some of those accused to avoid the consequences simply by not showing up."
- [State Sen. Li Arellano seeks pension debt and property tax reform - WVIK (Rock Island)](https://wirepoints.org/state-sen-li-arellano-seeks-pension-debt-and-property-tax-reform-wvik-rock-island/) - “[T]ake a look at the enormous amounts of mandates we put on local governments, far more than the average state, and get rid of as many of them as we can,” he said. “Because every time we tell a school district that they have to do something or have to pay for something, but we don't provide funding, which we can't because we're broke, their biggest lever is to raise property taxes. And that's true of any local government, cities, counties, or park districts. But the biggest impact on our property taxes is schools.”
- [Pastor Corey Brooks: Why my Walk Across America must pause and why it's not ending anytime soon - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/pastor-corey-brooks-why-my-walk-across-america-must-pause-and-why-its-not-ending-anytime-soon-fox-news/) - "The mission is to build a $25 million community center on the South Side of Chicago, a place where young men and women can learn trades, find mentors, and discover that their lives have direction and value. That building does not care about my heel. Those children do not get a pause button on the circumstances they were born into. The need does not rest while I recover."
- [Gov. JB Pritzker acknowledges ‘real failures’ in immigration system after Loyola student killing - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzker-acknowledges-real-failures-in-immigration-system-after-loyola-student-killing-chicago-tribune/) - Gov. JB Pritzker said, in part, “This has been a terrible tragedy, and I know that the Gorman family has suffered mightily…There have been real failures. Those failures, of course, extend beyond the borders of Illinois. That’s their national failures, a failure to have comprehensive immigration reform, a failure of the president to follow his own edict to go after the worst of the worst."
- [Cook County state’s attorney hits back on ‘heavy-handed’ petition for Operation Midway Blitz outside prosecutor - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-states-attorney-hits-back-on-heavy-handed-petition-for-operation-midway-blitz-outside-prosecutor-chicago-tribune/) - The office argued that the petitioners disagree with Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke’s prosecutorial decisions, and would “prefer that she make those decisions based on public sentiment, political pressure, the urging of elected officials and information gleaned from newspaper articles and civil pleadings” rather than on a criminal investigation conducted by law enforcement.
- [Illinois lagging the nation for entrepreneurship, economic growth - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lagging-the-nation-for-entrepreneurship-economic-growth-center-square/) - “Illinois is one of the most regulated states in the nation and that's a problem for economic growth and entrepreneurship,” Illinois Policy Institute’s Josh Bandoch said. “One of the things that the score on regulations looks at is what's called restrictive language, basically that's anything in the legal code that says either shall or shall not. The average state has about 132,000 instances of this language. Illinois by contrast has 282,000 ..."
- [A recession would quicky sink Illinois’ unemployment insurance fund - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/a-recession-would-quicky-sink-illinois-unemployment-insurance-fund-illinois-policy/) - State unemployment insurance could withstand less than three months in an economic downturn. The taxes that support the fund are among the highest in the country.
- [Bill would limit cell phone use in classrooms - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/bill-would-limit-cell-phone-use-in-classrooms-illinois-policy/) - In his recent State of the State address, the governor voiced his support for Senate Bill 2427, which would require school boards to prohibit most student cell phone use during instructional periods. The bill also would mandate that school districts help schools find ways to securely store phones during instructional hours.
- [Jesse Jackson, the Prophet Who Became a Politician - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/jesse-jackson-the-prophet-who-became-a-politician-wall-street-journal/) - "When leaders become dependent on outrage, solutions become threats to their power. Chicago, the adopted hometown of both Jackson and Mr. Obama, proves the point. Jackson rose in a political culture of entrenched corruption, where moral accountability was too often weakened by ethnic loyalty and party interest. Rather than resist this culture, Jackson and other civil-rights veterans were absorbed by it."
- [Migrant arrested in Loyola student’s murder has been AWOL from court case since 2023: records - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/migrant-arrested-in-loyola-students-murder-has-been-awol-from-court-case-since-2023-records-cwb-chicago/) - Court records show the 25-year-old Venezuelan man was arrested in June 2023 for allegedly shoplifting in the Loop, and gave as his home address at the time the address of Leone Beach Park, where the fieldhouse had been converted into a migrant shelter by City Hall. According to court records, he was released from custody “by rule of the court." He never showed up for court again.
- [John Kass: Suppression of Dissent in a One-Party State: An Honored Judge Fights Back](https://wirepoints.org/john-kass-suppression-of-dissent-in-a-one-party-state-an-honored-judge-fights-back/) - "The political infrastructure of Democrat Illinois - from the government employee unions to the bar associations - are loyal to the machine that controls almost everything."
- [Chicago Ald. Maria Hadden ripped over 'disgusting' response to college student allegedly killed by illegal immigrant - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-ald-maria-hadden-ripped-over-disgusting-response-to-college-student-allegedly-killed-by-illegal-immigrant-fox-news/) - "Imagine being an alderman, having a college freshman murdered in your ward, and, before the suspect is even identified, posting a video in which you brainstorm an excuse that maybe the victim ‘startled’ the guy who killed her," reader-funded public safety news outlet CWB Chicago posted on X. "God Almighty."
- [What to know about $12B data center planned for Rockford - Rockford Register Star/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/what-to-know-about-12b-data-center-planned-for-rockford-rockford-register-star-yahoo/) - Region 1 Planning Council Executive Director Mike Dunn Jr. said demand could inevitably drive up electricity costs, but building a data center in Rockford would allow the region to also reap the benefits. That includes more jobs and an expanded tax base that could mean less burden on property owners and more money for schools and parks.
- [Chicago residents unionize to fight possible displacement, rent hikes over Obama Presidential Center - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-residents-unionize-to-fight-possible-displacement-rent-hikes-over-obama-presidential-center-fox-news/) - Many residents currently pay between $700 and $800 a month in rent. Some say they have lived in the building for 30 or 40 years and fear they will not be able to find comparable housing in Woodlawn if rents rise or the property is redeveloped. Tenants say they have been offered $2,000 per household to move out.
- [CTA riders and workers have been assaulted at rates at least double other public transit agencies - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/cta-riders-and-workers-have-been-assaulted-at-rates-at-least-double-other-public-transit-agencies-chicago-tribune-yahoo/)
- [U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood wants the war in Iran to wind down, doesn't think ICE in airports is 'the right approach' - WGLT (NPR at ISU)](https://wirepoints.org/u-s-rep-darin-lahood-wants-the-war-in-iran-to-wind-down-doesnt-think-ice-in-airports-is-the-right-approach-wglt-npr-at-isu/) - LaHood has voted several times to advance a bill aimed at reinforcing citizenship requirements in voter registration. “From my perspective, requiring I.D. to vote, I think, is fundamental to the protection of our democracy and making sure people have faith in our electoral system,” he said. “As you know, you need an I.D. to buy a 6-pack of beer. You need an I.D. to rent a car. You need an I.D. to get on an airplane.”
- [Top business leader demands end to stalemate over City Council's pick for Zoning chair - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/top-business-leader-demands-end-to-stalemate-over-city-councils-pick-for-zoning-chair-chicago-sun-times/) - There was no Zoning Committee meeting before the March 18 Council meeting, leaving at least 41 zoning applications in legislative limbo. The backlog includes the landmark designation that Chicago-based Golub & Co. needs to qualify for a $47.2 million tax break at 30 N. LaSalle. The developer has already received a $57 million tax increment financing subsidy but needs the additional tax break to convert a portion of the 44-story office building into 349 residential units.
- [Chicago Mayor Johnson dodges reelection questions - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-mayor-johnson-dodges-reelection-questions-abc7-chicago/) - "I know that there are some folks who are politicking already. That's, you know, I understand it. I do. But when people see me all over the city of Chicago, they're not asking about my reelection," Johnson said. "As a Cook County commissioner, I was governing and I ran for mayor. So, it's clear that I know how to multitask. ... Not only have I done it multiple times, I've won every time."
- [Fired top aide to Chicago mayor alleges Brandon Johnson has 'hostility' toward law enforcement - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/fired-top-aide-to-chicago-mayor-alleges-brandon-johnson-has-hostility-toward-law-enforcement-fox32-chicago/) - Manny Whitfield said he and former Deputy Mayor Garien Gatewood had to prod the mayor to show up at the hospital for fallen law enforcement members, a part of the job he says is crucial for the mayor to do. "Absolutely there is a level of hostility, and it was our job to balance that out," Whitfield said. "We understand there has been harm caused in the past, but it is our job to make sure the police department moves in the right direction."
- [Supreme Court skeptical of allowing states to count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/supreme-court-skeptical-of-allowing-states-to-count-mail-ballots-that-arrive-after-election-day-capitol-news-il/) - Illinois is one of several states that continue to extend grace periods for ballots arriving after Election Day.
- [Teacher strike threats highlight fact that Illinois allows such walkouts - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/teacher-strike-threats-highlight-fact-that-illinois-allows-such-walkouts-illinois-policy/) - While no teachers unions went on strike in 2025, eight filed strike notices, according to the board. Unions have walked out 58 times since 2010.
- [Replacing Illinois' toxic lead pipes could lead to a workforce boom - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/replacing-illinois-toxic-lead-pipes-could-lead-to-a-workforce-boom-wbez-chicago/)
- [Paul Vallas: Are Voters Awakening to the CTU’s Pernicious Influence over Chicago? - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-are-voters-awakening-to-the-ctus-pernicious-influence-over-chicago-chicago-contrarian/) - "Many Illinoisans are understandably frustrated with an electoral system that entrenches incumbents, discourages challengers, and depresses voter turnout — while underwritten by special‑interest Super PACs and Pritzker’s seemingly unlimited campaign funds. Yet within that uncompetitive landscape, this primary did offer a ray of light for those who want accountability in education policy: the CTU’s political machine extended its losing streak."
- [Trump decries Loyola student's killing while pushing deportations - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/trump-decries-loyola-students-killing-while-pushing-deportations-chicago-sun-times/) - “Sheridan Gorman’s life was allegedly taken from her at the hands of a criminal alien shielded by the anti-American sanctuary policies of the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said on social media Monday.
- [Chicago student’s killing was ‘100% avoidable,’ alderman says - NewsNation](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-students-killing-was-100-avoidable-alderman-says-newsnation/) - Ald. Ray Lopez says the city’s sanctuary policies may have contributed to the fatal shooting of a college student who was fatally shot on the lakefront last week. “All immigrants are not like this individual. Many, overwhelmingly, want to be good future Americans,” he said. “But when we have individuals like Jose Medina-Medina, who don’t care about assimilating, don’t care about our customs and don’t care about American human life, then they must be dealt with in a very specific and unalterable way.”
- [Chicago mayor issues statement on ICE agents at O'Hare Airport - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-mayor-issues-statement-on-ice-agents-at-ohare-airport-fox32-chicago/) - Mayor Brandon Johnson said he has "concerns" about the deployment of ICE agents at airports: "We will closely monitor the deployment and use every tool we have to ensure that people, no matter their immigration status, can travel to and from Chicago safely and without harassment from the federal government."
- [Illinois pushes rate-hike protections forward despite consumer cost fears - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-pushes-rate-hike-protections-forward-despite-consumer-cost-fears-center-square/) - Senate Bill 1486 would require home and auto insurance providers to notify consumers of any rate hike more than 10 percent at least 60 days before the increased rate taking effect. It also gives the Illinois Department of Insurance expanded oversight of rate increases, including the ability to review and challenge raises in rates deemed unfair or discriminatory, according to the bill’s text.
- [Illinois bill aims to delay 2024 tax sales, protect homeowners’ equity - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-bill-aims-to-delay-2024-tax-sales-protect-homeowners-equity-center-square/) - State Sen. Jil Tracy said Senate Bill 4177 is intended as a temporary step while broader reforms are considered following the high court’s decision in Tyler v. Hennepin County. “That Supreme Court case says you can’t take away somebody’s homeowner’s equity like we do in our tax claim sales in Illinois,” Tracy said. “We’re one of the few that hasn’t changed the law since that Supreme Court case came out.”
- [Tax concern should be a warning to Chicago’s mayor - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/tax-concern-should-be-a-warning-to-chicagos-mayor-illinois-policy/) - Among seven options, 46.2 percent of likely Chicago voters in a survey late last month cited taxes among the one or two most pressing issues facing city residents. That’s up from 35 percent in October and comes as Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wants to bring back a head tax on city employees and as a surcharge on millionaires is on the table in the General Assembly.
- [Parents of Loyola student executed by migrant in Chicago share heart-rending tribute: ‘A heart that made space for everyone’ - New York Post](https://wirepoints.org/parents-of-loyola-student-executed-by-migrant-in-chicago-share-heart-rending-tribute-a-heart-that-made-space-for-everyone-new-york-post/)
- [Six years on, Illinois builds defenses for the next pandemic amid federal retreat - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/six-years-on-illinois-builds-defenses-for-the-next-pandemic-amid-federal-retreat-crains/)
- [GOP lawmakers call for gas tax suspension as prices climb - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/gop-lawmakers-call-for-gas-tax-suspension-as-prices-climb-center-square/) - The average price per gallon in Illinois on Friday was $4.12, nearly 20 cents higher than the national average. “I would encourage the majority party, let’s follow the lead of our esteemed colleagues in the great state of Georgia. Let’s suspend the gas tax for a 60-day period to provide true relief for the great citizens of Illinois” state Rep. Jed Davis said.
- [Pritzker flexes political muscle with Stratton victory amid 2028 chatter - The Hill](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-flexes-political-muscle-with-stratton-victory-amid-2028-chatter-the-hill/) - Juliana Stratton’s victory was the standout among a handful of Tuesday wins for Gov. JB Pritzker. He also notched a win in the primary race for Illinois comptroller, where he backed state Rep. Margaret Croke to become the state’s next chief fiscal control officer, and in the primary for Cook County Board president, where he supported incumbent Toni Preckwinkle.
- [Chi-Town Meltdown: Chicago Ramps Up Taxes and Debt in Familiar Death Spiral - Jonathan Turley](https://wirepoints.org/chi-town-meltdown-chicago-ramps-up-taxes-and-debt-in-familiar-death-spiral-jonathan-turley/) - In Chicago, the city council is now drifting toward bankruptcy like a ship of fools. For those of us who love our home city, it is a painful thing to watch. Despite a history of corruption under the Daley machine, the city was always a pro-growth town that attracted industries. It is now following Detroit’s path toward insolvency as politicians kick the debt can down the road for someone else to pay.
- [Chicago sues Trump administration over $3.1 billion in frozen Red Line funding - Detroit News/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-sues-trump-administration-over-3-1-billion-in-frozen-red-line-funding-detroit-news-yahoo/) - The suit, filed in U.S. district court in Chicago, among other things called the administration's action "arbitrary and capricious" in violation of a federal law called the Administrative Procedure Act. It said the administration's purported justification of the freeze – to ensure nondiscrimination in federal transportation funding programs - "is pretextual, and the freeze was instead based on political retaliation."
- [Chicago’s Minimum-Wage Retreat - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-minimum-wage-retreat-wall-street-journal/) - Chicago’s distressed dining scene—recently described as “on the brink of collapse”—was bolstered by good news last week, as the City Council voted to halt future increases in the minimum wage for servers and bartenders.
- [In texts, Gov. Pritzker, Comptroller Susana Mendoza split over Trump-backed school tax credit program in Illinois - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/in-texts-gov-pritzker-comptroller-susana-mendoza-split-over-trump-backed-school-tax-credit-program-in-illinois-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - “State/federal tax credit dollars would go to support schools that teach children that gay people are evil, that ‘the KKK was fighting against the decline of morality,’ that white supremacy is God’s will — and other crazy notions,” Pritzker texted Mendoza. He singled out “Darren Bailey’s school’s curriculum from Bob Jones University,” a reference to the Full Armor Christian Academy, the school founded by Bailey, of downstate Xenia, the governor’s GOP challenger in November.
- [Paul Vallas: Why both parties are failing our national security workforce - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-why-both-parties-are-failing-our-national-security-workforce-chicago-tribune/) - "When our security screenings are understaffed and our FEMA coordinators are distracted by personal financial ruin, the entire nation is vulnerable. ... The stability of the entire aviation industry — which contributes over $1 trillion to the U.S. economy — rests on the backs of these unpaid workers."
- [New IRS Migration Numbers: Illinois Taxpayers Continue to Flee With Their Income - Wirepoints](https://wirepoints.org/new-irs-migration-numbers-illinois-taxpayers-continue-to-flee-with-their-income-wirepoints/) - Illinois lost another 54,000 tax filers and dependents, net, according to the IRS. Since 2000, fleeing taxpayers have taken $94 billion of annual adjusted gross income with them.
- [4 dead, 17 injured in Chicago weekend shootings - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/4-dead-17-injured-in-chicago-weekend-shootings-cbs2-chicago/) - The ages of the victims range from 22 to 57.
- [Can St. Louis Make a Comeback? - City Journal](https://wirepoints.org/can-st-louis-make-a-comeback-city-journal/) - After decades of drift, the troubled city has a chance to restore public order and competitiveness.
- [Commentary: Oak Park is driving police officers away - Wednesday Journal](https://wirepoints.org/oak-park-is-driving-police-officers-away-opinion-wednesday-journal/) - "If Oak Park gains a reputation as a place where officers face constant political attack and scrutiny, recruitment will decline, and seasoned officers will keep leaving. This is not speculation; it’s exactly what’s occurring in departments across the country today."
- [Failing Schools Place Politics Over Academics - Steve Cortes](https://wirepoints.org/failing-schools-place-politics-over-academics-steve-cortes/) - "It seems that school system chiefs in Chicago—and across America—prefer to indoctrinate students as politically fixated young agitators who can act out with impunity. As long as leftist narratives dominate, those vulnerable children are simply passed along, advancing grades without mastering the basic skills of a fully formed thinker."
- [Shifting Responsibility - Eric Allie for Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/shifting-responsibility-eric-allie-for-illinois-policy/)
- [Pritzker quips on weight loss, Rahm and 2028 buzz in Washington speech - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-quips-on-weight-loss-rahm-and-2028-buzz-in-washington-speech-chicago-sun-times/) - “As far as my own plans for 2028, here’s what I’ll say right now, I’m 100% focused on the people of Illinois,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “That’s not just me talking. That’s also a 2006 quote from Barack Obama.”
- [Editorial: With Chicago’s forced bond sale, the financial details just keep getting uglier - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-with-chicagos-forced-bond-sale-the-financial-details-just-keep-getting-uglier-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - "By the end of 2033, the city will end up paying more than $140 million in interest, bringing the total cost of this $512 million bond financing to $652 million. Part of the reason the interest costs are so high is that the city chose to include more than $52 million of interest itself in the amount of bonds it issued. In other words, the city is paying interest on its interest!"
- [Commentary: Unknown Tier 2 pension costs threaten Champaign's fiscal health - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-unknown-tier-2-pension-costs-threaten-champaigns-fiscal-health-champaign-news-gazette/) - Sheila Weinberg, of Truth in Accounting: "Unfortunately, Springfield is now considering mandating Tier 2 benefit enhancements for Champaign and other cities. But when similar reforms were considered for Chicago’s police and firefighters, the governor and lawmakers acknowledged that they did not fully understand how much unfunded pension debt would be added. ... If similar Tier 2 enhancements were applied to Champaign, the city’s police and firefighter pension debt could grow from $50.2 million to roughly $199 million."
- [Ralph Martire: Criticism of state budget proposal ignores facts - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/ralph-martire-criticism-of-state-budget-proposal-ignores-facts-champaign-news-gazette/) - "So if the priorities getting funded in FY 2027 are somehow wrong, they’ve been wrong for generations, and neither party has seen fit to change them. Better yet, perhaps (gubernatorial candidate Darren) Bailey could enlighten the rest of us as to which core service area — education, healthcare, social services or public safety — shouldn’t be a priority."
- [Voters favor cutting Champaign Co. services in primary - WCIA (Champaign)](https://wirepoints.org/voters-favor-cutting-champaign-co-services-in-primary-wcia-champaign/) - The unofficial results of three non-binding questions on Tuesday’s primary ballot show voters favored cutting personnel and services to address Champaign County’s general fund deficit. Voters were given three options, including raising property taxes and raising sales taxes.
- [Chicago should stop waiting for Superman - The Last Ward](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-should-stop-waiting-for-superman-the-last-ward/) - "The mayor has ignored calls for more responsible budgeting for three years. He’s rapidly accelerated the city’s financial decline through reckless borrowing and a refusal to slow spending. Barring divine intervention, Johnson will not change. Superman will not emerge from the fifth floor of City Hall to stop this runaway train."
- [Female prison workers can sue IDOC over inmate obscene acts - The Black Chronicle](https://wirepoints.org/female-prison-workers-can-sue-idoc-over-inmate-obscene-acts-the-black-chronicle/) - According to the complaint, the reported incidents occur nearly daily. Workers accused the defendants of opting against corrective action and affirmatively acting to cause or increase attacks. The women say the situation constitutes violations of Civil Rights Act Title VII protections against sex discrimination and hostile work environments.
- [Senator Erica Harriss introduces bill to create Illinois Pediatric Cancer Fund - Madison County Times Tribune](https://wirepoints.org/senator-erica-harriss-introduces-bill-to-create-illinois-pediatric-cancer-fund-madison-county-times-tribune/) - Under the proposal, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services would administer the fund and oversee a grant program designed to support scientific research and innovation related to pediatric cancer. Funding could come from legislative appropriations as well as private donations and other contributions made to support the cause.
