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Archives for October 2020

Endorsements

Why we need to elect Joe Biden to save our American democratic institutions 

1. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During his eight years as vice president to President Barack Obama, Joe Biden was at the forefront of fighting two international pandemics: H1N1 in 2009 and Ebola in 2014. The H1N1 virus claimed 14,000 lives in the United States and Ebola felled two. While Obama and Biden were making sure Ebola didn’t ravage our country, Donald Trump was tweeting that Obama should have been impeached for the two Ebola deaths. Today, Biden has a plan to: determine when and how an effective, safe vaccine will be distributed; provide Federal resources for more PPEs and other protections for essential workers; offer relief for small businesses, as one in six have closed nationwide; and aid the millions of unemployed struggling to pay their bills and survive this pandemic. Biden has been urging Americans to wear a mask in public to stay safe and always wears his. He has a sensible plan to reopen our schools and economies without devasting either and causing more deaths, so that we don’t slide backward this flu season. He understands that we need to address the coronavirus as the public health crisis that it is.

2. Healthcare for all Americans. Biden will work to protect the Affordable Care Act and improve and expand its coverages. When it was implemented in 2010, and through the rest of the Obama-Biden Administration, the number of uninsured Americans dropped nearly 40% from 44 million to 27 million. One way that Biden will make healthcare more affordable is by offering tax credits for middle class Americans to help them pay for their coverage. A family of four earning $110,000 annually, who get their insurance in the marketplace, will have their premiums capped at 8.5% of their income, saving some $750 per month in healthcare insurance under the Biden plan (which, by the way, is not “Medicare for All”). Would you rather see tax credits to help middle class Americans buy and keep their healthcare or more Federal tax cuts for millionaires, billionaires, and Fortune 500 companies? 

3. Creating an economy that benefits all Americans. Through Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan, he will create millions of jobs by first getting the pandemic under control and creating a Public Health Jobs Corps that will help create healthier societies. The virus has killed more Black and Brown people than any other ethnic group, and this is directly correlated to a lack of healthcare, mental health, and social work services in poorer communities. Biden also will create jobs by mobilizing American manufacturers to bring good paying, union jobs back to the United States (something that Trump promised and has yet to deliver on as his claim of creating 700,000 manufacturing jobs is not true). The lack of a strong supply chain during the pandemic shows that America can no longer rely on and afford to have critical PPE and other products made overseas. Biden will focus on providing more jobs and an investment of $1 trillion to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and create renewable and clean energy. He also wants to create a 21st century caregiving and education workforce to provide for our aging population and increase child care options and make them more affordable so that working mothers can both earn a living wage and find care for their young children. In Chicago alone, 42% of our families are made up of single parent, mother-only households. These women and children need a helping hand and the Biden plan will offer them just that. Biden will reverse the Trump corporate tax cuts that lowered their rates from 28% to 21%.  This move not only benefitted Wall Street and the top 1%, but it also benefitted Donald Trump and his family through Trump Enterprises. 

4. Racial and social injustice and inequality. Donald Trump likes to disparage Joe Biden for his 47 years in politics. Yet, Biden has a record of being on the right side of history when it comes to civil rights and advocating for social and economic justice in this country, which includes improving our educational system and creating fair and equitable housing. Kenosha, Wisconsin, erupted in riots in August after the shooting of Jacob Blake. The 29-year old Black man was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha police officer as Blake entered his SUV, and was left paralyzed. Shortly afterwards, Joe Biden visited with Blake’s family, talked with Blake by phone at his hospital bed, and prayed with the Blake family at their local church. Biden decried the violence while also saying protestors had the right to peaceful assembly. Throughout this campaign, Biden has called for healing in America and an end to the divisiveness exacerbated during the Trump administration. He supports Black Lives Matter while not advocating for the defunding of the police. Biden supports police reform and bringing law enforcement officials, social justice experts, and community representatives together as soon as he is elected to begin a dialogue on how to address racial inequality and repair and strengthen police-community relations. Biden will increase educational funding for students in low-income communities and will offer at no charge two years of community college or a trade level experience for those needing financial assistance. 

5. The rule of law. There were no scandals or indictments in the Obama administration. There were no arrests of Obama-Biden campaign managers, cabinet members, or staff members. People didn’t come in and out of the White House as if a revolving door had been installed. Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch served as the Obama administration’s attorneys general. They did not purport to be Obama’s personal attorney, allowing him and Biden to wreak havoc on the rule of law in this country. Biden’s respect for the rule of law might not make the nightly cable shows, but we will take a president in Biden who will not trample over our constitution for his own personal gain or political survival. 

6. The place of the United States on the world stage. Joe Biden will restore America’s place on the world stage. It will take a lot of work to restore trust from our allies—many of whom have been with us since World Wars I and II. He has earned a strong international reputation and, once elected, will appoint knowledgeable cabinet members in the critical posts of secretary of state and secretary of defense. The Obama-Biden administration earned the respect of allies and others who once turned to the United States for leadership and morality. Under a Biden administration, we will not lose our seat at the United Nations or at NATO and will return to the Paris Climate Agreement. After four years of tumult and turmoil, Biden will bring a balance of power against the likes of Vladimir Putin in Russia, Xi Jinping in China, and Bashar al-Assad in Syria. It won’t be easy, but Biden has the integrity, the experience, and the moxie to return the United States to its rightful position in the world.

Why we need to defeat Donald Trump to preserve our democratic institutions 

1. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Donald Trump ignored the warnings of numerous U.S. intelligence agencies that told him something terrible was occurring in Wuhan, China. We have him on record with journalist Bob Woodward that he knew about the virus in February. Other reports say he had information much earlier. Trump told Woodward he didn’t want to “panic” the American people. This coming from the same person who uses divisive language on a daily basis to instill fear and panic in Americans, and who saber-rattles with international adversaries, such as threatening a war with Iran. Trump failed us when we truly needed him:  he was agonizingly slow to invoke the Defense Production Act to get U.S. manufacturers to make ventilators and PPE materials; used the virus as a political battleground with “blue state” governors; has assailed the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, and leading research universities—often refuting science for his own far-fetched ideas and those from questionable medical experts. To play to his base and cover his tracks, he refers to the coronavirus as the “China virus,” but when he could have had U.S. health experts on the ground in Wuhan to figure out what was happening, he stood down. As of this writing, the United States has more than 208,000 deaths and more than 7.3 million cases—more than another country in the world. We cannot blame Trump for each of these lives lost, but by reacting slowly to rolling out nation-wide testing and contact tracing, experts say, an additional 40,000 to 50,000 Americans who need not have died have instead perished under his watch. Plainly speaking, Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have failed us in dealing with this pandemic. A new Cornell University report shows that President Trump is the leading driver (38%) of misinformation on the virus. Remember his serious suggestion (not “tongue in cheek” as he and his staffers continue to argue) to consider digesting bleach and injecting ultra-violet light as cures for the virus? This statement led to thousands of inaccurate reports and an increase in the number of people calling their state poison control centers. This is leadership at the highest level?

