The Spin: Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski to speak at Chicago anti-abortion rally | Michael Bloomberg, Mayor Lightfoot to meet tomorrow | A look back at week 1 of Illinois' recreational pot

Chicago Tribune (IL)

Illinois U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, a socially conservative Chicago-area Democrat, will speak at Saturday's March for Life rally in Chicago, a move that is sure to once again rankle abortion rights activists and his political foes as he runs for reelection. In a state where Democrats last year passed legislation to protect abortion rights, Lipinski is an outlier in his opposition to abortion rights and, while he's taken some heat about it, he remains steadfast in his views.

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg's making his first campaign visit to Chicago tomorrow -- as first reported here -- and it's going to be a quick stop. It's part of a one-day, three-state visit to middle America to address communities "shortchanged by Donald Trump," according to his campaign. Before a morning stump speech, he'll sit down and talk with Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

And let's look back at the highs (big money for business, state and local government) and lows (inventory shortages and a dispensary burglary), six days after Illinois' law kicked in legalizing recreational weed sales.

Welcome to The Spin.

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski stands by anti-abortion view as abortion rights groups turn up heat

Congressman Dan Lipinkski will be among the speakers at Saturday's anti-abortion March for Life and rally in Chicago, a move that is sure to kick up dirt with liberal critics who've called the viewpoint 10 steps back for women's rights and even ponied up money to support one of his lead opponents in the upcoming election. Click here for more details about the rally and march.

In a statement released by the march's organizers, Lipinski said: "Every January, I am proud to brave the cold and join the March for Life Chicago. As a member of Congress, I work to protect the most vulnerable, and no one is more vulnerable than the child in the womb and that child's mother."

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, a Peoria Republican whose father served in former President Barack Obama's Cabinet, also will be at Saturday's rally in Chicago.

How abortion became the single most important litmus test in American politics: Click here to read the analysis in the Washington Post.

The upcoming election: These days, abortion has become a deeply political and therefore partisan issue. Lipinski, whose 3rd Congressional District stretches from the Southwest Side to the suburbs, is but one of a few anti-abortion Democrats in the U.S. House, The Hill reported last year. And that has pitted him against more left-leaning Democrats in recent years.

History, Part I: In 2018, he narrowly beat Marie Newman, a marketing consultant from La Grange, in the Democratic primary as the abortion issue took center stage. A rematch will unfold in the March 17 primary with Newman once again winning endorsements and garnering campaign donations from abortion rights politicians and organizations. Also on the Democratic ballot: Rush Darwish, of Palos Hills, and Charles Hughes, of Chicago.

History, Part II: Last week, Lipinski joined more than 200 members of Congress, mostly Republicans, who signed their names to a legal brief sent to the U.S. Supreme Court that critics say could pave the way to repealing the high court's Roe v. Wade decision, which, along with another legal case, legalized abortion. Yesterday, more than two dozen pro-abortion rights supporters marched on Lipinski's Lockport office to protest that move. Megann Horstead at the Tribune's sister paper The Daily Southtown has more details here.

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski rebuts Mayor Lori Lightfoot's criticism over abortion, touts endorsements from suburban mayors ahead of tough primary: Click here to read Rick Pearson's story in the Tribune.

Bloomberg campaigning in Chicago, planned meeting with Mayor Lightfoot

Bloomberg and Mayor Lori Lightfoot are expected have a downtown meeting Wednesday morning before he gives a stump speech at Olive-Harvey College on the South Side about jobs and income growth in big cities.

Lightfoot hasn't endorsed in the presidential race, so expect him to court the mayor a bit. And during his address, I'd expect the former three-term mayor of New York City to mention how his experience running the nation's largest city means he'll be a president who ensures federal support (read: dollars) will flow to major metropolitan areas.

One thing's for sure: The Bloomberg-Lightfoot meeting won't be at City Hall. Because they may be talking politics, the mayor insists it be outside the walls of government, according to Dave Mellet, a spokeswoman for Lightfoot's political operation.

Also on Bloomberg's calendar: After a morning in Chicago, he'll travel to a farm in Wells, Minnesota -- hitting the homefront of fellow Democratic candidate and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar -- as well as to Akron, Ohio.

League of Women Voters of Illinois to celebrate centennial: The self-described nonpartisan organization focused on educating and getting out the vote, will mark its 100th anniversary on Valentine's Day, no less. A celebration will be held at downtown Chicago's Congress Hotel -- in the Gold Room where the league was formed, according to a news release. Click here for details about the festivities and to RSVP.

Chicago's new Transportation boss on congestion fee, red light cameras

From the Tribune's John Byrne: "Mayor Lori Lightfoot's pick to be the city's Transportation commissioner touted reforms to the city's controversial red light and speed camera systems on Tuesday, while defending their effectiveness in slowing down drivers and stopping short of calling for any of the automated cameras' removal.