- [Gov. JB Pritzker pushes prosecutions of Trump officials as part of Dem ‘Project 2029’ agenda - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzker-pushes-prosecutions-of-trump-officials-as-part-of-dem-project-2029-agenda-fox-news/) - "Criminally prosecuted, civilly prosecuted," Pritzker said. "Whatever it is that we can do."
- [Chicago's teetering debt is stark warning left-wing mayor is fueling 'pay later' doom cycle: expert - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-teetering-debt-is-stark-warning-left-wing-mayor-is-fueling-pay-later-doom-cycle-expert-fox-news/) - While Chicago spends 40 percent of its money on debt service, actual services suffer, Illinois Policy Institute's Austin Berg said, adding is also the only city besides New York that doesn’t require voter approval of new general obligation debt. "Voters didn't decide to have all of that debt. And it's important for voters to be able to decide because those decisions affect Chicagoans 30 years from now. So, shackling them with these political decisions now is just really unfair," he said.
- [Mass shooting injures 6, including ISU students, in off-campus residential neighborhood - WGLT (NPR at ISU)](https://wirepoints.org/mass-shooting-injures-6-including-isu-students-in-off-campus-residential-neighborhood-wglt-npr-at-isu/) - Sunday’s incident is only the latest episode of gun violence on and around the ISU campus. One person was shot last April outside an event at ISU’s Bone Student Center. Another shooting happened Sept. 29, 2024, near the Bone during ISU’s homecoming weekend. One person was killed and another injured in that incident.
- [Comptroller, state lawmaker call for federal tax credit scholarships - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/comptroller-state-lawmaker-call-for-federal-tax-credit-scholarships-center-square/) - State Rep. Regan Deering emphasized that Illinois families already shoulder some of the nation’s highest property taxes, much of which goes toward funding education. “If we have an opportunity to expand educational opportunities without increasing taxes, that’s going to deserve some serious consideration,” she said.
- [Lawmaker criticizes efforts to replace natural foods with alternative proteins - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/lawmaker-criticizes-efforts-to-replace-natural-foods-with-alternative-proteins-center-square/) - Illinois plans to pump $5 million into alternative protein research at state universities, aiming to boost the plant-based and fermentation food-tech sector. State Rep. Chris Miller voiced skepticism about the initiative, questioning whether taxpayer money would be better spent supporting traditional farmers directly.
- [To pay for tourism boost, Chicago ramps up hotel tax to 19%, making it nation's highest - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/to-pay-for-tourism-boost-chicago-ramps-up-hotel-tax-to-19-making-it-nations-highest-chicago-sun-times/)
- [CPS revokes Aspira’s ability to operate charter schools in Chicago in rare move - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/cps-revokes-aspiras-ability-to-operate-charter-schools-in-chicago-in-rare-move-wbez-chicago/) - CPS and Aspira blame each other for the charter network’s downfall. CPS says that Aspira created budgets based on unrealistic enrollment projections, while Lopez says CPS’ student assignment system directed students away from charter schools like his; he said underfunding and low enrollment made the schools difficult to operate. Over the past 10 years, more than 20 privately run charter or contract schools have closed in Chicago.
- [Freezing subminimum wage for tipped workers 'irresponsible,' Mayor Johnson says - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/freezing-subminimum-wage-for-tipped-workers-irresponsible-mayor-johnson-says-chicago-sun-times/) - “At a time in which … it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to afford to raise a family in this country — Democrats rolling back the wages of Black and Brown women — that is not only tone-deaf, but it’s irresponsible,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “Democrats have to pay attention to what the voters in the city of Chicago are calling for, and quite frankly, what voters across America are expecting from leadership.”
- [Curran, GOP lawmakers seek to end home seizures over unpaid property taxes - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/curran-gop-lawmakers-seek-to-end-home-seizures-over-unpaid-property-taxes-center-square/) - “We have a court decision saying that people should not be losing the equity in their homes in a tax sale, yet this is still going on in the state of Illinois,” state Sen. John Curran said. “It's people's life savings. It is most likely the biggest part of their savings portfolio, and so I think we want to make sure we find the other way to protect residents and protect homeowners that have fallen behind and make sure that they keep the equity that they have built in their home.”
- [Google Gemini face scans violate IL biometrics law: Class action - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/google-gemini-face-scans-violate-il-biometrics-law-class-action-legal-newsline/) - For instance, according to the complaint, named plaintiff John Adams, of Illinois, allegedly uploaded a close-up photo of his face to the Gemini platform in late 2025, and then allegedly asked Gemini to complete a number of edits and modifications to the image. While Adams willingly uploaded the photo and asked Gemini to modify it according to his instructions, the complaint asserts Google must still pay, because the scans allegedly violated the BIPA law.
- [Column: Anti-tax votes reveal the public in Champaign County is in a surly mood - Champaign News-Gazette*](https://wirepoints.org/anti-tax-votes-reveal-the-public-in-champaign-county-is-in-a-surly-mood-news-gazette/) - Jim Dey: "A quarter-cent hike isn’t much, but voters wanted nothing to do with it then and even less to do with any more tax hikes now. ... A second (referendum) involving property taxes went down by a margin of 10,199 to 6,042."
- [Gerrymandering in Illinois Places Democracy in Peril - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/gerrymandering-in-illinois-places-democracy-in-peril-chicago-contrarian/) - "The General Assembly is currently in session in Springfield and there is no pending legislation to create an independent commission, by constitutional amendment for any other manner, to draw new districts after the 2030 census. Lack of time was given as another lame reason why Pritzker, who was first sworn into office in 2019, couldn’t get his Democrats to create non-partisan maps after the 2020 count."
- [Bailey faces uphill battle in Illinois governor’s race against Pritzker - The Hill](https://wirepoints.org/bailey-faces-uphill-battle-in-illinois-governors-race-against-pritzker-the-hill/) - “This all began because of my family,” he said. “When I began to crack open some of my son’s information, his computer, I got his passwords. Unbeknownst to us, when we got into his computer, we discovered emails, he was considering a run as a state representative. When I saw that, I realized, he got it.” He went on to say he had to run for Zach.
- [Hawthorne Eyes Thoroughbred April Racing, Continues Search For Racing Suitor - Casino Reports](https://wirepoints.org/hawthorne-eyes-thoroughbred-april-racing-continues-search-for-racing-suitor-casino-reports/) - Hawthorne Race Course officials expressed optimism to Illinois Racing Board (IRB) officials on Wednesday that they can conduct thoroughbred racing at their south Chicago suburban track this year.
- [Man charged with murder of Chicago firefighter who died battling arson fire in Rogers Park - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/man-charged-with-murder-of-chicago-firefighter-who-died-battling-arson-fire-in-rogers-park-cwb-chicago/) - He is the fourth person charged this year with killing or attempting to kill someone in Chicago while on felony pretrial release.
- [IL wage law doesn’t stop lawsuits over off-shift work - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/il-wage-law-doesnt-stop-lawsuits-over-off-shift-work-legal-newsline/) - The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled the state’s wage law doesn’t protect employers from lawsuits accusing companies of not paying workers for duties completed before or after assigned shifts. Amazon workers sued their employer for being unpaid for time spent undergoing mandatory medical screenings before punching in, a policy the company implemented in 2020 as a Covid mitigation.
- [Second half drive to keep Bears in Chicagoland to begin in Illinois Statehouse - WXIN (Indianapolis)](https://wirepoints.org/second-half-drive-to-keep-bears-in-chicagoland-to-begin-in-illinois-statehouse-wxin-indianapolis/) - ”The reality is you’ve got a governor here that has his sights set on a presidential candidacy and I think Governor Pritzker is gonna do everything that he can to rally his teammates, his legislators, his Chicago deep blue democratic regime in together for the good of the state,” said Arlington Heights Mayor James Tinaglia.
- [A Glimmer of Hope in Illinois - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/a-glimmer-of-hope-in-illinois-wall-street-journal/) - Voters showed their support for school choice, and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) had a bad night.
- [Rich Miller: Outspent but not outrun: Stratton, Ford among primary winners who beat deeper pockets - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/rich-miller-outspent-but-not-outrun-stratton-ford-among-primary-winners-who-beat-deeper-pockets-chicago-sun-times/) - "As Pritzker, a billionaire, told me in a postelection interview, 'A whole bunch of money does not a good candidate make.'"
- [IL bipartisan bill could ban indirect quotas for police - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-bipartisan-bill-could-ban-indirect-quotas-for-police-wand-decatur/) - Illinois banned state, county and local law enforcement agencies from enforcing traffic ticket and arrest quotas in 2015, but many departments are still forcing officers to meet a set number of traffic stops and citations each month.
- [Changes to child support law has unforeseen impact on fishing and hunting licensure - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/changes-to-child-support-law-has-unforeseen-impact-on-fishing-and-hunting-licensure-nbc5-chicago/) - In the past, tourists from other countries could use a passport or other government issued photo ID to purchase a license, but now the rule is no Social Security Number – no fishing or hunting license.
- [Elgin police officer fired for social media posts about immigration enforcement - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/elgin-police-officer-fired-for-social-media-posts-about-immigration-enforcement-cbs2-chicago/) - Posts made by then-officer Jason Lentz suggested the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conduct immigration enforcement at three locations in Elgin and surrounding communities. DHS and CBP were tagged in the posts, city officials said.
- [Regulators OK ComEd’s plan to increase deposit costs for large-load projects like data centers - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/regulators-ok-comeds-plan-to-increase-deposit-costs-for-large-load-projects-like-data-centers-capitol-news-il/) - The order stated that ComEd’s pipeline includes more than 75 large-load projects that are expected to draw over 28,000 megawatts of energy. That’s more than ComEd’s highest-ever 24,000-megawatt peak demand in its 118-year history.
- [Paul Vallas: Chicago’s Criminal Industrial Complex Meets Its First Real Check - John Kass News](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-chicagos-criminal-industrial-complex-meets-its-first-real-check-john-kass-news/) - "For years, Chicago has operated a legal ecosystem in which one outcome produces another. Convictions are vacated. Civil suits follow. The city is forced to hire expensive law firms to defend the cases. Multi-million-dollar settlements are paid. Private attorneys grow richer and richer. Meanwhile, the City’s financial condition continues to take one massive hit after another. ... Every new wrongful-conviction settlement adds yet another obligation to taxpayers who had nothing to do with the underlying cases."
- [Chicago Mayor Hides from Media - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-mayor-hides-from-media-chicago-contrarian/) - "Mayor Brandon Johnson's press office insists it is 'common practice' for them to tell the press what questions they are allowed to ask at official events. So much for that open and transparent administration we were all promised."
- [Southwest Side Business Corridors Get Financial Boost To Recover From Midway Blitz - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/southwest-side-business-corridors-get-financial-boost-to-recover-from-midway-blitz-block-club-chicago/) - The city awarded two local nonprofits a total of $250,000 for a program to activate storefronts along the 26th Street and Cermak Road commercial corridors in Little Village, according to a city press release.
- [New Illinois law would let state insurance department reject excessive rate hikes - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/new-illinois-law-would-let-state-insurance-department-reject-excessive-rate-hikes-cbs2-chicago/) - The bill was written in response to State Farm's $523 million, or 27 percent, homeowners insurance rate hike in the summer of 2025. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has also sued State Farm, saying they have failed to turn over data for an investigation into its insurance premium increases.
- [In Cook County, 75% of police, fire property taxes go to pensions - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/in-cook-county-75-of-police-fire-property-taxes-go-to-pensions-illinois-policy/) - Since 1996, the amount Cook County municipalities outside Chicago have levied to keep up with police and fire pensions has grown by 416 percent, while the amount levied for services hasn’t even doubled.
- [President Pritzker - Eric Allie for Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/president-pritzker-eric-allie-for-illinois-policy/)
- [Pritzker knocks AIPAC after pro-Israel group spent big in Illinois races - The Hill](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-knocks-aipac-after-pro-israel-group-spent-big-in-illinois-races-the-hill/) - AIPAC and affiliated shell committees reportedly spent more than $21 million in multiple Democratic races in the Prairie State, with mixed results. Pritzker, who himself spent at least $5 million in support of Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, called the AIPAC spending “interference” and accused the lobbying group of straying from its initial goal to support peace in the Middle East.
- [Pritzker's $5M push for Stratton sparks fury from Congressional Black Caucus: reports - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/pritzkers-5m-push-for-stratton-sparks-fury-from-congressional-black-caucus-reports-fox-news/) - "We don’t need to reach out to the governor," Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said of Gov. JB Pritzker, according to a new Politico report. "Others are going to have to reach out to us." Meeks helms the CBC's PAC, which backed Rep. Robyn Kelly's failed Senate campaign.
- [Illinois will return to market with a $1.4 billion GO deal - The Bond Buyer](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-will-return-to-market-with-a-1-4-billion-go-deal-the-bond-buyer/) - Illinois will return to market with about $1.4 billion of general obligation bonds next week, with proceeds funding accelerated pension benefit payments, Rebuild Illinois capital expenditures, information technology projects and other capital projects.
- [Video: The Weird New Branch of the Last Interurban Rail in the U.S.: The South Shore Line](https://wirepoints.org/the-weird-new-branch-of-the-last-interurban-rail-in-the-us-the-south-shore-line-video/)
- [Editorial: Loyola freshman’s killing shows how much is at stake for Chicago universities in reducing crime - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-loyola-freshmans-killing-shows-how-much-is-at-stake-for-chicago-universities-in-reducing-crime-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - "For all of Chicago’s challenges these days, a bright spot for the city remains its abundance of excellent colleges and universities. ... When an incident this awful happens at any of our universities, the concerning ripple effect is that parents of future collegians will bypass Chicago in favor of places they feel confident their kids will be safe."
- [Biss wins Democratic primary in Illinois House race defined by Israel support - The Hill](https://wirepoints.org/biss-wins-democratic-primary-in-illinois-house-race-defined-by-israel-support-the-hill/)
- [Veteran incumbent Toni Preckwinkle fends off rival in Democratic primary - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/veteran-incumbent-toni-preckwinkle-fends-off-rival-in-democratic-primary-chicago-sun-times/) - Preckwinkle heads to the general election in November, where she ’s likely to win her fifth, four-year term. There is no Republican candidate for Cook County Board president; Michael Murphy is running as a Libertarian. Should she win in November, Preckwinkle said it would be her last term as County Board president.
- [Illinois voters to see Pritzker, Bailey rematch in November - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-voters-to-see-pritzker-bailey-rematch-in-november-center-square/)
- [Stratton defeats Krishnamoorthi with help from Chicago, downstate voters - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/stratton-defeats-krishnamoorthi-with-help-from-chicago-downstate-voters-capitol-news-il/)
- [Squad-backed progressives hit with ‘cold shower’ as moderates win Illinois primaries - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/squad-backed-progressives-hit-with-cold-shower-as-moderates-win-illinois-primaries-fox-news/) - The progressive losses all came despite high-profile support from some of the most progressive figures in Congress.
- [Brandon Johnson's budget director got illegal property tax breaks for five years - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/brandon-johnsons-budget-director-got-illegal-property-tax-breaks-for-five-years-chicago-sun-times/) - Altogether, records show, Annette Guzman got $3,434.59 in erroneous exemptions on a South Loop condo over the past five years, yet the assessor’s office told her to repay only $2,071.89. It’s unclear if the assessor - formerly her boss - will order her to repay the $1,362.70 in tax breaks she got while she wasn’t living in the South Loop condo.
- [Joliet City Council approves plans for Illinois' largest data center - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/joliet-city-council-approves-plans-for-illinois-largest-data-center-cbs2-chicago/) - Joliet officials estimated the project would create 7,000-10,000 construction jobs and 700 permanent jobs at the 795-acre site. The developer also has pledged $100 million to improve sidewalks, streets, and other city services in Joliet, and said no water would be needed to cool the facility, only to get it up and running.
- [Illinois lawmakers plan to rescind Cesar Chavez Day - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-plan-to-rescind-cesar-chavez-day-wgntv-chicago/) - They plan to instead honor Dolores Huerta on her birthday which is April 10.
- [Commuters want board replacing RTA to put safety first - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/commuters-want-board-replacing-rta-to-put-safety-first-chicago-sun-times/) - More than 1,400 riders surveyed in December and January listed “public safety” and “improving service” to be top priorities of the NITA board, which replaces the RTA June 1. Those results took priority over “expanding service” and “seamless and affordable fares.” The survey also found that satisfaction with “cleanliness” and “personal security” were rated the lowest of all other categories, rated an average of 5.6 and 5.7, respectively, on a 1-10 scale.
- [Chicago Appeals Order Requiring Officials to Destroy Millions of Police Body-Worn Camera Videos - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-appeals-order-requiring-officials-to-destroy-millions-of-police-body-worn-camera-videos-wttw-chicago/) - Judge Michael Mullen ruled that it was illegal for the city to keep body-worn camera footage for longer than 90 days, since state law says that footage “must” be destroyed. Despite that, city officials have “enacted their own policy of the indefinite retention” of the videos captured by the body-worn cameras and have disciplined officers based on footage older than 90 days that was not flagged for review, Mullen ruled.
- [Mayor Johnson fires deputy mayor of community safety amid allegations of toxic work environment - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnson-fires-deputy-mayor-of-community-safety-amid-allegations-of-toxic-work-environment-chicago-sun-times/) - Johnson created the position of deputy mayor for community safety just hours after his inauguration in May 2023. He saw the role as crucial to delivering on a key campaign promise to confront the “root causes” of violent crime.
- [Pritzker highlights film growth while studies question tax credit’s value - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-highlights-film-growth-while-studies-question-tax-credits-value-center-square/) - Findings on the financial impact on film and entertainment tax credits on New York’s state economy show only about 30 percent of subsidies return to the state through increased taxable income. Additionally, recent studies on similar tax incentive programs in Georgia by an independent researcher – along with findings from the California Legislature’s Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor – have found an overall weak impact on a state’s overall economy.
- [Illinois roads, bridges lag behind rest of the nation - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-roads-bridges-lag-behind-rest-of-the-nation-center-square/) - “I think the implication is that the state could be doing a better job using transportation funding, particularly fuel taxes, to maintain roadways and improve roadways,” report author Baruch Feigenbaum said. “What this shows is that the systems that the state has in place are not doing a great job at improving bridges, which is one of the most important things that IDOT does or improving pavement condition.”
- [Companies could be on the hook for work-related activities before and after shifts start, court rules - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/companies-could-be-on-the-hook-for-work-related-activities-before-and-after-shifts-start-court-rules-capitol-news-il/) - Illinois law does not specifically shield companies from having to pay employees for time spent completing required pre- and post-work activities, the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled. Although federal regulations exclude that requirement, the court found Illinois’ wage law does not include any similar provisions.
- [Lawyers say D.C. court’s decision striking down large-capacity magazine ban should be applied to Illinois - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/lawyers-say-d-c-courts-decision-striking-down-large-capacity-magazine-ban-should-be-applied-to-illinois-capitol-news-il/) - At issue before the 7th Circuit is a constitutional challenge to the Protect Illinois Communities Act, or PICA, a sweeping ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines. Illinois lawmakers passed that ban during a lame duck session in January 2023 following a mass shooting the previous summer at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park that left seven people dead.
- [Civilian Board Gets Power to Probe Chicago Police Conduct During Immigration Raids - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/civilian-board-gets-power-to-probe-chicago-police-conduct-during-immigration-raids-wttw-chicago/) - The Chicago City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to explicitly grant the the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, known as COPA, the authority to investigate whether Chicago Police Department officers helped federal agents carry out deportations. Forty complaints involving CPD’s interactions with federal agents have been filed since June.
- [Proposed bill would require Illinois high schools to offer voter registration - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/proposed-bill-would-require-illinois-high-schools-to-offer-voter-registration-capitol-news-il/) - “All I hear from schools on a bipartisan basis is ‘stop with the mandates,’” state Rep. Jeff Keicher said. “‘We need to teach kids and you keep throwing additional things on our plate.’” The measure does not provide funding or any guidelines for its implementation, leaving some to worry that school districts could make registration drives partisan. Keicher added he’s not sure the bill would affect turnout.
- [Budzinski Presses Postmaster General Over USPS Delays in Rural Illinois - RiverBender (Alton)](https://wirepoints.org/budzinski-presses-postmaster-general-over-usps-delays-in-rural-illinois-riverbender-alton/) - U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski has been a staunch advocate of improved mail service, while strongly opposing efforts toward privatization. Budzinski leads the bipartisan Congressional Postal Service Caucus, a bipartisan group that focuses on these issues in the House of Representatives.
- [Pension Reform News: How state public pension systems rank on key health metrics - Reason Foundation](https://wirepoints.org/pension-reform-news-how-state-public-pension-systems-rank-on-key-health-metrics-reason-foundation/) - Illinois, Kentucky, and New Jersey are the states with the poorest pension funding, all having saved up only about half of the assets needed to pay for promised benefits.
- [Editorial: Illinois Republicans aren’t just losing. They’re disappearing. - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-illinois-republicans-arent-just-losing-theyre-disappearing-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - "The Illinois Republican Party is not failing because Illinois is unwinnable — after all, Donald Trump got roughly 44 percent of the vote here in 2024 — but because it behaves like a party one election away from a breakthrough instead of a party that must rebuild from the ground up."
