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Events in the Neighborhood
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Polar Plunge
North Ave. Beach
Sunday, March 3
1600 N. Lake Shore Dr.
10 a.m.
Help support Special Olympics Chicago at the 19th annual polar plunge. For more information click
here.
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Saturday, March 16
The parade begins at Noon at Balbo & Columbus, and proceeds north on Columbus to Monroe.
The Chicago River dyeing begins at 9am and can be best viewed between State and Columbus.
Municipal Election
Election Day is Tuesday, April 2.
Voters in all wards can vote in the mayoral and city treasurer runoff elections. In the 43rd and 46th wards there will also be aldermanic runoff elections.
The City has yet to confirm early voting dates and times, but please check our Facebook and Twitter for updates.
Polls are open on election day from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.
If you choose to vote on election day, then you must vote at your precinct. To find your election day polling place click
here.
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Get Involved
530 W. Fullerton Pkwy.
Care for Friends provides easy access to community, food and overall wellness for Chicago's most vulnerable and underserved people to connect them with community resources.
This organization seeks to offer a safe haven for people suffering from housing insecurity and provides services without any standards or requirements. More than half of their clients are currently housed, have received medical care and were offered employment with hourly wages.
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Dear Neighbor,
The 101st General Assembly is in full swing with much activity to report. After four very difficult years we are moving legislation forward that will help the working families of Illinois.
On February 19, Governor Pritzker fulfilled one of his first priorities and signed
SB1, which raises the minimum wage gradually in Illinois to $15 an hour over the next six years.
Higher wages mean a stronger Illinois with better-paying jobs, increased consumer spending and a growing economy.
Once this wage increase is fully realized, 200,000 people will be lifted out of poverty. It is estimated that these raises will generate $380 million annually in state income and sales taxes.
Minimum Wage in Illinois by Year
Adoption & Child Welfare Committee
It's no secret that Adoption and Child Welfare has long been a passion of mine.
There are so many human service demands that kids at risk or already in the system seem to get lost. These children need our focus and attention so we can protect them and keep them out of harm's way.
Adoption & Child Welfare is now a standing committee and will focus on oversight of children in Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) custody, with a special emphasis on ensuring children are placed in supportive, loving environments. The committee will also review adoption laws, medical and behavioral care, and subject areas which intersect with child welfare.
As Chair of this committee, I promise an unwavering commitment to ensure that all children in Illinois are given every opportunity to succeed. This means holding DCFS accountable, expanding and encouraging best adoption practices, and working to keep children out of the DCFS system whenever possible.
State Budget
Governor Pritzker delivered a refreshing yet sobering budget address on February 20th. The Governor created a road map toward a balanced budget reflecting the need to rebuild our state and highlighted shared priorities.
Due to the destructive budget scenario created by Governor Rauner, the state remains in a challenging financial position. A report authored by Deputy Governor Dan Hynes lays out the challenges::
Four years of failure and ideological warfare in Illinois state government created a mess that will take years to put behind us. Many of the worst consequences are well-known: more than $1 billion in interest penalties, the decimation of human service providers, college enrollment that dropped by more than 70,000 students, and universities in jeopardy of losing their accreditation. This report builds on previous work and identifies damage that is even worse than previously known, including a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit for FY20 that is 16 percent higher than previous estimates.
For a complete look at the damage caused by Governor Rauner please read the full
report.
Pritzker presented a plan to balance the budget without increases to the sales or income tax rates, but he addressed the reality that we need new revenue sources to balance the budget and we cannot do it on cuts alone.
The proposed budget largely keeps state spending flat, but there is an increase in K-12 and higher education funding.
To help balance the budget, Pritzker recommended legalizing cannabis, which can bring in $170 million in licensing and other fees (and potentially more when factoring in sales and excise taxes); legalizing and taxing sports betting, which could bring in $200 million and can now be accomplished thanks to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling; and a tax on insurance companies to generate $390 million in revenue to help cover the costs of the Medicaid system. He would also make the tax rate on e-cigarettes consistent with tobacco products.
More detailed budget bills will be revealed in the coming weeks once appropriation bills are introduced and we will keep you updated.
Sara Feigenholtz
State Representative
12th District
Please follow us on
Facebook and
Twitter for updates throughout the legislative session or call my office (773) 296-4141 if we can be of help to you.
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Cannabis
Legalization Town Hall
It was a privilege to host the chief legislative sponsors of cannabis legalization, State Sen. Heather Steans and state Rep. Kelly Cassidy as they presented their proposal to end Illinois' prohibition on marijuana at a forum at the Athenaeum Theatre.
Governor Pritzker has publicly stated support for legalization and I'm confident this proposal will receive significant attention this legislative session.
Near the start of the meeting the crowd of about 200 was asked whether they support legalization, and nearly everyone in attendance indicated their support.
The current proposal would allow Illinoisans over the age of 21 to buy up to an ounce of marijuana from licensed dispensaries. Additionally, people would be allowed to grow up to five cannabis plants at their home.
If you were unable to attend, a full video of the town hall is available
here.
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Protecting a Woman's Right to Choose
Last month we marked the 46th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in all 50 states.
The passage of
House Bill 40 in Illinois now holds a place in the history of reproductive rights. I was proud to be the chief sponsor of this legislation and will continue to dedicate my career to fighting injustices and health care inequities.
By striking discriminatory language Illinois now ensures that no matter where a person works or how they get insurance they will receive coverage for abortion care.
I stood beside Governor JB Pritzker as he signed an executive order demonstrating his unwavering support for HB40 and to assure that the law is enacted properly and in the spirit of its full intent.
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If we can be of any assistance to you , please contact our constituent service office:
State Representative Sara Feigenholtz
3223 N. Sheffield Ave, Suite A
Chicago, Il 60657
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