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Archive for the ‘Springfield’ Category

Facial recognition helps cops solve some of Chicago’s most heinous crimes. This state legislator wants to shut it down.

Posted in Crime, CWB Chicago, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Dumb Bunny, Politics, Springfield, Who Cuts Your Hair? on March 23, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Illinois Rep. Kelly Cassidy, center, and images of some of the people who have been charged with violent crimes following investigations that involved the use of facial recognition. (Facebook, Chicago Police Department)

By Tim Hecke | CWB Chicago

An Illinois state legislator wants to strip law enforcement of a tool that has helped detectives solve murders, robberies, kidnappings, and sexual assaults — including some of the most violent crimes to hit the CTA in recent years: facial recognition.

When Chicago police detectives needed to figure out who stabbed 37-year-old Dominique Pollion to death and left his body on a Blue Line train in the Loop in January, facial recognition helped them get the investigation on the right track.

By feeding high-quality CTA video images into the Illinois Secretary of State’s database of state ID and driver’s license photos, detectives narrowed their focus to possible matches, including 21-year-old Demetrius Thurman. As their investigation continued, investigators allegedly found video on Thurman’s phone that shows him committing the crime.

Powerful stuff. But if a North Side state legislator gets her way, Illinois police will soon be barred from using any facial recognition database, including the Secretary of State’s, to do their work ever again.

The bill is called the Illinois Biometric Surveillance Act, and it’s being pushed by Rep. Kelly Cassidy, who represents most of Rogers Park and Edgewater in Springfield. Cassidy’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment for this story.

Her proposed law would ban the use of facial recognition and other biometric identifiers by law enforcement statewide. No agency could use the technology or enter into an agreement with a state or federal agency to use it. The bill would still allow “fingerprinting pursuant to an arrest or conviction, or to collect forensic evidence at a crime scene.” The bill does not include the ultimate biometric, DNA, among its “biometric identifiers.”

To be clear about how the tool works: a potential facial recognition match alone is not enough to file charges. Detectives use it to help generate leads and identify potential suspects.

Article continues here.

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Restoring Integrity to the School Board ~ A Seat is a Trust, Not a Consolation Prize

Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Conflict of interest, Data Center, Deception, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Ethics, Goat Rodeo, Illinois Federation of Teachers, League of Women Voters, Legal Expenses, OP/Ed, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on March 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Erin Chan Ding posted the following to her Facebook followers Tuesday:

While Chan Ding claims to be ‘honored’ to continue her service on the Barrington 220 Board of Education, her actions during her failed primary campaign suggest she has forgotten who she truly serves.

By using District resources to fuel a partisan run—earning her an official ethics sanction—and subsequently accepting campaign donations from the very union whose contracts she must impartially negotiate, she has created a profound conflict of interest.

Most disappointingly, she has let down the constituents who elected her on the fundamental promise of nonpartisan leadership. A school board seat is a sacred trust meant for the advocacy of students, not a political steppingstone.

To treat the Board as a ‘consolation prize’ after a partisan defeat, while carrying the weight of these ethical breaches, is a disservice to every voter who expected her to put our schools above her own political ambitions.

Related: “Chan Ding, Teachers Unions losers in IL 52nd District Primary Election,” “New Evidence of Chan Ding’s Policy Violations and Conflicts of Interest,” “Candidate Erin Chan Ding’s opinion on Data Centers,” “Barrington area Democrats condemn Chan Ding mailers,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “School district’s parking plan defies logic,” “Zoning change defies village policy,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “Erin Chan Ding: The violations just keep piling up…,” “Erin Chan Ding starring in another episode of, ‘Rules For Thee But NOT For Me…’,”  “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency,” “Ding Politicking on School District Property,” “Dual School Board and State Rep Positions Legally Incompatible,” “D220 Abuses Taxpayer Funds in favor of Partisan Campaign,” “Ding In Her Own Words – CONFLICTED!,” “Ding Doubles Down,” “Ding’s D220 Deception,” “Chan Ding running in Democratic primary in 52nd,” “Three (3) Democratic candidates queued to run for the IL 52nd District House seat in 2026”

 

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Pritzker doesn’t tell whole story on test scores

Posted in Barrington Education Association, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Fat Bastard, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Policy Institute, Immigration, Politics, Property Taxes, Springfield, Taxes, Unions on March 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Counter to the governor’s claims, Illinois students’ scores on a national assessment have dropped despite more education spending.

