| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | | Presented by |  | | | Happy Monday, Illinois. Remember when the order to stay at home actually got push-back?
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
Gov. JB Pritzker, at a bill-signing last year, is worried about interest rates. | Charles Rex Arbogast/AP | Inflation isn’t going away, which means the Federal Reserve may not cut interest rates any time soon — and that has Gov. JB Pritzker worried. His beef: “It makes it harder for people to buy a home. It makes it harder for small businesses to borrow so they can build their business. It’s slowing growth,” Pritzker told Playbook before he headed to Washington, D.C., for the White House Correspondents Dinner over the weekend. The Fed’s goal: The country’s central bank wants to get inflation down to 2 percent. The latest data about personal consumption shows inflation up 2.8 percent. What’s next: A discussion on if or how much to move interest rates will come up this week when the Fed meets in Washington. Don’t expect any change. As long as there’s still a question on inflation, the interest rates will likely stay put. “It’s frustrating that whatever data they're looking at isn't taking into account whatever folks are going through, including what small business people who are just barely making ends meet,” Pritzker said. “We don't need to slow down the economy of Illinois when things are actually going very well. We've attracted businesses and jobs, but if you keep interest rates very high, that's going to slow things down.” The ripple effect: Pritzker said the decision could impact the election in November and the state budget down the road. But more so, he added, it’s just affecting the mood of the public. “It’s pricing people out of the market. If you can’t borrow because the interest rates are so high, then you can’t grow your business or hire people. Those are things that bother me.” An expert’s take: Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG in Chicago, hinted the other day that policymakers could keep rates “higher for longer.” But for now, she told The New York Times, the Fed is stuck in “monetary policy purgatory.” A bright spot: Rockford was just ranked the country’s top housing market in the country, via the Rock River Current
| | THE BUZZ | | BEAR IN MIND: The Chicago Bears’ proposal for a new stadium continues to draw scrutiny about the actual cost and where it fits in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s progressive agenda. All this is happening before the proposal has been officially presented to state lawmakers who would have to approve its funding. Stadium cost? the Sun-Times says add another $1.2B: “The Bears’ pitch for a new domed lakefront stadium came with a $4.7 billion price tag. In reality, though, Chicago and Illinois taxpayers would end up paying $5.9 billion to help the Bears build and finance the stadium and retire existing debt used to renovate Soldier Field and Guaranteed Rate Field, where the White Sox play,” by Fran Spielman and Mitchell Armentrout. Will mayor’s coalition embrace it?: “A tepid to outright antagonistic response — even from Johnson’s usual allies — signaled the mayor will face tough headwinds in pitching the project as a natural fit for his progressive base, which has historically decried public subsidies for sports teams and other corporations,” by the Tribune’s Alice Yin and Jake Sheridan. If you are Diane Swonk, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | A message from Uber: Drivers with Uber are leading EV adoption. Key fact to know this Earth Month: Drivers with Uber are switching to electric cars seven times faster than everyday drivers. That progress has multiplier impact because when one Uber driver starts using an EV, they deliver up to four times the emissions benefits compared to regular motorists. Learn more about this trend. | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | At Englewood STEM High School at noon to announce IDOT Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) grant awards.
| | | WHERE's BRANDON | | At St. Rita’s High School Chapel at 9 a.m. to attend the funeral of Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca.
| | Where's Toni | | At Englewood STEM High School at noon along with the governor. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | | | 2024 WATCH | | — CLERK DECISION: Monica Gordon, the Cook County commissioner, has been tapped by Democratic Party leaders to run in November for the clerk seat that opened up after the death of Karen Yarbrough. Gordon is a longtime party organizer who, before being elected county commissioner in 2022, led the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation. She’s also worked with the Rich Township Democratic Organization and sat on the board of Girls 4 Science. Gordon told Playbook she wants to “continue the legacy” of Yarbrough’s work “maintaining election integrity and security.” Her goal if elected: Using artificial intelligence (without replacing employees), online accessibility to records and increasing voter participation. — The Republican field: Republicans are “working through a small pool of potential candidates,” Sean Morrison, the Cook County Republican Party chair, told Playbook. It’s a challenge to find Republican candidates willing to jump into politics in Cook County when it’s “strangled by a one-party super-majority,” he said. — In the interim, Cedric Giles, who was Yarbrough’s deputy, has stepped in to serve as clerk through the end of the year — including during the high-profile November election. — IN LAKE COUNTY: Lauren Beth Gash was elected chair of the Lake County Democratic Party during the group’s county convention Sunday.