- [Voters say Illinois students should benefit from scholarships - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/voters-say-illinois-students-should-benefit-from-scholarships-illinois-policy/) - Residents in all or part of 31 Illinois counties had the opportunity to vote on whether they think the state’s students should benefit from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program. A resounding 135,000 Illinoisans — over 63 percent of the vote total on the question as of Wednesday morning — had registered their support for participating.
- [Bailey says campaign will focus on Chicago area after rough primary night in suburbs - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/bailey-says-campaign-will-focus-on-chicago-area-after-rough-primary-night-in-suburbs-capitol-news-il/)
- [Mayor Johnson signals support for letting CPS students take a day off to push for school funding - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnson-signals-support-for-letting-cps-students-take-a-day-off-to-push-for-school-funding-chicago-sun-times/) - Reminded by a reporter that CPS students already will be off Tuesday and Wednesday this week, all next week for spring break, and off again April 3, Johnson argued that CPS parents also want their schools to be fully funded. “If we just believe that we can just sit on our hands and just hope and wish, that clearly has not worked. I’ve called for taxing corporations, and I’ve had other elected leaders fight me who are also Democrats,” he said.
- [Paul Vallas: Wrongful Conviction Racket Behind Lawsuit Targeting Chicago Prosecutor - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-wrongful-conviction-racket-behind-lawsuit-targeting-chicago-prosecutor-chicago-contrarian/) - "(Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill) Burke is a serious threat to Cook County’s powerful 'Criminal Industrial Complex' — a network of special interests that have turned 'criminal justice reform' into a cash‑rich industry. This complex includes attorneys, advocacy organizations, university researchers, consultants, and consent‑decree monitors who have a growing financial interest in treating criminals like victims and police like criminals."
- [City Council freezes pay for tipped workers at 76% of minimum wage to help struggling restaurants - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/city-council-freezes-pay-for-tipped-workers-at-76-of-minimum-wage-to-help-struggling-restaurants-chicago-sun-times/) - “There is like a real disconnect going on in City Council now. It’s like an alt-universe... The entire world is calling for affordability and raising wages, and this City Council just took raises away from Black and Brown women," the mayor said after the vote.
- [Gov. JB Pritzker criticizes AIPAC after pro-Israel group spent heavily in Illinois primary - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzker-criticizes-aipac-after-pro-israel-group-spent-heavily-in-illinois-primary-wgntv-chicago/) - Outside groups, including AIPAC, funneled roughly $70 million into six open U.S. House and Senate races in Illinois on Tuesday. Pritzker himself put at least $5 million into helping Juliana Stratton win the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.
- [Progressive influencer running for Congress erupts after Illinois primary loss, drops profane Anti-Trump and Anti-ICE rant - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/progressive-influencer-running-for-congress-erupts-after-illinois-primary-loss-drops-profane-anti-trump-and-anti-ice-rant-fox-news/) - "When I said, when I said I would spend every single waking moment of the rest of my life to hold this administration accountable, win or lose, I f------ meant it," Progressive influencer Kat Abughazaleh said. "I'm sorry that this sucks. But, f--- Trump, f--- ICE, free Palestine, I love you all." She is still facing federal charges after she was accused of interfering with ICE operations outside the Broadview ICE processing center last fall.
- [Illinois lawmakers push $20M grant for after‑school programs hit by fed cut - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-push-20m-grant-for-after-school-programs-hit-by-fed-cut-center-square/) - Funding for the programs in 32 Illinois schools was abruptly pulled by the U.S. Department of Education, citing a July 2025 memo from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, which guided federal agencies to revoke grants over language relating to DEI, which the memo classified as discriminatory.
- [Lawmakers push bills to close loopholes, increase penalties for child sex offenders - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/lawmakers-push-bills-to-close-loopholes-increase-penalties-for-child-sex-offenders-center-square/) - State Sen. Sue Rezin said Illinois is a major transportation and commercial hub, which makes the state especially vulnerable to sex trafficking. Rezin said Andrew’s Law, Senate Bill 284, would eliminate plea deals for individuals charged with involuntary servitude of a minor, trafficking involving a minor or grooming.
- [Political will grows for data center regulations as POWER Act remains in committee - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/political-will-grows-for-data-center-regulations-as-power-act-remains-in-committee-capitol-news-il/) - Protecting consumers from paying for data centers’ energy needs is a key part of the POWER Act, and shifting the cost to the data centers has widespread, bipartisan support in Illinois and nationwide.
- [Illinois near the bottom for entrepreneurship and growth - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-near-the-bottom-for-entrepreneurship-and-growth-illinois-policy/) - Five primary factors determined the rankings for entrepreneurship and growth: taxes, regulations, “business dynamism,” housing and energy.
- [One Farmer’s Fight for Pork Choice in Chicago Schools Could Save Millions of Dollars - Farm Journal's Pork](https://wirepoints.org/one-farmers-fight-for-pork-choice-in-chicago-schools-could-save-millions-of-dollars-farm-journals-pork/) - Of the 350,000 free meals served daily at CPS through the Community Eligibility Provision, none includes pork; a vote during a virtual COVID-era board meeting quietly removed this nutrient-dense protein from the menu. Just by swapping a beef sausage patty with a pork sausage patty at breakfast alone, it would save CPS $1.2 million over 180 days.
- [CTU-backed candidates lose 7 of 13 contested races - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/ctu-backed-candidates-lose-7-of-13-contested-races-illinois-policy/) - Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who won re-election, didn’t seek CTU’s endorsement. Right before the primary, CTU favorability hit a record-low among likely Chicago voters.
- [Edwardsville Voters Strongly Reject Video Gambling Ballot Referendum - RiverBender (Alton)](https://wirepoints.org/edwardsville-voters-strongly-reject-video-gambling-ballot-referendum-riverbender-alton/) - Edwardsville voters previously rejected a similar ballot referendum in 2021, seemingly indicating public opinion on video gambling has not changed over the past five years.
- [Crowded U.S. Senate primary on either side of Illinois ballot Tuesday - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/crowded-u-s-senate-primary-on-either-side-of-illinois-ballot-tuesday-center-square/)
- [Gov. JB flexes political muscle in Illinois Senate primary as 2028 buzz builds - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-flexes-political-muscle-in-illinois-senate-primary-as-2028-buzz-builds-fox-news/) - U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, accused the governor of trying "to tip the scales" in the primary. "A sitting governor shouldn’t be heavy-handing the race. Quite frankly, his behavior in this race won’t soon be forgotten by any of us," Clarke emphasized in a statement. But for Pritzker, the Senate primary is viewed as a test of his political clout in his home state as he likely gears up for a 2028 presidential run.
- [The Marxist Wing of the Democratic Party - RealClear Politics](https://wirepoints.org/the-marxist-wing-of-the-democratic-party-realclear-politics/) - Financed in part by malign foreign powers who seek to defeat the United States, radical left activists have co-opted the Democratic Party. Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois, head of the supposedly centrist New Democrat Coalition, typifies the illogic.
- [JB Pritzker’s Political Brand Is at Stake—in a Race He’s Not Even Running In - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/jb-pritzkers-political-brand-is-at-stake-in-a-race-hes-not-even-running-in-wall-street-journal/) - Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s deep financial involvement in his state’s U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday has angered potential allies for his possible 2028 presidential bid.
- [Republicans Agree Gov Candidate Must Be Able to Beat Pritzker - Newsmax](https://wirepoints.org/republicans-agree-gov-candidate-must-be-able-to-beat-pritzker-newsmax/) - With barely 24 hours to go before Republican voters in Illinois choose a nominee for governor from four candidates, one thing they agree on is that he must be able to defeat two-term Democrat incumbent JB Pritzker.
- [Progressive group appears to advocate for illegal immigrants to be eligible for guaranteed income programs - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/progressive-group-appears-to-advocate-for-illegal-immigrants-to-be-eligible-for-guaranteed-income-programs-fox-news/) - Community Change Action, the advocacy arm of an organization called Community Change working behind the scenes on Cook County's guaranteed income program, wants an "immigrant-inclusive democracy" that "will ensure that no person, regardless of immigration status, is excluded from basic social and economic protections."
- [Sports betting tax becomes battleground between Chicago and state lawmakers - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/sports-betting-tax-becomes-battleground-between-chicago-and-state-lawmakers-capitol-news-il/) - Rep. Daniel Didech, who serves as chairman of the Illinois House Gaming Committee and played poker professionally for over five years, filed House Bill 4171 to maintain uniform, statewide regulations on sports gambling by preventing local governments from imposing their own taxes. The state raked in $429 million in tax revenues related to sports gambling in fiscal year 2025.
- [Want better schools? It’s all up to states. - The Harvard Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/want-better-schools-its-all-up-to-states-the-harvard-gazette/) - Education scholar Thomas Kane says that’s the lesson of recent ‘Southern surge’ in test scores: "The federal government gave the power back to states in 2015, and the decline in students’ achievement began that year. It got worse during the pandemic, but it started back in 2015. States need to realize that if we’re going to turn this around, it will depend on their own leadership. Four states have clearly taken that message to heart: Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee."
- [DHS hits back at DuPage County clerk who told ICE to stay away from primary polling places - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/dhs-hits-back-at-dupage-county-clerk-who-told-ice-to-stay-away-from-primary-polling-places-fox-news/) - "ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations. ICE conducts intelligence-driven targeted enforcement, and if an active public safety threat endangered a polling location, they may be arrested as a result of that targeted enforcement action," a DHS spokesperson said.
- [Thompson Center Will Keep Its Name, With Google Planning A 2027 Move-In - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/thompson-center-will-keep-its-name-with-google-planning-a-2027-move-in-block-club-chicago/) - The tech giant is slated to bring about 2,000 employees to its new Chicago headquarters.
- [Chicago Housing Authority appoints Keith Pettigrew as new CEO - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-housing-authority-appoints-keith-pettigrew-as-new-ceo-chicago-sun-times/) - The agency has been without a CEO for 16 months, and its vote also marks a win for the board over Mayor Brandon Johnson, who pushed for the appointment of retired Ald. Walter Burnett. The mayor’s office said it’s “reviewing the resolution passed today by the CHA Board. There were a number of irregularities in the lead-up to the vote which require further evaluation.”
- [Madison County judge finds name in Epstein files because of legal representation - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/madison-county-judge-finds-name-in-epstein-files-because-of-legal-representation-capitol-news-il/) - “I was assigned to serve as local counsel for attorneys in another jurisdiction seeking to enforce a civil money judgment for their client who, at the time, was completely unknown to us, just as he was unknown to most of the country 13 years ago,” Madison County Judge Andrew Carruthers said.
- [Manufacturing layoffs drive Illinois job cuts in February - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/manufacturing-layoffs-drive-illinois-job-cuts-in-february-illinois-policy/) - First Brands closed its distribution center in McHenry, accounting for 389 job cuts, and laid off 642 workers at facilities in Albion in Southern Illinois.
- [Population loss, aging workforce threaten Illinois economy - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/population-loss-aging-workforce-threaten-illinois-economy-illinois-policy/) - Moody’s Analytics’ “State of Illinois Economic Forecast” outlines some of the state’s major challenges. But Illinois also has many strengths, such as its central location, a large pool of skilled workers, strong tourism and world-class universities, upon which is can build a stronger economy. Reforming policies that undercut these advantages will help the state economy grow.
- [Joliet's Failed Lion Electric, Empty Caterpillar Plant Gaining 2,500 New Jobs - Patch Joliet](https://wirepoints.org/joliets-failed-lion-electric-empty-caterpillar-plant-gaining-2500-new-jobs-patch-joliet/) - As part of a comprehensive incentive package, which includes an EDGE agreement with the State, Hyundai Translead has committed to investing $452.5 million and creating at least 2,475 new full-time jobs. In addition to state incentives, the company is also working with Will County taxing bodies to secure local incentives.
- [Feds press the Illinois transportation department over CTA safety - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/feds-press-the-illinois-transportation-department-over-cta-safety-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - The federal agency issued a special directive to the state transportation department Tuesday, saying it must “take immediate action to address critical, persistent, and systemic deficiencies” in its oversight of the CTA.
- [Chicago’s Mayor Blames America First - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-mayor-blames-america-first-chicago-contrarian/) - "(P)rogressives like Mayor Johnson are trapped in a very different framework. In their worldview, individuals and institutions are rarely responsible for their own failures. Instead, the blame is assigned to 'systems' or 'structures,' conveniently shifting responsibility elsewhere. We see the same logic (or lack of same) in law enforcement policy. Under this ideology, crime is not primarily the fault of criminals."
- [Gov. JB Pritzker doesn’t tell whole story on test scores - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzker-doesnt-tell-whole-story-on-test-scores-illinois-policy/) - In his budget address last month, Pritzker said “historic investments” in public education have boosted student success. But Illinois student performance in both reading and math fell over the most recent 10 years of the National Assessment for Educational Progress. Those declines weren’t just because of COVID-era shutdowns. Both eighth- and fourth-grade scores were dropping in both reading and math even before schools were closed.
- [Pritzker doubles down on clean-energy expansion - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-doubles-down-on-clean-energy-expansion-illinois-policy/) - Pritzker’s fiscal 2027 budget expands on the foundation laid by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. The governor proposes allocating $14 million for EV rebates and $328 million for low-income weatherization and advancing proposals for solar canopies over state parking lots.
- [Editorial: Chicago careens toward insolvency - Washington Post](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-careens-toward-insolvency-washington-post/) - "If politicians won’t fix bloated pensions amid credit downgrades, the bond market will force their hand."
- [Chicago Public Schools forges ahead with plan to support Black students - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-public-schools-forges-ahead-with-plan-to-support-black-students-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - As CPS charges ahead, district leaders said they will use money from special taxing districts to cover the federal funding gap. A $250,000 pilot grant will fund several initiatives under the Black Student Success umbrella, including a districtwide Black Student Union conference and a new Black Male Educator Pipeline and Retention initiative, focused on building affinity spaces for Black educators with mentoring and wellness programming.
- [On average, an L rider gets shoved onto the tracks from CTA platforms every month - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/on-average-an-l-rider-gets-shoved-onto-the-tracks-from-cta-platforms-every-month-chicago-sun-times/) - Most of the incidents appeared intentional, sometimes involving people with apparent mental health issues, sometimes the outcome of another crime, such as a stickup or a fight, records show.
- [Illinois lawmakers look to regulate data centers as local governments propose their own rules - WGLT (NPR at ISU)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-look-to-regulate-data-centers-as-local-governments-propose-their-own-rules-wglt-npr-at-isu/) - Logan County Board member Michael DeRoss said he wants to see data centers built in Logan County, noting how other counties or states could build the data centers which would increase energy costs for Logan County without the direct benefit of added jobs. “If they stick it in Kentucky—and parts of Kentucky that are on the grid—we're still going to see the negative effects of energy usage with none of the positive externalities,” DeRoss said.
- [Pritzker taunts Bovino amid reports of Border Patrol chief’s retirement: 'No one is above the law' - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-taunts-bovino-amid-reports-of-border-patrol-chiefs-retirement-no-one-is-above-the-law-chicago-sun-times/) - “Greg Bovino won’t just get to walk away — he will be held accountable and responsible for the damage he’s done to our nation,” Gov. JB Pritzker said on the social media platform X. “We won’t forget, and neither should you. No one is above the law.”
- [Federal judge extends order blocking Trump cuts to Illinois public health funding - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/federal-judge-extends-order-blocking-trump-cuts-to-illinois-public-health-funding-chicago-sun-times/) - The funding cuts would have targeted HIV tracking, lead-poisoning prevention, family planning and other public health initiatives across Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado and California. In Illinois, the planned cuts targeted at least $29 million in grants funding the American Medical Association in Illinois, which supports gender-affirming care, and various HIV prevention programs.
- [DuPage County Clerk threatens action if ICE appears; election integrity concerns loom - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/dupage-county-clerk-threatens-action-if-ice-appears-election-integrity-concerns-loom-center-square/) - Election integrity advocate Carol Davis said Jean Kaczmarek’s statement is aimed at energizing Democratic voters ahead of the primary. “Kaczmarek is throwing red meat to the Democrat base because she is in jeopardy of losing her seat as county clerk,” Davis said. “This is a desperation play on her part to turn out her base to vote for her.”
- [Gov. JB Pritzker calls for setting new higher education attainment goals - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/gov-jb-pritzker-calls-for-setting-new-higher-education-attainment-goals-capitol-news-il/) - In its biennial report, the nonpartisan research and advocacy group Advance Illinois reported that as of 2023, only about 57.4 percent of adults had finished a degree or credential program. That was still a significant improvement from 41 percent in 2008. In his executive order Friday, however, Pritzker cited workforce projections that indicate by 2031, more than 70 percent of all jobs will require education or training beyond high school.
- [Pritzker wants funds flowing for Great Lakes carp plan after Trump heaps praise on project he paused - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-wants-funds-flowing-for-great-lakes-carp-plan-after-trump-heaps-praise-on-project-he-paused-wbez-chicago/)
- [Illinois regulators say prediction markets are illegal gambling, but bettors — and the Trump family — love them - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-regulators-say-prediction-markets-are-illegal-gambling-but-bettors-and-the-trump-family-love-them-capitol-news-il/) - In one effort to rein in the platforms, State Sen. Michael Hastings introduced legislation last week that would require prediction market operators to pay a $1 million fee to the Illinois Gaming Board to obtain a “master prediction market license” and empower the state to collect a tax equal to half of a licensee’s adjusted gross receipts from bets made by in-state users.
- [How will CTU-backed candidates fare in the primary? - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/how-will-ctu-backed-candidates-fare-in-the-primary-illinois-policy/) - The union reported record-high political spending in its 2025 fiscal year, funneling $4.2 million to political activities and lobbying. At least $2.4 million of that was earmarked for Chicago Public Schools board races, yet only three of nine CTU-endorsed candidates won a contested race.
- [Illinois bill draws land-rights pushback; $1B in federal broadband grants at stake - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-bill-draws-land-rights-pushback-1b-in-federal-broadband-grants-at-stake-center-square/) - Illinois Senate Bill 3838, dubbed the Broadband Deployment Act, would streamline how internet service providers secure access to land along roadways, a change supporters say is needed to meet federal deadlines and avoid losing the funding. Opponents warn the shift would weaken longstanding protections for property owners.
- [Charges dismissed for 2 of ‘Broadview 6’ ICE facility protesters - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/charges-dismissed-for-2-of-broadview-6-ice-facility-protesters-capitol-news-il/) - Charges were officially dropped Friday against Cook County Board candidate Catherine “Cat” Sharp, who dropped out of the race in January citing the “emotional and financial” costs of fighting the case. Joselyn Walsh, who does not work in politics but performed songs during protests at Broadview, also had charges dropped.
- [Video: From Grief To Government: Why Darren Bailey Is Running For Illinois Governor Again - The Hill](https://wirepoints.org/from-grief-to-government-why-darren-bailey-is-running-for-illinois-governor-again-the-hill-video/)
- [Opinion: Illinois needs better zoning data before rewriting housing rules - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/opinion-illinois-needs-better-zoning-data-before-rewriting-housing-rules-crains/) - No one has ever bothered to study the way 1,396 localities authorized by the state to enact zoning actually deploy that zoning authority. In other words, Governor Pritzker and the supporters of the BUILD Plan are missing key information that could help them show why their Plan is sorely needed—or how it would play out on the ground. As it stands today, they can’t even tell their constituents whether these localities have chosen to enact zoning—much less whether they allow accessory dwellings or duplexes, impose large lot sizes, or issue parking mandates.
- [Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza and David Doig: Mayor Johnson stripped neighborhoods of improvements by raiding TIFs - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/comptroller-susana-a-mendoza-and-david-doig-mayor-johnson-stripped-neighborhoods-of-improvements-by-raiding-tifs-chicago-sun-times/) - "So we have joined with state Sen. Bill Cunningham and state Rep. Bob Rita to introduce legislation in the Illinois Senate and in the Illinois House of Representatives to prohibit mayors from raiding TIF funds to plug temporary budget holes. These bills would limit a mayor’s ability to declare unspent TIF funds 'surplus,' take them out of the neighborhoods and use them to boost spending at City Hall."
- [Big tech companies sue to block Chicago's new social media tax - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/big-tech-companies-sue-to-block-chicagos-new-social-media-tax-chicago-sun-times/) - The mayor’s office has categorized it as an amusement tax, which NetChoice rejects because it’s “not calculated based on consumers’ use of social media.” Their suit contends it’s based on the data the social companies collect from users and monetize just like “myriad other online services collect data from their users — and those services are left untaxed.”
- [Tech companies seek to delete Chicago social media user tax - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/tech-companies-seek-to-delete-chicago-social-media-user-tax-legal-newsline/) - A trade group representing social media companies and other big tech companies is suing to challenge Chicago's so-called social media user tax, saying the tax — which Illinois' governor also has called to replicate statewide — amounts to unconstitutional taxation and unconstitutional discrimination against social media publishers.
- [3 killed, 11 others injured in Chicago weekend shootings - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/3-killed-11-others-injured-in-chicago-weekend-shootings-cbs2-chicago/) - The ages of the victims range from 16 to 63.
- [Hundreds of workers across Illinois to be laid off in coming months - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/hundreds-of-workers-across-illinois-to-be-laid-off-in-coming-months-nbc5-chicago/) - A large number of the layoffs were reported from Franciscan Health Olympia Fields Hospital and Franciscan Health Alliance with 1,930 people given notices. Walgreens, which is headquartered in sububarn Deerfield is also set to lay off workers, with more than 400 layoffs at their headquarters alone, and others in Chicago and Danville.
