Citizen Week of Jan. 1, 2020
| Vol. 3 | No. 21 | www.citizennewspapergroup.com
SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY
Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks Thursday, Nov. 14 during a news conference at the Capitol in Springfield about the General Assembly’s passage of legislation to consolidate 649 downstate and suburban police and firefighter pensions into two unified systems. The bill was the byproduct of a task force that Pritzker appointed in February. Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki
PRITZKER SIGNS PENSION CONSOLIDATION BILL INTO LAW
A new law recently signed by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker will consolidate 649 downstate and suburban police and firefighter pension funds into just two. SEE PAGE 2
POLITISCOPE
Don’t let your vote get stolen – 5 essential reads about disinformation in 2020 PAGE 2
NEWS
NEWS
Top 10 Travel Destinations to Start the New Decade PAGE 4
Are Republican Senators in Fear of ‘Don Corleone’ Trump? “Yes!” Says Schumer PAGE 3
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COMMUNITY
Pritzker signs pension consolidation bill into law 649 funds will be combined into two Continued from page 1 BY JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois Jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com
Springfield — A new law recently signed by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker will consolidate 649 downstate and suburban police and firefighter pension funds into just two. Pritzker signed the measure, passed in the recent fall veto session, in Chicago and hailed it as an initiative 70 years in the making. “Bipartisanship in this General Assembly has achieved what none of their predecessors have been able to do: consolidate the (nearly) 650 downstate and suburban pension funds to just two, amplifying their investment power and reducing the burden on property taxpayers,” Pritzker said in a news release. “Working together, we are helping
hundreds of cities in Illinois alleviate their spiraling property tax burdens, and just as importantly, we’re showing that Illinois can tackle its most intractable problems.” The governor’s office said Senate Bill 1300, the legislation he recently signed will leverage “$15 billion in assets — $8.7 billion in the police fund and $6.3 (billion) in the fire fund — to increase investment returns and lower management costs.” It estimated the new law would create greater returns from $820 million to $2.5 billion over the next five years, and “billions more over the next 20 years.” The bill passed with broad bipartisan support by tallies of 96-14 in the House and 42-12 in the Senate. It was also supported by the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police and the Illinois Municipal League, a statewide organization that rep-
resents local communities throughout Illinois. “Consolidating the assets of the … downstate public safety pension funds throughout Illinois will help provide stronger investment returns for active and retired public safety employees and reduce redundant administrative costs on Illinois’ taxpayers,” IML Executive Director Brad Cole said in a release. “This is a good first step forward on the complicated and comprehensive issue of pension reform.” Despite bipartisan support, detractors, including several Republicans, opposed a provision that retroactively enhances benefits for so-called “Tier 2” employees — those hired after Jan. 1, 2011, when the state implemented new retirement systems with substantially lower benefits. Several pension experts, however, have said the provision was necessary because many of those positions are not covered by Social Security. That’s allowed under federal law known as a “safe harbor” provision, but only if the benefits are at least as generous as what Social
Security would pay. The governor’s office said the new law “brings Tier 2 pensions into compliance to avoid future additional liabilities, which is estimated to cost $70 to $95 million while projected investment gains can generate an additional $820 million to $2.5 billion.” Rep. Mark Batinick, a Plainfield Republican who serves as minority spokesperson on the House Personnel and Pensions Committee, praised the passage of the bill in a news release. “Our state’s broken pension system has been a heavy weight on the backs of Illinois taxpayers,” Batinick said. “With today’s bill signed into law I can proudly say that we are providing relief to our hardworking residents. This was a significant bipartisan reform effort that will make positive change. The work is not done on pensions, but today we can all celebrate this success.” The bill was a recommendation of the Illinois Pension Consolidation Feasibility Task Force, which is a body Pritzker created early in February.
POLITISCOPE
Don’t let your vote get stolen – 5 essential reads about disinformation in 2020 European Union to protect national and EU-wide elections. As the 2019 EU Parliament elections approached, “hackers backed or controlled by Russia targeted EU government, media and political or nonprofit organizations,” she writes, including trying to hijack online accounts of “foreign and defense ministers across the continent.”
