| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. Bundle up for the below-freezing temps that are on the way.
|  | TOP TALKER | | BOTTOM DOLLAR: As the City of Chicago winds down its budget negotiations, state lawmakers are gearing up. 20 days: That’s how long Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City Council have to pass a budget by the Dec. 31 deadline or risk imperiling the city. Don’t worry. It looks like they’ll finish in time. The first hurdle: On Tuesday, Johnson’s proposed budget eked out approval from the Finance Committee (by two votes) and the Budget Committee (by one vote), which means the proposal is now headed to the full City Council for approval Friday (after parliamentary action today). What’s in it: A proposed $68.5 million property tax hike and increases on the property lease tax charged on cars, software and cloud computing (from 9 percent to 11 percent) and the amusement tax on streaming services (from 9 percent to 10.25 percent), according to the Tribune’s A.D. Quig. Her full report is here. Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th), who has criticized Johnson’s handling of the budget rollout, voted yes after the administration agreed to codify changes to improve the budget process going forward, reports Crain’s Justin Laurence. His report is here. Down in Springfield: With pandemic-relief funds winding down, state lawmakers are having to get their arms around a $3.1 billion deficit next year. It starts by learning to say no to pricey projects like building stadiums for the Bears or White Sox, according to Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, who spoke at the Crain’s Chicago Business' Power Breakfast, by Crain’s John Pletz. “There is absolutely no appetite in Springfield to spend taxpayer dollars to subsidize billionaire sports franchises,” Harmon said. And Welch echoed that: “People are talking about groceries and rent. For us to give billionaires taxpayer money to fund a stadium would be the last thing voters want us to do.”
| | | THE BUZZ | | | NOT BITING: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s team isn’t engaging in a tit for tat with Tom Homan, the immigration hard-liner tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be “border czar.” During a raucous speech in Chicago on Monday, Homan attacked Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker for criticizing plans to send federal immigration authorities to Chicago to deport illegal immigrants. Illinois is a sanctuary state and Chicago is a sanctuary city, meaning there are laws that prevent local law enforcement from working with ICE. Picking a fight: “If [the mayor] doesn’t want to help, get the hell out of the way because I’ll do it for him,” Homan said after declaring “The biggest deportation operation this country has ever seen … starts right here in Chicago, Illinois.” Not engaging: Pritzker’s team brushed off Homan on Monday, and Johnson’s team did the same. Jason Lee, the mayor’s senior adviser, dismissed Homan’s hyped comments as red meat for a political crowd, adding Chicago can only hope “those contexts are different” from “how he might communicate in a formal capacity” with the mayor of Chicago, reports the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman. Her story is here. There could be a reason why Illinois Democrats aren’t engaging with Homan. They know he likes the fight. “I read the paper every morning, and there are a lot of hit pieces on me,” Homan said Monday. “I love it because I get to live in their minds rent free and that’s kinda cool.” Illinois’ DC delegation is ready to fight: “Tom Homan, the next time you come to #IL03 —a district made stronger and more powerful by immigrants — you better be ready to meet the resistance,” Congresswoman Delia Ramirez posted on X. “You may think Chicago needs to get out of the way of Trump's plans for mass deportation, but we plan to get ALL UP IN YOUR WAY.” Meanwhile, Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth urged Biden to take decisive action on immigration before he leaves office, by the Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet RELATED Advocates hope local sanctuary laws can help protect undocumented immigrants from, but will they? by WBEZ’s Adriana Cardona-Maguigad
| | WHERE'S JB | | At 555 West Monroe Street at 2 p.m. to announce new housing initiatives — At the Michael A Bilandic Building at 4:30 p.m. for the lighting of the State Menorah
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | In City Hall at 10 a.m. to preside over the City Council meeting
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: skapos@politico.com
| | | | REGISTER NOW: As the 118th Congress ends, major decisions loom, including healthcare appropriations. Key focus: site neutrality. Can aligning hospital and clinic costs cut federal spending, reflect physician costs, and lower patient expenses? Join policymakers and providers to discuss. | | | | | | | THE STATEWIDES | | — Gov. JB Pritzker appoints former Chicago transportation official Gia Biagi to head IDOT: “Pending approval from the state Senate, Biagi will replace Omer Osman, who is retiring after holding the top post at the Illinois Department of Transportation since 2019, the year Pritzker became governor,” by the Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner. — A staffer in state Rep. Barbara Hernandez’s office falls ill after opening suspicious mail: “The worker in the Aurora office was taken to a hospital. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating,” by the Daily Herald’s Susan Sarkauskas. — MADIGAN TRIAL: Jury in Madigan corruption trial hears more on alleged Chinatown land transfer scheme, by the Tribune’s Jason Meisner and Megan Crepeau — 10 final designs for the next Illinois state flag include corn kernels, Abraham Lincoln and a butterfly, by WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is disappointed that the flags that are finalists don’t acknowledge “the historic and enduring contributions of tribal nations to the region,” according to a statement. — Sonya Massey's father speaks out on possible release of Grayson: 'This makes absolutely no sense,' by the State Journal Register’s Steven Spearie — These new Illinois laws are going into effect on Jan. 1, by MyStateline’s John Clark