- [Illinois guaranteed income advocates push for permanent statewide cash handout program - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-guaranteed-income-advocates-push-for-permanent-statewide-cash-handout-program-fox-news/) - "Our long-term vision, our North Star, is to win a statewide permanent guaranteed income program for 100,000 eligible Illinoisans," said Byron Hobbs, director of organizing for the economic freedom team at Community Change. "This economy has not worked for poor and low-income folks in the city of Chicago, across Illinois and across this country."
- [CTU pushing to cancel classes on May 1 - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/ctu-pushing-to-cancel-classes-on-may-1-wgntv-chicago/) - The union wants staff and students to use the date to protest everything from ICE arrests to school funding, housing costs and what they claim is the threat President Donald Trump poses to democracy.
- [Chicago defers big slice of bond sale as Mideast conflict upends yields - Crain's/Bloomberg](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-defers-big-slice-of-bond-sale-as-mideast-conflict-upends-yields-crains-bloomberg/) - The debt was a part of an $800 million package that the city had scheduled to price on Tuesday, according to bond filings. Chicago proceeded to price the $511.9 million taxable general obligation bond portion of the deal.
- [Suburban couple wants Will County prosecutors investigated for seizing their Ford Broncos, retirement savings - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/suburban-couple-wants-will-county-prosecutors-investigated-for-seizing-their-ford-broncos-retirement-savings-chicago-sun-times/) - Former gun store owner Jeff Regnier and wife Greta Keranen say prosecutors abused their power when they used Illinois’s civil asset forfeiture laws to try to take ownership of their property even though they weren’t convicted of crimes. A judge called the tactics “authoritarian,” but prosecutors say they were following the law.
- [Obama Presidential Center wants 100 unpaid volunteers as Valerie Jarrett earns $740K - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/obama-presidential-center-wants-100-unpaid-volunteers-as-valerie-jarrett-earns-740k-fox-news/) - Foundation officials told Fox News Digital the volunteers will complement about 300 full- and part-time employees at the long-delayed center, which the organization is promoting as a $3.1 billion economic catalyst for the Windy City's South Side.
- [Cook County's King of Liens - Injustice Watch](https://wirepoints.org/cook-countys-king-of-liens-injustice-watch/) - By state law, most homeowners have 30 months after the auction to pay back what they owe. If they don’t, the investors, also known as tax buyers, can take over their properties, sell them, and pocket the profit. Greg Bingham has taken ownership of and sold more than 350 properties in Cook County this way, mostly in majority-Black neighborhoods, for a total of more than $25 million. He also has raked in nearly $8 million in public funds by taking advantage of an obscure legal loophole more than any other tax buyer. To pay Bingham, the county had to dip into the funds that had been earmarked for municipal budgets, schools, parks, libraries, and other public services.
- [Illinois bill aims to address gender discrepancies in CPR training - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-bill-aims-to-address-gender-discrepancies-in-cpr-training-capitol-news-il/) - Women are 27 percent less likely than men to receive bystander CPR because of hesitancy to follow protocol, fueled by fears of inappropriate touching, exposing the chest or drawing accusations of sexual assault, according to the Journal of the American Heart Association. House Bill 4788, sponsored by Rep. Maura Hirschauer, aims normalize CPR performance on women by introducing female manikins in secondary school CPR training.
- [Illinois lawmakers want to end foreign language requirement in high schools - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-want-to-end-foreign-language-requirement-in-high-schools-center-square/) - House Bill 4334 comes as new translation technologies and artificial intelligence tools continue to develop.“Technology changes and as technology changes, we should adapt to make sure we’re providing our students the best education that they can have based on the most recent data of what the future is going to look like,” state Rep. Travis Weaver said.
- [2 injured in stabbing at CTA station in the Loop hours after Chicago River dyeing - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/2-injured-in-stabbing-at-cta-station-in-the-loop-hours-after-chicago-river-dyeing-nbc5-chicago/) - The woman who stabbed them was taken into custody, authorities said.
- [Illinois General Assembly races feature open seats, big bucks and a reelection bid after corruption mistrial - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-general-assembly-races-feature-open-seats-big-bucks-and-a-reelection-bid-after-corruption-mistrial-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - All 118 state House seats are on the ballot, in addition to 39 of the 59 state Senate seats, and the fight to fill those seats has drawn an influx of political action committees. That includes a PAC co-founded by gun-violence-prevention activist David Hogg and a $50,000 cash infusion from the state attorney general.
- [Chicago Public Schools will now allow Bible college students into its teaching program, after lawsuit - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-public-schools-will-now-allow-bible-college-students-into-its-teaching-program-after-lawsuit-fox-news/) - Chicago Public Schools said in a prepared statement, "To resolve this matter in a mutually-acceptable way, the District and the Moody Bible Institute collaborated to modify the student teaching agreement, ensuring it aligns with the constitutional rights of faith-based organizations."
- [Cook County Board seats in play, with new faces guaranteed among 17 commissioners - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-board-seats-in-play-with-new-faces-guaranteed-among-17-commissioners-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - Four seats opened up this cycle. Commissioners Bridget Degnen and Sean Morrison are stepping aside, while Kevin Morrison and Donna Miller opted to run for Congress instead.
- [Editorial: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s public battle with aldermanic opponents is harming Chicago taxpayers - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-mayor-brandon-johnsons-public-battle-with-aldermanic-opponents-is-harming-chicago-taxpayers-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - "No matter his ideological desires and his ire at a council that doesn’t trust him and won’t agree to his economically crippling taxes, his first responsibility is to do no more fiscal harm. As he continues to go ward by ward deriding the finances of his own city, the yields bond investors demanded last week to help bankroll the city’s budget suggest he indeed is doing such harm."
- [In Will County, a deluge of data centers, warehouses and solar farms - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/in-will-county-a-deluge-of-data-centers-warehouses-and-solar-farms-chicago-tribune/) - At one point, the land on which Hillwood wants to build its $20 billion data center comes within a quarter mile of where NorthPoint purchased land for dozens of warehouses: a hodgepodge of fields stretching 3½ miles south from the data center and a mile to both the east and west. “This is not slow and steady growth we can adjust to,” said Mike Adrieansen, mayor of Manhattan, a village of 11,000 people. “It’s very large parcels of land being developed all around us, all at once.”
- [Inside the states that are trying to combat the cost-of-living crisis - The Week](https://wirepoints.org/inside-the-states-that-are-trying-to-combat-the-cost-of-living-crisis-the-week/) - Beyond working on balancing the state’s budget, lawmakers in the Capitol are focused on passing “legislation that brings down costs for households, that brings good jobs, grows wages and opportunities,” Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said. Legislators are also “pushing for ‘real structural reform’ surrounding affordability” following a report that grocery costs in Illinois rose by $1,781 last year.
- [Commentary: Chicago Kids Can't Read, but Their Teachers Can Protest for Iran - Townhall](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-chicago-kids-cant-read-but-their-teachers-can-protest-for-iran-townhall/) - "Perhaps if the CTU spent less time parading around for tyrannical regimes and rubbing elbows with dangerous Marxist organizations, they'd be able to focus on educating Chicago's children. But they're not."
- [West Side alley killing renews scrutiny of Mayor Johnson’s decision to pull plug on gunshot detection - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/west-side-alley-killing-renews-scrutiny-of-mayor-johnsons-decision-to-pull-plug-on-gunshot-detection-cwb-chicago/) - Data tracked by HeyJackass.com shows that 26 percent of gunshot victims in Chicago have died from their wounds so far this year. But among those who received a delayed emergency response because no one called 911 and ShotSpotter was no longer there to compensate, the fatality rate climbs to nearly 56 percent — more than double the citywide rate.
- [What happened to Chicago’s Irish machine? - The Last Ward](https://wirepoints.org/what-happened-to-chicagos-irish-machine-the-last-ward/) - "Indeed, (former Illinois House Speaker Michael) Madigan was the last Irish-Chicagoan political boss. He currently resides in a West Virginia prison, after being indicted on corruption charges."
- [Illinois among the worst states for student loan debt - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-among-the-worst-states-for-student-loan-debt-wgntv-chicago/) - The average student loan balance for borrowers in Illinois is $40,243, greater than the national average of $37,000.
- [How Tragedy, Wealth and Trump Shaped JB Pritzker - New York Times](https://wirepoints.org/how-tragedy-wealth-and-trump-shaped-jb-pritzker-new-york-times/)
- [Should more Illinoisans have a college degree or workforce credential? A new state group is figuring that out - WBEZ (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/should-more-illinoisans-have-a-college-degree-or-workforce-credential-a-new-state-group-is-figuring-that-out-wbez-chicago/) - Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order Friday that establishes a new state group that will work with experts to analyze the state’s changing labor market and workforce needs. Right now, around 57 percent of Illinois adults have a postsecondary degree or credential.
- [Rich Miller: Independent campaign expenditures surged big time in state races - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/rich-miller-independent-campaign-expenditures-surged-big-time-in-state-races-chicago-sun-times/) - "Some wonder whether this primary race spending is just a test, and whether gigantic companies like DraftKings and Meta will eventually unleash on incumbents during future contests. Meta has pledged to stay positive. But that could change."
- [IL Senate GOP introduce bills to protect children from exploitation - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-senate-gop-introduce-bills-to-protect-children-from-exploitation-wand-decatur/) - State Sen. Sue Rezin believes Illinois should eliminate plea deals for people charged with involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, trafficking involving a minor, or grooming. Her bill could also charge child sex offenders with a Class 4 felony if they work, volunteer or knowingly visit facilities that exclusively provide entertainment for minors.
- [Illinois joins coalition to sue Trump over college race data rule - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-joins-coalition-to-sue-trump-over-college-race-data-rule-center-square/) - The move follows the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, banning race-based admissions, amid concerns that some universities still use racial proxies like diversity statements.
- [Pritzker rolls out homebuyer aid; Republicans pitch other solutions - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-rolls-out-homebuyer-aid-republicans-pitch-other-solutions-center-square/) - The proposed 2027 budget would allocate an additional $50 million to the program. The plan is for the state to support the housing market through incentives for new construction and financial assistance to home buyers, reallocating funds from previous programs and bond proceeds.
- [Chicago Teachers Union demands ‘no work, no school’ May 1 shutdown - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-teachers-union-demands-no-work-no-school-may-1-shutdown-illinois-policy/) - CTU is joining a national resistance movement called “May Day Strong,” whose organizers say 500,000 workers and families will walk out that day, supposedly sticking it to billionaires while really just affecting the services middle-class families need. It’s the same type of progressive activism that drew criticism in 2024 when CTU took kids out of school for a “day of political engagement” and got caught telling kids what to vote for.
- [Chicago Downgrade Watch: Reactions and Bond Pull - Stump](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-downgrade-watch-reactions-and-bond-pull-stump/) - By actuary Mary Pat Campbell.
- [Del Mar makes campaign stop in Metropolis - Metropolis Planet](https://wirepoints.org/del-mar-makes-campaign-stop-in-metropolis-metropolis-planet/) - With a few days left until the 2026 Primary Election, the Bailey/Del Mar campaign bus made a stop in Metropolis on Thursday, March 12. While Darren Bailey, a Republican candidate for the office of Illinois governor, was unable to attend due to family matters, his lieutenant governor running mate Aaron Del Mar met with voters at La Pizza di Shane.
- [Valerie Jarrett earned $740K as Obama insiders filled top roles during $850M presidential center build - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/valerie-jarrett-earned-740k-as-obama-insiders-filled-top-roles-during-850m-presidential-center-build-fox-news/) - "Illinois Democrats are truly living their best lives — making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to help design the ugliest building in Chicago," Illinois GOP Chairman Kathy Salvi said. "Their jaw-dropping salaries prove that Illinois’ culture of corruption is alive and well as Barack Obama’s top allies rake in the cash."
- [Court shoots down bid by IL judges to undo Tier 2 pension reforms - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/court-shoots-down-bid-by-il-judges-to-undo-tier-2-pension-reforms-legal-newsline/) - Plaintiffs Cook County Judge Natasha Toller and retired St. Clair County Judge Patricia Kievlan sued to overturn limitations on judges' pensions enacted in Illinois' so-called Tier 2 pension reform law. In the most recent ruling, the appeals panel said the judges' claims against the Tier 2 law fell short because they became judges after the law took effect, and can't now try to escape the terms and limits in place when they essentially signed the contracts governing their pension benefits.
- [The Four Horsemen of Alexi’s Apocalypse - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/the-four-horsemen-of-alexis-apocalypse-chicago-contrarian/) - "By far, what is most disquieting about (Secretary of State Alexi) Giannoulias’ baggage train of scandals is the recent revelation his Secretary of State office had illegally issued non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). According to an annual review carried out by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, it was discovered 20 percent of non-domiciled CDLs issued by Giannoulias’ office failed to comply with requirements in federal code."
- [Editorial: The Chicago Teachers Union’s May 1 walkout puts politics ahead of education - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-the-chicago-teachers-unions-may-1-walkout-puts-politics-ahead-of-education-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - "CTU is also encouraging students to join in their protest and calling upon the Board of Education and Mayor Brandon Johnson to allow middle and high school students an excused absence to do so. That shifts this event from a labor action by teachers to something closer to a school-wide political mobilization."
- [Ralph Martire: The facts show that Illinois indeed has a revenue problem - Daily Herald/Illinois Delivered](https://wirepoints.org/ralph-martire-the-facts-show-that-illinois-indeed-has-a-revenue-problem-daily-herald-illinois-delivered/) - "Yet despite Illinois’ long-term disinvestment in services, the state’s General Fund consistently runs deficits. Again, the data make it clear why this is the case: Illinois tax policy is so flawed it fails to generate revenue that grows with the economy over time. In other words, Illinois does indeed have a revenue problem. Which means eliminating the structural deficit requires reforming state tax policy to work in the modern economy, not parroting factually discredited tropes."
- [Man stabbed at River North CTA station - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/man-stabbed-at-river-north-cta-station-cwb-chicago/) - Just before midnight, the 37-year-old male victim was standing on the northbound platform at the Grand station, 521 North State Street, when the offender walked up to him and stabbed him in the left tricep, according to CPD.
- [Lawmaker, physician: Politicians are micromanaging medical education - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/lawmaker-physician-politicians-are-micromanaging-medical-education-center-square/) - “All health care professionals have to take continuing medical education, and the General Assembly has mandated a bunch of courses,” said state Rep. Bill Hauter. “That’s hours that could be spent studying something important to your specialty." Over the years, Illinois lawmakers have added required education modules on issues ranging from implicit bias to Alzheimer’s awareness and opioid overdoses.
- [Only 1 in 6 primary races offer voters choice - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/only-1-in-6-primary-races-offer-voters-choice-illinois-policy/) - Illinois has 181 open state and federal seats this year, the vast majority of those in the state General Assembly. Of the 362 possible primaries, only 61 are contested, split evenly between Democrats and Republicans.
- [Decatur Public Schools ending Extended Day program as funding runs out - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/decatur-public-schools-ending-extended-day-program-as-funding-runs-out-wand-decatur/) - Federal COVID funds used to pay for the program have run out, and district leaders said they cannot sustain the program that for the last four years has offered students homework support, a light meal and time to build academic skills. Those services were at no cost to families.
- [Domestic violence homicides up 15% in Chicago; Cook County creates specialized unit to prosecute - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/domestic-violence-homicides-up-15-in-chicago-cook-county-creates-specialized-unit-to-prosecute-cbs2-chicago/) - The state's attorney's office is also trying to prevent deaths by requesting detention for felony domestic battery offenders at a much higher rate. The detention rate has risen from 54 percent to 81 percent.
- [Report on UIC lab falls short in addressing allegedly flawed results in DUI cases: commission - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/report-on-uic-lab-falls-short-in-addressing-allegedly-flawed-results-in-dui-cases-commission-abc7-chicago/) - The DuPage County state's attorney announced the dismissal of more than a dozen cases involving the faulty tests. Other county prosecutors and police departments in the metro Chicago area are now reviewing cases, including in Cook County.
- [Chicago police, other agencies take in millions by seizing cars, cash even without an arrest or conviction - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-police-other-agencies-take-in-millions-by-seizing-cars-cash-even-without-an-arrest-or-conviction-chicago-sun-times/) - According to the latest report from the state police, reflecting 2024 seizures, the Chicago Police Department took in $9.4 million in assets that year — including 962 vehicles worth more than $7.7 million, plus cash. Every other law enforcement agency in Illinois combined reported seizing 595 vehicles. A Chicago police spokesman says civil asset forfeiture “plays an important role in disrupting organized criminal networks,” saying the money goes toward “strengthening public safety.”
- [A historic Senate opening meets a divided Illinois Democratic Party - Politico](https://wirepoints.org/a-historic-senate-opening-meets-a-divided-illinois-democratic-party-politico/) - Illinois Democrats have a rare opportunity to help send a Black woman to the Senate this year — though it’s an opportunity that may be blocked by a splintering electorate and competing political loyalties.
- [Lawyers who specialize in suing Chicago cops seek special prosecutor to go after ICE - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/lawyers-who-specialize-in-suing-chicago-cops-seek-special-prosecutor-to-go-after-ice-legal-newsline/) - The firm said the petition was being filed on behalf of "a coalition of more than 200 elected officials, community organizations, journalists, attorneys, academics, religious leaders, and other stakeholders." The firm asserted a court-appointed special prosecutor is needed because neither Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke nor any other state or federal agency has launched an investigation or prosecution of any agents who they claim committed crimes "under the guise of conducting immigration enforcement operations" which "terrorized Cook County communities."
- [Mayor Johnson defends push for 'democracy zones' at polling places days before Election Day - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-johnson-defends-push-for-democracy-zones-at-polling-places-days-before-election-day-chicago-sun-times/) - “The provocation really is just looking at what’s coming from the federal government where the president has made it very clear that he wants to suppress the vote of working people, and even more dramatic, that he’s very clear about targeting Black and Brown folks,” the mayor told reporters.
- [Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposed fare hike for Chicago taxi industry stalls in committee - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-brandon-johnsons-proposed-fare-hike-for-chicago-taxi-industry-stalls-in-committee-cbs2-chicago/)
- [Cook County assessor candidates grapple over the reasons for skyrocketing property taxes - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-assessor-candidates-grapple-over-the-reasons-for-skyrocketing-property-taxes-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - Incumbent Assessor Fritz Kaegi and Pat Hynes are fighting for control of the office that sets valuations of more than 1.8 million parcels across the county, a key component to calculating annual tax bills.
- [Commentary: Chicago is going to lose the Bears. It didn’t need to happen. - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-chicago-is-going-to-lose-the-bears-it-didnt-need-to-happen-chicago-tribune/) - David Greising, of the Better Government Association: "Mayor Brandon Johnson comes to mind as a player who helped get us here. He has proved remarkably inactive when forceful city leadership could have made a difference."
- [Cryptocurrency, AI join in $31 million super PAC blitz in four congressional primaries - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/cryptocurrency-ai-join-in-31-million-super-pac-blitz-in-four-congressional-primaries-chicago-sun-times/) - Together with pro-Israel funds, the tech money is swamping Democratic rivals in the Chicago area. “There’s nothing wrong with interest groups getting involved in politics,” said Alisa Kaplan, executive director of Reform for Illinois. “But when some groups can drown out everyone else because of their bottomless pockets… it distorts democracy.”
- [Note to Wirepoints Readers](https://wirepoints.org/note-to-wirepoints-readers/) - We got a kick recently from Claude, one of the new artificial intelligence applications. Here’s what it said when asked about our articles: I have a strong feel for the Wirepoints voice. It's data-heavy, blunt, contemptuous of political spin, uses short punchy sentences mixed with long data-driven paragraphs, references specific numbers constantly, treats Illinois politicians
- [Illinois Sen. advances bill to simplify subscription cancellations statewide - WCIA (Champaign)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-sen-advances-bill-to-simplify-subscription-cancellations-statewide-wcia-champaign/) - This measure, Senate Bill 3562, would give people clear, retainable disclosures before subscriptions are activated. It would also guarantee that cancellations can be completed easily online or in the same way the consumer signed up.
- [Chicago’s Quantum Ambitions Come With a Water Question - Illinois Answers Project](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-quantum-ambitions-come-with-a-water-question-illinois-answers-project/) - “We have access to water. We have access to energy. We have access to the workforce,” said Kristin Richards, the director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. “We are very much open for business.”
- [New front opens in City Council battle over video gambling - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/new-front-opens-in-city-council-battle-over-video-gambling-chicago-sun-times/) - Ald. Anthony Napolitano said he insisted on Thursday’s vote which prohibited ward-by-ward bans, to prevent Johnson from blowing a hole in the $16.6 billion, 2026 budget approved by a City Council majority that rejected Johnson’s corporate head tax. That alternative budget assumed that Chicago would generate $6.8 million by licensing newly legalized video gambling terminals across the city.
- [IL Senate committee approves broadband expansion bill despite farm bureau opposition - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-senate-committee-approves-broadband-expansion-bill-despite-farm-bureau-opposition-wand-decatur/) - The proposal would require the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create a new broadband grant distribution plan. Grant recipients could then install, maintain and use broadband infrastructure along a highway right-of-way. This comes as Illinois faces a Dec. 31 deadline to submit final proposals to utilize $1 billion in federal broadband funding.
- [Village officials in Lisle looking at takeover of private utility over water bill complaints - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/village-officials-in-lisle-looking-at-takeover-of-private-utility-over-water-bill-complaints-cbs2-chicago/) - The water woes in Lisle hinge on a section of the village forced to get their water from a private company at a rate up to three times higher than neighbors who get water from the village.
