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Archive for the ‘Ethics’ Category

Illinois lawmaker salaries rise 34% faster than their constituents’ paychecks under Pritzker

Posted in Commodius Maximus, Ethics, Fools and their money, Illinois Policy Institute, Pension Funding, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Snowflake Effect, Springfield, Taxes, Transparency on July 22, 2026| 1 Comment »

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state lawmakers have increased lawmaker pay while approving budgets that raised taxes on Illinoisans.

By Shaw Carlson | Illinois Policy Institute

Lawmakers’ pay has grown much faster than the average Illinois salary during Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s time in office.

Since 2019, the base salary for members of the General Assembly has risen 44.9%, to $98,304 in 2026.

In the same period, the average Illinois salary rose 33.7%, to about $79,779.

That base salary for lawmakers is set to rise to six figures under the newly enacted fiscal 2027 budget and doesn’t include the additional compensation they get for leadership positions and per diems for items such as lodging.

Pritzker signed the record-high $55.9 billion budget that included more than $800 million in business tax increases and rise to lawmakers.

While lawmaker compensation climbs, voters’ priorities are tossed aside

Illinoisans have made clear what they want state leaders to address.

A recent poll found high taxes were the top concern among Illinois voters, with 52.8% choosing it as one of the biggest issues facing the state. The economy ranked second, with about 41% naming it a top one or two issue out of seven.

Report continues here.

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Editorial: Our neighbors are rethinking income taxes. How about it, Illinois?

Posted in Barrington Education Association, Chicago Tribune, Commodius Maximus, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Ethics, Fat Bastard, Girlie man, IDOT, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Tollway, Immigration, Look For The Union Label, OP/Ed, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Transparency, Unions on July 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Lawmakers work in the Missouri House chamber on April 21, 2026, in Jefferson City, Missouri. Missouri is asking voters whether to gradually eliminate its income tax and shift more toward taxing consumption. (David A. Lieb/AP)

Missouri, Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin all are thinking creatively about taxes

By The Editorial Board | Chicago Tribune

Illinoisans often assume high taxes are simply the unavoidable cost of living in the Land of Lincoln. But just across our borders, states are making some very different choices.

Missouri is asking voters whether to gradually eliminate its income tax and shift more toward taxing consumption. Indiana continues to emphasize fiscal restraint and has approved further tax reductions. Wisconsin used part of a multibillion-dollar surplus to enact income tax cuts and has continued debating additional relief. Iowa phased out its graduated individual income tax in favor of a flat rate of 3.8%.

Maybe you think Missouri is making a mistake or Iowa has gone too far. Maybe Wisconsin will reverse course. That’s not our point here. What stands out for us is that our Midwestern neighbors are at least practicing some creative taxation thinking.

Take what is going on in Missouri. On Aug. 4, voters get the chance to weigh in on whether Missouri should fundamentally rethink how it taxes its citizens; specifically whether the Show-Me State should gradually shift its tax burden away from income and toward consumption.

Ironically, Missouri currently has the very tax structure Illinois progressives have long sought: a graduated income tax. Even so, its top marginal income tax rate (4.7%) is lower than Illinois’ flat rate (4.95%).

Missouri’s average combined state and local sales tax rate also remains far below the rate in Illinois. Approval of the amendment could eventually narrow that gap, depending on how lawmakers implement the shift. Even then, Missouri would have a long way to go to match Chicago’s 10.25%.

Article continues here.

Related: “(Meanwhile) Income tax CUT on Missouri ballot; Illinois may see more outmigration”

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Special meeting of the Barrington Hills Park District Board Monday

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Cell Towers, Countryside Elementary School, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, Goat Rodeo, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Look For The Union Label, Mad Cows, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Transparency, Unions on July 12, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Barrington Hills Park District Board/Riding Cult of Barrington Hills will hold a special meeting Monday at 6:30 PM. The sole topic on their agenda is:

  • “Intergovernmental Agreement between the Barrington Hills Park. District and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County”

A copy of the agenda can be viewed here and the meeting will not be available via Zoom.

