Posted in Capitol News Illinois, Democratic Socialists of America, Fat Bastard, Politics, Springfield, Taxes on November 4, 2026| 1 Comment »
By Ben Szalinski | Capitol News Illinois
Article Summary
Full report here.
Posted in Barrington Education Association, Clown Car, Cost of Living, Deception, Democratic Socialists of America, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Dumb and Dumber, Economy, Education, Elections, ETSB, Fat Bastard, Fools and their money, Girlie man, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, League of Women Voters, Lipstick On A Pig, Look For The Union Label, OP/Ed, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Rights, Property Taxes, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on November 4, 2026| 2 Comments »
IL State Senate District 26 Results
IL State House District 52 Results
Related: “Wealth and Party Machine Are Buying the Northwest Suburbs Votes”
Posted in Chicago Sun*Times, Deception, Democratic Socialists of America, Elections, Ethics, Fat Bastard, Fat Man Walking, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Unions on November 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Republican Senator Darby Hills and Democrat Rep. Nabeela | Photos by Jerry Nowicki
Democrat Nabeela Syed is outraising Republican Darby Hills two to one in an Illinois Senate race that’s already fetched $6.5 million in contributions.
By Brett Chase | Chicago Sun*Times
Republicans are not expected to make a dent in Democrats’ supermajority in the Illinois General Assembly, but a multi-million-dollar suburban legislative race has turned into a fiery, closely watched contest in the lead-up to Election Day Tuesday.
In that race, state Rep. Nabeela Syed, a Democrat from Inverness, is challenging incumbent Republican Darby Hills of Barrington Hills for the Illinois Senate 26th District seat.
The $6.5 million raised makes it one of the most expensive contests in the history of the General Assembly, said Alisa Kaplan, executive director of Reform for Illinois.
Syed received at least $4.7 million in contributions, much of it from her party, while Hills has raised $1.8 million, said Kaplan, whose organization runs the Illinois Sunshine Database.
“The Democratic leadership wants to flip this seat, and it shows,” Kaplan said.
Syed raised more than $3 million from the Democratic Party of Illinois and the Illinois Senate Democratic Fund, which is controlled by Illinois Senate President Don Harmon. She’s also raised substantial amounts of money from unions.
Darby’s last big contribution from her party was in August when the Illinois Senate Republican Campaign gave her $300,000.
Report continues here.
Related: “A sound reason for Barrington Hills residents to vote for McLaughlin and Hills,” “Another sound reason for residents to vote for Hills and McLaughlin,” “Wealth and Party Machine Are Buying the Northwest Suburbs Votes,” “Editorial: Darby Hills for Illinois 26th Senate District” and “Who really funds Nabeela Syed?”
Posted in Barrington Education Association, Chicago Tribune, Cost of Living, Data Center, Deception, Democratic Socialists of America, Elections, Ethics, Fat Bastard, Fools and their money, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, Unions on November 1, 2026| Leave a Comment »
State Rep. Martin “Marty” McLaughlin and State Sen. Darby Hills are endorsed by the Chicago Tribune and a very large number of elected officials in their respective Districts.
According to their candidate campaign websites, State Senator Darby Hills and Representative Martin McLaughlin have the endorsements of the Mayors or Village Presidents in their Districts of:
Barrington Hills, Barrington, South Barrington, Lake Barrington, Port Barrington, Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Libertyville, Island Lake, Volo and Wauconda.
Additionally, Hills is endorsed by the mayors of Long Grove and Tower Lakes. McLaughlin has the vote of the mayors of North Barrington, Cary and Hoffman Estates as well as former elected officials.
Contrast this with the campaign websites of Nabeela Syed and Maria Peterson, who boast the endorsements of the Mayors or Village Presidents of: Zero, Zip, Zilch and Nada!
What does this tell you? This explains exactly why Pritzker, PACs, Unions and Democrats have bankrolled their campaigns with millions of dollars in efforts to avert your attention.
Vote wisely. Vote for Marty McLaughlin and Darby Hills!
Related: “A sound reason for Barrington Hills residents to vote for McLaughlin and Hills,” “Who really funds Nabeela Syed?”
Editorial note: The minute a list is posted, a sin of omission is likely committed. Please notify us if additions are needed.