BY JEFF INGLIS
As the 2020 election season heats up, there will be a massive number of people competing for your vote. Only some of them will be legitimate candidates. The vast majority will be information warriors, people who seek to confuse you about what is truth and what is fiction – the better to influence your thinking. If you’re confused or misinformed, you may well vote in ways that serve their masters’ interests – or that simply sow further chaos and division in the U.S. How do I know this? Because it happened in the U.S. in 2016, and again in 2018 – and has been happening around the world. Here are a few examples that authors for The Conversation have highlighted over just the past year – plus a couple of ideas about ways you might help protect yourself and your fellow Americans from information warfare. 1. Seeking influence in the Middle East A propaganda arm of the Russian government publishes articles that appear on a leading Egyptian news site, reveals Nathaniel Greenberg, a
Jeff Inglis
scholar of Arabic at George Mason University. The propagandists’ goal, Greenberg explains, is to make it more difficult for readers to tell the difference between propaganda and legitimate news reporting. The effort “is part of a long-running Russian campaign to build influence in Egyptian media and elsewhere around the world – including in the U.S.,” he writes. 2. Looking to the neighbors Russia is also trying to influence European politics, writes Liisa Past of Arizona State University. She is a former Estonian government cybersecurity official who worked with her counterparts across the
3. Learning from history The people of the Baltic nations – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – have what may be the most experience fighting against disinformation campaigns. They’ve faced Russian propaganda efforts dating back to the 1940s, says cybersecurity scholar Terry Thompson from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. For decades, “the Baltic countries were subjected to systematic Russian gaslighting” – intentional misrepresentation of facts – “designed to make people doubt their national history, culture and economic development,” he writes. Those countries’ solutions offer ideas for the U.S., Thompson suggests, “including publicizing disinformation efforts and evidence tying them to Russia. … The U.S. could also mobilize volunteers to boost citizens’ and businesses’ cyberdewww.citizennewspapergroup.com
fenses and teach people to identify and combat disinformation.” 4. It’s not just Russia Lots of other groups are trying to manipulate voters’ minds in new ways. In the recent United Kingdom parliamentary elections, several political parties used what are being gently called “dirty tricks” to gain an advantage over their opponents, writes Cardiff University journalism professor Richard Sambrook. For example, the “Conservatives rebranded their Twitter account to look like an independent fact checking account …[and] tried to ‘Google-jack’ the Labour Party’s manifesto launch with a fake news site.” They also doctored video to call a political opponent’s competence into question. Other parties too – the Liberal Democrats and Labour – tried to misrepresent various facts to their advantages. 5. Fight bots, whatever their source Regardless of where the information is coming from, remain on your guard against efforts to mislead you or confuse your thinking. Pik-Mai Hui and Christopher Torres-Lugo, computer science and information scholars at Indiana University’s Observatory on Social
Media, offer some hope that people can protect themselves from misinformation and disinformation. They and others in their research group have developed several different pieces of software that can help analyze automated propaganda efforts on Twitter. Lots of people have asked them to help identify Twitter bots acting in concert with each other. “That is why, as a public service, we combined many of the capabilities and software tools our observatory has built into a free, unified software package, letting more people join our efforts to identify and combat manipulation and misinformation campaigns,” they write. With a little computer knowhow, you can spot new places where disinformation efforts are appearing – and steer yourself and others clear of their efforts to change your mind and steal your vote. Jeff Inglis has two decades of experience working for news organizations in Antarctica, New Zealand, Vermont, Missouri, Maine and Massachusetts. He has covered many topics in politics, society, science and technology, and beyond. He has a BA in history from Middlebury College and an MA in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Jan. 1, 2020
