State catch up payments for school districts across Illinois began to flow Thursday, but the state is still six months late in other payments to schools. Payments of $541 million and $264 million are scheduled for yesterday and today, Friday, which would cover part of the expected funds from the state’s evidence-based funding formula due in August and September 10. However, another $858 million in categorial payments are still due.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Daniel Biss announced Wednesday his running mate Chicago Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa would be immediately leaving his campaign because the two candidates could not agree on Israel-Palestine policy.

Wednesday’s City Council meeting was either a paradigm of consensual legislating or yet another episode of aldermanic logrolling, depending on your perspective. But either way, with little debate and a series of unanimous or near-unanimous votes, Chicago City Council approved a sweeping wage floor and labor peace agreement for 8,000 airport workers, one of the city’s largest police settlements, a new electrical construction code, and resolutions supporting abortion rights in Illinois and so-called DREAMer immigrants.

City Council will meet twice this month. Wednesday’s meeting will have a light docket of the usual city business, including a new airport contractor licensing agreement that includes a labor peace agreement and $13.45 wage floor for workers, a ban on late night sales of 40-ounce malt liquor and new rules to more tightly control stolen cell phone fencing. Llater this month, Council is expected to schedule a second meeting to begin annual budget hearings.

License Committee Meeting

The Chicago Cubs, pushing to remain at the top of their division through the end of the season, will come back from a Pittsburgh Pirates night game to meet the 2nd place Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. So they can get some rest and keep their 3.5 game edge, the Cubs have asked to change their previously scheduled 1:20 p.m. afternoon game to a 7:05 p.m. game. With that in mind, License Committee Chair Emma Mitts (37) will convene her committee before the full City Council meeting at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to pass a change in the Cubs scheduling agreement allowing an additional night game for the season.

Following is a rundown of the significant items expected to be voted on in Wednesday’s meeting.

Money For Neighborhood Opportunity Fund

Chicago’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF), designed to spur economic development in commercial corridors on the city’s South and West Sides, will get an influx of $3.5 million pending full City Council approval. Aldermen on City Council’s Budget Committee voted to increase the NOF’s funding limit to $6.5 million on Tuesday via O2017-5506.

“Technical Changes” To Catalyst Fund

Described as a “fund of funds” dedicated to attracting other investors who will hopefully provide three or four times as much money as the city, Treasurer Kurt Summers introduced a group of what he called “technical changes” to the Chicago Community Catalyst Fund in O2017-5550. The goal of the fund is to bring gap funding to businesses in struggling communities on the South and West Sides.

Chicago Development Fund Governing Board Expansion

The Chicago Development Fund, which has both a governing and an Advisory Board, will be expanded from seven to nine members, adding the chair of the Advisory Board and a member of the Department of Planning and Development appointed by the commissioner. The change found in O2017-5507 aims to help the board could hit quorum.

New Airports Licensing Agreement

Over 8,000 workers for airline support services companies at O’Hare and Midway Airports would receive a wage hike and new training as part of a new, proposed license agreement with the City of Chicago. The 30-page agreement covered in O2017-5553 would force companies that provide food, cleaning, security, baggage handling and myriad services for airlines to accept a labor peace agreement and wage hikes.

40 oz. And Tall Boy Ban

Package stores would be banned from selling beer containers smaller than 41 oz. and wine or liquor containers smaller than 25 oz. after midnight as the result of a new ordinance sponsored by Ald. Brian Hopkins (2). Ordinance S2016-7589 targets sales of “forties” and “tall boys”, a favorite of revelers with little pocket change looking to keep the party going.

Secondary Cell Phone Market Rules

Directly introduced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, SO2017-5552 would regulate secondary cell phone markets. The issue gained the Mayor’s interest after his son, Zach, was robbed of his cell phone near his Ravenswood home in December 2014. The ordinance directs pawn shops and phone resellers to check the national Stolen Phone Database at stolenphonechecker.org and prohibits resellers to purchase phones with serial numbers that match the database.

Dealer Key Lock Boxes

Introduced by Alds. Pat O’Connor (40) and Harry Osterman (48), SO2017-3222 would require all dealerships, showrooms and rental lots to store car keys and dealer plates in lockboxes to deter theft. The measure was held in committee on July 18 because businesses operating around airports wanted a carveout. Meant to address carjackings at dealerships and rental lots in Chicago, the ordinance especially impacts rental car companies around O’Hare and Midway airports which can have over 2,000 cars out at any given time.