2. Healthcare for all Americans. In the four years of the Trump administration as the ACA has been chipped away at, 1.4 million Americans have lost their coverage. Twelve states (all but one “red states,” by the way), have refused to expand Medicaid coverage to their citizens, blocking an additional 4.9 million from receiving healthcare. The ACA protects 100 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. This month, the Trump administration is going before the U.S. Supreme Court to wipe this away and is rushing at warp speed, with the help of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), to appoint nominee Amy Coney Barrett to the court to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg to secure the votes he needs to destroy the ACA once and for all. Trump brags that he has lowered prescription drug costs for Americans, but there is no proof of this. The Republicans have had more than a decade to come up with a replacement for the ACA (“Obamacare”), and Trump keeps promising us his plan. Neither have delivered. Your healthcare and that of your families is at stake and at risk in this election. 

3. Creating an economy that benefits all Americans. Trump inherited a robust economy from the Obama-Biden Administration, which had 75 consecutive months of economic growth. Trump was left with one of the strongest economies in American history, which he promptly gave away with his tax cuts for the rich. Even conservative Forbes magazine reported that the wealthiest people in America now are paying the lowest tax rate for the first time in American history. As Forbes also reported, the 2017 tax overhaul is serving “to line the pockets of the wealthy at the expense of the working class.” Government revenue is way down. Those cuts are deficit-financed, so we and our children will be stuck paying the bills.  As a result, the economy tanked, which Trump supporters like to blame on those evil Democrats who shut down businesses to protect people against the coronavirus. Actually, that was too little, too late. If Trump had shut the country down for a couple of weeks in March, just like other countries shut down, the virus would be contained and the economy would be back to normal, as other countries’ economies are. Instead, he pretended the virus didn’t exist or that it was a hoax by the Democrats to derail his reelection. Today, states that never shut down are experiencing giant surges of coronavirus, with restaurants and other businesses shutting down again and exacerbating a recession that never needed to happen. Also exacerbating the recession is the Republican Senate’s refusal to agree to an economic stimulus bill long ago-passed by the Democratic House of Representatives, and Trump certainly is not asking them to pass it. America, therefore, is in its deepest recession since the 1930s, and Trump has done nothing except try to blame others. Although Trump likes to brag about being good for the economy, if defeated in the election he will leave office with the smallest job growth among modern day presidents. 

4. Racial and social injustice and inequality. Donald Trump also visited Kenosha after the shooting of Jacob Blake and the riots that ensued. He never visited or called Blake or his family members. He didn’t visit the Blake family church. Trump did visit with law enforcement officials. He took the opportunity to once again gloat that he was “the law and order President” and made absurd charges that electing Joe Biden would endanger white voters living in suburbs across America. Trump wondered what the public outcry was all about after Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Antioch, was dropped off by his mother across the state line in Kenosha to patrol businesses neither he nor his family owned. Rittenhouse used a long-armed gun to kill two protesters and severely injure a third. Trump never offered a word of condolence to the families of the slain or maimed. Then again, he has history on his side. In 2017, at a Unite the Right rally made up of Ku Klux Klan members and other white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, James Alex Fields Jr. deliberately drove his car into a group of unarmed protestors, killing Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others. Trump’s response? The unthinkable statement of “fine people on both sides” and nary a word to this day of condolence to Heyer’s mother or the others injured. Speaking of unthinkable statements, during the September 29 debate, when given the opportunity to decry white supremacy and instead of disavowing groups such as the Proud Boys, Trump barked, “stand back and stand by.” 

5. The rule of law. Donald Trump is a braggart. Here’s a Trump first he can hang his hat on—he is the first incumbent president to run for reelection after being impeached by the U.S. Congress. The only thing that saved him was a complicit Republican Senate, led by Mitch McConnell, which failed to call one witness in the impeachment trial. Not one. During the Republican National Convention’s closing night, Trump, his family, and his handlers laughed and scoffed when they were told using the White House (the “people’s house”) was a violation of the Federal Hatch Act. Traveling to and from the various Trump resorts such as Mar-a-Lago have been brazen violations of the emoluments clause of the constitution. Trump is not supposed to have a personal financial gain from his position as president, but he doesn’t care, when there is money to be made. Bill Barr as Trump’s Attorney General has made a mockery of the office and clears the way for Trump to act so brazenly. Trump regularly uses dog whistles and shows time and again he is a racist. There, we said it and we stand by it. Trump argues that Antifa is the problem with civil unrest in our country (by the way, Antifa is an anti-Fascist movement and a philosophy, not an organized group) when his own FBI Director Christopher Wray says the real problem is far right extremists and white supremacists. Every one of Trump’s campaign managers was indicted on fraud charges; numerous others have been charged and sent to prison. Barr is trying to intervene in former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn’s case to get him a shorter sentence. There is a double standard in this country—one for Trump’s miscreants and one for the rest of us. 

6. The place of the United States on the world stage. Under the Trump Administration, the United States has fallen far from grace with its international partners. As Trump pulls away from our allies and complains that Putin and Russia should return to the Group of Eight; withdraws from the Paris Climate Accord and denies climate change; and shows ongoing admiration for the demagogues, thugs, and dictators leading countries such as Russia, Turkey, North Korea, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, our allies recoil. As our democracy cracks under the weight of this administration, our position internationally has suffered greatly. No longer do the leaders of Great Britain, France, and Germany turn to the United States for advice or vision. Instead, we are looked at forlornly as the country that used to be a beacon of light for all.

It comes down to this: Joe Biden is best choice to get America back on track

Basic human decency. This is what you will get if you have the fortitude to push past all of the mayhem that surrounds us in the middle of this pandemic and cast your vote in person or by mail in the presidential election. Of course, you will receive basic human decency only if you cast your ballot for Joe Biden. If you cast your ballot for Donald J. Trump, you will ensure four more years of despair, divisiveness, disillusion, and sadly, the very real risk of the dismantling of American democracy. 

Joe Biden.

This is not hyperbole. It is not an exaggeration. It is what we see at Gazette Chicago after five years of having Donald Trump front and center in our lives, day after day, night after night, tweet after tweet, breaking news flash after breaking news flash. Yes, five years has been a long time to endure as this roller coaster ride began in earnest when Trump and his wife, Melania, sauntered down the escalator at Trump Tower in New York City to announce his candidacy. 

Above, we made our case for the contrast between these two candidates. The choices couldn’t be clearer. The short list above is just part of the trauma that our country has experienced under the administration of Donald J. Trump. We didn’t have enough room to list all of his transgressions. We didn’t go into detail on the hardship that this administration has caused families at the border, where more than 4,000 infants, children, and teenagers have been separated from their parents with no real plan to reunite them. Thousands remain in cages. We didn’t list how Trump has created his own militia by securing ICE agents and others to be his goon squad that attacked peaceful protestors in Lafayette Park so he could have a photo op and hold a Holy Bible upside down on the steps of St. John’s Church, or send them to Democratic cities so he can show how tough he is on “leftist socialists.” We didn’t go into detail about Trump’s scorn for people who have served in our military, starting with the Khan family four years ago, his ridicule of Vietnam POW and late Senator, John McCain, and his recent incredible comments that those who served and sacrificed were “suckers and losers.” We didn’t touch on the scathing New York Times bombshell that showed Trump paid only $750 in Federal taxes in both 2016 and 2017 while teachers, nurses, police and firefighters, factory workers, waitresses, and so many others paid so much more. 