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NEWS
Are Republican Senators in Fear of ‘Don Corleone’ Trump? “Yes!” Says Schumer BY STACY M. BROWN NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
On Thursday, December 19, NNPA Newswire interviewed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The discussion covered a wide range of topics, focusing primarily on the impeachment of the president. The Senator also shared some insight on his conversations with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Republicans have steadfastly sided with President Donald Trump on impeachment and most other issues, perhaps out of fear that they might wind up sleeping – politically – with the fishes. At least that’s how Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer views the otherwise hard-to-explain loyalty Republicans have displayed toward the president. When asked whether he believed the GOP has a “Don Corleone-like” fear of the president, Schumer quickly answered in the affirmative. “I have never seen anything like this,” Schumer told NNPA Newswire one day after the House voted to impeach the president, and moments after the Democrat met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to discuss the upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate. “What motivates these Republicans to just circle the wagons? And, whatever this president says, who is known for having a low moral character, who is known for not telling the truth, why do they rally around him? When I talk to a good number of them privately, they know how bad this guy is. But, there’s one reason they rally around him: Fear.” When asked, “What, is he the Godfather… Corleone here?” the Senator chucked and replied, “Politically speaking, he probably is.” On Wednesday, December 18, the House voted along party lines to impeach Trump, making him just the third president in U.S. history to face impeachment. Richard Nixon resigned during the impeachment process. Since the historic impeachment vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she would withhold sending the case to the Senate until Democrats and Republicans can reach a consensus on how a Senate trial would take place. Based on the Constitution, if the Senate votes to convict Trump, he would be removed from office. McConnell and other Republicans have said there’s no chance they’d convict the president and GOP leaders have threatened to lock Democrats and the public out of any Senate trial. “Impeachment of the president is a very solemn and serious moment for our country,” Schumer stated. “When you have
Senate Minority Leader, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer
a president who overreaches, the founding fathers put a few tools or checks on him, but the biggest and most important most serious and solemn check is impeachment. And, if the president goes off the rails, the Founding Fathers said the Congress has the ability to remove him,” he noted. The House voted in favor of two articles of impeachment against Trump, obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. Schumer said the Founding Fathers listed their top fear as being a president who overreaches his authority and getting a foreign government to interfere in the U.S. election. “That’s what this is all about,” Schumer stated. “So, conducting an impeachment trial in the Senate is a weighty and solemn responsibility and we Democrats in the Senate believe that the trial must be fair and it’s important to let the American people judge it to be fair,” he added. A fair trial is when the Senate hears all the evidence and can decide the case impartially, and the only way to accomplish that is with witnesses and documents, Schumer stated. “We will treat every witness with respect and no off-topic questions. We also need documents, and we requested them. Thus far, Mitch McConnell is resisting that, and you have to ask yourself the question, ‘Why don’t they want the truth to come out?’ Do they fear it? Why don’t they want to have a trial in the normal sense where there’s evidence on both sides and, instead, want what seems to be a cover up? So, we feel strongly that this is all about our democracy and protecting it.”
