Illinois representatives continue redistricting battle
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - House Republican leaders say Democrats are blocking the opportunity for Illinois to have fair maps, an idea most lawmakers campaign on.
Democratic leaders plan to use data from the American Community Survey to create legislative and Congressional maps by June 30. However, Republicans say the data is incomplete and won t include everyone counted in the 2020 census. The state won t receive that critical data until the middle of August or early September.
Rep. Ryan Spain says Democrats shouldn t push the maps through a sham process.
The Peoria Republican explained witnesses continue to urge lawmakers to move to an independent commission. Spain stressed that his Democratic colleagues should support the plan voters truly want.
Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford really has her work cut out for her if she wants to forge a compromise on an elected Chicago school board.
Lightford agreed to become the sponsor of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s alternative school board proposal last week. Sen. Rob Martwick (D-Chicago) has been pushing a bill for years that would elect 21 school board members, which have long been appointed by the city’s mayor. Leader Lightford has a reputation among the education establishment for being an honest broker and, frankly, she excels at negotiations like this, but this one will be particularly difficult.
Rich Miller: Difficult debate ahead about Chicago board herald-review.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from herald-review.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Seth Perlman, AP file
Chicago voters would get to decide who sits on the city’s school board in the next two municipal elections under a bill that passed the Illinois House on Thursday and now moves to the state Senate.
All Chicago-based legislators voted in favor of advancing the bill, which would allow for the election of members of the Chicago Board of Education “for the 2023 and 2027 consolidated primary elections only” and requires the General Assembly to “review and revise the election of members of the Chicago Board of Education” at a later date.
A graduate of Chicago Public Schools, state Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago, said the bill “will allow for the first time in a long time for Chicago to have” the same democracy as other municipalities that elect their local school boards.
Normal, IL, USA / www.cities929.com
Mar 17, 2021 2:10 PM
The Illinois House Republican caucus today launched a new comprehensive platform called Reimagine Illinois. The plan outlines House Republicansâ priorities for the 102
nd General Assembly and asks Illinoisans to âReimagineâ their State government if certain public policy goals are met.
Imagine an Illinois where corruption isnât making headlines and lawmakers are held accountable. Imagine an Illinois with a clean, honest, transparent State government.
Imagine an Illinois where leaders take their fiscal responsibility seriously, watching every penny instead of raising taxes, increasing spending, and piling up debt year-after-year
Imagine an Illinois where every community has good paying jobs, access to healthcare and educational opportunities that work for all students.