- [With teachers union support, committee approves charter school mandates - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/with-teachers-union-support-committee-approves-charter-school-mandates-center-square/) - SB 3391 would make charter schools ineligible to receive funding unless they approve renewal agreements within 90 days. The measure also requires every charter operator to maintain closure security or face losing a portion of per-pupil payments and denial of charter renewal, and provides for civil action by the school district or the state board of education against any charter operator that fails to comply.
- [‘Do what we can’: Senate committee passes bill regulating loud commercials on streaming - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/do-what-we-can-senate-committee-passes-bill-regulating-loud-commercials-on-streaming-capitol-news-il/) - Senate Bill 3222 sponsored by state Sen. Doris Turner, would allow Illinoisans to lodge official complaints over commercial volume if they’re substantially louder than the programs they accompany.
- [Illinois Supreme Court travels to Macomb to hear cases on pretrial release - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-supreme-court-travels-to-macomb-to-hear-cases-on-pretrial-release-capitol-news-il/) - The justices are being asked to interpret an aspect of the state’s Pretrial Fairness Act; the case involved Jimmie Marshall, who was arrested in March 2025 for punching a Livingston County sheriff’s officer several times in the face during an altercation that had begun with a fight between his stepson and another juvenile. When Marshall appeared at his detention hearing on a charge of aggravated battery on a police officer, the court noted Marshall’s history of violent offenses, including a 2006 conviction for second-degree murder and a 2018 conviction for battery.
- [Chicago pulls tax-exempt part of bond deal - The Bond Buyer](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-pulls-tax-exempt-part-of-bond-deal-the-bond-buyer/)
- [Guest Commentary: The Illinois Clean Slate Act: Politics Over Victims, Law, and Public Safety — And It’s Unconstitutional - John Kass News](https://wirepoints.org/guest-commentary-the-illinois-clean-slate-act-politics-over-victims-law-and-public-safety-and-its-unconstitutional-john-kass-news/) - Retired Chief of Police Tom Weitzel: "In Illinois, felonies are routinely reduced to misdemeanors—not because the acts were minor, but because prosecutors are overwhelmed, courts are backlogged, and political pressures mount. Under this law, those reduced charges become eligible for automatic sealing. Violent or dangerous behavior can vanish from public records—not because it was harmless, but because the system failed to hold it accountable. This is not reform. It is record-laundering."
- [Editorial: How a $10 million judgment against the city of Chicago became a $27 million settlement proposal - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-how-a-10-million-judgment-against-the-city-of-chicago-became-a-27-million-settlement-proposal-chicago-tribune/) - "Whatever the outcome in this matter, the settlement sums we’ve been seeing in cases where law enforcement hasn’t even directly caused the alleged harm make us wonder whether the current administration simply is too gun-shy about fighting some of these claims in court."
- [Chicago voters view housing affordability as bigger issue than crime - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-voters-view-housing-affordability-as-bigger-issue-than-crime-center-square/) - With the survey conducted just days after residents were hit with $34 million in new property tax increases, Illinois Realtors researchers found 41 percent of residents now point to housing affordability as the issue lawmakers need to be most concerned about, with 23 percent listing property taxes and 18 percent overall costs. Crime and gun violence were listed as the city’s second biggest issue at 23 percent.
- [Illinois officials say the state is mostly insulated from Trump’s election threats - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-officials-say-the-state-is-mostly-insulated-from-trumps-election-threats-capitol-news-il/) - “Some participants (in the call) asked about potential federal presence and increased involvement in the 2026 elections,” said Matt Dietrich, spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Elections. “The response from the participating agencies indicated no such plans.”
- [Raja Krishnamoorthi, Juliana Stratton and Robin Kelly stick to script in Illinois Senate race’s final TV debate - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/raja-krishnamoorthi-juliana-stratton-and-robin-kelly-stick-to-script-in-illinois-senate-races-final-tv-debate-chicago-tribune-yahoo/)
- [Business coalition warns against phasing out use of natural gas in Illinois - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/business-coalition-warns-against-phasing-out-use-of-natural-gas-in-illinois-capitol-news-il/) - “Large industrial companies that use a lot of energy, it’s really hard, if not impossible, to rely completely on renewable,” said Mark Denzler, of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “It’s the right thing to do … but politically driven deadlines to say, we’re going to close gas facilities and clean coal facilities by a certain date without having enough generation to backfill that hole is a problem.”
- [Gargantuan hail, destructive tornadoes: Climate change making Illinois storms more severe - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/gargantuan-hail-destructive-tornadoes-climate-change-making-illinois-storms-more-severe-chicago-tribune/) - The model used in the study indicated a more than 25 percent increase in the frequency of large hailstones of at least 1.8 inches if planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from human activities do not significantly reduce by mid-century.
- [Dabrowski vs. Bailey - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/dabrowski-vs-bailey-chicago-contrarian/) - "In a state dominated by one party and one powerful incumbent, an opposition candidate must be able to turn the campaign into a referendum on governance itself."
- [Chicago Pulls Bond Offering -- Some History -GovMoneyNews](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-pulls-bond-offering-some-history-govmoneynews/) - The City of Chicago just chose not to proceed with the sale of general obligation bonds in a larger bond offering planned for this week. An early news report framed that decision in terms of market conditions amidst upheaval in the Mideast. But the independently poor financial condition of the city is also in the mix.
- [Chicago defers big slice of bond sale as Mideast conflict upends yields - Crain's](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-defers-big-slice-of-bond-sale-as-mideast-conflict-upends-yields-crains/)
- [Video: Full interview with Cecilia Brooks, woman central to Bailey campaign bus controversy - The 815](https://wirepoints.org/full-interview-with-cecilia-brooks-woman-central-to-bailey-campaign-bus-controversy-video-the-815/) - Interview starts at the 15:00 mark.
- [Bond defaults follow Cook County's property tax delays - The Bond Buyer](https://wirepoints.org/bond-defaults-follow-cook-countys-property-tax-delays-the-bond-buyer/) - The tax bill situation caused a lot of downstream financial costs and operational issues "that are now being borne by entities that really had no control over the tax system upgrade," an analyst said, adding that there is reportedly a group of school boards considering a class-action lawsuit.
- [An easy way to get more education money for Illinois - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/an-easy-way-to-get-more-education-money-for-illinois-illinois-policy/) - Gov. JB Pritzker wants a bipartisan effort from Illinois lawmakers to demand more education money from the federal government. If he wants to keep money in Illinois and away from the Trump administration, the answer is easy: Opt into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program, which provides a tax credit to donors who give money that can go to public, private or homeschool students.
- [Seventh Circuit Delivers Sharp Rebuke to Chicago District Judge Over Her “Constitutionally Suspect” Orders Against the Trump Administration - Jonathan Turley](https://wirepoints.org/seventh-circuit-delivers-sharp-rebuke-to-chicago-district-judge-over-her-constitutionally-suspect-orders-against-the-trump-administration/)
- [Editorial: Cities and towns have just cause to complain about how Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget treats them - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-cities-and-towns-have-just-cause-to-complain-about-how-gov-jb-pritzkers-budget-treats-them-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - "But as often happens in Springfield, the devil is in the details. And as more emerges, we’re learning that the governor’s (budget) proposal could shift additional financial pressure onto local governments, leaving municipal leaders with a familiar set of choices: raise taxes, cut services or both."
- [Property tax collection rates drop in Chicago neighborhoods with big bill hikes - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/property-tax-collection-rates-drop-in-chicago-neighborhoods-with-big-bill-hikes-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - In the Riverdale community area on the Far South Side, homeowners’ bills went up by 65 percent and collections dropped by 11.1 percent, to 68.5 percent, the analysis found. In West Garfield Park, where bills more than doubled, residential collections were down 4.1 percent.
- [Still Sore Over Budget Battle, Mayor Warns Chicago Could Face Financial Crisis - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/still-sore-over-budget-battle-mayor-warns-chicago-could-face-financial-crisis-block-club-chicago/) - Speaking about affordable housing and economic development projects, Mayor Brandon Johnson said, “There are very few levers that I have as mayor in Chicago to generate revenue, one of which of course is property taxes. Eighty percent of the revenue generated from property taxes is going to pay off pension debt, pensions that were not paid into by previous administrations.”
- [Ald. Nugent pushes to freeze the phase-out of Chicago's subminimum wage for tipped workers - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/ald-nugent-pushes-to-freeze-the-phase-out-of-chicagos-subminimum-wage-for-tipped-workers-chicago-sun-times/) - “We’ve seen a tremendous number of restaurants closed since this was enacted. We’re also seeing that restaurateurs are having to have less back-of-the-house staff because they’re having to pay their servers so much more money,” Ald. Samantha Nugent said. "The federal minimum wage is $7.25 … I just want to contextualize where we are on this."
- [How Chicago's preparing for the next DHS surge - Axios](https://wirepoints.org/how-chicagos-preparing-for-the-next-dhs-surge-axios/) - Said Ald. Andre Vasquez, chair of the City Council's Immigrant and Refugee Rights committee: "I do have concerns about DHS returning in March, and believe the best thing we can do is support the rapid responder efforts. We have also submitted over a dozen new ordinances to get better reporting and accountability from the city in case there are more ICE incidents and interactions with city departments, including CPD."
- [Why Does This Failing Chicago Public School Remain Open? - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/why-does-this-failing-chicago-public-school-remain-open-chicago-contrarian/) - "Douglass High School was built for 912 students but today has only 28 kids thanks to the number of people moving away each year from Brandon Johnson’s drowning Windy City. ... Not one of its 28 students are proficient at reading. ... The proper move would be to close the doors on schools like Douglass and consolidate students in other areas. That would literally save the school district and the city millions a year operating, heating, and keeping the lights on in buildings that serve a tiny number of students."
- [Attack on CTA bus driver sparks renewed safety concerns from employees - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/attack-on-cta-bus-driver-sparks-renewed-safety-concerns-from-employees-cbs2-chicago/) - The driver went into a local bakery while on a quick break at 47th and Ashland, and was attacked when he stepped outside. Surveillance video shows the man repeatedly punching the driver as he was lying on the curb.
- [Critics concerned seizure detection bill impacts Illinois' small businesses - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/critics-concerned-seizure-detection-bill-impacts-illinois-small-businesses-center-square/) - “This legislation specifically carves out the state and state employee health insurance plans. Our position is that if it's too expensive for the state to afford this coverage, then it's too expensive for Illinois small businesses,” said Noah Finley, the Illinois state director for the National Federation of Independent Business.
- [Senate advances bills requiring more insurance for boaters, pension buyouts - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/senate-advances-bills-requiring-more-insurance-for-boaters-pension-buyouts-capitol-news-il/) - The Senate Pensions Committee advanced a bill that would require local governments to establish a version of the state’s pension buyout program. A bill that would extend the state program an additional two years through fiscal year 2028 also passed committee unanimously.
- [Sen. Graciela Guzman wants education money for state, but not for students - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/sen-graciela-guzman-wants-education-money-for-state-but-not-for-students-illinois-policy/) - Guzman’s Senate Bill 3071 would increase state funding by requiring the Illinois General Assembly to fully reimburse mandated categorical programs, mainly non-classroom expenses like some transportations services and special education expenses that school districts cover. Guzman’s Senate Bill 3966 would prohibit Illinois from opting into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program, which provides donated money for tutoring, fees for dual enrollment, educational therapies for students with disabilities and other academic needs for public, private and homeschool students.
- [City could be on the hook for $27M settlement from another police chase gone bad - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/city-on-the-hook-for-27m-settlement-from-another-police-chase-gone-bad-chicago-sun-times/) - Ald. Nick Sposato, who attended the confidential aldermanic briefing on the case, said he doesn’t understand how a $10 million jury award turned into a $27 million settlement. “It’s another one of those things where you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. You’re in a police chase. We’re wrong if we chase them. We’re wrong if we don’t. Somebody got severely hurt, and now we’re responsible for it because we’ve got the deep pockets,” Sposato said.
- [Pritzker, 18 Other Democratic Governors Call on Congress to Block Trump Tariffs - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-18-other-democratic-governors-call-on-congress-to-block-trump-tariffs-wttw-chicago/) - “At this pivotal moment, action to clarify and limit the scope of presidential tariff authority under existing statutes is needed, including guardrails that allow for congressional review and approval before sweeping, emergency tariff structures affecting the economy are set into motion,” according to the letter. “The Supreme Court has spoken, and now it is Congress’s turn to act.”
- [IL Labor Relations Board director: Rideshare unionization bill could double budget - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/il-labor-relations-board-director-rideshare-unionization-bill-could-double-budget-center-square/) - A bill would allow rideshare drivers to unionize while imposing a 20-cent per ride administrative fee on riders.
- [Illinois in-state tuition swell, new bill seeks system changes - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-in-state-tuition-swell-new-bill-seeks-system-changes-center-square/) - As in-state tuition costs at all the state’s public universities have risen by about $6,000 a year from 2009 to 2025, overall enrollment at those institutions has dipped by roughly 13,000 as at least nine of them have lost population.
- [Poll: Chicago Teachers Union hits record-low popularity among Chicagoans - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/poll-chicago-teachers-union-hits-record-low-popularity-among-chicagoans-illinois-policy/) - Just 27.5 percent of Chicago voters have a favorable opinion of CTU. Half are less likely to vote for a candidate who takes money from the union.
- [Pritzker’s record budget proposal likely to grow before it’s enacted - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/pritzkers-record-budget-proposal-likely-to-grow-before-its-enacted-illinois-policy/) - Since 2019, final budgets have averaged $939 million higher than Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposals, driven by tax hikes added to the initial proposal and more generous revenue assumptions.
- [Commentary: Why were men so angry at a Glen Ellyn International Women’s Day protest? - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-why-were-men-so-angry-at-a-glen-ellyn-international-womens-day-protest-chicago-tribune/) - "That kind of hostility raises troubling questions about the cultural moment we are living in. When empathy is framed as weakness and equality as provocation, anger becomes a reflex. The result is that even the simple act of standing peacefully with a sign, calling for women’s rights, accountability and peace, can provoke resentment strong enough to spill into public intimidation."
- [South Side businesses anticipate economic boom with opening of Obama Presidential Center - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/south-side-businesses-anticipate-economic-boom-with-opening-of-obama-presidential-center-wgntv-chicago/) - Six-hundred-thousand visitors are expected per year, bringing tourist dollars to the city and South Side.
- [Five breweries in six weeks: Chicago’s craft beer closures have brewers on guard - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/five-breweries-in-six-weeks-chicagos-craft-beer-closures-have-brewers-on-guard-chicago-sun-times/) - Chicago saw craft beer boom a little more than a decade ago. Since 2011, the number of breweries in Illinois climbed from 54 to nearly 300 in 2024, but the existing amount has mostly plateaued since the pandemic year, according to the Brewers Association’s report.
- [Border Patrol Chief Bovino says Chicago efforts ‘vindicated’ after court reverses order restricting operations - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/border-patrol-chief-bovino-says-chicago-efforts-vindicated-after-court-reverses-order-restricting-operations-fox-news/) - A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit has tossed out a preliminary injunction against federal officers enforcing immigration law in the Chicago area issued by Obama-appointed Judge Sara Ellis. The circuit court issued a blistering rebuke of Ellis’ injunction, calling it "overbroad" and "constitutionally suspect."
- [What I Learned in Selma: Keep Marching - JB Pritzker on Substack](https://wirepoints.org/what-i-learned-in-selma-keep-marching-jb-pritzker-on-substack/) - "Trump is turning ICE into his personal secret police, violating the sanctity of churches and schools and hospitals, claiming he’s going after the ‘worst of the worst.’ He’s not. he’s simply suppressing the freedom and rights of the American people, stripping away your right to vote, and keeping the corrupt oligarchs in power. We can stop them."
- [GOP Voters Demand Answers from Bailey Campaign - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/gop-voters-demand-answers-from-bailey-campaign-chicago-contrarian/) - "September 2025 incident in Chicago deserves an explanation."
- [Bailey camp ‘cautiously optimistic’ in final Illinois primary week - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/bailey-camp-cautiously-optimistic-in-final-illinois-primary-week-center-square/) - Also running for the Republican nomination is DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, analyst Ted Dabrowski, and businessman Rick Heidner. The primary election is Tuesday, March 17. Early voting is underway.
- [Supporters of Cook County’s guaranteed income program will help shape distribution - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/supporters-of-cook-countys-guaranteed-income-program-will-help-shape-distribution-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - Cook County’s Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot, which launched using $42 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding, gave 3,250 low- to moderate-income families $500 a month in no-strings-attached cash — meaning no work requirements or spending restrictions — for two years. In its 2026 budget, Cook County set aside $7.5 million to extend the program beyond the pilot, making it one of the first local governments in the country to commit to ongoing funding.
- [What to know about COGFA’s Friday state revenue update - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/what-to-know-about-cogfas-friday-state-revenue-update-capitol-news-il/) - The legislative forecaster expects the state to end the year with revenue $755 million higher than the last estimate released by Pritzker’s budget office. The growth may be short-lived, however. COGFA projects FY27 revenue will decline $458 million from the current year.
- [Darren Bailey Would Be Calamity for Illinois Republicans - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/darren-bailey-would-be-calamity-for-illinois-republicans-chicago-contrarian/) - "With virtually no financial support this time, and unwilling to appear for GOP debates, Bailey will carry the Republican banner straight to the garbage heap in November if he prevails in the GOP primary."
- [Commentary: Removing credit card swipe fees on taxes, tips will save Illinoisans money - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-removing-credit-card-swipe-fees-on-taxes-tips-will-save-illinoisans-money-chicago-sun-times/) - Rob Karr, of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association: The Interchange Fee Prohibition Act "... stops credit card companies from charging swipe fees on sales taxes and tips in Illinois. The law becomes effective July 1. ... Despite this, banks continue to challenge the implementation of the law, recently filing a motion to appeal a ruling by a federal judge that upheld the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act."
- [Will Chicago’s Deep State Be Revealed in Kim Foxx Deposition? - Martin Preib's Crooked City](https://wirepoints.org/will-chicagos-deep-state-be-revealed-in-kim-foxx-deposition-martin-preibs-crooked-city/) - "In tossing the convictions and not contesting the COIs, ... Foxx could be certain that no long series of articles or broadcasts looking into why she was so willing to let convicted killers out of prison under the most dubious claims were ever taken up by the rigidly obedient media machine. Not one outlet. What greater sign of a deep state operating in Chicago is there than the fact that the entire media establishment refused to take up a story desperately crying out to be told?"
- [CTA's new safety plan boosts police patrols, adds AI gun detection - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/ctas-new-safety-plan-boosts-police-patrols-adds-ai-gun-detection-fox32-chicago/) - The Chicago Transit Authority has submitted a new safety plan to the Federal Transit Administration in an effort to avoid losing $50 million in funding, proposing a 75 percent increase in monthly policing hours. The plan also calls for expanding AI-powered gun detection technology to more than 1,500 cameras across Chicago rail stations and enhancing fare messaging on CTA buses.
- [Illinois Supreme Court hears FOID, double jeopardy cases - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-supreme-court-hears-foid-double-jeopardy-cases-center-square/) - One appeal challenges the state's law prohibiting felons from possessing firearms, arguing it violates the Second Amendment. The other brings questions about double jeopardy in criminal proceedings within the State.
- [Chicago council to consider election-related ordinance six days before primary - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-council-to-consider-election-related-ordinance-six-days-before-primary-center-square/) - The mayor said the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Fair Access to Democracy Ordinance would protect poll workers, voters and election-related activities. “...(T)he president has made it very clear that he wants to suppress the vote of working people,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.
- [Illinois Supreme Court weighs challenge to state gun restriction - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-supreme-court-weighs-challenge-to-state-gun-restriction-capitol-news-il/) - At issue is whether state laws governing the possession of firearms conflicts with the latest U.S. Supreme Court standard on the Second Amendment, which says laws that limit a person’s right to bear arms must be consistent with the nation’s “historical tradition of firearm regulation.”
- [Data Center no longer coming to Pekin - WMBD (Peoria)](https://wirepoints.org/data-center-no-longer-coming-to-pekin-wmbd-peoria/) - Audience members applauded the announcement. Over the last several meetings, residents have raised concerns that the data center would cause noise pollution and raise electric bills.
- [Commentary: From Nashville to Chicago's South Side, fatherlessness haunts America - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-from-nashville-to-chicagos-south-side-fatherlessness-haunts-america-fox-news/) - Pastor Corey Brooks: "Chicago can rise by rebuilding fathers, restoring merit and inviting God’s presence back into broken places."
- [State Sen. Erica Harriss: Affordability Is Not a Slogan - RiverBender (Alton)](https://wirepoints.org/state-sen-erica-harriss-affordability-is-not-a-slogan-riverbender-alton/) - "Since Governor Pritzker took office, state spending has increased by roughly 40 percent. Most households in our district have not seen their incomes grow anywhere near that pace. When government grows faster than family budgets, the pressure shows up in higher taxes, rising fees, and increasing everyday costs."
- [Chicago wealth summit costs taxpayers more than $220K, records show - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-wealth-summit-costs-taxpayers-more-than-220k-records-show-fox32-chicago/) - For the past five years, City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin has presided over an annual financial seminar called "Building Wealth Today for Tomorrow." It draws thousands of participants and dozens of celebrity speakers. It's also a star vehicle for the Chicago treasurer herself, who's now one of many running for Congress in the 7th District.