Schumer said the black community especially understands the value of a fair trial. “The African American community knows when you don’t have fairness, and you don’t have democracy, people with little power get the short end of the stick,” he stated. Statistics show that most Americans side with the Democrats on impeachment, Schumer noted. An ABC News poll revealed that 71 percent of Americans expect a fair Senate trial and believe that Trump should allow his top aides to testify. Approximately 64 percent of Republicans agreed, as well as 72 percent of independents, and 79 percent of Democrats. “Right now, our Republican colleagues are sort of twisting themselves in knots, trying to avoid this, but they don’t have any good arguments,” Schumer stated. Schumer also applauded Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), and six others in Congress who voted in favor of impeachment despite the potential political risks of their decision. “I have such respect for the seven members of Congress, all of whom served in the military or the CIA. They said what motivated them to serve the country is motivating them to go forward even if they lose the election because if we don’t do it, and here’s the problem this president is more overreached than anyone else and if there’s no fair trial and he can withhold documents and witnesses, that renders impeachment impotent. This president will do even worse things, and the next president will do even worse things, so it’s really our democracy that motivates us.” In his meeting on Thursday, December 19, with McConnell, Schumer said he told
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the Leader that witnesses and documents are necessary. “He said, ‘I don’t want to give them.’ I said, ‘well, I hope you and your 52 Republican colleagues will think about this over the holidays,’” Schumer stated. When asked if there is anything Democrats, who are the minority in the Senate, could do to ensure that the trial would not be a rubberstamp proclaiming Trump’s innocence, Schumer said he’s hoping some Republicans will change their minds and allow testimony from witnesses and to include documents. “When in the minority, you don’t have many tools. But, the one tool you have in the impeachment trial is the force of vote. All we need is four (GOP) votes because all 47 (Democrats) will be ours [and] to get to that magic number 51. And, if we get 51, we’ll get the witnesses, so I hope your readers, if they agree with us, will talk to their Senators, especially Republican senators,” Schumer stated. The Minority Leader then praised the African American community for its awareness about the importance of impeachment. “Thank god the African American community has become very mobilized in New York and around the country because they know of the dangers Donald Trump presents to the African American community in so many different ways,” Schumer stated. “Reaching out [to their respective Senators] would be important,” he noted. “I urge them to do it if they believe in the future of America. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends in the direction of justice.’ All we’re seeking here is justice,” said Schumer.
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ART SCENE Americans For The Arts Welcomes New And Re-Elected Advisory Council Members Americans for the Arts recently announced new and re-elected advisory council members for each of their four networks: Arts Education, Emerging Leaders, Private Sector, and Public Art Network. These individuals will advise Americans for the Arts’ staff on developing programs and services that will build a deeper connection to
the field and the network membership. Incoming advisory council members serve a two-year term, from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. Six members were re-elected. Potential council members were nominated in September and voted on by members of Americans for the Arts through November 15, 2019.
“Americans for the Arts strives to cultivate the next generation of arts leaders in
America, and I am pleased to welcome 23 new and re-elected members to our advisory councils,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “These leaders are willing to dedicate their time and expertise to work with peers across the country to shape national programs and messages and help craft services for
states, communities, and local organizations. I applaud them for their valued contribution and commitment that will undoubtedly improve the state of arts in America.” Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New
York City, it has a record of more than 55 years of service. According to a news release, Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www. AmericansForTheArts.org.
TRAVEL
Top 10 Travel Destinations to Start the New Decade Family Features - For many, traveling offers an opportunity to disconnect from daily routines and experience new places and cultures. With the beginning of a new decade, it is the perfect time to start deciding your next travel adventures. When booking your future destinations, consider these spots and tips recommended by travel expert and Bank of America ambassador, Lee Abbamonte, the youngest American to visit every country plus the North and South Poles. Australia From its deserts to tropical beaches, Australia is a beautiful country to explore. While many people might be familiar with the Sydney Opera House and the unique wildlife, there are many hidden gems in Australia. Australia comes to life when you visit the alleys, laneways and arcades. The vibrant city has so much to offer: cafes, a unique street culture and street art, said Abbamonte. New Zealand If you are going to New Zealand for the first time, Abbamonte recommends boogie boarding down the sand dunes, hiking up a volcano and visiting the Moeraki Boulders. However, if you are really interested in getting the blood pumping, take a leap from Nevis Bungy near Queenstown. It is among the highest bungy jumping experiences in the world, measuring 440 feet. Mexico In 2020, there will be many festivals to explore. The city is a cultural hub with music, theater, dance and food events throughout the year. While experiencing the festivities, it is also an opportune time to take a
From Australia to Mexico to Arizona, no matter where you plan to travel, it’s helpful to have a financial strategy in place to maximize rewards and help offset future travel costs.
