| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | appy Tuesday, Illinois. Congrats to all the graduates — and their parents — for making it across the finish line.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | 
State lawmakers are close to finalizing the budget in Springfield. | Shia Kapos/POLITICO | IT’s CLOSE: State senators approved the framework for the state budget over the holiday weekend, and House lawmakers are headed back to Springfield to sign off on it before sending it to Gov. JB Pritzker. Don’t expect drama: The budget passed by the Senate is the same agreement that the governor, Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and the budgeteers agreed to last week, according to a person close to the governor's office. Sounds familiar: The $53.1 billion deal is largely what Pritzker laid out in his budget plan in February. It includes more than $750 million in various tax hikes, some of which were already on the books to be sunsetted — and lawmakers are carrying them over. The net operating loss tax, for example, is being extended and adjusted to give businesses a tax break. Also in the budget: There’s a progressive sports betting tax that will see the biggest operators pay more. The latest version of the budget also includes more money to combat homelessness, the $182 million the governor agreed to use for handling the ongoing migrant crisis (that’s the deal that was reached with Chicago and Cook County), a $350 million annual increase to fund elementary and secondary education (as per the state’s school funding formula) and $14 million for the newly created Department of Early Childhood agency. There’s a point of contention: Pritzker continues clashing with Illinois Senate over parole board, by the Tribune’s Dan Petrella and Jeremy Gorner. And there’s this: The budget also includes cost-of-living pay raises of about 5 percent for state lawmakers. The grocery bill: The Senate version of the budget includes Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the statewide grocery tax in 2026, and it gives local governments an option to include it in their communities. Get used to it: The budget was supposed to be wrapped up Friday, but haggling continued through the weekend. Last-minute negotiations are likely to be the norm going forward if the economy keeps growing at a slower pace. Gone are the days of exponential growth that left extra money on the table for lawmakers to play with. The challenge: There aren’t a lot of options for tax increases or to make cuts in order to get more revenue, which makes long-term planning difficult. “Even after Pritzker's five-year record of enhancing investment in core services, we're still spending less today on an inflation adjusted basis across the board on all core services than we did in the year 2000,” Ralph Martire, the executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability in Chicago, told Playbook. “That's damning for a state the size of Illinois.” What a ‘doozy’: Harmon, the Senate president, acknowledged that budgeteering has shifted to a new dimension this year. In his closing remarks Sunday at the Capitol, he said every legislative session “has its own rhythm, and each budget is its own beast — and this one was a doozy.” From reporting teams in Springfield: — “The path ahead will test the unity of the Democratic Party that has full control of state government,” reports the Tribune’s team — Senate President Don Harmon "confident" that the House will pass the spending plan and associated budget bills as-is, by Lee Enterprises’ Brenden Moore — Republicans called it “another example of a long list of misplaced priorities,” by the Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles — Some Democrats still hope for more funding amid a year with tighter fiscal restraints, by the State Journal-Register’s Patrick M. Keck
| | THE BUZZ | | PARTY POLITICS: Illinois Republicans united behind former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign during their state convention in Collinsville over the weekend. They also got behind a platform that attacks Democrats for supporting abortion rights, eliminating cash bail and promoting transgender identity, according to the Tribune’s Rick Pearson and Jeremy Gorner. Cheering for Trump: “Joe Biden’s vision for the country and JB Pritzker’s vision for the state is, it’s a disaster, and may I say, even that it’s evil,” Congresswoman Mary Miller, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, said during the conference. Roll call: Miller was also elected to be the delegation leader of Illinois and could be the voice we hear during roll call to support Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. There was drama: The election to determine the new Republican National Committee members became divisive. An election had to be held because current members Richard Porter and Demetra DeMonte will see their terms come up at the end of the convention. How it played out: Republican State Central Committeeman Dean White was elected to replace Porter after Lake County GOP Chair Mark Shaw was twice rejected during voting on the convention floor. Shaw dropped out, opening the lane for White. Rhonda Belford, the Hardin County GOP chair, will replace DeMonte after the convention. “There are always going to be disagreements. You see that among Democrats, too,” DeMonte told Playbook after the convention. Her take: “There wasn't any disunity.” If you are Mark Shaw, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | | At City Hall at 9 a.m. along with the Department of Aviation for the Satellite 1 O'Hare Announcement — At the Four Seasons at 2 p.m. for the Chicago Fashion Week media reception.
| | | Where's Toni | | | No official public events. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | | | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — ‘A Gift’: Abortion offers 2028 prospects a chance to hone their message: Gov. JB Pritzker is among notable Democrats traveling across the country to speak out on abortion rights ahead of the November election. The abortion issue also offers a glimpse into what these potential candidates for 2028 see as their strengths and how they might try to separate from the pack — even as they insist their only focus is 2024, by POLITICO’s Rachel Bluth, Alice Miranda Ollstein, Christopher Cadelago and your Playbook host.