Settlements

Jose Lopez v. Chicago Police Officers & City of Chicago – $9.5 million – Chicago paramedics were attempting to assist Jose Lopez in June 2011, who had complained of chest pains. Lopez, was refusing treatment when Officer Stevan Vidljinovic claimed Lopez took a swing at him. Vidljinovic then tased Lopez, which caused him to fall and hit his head. Lopez’ attorney says he now cannot talk and can only move a little. The case went to trial but before the jury determined damages the city settled.

Alexander et al v. Zinchuck et al – $395,000 – This settlement is the result of a suit by a group of 2008 election night revelers who say they were pepper sprayed and beaten by Chicago Police on the West Side while they were celebrating Barack Obama’s presidential victory.

Appointments

A2017-74 – Juan M. Calderon to Board of Health

A2017-77 – Alexandra Holt to Metra Board

A2017-78 – Philip K. Fuentes and Sarah Pang Board of Directors of Regional Transportation Authority

A2017-79 – Thomas J. Kotel to Board of Directors of Regional Transportation Authority

A2017-80 – Alexander Theoharis to SSA16, Greektown/Halsted Commission

A2017-81 – Ceasar J. Melidis to SSA16, Greektown/Halsted Commission

A2017-82 – Anastasia Makridakis to SSA16, Greektown/Halsted Commission

A2017-83 – A.Thomas Paspalas, Greektown/Halsted Commission

A2017-84 – Mark Zipperer to SSA18, North Halsted Commission

A2017-85 – Randy L. Shingledecker to SSA18, North Halsted Commission

A2017-86 – Amy L. Novotny to SSA27, West Lakeview Commission

A2017-87 – Kathryn Romanowski to SSA54, Sheridan Road Commission

A2017-88 – Stephanie D. Fishel to SSA60, Albany Park Commission

A2017-89 – Alfred M. Klairmont and Robert J. Smith III to SSA62, Sauganash Commission

Two anti-theft measures will be considered by Public Safety Committee Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.

License Committee meets Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. in Room 201A to resolve a plethora of packaged good store bans, some new car booting operations rules and new limits on when packaged goods stores hours.

Tuesday morning Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel standing beside her, that the State of Illinois has filed a federal suit against the City of Chicago, seeking a consent decree, “to ensure the City enacts comprehensive, lasting reform of the Chicago Police Department,” according to the complaint. The suit seeks creation of an independent monitor answerable to the court, regular status hearings, timeline and financial commitments from the city, and court jurisdiction to enforce reforms if the independent monitor does not find the city’s action appropriate.

Updated 12:12 p.m., Aug. 30, 2017

For over two hours, representatives of drug companies and their trade associations were treated to a slow, torturous witness examination by Finance Committee Chair Ed Burke (14) and his fellow committee members, as they demanded to know why pharmaceutical executives make so much money while drug prices remain so high. The subject matter hearing brought out as many top flight lobbyists as aldermen, for half a dozen industry representatives to testify against Burke and Ald. Sophia King’s (4) Chicago Drug Pricing Transparency Ordinance.

Updated 9:43 a.m., Aug. 29, 2017

Over 8,000 workers for airline support services companies at O’Hare and Midway Airports would receive a wage hike and new training as part of a new, proposed license agreement with the City of Chicago. The 30-page license agreement would force companies that provide food, cleaning, security, baggage handling and myriad of other services for the airlines to accept a labor peace agreement, as well as wage hikes.

A series of city property sales, lease agreements are on planned for Tuesday’s Housing and Real Estate Committee meeting at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday in Room 201A.

Items on the docket include:

After months of negotiation, political threats and demonstrations, airport service workers and the contractors that employ them at O’Hare and Midway Airports are hailing a labor peace agreement [O2017-5553] that will be considered in a joint committee hearing Monday at 10:00 a.m. in Council chambers. The meeting of Aviation and Workforce Development Committees will take up an ordinance binding passenger service contractors to wage increases for nearly 8,000 airport employees, starting July 2018, and in perpetuity for any contractors doing business in Chicago airports.

SEIU Local 1, which negotiated the agreement on behalf of the workers, has been working to organize airline contractors that clean cabins, handle baggage, de-ice planes and push wheelchairs at the city’s airports for over two years. Those workers, they say, are often victims of wage theft and poor working conditions, leading to massive turnover.

The union’s organizing efforts were kicked up a notch this spring, when the union mailed flyers attacking Finance Chair Ed Burke (14), Aviation Chair Mike Zalewski (23) and Workforce Chair Pat O’Connor (40) as well as Ald. Tom Tunney (44), Ald. Marty Quinn (13) and Ald. Marge Laurino (40) for not supporting their organizing efforts. Then, in June, SEIU targeted O’Connor with six mail pieces in his city worker-heavy ward, denouncing him for his opposition to union organizing.

