THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Racism in Dem Chair battle?...Google buying JRTC...Pot sales...Will PQ make the will of the people the law of Chicago?
July 28, 2022
Good morning, Illinois.
If you didn’t catch it yesterday, we did a live stream for the first time. It’s something we’d like to do weekly. Let me know what you thought by watching below:
If you didn’t catch our Livestream yesterday, we spoke with Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), who represents Highland Park, on assault rifles and what the House may do about guns. We also talked politics with Rick Pearson of the Chicago Tribune. I appreciate both of those gentlemen taking time out of their day. Here’s the video if you missed it:
If you liked, disliked, or just didn’t care, I’d love to hear from you. If you find value in these kinds of programs, we want to provide good content for you. Let me know what you think, and be honest. I’m big boy, I can handle your criticism. Drop me a note at patrick@theillinoize.com.
Also, I was on WLS with Steve Cochran yesterday. You can hear those couple of segments here: https://www.wlsam.com/2022/07/27/make-politics-normal-again-patrick-pfingsten-the-illinoize/
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Illinois Democratic Party chair fight turns ugly with accusations of racism (NBC News)
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s push to unseat the state Democratic Party chair is growing messier by the day.
An Illinois abortion rights group joined the fray ahead of Saturday’s vote by opposing Rep. Robin Kelly, the first Black woman to chair the state party, in her bid for a full four-year term. That in turn prompted a Cook County official to lob racial accusations before she withdrew as a co-sponsor for a fundraiser hosted by the group.
“As a Black woman, I am mindful of the dog whistles used to raise legal questions about the first African American and first woman to lead the Democratic Party of Illinois,” Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller said in a statement Wednesday. “The party has flourished under [Kelly’s] leadership.”
Miller’s remarks came after the Congressional Black Caucus PAC entered the debate in support of Kelly, while the Illinois AFL-CIO announced it is backing the Pritzker-supported Latina candidate, state Rep. Lisa Hernandez.
And in an awkward exchange Tuesday at a joint news conference with the Democratic National Committee, at which Pritzker and Kelly at times stood side by side, a reporter asked Pritzker how he could say Democrats were united if he was trying to “boot” Kelly from her post.
Black congressman Bobby Rush just endorsed Hernandez. This is a power struggle between two white dudes (Pritzker and Durbin), not a black vs. white issue.
Google’s plan to take over Thompson Center a shot in the arm for downtown Chicago and for Gov. J.B. Pritzker (Chicago Tribune)
Nearly two decades after the state first considered a sale of the James R. Thompson Center, Google’s agreement to buy the iconic but controversial Loop building marks a key victory for both the central business district and for Gov. J.B Pritzker.
As he campaigns for reelection, the first-term Democrat has faced criticism over the state’s business climate and recent high-profile corporate departures. On Wednesday he was able to boast of a deal he called “a massive win for the city of Chicago and for Illinois taxpayers,” with his administration estimating the state will save nearly $1 billion over 30 years by consolidating office space and lowering operating costs.
“We’re saving taxpayers money. We’re growing high-paying jobs. We’re adding vitality to the Loop and improving the work environment for thousands of private- and public-sector employees,” Pritzker said. “Let the word go out that Chicago and Illinois are open for business.”
Under the agreement announced Wednesday morning at a news conference in the soaring atrium of the Helmut Jahn-designed Thompson Center, the state will be paid $30 million in cash and get the title to the former BMO Harris Bank headquarters at 115 S. LaSalle St., valued at $75 million, which will become a state office building.
It is a significantly altered version of a previously announced agreement to sell the Thompson Center to Reschke’s group for a $70 million upfront cash payment. That deal called for the state to buy back about a third of the renovated 1.2 million-square-foot building for more than double that amount.
This appears to have been a better deal for the state than the one originally agreed to. Kudos to the Governor’s team and CMS.
Marijuana sales and tax revenues in Illinois jumped 50% in the past year (Chicago Tribune)
Recreational marijuana sales and tax revenue due in Illinois both shot up 50% in the past fiscal year, the state reported.
Licensed state dealers generated $445 million in taxes due from about $1.5 billion in cannabis sales in the year ending June 30.
Weed taxes due to local governments also saw a significant jump, increasing 77%, from $83 million to $146 million.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a statement that a significant part of the money will be “reinvested in communities that have suffered for decades.”
By state law, 25% of taxes from cannabis sales go to areas that are poor, violent, or have high rates of drug arrests.
Cannabis is not my thing at all, and I only ever notice the “aroma” it emits, but hasn’t this law shown maybe it isn’t anything to be afraid of?
Quinn for mayor? Says he’ll decide by end of summer, sounds like he’s already in (Chicago Sun-Times)
Former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn said Tuesday he will decide by the end of summer whether to join the crowded field of candidates seeking to deny Mayor Lori Lightfoot a second term. But it sure sounds like he’s in.
“I served as governor for six years at a very difficult time for our state. [Rod] Blagojevich was removed from office. The national economy was really going in the ditch. Our state budget was a mess,” Quinn told the Sun-Times.
“I navigated our state through that and I think I can navigate our city through its crisis right now. You’ve got to have people who know what they’re doing and believe in everyday voters of our city. ... Nobody left out when it comes to rescuing Chicago.”
Quinn supported Lightfoot over County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in the 2019 mayoral runoff.
He spoke at a Lightfoot campaign rally. He gave her a campaign contribution. He put a Lightfoot sign on the front lawn of his Galewood home.
But that was before Lightfoot reneged on her campaign promise to fight for and abide by a two-term limit for the mayor of Chicago.
That forced Quinn to reprise the failed drive he waged four years ago — by introducing a citizen’s ordinance to get a binding referendum on the February ballot, imposing a two-term limit on Chicago mayors.
Now, Quinn calls Lightfoot a huge disappointment, in part because she broke that “solemn promise.”
Can’t think of a lot of people dying for Pat Quinn to get the limelight again in politics.
Related: Former Gov. Pat Quinn seeks to save 'sacred' Soldier Field name (Crain’s Chicago Business)
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