If you have been paying attention, you know what has happened to this country and you know what is at stake. If you voted for Trump four years ago because you thought the Apprentice businessman might be good for the economy, you don’t get a mulligan this time. If you filed a protest vote four years ago and voted for Jill Stein and the Green Party like seven million other Americans did, it’s time to grow up. If you just stayed home and couldn’t get excited about voting for Hillary Clinton, know the stakes are much higher this time and do your civic duty. If you couldn’t vote for Clinton because you are as much as a misogynist as Trump, we have nothing to say to you—but hope your wife, your mother, or your daughter took you to the woodshed. If you will once again vote for Trump because you believe “Make America Great Again” is really the dog whistle for “Make America White Again,” well, we truly feel sorry for you. 

For those of you who love this country and all of its people; those who want to see an end to the deaths and suffering due to the coronavirus; those who want someone who believes in science and that climate change is a world-wide threat to our very existence; those who do not want to see emboldened white supremacists leering over your shoulders when you exercise your right to vote or choose to assemble peacefully under the U.S. Constitution; those who don’t believe the United States Supreme Court is a means to an end for a president to get his way; you have only one clear choice. Only one of these two candidates has pledged to accept the results of this election as every other presidential candidate has in the past while the other has threatened the very core of our election process and has done all he can to smear the integrity of the 2020 election. 

There are many more positive reasons to vote for Joe Biden for president. Basic common decency: Let’s start there and then we can begin to rebuild America. 

Gazette Chicago strongly endorses Joseph R. Biden for President of the United States. 

State’s Attorney

In our March issue, in the Democratic primary for state’s attorney, we endorsed Bill Conway over Kim Foxx. This was predominantly because of Foxx’s mishandling of the Jussie Smollett case, in which she dismissed the charges against the actor for faking a hate crime.

As much as Foxx’s opponents made of that issue, however, the voters showed it was not as important to them, as Foxx beat Conway by nearly eight percentage points to take the Democratic nomination.

On the Republican side, we endorsed Patrick “Pat” O’Brien, who was a much more mainstream, rational choice than his opponent.

Now it is time to examine more closely the records of both the incumbent and the challenger.

Kim Foxx.

For this edition of Gazette Chicago, our reporter asked Foxx the tough questions, and Foxx handled them. As a matter of fact, when our editorial board asked our reporter to go back to Foxx to ask follow-up questions, she once again made herself available to us—something that is rare in today’s world where elected officials often avoid the media. Concerning the Smollett case, Foxx admitted she should have done a better job informing the public that state’s attorneys often drop low-level cases. Although the Smollett case was high profile, its impact was low level and Foxx decided to drop it, just as her predecessors in the office had dropped many cases over the decades. We disagree with her doing so, but we cannot disagree that she had the discretion to do so. The voters in March agreed.

In fact, not going after the little fish, such as people arrested for possession of small amounts of drugs and low level retail theft, in favor of going after the big fish, including people who commit felonies and endanger the public, and not caring about conviction numbers being more important than public safety, is an issue she campaigned on in 2016, and the voters approved.

Foxx also answered the tough questions about other dropped felony cases, noting she would rather err on the side of innocent until proven guilty if the cases lacked sufficient evidence. Her Conviction Integrity Unit has vacated more than 80 cases where the evidence did not warrant charges against defendants. Today, when we have a president bellowing at the top of his lungs about “law and order!” it would be easy to look warily at Foxx. However, Chicago has a history of sending individuals who did not commit a particular crime to prison and later paying hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution. Foxx refuted charges that she has gone too easy on looters that wreaked mayhem in Chicago this summer, noting that her office has moved forward to prosecute 90% of the cases. Foxx also addressed charges about allegedly mishandling electronic monitoring of offenders, noting that this task falls under the sheriff’s office’s jurisdiction, despite critics’ attempts to blame her for an area outside of her purview. 

Foxx has deserved criticism, but some is definitely overblown by those with a political agenda.

O’Brien has some good stands on issues, such as promising to bring cases to trial more quickly so defendants spend less time in jail waiting to go to court. But we are bothered that his experience in the state’s attorney’s office comes from an era in which that office wrongly convicted many individuals who were innocent of the charges against them, 27 of which were directly under O’Brien’s jurisdiction. He also worked there in an era in which the office failed to take police misconduct seriously. O’Brien, in our view, has failed to repudiate the past wrongs of the office in his campaign. 

Foxx has brought the office into the 21st century with alternate sentencing, mental health treatment, stronger penalties for gun violence, expunging records of those who had been convicted of marijuana possession, and putting records online.

She has been far from perfect. But she is trying new methods welcomed—actually, demanded—by the public, and admits her mistakes. If the citizens of Cook County give Foxx another four years, we ask that she build a firewall between herself, her office, and outside influencers to prevent future incidents like the Smollett case (and those that created problems for previous state’s attorneys); that she distance herself from her mentor, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (whom she served as chief of staff); and that she build a stronger relationship with the Chicago Police Department so that officers and prosecutors work in tandem on rightful convictions and help stem the violence plaguing our communities. O’Brien, although experienced, earnest, and capable of doing the job, harkens back to an era to which we do not want to see the office return.

The choice is a tough one, but in the end we will choose the candidate who, despite some missteps, keeps her eye on the future as the public has demanded. Gazette Chicago endorses Kim Foxx for another term as Cook County state’s attorney.

Congress

Voters will cast ballots for members of Congress in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 7th Congressional districts.

Bobby Rush.

In the 1st District, Democrat and incumbent Bobby Rush is a strong advocate of protecting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and believes Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has been the most harmful person in that post the country has ever seen. He introduced the Green Collar Jobs Development Act to increase job opportunities for all Americans, especially underrepresented groups. He supports the $15 minimum wage and wants it increased to $17 or $18 per hour. Rush has been pressuring the Trump administration on its poor response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) and favors the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) act.

Republican Philanise White is pro-school choice and anti-teachers’ unions, policies advocated by DeVos, and wants less government intervention in society. Instead of DACA, she supports a typical Republican border militarization strategy. Independent candidate Ruth Pellegrini is strong on women’s issues and education and touts “respect,” job creation to help coronavirus recovery, and legal immigration.

White offers the typical Republican policies that have created many of the ills that plague modern America. Pellegrini has some good ideas, and we hope she stays politically active, but she is inexperienced and cannot offer the district as much as Rush. Bobby Rush has been an effective, progressive leader in Congress for the 1st District for many years and deserves another term. 

Marie Newman.

A new member of Congress will represent the 3rd District, as Marie Newman defeated incumbent Dan Lipinski in the Democratic primary.

Newman supports the ACA and would move to a Medicare for All system, which she believes would reduce medical costs. Newman believes it is critical to eliminate voter suppression tactics and overturn Citizens United, which allows corporations to pour unlimited money into political campaigns. Newman strongly disapproves of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s ongoing war on public education. She favors legislation that will cancel student loan debt up to $50,000 for individuals with outstanding loans and incomes lower than $100,000. She supports the minimum wage, with increases linked to variations of the cost of living. She is strong on climate change issues and would couple the fight to save the environment with modernizing transportation, infrastructure, and the economy. Newman favors immigrants’ rights and DACA.

Her opponent is Republican Mike Fricilone, a rare thoughtful Republican candidate. He wants to help the community recover economically from the coronavirus and would work in a bipartisan fashion for more medicine, PPE, and medical supplies. He supports DACA and is an environmentalist. He opposes the Federal government paying for college education and is a fan of President Trump’s tax cuts for the rich and voter ID.

Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.

Fricilone has some good ideas, but is a lone voice in a party that does not support those ideas and would pressure him to change. Newman is the better choice and offers a chance to have a true progressive finally represent the community. She and so many people in the district worked hard for years to defeat Republican-in-Democrat’s clothing Lipinski, and it would be a tragedy to turn over the district to a Republican after so much work and hope. Newman is what the families in this district need at this time—a strong voice for the middle class, and those seeking to get there.

 We look forward to Marie Newman representing the 3rd District, and she earns our endorsement.

The 4th District race features incumbent Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, whose record is a progressive one. His priorities are affordable and comprehensive healthcare, immigration reform, labor and worker rights, affordable neighborhoods, the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and protecting DACA recipients. 

Opponent Jesus Solorio Jr. offers standard and short sighted Republican rhetoric, and he opposes teachers’ unions. He inexplicably believes that people with pre-existing health conditions do not have to worry about insurance coverage and that market-based supply-and-demand medical care can solve the nation’s healthcare problems. He dismisses climate change by saying the climate has been “changing since its inception” and believes private sector market-based incentives can solve this problem, too. His plan to “adopt an immigration plan based on societal merit” seems suspiciously like another GOP giveaway to the well-to-do.

Gazette Chicago endorses Jesus “Chuy” Garcia for another term and strongly disapproves of the platform for which Solorio and other right-wing Republicans keep pushing.

Danny K. Davis.

In the 7th District, Congressman Danny K. Davis has proven to be one of the most progressive members of the House of Representatives for decades. He is focusing on solutions to the coronavirus’s negative impact on public health, the economy, and business. Davis introduced legislation to give low-income individuals opportunities in health professions, and he supports the Green New Deal and immigration reform. His opponents are independent candidate Tracy Jennings and Republican Craig Cameron, who offers a nuanced view of gun control but would give tax breaks to companies rather than individuals.  Jennings offers some good progressive and knowledgeable views, and we hope he will continue to be active in politics after this election, but at this point he is not prepared to take on the myriad challenges facing the district after four years of misguided and harmful policies from the Trump administration.  

Danny K. Davis deserves another term representing the 7th District.

Fair Tax

Conservative, pro-corporate, pro-millionaire, pro-CEO groups such as the Illinois Policy Institute and Illinois Chamber of Commerce are working overtime to try to scare voters into rejecting the Fair Tax amendment. Governor JB Pritzker and his backers have launched a counter campaign. A lot of money is being spent on a critical item on the November 3 ballot. 

The anti-Fair Tax folks are trying to scare you with Mike Madigan (we saw how well that worked for Governor Bruce Rauner), saying that if the amendment passes that beleaguered  House Speaker Madigan and the Illinois General Assembly will be able to raise taxes any time they want—even though the Illinois General Assembly has that power now, and always has. 

They are trying to scare you by saying that Mr. and Mrs. Joe Average will see their taxes skyrocket—even though everyone making less than $250,000 per year will see their taxes go down, and that is 97% of the people in Illinois. Only the top 3% of earners will see their taxes raised. People making less than $250,000 will pay less than 5% in taxes. People making more than $1 million still will pay less than 8%. The Fair Tax would not exactly bankrupt those poor downtrodden millionaires and billionaires. 

The shills for the rich also are trying to scare you by saying that, if the Fair Tax passes, people and businesses will leave Illinois for neighboring states. What they do not tell you is that taxes already are higher in every other state bordering the Land of Lincoln.

The Fair Tax, also known as a graduated or progressive income tax, would create various tax brackets in which those making less pay a smaller percentage, and those making more pay a larger percentage. 

Is the Fair Tax some brand new socialist idea, as those corporate shills would like you to think? Actually, the first progressive income tax was enacted 2,000 years ago by the Roman Empire. The Federal government’s income tax is a graduated, progressive, tax and has been since 1913. Today, 32 other states have it; in those that do not, by most economic indicators, residents have a lower quality of life.

The Fair Tax would give most people—97% of us—a little more money to spend and help the economy. 

Our current flat tax actually is the unfair one, as it is regressive, meaning it taxes poorer citizens more than richer ones. If the average worker and the millionaire are both paying 5% in taxes, those taxes cut significantly into the worker’s income and not into the millionaire’s. If the worker pays 4% under the Flat Tax and the millionaire pays 7%, suddenly the worker has more money that he or she had before to help pay his or her bills, while the millionaire will not even notice the difference.

In fact, the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy says that Illinois’s current flat tax system actually subsidizes the rich at the expense of the poor. “Illinois has one of the most regressive taxes in the nation,” ITEP noted. 

Our current tax system is Robin Hood in reverse. The Fair Tax is aptly named, as our current system could be called the Unfair Tax.

It is time for the millionaires, the billionaires, and the corporations to pay their fair share. It also is time for Illinois to live up to its pension obligations to its retired State employees. The corporate shills expect contracts to be enforced when contracts benefit business, but they continually urge the State to find a way to default on its contracts with retired teachers, law enforcement personnel, and other State employees concerning their pensions.

Taxes pay for the myriad services people expect: roads, schools, infrastructure, clean water, law enforcement, healthcare, police and fire, social services, and hundreds more. The Fair Tax would raise more money for the services we all demand of the state, reduce the tax burden on 97% of residents, and collect a little more money from people who can easily afford it. All at a time when a pandemic has decimated our State and local economies. Gazette Chicago strongly encourages a yes vote on the Fair Tax.

U.S. Senate

Candidates are the incumbent, Dick Durbin, Democrat; Mark Curran, Republican; David Black, Green; Danny Malouf, Libertarian; Willie Wilson, Independent; and Lowell Seida, Independent.

First elected in 1996, Durbin has obtained increased Federal funding to fight asthma, increase immunizations, and expand medical research; championed health insurance reform, consumer protection, gun control, and violence prevention; secured Federal funding for Illinois highway and transit improvements and O’Hare Airport expansion; and improved Veterans Administration healthcare. Opioid abuse ranks among his top issues, and he has come to our community to secure help from the University of Illinois Chicago to address it. Durbin gives Illinois representation on two of the Senate’s most important committees, appropriations and judiciary.

Curran is a former Lake County sheriff and an attorney. He offers typical Republican positions: he opposes the Green New Deal, sanctuary cities, and government involvement in healthcare and favors a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution and term limits for members of Congress.

Dick Durbin.

Business leader and philanthropist Wilson is a former candidate for mayor of Chicago. He wants the Federal government to fund more job training programs, invest in business development, and provide funding to non-profits in poor communities. He favors government efforts to provide people with proper food and nutrition and Medicare for All. He believes the Federal government should enact policies that assure racial equity and social justice. His run for mayor was controversial because Wilson handed out money to people in South and West Side communities during the campaign. Wilson defended himself by saying he had long used his personal wealth to support people needing a helping hand.

Black is an attorney and former Green Party secretary, Malouf is a human resources manager, and Seida is a consultant.

Durbin has done an excellent job as a senator, and if the Democrats take the Senate back, he will be among that body’s most powerful members, which will benefit Illinois greatly. Gazette Chicago strongly endorses Dick Durbin for another Senate term.

