| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | | Presented by |  | | | Good Thursday morning, Illinois. Thank you to the film buffs who shared their favorite Chicago movies for today’s Reader Digest. It’s a great list.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | 
Gov. JB Pritzker, surrounded by lawmakers, signs the 2025 budget in Chicago on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. | Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP | GOV. JB PRITZKER signed his sixth balanced budget Wednesday. At $53.1 billion, it’s the largest in state history and was just one piece of a packed day of news for the governor. A little bit of gloating: “We’ve heard complaints every year [that] ‘The next year’s going to be terrible,” Pritzker said during the low-key signing ceremony in his state office in Chicago. “You heard that in 2021. You heard that in 2022. You heard that in 2023. You’re hearing it in 2024. People say it every year, and you know what we’ve done? Balance the budget every single year.” The day got busier: The governor took meetings in his office before sitting down for a Q&A at a national Social Innovation Summit being held this week in the Loop. The subject was about Illinois’ economic development successes, including establishing Chicago as a Quantum hub. Pritzker also hit some bumps. A Springfield judge ruled that legislation Pritzker signed a few weeks ago is unconstitutional. The law would have prevented Republicans from slating legislative candidates for the November general election in contests where they had not fielded a primary candidate. It was a measure pushed by Democrats in the General Assembly. There were sharp words: The governor criticized U.S. Senate Republicans who blocked a contraceptive access bill. Pritzker called it “shameful” and “a clear sign of their plans to reduce to rubble any remaining reproductive rights in this country,” in a statement from his Think Big America political organization. Our take: The biggest storylines in Illinois on Wednesday led back to Pritzker. His team says it’s just an average day. The headlines: Democrats declare ‘Illinois is on the right track’ as Pritzker signs $53.1B budget: “Pritzker has yet to sign a revenue package that includes roughly $750 million in tax hikes necessary to balance the budget, but said Wednesday he plans to do so without making any changes,” by the Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner. The governor swept away the notion that the low-key bill-signing was due to any intraparty feuds, by the Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles Judge blocks law that would have banned newly slated candidates from ballot, by Capitol News Hannah Meisel
| | THE BUZZ | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias plans to announce his office is awarding $2 million in “first-ever technology focused grants” to 113 municipal libraries located in underserved areas throughout the state. Watch for Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia to join in the announcement. The goal: To narrow digital divides. "We have a responsibility to ensure that all communities, regardless of location or wealth, have access to the best library programming beyond just written materials,” Giannoulias said in a statement. The libraries will receive $27,500 or $12,500 grants to help purchase software or equipment. The numbers aren’t big, but some libraries have never received any state funding before now, according to Giannoulias’ office. More to come: This is the first announcement in what will be “a very busy summer,” according to Giannoulias’ team. The office plans to roll out more modernization initiatives that improve on customer convenience and resources, including for libraries. If you are Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | A message from Amazon: Abel turned a job at Amazon’s Rockford, Illinois fulfillment center into a transportation career, thanks to Amazon Career Choice. As the largest job creator in the U.S., Amazon is committed to helping their employees thrive with benefits starting on day one and free, on-the-job skills training. Discover more. | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events.
| | | WHERE's BRANDON | | | At the Garfield Park Gold Dome at 9 a.m. for a Chicago Park District's Citywide Broadband & Digital Equity Initiative announcement.
| | | Where's Toni | | | In Atlanta at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead at 9 a.m. for the annual National Organization of Black County Officials Conference. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
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Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley showcased what the Fiserv Forum will look like during the July 15-18 convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. | Shia Kapos/POLITICO | — IN MILWAUKEE: Organizers of the Republican National Convention revealed renderings of what Fiserv Forum will look like during the July 15-18 event. “It’s under construction. It’s starting to take shape,” said Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, who stood in front of an image of the convention stage in a lobby of the arena. Whatley said folks at the convention will see “a world class stage performance” and those viewing from the outside will see “a world class television production.” What reporters wanted to know: How will the convention run if nominee Donald Trump is in jail? “We expect President Trump will be here to accept the nomination. We're very excited about that. Obviously if we need to make contingency plans, we will. But right now, we're all full-steam ahead and expecting him to accept the nomination,” Whatley said.
| | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — Arlington Heights Trustee Nicolle Grasse is tapped for 53rd District House seat: “Grasse will fill the vacancy created when Mark Walker left the post last month to fill the seat in the 27th District Senate left vacant when Ann Gillespie accepted Gov. JB Pritzker’s appointment as head of the Illinois Department of Insurance,” by the Daily Herald’s Steve Zalusky. — Chicago School Board race: Ellen Rosenfeld, a Chicago Public Schools administrator, is announcing her run for the 4th District elected school board seat. Among those endorsing her are state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, state Rep. Ann Williams and Ald. Matt Martin (47th). Here’s the full list. — Pitchfork Music Festival is teaming up with the non-partisan, non-profit Chicago Votes, which works to get young people engaged in government and politics. The Pitchfork Music Festival is July 19 through 21.
| | | THE STATEWIDES | | | — INVESTIGATION |“No Schoolers”: How Illinois’ hands-off approach to homeschooling leaves children at risk: “At 9 years old, L.J. started missing school. His parents said they would homeschool him. It took two years — during which he was beaten and denied food — for anyone to notice he wasn’t learning,” by Capitol News’ Beth Hundsdorfer and Molly Parker. — Bill allows Illinois local government to get loans from state climate bank, by the Center Square’s Catrina Petersen — Springfield City Council approves ordinance requiring massage parlors to register with the city, by the State Journal Register’s Steven Spearie — Scholarship named for Lee Milner, via Lee Enterprises’ Brenden Moore
| | | | A message from Amazon:   | | | | | CHICAGO | | — Ald. Brian Hopkins pushes For 8 p.m. downtown curfew for minors after teens attack couple In Streeterville, by Block Club’s Melody Mercado — Ed Burke is asking for a new trial — with sentencing less than 3 weeks away, by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel — Concerned electric bikes, e-scooters and lithium-ion batteries are causing fires, a Chicago City Council committee pushes for safety standards, by WBEZ’s Tessa Weinberg
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — ‘Unprecedented demand’: Proposed 160-acre data center would be the largest in Lake County, by the Daily Herald’s Mick Zawislak — Hundreds of acres in Huntley to become Kane County forest preserve — but some land set aside for development, by Shaw Local’s Claire O’Brien
| | HIGHER-ED | | — Inspiring story: After graduating college while in prison for 22 years, Benard McKinley is about to start law school at Northwestern: “When he was 19 years old, McKinley was sentenced to 100 years in prison for a crime that he committed when he was 16… He successfully argued to reduce his own 100-year sentence down to 25 years,” by WTTW’s Brandis Friedman. — GRAD GIFT: The nearly 200 students graduating from the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice last week received some unexpected news: $1,000 each from an anonymous donor. Dean Deborah Gorman-Smith announced the gift during the Crown Family School’s hooding ceremony at Rockefeller Chapel. The donor’s message to grads: “Carrying the burden of making the world a better place can be exhausting,” Dean Gorman-Smith read from the donor’s remarks. “Celebrate this achievement. Do something unexpected. Do something for you — go jump in Lake Michigan, go two-stepping, visit your family, buy a trombone, enroll in a yoga class, celebrate, celebrate! Know that change happens slowly. The road is long.”