Posted in BACOG, Board of Education, Chicago Tribune, Data Center, Deception, Democratic Socialists of America, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Economy, Education, Elections, Ethics, Fat Bastard, Illinois State Board of Elections, Immigration, Land Use, Look For The Union Label, OP/Ed, Outmigration, Overhead, Pension Funding, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Rights, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Resident Spotlights, School Districts, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, Village Code on October 12, 2026| 1 Comment »
Martin McLaughlin is a Republican running to represent Illinois’ 52nd House District. (George Papadakis)
By The Editorial Board | Chicago Tribune
Republican state Rep. Martin “Marty” McLaughlin barely survived his last election, defeating Democrat Maria Peterson by just 47 votes in 2024. The two are facing off again in this northwest suburban district.
McLaughlin, 61, an investment manager and former Barrington Hills village president, has been a consistent voice for fiscal restraint in Springfield. He identifies property taxes as the district’s most pressing problem and has helped residents navigate the appeals process. “If government is going to keep raising the bill, taxpayers at least deserve to know how to fight an unfair assessment,” he told us.
McLaughlin’s fiscal conservatism is important in a state that desperately needs greater discipline in that area.
Martin McLaughlin is endorsed.
Read the full editorial endorsement here.
Editorial note: Representative McLaughlin is also endorsed by:
It’s important to note McLaughlin’s campaign rival lives in North Barrington yet she could not garner an endorsement for this or her prior campaigns.
*Present and former members of the Barrington Area Council Of Governments (BACOG).
Posted in Blame Canada, Commodius Maximus, Cost of Living, Deception, Democratic Socialists of America, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Ethics, Fat Bastard, Immigration, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Center Square, Village Code on October 12, 2026| Leave a Comment »
By Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square
A majority of American voters are concerned with socialist candidates running and possibly winning political office, according to a new poll.
The Center Square Voters’ Voice poll found that 55% of American voters are concerned about Democratic Socialist candidates running for and winning elected office in the U.S., while 37% aren’t concerned.
A slew of candidates running as democratic socialists appears to be raising alarms with a majority of American voters.
Of the 55% who are concerned, 35% are very concerned, while 20% say they are “somewhat concerned.”
(Click on image to enlarge)
Of those not concerned, only 17% say they are not too concerned, while 20% say they are not at all concerned.
The poll comes as several Democratic Socialist candidates have risen in popularity across the country. The Democratic Socialists of America are touting 67 wins across the country, with 93 running. However, the group includes 62 DSA candidates who have lost.
Report continues here.
Posted in Cost of Living, Deception, Economy, Elections, Ethics, Fat Bastard, Illinois Policy Institute, Look For The Union Label, Pension Funding, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Springfield, Taxes, Unions on September 30, 2026| Leave a Comment »
The ongoing pension crisis is a big part of it.
By Ethan Soifer | Illinois Policy Institute
Despite two recent upgrades, Illinois’ credit rating remains the worst in the country, with a couple key issues holding the state back.
Moody’s Ratings raised the state to A1 from A2, and S&P Global Ratings elevated Illinois to A from A-. The ratings are based on a government’s ability and willingness to pay back debt principal and interest on time.
The agencies said significant headwinds remain in Illinois, including sluggish economic and population growth and the state’s unfunded pension liabilities.
A higher credit rating enables a state to borrow or roll over existing debt at lower interest rates. A lower rating creates more risk for investors, who will demand higher interest payments.
Illinois’ worst-in-the-nation credit rating hurts taxpayers. A Charles Schwab report from shortly before the ratings upgrades using Bloomberg data showed that Illinois’ 10-year bond yields are 62 basis points, or 0.62%, higher than bonds issued under a “generic 10-year AAA index.”
Applying that to the $2.6 billion in general-obligation bonds Illinois plans to sell this year would mean $16.1 million more in annual interest payments than states with the highest rating. That could slightly improve given the recent upgrades.
The upgrades reflect the state’s progress in improving its fiscal standing. Since 2019, the year Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office, Moody’s has upgraded Illinois’ credit rating five times from Baa3, the lowest rating deemed investment-grade and one notch above junk status. S&P has upgraded the rating four times, from one notch above junk status, BBB-, to A. Including Fitch Ratings, the governor’s office boasts of 12 upgrades.
Report continues here.
Posted in Commodius Maximus, Cost of Living, Education, Elections, Fat Bastard, Girlie man, Illinois Policy Institute, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, Unions, WTF on September 23, 2026| Leave a Comment »
An Illinois neighbor is vying for donations from state residents.
By Hannah Schmid | Illinois Policy Institute
A new local billboard is garnering media attention by advertising that Illinois taxpayers can get a federal income tax credit for donating money to students out of state.