| | CHICAGO | | — CPS School Board is not expected to act on CEO Pedro Martinez’s contract on Thursday: “There’s nothing on the agenda related to Martinez’s contract for the last scheduled meeting of the year. The mayor’s office has been making moves to push the CEO out for months,” by the Sun-Times’ Nader Issa and WBEZ’s Sarah Karp. — High-ranking Chicago cop faces suspensions for disparaging gays, leaking kids' records to deputy mayor, by the Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba — Chicago Symphony receives ‘transformational’ $50M gift from Helen Zell and the late Sam Zell, via the Tribune’s Doug George — JB Pritzker’s property tax bill will be nearly $1.29M, by Crain’s Dennis Rodkin — Pritzker rode the CTA’s holiday train, and the Sun-Times has pics — Judge rejects sale of Alex Jones’ Infowars to The Onion, which is based in Chicago, by The Associated Press
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Beth McElroy Kirkwood has been appointed by Gov. JB Pritzker to fill the vacant seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Board of Commissioners. Kirkwood has worked in multiple Orland Park city departments. She'll fill the vacancy left by Mariyana Spyropoulos, who was elected Cook County Circuit Court clerk last month. — Arlington Heights pastor, the Rev. Clyde Brooks, reflects on decades of fighting for civil rights: “Brooks established the Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations. The organization hosts its 55th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance Dinner Saturday at Cotillion Banquets in Palatine,” by the Daily Herald’s Madhu Krishnamurthy. — 1,400 council meetings later: Palatine honors Greg Solberg for 37 years of service, by the Daily Herald’s Steve Zalusky
| | | | Billions in spending. Critical foreign aid. Immigration reform. The final weeks of 2024 could bring major policy changes. Inside Congress provides daily insights into how Congressional leaders are navigating these high-stakes issues. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked for your take on cursing in public. Randy Bukas: “A person that curses shows me their lack of a vocabulary. It also shows me the lack of parental guidance and respect.” Mike Gascoigne: “Saying a swear word publicly is nowhere near as bad as many of the swear-free policy ideas Republicans have.” Carlton Hull: “No colorful language in public!” John Mark Hansen: “As a too-frequent offender myself, it’s a contributor to the regrettable coarseness of our social discourse these days and we ought all to rein it back.” Neil James: “To each their own, but it's not for me. My parents instilled in me early on to always make a good first impression and to build upon that as you never know who is watching and listening.” William Kresse: “Cursing in public is like a $20 bill hidden in your wallet — good to know you have it, but save it for when you really need it.” Pat McCann: “I do too damn much of it!” Kevin P. Morris: “It is inappropriate, uncivil, and degrades society.” Jeff Nathan: “Why the hell are you asking me that.” Omari Prince: “Sometimes, it's necessary based on the circumstances.” Timothy Thomas: “I've been told that it is a sign of a limited vocabulary (excepting my political idol, Harold Washington.” Barry Tusin: “Billy Graham once told Johnny Carson he never swore — Carson asked, "What do you say when you hit your finger with a hammer?" Graham responded, "Ouch!" Cursing is a choice.” Next question: What’s the theme of your holiday card this year? Email skapos@politico.com
| | DELEGATION | | — Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) questioned Postmaster General Louis DeJoy during a hearing with the House Oversight and Accountability Commitee. She pressed DeJoy about his “Delivering for America Plan,” which proposes consolidating the Champaign and Springfield Processing and Distribution Centers in Illinois. “This would result in outgoing mail traveling all the way to Chicago or St. Louis before being sent to its final destination. For reference — Champaign and Chicago are over 130 miles apart; Springfield and St. Louis are about 100 miles apart,” Budzinski’s team points out.
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Silicon Valley CEOs and billionaires are descending on the capital with ideas about how they can do everything better, by POLITICO’s Derek Robertson — The theory of “social banditry” may explain why some cheered the “stone-cold” murder of a CEO, by POLITICO’s Joshua Zeitz — Trump allies race to snuff out GOP dissent in the Senate, by POLITICO’s Ally Mutnick — RFK Jr. becomes latest troubled Trump pick, by POLITICO’s Ursula Perano — Congresswoman Nancy Mace calls police on Illinois foster youth advocate; eyewitnesses dispute her assault allegations, by The Imprint’s John Kelly
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Jose Sanchez Molina has been named director of policy and government affairs at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. He had been associate director of strategic communications for Results for America and Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities. He also had worked in the governor's office.
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Dan Fabian, radio executive whose ideas made WGN a power, dies at 81, by the Sun-Times’ Emmanuel Camarillo
| | TRIVIA | | TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Marshall Hatlee for correctly answering that the University of Chicago Maroons withdrew from the Big Ten in 1946. TODAY’s QUESTION: What was the name of the labor organization started in Gillespie in 1932? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, Appellate Judge Nathaniel Howse Jr., consultant and former state Rep. Elaine Nekritz, retired Illinois Transportation exec Doug House, election attorney Burt Odelson, Brown Strategy CEO Josh Brown, FOP political director Mike Cosentino and Nathan Cummings Fellow Anna Claussen. -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 | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment