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Illinois' comeback story starts here.

08/12/2023

Governor JB Pritzker killed Brandon for Chicago's migrant tent camp plan.

Chicagoans were overwhelmingly against it anyway. ⬇️

08/12/2023

Will Brandon for Chicago be able to save the Chicago O'Hare International Airport expansion?

08/12/2023

Some disgraced leaders resign. Others continue disgracing themselves.

07/12/2023

“I grew up in Gage Park, which borders Englewood. A lot of my childhood was spent in Auburn Gresham and Englewood because of basketball, which led to many friendships being created.”

“In the space where I currently operate, I have children who have experienced many obstacles. Throughout the years, I’ve had student-athletes who have been stabbed, shot and have experienced the death of a parent or family member due to gun violence. Our youth need role models and they need adults who will start being the example instead of talking about an example.”

“Years ago, I always knew I would transition into helping the next generation of basketball players. As I got into it, I realized this has nothing to do with basketball. I don’t want to just build basketball players: I want to build people.”

“You can’t play basketball forever. We sometimes chase the sport component too long while not growing in other facets of our lives, which makes the transition into adulthood even more difficult. What are you doing today to prepare yourself for your future life to experience better life outcomes?”

“You’re more than just a basketball player so use your work ethic in everything, not just sport. Grow and develop your mind, read more, ask questions, gain wisdom and use it all to better your life, which in turn will change your family dynamic and extend to your community.”

“We have a program that we call Series BLUE (Better Living Utilizing Education) where we’ll have professionals from different industries come in to share their stories and allow the audience to ask questions and learn.”

“We want to bring in people in architecture, real estate, different kinds of engineers, and law enforcement as well. We need to build good relationships amongst our communities and the police department.”

“I tell people, ‘Don’t shy away from a big dream like [basketball] but understand the work and commitment that’s involved.’ And you can’t say you’re serious about basketball and not be serious about your academics, too. That’s part of the process. If the school doesn’t do academic probation for sports, the parents should be doing it. Because what’s the point of you being in the gym if you’re not getting good grades in school? What’s the point of being a good athlete if you can’t read at grade level?”

“With all the student-athletes I work with, my goal is to get them to understand the importance of using that work ethic in everything; not just basketball. The big gain is to understand you’re more than just a basketball player in this situation. You will be a husband or wife one day, a parent and a professional in something else that may have nothing to do with basketball.”

Blue Pacheco-Cornejo
Basketball instructor, mentor
Chicago, Illinois

07/12/2023

Governor JB Pritzker and Brandon for Chicago are blaming each other for the migrant tent camp disaster.

07/12/2023

Chicago's policy failures keep black and brown neighborhoods poorer than others ➡️ illin.is/neighborhoodpoverty

07/12/2023

🚨 BREAKING: Stacy Davis Gates owes Chicago $5,600 in unpaid utilities despite her $289,600 income ➡️ illin.is/SDGutilities

07/12/2023

More government ➡️ less liberty

07/12/2023

😳 Illinois makes it more expensive to get a job as a gaming supervisor than any neighboring state.

Friendly reminder: Over-regulation keeps people in poverty. 🚩

06/12/2023

Governor JB Pritzker just killed Brandon for Chicago's migrant tent camp plan.

06/12/2023

📈 Poverty is 4 times higher in Chicago for high school dropouts than college graduates ➡️ illin.is/dropouts

06/12/2023

Only 30% of Chicago Public Schools students graduate from college within four years.

06/12/2023

They're mean ones.

05/12/2023

🚨 BREAKING: Carjacking in Chicago reached an 11-year high in 2023 ➡️ illin.is/11year

05/12/2023

Which Illinois small businesses do you plan to support this holiday season? 🎄

05/12/2023

👀 Illinois' licensing regulations on these 5 jobs are the strictest in the country ➡️ illin.is/5jobs

05/12/2023

This episode again?

04/12/2023

😳 Carjackings in Chicago have more than doubled from five years ago ➡️ illin.is/carjack

04/12/2023

🚩 Brandon for Chicago's genius plan to make Chicago safe: fewer cops ➡️ illin.is/fewercops

via Paul Vallas

04/12/2023

Name one thing Governor JB Pritzker could do to improve Illinois' tax climate.

04/12/2023

🚨 Illinois' over-the-top job licensing keeps too many aspiring workers in poverty ➡️ illin.is/joblicense

03/12/2023

What's that saying about doing the same thing and expecting different results? 🤔

03/12/2023

💸 Stacy Davis Gates lost a property tax break she illegally took out on an Indiana home she doesn't live in ➡️ illin.is/SDGcaught

03/12/2023

🙌 The Illinois village of Oak Lawn just waived its local business fees for the 2nd year in a row ➡️ illin.is/oaklawn

03/12/2023

Did your family see a property tax increase this year?

03/12/2023

The best and the brightest. 🤦‍♂️

02/12/2023

💰 Nearly everyone moving out of Illinois is relocating to a low-tax state ➡️ illin.is/lowtaxwin

02/12/2023

✅ Pro tip: Job opportunities solve poverty faster than government spending.

Pass it on. 🗣️

02/12/2023

Never forget what Governor JB Pritzker let happen to low-income Illinois families.

01/12/2023

Hardly any Illinoisans think it's a good idea for Governor JB Pritzker to run for president.

01/12/2023

Small businesses create most new jobs in Illinois.

Springfield repays them for it with higher taxes.

01/12/2023

👀 A new report confirms that Chicago is still the most corrupt city in the U.S. ➡️ illin.is/mostcorrupt

30/11/2023

One way Illinois keeps people poor? 🤔

Creating costly barriers between aspiring workers and low-income jobs. 🚩

Six Midwestern states do a better job.

🗣️ Let people work.

Cut the red tape. ✂️

30/11/2023

There are 4 big reasons why Brandon for Chicago's "mansion tax" will crush businesses.

👀 See them in the comments. ⬇️

30/11/2023

“As a clinical psychologist, I provide psychological therapy and neuropsychological testing in an effort to determine the source of the person’s inattention, academic concerns or relational struggles. Oftentimes, people assume that if they can’t focus, it must be because of ADHD; or if they prefer to be alone, it must be because of autism. But it could be any number of reasons, such as trauma, anxiety, learning differences or a sensory processing issue.”

“Also, with psychological therapy, clients often struggle with unresolved trauma or grief and loss that presents as depression, negatively impacting relational, emotional, physical and financial health.”

“If we address mental illness, which people typically view as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia as opposed to depression, anxiety and substance abuse, we can positively impact human behavior and decision making.”

“Our desire is to also change the culture. Nowadays, every child seemingly wants to be a reality star or athlete – famous. It begs the question: are they desperate to feel seen because they aren’t seen at home, or is this a consequence of media messaging? In the end, people want to feel valuable, but what they don’t know is that the chance of actually being a professional athlete is very slim.”

“We want to expose them to more of their strengths and interests through our Series B.L.U.E. It stands for Better Living Utilizing Education. The program connects kids to the different fields of study by bringing in professionals from the community. This way, they may consider architecture, engineering, teaching, math, psychology, business and more. Those dreams are more attainable and more in line with their areas of natural interest and their gifts.”

“Not pursuing one’s purpose in life comes with grave consequences, including poor emotional, relational and financial health. With what we are bringing, we expect to reduce violence, too, as people will be happier and respectful of their fellow man.”

“Systemic barriers have had an impact on Black marriages. We went from having 70% of intact Black families – the most across any group in America – to now, it’s like 20%. When a child is raised by a single parent, oftentimes the streets end up teaching the child. If the streets are raising you, you obviously would not be taught properly which is why many of the youth that are raised by the streets do not consider life past 25 years of age. But the streets and even the media glamorize street life.”

“In the end, it has to start at home. Somebody’s got to get in and teach. That’s what our intention is. To fill in the gap as much as possible, with the hopes of reaching not just the youth but their parents, uncles and grandparents through mental health, exposure to different opportunities and occupations, and through fitness.”

“Our whole family is a part of what we want to offer at this community center. Our children are with us when we’re in the community; and they are always giving hugs, asking people how they are. When we have the new building, we’re going to call it ‘Blue Azul’ after them. Our son’s middle name is Blue and our daughter’s middle name is Azul, which means ‘blue’ in Spanish.”

“We want to be a role model. We hope that others will do the same through development to uplift and restore our communities to what they were.”

“In our current roles, we’re often inquiring about our athletes’ and students’ grades. You can’t even curse in our gym. We try to hold people accountable and operate with an appropriate standard so that our clients will be set apart. Oftentimes, parents and programs use our gym as an incentive for their child. And, if you think about it, it’s a true blessing to be the incentive.”

Valentina Marieyah Pacheco-Cornejo, Psy.D.
Clinical psychologist, owner of Dr. Valentina LLC.
Chicago, IL

29/11/2023

👀 The Chicago Teachers Union is reporting a deficit for the first time under Stacy Davis Gates' leadership.

29/11/2023

Brandon for Chicago wants to create a government-run grocery store.

29/11/2023

“They claimed that they were going to come out and dialog with us about what they were going to do. But what happened is that they actually came out to tell us what they were going to do, rather than dialog to get our input. We were informed that they were going to take our park and make it a migrant shelter.”

“If they turn it into a shelter, we’re not allowed to come use the park. They began to give us other places that we could go. We have youth programming and senior programming that are being displaced. Our seniors walk to the park. It’s too far for them to go somewhere else.”

“Austin has one of the highest rates of violence in the city, and we have youth programming in this park. If you’re really concerned about violence, show it by not taking away parks that keep kids off the streets.”

“We are not anti-anything. One lady from the city made the comment to me that they are human, as if I didn’t know they are human beings. That was really an insult and insensitive to me because I feel it’s not us against them. It’s us against the way you try to do things in our community.”

“These shelters are not an adequate plan for anyone. I asked them how they were going to track the people here. If you put people all over the city, how are you going to follow up with them? How are you going to know their needs? And why would you put people where there’s so much potential for conflict?”

“The city needs to listen to the residents. They felt like they could just take the park and go about their business when the park is fully utilized.”

“We pushed the button to get you into office. We do matter. Our concerns are valid. The aldermen need to talk to the community and then take what we share with them back to the mayor.”

“You represent us. You just can’t go down there and make a decision. Then you become like a dictator. And I’ve got an issue with that.”

“We pay our taxes, and we have a right to have a park in our community. One that’s open to us.”

Linda Johnson
Retired health center case worker
Chicago, Illinois

28/11/2023

Name one thing that would help stop Illinois' population decline.

28/11/2023

👀 Illinois' licensing regulations make it harder to escape poverty than other Midwestern states ➡️ illin.is/licensure

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Chicago has the 2nd-highest property taxes on businesses in the U.S. 🥈 It’s more than double the national average for big cities. 😳 Only Detroit’s business tax burden is higher. Why? 🧐 Detroit has a high effective commercial property tax rate on $1 million-plus commercial properties because of low property values. The city went bankrupt in 2013. 😬 Chicago’s high rate is because of high local government spending and because the tax system shifts a higher burden to businesses. Chicago’s commercial property taxes have soared by 93% in the past 10 years. 🚀 They now average nearly $150,000 annually. A large share of Chicago’s commercial property taxes are simply passed on to tenants in the form of higher rents. That’s concerning because downtown Chicago commercial properties are facing all-time high vacancy rates. Higher property taxes ➡️ higher rents ➡️ fewer tenants leasing in the city. Commercial property owners who absorb the tax costs will see a reduced return on investment, slowing economic growth in the city. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s solution? More taxes. 💸 A city struggling with affordability should be looking at ways to reduce burdens on residents, businesses and job creators rather than seeking new ways to tax them. #chicago #taxes #smallbusiness #economy #politics

This Crisis Is CRUSHING Illinois Taxpayers

Illinois’ statewide public pensions are in the worst shape in the nation – by multiple measures. Yet political leaders either don’t get it or fail to admit it. Illinois’ biggest financial problem is its pension debt. Illinois Policy Institute Director of Fiscal and Economic Research Bryce Hill joined FOX 55/27 Illinois to discuss the magnitude of Illinois' crisis – and which states are getting it right.

CNN host SCHOOLS Chicago Teachers Union president

👀 Uh oh. Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates fumbled a CNN interview. Notice her self-contradictory logic: 1️⃣confirms she opposes school choice for families 2️⃣but laments "no choice" for families 3️⃣then defends school choice for herself "Equity," right? 😉

Is the Chicago Teachers Union's president a hypocrite? 🧐

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates vehemently opposes school choice. But she reportedly now sends one of her three children to a private high school in Chicago. She and the CTU have been actively working to kill Illinois’ only school choice program, the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program. You read that right: Davis Gates apparently chooses an alternative to failing Chicago Public Schools for her child – while actively working to kill that choice for low-income families. It gets worse: She also once claimed, “School choice was actually the choice of racists. It was created to avoid integrating schools with Black children.” If the CTU leader who wants to kill school choice has chosen a private school for her own child, how convincing are her arguments against school choice for poor kids? State lawmakers have a chance this fall to save the program that allows low-income students to attend a private school that better fits their needs. Illinois Policy Institute Vice President of Marketing Austin Berg joined WGN TV to discuss Davis Gates' hypocrisy.

Pritzker's 'tax break' gimmick expires: IPI on FOX local

In 2022, Illinois provided a sales tax break for back-to-school shoppers. It saved them $50 million. In 2023, that tax break vanished. Even with a larger state budget, families will pay more on school necessities. Governor JB Pritzker claims the tax break was “always designed to be a one-time measure.” Read: election-year gimmick. Our team appeared on FOX 55/27 Illinois to explain.

Is Illinois the 'Big Government' Capitol of America? (Full Debate)

Illinois is swaddled more layers of government than any other state in the U.S. Shouldering that volume of bureaucracy is costly – and it contributes to homeowners' sky-high property taxes. But state leaders don't make it easy for taxpayers to have a voice on how much government they're willing to pay for. Should voters have more power to rein in their government at the ballot box? Illinois Policy Institute Vice President of Marketing Austin Berg joined WTTW - Chicago PBS to make the case for voter control over the size and scope of local government in Illinois.

Larry Roberts is a Chicago barber who helps former inmates reclaim their lives and dignity through jobs training. Our team first spoke to him in 2021. His school ran a barber shop inside the Chatham neighborhood Walmart until this spring, when the company closed that location and three others. Larry is calling on local political leaders to prioritize programs that create new jobs.

South Side Job Creators Fight Crime, Violence, and Poverty in Chicago

Chicago Parents' Fight for School Choice is Gaining Momentum

Devin Jones is a Navy veteran, small business owner, former Catholic school teacher and lifelong resident of Chicago’s South Side. He saw his mother struggle to make ends meet. As an adult, he took in two of his students who were homeless. He’s seen the challenges facing the South Side firsthand. Solving them starts with individuals, he says.

Test Scores Are Tanking (but Graduation Rates Are Rising) in Chicago

Illinois public schools graduated a higher percentage of students during the pandemic. But state data shows those students’ test scores have been dropping. Worse: Fewer of them are advancing to college. NBC Chicago cited our team's research. ⬇️⬇️

Governor JB Pritzker came out against self-funded political campaigns – after self-funding two political campaigns. #illinois #chicago #politics #corruption #governmentcorruption #pritzker #gaslighting

👩‍⚕️ Illinois politicians are ignoring the ONE obvious solution to the state's nursing shortage. #Illinois #chicago #nursingschool #nursing #nurselife #politics #news

🚨The top 3 reasons Illinoisans leave the state #Illinois #illinoisrealestate #crime #politics #economy #smallbiz #Census #population #demographics

🚨PROOF: Chicago politicians are trying to cover up the city's crime crisis #chicago #crime #chicagopd #shoplifting #economy #politics #walmart

Chicago Bears fans are getting ripped off – badly. 💸 #chicago #NFL #politics #taxes #debt #chicagobears

Higher pension costs ➡️ higher tuition #illinois #highereducation #college #university #debt #studentdebt #studentlife #taxes

Walmart Just Closed Half of Its Chicago Stores

Chicago's mayoral-elect Brandon Johnson will take office amid rising crime, a sky-high tax burden, and a deteriorating business climate. In 2022, three major companies – The Boeing Company, Tyson Foods, and Citadel – moved their corporate headquarters' out of Chicago. Johnson, whose candidacy was heavily financed by the politically militant Chicago Teachers Union, will be forced to make tough decisions as mayor. Will he roll back his radically progressive agenda to accommodate the economic realities facing the city – or will he double-down at the insistence of his CTU backers, and risk plunging Chicago further into chaos? The Illinois Policy Institute's director of economic and fiscal research, Bryce Hill, joined Fox Business's Varney & Co. to explain what Chicagoans – and the rest of the nation – could expect.