Clerk of the Circuit Court

The incumbent Clerk of the Circuit Court is Dorothy Brown, who did not run again after Federal officers investigated alleged malfeasance in her office. The clerk is the official record keeper for Cook County.

The Democratic candidate is Iris Martinez, assistant majority leader in the State Senate. Republican Barbara Bellar is a physician and attorney. Libertarian Theresa S. Benjamin is a bankruptcy attorney.

Iris Martinez.

Iris Martinez in the State Senate was a strong advocate for women’s and children’s health, daycare and after-school programs, and seniors, and she strengthened Illinois’s drunk driving law. If elected, she would update the office’s technology, initiate a transparent hiring process, and vigorously work on the office’s case backlog.

Bellar would tighten up Zoom legal proceedings that the clerk’s office is increasingly relying upon during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, provide assistance to litigants representing themselves, and eliminate patronage hires in the office.

We commend Bellar for being an old-fashioned good government Republican instead of an ideologue. The county could not go wrong with her or Martinez, but we’ll take Martinez because of her strong activist record. Iris Martinez has earned our endorsement.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District commissioners (3)

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board of commissioners establishes policies and procedures concerning Cook County water and its safety. Voters will select three commissioners, and the Democratic and Green parties are fielding candidates.

Cameron Davis.

Democrats are incumbents Cameron Davis, who formerly served as President Barack Obama’s expert on Great Lakes policy, and Kimberly Neely Du Buclet, chair of the legislation and stormwater committees; newcomer candidate Eira Corral Sepulveda former served as Hanover Park village clerk.

Green Party candidates are Troy Antonio Hernandez, environmentalist and four-year member of the Pilsen Academy Local School Council; Tammie Felicia Vinson, a special education teacher; and Rachel Wales, and environmental educator.

Cameron Davis and Kimberly Neely Du Buclet have done a good job, and Eira Corral Sepulveda had a strong environmental record in Hanover Park. The trio receive our endorsement.

Kimberly Neely Du Buclet.

Advisory referenda

The City Council has placed three advisory referenda on the ballot.

One asks if the City should act to ensure that all the City’s community areas have access to broadband internet. Local 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas proposed this idea, as minority communities’ internet access lags behind that of more affluent areas. This issue has made headlines with so many Chicago students needing to learn remotely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Voters also will decide whether the City, through the Department of Planning and Development’s creating a growth and sustainability plan, should focus on “resiliency, equity, and diversity.”

Eira Corral Sepulveda.

A third question asks if voters want State officials to restrict assault weapons sales and possession. Alderman Chris Taliaferro of the 29th Ward felt voters should speak on this one.

Good ideas all, and we recommend a yes vote on each.

No on two judges, yes on the rest

The ballot includes a list of judges up for retention. Vote yes on all judges up for retention except for two: Cook County Circuit Judges Mauricio Araujo and Jackie Portman-Brown, who are facing disciplinary proceedings and are barred from performing nearly all judicial functions for various infractions. Vote no on Araujo and Portman-Brown.

The rest of the judges warrant a yes vote, particularly Michael Toomin, whom the Cook County Democratic organization is trying to force out because he dared to cross State’s Attorney Kim Foxx by naming a special prosecutor to look into the Jussie Smollett case. Vote yes on Toomin and the other judges up for retention.

Voters consider Fair Tax amendment as coronavirus, corruption become issues

By Andrew Adams

In the upcoming election, Illinois voters will consider the “Fair Tax” amendment to the Illinois Constitution, a potentially crucial reform to the Illinois state government’s taxing powers. The question at the center of it all: does Illinois want a progressive or graduated income tax, meaning people who make more have a higher tax rate, or the current flat income tax, where all ostensibly pay the same rate, with the rich having more access to tax loopholes? 

The ballot will include a brief explanation of the amendment, which states that it merely “gives the State the ability to impose higher tax rates on those with higher income levels and lower income tax rates on those with middle or lower income levels.” Even though the economic harm wreaked by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic originally was not a factor in proponents crafting the amendment, that issue is affecting the debate. 

Proponents demonstrate in favor of the progressive Fair Tax, which will reduce the tax burden on middle- and lower-income individuals.

It is no secret that Illinois has faced budget deficits in the best of times, and the shortfalls have worsened due to the pandemic. According to data from the Urban Institute’s State and Local Finance Initiative, Illinois had a 23% revenue decrease this spring compared to 2019; the U.S. overall had a 30% decrease. The State passed a bill in May borrowing $5 billion from the Federal Reserve to help. This debt comes on top of the $3.4 billion deficit for last year’s budget and $8.5 billion in unpaid bills. Passing the graduated income tax amendment would increase State revenue by about $1.4 billion during this budget year and $3.4 billion over the following 12 months. 

The amendment would put into effect immediately new tax rates passed by the house in 2019. According to Lara Sisselman, a spokesperson with the pro-amendment campaign Vote Yes for Fairness, the change would increase taxes only on those making more than $250,000 per year. 

Although opponents claim the amendment would not fix COVID related shortfalls or the State’s financial situation as a whole, Sisselman said those claims ignore the core issue, which involves justice. “COVID has changed a lot, but a lot of things stayed the same,” she said, adding “our tax system was unfair before COVID.”

Flat tax regressive

The unfairness to which she referred stems from Illinois’s current flat tax structure, which is “regressive,” meaning it taxes poorer citizens more than richer citizens.

To simplify a complex economic argument, paying 5% in taxes when one makes $20,000 per year means that one is much closer to not making rent, but investing 5% in taxes when one make $20,000,000 per year means that one may not be able to invest quite as much into the stock market. 

Adam Schuster with the conservative think tank Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) argued the progressive tax will do more to harm the Illinois economy than help, saying that, even in the best of times, this tax structure would drive away business and investment. Particularly amid “arguably the worst economic crisis in 90 years,” the progressive tax would make the situation even worse, according to Schuster, who alleged, “for economists across the spectrum, this is the one thing they agree one: that you shouldn’t raise taxes right after a recession.” 

Schuster wants to turn Illinois away from tax reform right now toward addressing the more than $135 billion of unfunded pension liability. “If there was a crash, it would slide to insolvency,” he said. His group, IPI, argues that reforming that system would preserve the flat tax rate, which business owners allegedly like, while still balancing the budget. 

Schuster believes the amendment represents an “enhanced taxing authority” and would be “granting that to Mike Madigan’s Springfield.” When asked if investigation into alleged corruption by Speaker Madigan affects the campaign for a progressive income tax, Schuster said “I think it likely will and probably should.”

Sisselman objects to this line of argument, which she said is common from amendment opponents. “The legislature has the power to raise taxes tomorrow if they want,” she said. Sisselman added that “the Fair Tax is not some new radical system,” and noted that the majority of U.S. states and the Federal government already employ a graduated income tax. In opposition, Schuster argues that, in 18 of those states, the middle class is included in the highest tax rate. Amendment proponents argue that would not be the case under the proposed Illinois system.

Fair Tax opponents also argue that, if enacted, people and businesses will move to neighboring states. Yet those states already have much higher top marginal tax rates than Illinois.

Graphic courtesy Illinois Working Together
Fair Tax opponents argue its enactment will lead people and businesses to move to neighboring states. Those states already have much higher top marginal tax rates than Illinois, however.

What about racial justice? 