The billboard, in south suburban Chicago near the Indiana border, refers to the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, also known as the Education Freedom Tax Credit. The program offers taxpayers a dollar-for-dollar income tax credit for donations of up to $1,700 per year to qualified scholarship-granting organizations.
Any taxpayer in any state can claim the credit starting in 2027. But only students in states whose governor has opted into the program can benefit from the donated education money.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has not opted Illinois in. Four of Illinois’ neighbors have, including Indiana, where the billboard is advertising Illinoisans to donate scholarship money.
The billboard is correct:
Article continues here.
Posted in Cost of Living, Deception, Democratic Socialists of America, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Economy, Education, Elections, Ethics, Fat Bastard, Flock Cameras, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Immigration, Look For The Union Label, OP/Ed, Open Meetings Act, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Taxes, The Center Square, The Chicago Way, Transparency, Unions, WTTW News on September 15, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Juliana Stratton (left)
By Mark Glennon | Wirepoints
The balance in the United States Senate after November’s elections is likely to be razor thin, making each Senator’s competence critical in what is among the most dangerous periods America has faced, both internationally and nationally.
Juliana Stratton wants a promotion to the Senate from lieutenant governor — a mostly ceremonial post in Illinois. She’s asking for that promotion from behind a curtain, denying voters any opportunity to see whether she has even a meager understanding of the issues she will face.
Multiple debates and forums would be the best means to learn about Stratton — as well as about Don Tracy, her Republican opponent, whose Senate credentials are also little known to Illinois voters. Tracy accepted offers to no fewer than seven such events from CBS2 Chicago, FOX 32 Chicago, the League of Women Voters of Peoria, the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, the Technology and Manufacturing Association and the Illinois Municipal League.
Stratton, however, refused all but one , and it will be very late, set for October 20. Early voting starts September 24 in Illinois, nearly a month before that. And with Chicago’s PBS affiliate, WTTW, being the moderator, we should expect no tough questions for Stratton.
How about a long interview by a fair reporter versed on national issues?
Forget it. You will find none. For that matter, you won’t find one on any matter for the entire duration of her political career in Illinois. When asked for an interview in July by one source that can be reasonably expected to ask hard questions, The Center Square, Stratton declined. Tracy, in contrast, has given multiple interviews to sources both left- and right-leaning.
In fairness, Stratton did participate in multiple debates and forums when running in the Democratic primary. However, that was against fellow progressive Democrats who largely agreed with her and she was never challenged on the major issues that divide the country and would be important to undecided and swing voters.
What do we know about Stratton, aside from her record of complete allegiance to Gov. JB Pritzker on Illinois issues?
On her web pages and elsewhere you can find the standard list of the far left’s policy positions. They include abolishing ICE, which she says is unfixable; a national $25 per hour minimum wage, even in rural areas; Medicare for all, with no cost analysis provided; and ending the 51-year old Senate filibuster rule.
Her top priority, however, is fighting back against President Trump, she has emphasized. We might therefore expect some substance in her views about Trump, right?
Her most notable words about Trump were in an ad that did get her national and international attention, but it was ridiculed for its vacuous crudeness, even by left-leaning sources like Britain’s The Guardian. It was a 30-second ad in her primary race with a string of “F— Trump.”
Article continues here.
Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints.
Posted in Appointments, Clown Car, Deception, Elections, Fat Bastard, IDOT, Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois Tollway, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield, Taxes, Unions on August 25, 2026| 1 Comment »
The governor also tried to distance himself from the increases by pointing to the board — which he appointed.
By Ethan Soifer | Illinois Policy Institute
Gov. J.B. Pritzker both defended the toll hikes that were approved last week and sought to distance himself from them.
Pritzker appointed all eight Illinois Tollway board members who signed off unanimously on the increases, which include the largest passenger hike in state history.
Asked about the rate increases last week at the Illinois State Fair, Pritzker said they were necessary to ensure Illinois has proper road infrastructure to keep the state competitive for commercial activity.
“Let’s be clear. We want to make sure that our roads are pothole-free, that we’re making sure to build more so we can build our economy across the state of Illinois,” Pritzker said.
He also defended the hikes in June at an unrelated event.
“It’s something that they need to do in order to make sure that we have the best roads, the best infrastructure, and I think that’s something that you may overlook may when you contemplate why they would consider this,” Pritzker said.
But also at the fair, he said, “That was something voted on by the tollway authority.”
Under Illinois law, the governor appoints the nine-member tollway board (it’s currently eight members) and serves as an ex-officio member along with the state Transportation Secretary.
Pritzker and the transportation secretary did not vote.
Report continues here.
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