By Hannah Schmid | Illinois Policy Institute

Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently touted Illinois eighth-graders’ reading and math scores as proof of increased public school funding’s effect on student success.

Here’s the reality: Illinois students’ scores have dropped despite that increased spending. And there’s more to the data than Pritzker let on about Illinois students outperforming those in other states.

If the governor wants to help students, he should join the majority of states that are opting into a federal program that provides donor money for students’ targeted needs.

Illinois student scores drop despite increased education spending

In his budget address last month, Pritzker said “historic investments” in public education have boosted student success. But Illinois student performance in both reading and math fell over the most recent 10 years of the National Assessment for Educational Progress.

Those declines weren’t just because of COVID-era shutdowns. Both eighth- and fourth-grade scores were dropping in both reading and math even before schools were closed.

During that same period from 2013 to 2024, the state’s spending on K-12 education rose by nearly $10 billion. That’s a 44% increase over a period when enrollment declined 10%.

Counter to Pritzker’s claims, the increased spending on Illinois schools has not improved student achievement.

Article continues here.

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Chan Ding, Teachers Unions losers in IL 52nd District Primary Election

Posted in 220, Associated Press, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Conflict of interest, Data Center, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on March 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

 

Related: “New Evidence of Chan Ding’s Policy Violations and Conflicts of Interest”

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New Evidence of Chan Ding’s Policy Violations and Conflicts of Interest

Posted in 220, AI, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Data Center, Deception, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Ethics, Guest Essay, Illinois Federation of Teachers, OP/Ed, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on March 17, 2026| 3 Comments »

$20,000 in Special Interest Funding & Continued Violations of Public Trust

By Better Barrington | @Change.org

Thank you for standing with us as we hold our elected officials accountable. We have a critical update regarding the petition for the resignation of Erin Chan Ding from the Barrington 220 Board of Education.

Despite previous reprimands by the Board of Trustees for “flagrant violations” of school board policy, public records now reveal a deepening web of financial conflicts that directly undermine the neutrality of our district’s leadership.

The newest Schedule A-1 filings for Chan Ding’s political campaign reveal a massive influx of cash from organizations that represent the very interests she is tasked with negotiating against on behalf of taxpayers:

  • $10,000 from the IPACE (Illinois Professional Action Committee for Education). In Barrington D220, the Barrington Education Association (BEA) is the local teachers union. BEA is an affiliate of the Illinois Education Association which operates IPACE as its political arm.
  • $10,000 from the Lake County Federation of Teachers Local 504 COPE PAC.
  • Public Endorsements: Her campaign is now openly touting endorsements from the IEA and the Illinois Federation of Teachers—entities representing over 240,000 educators statewide.

Why This Matters: A Breach of Board Policy

District 220 policies are not suggestions; they are the ethical framework that protects our schools from partisan capture. Chan Ding is in direct conflict with:

  • Policy 2:105 (Ethics and Gift Ban): Sets strict standards to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure public trust.
  • Policy 2:80 (Board Member Oath & Conduct): Explicitly mandates that members avoid the appearance of impropriety and refuse to surrender responsibilities to “special interest or partisan political groups.”

In her first Board of Ed campaign, when called out for taking $750 in donations from IPACE, Chan Ding told the Chicago Tribune she would not approve contracts that raise taxes, yet her voting record tells a different story. She has consistently voted for the maximum tax levy every time it has reached the floor.

Accepting $20,000 from unions that negotiate directly with the Board of Ed is not just a “political choice”—it is a disqualifying conflict of interest. A Board Member cannot serve two masters. You cannot be a neutral steward of taxpayer funds while being funded by the organizations seeking those same funds.

We continue to call for the resignation of Erin Chan Ding to restore integrity to the D220 Board.

  1. Share this update: Post this on Facebook, X, and local community groups.
  2. Attend the next Board Meeting: Let your voice be heard during public comment.
  3. Email the Board: Remind them that Policy 2:80 must be enforced, not ignored.