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — A 19th century flag disrupts leadership at Lincoln museum in Springfield and prompts a state investigation: “The flag’s acquisition through an online auction for more than $15,000 precipitated an investigation by Illinois’ Office of the Executive Inspector General about money used for the purchase,” by The Associated Press’ John O’Connor. — Illinois carbon capture rules head to Pritzker, by Lee Enterprises’ Brenden Moore — Health insurance changes targeting ‘utilization management,’ more will head to governor, by Capitol News’ Peter Hancock — Maternal health, abortion protection measures advance as session nears end, by Capitol News’ Alex Abbeduto — Selective enrollment bill tabled after plea from Mayor Brandon Johnson, by Crain’s Leigh Giangreco — Prairie Band Potawatomi land deal clears Senate, will head back to House, by Capitol News’ Peter Hancock — Construction of new multi-million dollar hotel underway in Springfield, by the State Journal-Register’s Claire Grant
| | CHICAGO | | — Pastor criticized for having no transit experience withdraws from RTA Board nomination: “Rev. Ira Acree said the City Council and most agency boards should be vacated if alderpeople now want to only go off experience,” by the Block Club’s Mack Liederman. — Partial closures of DuSable Lake Shore Drive begin for pavement repairs, by Jake Wittich for the Sun-Times
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — 2 ex-jail officials say they were fired after claiming they were coerced into political work for Sheriff Tom Dart: “Drake Carpenter and Aracelis Gotay were suspended without pay in March of 2022 amid a federal investigation involving the sheriff’s office. They say they were fired after alleging in a lawsuit that they were pushed into working on Dart’s 2022 reelection bid,” by the Sun-Times’ Andy Grimm. — Class action suit claims Evanston’s reparations program is unconstitutional: “Plaintiffs allege they are ‘irreparably harmed’ by program’s limitation to Black ancestors and descendants, seek their own $25,000 payments,” by the Evanston RoundTable’s Alex Harrison. — Did the Kane County sheriff's office blow chance to arrest a suspect hours before killing him? by the Sun-Times’ Robert Herguth — The ‘Home Alone’ house is back on the market after 12 years, by The Wall Street Journal’s E.B. Solomont
| | TAKING NAMES | | — Tom Ricketts has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association. Ricketts is executive chair of the Chicago Cubs. Receiving Ambassador of Hospitality Awards were Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority CEO Larita Clark, The Prime Group CEO Michael Reschke and Oxford Capital Group CEO John Rutledge.
| | PLAYBOOK READS | | — In ‘Killing Time,’ an attorney confronts her time with John Wayne Gacy: Karen Conti was a 28-year-old attorney when she represented Gacy, who was executed by lethal injection at Stateville Correctional Center on May 10, 1994. “She was compelled during the quiet of the pandemic to revisit her time with Gacy” and has written “a surprisingly compelling book, ‘Killing Time with John Wayne Gacy: Defending America’s Most Evil Serial Killer on Death Row,’” by the Tribune’s Rick Kogan.
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT: The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked about what political yard signs should say: Carlton Hull: “Stand up and be counted!” NEXT QUESTION: Where do you like to bike?
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — 'Absolutely fed up': Sen. Tammy Duckworth mulls ways to force Pentagon to boost incentive pay for Guardsmen and Reservists, by Military.com’s Rebecca Kheel
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Dems in full-blown ‘freakout’ over Biden, by POLITICO’s Christopher Cadelago, Sally Goldenberg and Elena Schneider — 5 issues that could determine Trump’s guilt in the hush money trial, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein — Criminal justice backlash heads to the California ballot, by POLITICO’s Jeremy B. White
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Hannah Flath is now climate comms manager at the Illinois Environmental Council. She was comms coordinator with Sierra Club Illinois.
| | | TRIVIA | | | FRIDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Matthew Beaudet for correctly answering that the 1864 gunfight between the Copperheads (Southern sympathizers) and Union soldiers was in Charleston, Ill. TODAY’s QUESTION: What notable "first" did Illinois play in the history of the U.S. Military Academy (West Point)?
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Former Congressman Aaron Schock, political strategist Jayme Odom, entrepreneur Matthew Pritzker, MolsonCoors chief comms officer Adam Collins, 1833 Group Fundraising VP Hannah Bartholf, trial attorney Shawn Kasserman, ACCESS Sales Manager Jen Kramer and Young Invincibles Midwest Midwest Policy Manager Hannah Keller. -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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