| | | THE STATEWIDES | | | — 6 months after Illinois ended cash bail, jail populations are down as courts settle into new patterns: “Counties have settled into new patterns, with longer detention hearings and money no longer a factor in whether someone will be released from jail. ... The law is mostly ‘working as intended’ in Cook County,” by the Tribune’s Madeline Buckley. — Grave concerns: A bill designed to protect the historical graves of military veterans has passed the Illinois House and now heads to the Senate, where it will have its first hearing Thursday. Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit’s bill would amend the Human Remains Protection Act “to provide enhanced protection for those wishing to maintain and preserve our veterans' graves,” she said in a statement. — Illinois lawmakers consider measures aimed at making mental health care more accessible, by the Tribune’s Olivia Stevens — Solitary confinement in Illinois prisons violates human rights, Chicago lawyers group says, by the Sun-Times’ Kaitlin Washburn — Governor earmarks $30M for downtown facelifts, via The Southern Illinoisan — Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans, by Capitol News’ Peter Hancock and Jerry Nowicki
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | CHICAGO | | — Watchdog Joe Ferguson pitches CTA merger into state-run system: “A ‘complete reset’ of the transit system would allow lawmakers to create a ‘proper accountability’ system for CTA leadership, said the Civic Federation president. CTA says funding, not governance, is the real problem,” by the Block Club’s Mack Liederman. — Hundreds gather for visitation of Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca, who will be buried today, by the Sun-Times’ Emmanuel Camarillo — After long journey, 15 migrant couples marry in group ceremony in Chicago, by WBEZ’s Adriana Cardona-Maguigad and Manuel Martinez — WHAT TO WATCH: Contract negotiations begin this morning between the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools.
| | | ANIMAL ACTION | | | — Rare crane rescued in Wilmette, returned to Wisconsin, by the Sun-Times’ Kade Heather and Mary Norkol — Double delivery of baby bison at Fermilab, by Patch’s Shannon Antinori
| | TAKING NAMES | | — Eileen Chin, president of the R.M. Chin & Associates construction management company, has been named the Women's Transportation Seminar’s 2024 Woman of the Year. The award is honoring her contributions to the transportation industry and her leadership in the community at large. — The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute has posted the interviews of two Lincoln Laureates. Ariel Investments’ John Rogers Jr. here, and NPR’s “Weekend Edition Saturday” host Scott Simon here.
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT: The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked about your spring cleaning routine: Charles Keller: “I clean and regrip my golf clubs.” James Straus: “Gutters. As in watch the guy clean my gutters!” NEXT QUESTION: When it comes to party chit-chat, what’s your go-to subject?
| | SPOTTED | | — AT THE NERD PROM: Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois first lady MK Pritzker attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (known affectionately as the “nerd prom”). They sat at the CNN table for the Saturday event and were spotted at the Comcast after-party. Also attending were the governor's chief of staff, Anne Caprara, and Quentin Fulks, a former Pritzker campaign exec who’s now principal deputy campaign manager of the Biden campaign. On Sunday, the Pritzkers and Caprara hit CNN’s hangover brunch. Pic and pic! — Biden poked at Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner, by your Playbook host!
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Biden said he’d take another stab at a border bill — but nothing appears in the works, by POLITICO’s Myah Ward — Government spy power deal hands hidden hope to Trump allies, by POLITICO’s Jordain Carney and John Sakellariadis — Kristi Noem defends dog slaying as ‘responsible,’ by POLITICO’s Kelly Garrity — DeSantis meets with Trump to help with 2024 election, by POLITICO’s Kimberly Leonard
| | | | A message from Uber: Uber Drivers Accelerate Electric Vehicle Shift
As Earth Month spotlights sustainability, a noteworthy trend emerges: Uber drivers are adopting electric vehicles seven times faster than the average driver. For every driver on the Uber platform who switches to an EV, the emissions savings are quadrupled compared to what typical drivers would achieve.
This shift didn’t just happen. It’s part of Uber’s commitment to ensuring that, by 2030, 100% of trips on its platform in the US are in zero-emission vehicles or through micromobility and public transport. Now drivers with Uber are leading the way in advancing clean energy transportation.
Discover more about how Uber is going green. | | | | | EVENTS | | — Wednesday: Labor leaders will gather to celebrate the Haymarket Memorial. Details here
| | TRIVIA | | FRIDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Josh Mogerman for correctly answering that Marjorie Merriweather Post, heir to the cereal company empire and born in Illinois’ fair capital city, built Mar-a-Lago in the 1920s. TODAY’s QUESTION: Who were th native Illinoisans who won Oscars in consecutive years?
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Political consultant and former Democratic State Central Committeeman Patrick Watson, radio talk show host and former political candidate Dan Proft, Graham Media Group adviser Emily Barr, Smith and Partners’ Eric Pierce and Isabelli Partners President Janet Isabelli. -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