step back and enjoy Chapultepec Park. Brazil One of Abbamonte’s favorite waterfalls is Iguazu Falls located on the border of Brazil and Argentina. While Iguazu Falls might be well known, the falls themselves are truly unique. The waterfall system consists of 275 falls that stretch over approximately 1.68 miles. The Devil’s Throat is the tallest fall with a drop of more than 262 feet. While traveling internationally can be fun and exhilarating, there are also places throughout the United States that offer memorable activities: Scottsdale, Arizona If you enjoy being outdoors, Scottsdale is an ideal place to visit. There are many trails to explore in Camelback Mountain, Papago Park and Hole in the Rock. After hiking, follow Abbamonte’s example and golf at The Short Course at Mountain Shadows. “Scottsdale has some of the most beautiful sunsets in the States, and from The Short Course at Mountain Shadows, I get to enjoy the view while practicing my swing,” Abbamonte added. Boston, Massachusetts Boston is one of the oldest cities in the country. Founded in 1630, Boston is filled with history, museums and universities. If you are interested in a more unique attraction,
check out the Warren Anatomical Museum, which is one of the last of its kind in the United States. Portland, Oregon What makes Portland unique are the bizarre and wonderful things you can do when you visit. For example, you can try bone marrow ice cream, stop by Mill Ends Park (the world’s smallest park) or attach your wish to The Wishing Tree. Tampa, Florida Tampa might be known for its spring break party scene, but it has so much more to offer. For example, the city’s zoos and aquariums provide opportunities to interact directly with animals. Then you can take a break at Clearwater Beach, which is known for its soft, white sand and calm waters. Santa Barbara, California There are wine tours, zoos, beaches, museums and restaurants. While taking in the city, also make time to visit the hidden gems such as Knapp’s Castle ruins. Financial Tips to Help Boost Your 2020 Travel When booking a trip, almost half (44%) of Americans don’t use a rewards credit card that earns points or cash back, according to a Bank of America survey. No matter where you
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plan to travel, it is helpful to have a financial strategy in place to maximize rewards and help offset future travel costs. Use a credit card that allows you to earn and redeem points for travel such as the Bank of America® Premium Rewards Visa® credit card, which earns 2 points for every dollar spent on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points for every dollar spent on all other purchases. Layer your rewards programs together to maximize points with each purchase. For example, when booking a flight and hotel package, include your frequent flier number (layer No. 1) and hotel loyalty program details (layer No. 2). Pay with a rewards credit card (layer No. 3) that’s eligible for bonus points with a banking rewards program (layer No. 4). A banking rewards program like Bank of America® Preferred Rewards lets you earn even more. Members receive a credit card rewards bonus of 25-75% on every purchase. For example, members in the Platinum Honors tier, the highest tier of the program, earn unlimited 3.5 points per dollar on travel and dining purchases with the Premium Rewards Visa® card and unlimited 2.62 points on all other purchases. Find more solutions to make your travel goals attainable at bankofamerica.com/Premium. SOURCE: Bank of America
CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Jan. 1, 2020
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NEWS
Help For The Self-Employed NAPSI — Whether you run a part-time business, do freelance work, or own your own business, you’re in good company. About 16 million adults in America work for themselves, and nearly half that number are baby boomers. Even though self-employment comes in many forms, with a wide range of specific needs, some of the challenges are universal—including taxes. If you’re new to the self-employment journey, you’ll need to be prepared for some financial adjustments. Avoiding Surprises at Tax Time Older adults who have spent most of their careers benefiting from the services of a human resources department are often caught off guard by the tax requirements for self-employment. Instead of the familiar W-2 from a single full-time job, self-employed adults may find themselves juggling multiple 1099s, wrestling with the time-consuming work of tracking expenses learning how to plan, save and submit quarterly tax payments. If you work for yourself, you may need a resource that can help you handle multiple self-employment tax requirements. AARP Foundation Self-Saver is an online tax-tracking resource that allows you to connect your bank account and automate your self-em-
ployment tax withholding and payments. As user Connie Johnson explained, “I’m an AARP member and I just happened onto Self-Saver. I felt like a miracle had happened. I had no idea I had to pay self-employment tax because as a contractor you’re considered self-employed, so that was a little bit of a shock. I feel peace of mind knowing that has been taken care of.” AARP Foundation Self-Saver Self-Saver saves you time and money with a set of tools that make tax time simpler, automated and less of a surprise. By syncing to your bank account, Self-Saver informs you automatically about self-employment income received and expenses paid. The program provides an estimated tax rate based on factors that adjust as your income and other statuses change. Self-Saver also gives you the option to automate your tax withholding, storing the right amount in an FDIC-insured bank. At the end of the quarter, Self-Saver submits your quarterly tax payments to the IRS automatically. For additional self-employment education or to sign up for a FREE account, go to Self-Saver.org. Sign up before 04/15/2020 and Self-Saver will always be free!
