| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | | Presented by |  | | | TGIF, Illinois. Everything points to a nice weekend.
|  | TOP TALKER | | THIS IS LIT: President Joe Biden’s plan to loosen federal marijuana restrictions could be a windfall for the cannabis industry in Illinois. High praise: Gov. JB Pritzker, who championed legalizing cannabis in Illinois, signaled his approval. “At last,” the governor posted on social media. Easing up on restrictions: The president wants to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule 1 drug to a Schedule 3 drug, which would open new doors in Illinois — seen by many as the Silicon Valley of the cannabis industry. Three of the largest marijuana companies in the country — Cresco Labs, Verano and Green Thumbs Industries — are based in Illinois. What the change could mean: Moving marijuana from the most restrictive category to a moderately restrictive category means companies would be allowed to deduct any normal business operating expenses, just like other companies do. Right now, cannabis companies can’t do that because of a section of the federal tax code that would no longer apply if the drug is reclassified. For the big three companies, that could be a tax savings of tens of millions of dollars each per year. Helping smaller companies: A schedule change also would mean smaller and minority owned cannabis companies could more easily attract investors, making it easier to get a foothold in Illinois. The science of it all: A schedule change also could allow hospital and pharmaceutical companies to more easily conduct research on cannabis. Right now, the government sees no medical benefit from cannabis. Reclassifying it to Schedule 3 could open up opportunities for hospitals, universities and pharmaceutical companies to do medical research. From the industry: Illinois lobbyist Mark Peysakhovich, who represents hemp and cannabis companies, called Biden’s announcement “great news” for the cannabis industry, saying, “it’s validation that legalizing cannabis was the right path in this state.” Cuts both ways: “At the same time, we'll have to adjust our regulatory environment to make us more competitive nationally and, ultimately, globally. Just like corn and soybeans, cannabis is poised to become just another boring commodity.” Biden’s announcement, via POLITICO’s Natalie Fertig
| | THE BUZZ | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The Cook County Board of Review has wrapped up the tax season on time, something it hasn’t done since 2021. About the Board of Review: The three-member quasi-public agency reviews property taxes issued by the county assessor and considers requests to lower property taxes for residents who say their bill is too high. It’s an issue that is of concern on Chicago's South and West sides. Why timing matters: A delay in determining property taxes can result in financial losses for school districts, including the loss of interest income and the need to issue tax anticipation warrants to manage operational costs and wages, according to the board. This year, the board completed its work by May 7 — the deadline to share all information with the Assessor's Office before it is delivered to the Cook County Treasurer. Responding to property tax complaints in a timely way allows property owners time to contest their property assessments and then pay appropriately, according to the board. By the numbers: The Board of Review says it adjudicated 246,774 property tax appeals and held 10,390 hearings for appellants in this tax season. If you are Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | A message from Amazon: Abel turned a job at Amazon’s Rockford, Illinois fulfillment center into a transportation career, thanks to Amazon Career Choice. As the largest job creator in the U.S Amazon is committed to helping their employees thrive with benefits starting on day one and free, on-the-job skills training. See how Amazon empowers employees. | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | At Chicago Cut Steakhouse at 5 p.m. for a City Club discussion.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | No official public event.
| | Where's Toni | | No official public event. 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. | | | | | | | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — Vice President Kamala Harris rallies troops, raises funds on Illinois trip: 'Time to roll up our sleeves': “The vice president spoke about reproductive rights and the critical importance of the upcoming election at a fundraiser in a Glencoe home,” by the Sun-Times’ Isabel Funk.
| | | CONVENTION ZONE | | | — Protesters plan Gaza-focused DNC march, won’t apply for Chicago permit: Leaders of the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine "had planned to seek approval to hold their march, but the [this week's ] DePaul University clash convinced them it was pointless to try to cooperate with city officials,” reports the Tribune’s Jake Sheridan. They plan to march from the West Loop’s Union Park on the convention’s second-to-last day, Aug. 21, at 4:30 p.m. "and walk as close to the convention’s United Center headquarters as possible,” Jake writes. — More on the DePaul encampment being cleared: “Police wielding batons pushed students and reporters back from the encampment, the last one in Chicago. Two people were arrested for obstruction of traffic, police said,” by Block Club’s Patrick Filbin and Colin Boyle. — In Milwaukee: The Republican National Conventin’s Platform Committee leadership has been named, via Spectrum News 1
| | MEDIA MATTERS | | — Chicago Tribune journalists file discrimination suit against paper: “The lawsuit claims systematic pay disparities between female and male employees, as well as between Black and white employees under its current and previous owners,” by the Sun-Times’ Kade Heather.
