Capital Facts

Chicago mayor may be passing up two good money making opportunities

Published by admin on Tue, 09/24/2019 - 8:00am

Whatever else you may believe, you have to commend Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot for trying to live up to her campaign promise of making sure that new economic development isn't concentrated in her city's downtown business district.
Her city casino proposal didn't include a downtown location because she said she wanted the development benefits to target an outlying area. Her adult-use cannabis plan also forbids retail sales downtown, for partially the same reason: Let the neighborhoods benefit.

Paying $6.61 billion in overdue bills while cutting budget won’t be easy

Published by admin on Sat, 09/14/2019 - 12:25pm

The governor's top budget people sent a memo last week to agency directors giving them a heads up about what will be required in their annual budget request submissions. They are not easy-peasy asks.

State Rep. says he won’t seek reelection and his party couldn’t be happier

Published by admin on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 8:30pm

Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) announced last week that he will not seek reelection. Instead, he said he'll likely be making a 2022 statewide bid for either U.S. Senate against Sen. Tammy Duckworth or secretary of state if Jesse White retires.
He may not be a household name, but Rep. McSweeney has been a huge thorn in Republican leadership's side since he first ran for the Illinois House in the 2012 primary.

Lightfoot wants Springfield involved with statewide bailout for Chicago

Published by admin on Sun, 09/01/2019 - 10:34am

The statement issued by Gov. JB Pritzker's office last Thursday night had some good advice for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who gave what was billed as a "State of the City" address earlier that evening.
Lightfoot had outlined the challenges facing the city, including an $838 million budget deficit and her need for Illinois government's help in changing some state laws to allow her to raise more tax revenues.

Mapes behaved like he was the most important person in Springfield

Published by admin on Mon, 08/26/2019 - 4:18pm

You don't have to read past the first sentence of Tim Mapes' statement last week to see one of the core problems with the way he ran the Illinois House Democratic operation.
Mapes was responding to an investigative report commissioned by House Speaker Michael Madigan to get to the bottom of allegations of sexual harassment and bullying in his Statehouse operation.
"For over 40 years," Mapes wrote in his response, "I had the privilege of serving in the Illinois State Legislature."
Um, no.

AFL-CIO has much to boast about during Carrigan’s exit

Published by admin on Tue, 08/20/2019 - 8:04am

The Illinois AFL-CIO hosted its annual State Fair reception last week. The highlight was probably a speech by Gov. JB Pritzker, who thanked his audience of union leaders for their support in the 2018 campaign and for their help passing an enormous amount of legislation during his first session of the General Assembly.
But there was also some real news. The event was the last time Michael Carrigan attended as the organization's president.

Here’s what happens when you’re disloyal to Mike Madigan

Published by admin on Fri, 08/02/2019 - 4:36pm

When House Speaker Michael Madigan announced in February of 2018 that he'd fired Kevin Quinn, the brother of Madigan's alderman and political general, he said he made the decision because of Quinn's "inappropriate conduct" with Alaina Hampton, whom he called a "courageous woman." Hampton had come forward with allegations of sexual harassment by Quinn and retaliation by Madigan's organization.
But Madigan also said at the time that Quinn had failed to "exercise the political judgment I expect of those affiliated with my political organizations and the Office of the Speaker."

Illinois lawmakers worry more about surviving the primaries

Published by admin on Mon, 07/29/2019 - 3:39pm

Most state legislators don't have to worry about next year's general election. The combination of gerrymandering and the simple fact that many of the state's regions are dominated by one party or the other pretty much guarantees that all but a handful of incumbents will sail through on the November ballot.
But first they have to survive the primary season. A Chicago Democrat has to worry about March 17, 2020 infinitely more than November 3rd. The same goes for most Downstate Republicans.

Will there be a special session for Sterigenics?

Published by admin on Mon, 07/22/2019 - 12:46pm

“Sterigenics should be completely shut down until we determine it can operate safely,” gubernatorial candidate JB Pritzker tweeted last October.

Illinois lawmaker going after fellow Republicans

Published by admin on Mon, 07/15/2019 - 1:21pm

For the second time this year, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin has stripped one of his member's access to a House communications staffer.
Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) is the most recent to lose his state-funded communications staff member. Earlier this year, Rep. Dave McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) lost his comms staffer for criticizing fellow Republican Rep. Steve Reick for allegedly making "racist" comments and calling on House GOP Leader Jim Durkin to resign for being a "fake Republican" and "corrupt insider."