Related: “Special Closed Session Meeting of the Barrington Hills Park District Board Monday, June 22nd”

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Chicago Law bans phones and laptops from first-year classes to combat AI

Posted in AI, Education, Ethics, Reuters, Topics Of Interest on July 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »

A girl uses her mobile phone in Sydney, Australia, November 22, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo

By Karen Sloan | Reuters

Incoming law students at the University of Chicago will be barred from using phones and laptops in required first-year courses in a bid ​to curb their AI usage under a new AI policy, opens new tab the school unveiled Thursday.

The laptop and phone ‌ban is part of a broader AI strategy the law school developed over the past year to ensure that “students actually learn to think critically, strategically, and independently without relying on AI,” before teaching them to use those tools later on, according to the new ​policy.

The classroom device prohibition appears to be among the most restrictive AI rules adopted by a U.S. ​law school. Chicago Law Dean Adam Chilton told Reuters he was unaware of any ⁠other school with a blanket first-year laptop and phone ban.

The University of California, Berkeley School of Law in May debuted ​rules that drastically limit how students may use AI. Critics have said Berkeley’s policy prohibits too many legitimate AI ​uses at a time when legal employers expect newly minted attorneys to know how to use the technology.

Chilton said it was important to prepare students for situations in the classroom and in practice when they must answer legal questions on the spot without consulting ​AI.

Article continues here.

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Illinois allows lawmaker conflicts of interest

Posted in 220, Barrington Hills Park District, Board of Education, Conflict of interest, Deception, Elections, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Illinois Policy Institute, Look For The Union Label, Politics, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Transparency, Unions, Village President on July 9, 2026| 1 Comment »

The indictment of state Rep. Carol Ammons is a reminder that Illinois still relies on the honor system in conflicts of interest.

By Joe Tabor | Illinois Policy Institute

The federal indictment this week of a state representative is a reminder that Illinois lawmakers are on the honor system when it comes to conflicts of interest.

Rep. Carol Ammons was indicted July 7 on charges of wire fraud, making false statements to a federal investigator and obstruction of justice in an alleged apparent scheme to divert state grant money to herself and her daughter.

Key to the case is the alleged conflict of interest of Ammons aiding in arranging appropriations for state grants to go to Hood Votes Neighborhood Transformation, where her daughter was program director.

Voting for appropriations that will go to pay a close family member is a clear conflict of interest, but in Illinois, lawmakers are on the honor system there. State law reads:

When a legislator must take official action on a legislative matter as to which he has a conflict situation created by a personal, family, or client legislative interest, he should consider the possibility of eliminating the interest creating the conflict situation. If that is not feasible, he should consider the possibility of abstaining from such official action. (Emphasis added.)

Most states require lawmakers to disclose any conflict of interest before a vote, to recuse themselves from voting on any legislation where they have a conflict of interest, or both.

In those states, lawmakers who violate the requirements can face stiff civil and criminal penalties.

With such a recusal provision in place, Ammons’ alleged corruption might have been caught earlier.

Report continues here.

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CUSD 220 Board delivers second (slappier) slap on the wrist to member Erin Chan Ding

Posted in 220, AI, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Conflict of interest, Data Center, Deception, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Ethics, Illinois Federation of Teachers, League of Women Voters, OMA, Politics, Property Taxes, Real Estate, School Districts, South Barrington, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, Video Recordings, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on July 1, 2026| 3 Comments »

 

At their special meeting Monday, the 220 Board of Education voted on approving the, “Written Decision Regarding Uniform Grievance Procedure Complaint Concerning a Board Member,” and the, “Public Release of the June 10, 2026, Uniform Grievance Procedure Investigation Report and Findings.” Here’s how that went:

“Ficke-Bradford: The next motion, I’d like to invite Aris Talianas, the Board attorney, to come to the table in case the Board has any questions.

And I just want to do a little preamble on this one just to make sure it’s very clear.

After the receipt of a Complaint regarding alleged violations of Board Policy, an outside investigator was appointed to investigate the Complaint and the investigator issued a written report pursuant to the Board’s Uniform Grievance Procedure. The outside investigator’s report includes recommended findings that Board Member Ding violated Board Policy 2:80 relating to the Board Member Code of Conduct concerning the appearance of impropriety and the use of social media. According to the Board’s Uniform Grievance Procedure, the Board is required to issue a written decision following the issuance of the investigator’s report reaching its own conclusions, the Board’s own conclusions. Therefore, I am requesting a motion to approve the Board’s decision on the Complaint filed against Board Member Ding consistent with the following, and Board Members, you have a copy of this in front of you. I’m going to read through the bullets:

  • Accepting the investigator’s findings that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that Ding violated Board Policy 2:80 when she decided not to recuse herself from the vote on the first complaint that was created, that created the appearance of impropriety.
  • Accepting the investigator’s findings that there is significant evidence to prove that Ding violated Board Policy 2:80 when she allowed certain social media posts to remain on her active campaign website.
  • Accepting the investigator’s findings that there is not evidence to conclude that Ding violated Board Policy or law based on her receipt of campaign contributions from labor and or education groups, including those affiliated with the Barrington Education Association. However, the Board expects Ding to consider recusing herself from Board deliberations and action on substantive decisions related to Barrington Education Association and Barrington School Employee’s Organization collective bargaining agreements.
  • The Board directs Ding to remove from her campaign website any references to District achievements and expects Ding to decline to vote on any matter coming before the Board, which is likely to create the appearance of impropriety.
  • The Board considers it is appropriate that Ding reimburse the District for the cost of investigating and adjudicating this second Complaint alleging violations of Board Policy, especially given that the Complaint largely involves Ding’s failure to follow the direction and training from the first complaint. In lieu of reimbursement, the Board requests Ding write a letter of apology and seek IASB or District approved ethics counseling on their own time and at their own expense.

Do I have such a motion?

Collister-Lazari: So moved.

Srivastava: Second.

Ficke Bradford: All right. Any questions or comments from the Board?

All right, let’s do roll call.

Steve Wang? Yes.

Sandra Bradford? Yes.

Harathi Srivastava? Yes.

Diana Clopton? Yes.

Leah Collister Lazari? Yes.

Ficke Bradford: All right, motion passes. The next motion. Do we have a motion to approve the public release of the June 10, 2026, Uniform Grievance Procedure Investigation Report and finding?

Collister Lazari:  So moved.

Clopton: Second.

Ficke Bradford: All right, so just to be very clear, this is the official report that we just took the former action on. So we… It’s marked as confidential. So the Board must take an action to waive that confidentiality. So that is what we are doing with this action. Any questions from the Board?

All right, let’s do a roll call, please.

Harathi Srivastava? Yes.

Sandra Bradford? Yes.

Steve Wang? Yes.

Leah Collister Lazari? Yes.

Diana Clapton? Yes.”

To view to the YouTube video queued to the start of the discussion, click here.

A copy of the June 10, 2026, Uniform Grievance Procedure Investigation Report and Finding can be viewed and downloaded here.

Related: “CUSD 220 Board of Education public comments we applaud,” “Special District 220 Board of Education meeting Monday,” “Over $100,000 in Special Interest Funding gifted to 220 Board member’s campaign in failed bid for State Rep job,” “New Evidence of Chan Ding’s Policy Violations and Conflicts of Interest,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency”

AND

“Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’”

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CUSD 220 Board of Education public comments we applaud

Posted in 220, AI, 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, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, Transparency, Unions, Video Recordings, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on June 30, 2026| 1 Comment »

 

Erin Chan Ding

Monday morning at 7:30 AM, the District 220 Board met at a special agreed upon time to address the ongoing issues relating to current board member, Erin Chan Ding. Here is a transcribed portion of the discussion, which included blunt comments from a former CUSD 220 board member:

“Ficke-Bradford:  And as I also mentioned at our last Board meeting, we needed to have another meeting, which is why we’re here today. We need to have this meeting to address a few  Board action items. We did plan this date and this time around the availability of Erin Chan Ding that Erin did provide to me when she would be available. Unfortunately, Dr. Altshuler was not available at this, at this time. And, unfortunately, yesterday, just after 4pm, Erin Chan Ding communicated that she would not be in attendance today.

I just want to make sure it’s clear to the community that we did plan. We’re not trying to have any action items without Erin Chan Ding being present. And last, for my little Be Real segment, I just want to remind the Board and community that on November 18, the Board of Education issued its written decision on a Complaint directed at the Board Member Erin Chan Ding, alleging violations of Board Policy. And at its decision, Ms. Ding completed training on policy 2:105 on Ethics and Gift Ban in early December.