Related: “Candidate Erin Chan Ding’s opinion on Data Centers,” “Barrington area Democrats condemn Chan Ding mailers,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “School district’s parking plan defies logic,” “Zoning change defies village policy,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “Erin Chan Ding: The violations just keep piling up…,” “Erin Chan Ding starring in another episode of, ‘Rules For Thee But NOT For Me…’,”  “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency,” “Ding Politicking on School District Property,” “Dual School Board and State Rep Positions Legally Incompatible,” “D220 Abuses Taxpayer Funds in favor of Partisan Campaign,” “Ding In Her Own Words – CONFLICTED!,” “Ding Doubles Down,” “Ding’s D220 Deception,” “Chan Ding running in Democratic primary in 52nd,” “Three (3) Democratic candidates queued to run for the IL 52nd District House seat in 2026”

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JB Pritzker’s Political Brand Is at Stake—in a Race He’s Not Even Running In – Wall Street Journal

Posted in Clown Car, ComEd Four, Commodius Maximus, Cost of Living, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, Fat Bastard, Illinois State Board of Elections, Immigration, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Springfield, Taxes, Unions, Wall Street Journal on March 14, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Illinois’s governor has given at least $5 million to a group backing his lieutenant governor and upsetting the Congressional Black Caucus. | Eileen T. Meslar / Chicago Tribune/Zuma Press

By John McCormick | Wall Street Journal

CHICAGO—Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s deep financial involvement in his state’s U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday has angered potential allies for his possible 2028 presidential bid.

The billionaire is helping finance a multimillion-dollar barrage of ads to boost Juliana Stratton, his lieutenant governor, in a race that is also testing Pritzker’s political clout in a state where he has leveraged his wealth to dominate the Democratic Party.

The contest has turned sharply negative in its closing weeks, while revealing divisions within the party over how progressive the Democratic brand should be. It has also become a debate about the influence of outside money.

Pritzker’s involvement has especially angered the Congressional Black Caucus, an influential party group backing one of its own, Rep. Robin Kelly (D., Ill.). Both Stratton and Kelly are Black.

“His behavior in this race won’t soon be forgotten by any of us,” Rep. Yvette Clarke (D., N.Y.), the CBC’s leader, said in a statement also critical of the governor for trying to “tip the scales” in a primary.

Black voter support is critical in Democratic presidential primaries. Clarke declined an interview, while Pritzker recently told reporters he has a proven record of supporting nonwhite candidates.

“I would like a Black woman to represent us in the United States Senate. I just want the best person. She happens to be a Black woman,” he said. “I stand with communities of color across the state and with candidates who are running for public office.”

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, taking a selfie, has stressed her progressive leanings. | Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty Images

Article continues here.

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Candidate Erin Chan Ding’s opinion on Data Centers

Posted in 220, BACOG, Board of Education, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, League of Women Voters, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on March 11, 2026| 1 Comment »

Quote of Erin Chan Ding from League of Women Voters debate with Maria Peterson on February 14, 2026:

“Data Centers right now are obviously a huge issue, an electric issue, no pun intended, and we’ve heard communities speak out against their implementation because of some of the environmental costs. At the same time… you know, we are— our public, our children, they are already hooked on AI and artificial intelligence.

Data centers are going to be built, and if they’re not going to be built in Illinois, they’re going to be built in other states… Data Centers … are a huge water suck, but this problem has begun to be addressed through the use of gray water.

Data Centers provide huge property tax relief, potentially. So, I think we need to consider that as well… I’ve been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, which includes ironworkers and operating engineers, and these are hundreds of thousands of jobs…” ~ Erin Chan Ding

How many Data Centers is Erin Chan Ding proposing to build in our community if she thinks they would be providing “hundreds of thousands of jobs” for AFL – CIO workers?

Why is Erin Chan Ding willing to sell out our community for the “potential” for property tax relief when it is apparent that Pritzker, who Chan Ding is banking on getting campaign donations from, initiatives provide sales and use tax exemptions for Data Centers for up to 20 years?

How will she protect our aquifers? And why is she willing to destroy our tranquil environment for political gain?

We’ll pass on voting for Chan Ding and suggest you do the same!

Related: “Barrington area Democrats condemn Chan Ding mailers,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “School district’s parking plan defies logic,” “Zoning change defies village policy,” “District 220 Public Hearing December 16th re: ‘proposal to sell bonds of the District in an amount not to exceed $5,400,000’,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “Erin Chan Ding: The violations just keep piling up…,” “Erin Chan Ding starring in another episode of, ‘Rules For Thee But NOT For Me…’,”  “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency,” “Ding Politicking on School District Property,” “Dual School Board and State Rep Positions Legally Incompatible,” “D220 Abuses Taxpayer Funds in favor of Partisan Campaign,” “Ding In Her Own Words – CONFLICTED!,” “Ding Doubles Down,” “Ding’s D220 Deception,” “Chan Ding running in Democratic primary in 52nd,” “Three (3) Democratic candidates queued to run for the IL 52nd District House seat in 2026”

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An easy way to get more education money for Illinois

Posted in Barrington Education Association, Commodius Maximus, Cost of Living, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Policy Institute, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Simple Minds, Springfield, Taxes, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on March 10, 2026| 3 Comments »

Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants more federal funding. A new program would provide donor money— but he must opt in.