| | | | JOIN US ON 6/12 FOR A TALK ON THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY: As air travel soars again, policymakers and airlines are grappling with a series of contemporary challenges to the industry's future. Join POLITICO on June 12 for a topical and timely conversation with government leaders and aviation stakeholders about the state of the airline industry. From what passengers want to what airlines need amid the high demand for air traffic, workers and technology solutions. What can Washington do to ensure passengers and providers are equipped to fly right? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked about movies that depict Chicago: Matthew Beaudet: “‘About Last Night’ and please no John Hughes movies about suburbanites who briefly venture into Chicago.” Rick Bryant, Doug Crew and Kevin Lamm: “The Blues Brothers.” Judge John Curry: “‘Ferris Bueller's Day Off.’ No other movie glorifies Chicago as much as three truant teenagers exploring the highlights of the city’s downtown.” Kent Gray: “The Fugitive holds a special place for me. I was at the St. Patrick’s Day parade for the downtown chase scene. Tommy Lee Jones walked right in front of me.” Jen Kramer: “The Fugitive!” Kevin Lampe: “The Untouchables.” Fred Lebed: “Backdraft.” Jim Lyons: “St. Valentines Massacre.” Kate Moylan Mini: “Hoop Dreams.” Josh Mogerman: “High Fidelity.” Nancy Rotering and John Straus: “Ferris Bueller's Day Off.” James Scalzitti: "Only the Lonely." Raymond Sendejas: “‘The Fugitive.’ It covers much of the city from the SE side to the Loop and is filmed inside a bunch of iconic spaces like City Hall and the Hilton on Michigan Avenue — and a moving L train! And, it shows how much better it was when the parades were in the Loop.” Shelby Smith: “Windows.” Claude Walker: “‘Mickey One,’ an early Warren Beatty gritty noir.” Litesa E. Wallace: “Southside with You." Corrine Williams: “’Sleepless in Seattle’ or ‘Straight Talk’ (with Dolly Parton!). They display the skyline and the beauty of Chi, while having a feel good love story.” NEXT QUESTION: What library do you like and why? Email skapos@politico.com
| | SPOTTED | | — Some notable names gathered at Lux Bar in Chicago’s Gold Coast on Wednesday to support disability athletics organization Achilles International. In the crowd: State Reps. Curtis Tarver II and Margaret Croke, Mayor’s Office for People With Disabilities Commissioner Rachel Arfa and Chicago Park District Commissioner Rosa Ecareño. They heard from retired Army Master Sgt. Cedric King, a marathon runner who lost his legs in an explosion while serving in Afghanistan. He and attorney Carolyn Daley are running the Bank of America 13.1 Sunday to raise awareness for Achilles International.
| | | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Democrats hope Republicans who voted against the contraceptive bill pay a political price in November, by POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein — Biden squeezes Netanyahu on cease-fire talks, by POLITICO’s Nahal Toosi — Rahm Emanuel: U.S. is still a 'very reliable ally' on natural gas, via POLITICO Q&A — Florida Republicans moved to make vote by mail harder. It worked, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout
| | | | A message from Amazon: Amazon is committed to helping its employees and the communities where it operates thrive with free on-the-job skills training and prepaid tuition benefits.
Employees like Abel who turned an interest in trucks into a transportation career with help from Amazon Career Choice. “Because of Amazon Career Choice’s prepaid tuition, I was able to reach my goal,” said Abel, who was able to get his commercial drivers license with Amazon Career Choice.
See the impact. | | | | | EVENTS | | — Tuesday: Start Early’s annual luncheon features businessman James Reynolds Jr., the luncheon chair, and New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof, who will keynote the event. The nonprofit is led by Diana Rauner. Details here — June 13: The Tiny Home Summit 2.0 will feature Deputy Gov. for Health and Human Services Grace Hou, Chicago’s Chief Homelessness Officer, Sendy Liseth Soto, Ald. Maria Hadden and other notables in the tiny home space. Details here — June 19: Jonathan Eig, the 2024 Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “King: A Life,” and Professor Susannah Heschel, will headline a Juneteenth discussion at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center “on the enduring impact and legacy of friendship and coalition between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.” Susannah is the daughter of Rabbi Heschel. Pastor Chris Harris of Bright Star Church will moderate. Details here
| | TRIVIA | | WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Judith Weinstein and Rina Ranalli for correctly answering that “Daisy Jones & The Six” is a historical fiction book that follows the band that breaks up after a show in Chicago. TODAY’s QUESTION: Who was the first African-American charter member of the American College of Surgeons?
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Pritzker Organization Chair and CEO Thomas Pritzker, CPS CFO Miroslava Krug, Schuld Bushnell Tank’s Dave Stuaan, Secretary of State Digital Media Sirector Martin Burciaga, Chicago Theological Seminary Rev. Brian Smith, Datasite Sales Director Luke Phelan and comms strategist Sally Duros. -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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