😳 91 of Illinois' 102 counties are shirnking. Cook County's outmigration crisis is 2nd-worst in the U.S. #Illinois #CookCounty #politics #population #Census #demographics #taxes #crime

The casino industry for decades has been a significant contributor to the Illinois economy, but from 2012 to 2022 its seen a $200 million decline, according to data from the Illinois Gaming Board (https://cgfa.ilga.gov/Upload/2022_Wagering_in_IL.pdf). One of the reasons for the decline is the emergence of other forms of gaming which weren’t available to Illinoisans in 2012. Video gaming terminals, for example, have nearly doubled from $395 million in revenue during 2019 to $762 million in 2022. They allow players to place bets on video poker and slot machines in local bars and restaurants, providing a more accessible and convenient experience than casinos. Sports betting has quickly gained popularity, slightly edging out casino revenue $142 million to $140 million in 2022. Chicago recently chose Bally’s to open a new casino in the River West neighborhood. A temporary casino at Medinah Temple is in review for approval to open this summer. The new Bally’s casino could bring in as much as $200 million for the city and the money has been earmarked for first responders’ pensions. But the casino taxes are a pittance compared to the city’s $48 billion in unfunded pension debt. Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson also said video gaming revenue is part of his plan for the city, but Chicago would need to legalize video gambling machines to do that. A statement from Johnson’s spokesperson says he “is a supporter of legalized video gambling as an important revenue source for critical investments in public safety, transportation, housing and other public accommodations.” Overall, state gaming revenue was up to nearly $1.9 billion in fiscal year 202 2, the highest ever and almost 39% higher than in 2021. #chicago #politics #debt #taxes #casino #gaming #gambling

Chicago Teachers Union Now Runs City Hall (Is Your City Next?)

The country’s most powerful teachers’ union has the keys to the Chicago mayor’s office. Now what? Our senior director of labor policy joined Varney & Co. on Fox Business to discuss what this means for students, families, and taxpayers in Chicago. #chicago #politics #education

This is how high taxes push small businesses out of Illinois. #Chicago #Illinois #smallbiz #economy #politics #propertytax #entrepreneur

Higher pension debt ➡️ higher property taxes ➡️ higher rent #chicago #politics #economy #investing #housingmarket #election2023

The internal revolt against the Chicago Teachers Union is just getting started. #chicago #politics #education #election2023 #schoolchoice

💰 Chicago teachers are being robbed blind to support Brandon Johnson. #chicago #politics #election2023 #education #schoolchoice

government unions 🤝 Brandon Johnson #chicago #politics #education #election2023 #schoolchoice

🤔 How can Brandon Johnson manage Chicago's debts if he can't manage his own? #chicago #politics #election2023 #debt #budget #finances

Chicago mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson has a persistent problem answering questions about his own political positions honestly. This is especially true on the subject of his history praising the “defund the police” movement. #chicago #election2023 #politics #crime #police #publicsafety

Brandon Johnson is misleading the public about his "teaching career." #chicago #politics #2023election #taxes

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Address

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Videos

This Crisis Is CRUSHING Illinois Taxpayers

CNN host SCHOOLS Chicago Teachers Union president

Is the Chicago Teachers Union's president a hypocrite? 🧐

Pritzker's 'tax break' gimmick expires: IPI on FOX local

Is Illinois the 'Big Government' Capitol of America? (Full Debate)

South Side Job Creators Fight Crime, Violence, and Poverty in Chicago

Chicago Parents' Fight for School Choice is Gaining Momentum

Test Scores Are Tanking (but Graduation Rates Are Rising) in Chicago

Walmart Just Closed Half of Its Chicago Stores

Chicago Teachers Union Now Runs City Hall (Is Your City Next?)

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