By Mailee Smith | Illinois Policy Institute

Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants a bipartisan effort from Illinois lawmakers to demand more education money from the federal government.

Yet Pritzker himself hasn’t taken a simple step to get more funding for Illinois students.

If he wants to keep money in Illinois and away from the Trump administration, the answer is easy: Opt into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program, which provides a tax credit to donors who give money that can go to public, private or homeschool students.

If the governor doesn’t opt in, that money will flow out of the state — exactly where he doesn’t want it to go.

Pritzker demands more money from the federal government

Pritzker didn’t mince words in his annual budget address last month. He blames the Trump administration for stripping Illinoisans of billions of dollars — and he wants it back.

“I want to say to anyone on either side of the aisle: If you want to talk about our (fiscal) 2027 budget, you must first demand the return of the money and resources this president has taken from the people of Illinois,” he said.

Two days later, the governor sent a letter to President Donald Trump demanding a refund of $1,700 for every Illinois family. The letter followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down the presidents’ tariffs. Pritzker says the tariffs have cost Illinoisans over $8.6 billion.

But Pritzker has the means to keep at least some Illinois tax money from flowing to Washington. The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program would do exactly what he wants: keep money in the state while costing nothing.

To do that, he must opt into the program.

Pritzker could get more money for kids

The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program provides a dollar-for-dollar annual tax credit up to $1,700 for donors to scholarship-granting organizations. Those organizations then provide money to eligible public, private or homeschool children for tutoring, fees for dual enrollment, educational therapies for students with disabilities and other academic needs.

It’s a win-win-win: Students get much-needed education funding, donors get tax credits, and no money is diverted from public schools.

Pritzker must opt the state into the program for students to get the money. Donors will get the tax credit even if he doesn’t.

If Pritzker doesn’t act, that money will go out of Illinois — either to students in other states as education donations or to the federal government in the form of taxes.

To date, at least 28 states have indicated they will opt into the program.

Article continues here.

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Illinois lawmakers weigh options to change rising property tax

Posted in Barrington Education Association, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Illinois Federation of Teachers, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Property Taxes, Springfield, Taxes, The Center Square, Unions on March 9, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Photo: Emilee Calametti / The Center Square

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributor

Republican state Rep. Joe Sosnowski has filed legislation he hopes will make life easier on Illinois residents now facing some of the highest property taxes in the country.

With the issue of affordability being a critical one across much of the nation, Sosnowski recently filed House Bill 4626, which seeks to cap rising property taxes by basing costs on the equalized assessed value of a home in the year that it was bought.

Final assessment costs would then not increase for as long as the person owns their home, with the goal being to make housing more attractive and affordable for first-time buyers, working families and fixed income seniors.

“We’re not growing, and one of the biggest problems is we have the highest property tax rate and the highest overall combined tax rate of any of the 50 states,” Sosnowski told The Center Square. “This legislation would be an immediate help to homeowners. It allows people to have an investment that grows, similar to retirement accounts and things that just because they grow in value doesn’t mean you pay more taxes year to year.”

With Illinois also being home to the most local taxing bodies, House Bill 3723 would also cap annual property tax increases at 1% for seniors and House Bill 3724 would cap all such increases for homeowners at 3%.

Article continues here.

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McLaughlin’s press conference video recording regarding Pritzker’s proposed municipal zoning powers grab posted

Posted in BACOG, Commodius Maximus, Elections, FUBAR, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lennie, Plan Commission, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Privacy, Public Safety, Real Estate, South Barrington, Springfield, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Transparency, Village Code, Zoning Board on February 27, 2026| 1 Comment »

Screenshot via Facebook

“Rep. McLaughlin Hosts Press Conference with Northwest Suburban Mayors – February 26, 2026

Thank you to Mayors, Paula McCombie, Debby Sosine, Eleanor Sweet McDonnell, Dominick DiMaggio, Brian Cecola, and Richard Hayes”

The roughly sixteen minute recording can be found here.

Related: “‘It’s just a bad idea’: Suburban officials oppose Pritzker’s plan to reduce local control over residential zoning”

 

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