Managing your self-employment taxes just became easier with AARP Foundation Self-Saver.
COMMENTARY
A Modest Proposal for Improving Senate Impeachment Trials BY THOMAS L. KNAPP
US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) makes no bones about his position on the likely upcoming impeachment trial of US president Donald Trump. “I am trying to give a pretty clear signal I have made up my mind,” he tells CNN International’s Becky Anderson. “I’m not trying to pretend to be a fair juror here.” Well, okay, then. Graham has publicly disqualified himself as, and should be excused from serving as, a juror. Republican politicians, including Graham, have spilled quite a bit of verbiage whining — ineffectually and incorrectly — about a lack of “due process” in the House segment
of the impeachment drama. Their errors on those claims are simple: Impeachment isn’t a criminal prosecution, nor is a House impeachment inquiry a trial. There won’t be any “nature and cause of the accusation” for Trump to be “informed of ” until the House passes articles of impeachment. If impeachment was a criminal matter, he would be constitutionally entitled “to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence” at trial. And in fact he will be treated as entitled to those things, even in the Senate’s non-criminal equivalent. But Graham and friends want to
talk about due process, so let’s talk about due process. In addition to those aforementioned items, the Sixth Amendment also mandates “an impartial jury.” If you’re accused of armed robbery, your brother won’t be allowed to serve on the jury at your trial. Neither will the bank teller who was ordered to stuff money in a sack at gunpoint, or the police officer who arrested you, or anyone else who’s known to likely be prejudiced either way. Is there any particular reason why the due process requirements Graham hails as paramount wouldn’t mandate a similar standard for impeachment trials in the US Senate? I can’t think of one. In Senate trials of impeachment www.citizennewspapergroup.com
cases, the Chief Justice of the United States (in the current controversy, John Roberts) presides as judge. Once the House passes articles of impeachment, Roberts should order his clerks to drop everything else and get to work examining the public statements of all 100 members of the US Senate. His first order of business at the trial should be to excuse any and all Senators who have publicly announced their prejudices on Trump’s guilt or innocence from “jury duty.” Yes, Democrats too. That should come as a relief to several Democratic presidential aspirants who would probably rather spend their time on the 2020 campaign trail than as impeachment jurors. The Constitution only requires
the votes of 2/3 of US Senators PRESENT at the trial to convict, so excusing those members who have announced their prejudice and partiality wouldn’t prevent a valid verdict. Would “impeachment voir dire” render future impeachments more “fair” and less “partisan?” Probably not. But it would at least spare us some theatrics from the likes of Lindsey Graham by making pretrial silence a condition of participation. Thomas L. Knapp (Twitter: @ thomaslknapp) is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org). He lives and works in north central Florida.