The amendment question comes at a time when society is trying to reconcile issues of racial injustice at all levels. The nonpartisan think tank Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) studied effects of the past 20 years of Illinois’s flat tax. Their report on the subject says the Illinois flat tax “amounts to a tax subsidy for the wealthiest Illinoisans that compounds income inequality and racial wealth gaps.”

The report goes on to explain that black and Hispanic Illinois residents making less than $250,000 paid $4 billion more in taxes over the 20-year period than they otherwise would have. In a progressive tax system, these taxes “would otherwise have been paid by the wealthiest Illinoisans, 84% of whom are white, non-Hispanic.” 

In effect, the ITEP study found that a flat tax subsidizes rich Illinoisans (who are mostly white) at the expense of the poorest Illinoisans (who are mostly black and brown). 

“Illinois has one of the most regressive taxes in the nation,” ITEP noted.

The push for a progressive tax has its roots in 2013, when a downstate state representative, Naomi Jakobsson (D-103rd 2003-15), first proposed a bill on the subject. Seven years later, the issue is coming to a head in this election. 

The already complex progressive tax question becomes further complicated in a state operating under a 20-year budget deficit, investigating alleged corruption, and dealing with economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

As the ballot says, “You are asked to decide whether the proposed amendment should become a part of the Illinois Constitution.” Voters will decide how Illinois will tax residents in the future. 

The Office of the Governor has a web page with a Fair Tax calculator showing how 97% of tax-payers will save money. Type “Fair Tax Calculator” in a search engine to reach the page.

Reach IPI at https://www.illinoispolicy.org/ or (217) 528-8800. For ITEP, log on to itep.org or call (202) 299-1066. Log on to urban.org for the Urban Institute or call (202) 833-7200. Vote Yes for Fairness is at voteyesforfairness.com or email hello@voteyesforfairness.com.

Around the Neighborhood: October 2020

By William S. Bike

Editor’s note: At press time, future events listed in Around the Neighborhood still were scheduled, but changes are happening on a daily basis due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Check websites or call before going out in case events have been postponed or canceled.

TAI CHI

Instructor Chad Koch of All in Motion offers tai chi every Sunday at 9 a.m. in Mary Bartelme Park, 115 S. Sangamon St. All in Motion is located at 112 S. Sangamon St. Log on to www.aimgymchicago.com.

ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES

Local resident Richard Alvarez has created an anti-racism resources website at https://antiracism-resources.com. You also can find his resource list at www.gazettechicago.com.

Katherine A. Maki of UIC’s College of Nursing was one of the researchers who found that sleep disruption can lead to high blood pressure and other problems.

BENTON HOUSE INFO

At Benton House,3052 S. Gratten Ave., find out about public benefits such as supplemental nutrition assistance and citizenship application help. Call (773) 927-6420 or email info@bentonhouse.org.

BOULEVARD NEWS

The Boulevard of Chicago at 3456 W. Franklin Blvd. provides medical respite care and housing services for homeless adults discharged from area hospitals. Call (773) 533-6013 or log on to www.blvd.org.

GET HELP

The Catholic Charities call center helps callers with a variety of needs and connects them toprograms within Catholic Charities or other agencies. 

The organization offers meals to go at St. Vincent Center, 721 N. LaSalle St., Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. No pre-registration required.

Catholic Charities operates several food pantries. 

A counseling/support hotline is available at (312) 948-6951. Catholic Charities also offers professional counseling at (312) 644-7725.

Log on to cahtoliccharties.net, call (312) 655-7700, or email gethelp@catholiccharities.net.

NURSE CONSORTIUM NEWS

The Chicago Bilingual Nurse Consortium helps foreign-educated nurses attain licensure in Illinois. 

National Council Licensure Examination predictor tests are available to demonstrate probability of passing the nursing exam.

The organization’s website at www.chicagobilingualnurse.org also lists jobs available for nurses. For more information, call (773) 838-1870.

CCT NEWS

Chicago Children’s Theatre will turn its parking lot at 100 S. Racine Ave. into an outdoor drive-in to debut an all-new, outdoor, socially distanced production, Drive In Theatre: Beatrix Potter and Friends. Performances run Thursday through Saturday through Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at chicagochildrenstheatre.org at $45 per car (up to six people) or $45 for a socially distanced “pod” for families who prefer to arrive on foot with blankets or folding chairs. Space is limited to 17 cars and/or pods per show.

CCT also offers virtual theatre and learning for youngsters ages two through 13.

For information, call (773) 227-0180 or log on to chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

FAIR WORK WEEK bill

The Chicago City Council in September unanimously approved a bill requiring large Chicago employers to give workers at least two weeks’ advance notice of their schedules and compensate them for last-minute changes.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services reports that Community Services Block Grant Scholarships are available for those enrolled or planning to enroll in college or vocational training. Contact Jenny Schuler at jenny.schuler@cityofchicago.org or (312) 746-7291.

HALSTED RESURFACING

The Chicago Department of Transportation will continue resurfacing Halsted Street from Archer Avenue to 16th Street through Monday, Nov. 30.

CITY NEWS

City of Chicago emergency rental assistance is available for people suffering financial hardship. Call 311 or use a search engine to find City of Chicago Family & Support Services online.

WINTER SPORTS

Sign up for winter sports at the ComEd Rec Center at 1434 S. Loomis St. There will be recreational indoor soccer for toddlers, boys, and girls, and flag football, basketball, and floor hockey for boys and girls. For information, email chirecsports@gmail.com.

GET ORGANIZED

Community Organizing and Family Issues,2245 S. Michigan Ave., (312) 226-5141, organizes and trains parents to win improvements in schools and communities and in how to create organizations and programs. See cofionline.org.

Catholic Charities helps with a variety of needs and connects people to programs within Catholic Charities or other agencies.

CMI RESOURCES

The Crisis Management Institute (CMI) works with schools and parents after a tragedy, such as a shooting or national event like the Sept. 11, 2001. To deal with issues related to coronavirus, the CMI launched several websites. One has resources for school counselors, counselors.cmionline.com; a second is for parents, parents.cmionline.com; and a third serves children and their parents, resources-for-kids-during-covid19. Parents can access several children’s books by Marla Koch to help children deal with quarantine by using the resources tab of the parents’ website. For more information, log on to www.cmionline.org or call (503) 585-3484.

DE LA SALLE ROUNDUP

De La Salle Institute recently received a $183,000 grant from the Bernard Heerey Family Foundation to provide financial assistance through the Multi-Student Scholarship Program and Presidential Scholarship Program for the 2020-21 academic year.

 De La Salle is at 3434 S. Michigan Ave. Call (312) 842-7355 or log on to www.dls.org.

LEGAL AID 

First Defense Legal Aid, located at 5100 W. Harrison St., provides representation to people in custody, informs people of their rights, and organizes volunteers to help.For more information, call (800) 529-7374.

FOOD PANTRIES

The following food pantries provide groceries and meals to those who need them.

Chosen Tabernacle Full Gospel, 4310 S. Champlain Ave., Thursday, 1 to 3 p.m., (888) 834-9414.

Church of St. Paul and the Redeemer, 4945 S. Dorchester Ave., Wednesday, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., (773) 624-3185.

Hyde Park SDA Soup Kitchen, 4608 S. Drexel Blvd., Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., (773) 373-2909.

Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, 4242 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., (773) 548-7500.