- [Lawsuit claims Chicago Public Schools failed to tell police, DCFS about sex abuse of girl by security guard - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/lawsuit-claims-chicago-public-schools-failed-to-tell-police-dcfs-about-sex-abuse-of-girl-by-security-guard-cbs2-chicago/) - According to a complaint, one of the administrators at Farragut was the female security guard's mother. The guard is further accused of using her mother's position of power and ability to access the high schooler's address and threaten the student.
- [Responding to federal threat, legislation would protect Illinois waterways - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/responding-to-federal-threat-legislation-would-protect-illinois-waterways-capitol-news-il/) - Senate Bill 2401 would give the Illinois Department of Natural Resources authority over wetland permitting on private land before construction begins. The bill exempts certain agricultural activities like normal farming, silviculture and maintenance of farms and stock ponds
- [Illinois’ population loss could make congressional gerrymandering harder in 2030 - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-population-loss-could-make-congressional-gerrymandering-harder-in-2030-illinois-policy/) - Shrinking population is set to cost the state another seat in Congress. With one fewer seat to work with, Illinois Democrats would have a difficult time drawing maps that would eliminate another Republican district. Keeping their current 14 seats would give Democrats over 87 percent of Illinois’ U.S. House delegation.
- [Record-high Illinois university workers opt-out of pensions - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/record-high-illinois-university-workers-opt-out-of-pensions-illinois-policy/) - SURS gained 1,314 new employees last year, 725 to the traditional and portable pension plans while 589 opted into the Retirement Savings Plan. It’s a defined contribution plan, similar to a 401(k), rather than the typical defined benefit pension available in most state retirement systems.
- [Paul Vallas: Chicago’s Low-Income Families Have a Right to School Choice - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-chicagos-low-income-families-have-a-right-to-school-choice-chicago-contrarian/) - With a handy assist from a proxy in the General Assembly, state Sen. Graciela Guzman, the Chicago Teachers Union continues its guerrilla war on Chicago's low-income families.
- [Video: Darren Bailey leads 4-way GOP race for governor - WGN (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/darren-bailey-leads-4-way-gop-race-for-governor-wgn/) - "With a well-known name statewide and a new campaign message, Darren Bailey is ahead in the four-way Republican primary race for Governor. Bailey has little to say about his opponents, instead looking ahead to November and what would be a rematch of the 2022 contest. This time, Bailey hopes for a different outcome."
- [Failing Schools Place Politics Over Academics - The Daily Signal](https://wirepoints.org/failing-schools-place-politics-over-academics-the-daily-signal/) - "Instead, it seems that school system chiefs in Chicago—and across America—prefer to indoctrinate students as politically fixated young agitators who can act out with impunity. As long as leftist narratives dominate, those vulnerable children are simply passed along, advancing grades without mastering the basic skills of a fully formed thinker."
- [Tax deal in 'process of being finalized' for $1.5 billion CSL investment in Illinois - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/tax-deal-in-process-of-being-finalized-for-1-5-billion-csl-investment-in-illinois-center-square/) - Gov. JB Pritzker was asked about CSL receiving over $200 million in tax incentives. “That’s over a long period of time, I just want to be clear. In a project of $1.5 billion, and this is important for you to recognize, the amount of investment that they’re putting in is enormous,” Pritzker said.
- [Former Dolton mayor Tiffany Henyard ordered to pay $10K as she eyes Georgia elected office - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/former-dolton-mayor-tiffany-henyard-ordered-to-pay-10k-as-she-eyes-georgia-elected-office-wgntv-chicago/) - The democrat has qualified as a republican candidate for a seat on the Fulton County, Georgia, board of commissioners. Henyard has been promoting herself online as a clothing retailer in Atlanta.
- [With state mandate looming, small businesses struggle to find skilled workers - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/with-state-mandate-looming-small-businesses-struggle-to-find-skilled-workers-center-square/) - A state mandate requiring foreign language instruction in high school is scheduled to take effect in 2027. One McHenry business owner said the requirement could force students out of programs focused on the building trades and courses like welding and machining.
- [Chicago tests war-rattled muni market with $800M bond sale - Crain's/Bloomgerg](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-tests-war-rattled-muni-market-with-800m-bond-sale-crains-bloomgerg/) - While muni bonds are typically seen as a safe haven for investors, debt sold by borrowers with ratings below benchmark securities carry greater risks. Chicago’s 10-year bond yields have widened more than the broader market as the city’s financial stress mounts. The average yield on long-dated Chicago bonds this month has jumped 23.6 basis points to above 4%, compared with the benchmark rising about 18 basis points to 2.65%, data show.
- [Man shot woman in face while on pretrial release, prosecutors say; severed electronic monitor found in apartment - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/man-shot-woman-in-face-while-on-pretrial-release-prosecutors-say-severed-electronic-monitor-found-in-apartment-cwb-chicago/) - Daniel May, 19, is the third person accused of shooting or trying to shoot someone in Chicago this year while awaiting trial for another case. Since 2017, CPD has brought charges in less than 5 percent of non-fatal shootings and 33 percent of murders, according to the city’s data.
- [CPD Failed to Document 267K Traffic Stops in 2025, 27% More Than Previous Year - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/cpd-failed-to-document-267k-traffic-stops-in-2025-27-more-than-previous-year-wttw-chicago/) - CPD leaders, city officials and representatives of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul have been negotiating behind closed doors for the better part of a year over whether CPD officers should be banned from making traffic stops based on minor registration or equipment violations that are designed to find evidence of “unrelated” crimes.
- [Illinois continues first-in-the-nation free test prep program - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-continues-first-in-the-nation-free-test-prep-program-wand-decatur/) - The state has invested $9.9 million into the program since it launched 13 months ago. More than 12,000 students registered for Kaplan's free test prep courses. Governor Pritzker is recommending a $7 million appropriation for the program in FY27.
- [Editorial: An Illinois bag fee wouldn’t fix Springfield’s spending problem - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/editorial-an-illinois-bag-fee-wouldnt-fix-springfields-spending-problem-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - "If it passes, House Bill 5112 would impose a carryout bag fee of $0.10 on each carryout bag starting Jan. 1, 2027. Ten cents is just the beginning. This fee would rise annually until it reaches 25 cents in 2030. But even that limit can increase 'if certain goals are not met,' meaning hikes would continue until bag usage drops to 90 percent below 2027 levels statewide, according to our reading of the legislation."
- [Pritzker announces $1.5 billion investment by CSL for Illinois plasma therapy manufacturing plant - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-announces-1-5-billion-investment-by-csl-for-illinois-plasma-therapy-manufacturing-plant-cbs2-chicago/) - The expansion will create at least 300 new full-time jobs, while retaining more than 1,200 existing positions at CSL in Kankakee County.
- [From Redcoats to Robots: AI and Robotic Are Challenging our Republic’s Future - Jonathan Turley](https://wirepoints.org/from-redcoats-to-robots-ai-and-robotic-are-challenging-our-republics-future-jonathan-turley/) - The danger is that politicians will react predictably and try to subsidize jobs that are no longer viable and industries that are being dramatically downsized. At the same time, they are likely to expand model programs in Democratic cities for universal basic or guaranteed income. Democrats have moved forward with more than 60 bills creating such programs, and this week, Cook County, Ill. (the second-largest county in the U.S.) made permanent the universal basic income program it had originally launched with federal COVID-19 relief funds.
- [Pritzker pushes back on Megaproject tax concerns - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-pushes-back-on-megaproject-tax-concerns-center-square/) - Concerns stem from a discrepancy in the language of the bill, allowing municipalities to count the value of a megaproject toward its tax base, despite not receiving corresponding property tax payment to account for it.
- [Chicago’s Watchdog Says City Lawyers Withheld Records About ‘High-Profile’ Hires - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-watchdog-says-city-lawyers-withheld-records-about-high-profile-hires-wttw-chicago/) - Inspector General Deborah Witzburg, who is set to leave office next month after serving just one term in office, said her office obtained the records by submitting an “anonymous” Freedom of Information Act request for the records at the center of the dispute. Witzburg has now raised questions several times about whether the leadership of the Department of Law has attempted to shield high-ranking officials from public scrutiny.
- [This major U.S. city ranks 1st for the most people in financial distress - MoneyWise](https://wirepoints.org/this-major-us-city-ranks-1st-for-the-most-people-in-financial-distress-moneywise/) - While Chicago sits at the top of 100 major U.S. cities, the broader story is a national one. Americans held $1.28 trillion in credit card balances as of late 2025, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (3).
- [After prison sentence, engineer collects nearly $1.5M from same state agency he was convicted of defrauding - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/after-prison-sentence-engineer-collects-nearly-1-5m-from-same-state-agency-he-was-convicted-of-defrauding-capitol-news-il/) - The IEPA began to investigate issues with Michael Keebler’s work for property owners who were trying to get their leaking underground storage tanks cleaned up after a 2010 visit to a McLean County site showed no remediation had occurred. By the time federal attorneys indicted Keebler in 2013, he was accused of being the ringleader of a scheme that had gone on for 12 years and involved multiple people.
- [State Rep. Norma Hernandez and Jennifer Juárez - More state funding for universities is an investment in Illinois' future - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/state-rep-norma-hernandez-and-jennifer-juarez-more-state-funding-for-universities-is-an-investment-in-illinois-future-chicago-sun-times/) - "Today, Illinois tuition and fees are significantly higher than the national average and require 19% of the median household income, research by multiple organizations shows. For families with disproportionately low incomes, college costs pose a prohibitive barrier to access. All of this is unfolding against the backdrop of a volatile federal government whose shifting approach to student financial aid and grant funding places even greater stress on state institutions that can least afford it."
- [Illinois lawmakers weigh options to change rising property tax structure - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-weigh-options-to-change-rising-property-tax-structure-center-square/) - “It's been proven that other states with low property taxes are always appealing for people that want to move and invest in a residence,” state Rep. Joe Sosnowski said. “We've got to do that. There's a lot more states now starting to talk about phasing out property tax completely or limiting it in drastic ways so that it becomes less of a burden
- [Guest Commentary: Remedial Citizenship in the Age of Performance Rage - John Kass News](https://wirepoints.org/guest-commentary-remedial-citizenship-in-the-age-of-performance-rage-john-kass-news/) - "If you live in a city where Republicans are rare as a snowbird in hell, your chances of having noticed this problem are high. The woke folks who vote for the warm embrace of collectivism are always spoiling for a fight and love their street riots. And they’re still identified as idealistic 'protestors' by sympathetic media."
- [Jesse Jackson Jr. turns to AI to amplify Rush endorsement - Politico](https://wirepoints.org/jesse-jackson-jr-turns-to-ai-to-amplify-rush-endorsement-politico/) - An AI-enhanced former congressman is hitting the Chicago airwaves. As he campaigns to reclaim the South Side congressional seat he once held, Jesse Jackson Jr. is launching a new TV and digital ad featuring an endorsement from fellow former Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush — delivered with an assist from artificial intelligence.
- [Chicago Researchers on a Mission to Bring Home Remains of Fallen American Soldiers - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-researchers-on-a-mission-to-bring-home-remains-of-fallen-american-soldiers-wttw-chicago/) - Inside the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago, Rick Elliott and Jessica Bishop work at the university’s Center for the Recovery and Identification of the Missing. The center partners with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, a federal agency that recovers U.S. service members who were killed in past conflicts and are still unaccounted for.
- [Chicago business activity up for second straight month - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-business-activity-up-for-second-straight-month-illinois-policy/) - The expansion comes after 25 consecutive months of decline, from December 2023 through December 2025.
- [Bill could benefit millions of Illinois students - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/bill-could-benefit-millions-of-illinois-students-illinois-policy/) - Senate Bill 3776, introduced by Sen. Adriane Johnson, would opt Illinois into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program. The program gives privately donated money to eligible K-12 students while providing a tax credit to the donors. If the state does not opt into the program, Illinois students cannot receive the money. But donors will get the tax credit anyway.
- [Attorney General Raoul Sues Trump Administration To Stop Latest Round Of Tariffs - RiverBender (Alton)](https://wirepoints.org/attorney-general-raoul-sues-trump-administration-to-stop-latest-round-of-tariffs-riverbender-alton/) - The case, brought by a coalition of 22 attorneys general and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, challenges President Trump’s most recent efforts to increase tariffs worldwide without congressional approval.
- [June opening date for Obama Presidential Center in Chicago announced - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/june-opening-date-for-obama-presidential-center-in-chicago-announced-nbc5-chicago/) - The Center will open to the public June 19, one day after a dedication ceremony is scheduled to take place. A "series of events that will bring together the changemakers, community members, volunteers, and supporters who made the Obama presidency a reality and that welcome visitors to celebrate the power of hope and change" will mark the opening and continue through June 21.
- [Police chief, all officers resign from Moweaqua Police Department - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/police-chief-all-officers-resign-from-moweaqua-police-department-wand-decatur/) - These resignations come just after former mayor Shawn Conlin resigned in February amid town budget concerns, and worries over police department comp time and overtime budgets being overspent.
- [Chicago short nearly 225,000 affordable rental units for its poorest residents, report finds - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-short-nearly-225000-affordable-rental-units-for-its-poorest-residents-report-finds-chicago-sun-times/)
- [Should Chicago school board members be paid? Legislators weigh compensation ahead of historic election - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/should-chicago-school-board-members-be-paid-legislators-weigh-compensation-ahead-of-historic-election-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - CTU Vice President Jackson Potter put it bluntly: “It’s a question of guaranteeing community representation instead of billionaires corrupting the board,” he said. State law currently bars Illinois school boards from paying members, and suburban school boards have long been elected nonpaying positions.
- [At least 3 people killed, 8 hurt in Chicago weekend shootings - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/at-least-3-people-killed-8-hurt-in-chicago-weekend-shootings-cbs2-chicago/) - The ages of the victims range from 13 to 79.
- [Sangamon County voters to consider funding for a mental health board - NPR Illinois](https://wirepoints.org/sangamon-county-voters-to-consider-funding-for-a-mental-health-board-npr-illinois/) - A report compares Sangamon County’s proposed 0.5 percent sale tax increase to other Illinois counties that have already established 708 mental health boards: Champaign, Macon and St. Clair rely primarily on property taxes, each generating between roughly $3 million and $6.8 million annually; McHenry County, which switched to a 0.25 percent sales tax in 2024, reports nearly $15.7 million in annual revenue and funds 70 unique programs. Winnebago County, operating under a 0.5 percent sales tax, reports more than $20 million in annual revenue supporting 42 distinct programs.
- [Illinois orders 21 communities to remove forever chemicals from drinking water by 2029. But who will pay? - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-orders-21-communities-to-remove-forever-chemicals-from-drinking-water-by-2029-but-who-will-pay-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - The costs to remove PFAS in water treatment plants can range from $5 million to $20 million based on the size of a community’s water system, engineer Andy Curry said. “You’re adding $1 per 1,000 (gallons of water) until the PFAS is gone, which I don’t know when that’s going to be,” Curry said. “That’s an operational cost that nobody is helping these communities pay for.”
- [Who Will Lead the Dems to the Promised Land of a New Israel Policy? - The New Republic](https://wirepoints.org/who-will-lead-the-dems-to-the-promised-land-of-a-new-israel-policy-the-new-republic/) - "There is one candidate whose particular identity, politics, and prominence put him above all the others on this issue: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker."
- [Illinois mayors call on Pritzker to rethink flat local government funding - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-mayors-call-on-pritzker-to-rethink-flat-local-government-funding-capitol-news-il/) - “When the state reduces shared revenue, costs do not disappear,” said Illinois Municipal League President Sheila Chalmers-Currin, also village president of Matteson. “Costs shift. They shift to property taxes, local sales taxes, and service reduction.” She said it flies in the face of lawmakers’ affordability message.
- [States with the Highest & Lowest Tax Rates. Illinois is Highest - WalletHub](https://wirepoints.org/states-with-the-highest-lowest-tax-rates-illinois-is-highest-wallethub/) - Illinois' combined state and local taxes are over 50% higher than the national average.
- [Blue-state governors bash Trump — and audition for 2028 - Politico](https://wirepoints.org/blue-state-governors-bash-trump-and-audition-for-2028-politico/) - They mocked his executive orders — or, as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said, “edicts that read like proclamations from the Lollipop guild.” They blamed his tariff gambit for pushing up the prices of housing materials and household goods and condemned his administration’s aggressive crime crackdown and hard-line immigration enforcement tactics.
- [Poisonous Creatures - Eric Allie for Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/poisonous-creatures-eric-allie-for-illinois-policy/)
- [Illinois lawmakers considering statewide bag tax - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-considering-statewide-bag-tax-illinois-policy/) - House Bill 5112, proposes that businesses charge 10 cents per carryout bag starting in 2027. The tax would be increased by five cents a year until 2030, when it would cap at 25 cents. However, fees would continue to increase by five cents a year until certain goals regarding the reduction of bags are met. This increase would continue until statewide bag usage drops to 90 percent below 2027 levels.
- [IL lawmakers propose modernized SNAP benefits card to prevent fraud - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/il-lawmakers-propose-modernized-snap-benefits-card-to-prevent-fraud-wand-decatur/) - "An approximation of the cost to upgrade our system is $50 million," U.S. Sen. Mike Simmons said. "Upon renewal, the new contract needs to include the transition to smart card chips."
- [Pritzker denies traveling on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane after Bill Clinton’s since-recanted testimony - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-denies-traveling-on-jeffrey-epsteins-plane-after-bill-clintons-since-recanted-testimony-capitol-news-il/)
- [Chicago will return to market with $800 million GO deal - The Bond Buyer](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-will-return-to-market-with-800-million-go-deal-the-bond-buyer/) - The borrowing for firefighter back pay and police misconduct settlements was "sold as a five-year deal," not a ten-year deal with a backloaded debt structure, said one analyst. "Spreading it out over ten years makes it feel like we are now committing the cardinal sin of debt financing an operational need," he said, noting that at five years, it didn't necessarily feel that way.
- [Reported debt deal, credit downgrades may add to Chicago budget woes - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/reported-debt-deal-credit-downgrades-may-add-to-chicago-budget-woes-center-square/) - It was reported last week that Mayor Brandon Johnson is structuring the city’s debt with a $500 million deal to cover back pay owed to firefighters and anticipated lawsuit costs.
- [Meta set to spend $750K backing Illinois statehouse candidates as AI and social media legislation looms - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/meta-set-to-spend-750k-backing-illinois-statehouse-candidates-as-ai-and-social-media-legislation-looms-chicago-tribune/) - In less than two weeks, the super PAC has spent nearly $340,000 on mailers and digital advertising to support four Democratic state House primary candidates — Paul Kendrick in the Lincoln Park-area’s 12th District, Adam Braun in the Uptown neighborhood’s 13th District, Aja Kearney in the South Side and south suburban’s 34th District and Rep. Jaime Andrade in the Northwest Side’s 40th District.
- [Rich Miller: Reality is immaterial in today's politics - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/rich-miller-reality-is-immaterial-in-todays-politics-chicago-sun-times/) - "But a video of a former president saying he thinks he flew on (Jeffrey) Epstein’s jet with (Gov. JB) Pritzker and likely Epstein himself? ... The video is on the internet, and the internet is forever and quite strange. ... It is undoubtedly false, but I doubt it’ll ever totally go away."
- [Coles County board weighs referendum on possible separation from Illinois - WICS (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/coles-county-board-weighs-referendum-on-possible-separation-from-illinois-wics-springfield/) - Neighboring counties, including Effingham County and Shelby County, have already approved similar advisory referendums asking voters whether local leaders should explore the idea of forming a separate state.
- [While presidents, governor honor late civil rights leader Jackson, Chicago's mayor says tax the rich - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/while-presidents-governor-honor-late-civil-rights-leader-jackson-chicagos-mayor-says-tax-the-rich-center-square/) - At the memorial service for Rev. Jesse Jackson, Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke for several minutes before encouraging musical accompaniment. “Black, brown, white, Asian, young, old, it is time for the ultra-rich to pay their fair share in taxes on the other side of the bridge. Reverend, you crossed your bridge. We know our assignment. We see you on the other side,” Johnson said, as music played and the crowd rose to its feet.
- [Commentary: There's no place for school vouchers in Illinois - Rockford Register Star](https://wirepoints.org/commentary-theres-no-place-for-school-vouchers-in-illinois-rockford-register-star/) - "Funding for our public schools, including for wraparound services like tutoring and afterschool programs, should be sustainable and stable, not subject to the whims of donors writing checks to unregulated scholarship granting organizations for tax breaks."
- [Pritzker embraces ‘abundance’ agenda with housing, nuclear proposals - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-embraces-abundance-agenda-with-housing-nuclear-proposals-capitol-news-il/) - "But for decades, there’s been a version of the same paradox: many places run by Democrats who champion the issue of affordability also happen to be among the least affordable places to live. This is often the result of what journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson labeled in their 2025 nonfiction book Abundance as 'chosen scarcities.'"
- [Pritzker: ‘We’ve turned this battleship around’ - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-weve-turned-this-battleship-around-capitol-news-il/) - “The point is: we’ve turned this battleship around in the right direction, and now we’re accelerating in that direction,” Gov. JB Pritzker said, talking of Illinois’ economic headwinds. “But remember: Some of these problems took literally 50 and 75 years for Illinois to get into the problem. And it’s going to take a few years to come out of them.”