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2019 YEAR IN REVIEW
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NEWS
Six community-based teams advance in $10 million Chicago Prize grant competition
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Six South and West Side teams have been selected as finalists for the Chicago Prize, a $10 million grant of the Pritzker Traubert Foundation that will invest in a collaborative initiative that uses physical development to spur economic activity, strengthen civic infrastructure, and improve the safety, well-being, and economic mobility of residents in their neighborhoods. The announcement of Finalists was made during a celebratory event at The Hatchery, 135 N. Kedzie Ave., on December 11, 2019. Selected from a pool of over 80 applicants, the Finalists are comprised of community-based and citywide organizations working together on projects that involve building new or redeveloping existing community assets to address the needs of residents and advance a shared vision for their neighborhood. Each Finalist team will receive a $100,000 grant to support its ongoing project planning. One of these Finalists will be chosen as the single $10 million Chicago Prize recipient next spring. “The finalists for the Chicago Prize represent the shared leadership, creativity, and commitment needed to revitalize our South and West Side neighborhoods and transform the economic life of our city,” said Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “By driving investment in our historically underserved communities, we will uplift our families and local businesses, create growth that is both inclusive and sustainable, and unlock the huge, untapped potential that exists across Chicago. Our greatest success comes when all of us are succeeding, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Chicago Prize finalists and the Pritzker Traubert Foundation as we move forward towards our shared vision together.” “It’s clear that the Chicago Prize’s call to folks living on the South or West Sides to dream big and plan thoughtfully was more than met,” said Bryan Traubert, cofounder and trustee of the Pritzker Traubert Foundation before an audience of over 200 people at the Finalists’ announcement. “This project hopes to demonstrate that encouraging collaboration and providing financial resources could help unleash the change that these neighborhoods have long sought. Congratulations to all of the Finalist teams.” Traubert was joined by co-founder and trustee Penny Pritzker at The Hatchery to meet the Finalist teams. “Chicago is our home and we are deeply committed to
HAPPY 2020! |
Development Corporation, Green Era, Urban Growers Collective, New Pisgah Community Service Organization Economic Equity and Opportunity via A Little Village Community Hub Community: South Lawndale Project overview: Redevelopment of a vacant two-story fire station into a commercial kitchen for food entrepreneurs, community meeting space and center for food purchasing from the LVEJO Urban Farm. Team members: Delta Institute and Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) Go Green on Racine: An Englewood Rising Project
Austin College and Career Academy (ACCA), redeveloping a vacant school into a business incubator and building 60 units of affordable housing on vacant and scattered City-owned lots. Team members: Westside Health Authority, Austin Coming Together, By the Hand Club, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, LISC Chicago, IFF, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Purpose Built Communities, Applegate Thorne-Thomsen Working Together to Reinvigorate South Chicago Community: South Chicago Project overview: Revitalizing East 91st and 92nd Streets, from the lakefront to Commercial Avenue, through nine
Penny Pritzker, Bryan Traubert and Kevin Poorman. _________________________
“Chicago’s South and West Sides are home to some of our city’s most effective and creative nonprofits, social service agencies and community development organizations, providing tangible solutions to challenges linked to decades of disinvestment in these communities,” said Helene Gayle. ______________________________
Team members: Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), Teamwork Englewood, Resident Association of Greater Engloewood (R.A.G.E.), and E.G. Woode
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Communities: West Englewood and Englewood Project
projects (six repurposed facilities, three new public
intersection by refurbishing a two-story building into a food co-op, building a mixed-use development on three lots and repurposing a vacant school into a local recycling enterprise. Team members: Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), Teamwork Englewood, Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.), and E.G. Woode Now Is the Time: Advancing North Lawndale Together Community: North Lawndale
multi-family units, a grocery store, community . performing arts facility, indoor soccer arena, outdoor play space, gym, and business incubator and workforce development café, along with streetscape improvements. Team members: Claretian Associates Interfaith Housing Development Corporation, Special Service Area #5, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish/School, Pilgrim Baptist Church, NeighborSpace, 10th Ward Alderwoman Susan Garza
spaces) that collectively provide affordable housing, six overview: Transformation of the 63rd & Racine advertising@citizennewspapergroup.com thechicagocitizen@thechicagocitiz www.facebook.com/durrell.garth.9 www.citizennewspapergroup.com
“The Chicago Prize finalists represent the type of community-led collaborative initiatives that have the power to bring transformative change and chart a new course of inclusive economic growth in our region. In addition to the $100,000 planning grant that is being awarded to each of the six Finalists, 14 other teams whose applications were highly ranked by the reviewers will receive a $10,000 award to support their ongoing work and planning. The Chicago Prize was developed by the Pritzker