THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Trump stays on Illinois ballot for now...Some lawmakers want to roll back death tax...Bears stadium saga continues
February 1, 2024
Rabbit, rabbit.
Good morning, Illinois.
We’ll have a special newsletter for paid subscribers in a little while on congressional fundraising and health insurance for illegal/undocumented immigrants. Be on the lookout for that.
As you may have heard, Chicago Tribune writers are asking for a pause on clicks to the website today to send Alden Global Capital, the paper owner, a bit of a statement about how they’re doing a pretty crap job running the newspaper.
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To stand with them today, I’m not posting any Chicago Tribune links in the newsletter today. Instead of posting those stories, I encourage you to follow these incredible journalists on Twitter.
This isn’t a pro or anti union statement, it’s a pro-reporter statement.
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Governor Pritzker unveils an anti-violence initiative at 11am at the South Shore Cultural Center. The General Assembly comes back next week.
Let’s get to it.
YOUR THURSDAY FREE FOR ALL
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Battle to keep Trump off Illinois primary ballot moves to state court (Chicago Sun-Times)
A bid to block former President Donald Trump from Illinois’ March 19 primary ballot has moved to state court, where challengers to the likely 2024 Republican nominee are hoping to move quickly in a case expected to make its way to the Illinois Supreme Court.
The State Board of Elections unanimously voted Tuesday to reject the challenge to Trump’s candidacy , setting the stage for the new court battle.
A group of objectors went on to file a petition for judicial review in Cook County Circuit Court later Tuesday, insisting that Trump should be barred from the ballot “for having engaged in insurrection having previously sworn an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution.”
The state election board rejected the challenge on the grounds that the panel lacked statutory authority to determine whether Trump violated the 14th Amendment, which prohibits insurrectionists from seeking public office.
The new lawsuit says that decision should be reversed because it “has no basis in law or logic.” And even if the state board does lack authority, the lawsuit insists that “this court certainly does not.”
The objectors are asking the state court to move quickly, writing in a motion that “it is highly likely that the case will ultimately be resolved by the Illinois Supreme Court.”
They asked to appear before the court for arguments as soon as Monday. The case has been assigned to Cook County Judge Mary Trew, and court records show a hearing has been set for Friday.
Related: Thwarted by Elections Board, voters aiming to bar Trump from Illinois primary ballot seek expedited appeal (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Objectors to Trump's primary candidacy appeal to courts following SBE decision (State Journal-Register)
Trump remains on Illinois primary ballot for now (Bloomington Pantagraph)
Editorial: ISBE decision has value beyond whether Trump could remain on state's primary ballot (Daily Herald)
Legislation introduced to change Illinois estate tax (FarmWeek)
New bipartisan measures aimed at ensuring the preservation of family farms in the event of a family member’s death were announced Wednesday after years of attempting to reform the Illinois Estate and Generation Transfer Tax Act.
Supported by Illinois Farm Bureau, Senate Bill 2921, introduced by State Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, and House Bill 4600, introduced by State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, are identical bills that if passed would change the state’s estate tax, specific to farms.
“Illinois Farm Bureau is proud to support the Family Farm Preservation Act because our policy supports the preservation of family farms and this is a bipartisan effort to keep farm families on the family farm,” said Brian Duncan, IFB president. “We are grateful and excited to see members from all four caucuses (lend their support for the legislation).”
The measures are aimed at addressing the discrepancy between escalating farm estate evaluations and annual farm income.
“This is a historic day, we’ve got some legislation before us that really is long overdue,” Koehler said during a press conference at the Illinois Farm Bureau headquarters in Bloomington. “This is an industry that is made up of family farms … 96% of farms are family farms, so why would we risk that from being upset by people having to sell the farm to pay their estate tax.”
Chung said after a fall spent on combine rides with farmers, she learned the estate tax is a top concern.
“We’re really doing this to help bring a lot of relief to family farms and make sure that family farms stay within families,” Chung told RFD.
Currently, any estate in Illinois with a gross value of $4 million after inclusion of taxable gifts, is taxed in its entirety using a complex formula and is subject to a graduated state estate tax.
The three Democrats at the forefront of the issue are Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex), and Rep. Sharon Chung (D-Bloomington), all who have potentially challenging races in November. Call me a pessimist, but this sure feels like a press conference to be used in a TV ad this fall and little else.
Related: New legislation could change Illinois' estate tax for family farm operations (WGLT)
‘We don’t have a deal yet’: Bears and schools $100 million apart on property value of Arlington Park (Daily Herald)
The Chicago Bears and three Northwest suburban school districts are $100 million apart on how much they think the NFL franchise’s Arlington Park property is worth.
Attorneys for both sides presented their cases to the Cook County Board of Review Tuesday in a rare public display of the property tax battle that’s taken place mostly behind closed doors for nearly a year.
An appraisal presented by Northwest Suburban High School District 214, Palatine Township Elementary District 15 and Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 put the value of the 326-acre property in Arlington Heights at $160 million.
A different appraisal presented by the Bears suggested the land’s value is $60 million.
The longer this drags on, the more likely it is the Bears are playing at Soldier Field in 2033 and beyond.
Related: How much is the Arlington Park site worth now? The Bears and school districts are $100 million apart. (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Bears and suburban school districts are $100 million apart on value of Arlington Park (Chicago Sun-Times)
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POLITICAL POTPOURRI
Developers eyeing new White Sox stadium at The 78 meet with state Democratic leaders (Chicago Sun-Times)
Teamsters gearing up for possible strike against IDOT (Shaw Media)
Chicago org to receive federal funding to help launch regional water sustainability industry (Capitol News Illinois)
GOP congressional candidates in 11th District differ on immigration, gun control (Shaw Media)
Illinois Realtors plans $1 million campaign against transfer-tax increase (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Editorial: Chicago and Cook County are looking for election judges. Why not step up? (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Rehiring troubled prison health care contractor an odd choice (Shaw Media)
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