"Though Lightfoot frequently said during her mayoral campaign that the city needed to re-evaluate regressive fines such as traffic cameras primarily installed to generate money for the city by ticketing motorists rather than for safety reasons, acting Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gia Biagi only would say she would work with aldermen." Read the story here.

"Also Tuesday, Biagi said Chicago needs to look at the congestion fees instituted by other cities to see if Lightfoot's new additional fee on ride-share trips starting or ending in the downtown area during busy times should be expanded to include other types of vehicles too," Byrne notes.

Chicago Public Schools employees caught living outside Chicago limits and lying about it face dismissal: The Tribune's Hannah Leone writes: "Like other public workers, CPS employees are required to live within Chicago city limits unless they're granted a waiver. But the new annual report by the school district's watchdog revealed the office received 140 complaints of possible residency violations during the year ending July 1. The CPS inspector general's report also outlined 15 cases of residency fraud for which it recommended dismissal or where the employee resigned during the investigation." Click here to read the full story.

Background: Several years ago, The Pew Charitable Trusts had a piece about how "residency requirements in big cities are not as common as they used to be" with Peter Eisinger, a professor for The New School for Management and Urban Policy in New York who has studied residency requirements, offering a look at both sides: "It can be pitched as a free choice issue, but on the other hand the whole purpose of residency requirements is to give public employees a real stake in the cities they serve, and of course to capture the revenues that they've generated."

Mayor Lori Lightfoot hits pause button on aldermen's plan to freeze residential development near The 606 trail: Tribune business columnist Ryan Ori has the update here.

Illinois attorney general fighting Illinois Commerce Commission's decision to give utility 38 years to refund $385 million to ratepayers

Steve Daniels at Crain's writes: "State regulators' controversial decision to permit Commonwealth Edison to take nearly four decades to fully refund $385 million due to ratepayers for excess prepaid taxes appears headed to court.

"Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul petitioned the Illinois Commerce Commission late last week to reconsider its ruling, issued in early December. The request for a rehearing is a legal step Raoul's office must take before appealing the decision to the Illinois Appellate Court."

The background: "ComEd asked for nearly 40 years -- a request that meant most ratepayers wouldn't see the full benefits," Daniels explains. "The attorney general's office has said that five years is a more reasonable term, but has been open to other time frames. The commission in 2018 agreed to ComEd's point of view, but that was before Gov. J.B. Pritzker appointed a new chair, Carrie Zalewski.

"Raoul's office took another run at it with new leadership at the ICC, but Zalewski a month ago reaffirmed the position of former Chairman Brien Sheahan, appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner." Read the full story here.

About the ICC: The regulatory body has five members who are appointed by the governor and approved by the Illinois State Senate. You can read more about their duties here.

Opinion: The political solution to the state's population drop? Hint: Good elected leaders: Tribune Editorial Board member and columnist Kristen McQueary writes: "What to do about the Illinois Exodus? Vote for fiscally responsible candidates throughout state and local government who are informed about pension pressure driving up property taxes. Candidates who understand that the Illinois model of tax-and-spend state and local government is broken. Candidates who reject efforts to make middle-income families vulnerable to tax hikes.

"The fact that state lawmakers put on the upcoming November ballot a proposal for a graduated state income tax, which eventually will hit the middle class, while they also blocked grassroots campaigns for votes on redistricting reform, term limits and the Illinois Constitution's pension clause is an injustice that cannot be overstated. Efforts to squeeze taxpayers get shepherded through the General Assembly. Efforts to hold the General Assembly accountable get stomped." Click here to read the full piece, which notes that the No. 1 and 2 destinations for on-the-move Illinoisans are Indiana and Florida.

Coalition of labor, social service and religious leaders named to push Gov. J.B. Pritzker's graduated-rate income tax plan - Click here to read Rick Pearson's Tribune story.

Rolling in the green with weed legalization, but amid the success comes a shortage, burglary

Illinois marijuana dispensaries sold more than $10.8 million worth of recreational weed in the first five days of sales. But some have halted recreational pot sales amid inventory shortages, the Tribune's Ally Marotti reports.

Marotti warned us about the inventory problem last month.

But state and local government officials trying to mop up a sea of red ink washing over their government finances must be rubbing their hands together when they read this: "Legal weed sales kicked off in Illinois (last) Wednesday with nearly $3.2 million in sales, marking one of the best showings of any state in the history of pot legalization," Marotti writes.

The government's piece of the pie: Legal weed sales are taxed at 10 percent for THC levels at or less than 35 percent; 20 percent for cannabis-infused products such as edibles; and 25 percent for THC concentrations of more than 35%. That's on top of state and local sales taxes.

Municipalities may add special taxes of up to 3%, counties may add up to 3.75% in unincorporated areas, and Cook County may add up to 3% in municipalities.

So, who's the (alleged) bad seed?: As the Tribune's Elvia Malagon writes, "A Logan Square cannabis dispensary shop was burglarized early Monday, according to the Chicago Police Department." The thief or thieves got away with cash, but no weed. Click here to read the full story.

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