- [Illinois proposal to raise minimum wage to $27 sparks concern from small businesses - WICS (Springfield)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-proposal-to-raise-minimum-wage-to-27-sparks-concern-from-small-businesses-wics-springfield/) - “Talking to small business owners across the state, they’re already struggling with minimum wage mandates at $15 an hour and paid leave mandates,” said Noah Finley, the Illinois state director for the National Federation for Independent Business. “They’ve had to absorb a lot of costs based upon these state mandates and many of them are really struggling.” Finley goes on to say this could cause Illinois business owners to bump up their prices for consumers.
- [Target sued for checking arrest records of new hires, violating IL law: Class action - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/target-sued-for-checking-arrest-records-of-new-hires-violating-il-law-class-action-legal-newsline/) - That law was enacted in 2021 by Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Democratic state lawmakers. The measure, known as the "Employee Background Fairness Act," amended the Illinois Human Rights Act to make it a civil rights violation for employers to make hiring decisions based on arrest records revealed in employment background checks.
- [Illinois Federation of Teachers lied about its membership numbers - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-federation-of-teachers-lied-about-its-membership-numbers-illinois-policy/) - In a February 2025 press release, IFT said “educators and state workers from the 105,000-member Illinois Federation of Teachers” had rallied at the Capitol in Springfield. But the union told the U.S. Labor Department in its most recent federal filing — dated a month after the press release and signed under penalty of perjury — that it had 88,458 members.
- [Amid a proposed record budget, lawmakers should put price tags on their bills - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/amid-a-proposed-record-budget-lawmakers-should-put-price-tags-on-their-bills-illinois-policy/) - Most states require fiscal notes on all or substantially all bills, according to a 2015 study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. But in Illinois, state law allows a bill’s sponsor to determine whether it needs a fiscal note; a lawmaker who disagrees must gain the support of a majority of members to generate the price tag.
- [Paul Vallas: J.B. Pritzker, Illinois’ affordability champion? - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-j-b-pritzker-illinois-affordability-champion-illinois-policy/) - The governor introduced an election‑year budget that adds roughly $879 million in new spending, financed in part by some $589 million in what he likely considers politically safe tax hikes. His proposal lacks serious spending reform, and the claimed savings largely involve the federal government and technical adjustments doing the heavy lifting, not genuine cost discipline.
- [IL Republican governor race candidates make last-minute pitches to voters before primary election - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/il-republican-governor-race-candidates-make-last-minute-pitches-to-voters-before-primary-election-abc7-chicago/) - JB Pritzker, for his part, launched a series of campaign ads to reinforce that he is standing up to Donald Trump, and advocating for Illinois. He is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
- [Why Chicago's new $800 million bond offering smells so fishy: Wirepoints' Mark Glennon on AM560's The Real Story](https://wirepoints.org/why-chicagos-new-800-million-bond-offering-smells-so-fishy-wirepoints-mark-glennon-on-am560s-the-real-story/) - Borrowing for current and past operating expenses, blanks for use of funds and more make Chicago's bond sale planned for next week smell mighty bad. Mark Glennon's interview is in the first ten minutes starting here.
- [Illinois joins more than 20 states suing over new global tariffs Trump imposed after his stinging Supreme Court loss - AP](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-among-more-than-20-states-sue-over-new-global-tariffs-trump-imposed-after-his-stinging-supreme-court-loss-ap/) - Many of the plaintiff states also successfully sued over Trump’s tariffs imposed under a different law: the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
- [Evanston  middle schoolers hold ICE walk out - Evanston Now](https://wirepoints.org/evanston-middle-schoolers-hold-ice-walk-out-evanston-now/) - The effort included creating a lesson plan that the school gave to students about community organizing and a reflection for students to complete after the walkout Thursday morning.
- [Jewish leaders want Chicago mayor to create antisemitism task force - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/jewish-leaders-want-chicago-mayor-to-create-antisemitism-task-force-fox-news/) - The Chicago Commission on Human Relations in July last year found that the Jewish community experienced a 58 percent increase in hate crimes from 2023-2024. Other task forces Chicago established are the Task Force on Missing and Murdered Chicago Women, which focuses on policy changes to address violence against women, and the Reparations Task Force. Chicago also established a Task Force on Black Immigrants that investigates social and economic conditions for Black immigrants in Illinois.
- [Some Cook County Board commissioners skip more than 20% of their meetings - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/some-cook-county-board-commissioners-skip-more-than-20-of-their-meetings-chicago-sun-times/) - Being a county commissioner pays a salary of $102,170 a year in 2026.
- [Small Steps for Independent Budgeting: City Council’s Plan Changes Revenues but Keeps Roughly the Same Spending Plan - Better Government Association](https://wirepoints.org/small-steps-for-independent-budgeting-city-councils-plan-passed-over-mayors-objections-changes-revenues-but-keeps-roughly-the-same-spending-plan-better-government-association/) - "That reflects the reality of Chicago’s city council: independent on paper, and nominally the branch of government with final control over the pursestrings, the legislature still relies heavily on the mayor’s administration for budget data and analysis."
- [Illinois lawmakers want to end seizure of homes over delinquent property taxes - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-want-to-end-seizure-of-homes-over-delinquent-property-taxes-fox32-chicago/) - According to state Sen.John Curran, there are more than 1,000 homeowners in Cook County who fell victim to property tax eviction with more than 100 seniors losing their homes. He also says the average age for a first-time homebuyer in Illinois is 40.
- [Orland High School District 230 short $1.3 million with Cook County property tax delays - Daily Southtown/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/orland-high-school-district-230-short-1-3-million-with-cook-county-property-tax-delays-daily-southtown-yahoo/) - The District 230 board has joined a coalition of other Cook County school boards in approving a resolution demanding its share of delayed distributions of Cook County property tax revenues, and and that Cook County seek reimbursement from Tyler Technologies for expenses caused by the late payments. A spokesman said the coalition of school boards are also working with a law firm that he said is suited to pursue this kind of class action.
- [CTA given two weeks to fix safety plan or lose $50M in federal funds - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/cta-given-two-weeks-to-fix-safety-plan-or-lose-50m-in-federal-funds-fox32-chicago/) - Federal officials noted that baseline data show roughly two CTA workers each week are assaulted severely enough to require ambulance transport or result in death.
- [Agency improves physician assistant license processing times - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/agency-improves-physician-assistant-license-processing-times-center-square/) - A letter from IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto Jr. stated that the agency reduced the average processing time from 7.5 weeks in 2024 to 5.7 weeks in 2025; the average processing time for physician assistant license renewals is 24 hours. State lawmakers suggested last week that physician assistants were going to Iowa to get licensed due to long wait times in Illinois.
- [Feds accuse former Carlyle police chief of wire fraud, theft - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/feds-accuse-former-carlyle-police-chief-of-wire-fraud-theft-capitol-news-il/) - Now former Carlyle Police Chief Mark Pingsterhaus spent more than $100,000 of public money intended to combat drug use and support a local fire protection district on personal expenses, including basketball tickets, travel, and diamond engagement ring. The federal indictment further alleged that Pingsterhaus engaged in this fraud for more than eight years, in part, to conceal that personal relationship with a public official in a neighboring county.
- [Nearly $600 million in business tax proposals — a threat to Illinois - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/nearly-600-million-in-business-tax-proposals-a-threat-to-illinois-illinois-policy/) - The state already struggles with competitiveness, with the fifth-slowest-growing economy in the nation since 2019. More taxes risk further hurt long-term growth.
- [Trump fires Kristi Noem, Pritzker says 'don’t let the door hit you on the way out' - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/trump-fires-kristi-noem-pritzker-says-dont-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way-out-chicago-sun-times/) - U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, who last week met with Noem and reminded her that her days were numbered, wrote on X, “Good riddance! We still have to impeach her, Melt ICE and dismantle DHS.” Sen. Dick Durbin reacted to Noem’s exit by saying she was “unfit for the job” and accusing her of lying under oath before Congress.
- [Capital One cuts more than 1,100 Discover employees - Banking Dive/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/capital-one-cuts-more-than-1100-discover-employees-banking-dive-yahoo/) - Of that group, about 532 employees work at the Riverwoods location, 69 are Illinois residents who work remotely, and 538 are non-Illinois residents who work remotely but report to the Riverwoods location.
- [11-year-old girl sexually assaulted by 3 juveniles on Near South Side - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/11-year-old-girl-sexually-assaulted-by-3-juveniles-on-near-south-side-wgntv-chicago/) - According to police, the incident unfolded around 3:50 p.m. Monday, near the National Teacher’s Academy. Following the incident, the victim was taken to the hospital for unknown injuries. While police have not released the ages or names of the offenders allegedly involved, principal Teneka Brooks described them as “school community members.”
- [Residents of building near Obama Presidential Center form union to fight rent hike - CBS2 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/residents-of-building-near-obama-presidential-center-form-union-to-fight-rent-hike-cbs2-chicago/) - The nearly two dozen tenants claim a prospective buyer for their building plans to rehab it or tear it down altogether. Either way, rent would go up. The building is financed by the Illinois Housing Development Authority, which aims to preserve affordable housing in the state.
- [Illinois secretary of state wants nearly 2% budget increase - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-secretary-of-state-wants-nearly-2-budget-increase-center-square/) - He said the agency is nearing $1 billion in revenue solely through online services this year, primarily made available to Illinoisans in recent years.
- [Pritzker proposes at least $250 million for affordable housing - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-proposes-at-least-250-million-for-affordable-housing-illinois-policy/) - With these initiatives, the state would simply be trying to offset the costs of its regulatory and fiscal environment by compensating developers to build homes they otherwise choose not to build. If the projects were financially viable, developers would already be building them.
- [Illinois boosts universities losing students, punishes gainers - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-boosts-universities-losing-students-punishes-gainers-illinois-policy/) - Punish the winners and subsidize the losers? Is that the state strategy for recovering the 13,062 students lost in the past 20 years by the 12 state universities?
- [Wealthy elites bankroll Dem Senate candidate who has repeatedly touted 'grassroots' campaign - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/wealthy-elites-bankroll-dem-senate-candidate-who-has-repeatedly-touted-grassroots-campaign-fox-news/) - According to filings from the FEC, the Pritzker family has donated the vast majority of Stratton's $6.3 million in contributions to her "Illinois Future PAC." Records indicate that the family has donated $6.1 million — or 82 percent — of that figure.
- [Column: February a good month on state-revenue front - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/column-february-a-good-month-on-state-revenue-front-champaign-news-gazette/) - Jim Dey: "While personal income-tax revenues have provided a steady source of good news, the other two sources of the Big 3 — corporate income and sales taxes — remain stuck in the mud."
- [Betting Against Increased Taxes, DraftKings Is Spending Big on Illinois State Races - In These Times](https://wirepoints.org/betting-against-increased-taxes-draftkings-is-spending-big-on-illinois-state-races-in-these-times/) - Intent on electing representatives who will resist further taxes on the gaming industry, American Future, a super PAC bankrolled by DraftKings’ wholly owned subsidiary, DK Crown Holdings, has become the largest outside spender so far in the Illinois state legislative primary slated for March 17. American Future’s biggest beneficiary is Emil Jones III, a state senator who was indicted in 2022 on federal bribery charges.
- [Pastor Corey Brooks: Stop trusting political parties to save urban America. It's time for us to rise and rebuild - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/pastor-corey-brooks-stop-trusting-political-parties-to-save-urban-america-its-time-for-us-to-rise-and-rebuild-fox-news/) - "We don’t need any more of this Republican vs. Democrat talk. We’ve done it to death, and we cannot afford to succumb to false promises any longer — not when our communities have only worsened. ... It is far easier to believe in false promises than to look at the cold reality of where most of urban America, including my South Side Chicago neighborhood, stands — at the bottom of the American totem pole."
- [Wall Street Journal Citing Wirepoints: Why Johnny Can’t Read Anything Other Than Pronouns*](https://wirepoints.org/wall-street-journal-citing-wirepoints-why-johnny-cant-read-anything-other-than-pronouns/) - Citing Wirepoints research, Jason Riley makes the case that the sensible path forward in Chicago would be to change or close the schools that are underperforming, but Mayor Brandon Johnson and his fellow progressives are far more interested in targeting the selective-enrollment school model. See Riley's column here.
- [Congressional Black Caucus accuses Pritzker of ‘heavy-handing’ Senate race - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/congressional-black-caucus-accuses-pritzker-of-heavy-handing-senate-race-capitol-news-il/) - “A sitting governor shouldn’t be heavy-handing the race. Quite frankly, his behavior in this race won’t soon be forgotten,” Caucus Chair U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., said.
- [Alderman proposes holding parents liable for teen criminal actions - WGNTV (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/alderman-proposes-holding-parents-liable-for-teen-criminal-actions-wgntv-chicago/) - “Many of our parents are not paying attention to what their children are doing. We have teen takeovers because parents are simply not asking, ‘What is my son or daughter doing out in the middle of the night?'” Ald. Ray Lopez said. “If they are knowingly dismissing what those children are up to, they should be held accountable.”
- [Pritzker announces $2.5B in medical debt erased; more than half in Cook Co. - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-announces-2-5b-in-medical-debt-erased-more-than-half-in-cook-co-center-square/) - The legislation that created the Medical Debt Relief Program for the state – based on the Cook County program – was signed into law in July 2024. The state partnered with nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, formerly known as RIP Medical Debt, committing to provide $10 million in grants to pay off debts.
- [Gov. Pritzker tries to downplay concerns about locking in Bears stadium in Illinois over Indiana - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/gov-pritzker-tries-to-downplay-concerns-about-locking-in-bears-stadium-in-illinois-over-indiana-abc7-chicago/) - "Obviously, as fast as we can get this done through the legislature, and that's going to be up to the legislators to do it that, you know, we want to get it done for the Bears," Gov. JB Pritzker said.
- [Poll: Most Illinois voters support opting into scholarship program - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/poll-most-illinois-voters-support-opting-into-scholarship-program-illinois-policy/) - Nearly 55 percent of Illinois voters support the state opting into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program. But it’s up to Gov. JB Pritzker to opt Illinois into the program. More voters supported than opposed it across all ages, regions, races and ideologies.
- [Oil cos. ask to pause Chicago climate ‘deception’ suit til SCOTUS weighs in - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/oil-cos-ask-to-pause-chicago-climate-deception-suit-til-scotus-weighs-in-legal-newsline/) - Saying the U.S. Supreme Court will decide soon if the lawsuit is even allowed, a group of oil and gas companies have asked a Cook County judge to bottle up, for now, the city of Chicago's lawsuit seeking a potentially massive payout from the energy companies for allegedly "deceiving" people and businesses into using oil and gas to heat and power their homes, cars, factories and other necessities of modern life.
- [1st vertical farm in downtown office building in US now in Chicago's Loop - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/1st-vertical-farm-in-downtown-office-building-in-us-now-in-chicagos-loop-abc7-chicago/) - Right now, they grow everything inside a 500-square-foot space in trays with a hydroponic system for drip watering that recirculates. There's no actual soil. It's a cotton-like material. And LED lights are a fine substitute for sunlight inside a 137-year-old building.
- [U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth blasts Trump after failed Senate Iran vote - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/u-s-sen-tammy-duckworth-blasts-trump-after-failed-senate-iran-vote-nbc5-chicago/) - “These are our citizen soldiers. These are the people who have everyday lives and yet volunteer to serve,” she said. “Take time out of their everyday to serve and stay ready so that when the nation calls them to take off their suit jackets, to take of their hard hats and put their uniforms on and go into combat, they respond. And many of them, like I did, volunteer to go into the combat zone. And frankly, they deserve leadership that will not waste that sacrifice, that willingness.”
- [Lawmaker proposes property tax credits as housing debate continues - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/lawmaker-proposes-property-tax-credits-as-housing-debate-continues-center-square/) - Metro East Sen. Erica Harriss announced a package of bills Wednesday. Harriss said Senate Bill 3959 provides a $500 tax credit for first-time home buyers; SB 3782 creates the Fairness in Property Tax Foreclosure Task Force; and SB 3781, amending the Illinois Income Tax Act to make residential property taxes refundable.
- [Bill expanding access to discounted drugs awaits House action - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/bill-expanding-access-to-discounted-drugs-awaits-house-action-capitol-news-il/) - The legislation pending in the General Assembly is a Senate amendment to House Bill 2371. Sponsored by Sen. Dave Koehler, it would prohibit anyone, including drug manufacturers, from imposing any restrictions on the ability of 340B-eligible clinics and hospitals to contract with outside pharmacies to fill 340B-funded prescriptions.
- [Lawmakers target hidden fees, predatory sales tactics with electric supply legislation - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/lawmakers-target-hidden-fees-predatory-sales-tactics-with-electric-supply-legislation-capitol-news-il/) - House Bill 4313 would cap excessive pricing, prohibiting alternative suppliers from charging residential and small commercial customers more than 25 percent above utility supply prices. State Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet said the issue of alternate suppliers came onto her radar particularly via complaints from seniors, who may be more at risk of signing up from aggressive door-to-door or telemarketing campaigns.
- [Clerk of Cook County courts proposes county-level depository system for people's wills - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/clerk-of-cook-county-courts-proposes-county-level-depository-system-for-peoples-wills-chicago-sun-times/) - Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Mariyana Spyropoulos is leading an effort to pass a law in Springfield that would create a statewide, optional, county-level will depository. It also would maintain the ability to deposit a will without hiring an attorney, which can cost hundreds of dollars.
- [Selective Success: A Comparative Analysis of Chicago’s Selective Enrollment and Public High Schools - Manhattan Institute](https://wirepoints.org/selective-success-a-comparative-analysis-of-chicagos-selective-enrollment-and-public-high-schools-manhattan-institute/) - "Selective enrollment high schools in Chicago produce better results, at a lower cost, than the system as a whole. Far from being damaging to academically gifted black, Hispanic, and low-income students, these educational institutions act as a lifeline for them."
- [Medical debt forgiveness program extended for Cook County residents - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/medical-debt-forgiveness-program-extended-for-cook-county-residents-abc7-chicago/) - The announcement comes after relieving a total of $1.5 billion for people in Cook County. "There's no application, no paperwork and no tax consequences," Cook County Board President Tony Preckwinkle said. "Residents simply receive a letter in the mail informing them that their debt has been canceled."
- [Judge orders Dolton to raise taxes, fees to pay $33.5M verdict over cop chase - Legal Newsline](https://wirepoints.org/judge-orders-dolton-to-raise-taxes-fees-to-pay-33-5m-verdict-over-cop-chase-legal-newsline/) - In the 2024 lawsuit, attorneys for the families asserted the court needed to step in to ensure the verdict was paid "amid a complete breakdown of the Village of Dolton's accounting internal controls, and checks and balances," leading to governmental insolvency in the village.
- [Worse than worthless: Site Selection Magazine's No. 1 ranking for Chicago - Wirepoints](https://wirepoints.org/worse-than-worthless-site-selection-magazines-no-1-ranking-for-chicago-wirepoints/) - It’s March, which means we are being subjected the dumbest annual study going about how well Chicago is doing.
- [Parolee charged with trying to kill 4 Chicago cops - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/parolee-charged-with-trying-to-kill-4-chicago-cops-cwb-chicago/) - Sedrick Griffin, 31, was arrested on Christmas Eve 2024 and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge he pleaded guilty to Nov. 5. His prior convictions include possessing a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated battery of peace officers.
- [Pritzker urges Secretary of State Marco Rubio to help stranded Americans in the Middle East - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-urges-secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-to-help-stranded-americans-in-the-middle-east-chicago-sun-times/) - “The State of Illinois and our federal congressional delegation are receiving numerous requests from U.S. citizens seeking additional support to return to the United States,” Gov. JB Pritzker wrote in the letter. The governor listed “immediate actions” he wants in place to help U.S. citizens, including a public commitment to use charter flights, military aircraft or both to assist Americans attempting to leave the region, and exploring using emergency contracts with charter companies or commercial airlines.
- [A Chicago Man Was Charged With Murder Based on a ShotSpotter Alert. Now the City Will Pay Him $500K - WTTW (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/a-chicago-man-was-charged-with-murder-based-on-a-shotspotter-alert-now-the-city-will-pay-him-500k-wttw-chicago/) - In July 2021, a Cook County judge dismissed the criminal charges against Michael Williams, then 66, at the request of the Cook County state’s attorney, who said prosecutors did not have enough evidence to proceed. Williams sued the city in July 2022 and asked a federal judge to ban Chicago from using SoundThinking’s ShotSpotter system.
- [Illinois municipalities push for local fuel tax as gas prices rise - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-municipalities-push-for-local-fuel-tax-as-gas-prices-rise-center-square/) - “This legislation preserves local control by allowing municipal officials who are accountable to their residents to determine whether to adopt the tax, at what level and for what purpose,” Mt. Vernon Mayor John Lewis said.
- [Chicago’s acting CFO registers city’s opposition to Bears bill - CFO](https://wirepoints.org/chicagos-acting-cfo-registers-citys-opposition-to-bears-bill-cfo/) - “If the state is willing to support infrastructure spending elsewhere, either through direct or indirect subsidy to facilitate a new sports stadium, then the state should be willing to support infrastructure spending in and around the Museum Campus for a similar development,” Chicago interim Chief Financial Officer Steven Mahr was quoted.
- [Column: Champaign County's audit problems have gone from bad to worse - Champaign News-Gazette](https://wirepoints.org/column-champaign-countys-audit-problems-have-gone-from-bad-to-worse-champaign-news-gazette/) - Jim Dey: "The ongoing Champaign County audit is in shambles, leading to a war of recriminations between Auditor George Danos and county board members who stripped him of his audit duties in order to have it done by the county executive’s office. ... Among the problems cited were 'millions of dollars not recorded, entries booked to the wrong fiscal year, monthly reviews not completed.'"