Earlier this year an ordinance with broad Council support was introduced, but it was referred to Rules Committee, where many ordinances go to die.

In addition to the labor peace component, the ordinance requires any subcontractors or sublicensees to pay their employees no less than $13.45 per hour for work under the Illinois Minimum Wage Law. Increases are tied to the consumer price index. Tipped employees, like wheelchair attendants and skycaps, would be paid “no less than the minimum hourly wage set by the Minimum Wage Law for workers who receive Gratuities, plus an additional $1.00 per hour.” Tipped employees must be paid minimum wage, which is $8.25 per hour, but an employer may take credit for the employee's tips in an amount not to exceed 40% of the wages under Illinois law.

It also requires that licensees “establish a written training program to ensure that all employees are thoroughly trained and qualified to perform their job duties, including all applicable airport emergency preparedness, evacuation, and first aid procedures.”

Labor peace agreements are typically used to cover hotels, restaurants, casinos, and airports that either receive public funding or do business with a local municipality, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Under the written arrangement between a union and an employer, both sides agree to waive certain labor rights granted under federal law, such as the right to organize or go on strike, as long as the employer treats the workers as a collective bargaining unit, essentially giving them the ability to negotiate wages and benefits.

While Illinois legislative leaders were keeping mum on the deal they forged on school funding, Mayor Rahm Emanuel took to the podium Thursday evening to trumpet Chicago’s gains in the deal, as well as a few details. Emanuel said legislative leaders plan to introduce a package similar to SB1, including a Chicago pension pick up and the same funding for the city as promised in SB1.

“That, and more,” crowed Emanuel.

Creating confusion near the end of the presser’s question and answer period, Emanuel was asked if Chicagoans should expect a property tax increase.  

“I think the answer is, I think that actually, we look at this a little...Yes,” Emanuel said, before briefly pausing, “but I also look at this slightly different, if I can add a perspective. I think they were hit hard a long time ago. When you’re paying for everyone else’s teachers’ pension and you don’t get anything back, and for the first time your money’s coming back to a 606 ZIP code, I think that’s a big step forward.”

After this outlet and others Tweeted last night that the statement was a “yes” to property taxes, Mayoral spokesperson Matt McGrath shot back, “Easy there. He was agreeing with the assessment that Chicagoans have stepped up to pay more in taxes. Listen to entire answer.”

Asked if he would deny there will be a property tax increase, McGrath responded, “I'd refer you to the first Q&A of the presser on that one. But if you'd rather parse words and tweets on a lovely night I can't stop you.”

The first question was “Does this include a property tax increase?” To which Emanuel provided neither a yes nor no.

House Speaker Mike Madigan called off an anticipated vote to override Governor Bruce Rauner’s amendatory veto of SB1 last night after a marathon meeting of legislative caucus leaders. Republican delegates requested a floor session cancellation after the two parties reached a promising point in negotiations. Madigan obliged, surprising lawmakers, including the bill’s own lead negotiators, who still have little faith it will survive the House.

After months of wrangling over the budget and now education funding, the House vote to override SB1 got pushed back a little further. After over six hours of negotiations between legislative caucus leaders yesterday, Speaker Mike Madigan announced he was cancelling Wednesday’s session after Republican leaders reportedly asked Speaker Mike Madigan to delay the vote “as a sign of good faith”. Leaders will meet again on Thursday to discuss next steps.

Late last Saturday afternoon, Chris Vickery, a white hat computer hacker, notified Illinois elections officials that he had found the entire Chicago voter file unsecured on an Amazon Web Server.

By 5:30 p.m. Saturday, a Chicago Board of Elections spokesperson says they were notified that 1.8 million records of Chicago voter files with additional identifying information, like driver’s licenses and partial social security numbers, were exposed to public access. According to a spokesperson, the file, maintained by contractor ES&S, was secured by 9:44 p.m. Saturday evening.

ES&S has not been able to determine for the Chicago Board of Elections how long that file was unsecured. The Board is now reviewing their contract with the company, said spokesperson Jim Allen.

Whether or not the file was accessed by anyone before Vickery gave notice to election officials is under investigation with a third party forensic analyst, Crowdstrike, contracted by ES&S, says Allen. The data, which included names, addresses, dates of birth, partial Social Security numbers, and in some cases, driver's license and state ID numbers, was provided to ES&S by the Board of Elections so the company could maintain electronic poll books and verify voters on election day.