Today, the Board will consider a second written decision. To be clear and to remind the community, per school code, the Board does not have the authority to remove Ms. Ding from the Board. Only the Lake County Regional Superintendent has such authority.

And Eric, since you’re here, you can affirm that as well, right?

Attorney: That is accurate. Yes.

Ficke Bradford: So I just wanted to make sure that everyone was well.
OK. So with that, let us move on to public comment.  I think we have one public commenter.

Public Comment – Angela Wilcox:  It’s not as fun sitting over here. I am so sorry I have to do this.

The first affirmation in the Illinois School Board Member Swearing an Oath is “I shall respect taxpayer interests by serving as a faithful protector of the school district’s assets.”  Erin’s actions on this Board have repeatedly violated this oath to the community and have also forced all of you other Members to have to violate it as well.

I listened to the first complaint against her actions on this Board and her prepared response, which wasn’t truthful as to her true actions and wasn’t accurate as to her actions moving forward. She said that she didn’t understand she was violating policy.

However, I sat in the exact room where that policy was written with her for countless hours, looking at every word over and over. She said that she would take every action not to violate policies in the future. Yet I see on the agenda there’s yet another complaint that’s been filed against her.

I’m angry, and this is a time for you to be angry as well. Your time has been wasted over and over and over again. You took a duty to this community and you were forced to have to spend it doing something completely outside of what your duty is.  I can’t imagine the amount of time that you have wasted in responding to emails, internal discussions and community responses at the grocery store regarding the violations of Board policies by a Board Member that you cannot control.

She has abused the 220 staff, especially Dr. Winkleman, by forcing them to add the defense of her political ambitions to their job descriptions on top of their actual job descriptions.

She has not respected taxpayer interests by serving as a faithful protector of the School District’s assets, but has used the lawyers employed by 220 as her own personal representatives to fulfill her political aspirations.

The last time she was confronted with this complaint, she received a dressing down and a response. But now it’s time to take firm action. I understand that you as a Board cannot remove her, but I ask that you do whatever you can to make sure that you…

Whatever it can be so that you don’t have to continue dealing with this in the future.

I feel bad for you. And I wish that there was something that this community could do to support you more. However, you do need to list the amount of money that taxpayers have had to pay to outside counsel to defend Erin’s political aspirations beyond 220. And there also needs to be a way to establish a means for this money to be re-paid to the public. I know there is no way to account for the amount of lost revenue and wages that you’ve had to spend internally and as you have as a Board. But to the extent that it can be quantified, I ask that you publish this because it is something that we should know as taxpayers.

Thank you.

Ficke Bradford: Thank you, Angela.”

And we thank you for your continued dedication to District 220, Angela.

To listen to the YouTube recording queued to the start of Ficke-Bradford’s comments, click here.

Related: “Special District 220 Board of Education meeting Monday,” “Over $100,000 in Special Interest Funding gifted to 220 Board member’s campaign in failed bid for State Rep job,” “New Evidence of Chan Ding’s Policy Violations and Conflicts of Interest,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency”

AND

“Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’”

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Village Board of Trustees meet tonight

Posted in Aunt Blabby, BACOG, Building Department, Clown Car, Data Center, Dumb and Dumber, EJ&E/Canadian National, ePacket Agendas, Ethics, Hoffman Estates, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, One Barrington Hills, Open Meetings Act, Pension Funding, Plan Commission, Plum Farm development, Police Reports, Politics, Privacy, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Roads & Bridges Committee, Sears, Simple Minds, South Barrington, Taxes, The Land We Love Run, Topics Of Interest, Traffic, Transparency, Unions, VBHPD, Village Attorney, Village Board, Village Clerk, Village Code, Village Director of Administration, Village Engineer, Village President, Village Treasurer, Well Water Quality, Zoning Board on June 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Village Board of Trustees will be conducting their regular monthly meeting this evening beginning at 6:30 PM. Topics on their agenda include:

A copy of their agenda, including info on listening to the meeting, can be viewed and downloaded here.