| | | THE STATEWIDES | | | — State lawmakers approve measure to amend state biometric privacy law: “The law, considered among the strictest of its kind, requires companies to gain consent before they collect and store biometric information such as fingerprints or retina scans,” by the Tribune’s Talia Soglin and Jeremy Gorner. — Over 80,000 Illinois people banned from owning guns still keep them, report shows, by The Associated Press’ John O’Connor — Illinois launches summer food assistance program, by Capitol News’ Peter Hancock — More Illinois health care facilities would have to report patient abuse under new bill, by the Tribune’s Emily Hoerner and Lisa Schencker — Bill would ban cars from stopping on highway shoulders near O'Hare Airport, via NBC 5 — Springfield airport looks to build more runways, FAA control tower, by the State Journal-Register’s Claire Grant
| | | | A message from Amazon:   | | | | | CHICAGO | | — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Former Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is leading a grassroots SaveShotSpotter.com campaign in hopes of postponing a plan to cancel the gunshot detection technology. Mayor Brandon Johnson has pledged to end the program. On Wednesday, the City Council is expected to vote on an order to require CPD to collect more ShotSpotter data and make it available for aldermen and residents on a monthly basis. Supportive aldermen believe more data will prove its efficacy. The former top cop is asking residents to sign on to a letter to their aldermen. He says residents credit ShotSpotter with decreasing crime in their communities. Video here — Bears stadium debate should shift south to Michael Reese site, Civic Federation president says: “Bears President Kevin Warren has rejected the 48.6-acre Michael Reese site, saying it’s too narrow and doesn’t work because the stadium would have to be built ‘over an active train line,’” by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman. — Former city staffer removed from do-not-hire list by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration, appeals from two other Lightfoot holdovers remain pending, by the Tribune’s Alice Yin — One year in, Johnson’s City Council spends a third of its time on honorary resolutions, by the Better Government Association’s Geoffrey Cubbage — Apple is forgiven millions in Chicago ‘Netflix Tax’ paid by rivals, by Bloomberg’s Michael Bologna — Zeroing in on Chicago’s population center: The Bulls may be more central to our population’s universe than we thought, writes Chicago magazine’s Ted McClelland — For the foodies: Chicago will host the inaugural Future-of-Food Week next week. The event is a spinoff of World Business Chicago’s Chicago Venture Summit and will draw food and beverage industry folks from across the country. As part of the conference, some restaurants will perks. Details here — SPOTTED: Former mayoral Chief of Staff Rich Guidice sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at the Cubs game Thursday, via the Tribune’s Gregory Royal Pratt.
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Kim Foxx wouldn’t prosecute gun cases tied to some minor traffic stops under new plan: “Foxx said the draft policy aims to undercut a dramatic rise in stops that disproportionately target people of color and rarely lead to arrests. “It felt like it was time to do something about it,” said Foxx, who is stepping down this year,” by the Sun-Times’ Matthew Hendrickson, Tom Schuba and Andy Grimm. — New watchdog nominated to oversee Cook County government: “Tirrell Paxton, a deputy at the county’s Office of the Independent Inspector General, was formally tapped as a special selection committee’s pick for the office’s new leader. Paxton’s nomination will head to the Cook County Board’s Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee,” by the Tribune’s A.D. Quig. — DATA POINT: The Cook County Board of Commissioners has unanimously passed an ordinance championed by Commissioner Josina Morita to ensure Asian American data is collected “consistently and comprehensively” by offices under the Cook County president. — Orland Park settles lawsuit filed by former manager against Mayor Keith Pekau, by the Daily Southtown’s Mike Nolan
| | | | 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 for your ideas on generating state revenue: Michael Dittmar: “Make utility task vehicles (UTVs) ‘legal’ on assigned roads. It is a billion dollar industry in Iowa and Wisconsin. It would generate lots of sales tax.” Michael Gascoigne: “Three words: tax the rich.” Mary Kay Minaghan: “Cut expenses, like Illinoisans have to do when cable, grocery and electric bills go up.” Jeff Nathan: “Put a 10 percent tax on all PAC contributions to politicians.” Ian Tobin: “A Digital Nomad Residency Permit. For a fee, they get a permit that grants them temporary access to state and local resources and benefits.” NEXT QUESTION: When were you victim of identity theft?
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Biden’s team had a few demands for a Trump debate. A major one: No crowd, by POLITICO’s Jonathan Lemire — It’s not the courtroom, it’s the debate stage: Biden and Trump’s race really starts now, by POLITICO’s Lisa Kashinsky and Meridith McGraw — Abbott pardons man who fatally shot Black Lives Matter protester, by POLITICO’s Kierra Frazier
| | NONPROFIT NEWS | | — Chicago United for Equity, which advocates for diversity in a range of industries, has announced its sixth Equity Fellowship Cohort — 24 fellows from government, nonprofits, philanthropy and community organizing. They will take part in a year-long program to “enhance their skills, collaborate and build a shared analysis centered on racial equity principles,” according to the nonprofit. Check them out here
| | | | A message from Amazon: Amazon is committed to helping their employees and the communities where they operate thrive with free on-the-job skills training and prepaid tuition benefits.
Abel completed a trucking program through Amazon Career Choice to start working in transportation. Now he’s using the tuition benefits. “Amazon is paying for me to go to the school,” he said.
Learn more. | | | | | TRIVIA | | THURSDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Ed Mazur for correctly answering that during a tour of the Hanover Park sewage treatment plant in 1970, President Richard M. Nixon was given a cup of water to drink — for a photo op showing how new technology made the water drinkable. Nixon reportedly declined, saying, “I never drink in the morning.” TODAY’s QUESTION: Who’s the Illinois traveling salesman who developed the precursor to the zipper?
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: Governor's Senior Policy Adviser Michael Elliott, state Treasurer’s Office Assistant General Counsel Tory Horton, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting Political Director Jeremy Custer, Microsoft senior writer Rebecca Nelson Kay, journalist Robert Feder and Joe Moore Strategies and MLS Public Strategies “chief everything officer” Barbara Moore. Saturday: Former Corn Products CEO Sam Scott and Cook County Clerk of the Courts Public Affairs exec Carmen Navarro Gercone. Sunday: Attorney Eric Herman, attorney and former deputy secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Paul Isaac, Illinois Democratic Party regional political organizer Keeton Chamberlin and University of Chicago mathematician Alex Eskin. -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 | | | | |
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