“ES&S has liability for this, period. This is our file that they agreed to protect,” said Allen. “ES&S will be responsible for any expenses or notices that will go out to voters. This was a violation of the terms of the contract for voter identifying information. The contract explicitly calls for the contractor to keep that data secured, period.”

“We’re into election day registration, so we need to look for duplicates. We’re trying to protect the security of the entire voting franchise so no one can vote twice,” said Allen.

ES&S is the only outside organization that obtains detailed voter file information, says Allen. One other company accesses data “in house” on Chicago Board of Elections servers.

“They transfer a very limited amount of public information for the chipollworker.com–name, address, year of birth, not vote history,” said Allen. Chipollworker.com is used to register election judges and coordinators in Chicago.

Chris Vickery, Director of Research for cybersecurity company UpGuard, acts as a kind of “cybersecurity good guy” by searching the web for databases with unprotected information, and then notifying the companies and organizations about the breach.

ES&S is a national election systems company based in Omaha, Nebraska that provides data management services and voting machines. Their voting machines came under considerable scrutiny nationally for poor security following the 2016 election.

“We deeply regret that this happened. We cannot stress that enough,” said Allen.

The Democrat’s County Chair brunch in Springfield yesterday morning had a record attendance, 1,800 people, noticeably more than in past years. But despite the capacity crowd, there were few fireworks or barnburner speeches, compared to Governor Bruce Rauner’s promise to pick up “at least” nine House seats at Wednesday’s speech to Republican County Chairs.

As usual, party faithful from around the state plastered themselves with stickers for their preferred candidates, but none of the leading gubernatorial candidates gave especially notable speeches. While Sen. Dan Biss (D-Skokie) and Chicago Ald. Ameya Pawar (47) attempted to deliver message-driven speeches, Chris Kennedy focused on a Walt Whitman poem about Abraham Lincoln’s death that shot wide of his audience. J.B. Pritzker largely skipped message, and spoke mostly about party building and boosting the Democratic Party which, to no one’s surprise, was very popular with an audience of party organizers and volunteers.

Also shocking nobody, 83-year-old Secretary of State Jesse White announced his intention to run for reelection, after declaring four years ago at the same chairman’s brunch, that this would be his last term. White, it is broadly rumored, was asked by Democratic Party Chairman and Speaker Mike Madigan to run for reelection because of his stratospheric statewide popularity. If a Democrat is elected Governor, White would be free to retire after his reelection, and the Democratic governor could name his successor.

• No action in the legislature is expected until Wednesday, when Madigan said the House will convene to take up an override of Rauner’s SB1 veto.
  
  


• In the meantime, Rauner added 48 names to the list of over 100 unconfirmed gubernatorial nominees waiting in the Senate. Some have been waiting since March.

Negotiations between legislators for passage of SB1 have narrowed to one or two issues, say multiple Democratic sources familiar with the negotiations. At the top of the list for Republicans, are including some kind of school voucher program and education spending mandate relief for school districts.

Republican legislators have called for $215 million of Chicago Public Schools pension payments to be moved out of the funding formula to the pension code, but have not demanded reduction in overall Chicago pension funding, say Democrats. And there has been no discussion of reducing the CPS block grant payment either.

“They’ll leave the block grant in there,” said Rep. Will Davis (D-Chicago), lead House sponsor of SB1. They’re just looking for what they can get. That’s what it boils down to. If it was really a problem for them, they wouldn’t be willing to pay for it at all. They’re OK with trying to do it, just in a different place.”

Whether or not Gov. Bruce Rauner on board with GOP negotiations is unclear to Democratic legislators, since negotiations have been limited to legislators.

A leader meeting on SB1 is scheduled for Friday, and is likely to be conducted on a conference call, rather than face-to-face.

Education officials in Chicago and Springfield faced tough questions Wednesday. In a morning Chicago meeting, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) searched for funding answers while Republican lawmakers grilled superintendents in Springfield during a House committee hearing.

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) extended consideration of rules from the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), delivered a warning to the Illinois Board of Education (ISBE), but assented to their proposed emergency rules and voted to object to a rule proposed by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB).

Three groups of rules are expected to attract attention at tomorrow’s 11:00 a.m. Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) meeting in Chicago’s Bilandic building. The 32 agenda items include a sizable rewrite of consumer safety rules for retail electricity suppliers, three emergency rules proposed by the State Board of Education, and potential property ownership limitations for gaming video terminal operators, first discussed in last month’s JCAR meeting.