Kenwood UCC Soup Kitchen, 4608 S. Greenwood Ave., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:30 to 10 a.m. and noon to 1 p.m., (773) 373-2861.

Operation Pull Grant Memorial, 4017 S. Drexel Blvd., Tuesday, 1 to 3 p.m., (773) 285-5819.

GLESSNER HOUSE NEWS

Glessner House is at 1800 S. Prairie Ave. On Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m., curator William Tyre will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chicago’s designating Glessner and Clarke Houses as the city’s first landmarks with a presentation on Chicago landmarking and these two South Loop buildings’ preservation history. Advance tickets are required and are $10 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.glessnerhouse.org.

GBMA HELP

Greater Bridgeport Mutual Aid, a network of more than 150 volunteers, has organized to provide free grocery delivery, direct people to resources and information through a telephone hotline, provide digital enrichment for students during remote learning, and do neighbor support check-ins. The network serves the Bridgeport, Chinatown, Armour Square, and Canaryville neighborhoods. Services are available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Request services on the group’s website at www.gbmachicago.org or by calling or texting the group’s hotline at (312) 818-1393. Donations are welcome by emailing GBMA through the organization’s website.

GWTP JOB TRAINING

Greater West Town Partnership, 500 N. Sacramento Blvd.,offers job placement and training programs in wood products manufacturing and shipping and receiving. Call (312) 563-9570.

HR HOTSEAT

HRHotSeat Chicagois a free monthly online meetup of more than 1,600 human resources practitioners, service providers, students, and Chicago-area professionals in job transition who come together to expand networks and solve problems. Visit www.HRHotSeat.com or email info @hrhotseat.com for a calendar of upcoming events.

14 ARTS ORGANIZATIONS

Fourteen arts organizations from Bridgeport, Bronzeville, West Town, Heart of Chicago, Pilsen, and the South Loop are part of an exhibition at Hyde Park Art Center, Artist Run Chicago 2.0, on display now through Sunday, Nov. 1. This is the art center’s first exhibition after reopening. The 14 organizations are: from Bridgeport, 062 Gallery and Co-Prosperity Sphere; from Bronzeville: Blanc Gallery, from West Town, Document; from Heart of Chicago: AMFM, Prairie, Slow, and Western Pole; from Pilsen: ACRE Projects, Annas, Chicago Art Department, Rootwork Gallery, and Tiger Strikes Asteroid; and from the South Loop, D Gallery. Other arts organizations from other neighborhoods also are represented. Log on to www.hydeparkart.org or call (773) 324-5520. The center is located at 5050 S. Cornell Ave.

MAMMOGRAM RUN/WALK

The Hyde Park Beyond a Mammogram Virtual 5K Run/Walk benefits early detection of and research on breast cancer. Participate any time between now and Saturday, Oct. 24. Register for free and log on to www.hydepark5k.org.

ADAMS BRIDGE

The Illinois Department of Transportation has closed Adams Street Bridge over the Kennedy Expressway, and the expressway ramps leading to and from it, for repairs until 2022 as part of the Jane Byrne Interchange project.

Chicago Children’s Theatre will turn its parking lot at 100 S. Racine Ave. into an outdoor drive-in where it will debut Drive In Theatre: Beatrix Potter and Friends.

LOW-COST INTERNET

Internet Essentials makes it possible for people receiving public assistance to qualify for low-cost internet service. Log on to internetessentials.com.

IEDC HONORS PETERS

The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) released its Lifetime Environmental Scorecard, chronicling the average score of all votes cast on bills affecting the environment by each legislator over the course of his or her legislative career. The IEC honored Senator Robert Peters (D-13th) for his perfect voting record and Senator Mattie Hunter (D-3rd) for her 90.1% voting record. For information, call (217) 544-5954.

LADIES OF VIRTUE

Ladies of Virtue,1245 S. Michigan Ave., (877) 565-7121, provides mentoring and leadership and empowering experiences, including help with school applications, for girls ages nine through 18 from underserved communities. Log on to lovchicago.org.

LATINO UNION

Latino Union of Chicago collaborates with low-income workers to improve their social and economic conditions through employment opportunities. Log on to latinounion.org or call (312) 491-9044. For those looking to hire workers, call (773) 588-2641.

RENTERS’ SERVICES

The Lawyers Committee for Better Housing provides eligible renters with supportive services and free legal aid. The LCBH also offers Rennie the Chatbot at rentervention.com to help with people’s housing problems. The LCBH is located at 33 N. LaSalle St. Call (312) 347-7600 or log on to www.lcbh.org.

MERCY NEWS

With the Chicago Marathon canceled, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls is seeking people to run or do another sporting event in October to raise money for the home. See https://marathon.mercyhome.org/heroes-challenge/.

Call (312) 738-7560 or log on to www.mercyhome.org.

LAWN OPEN

The Millennium Park great lawn reopened with social distancing circles painted on the grass that will help groups and individuals stay six feet apart. The park is accessible from the entrance at Michigan Avenue and Madison Street from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

EMPOWERING LATINAS

Mujeres Latinas en Accion empowers Latinas through service and advocacy. Their domestic violence crisis hotline is (312) 738-5358 and their rape crisis hotline is (888) 293-2080. Mujeres is located at 2124 W. 21st Pl. Call (773) 890-7676.

NEWMAN CENTER ANNIVERSARY

St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Thursday, Oct. 22. The center needs a new roof, boiler, and air conditioning unit, for which management hopes to raise $40,000. To make a contribution, go to www.givecentral.org/location/464/event/12008. For information, call (312) 226-1880.

MENTAL HEALTH

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago offers support groups and other resources for individuals who may need help. Call (833) 626-4244 or visit www.namichicago.org. 

FREE DAYS

Shedd Aquarium will be open free to all Illinois residents every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in October. The aquarium is at 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr. Registration for tickets ahead of time for entry is mandatory at sheddaquarium.org or call (312) 939-2438.

SOCIAL HEALTH INITIATIVE

The Pilsen Social Health Initiative at 1850 S. Throop St. offers a food pantry, thrift store, and onsite social worker. See www.pilsensocialhealthinitiative.com/. Call (773) 812-3150.

RAOUL ROUNDUP

Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging the Federal government’s unlawful final rule curtailing requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The rule undercuts NEPA’s requirement that Federal agencies review and assess their actions’ impact on the environment. The final rule also limits public participation in the review process, robbing residents of vulnerable communities of the opportunity to be heard on actions that likely have adverse environmental and health effects. For information, call (217) 524-4173.

SHRINE NEWS

The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii will host its fall spirituality seriesvia Zoom, led by the Rev. Richard N. Fragomeni, rector. EntitledFrom All Saints to Fourteen Holy Helpers, it will cover protectors from the past and intercessors for today on the Thursdays of Nov. 5, 12, and 19, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Attend an Advent day of reflection virtual retreat on Saturday, Dec. 12, 10 a.m. to noon, led by Terry Nelson-Johnson.

To register, contact Cathy Lentz at clentz@ourladyofpompeii.org or call (312) 421-3757. Freewill donations accepted.

The shrine is at 1224 W. Lexington St. Call (312) 421-3757.