*Ironically (and moronically), just six months ago President Cecola invited an unannounced guest to present their ideas on a 110-acre data center proposal adjacent to Pond Gate Farms that would have necessitated rezoning that acreage to Light Industrial in Barrington Hills at his December board meeting.

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Editorial: ‘Toll free in ‘73’ was just another empty promise. Buckle up for a 45-cent toll hike, Illinois.

Posted in Aunt Blabby, Chicago Tribune, Clown Car, Cost of Living, Deception, Ethics, Illinois Tollway, Look For The Union Label, New Normal?, OP/Ed, Overhead, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Road construction, Springfield, Taxes, Traffic, Unions on June 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Engineer John Zimmerman, left, and Commissioner George DeMent, right, view an automatic coin collector at the toll gate of the Calumet Skyway on April 10, 1958, to be opened to traffic. | George Quinn/Chicago Tribune

By The Editorial Board | Chicago Tribune

Illinois tollways were meant to be freeways decades ago.

Gov. JB Pritzker promised to reform the Illinois Tollway before he was elected, the latest in a long line of governors, from Rod Blagojevich to Jim Thompson, who vowed reform.

Remember, the tollways aren’t even supposed to be tollways anymore. The tolls were meant to be temporary until the bonds issued to build the roads were paid off. Many of our readers may remember that old promise that by 1973, our dear tollways would become freeways.

“Toll free in ‘73,” it turns out, is just another empty promise long forgotten.

After decades — and billions of dollars — in paid tolls later, drivers are further away than ever from those cost-free roads.

Now, they’re staring down the prospect of another toll hike.

The Illinois Tollway board is in the process of implementing a 45-cent toll increase for I-Pass users, meaning a 70-cent toll today could become $1.15 in 2027.

And the toll hikes won’t stop there. Starting in 2029, the proposal to be considered by the Illinois Tollway board sets up CPI-indexed toll hikes every two years.

Editorial continues here.

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Editorial: Has Chicago learned nothing from Jussie Smollett and his fake hate crime?

Posted in Chicago Tribune, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Ethics, OP/Ed, Politics, Snowflake Effect on June 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Jussie Smollett, the actor charged with lying to police about an alleged fabricated attack, is surrounded by media as he waits for a car at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago on March 26, 2019. | José M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune

By The Editorial Board | Chicago Tribune

We have some advice for Gov. JB Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson, Cardinal Blase Cupich, Rev. Michael Pfleger and others who rushed out statements following images of a burning cross in Grant Park circulating online and, naturally, then being amplified by algorithms that feed like blood-thirsty vampires on controversy.

Take a breath and let the police investigate for a day or two before you trot out a statement destined to land in international media and feed someone’s need for publicity. Just tell reporters: We’re going to let the police ascertain the facts first.

Did we learn nothing as a city after the actor Jussie Smollett reported a fake hate crime that he had actually staged himself in downtown Chicago, embarrassing any number of knee-jerk politicians (few of whom later apologized), wasting police time and trashing the city’s reputation all at once? Did that not motivate our leaders to say to their eager spokespeople, “Hang on a minute and let’s find out exactly what happened here?”

Apparently not. In this case, Pritzker immediately opined that the incident “speaks to what happens when the seeds of racism and fascism grow unchecked in our country.”

Then on Monday, WMAQ-Ch. 5 interviewed a 21-year-old college student from Naperville who told the station that he had placed a MAGA hat on top of the burning cross and that he actually was protesting the policies of President Donald Trump and didn’t expect his actions to be viewed in the context in which they were reported. The police now also have a suspect in custody. In other words, the man who talked to NBC 5 said his motivation was the precise opposite of what the governor said this incident represented.

We’ve no idea if that motivation was an after-the-fact invention of the suspect, or his lawyer, or even with certainty that it was the same person (no charges had been filed at press time), but we also know that anytime you see the words “after the image circulated online” in a shocking news story — and there were many such stories about this incident in national and local media, replete with the recounting of historical American inhumanity to man — it is a cue to be suspicious that not everything is as it first might seem.

Also a cue: anything purportedly happening in Chicago involving nooses, burning crosses and the other hateful detritus of America’s shameful past, especially from the South.

Editorial continues here.

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