- [Illinois job market stalls, more than 300,000 left looking for work - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-job-market-stalls-more-than-30000-left-looking-for-work-center-square/) - With Illinois’ workforce shrinking by nearly 109,000 over a yearlong period ending in December 2025 and the state’s labor force participation rate recently falling to 63.6, Illinois Policy Institute’s Josh Bandoch worries the situation shows few signs of getting better anytime soon.
- [More details emerge about proposed Joliet data center as final approval nears - Chicago Tribune*](https://wirepoints.org/more-details-emerge-about-proposed-joliet-data-center-as-final-approval-nears-chicago-tribune/) - A sharp cut in projected water use - from an initial 5 million to 6 million gallons of water per day to now 20 million gallons per year - comes as welcome news for Joliet, which, with five other towns, is building a $1.4 billion, 31-mile pipeline to buy Lake Michigan water from Chicago starting in 2030.
- [People's Gas holds firm on proposed $202M price hike at City Hall hearing - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/peoples-gas-holds-firm-on-proposed-202m-price-hike-at-city-hall-hearing-chicago-sun-times/) - The potential hike comes two years after the Illinois Commerce Commission granted the utility company a record $306 million rate increase. Last year regulators ordered the utility to overhaul its controversial pipeline replacement program that was years over budget and behind schedule.
- [CTA suffers most violent attacks in decades as Trump threatens $50 million funding cut over crime - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/cta-suffers-most-violent-attacks-in-decades-as-trump-threatens-50-million-funding-cut-over-crime-chicago-sun-times/) - Aggravated assaults and batteries on the Chicago Transit Authority reached at least a 24-year high in 2025; The upward trend has continued into 2026, with those crimes climbing 33 percent over the same period last year. The CTA has touted an overall drop in crime, due in part to falling reports of robberies and thefts, but the record number of felony assaults and batteries underscores the work still needed to improve the CTA’s image.
- [Suburban leaders revolt against Pritzker’s zoning overhaul - The RealDeal](https://wirepoints.org/suburban-leaders-revolt-against-pritzkers-zoning-overhaul-the-realdeal/) - The resistance isn’t limited to a handful of affluent enclaves. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, which represents 275 municipalities across northeast Illinois, recently called for a housing task force to vet concerns before any legislation advances. Executive Director Neil James said communities vary widely in geography, infrastructure and housing demand, making one-size-fits-all mandates problematic.
- [Illinois lawmakers call for governor-appointed Epstein investigatory commission - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-lawmakers-propose-bipartisan-commission-to-investigate-crimes-in-epstein-files-cbs2-chicago/) - “It’s absolutely stomach-churning and awful to see what these survivors have been through, and to let the wheels of justice fall off at the federal level is an abomination,” said Rep. Anne Stava, D-Naperville. “It’s often said ‘the wheel of justice turns slowly.’ In this case, we need to speed that up.”
- [Here's what Bill Clinton said about JB Pritzker during Epstein deposition - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/heres-what-bill-clinton-said-about-jb-pritzker-during-epstein-deposition-fox-chicago/)
- [Chicago hit with 2 credit downgrades as Johnson secretly floats new borrowing plan - The Last Ward](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-hit-with-2-credit-downgrades-as-johnson-secretly-floats-new-borrowing-plan-the-last-ward/) - "The Chicago Tribune editorial board revealed Johnson’s administration has been furtively floating a $500 million bond on which the city would make no payments at all for three years. Not interest-only payments. Literally $0 in payments on the debt. For the remainder of Johnson’s term, and beyond."
- [What Is a City When Its Wealthiest Leave? - Wall Street Journal](https://wirepoints.org/what-is-a-city-when-its-wealthiest-leave-wall-street-journal/) - "The stickiness that once anchored people and capital to great cities is gone. It is not coming back."
- [Illinois could prohibit private schools from banning religious hairstyles - WAND (Decatur)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-could-prohibit-private-schools-from-banning-religious-hairstyles-wand-decatur/) - The plan is an expansion of the current state law that bans public and private schools from prohibiting hairstyles associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture. Sen. Mike Simmons said rabbis asked him to file the plan to protect Orthodox Jewish students who have beards.
- [Former CPD officer gets 4 years in federal prison for bilking $14M from food stamps program - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/former-cpd-officer-gets-4-years-in-federal-prison-for-bilking-14m-from-food-stamps-program-chicago-sun-times/) - Abdellatif, who lost his CPD job after his 2021 arrest, was among nine owners and workers at several Chicago-area convenience stores charged with accepting checks from the WIC program for ineligible items at the stores, often at inflated prices.
- [Federal agencies, U.S. cities on alert for potential retaliatory attacks amid Iran war - ABC7 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/federal-agencies-u-s-cities-on-alert-for-potential-retaliatory-attacks-amid-iran-war-abc7-chicago/) - Springfield's Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center, also known as STIC, works 24/7 to analyze threats, claims of bombs in public places and the ongoing risk from foreign terror groups of domestic lone wolf strikes. STIC does not have any specific information that any individuals, groups or sites in Illinois are being targeted for possible attacks.
- [Illinois elected leaders blast Trump’s military strikes in Iran: ‘No justification’ - FOX32 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-elected-leaders-blast-trumps-military-strikes-in-iran-no-justification-fox-chicago/) - The local leaders, mostly Democrats who have routinely opposed the Trump administration’s policies on nearly every front, argued the strikes against Iran were not legally justified and circumvented congressional authority for war.
- [Trump, Pritzker trade shots after governor accuses him of plan to ‘steal' 2026 midterm election - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/trump-pritzker-trade-shots-after-governor-accuses-him-of-plan-to-steal-2026-midterm-election-nbc5-chicago/) - Gov. JB Pritzker's initial post on social media read: "Donald Trump’s plan to steal the 2026 midterm elections is already underway." Responding to a reporter, Trump said, in part, "We'll he's got to focus on crime in his state. The crime in his state is doing very badly." Pritzker fired back on social media, "Donald, you're not denying it."
- [Pritzker proposes reducing burdensome housing regulations - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/pritzker-proposes-reducing-burdensome-housing-regulations-illinois-policy/) - Gov. JB Pritzker acknowledged that bureaucratic red tape “unnecessarily increases costs, delays construction, and frequently kills projects altogether.” Since January 2015, Illinois has permitted an average of 848 private housing units per month. The national average over that time was 1,426 units.
- [Springfield proposals pushing income tax plan voters already rejected - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/springfield-proposals-pushing-income-tax-plan-voters-already-rejected-illinois-policy/) - Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 4 and House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 16 would eliminate the constitutional requirement that income be taxed at one flat rate. That means lawmakers could impose as many tax brackets – and rates – as they want.
- [Identity Politics over Public Safety on the Chicago Transit Authority - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/identity-politics-over-public-safety-on-the-chicago-transit-authority-chicago-contrarian/) - "Until we stop viewing every enforcement action through the distorted prism of identity politics, we will continue to decline. And the biggest victims will be the very communities progressivism claims to protect."
- [‘Gun battle while school was letting out’ involved man on felony pretrial release, officials say - CWB Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/gun-battle-while-school-was-letting-out-involved-man-on-felony-pretrial-release-officials-say-cwb-chicago/) - Because possessing a stolen motor vehicle is not a detainable offense under the SAFE-T Act, Judge Robert Kuzas released Nehemiyah Santiago, 18, Dec. 22 to await trial. Exactly one month later, prosecutors allege, he participated in the high school shootout. Santiago is the second person accused of shooting or trying to shoot someone in Chicago this year while on felony pretrial release.
- [Chicago No. 1 in annual ranking for corporate relocations - Chicago Sun-Times](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-no-1-in-annual-ranking-for-corporate-relocations-chicago-sun-times/) - Among them, Amazon announced a fulfillment center in Bolingbrook that is expected to create some 1,200 jobs after it opens later this year; The $185 million Hollywood Casino Joliet opened last summer; and Fortune Brands Innovations, a security and digital products company, expanded in Deerfield. It expects to create at least 400 full-time jobs by 2027.
- [Coroners warn bill renaming fentanyl overdoses could distort death certificates - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/coroners-warn-bill-renaming-fentanyl-overdoses-could-distort-death-certificates-center-square/) - “Too many angel families feel forced into silence because of the stigma surrounding… ‘overdose death,’” state Sen. Sue Rezin said. “This bill helps to elevate the conversation…and give families some peace in properly describing what happened to their loved ones, by renaming or reclassifying their death as a poisoning."
- [Illinois reparations commission releases lengthy report of state's 'harms' against Black citizens - FOX News](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-reparations-commission-releases-lengthy-report-of-states-harms-against-black-citizens-fox-news/) - Illinois African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission (ADCRC) Chair Marvin Slaughter, Jr. said, "By grounding our work in historical evidence and the lived experiences of those who have experienced harm, we are laying the foundation for informed and meaningful reparative action."
- [Big money and national issues collide in ‘quarter-century opportunity’ to succeed U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky - Chicago Tribune/Yahoo](https://wirepoints.org/big-money-and-national-issues-collide-in-quarter-century-opportunity-to-succeed-u-s-rep-jan-schakowsky-chicago-tribune-yahoo/) - It’s a contest that encapsulates how much the Democratic Party has transformed in the Trump era, the growing influence of outside money in safe-blue districts and the generational shift in a seat long anchored by Chicago’s liberal Jewish political tradition.
- [Palm Card: Bears face the elephant in the room - WBBM (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/palm-card-bears-face-the-elephant-in-the-room-wbbm-chicago/) - Long-awaited action in the Illinois General Assembly illustrated that if the Bears want to build in Arlington Heights, the team must go through Chicago first.
- [Chicago Named Among 5 Finalists To Host The 2028 Democratic National Convention - Block Club Chicago](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-named-among-5-finalists-to-host-the-2028-democratic-national-convention-block-club-chicago/) - Chicago hosted the 2024 Democratic National Convention, with much of its events taking place at the United Center. The event saw widespread protests near the United Center and Downtown over the party’s handling of the war in Gaza.
- [Mayor Brandon Johnson says Chicago Bears should still consider city for new stadium - NBC5 (Chicago)](https://wirepoints.org/mayor-brandon-johnson-says-chicago-bears-should-still-consider-city-for-new-stadium-nbc5-chicago/) - "We had an entire press conference, with a proposal on the lakefront two years ago,” he said. “How do you have an entire proposal with the Bears, with the city of Chicago, with labor, with the notion that somehow the greatest, the most fruitful, economic viable prime real estate anywhere in the state, anywhere in the region is somehow not suited for world affairs?”
- [7 things to know about Illinois data centers - Illinois Policy](https://wirepoints.org/7-things-to-know-about-illinois-data-centers-illinois-policy/) - Among them: data center developments approved by the state and governed by a memorandum of understanding receive substantial sales tax exemptions and other benefits for up to 20 years, issued in renewable five-year increments as long as compliance requirements are met. These incentives, intended to attract large-scale investment, shift costs to taxpayers.
- [Paul Vallas: Stemming Violence in Chicago Requires Closing the Pipeline of Future and Repeat Offenders - Chicago Contrarian](https://wirepoints.org/paul-vallas-stemming-violence-in-chicago-requires-closing-the-pipeline-of-future-and-repeat-offenders-chicago-contrarian/) - "The fact Chicago remains among cities with higher crime rates is due in large part to the absence of a serious strategy to keep Chicago’s youth in school, reclaim those who have dropped out, and provide the education and occupational training needed for those who have entered the criminal justice system."
- [Cook County Homeowners, Small Businesses Allege Costly Assessment Errors as Tax Bills Arrive - Chicagoland Journal](https://wirepoints.org/cook-county-homeowners-small-businesses-allege-costly-assessment-errors-as-tax-bills-arrive-chicagoland-journal/) - Omero Morales said his Bridgeview property was assessed at 2,141 square feet when it is actually 1,273 square feet. He estimates the discrepancy cost his family nearly $5,000 in overpaid taxes. “I followed the rules,” Morales said. “I applied for the correction, and I’m still waiting to be made whole.”
- [Illinois diversity commissioner did not properly disclose $23K side job - Center Square](https://wirepoints.org/illinois-diversity-commissioner-did-not-properly-disclose-23k-side-job-center-square/) - Each commissioner makes about $150,000 a year but have lax schedules and fewer responsibilities compared with their counterparts elsewhere in state government. Further, they are allowed by law to work other paid jobs, unlike other state board members.
- [How Illinois’ Road Fund will help fund transit, especially in the Chicago region - Capitol News IL](https://wirepoints.org/how-illinois-road-fund-will-help-fund-transit-especially-in-the-chicago-region-capitol-news-il/) - Senate Bill 2111, which passed in the final hours of the last day of the session, redirects a projected $860 million in sales tax revenue charged on motor fuels from the Illinois Road Fund to public transportation operations. The bill distributes 85 percent of the diverted funds to Chicago-area transit and 15 percent to downstate transit agencies, and raises a sales tax in the Chicago area.
- [Lincoln Park High School students protest ICE - Axios](https://wirepoints.org/lincoln-park-high-school-students-protest-ice-axios/) - The march was organized by the LPHS chapter of Civic Leaders of America, which organized its yearly student rally around "No Kings" last year and chose immigration as its focus this year. Organizers hope to build on the momentum and join forces with other local high schools to "empower young people throughout CPS."
- [From Colorado to Virginia, blue states try California’s failing model - New York Post](https://wirepoints.org/from-colorado-to-virginia-blue-states-try-californias-failing-model-new-york-post/) - "Illinois is what happens when you ignore the early warning signs for three decades straight. The state has shed 1.6 million people since 2000 — third worst in America, keeping distinguished company alongside California and New York. Chicago’s population hovers near a century-long low. The state has added 28,000 government jobs since 2019 and lost 1,900 private-sector ones. It ranks first nationwide in taxes, extracts the most, and produces the least — a remarkable achievement in reverse-engineering prosperity."
- [Chicago Watch: Bond Downgrades and Secret Borrowing - Stump](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-watch-bond-downgrades-and-secret-borrowing-stump/) - By actuary Mary Pat Campbell.
- [‘It’s just a bad idea’: Suburban officials oppose Pritzker’s plan to reduce local control over residential zoning - Daily Herald*](https://wirepoints.org/its-just-a-bad-idea-suburban-officials-oppose-pritzkers-plan-to-reduce-local-control-over-residential-zoning-daily-herald/) - State Rep. Martin McLaughlin criticized Gov. JB Pritzker and his staff for not letting suburban officials know about the proposal before he unveiled it in his speech. The opposition to the bill isn’t partisan, McLaughlin said. “Zoning is one of the great protectors we have for investment,” he said. “Zoning is not (there) to exclude. Zoning is to protect.”

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- [175 Cities](https://wirepoints.org/175-cities/) - COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS Hitting communities hard More than half of Illinois cities get “F” grades for local pensions Rising costs for Illinois’ 650 local pension funds are wreaking havoc on city budgets, taxpayer wallets and the retirement security of hundreds of thousands of police, firefighter and municipal workers and retirees.Local officials can do little about
- [Amendment 1 Originals](https://wirepoints.org/amendment1originals/) - Over 460 soon-to-expire teachers union contracts and the ‘Workers’ Rights’ Amendment make Illinois’ April school board elections critical. – Wirepoints December 20, 2022 14 Comments The school board candidates Illinoisans elect in April will be the first to negotiate new contracts under the “Workers Rights” Amendment. In all, more than half of Illinois’ 860 school
- [Property Taxes](https://wirepoints.org/property-taxes/) - Are Chicagoans about to be hammered by more property tax hikes? – Wirepoints July 25, 2025 27 Comments Property tax hikes are about to pile up on Chicagoans. Everyday Chicagoans and businesses are being taxed out because government officials simply won’t stop spending. Read More » Yes, a positive story. A victory for everyday Illinoisans
- [Progressive Tax](https://wirepoints.org/progressive-tax/) - Gov. Pritzker walks back his “no tax increase” comments…is a hike on the way? – Wirepoints February 6, 2025 29 Comments It looks like the next attempt at an Illinois tax hike may well be on its way given Gov. Pritzker’s recent walk-back of his “no tax increase” comments. In case you haven’t been paying
- [Out-migration](https://wirepoints.org/out-migration/) - Manipulated maps, hypocrisy and Illinois’ collapsing Congressional influence – Wirepoints August 12, 2025 14 Comments Gov. Pritzker wants to be a national hero for the “resistance,” but there’s a problem: Illinois is far from the influential powerhouse he portrays it to be. Illinois has been bleeding people relative to the rest of the country for
- [Jobs & Labor](https://wirepoints.org/labor/) - What happened to private sector job growth, Gov. Pritzker? – Wirepoints August 5, 2025 16 Comments Illinois private sector job growth under Gov. Pritzker has been almost nonexistent, a fact that stands in stark contrast to his administration’s recent brag about record jobs numbers. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Illinois has
- [Immigration](https://wirepoints.org/immigration/) - The toxic combination of Illinois’ sanctuary status and the SAFE-T Act – Wirepoints July 22, 2025 13 Comments His alleged crimes were heinous. Abuse of a corpse. Concealing a death and obstruction of justice. Class 4 felonies. It’s an infuriating example of how criminals in Illinois are prioritized over victims and their families. And how
- [Education](https://wirepoints.org/education/) - Sen. Durbin throws Illinois students under the bus, including kids from his own East St. Louis – Wirepoints July 1, 2025 5 Comments Sen. Dick Durbin opposes a new federal program that would deliver school choice to students in all 50 states, called the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). The program, supported by the
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- [COVID-19 Impact](https://wirepoints.org/covid-19-impact/) - U of Illinois gives ‘highest standards in public service’ award to…wait for it…Anthony Fauci – Wirepoints April 5, 2024 54 Comments It’s truly difficult to understand how anybody, particularly in a governmental affairs unit of a major university, plus a U.S. Senator, can be this detached from reality. Read More » As Illinois Covid
- [Corruption](https://wirepoints.org/corruption/) - The Bally’s ripoff – Wirepoints May 13, 2025 8 Comments While Bally’s explicit racism was clearly unconstitutional, it wasn’t what really bothered us about its securities offering. What really got us was that it was sold by Chicago officials as an opportunity for them to build “generational wealth” and was a “benefit to the black
- [Chicago Issues](https://wirepoints.org/chicago-issues/) - Growth killer: Chicago’s potential corporate head tax. – Wirepoints July 31, 2025 8 Comments Mayor Brandon Johnson is considering reenacting the city’s corporate head tax. The mayor calls it an “option” as the city deals with multiple years of billion-dollar budget deficits. His constant arguments for more tax hikes is a growth killer for a
- [Budget & Taxes](https://wirepoints.org/budget-finance/) - Oberweis & Lauf Again Face Off for Congress – in Florida — McHenry County Blog April 2, 2026 1 Comment Read More » Why do we pay nearly $100K in salary for each Illinois lawmaker? – Wirepoints July 7, 2025 6 Comments We didn’t opine on the nearly $5,000 raise lawmakers gave themselves at the
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- [Cook County Pension Data](https://wirepoints.org/illinoispensionfacts/cook-county/) - Cook County has three public pension funds: for general employees, forest preserve workers and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District employees.
- [State Pension Data](https://wirepoints.org/illinoispensionfacts/state/) - The State of Illinois manages five separate pension systems for SERS, SURS, JRS, GARS and TRS) outside Chicago. All five pension funds are extremely unhealthy.
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- [Chicago Pension Data](https://wirepoints.org/illinoispensionfacts/chicago/) - The officially-reported combined shortfall of Chicago’s four city-run pension funds grew to $32.0 billion in 2020
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- [Gotion](https://wirepoints.org/gotion/) - Big win for taxpayers and common sense: ‘No Gotion’ restrictions on federal tax credits will become law – Wirepoints July 5, 2025 13 Comments Think what you want about the rest of the “Big Beautiful Bill” now heading for President Trump’s signature, but part of it is a triumph for sure: Federal taxpayers won’t pay
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- [Amendment 1 articles](https://wirepoints.org/amendment1articles/) - The details of one deadly weekend in Chicago: 71 shot, 9 dead. – Wirepoints June 22, 2024 27 Comments Chicago’s carnage last weekend. It’s ugly and cold. But it’s the harsh reality of what’s happening in the Windy City. This past weekend (June 14-16) more than 71 people were shot and 9 people killed. Most
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- [Elementor Single Page #223848](https://wirepoints.org/?elementor_library=elementor-single-page-223848) - COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS Hitting communities hard More than half of Illinois cities get “F” grades for local pensions Rising costs for Illinois’ 650 local pension funds are wreaking havoc on city budgets, taxpayer wallets and the retirement security of hundreds of thousands of police, firefighter and municipal workers and retirees.Local officials can do little about
- [Original Stories Section](https://wirepoints.org/?elementor_library=elementor-single-page-223805) - Wirepoints’ Mark Glennon on Chicago’s property tax bills – AM560/YouTube November 19, 2025 18 Comments Chicago teeters on a tax revolt as the lying becomes sociopathic and the working class has one of its few chances at intergenerational wealth seized. Click here for the interview. Read More » Wirepoints’ Mark Glennon interview on AM560: ‘We
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## Tags

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- [illinois bonds](https://wirepoints.org/tag/illinois-bonds/)
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