SAINT IGNATIUS NEWS

The Saint Ignatius College Prep model United Nations team participated in Stevenson High School’s model UN conference on Sept. 12, with several students recognized for exceptional dramatic skills: Will Anderson, George Barkidjija, Kayla Bruckert, Natalie Bruckert, Annabelle Graham, Jack Greenwalt, Scarlett McGuire, and Padraig Troy. 

The school is located at 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd. Log on to www.ignatius.org or call (312) 421-5900.

VEHICLE REGISTRATION

The State of Illinois has suspended enforcement of vehicle registration until Monday, Nov. 2, due to the coronavirus. 

TRAUMA HELPLINE

The toll-free TURN Trauma Counseling Helpline,(833) TURN123, operates from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. TURN stands for The Urban Resilience Network, and the helpline assists those experiencing trauma caused by exposure to violence. The organization also provides trained ambassadors to visit community events and schools to educate about trauma.

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

If your business has experienced substantial economic injury due to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Small Business Association is authorized to issue assistance through a small business economic injury disaster loan program. This program can provide low interest loans of up to $2 million to businesses and private non-profits. See https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

UIC INFORMATION

The University of Illinois Chicago will lead Crossing Latinidades, a new consortium of 16 Hispanic-serving institutions that rank as top tier doctoral universities with very high research activity, with support from a $150,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to UIC’s Department of Latin American and Latino studies and its Office of Diversity.

UIC received a $2.5 million grant to improve primary care physicians’ preparation to treat substance use disorders and mental health conditions in rural and urban underserved populations. 

UIC researchers have found associations among disrupted sleep, elevated blood pressure, and changes in the gut microbiome. 

VIOLET TAKES FLIGHT

Chicago based children’s book author Kenyatta Scott has written the Violet Book Series for children in kindergarten through fourth grade to make doing the right thing fun and build self-esteem in children of color. The series combats the stereotype that fathers are not present in communities of color by having Violet and her brother, Derek, learn life lessons in each book as taught to them by their dad. The latest book is Violet Takes Flight, and Scott launched it at O’Hare Airport with Tammera L. Holmes, CEO of AeroStar Avion Institute. They were the first Black women invited to hold a children’s book reading and launch at O’Hare. To buy books or for more information, log on to www.thevioletbookseries.com or contact Scott at (773) 709-2045 or kenyatta@thevioletbookseries.com.

Send news of events held “around the neighborhood” by the 15th of the month before the month they are to occur to William S. Bike, Around the Neighborhood, Gazette Chicago, 1335 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607-3318, fax (312) 243-4270, or email info@gazettechicago.com.

47% killed in Chicago car accidents were not wearing seatbelts

Dear Editor:

I’m writing to let you know about a new report looking at the high proportion of automobile fatalities in the U.S. that include occupants who were not wearing seat belts. While over 95% of Americans report wearing seat belts all the time when they drive, nearly 50% of people killed in automobile accidents are not. The report by CoPilot provides data regarding unrestrained occupant fatality rates for U.S. metropolitan areas and ranks metros according to the share of residents who don’t wear seat belts.

In Chicago, only 4.3% of commuters don’t wear seat belts. Shockingly, these unrestrained commuters still comprise 47.0% of those killed in Chicago car accidents.

The number of motor vehicle fatalities has been trending down for decades, driven in large part by more people wearing seat belts. In 2004, more than 19,000 occupants killed in car crashes were unrestrained at the time, compared to 12,426 in 2018. While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that just 6.3% of U.S. adults don’t wear a seat belt all (or most) of the time, unrestrained occupants still account for nearly half of individuals killed in car crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Despite improvements in restraint use overall, rates vary widely by gender. According to the CDC, men are twice as likely as women to report not wearing a seat belt (8.5% compared to 4.2%). Men are also about 2.5 times as likely as women to die in car crashes, based on traffic fatality data collected by the NHTSA from 2016-2018. Among all occupants killed in car crashes, men are about three times as likely as women to have not been wearing a seat belt.

Location also plays a role in the widespread adoption of seat belts. In general, states with large rural populations are more likely to report large proportions of residents not wearing seat belts. For example, adults in New Hampshire and South Dakota—which have some of the smallest urban populations—are more than twice as likely as average to report not wearing seat belts (17.2% and 15.0%, respectively). By contrast, California, Oregon, and Washington—where more than eight in ten residents live in urban areas—report the highest rates of restraint use in the country.

To find which metropolitan areas’ residents are least likely to wear seat belts, researchers at CoPilot, a car shopping app, analyzed restraint use statistics from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. They also analyzed how many unrestrained occupants were killed in car crashes in each metro area from 2016 to 2018.

Here is a summary of the data for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro: Share of adults who don’t always wear a seat belt: 4.3%.  Unrestrained occupants killed in car crashes (% of total): 47.0%. Total unrestrained occupants killed in car crashes (2016-2018): 533. Number of car commuters: 3,662,370. For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States: Share of adults who don’t always wear a seat belt: 6.3%. Unrestrained occupants killed in car crashes (% of total): 46.7%. Total unrestrained occupants killed in car crashes (2016-2018): 38,752. Number of car commuters: 131,881,855.

For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, you can find the original report on CoPilot’s website at www.copilotsearch.com/posts/cities-that-dont-wear-seatbelts/.

Kyle Fretwell
Lattice Publishing

Trump chose to fail us, did not protect country

Dear Editor:

President Trump, you have had almost four years to lead the United States and have failed us by your own choosing. Whether it be in foreign policy and domestic policy, you have not protected the United States as commander-in-chief.

Now comes the latest news about your complete disrespect for our military and total disregard for the Covid-19 virus. We the American people have finally borne witness to what happens when they place an incompetent business leader into the Oval Office. Quality of life is not a business decision, sir, but rather it is a humane choice to be empathetic to those who cannot help themselves.

Joe Biden has that empathy and will return the United States to the era when we were respected internationally because of how we treat our citizens domestically.

This election is a clear choice between those who have never had it so good and those of us who know we can do better. Joe Biden will lead us there.

Fellow citizens, exercise your right to vote to preserve your sacred heritage, promote your children’s future and obtain the blessings of liberty we all cherish.

To restore a sense of decency to the United States, rise and vote!

Joe Bialek

October is Black Fine Art Month founded by Pigment

Dear Editor:

For years, I subscribed to the axiom, “I don’t know anything about art, but I know what I like.” And, for me, what I liked were pieces that told a story of who I was.  Not who I was as an individual, but who the “collective I” was in the context of being a person of color.  

I began to meet artists and understand their motivations and how their love of African-American culture inspired them to create their work. I began to understand the significance of the mediums they used and the techniques they employed.  It was from this knowledge that Pigment International was born. At Pigment, what we know for sure is that our art tells our stories.  

A large part of the Pigment International dream was the creation of Black Fine Art Month in October.  

This year, we will be celebrating the work of Black women artists under the theme, “A Woman’s Work.” We have engaged nationally to present substantive discussions on the state of Black art virtually with our platform partner New Day Culture. And based on the articles about the disparities that exist for Black artists within the mainstream art world, this effort is perfectly timed. Learn more about our programming by visiting www.blackfineartmonth.com or register for one of six Salon Talks at https://bit.ly/BFAMOCT. 

Patricia Andrews-Keenan
Founder, Pigment Intl.
Devorah Crable and Phyliss North 
Founders, Black Fine Art Month
Pigmentintl@gmail.com

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