🏛️🚍 Wrapping up a busy veto session in Springfield
Dear Neighbor,
The veto session — the two weeks of legislating between adjournment in May and the new session in January — is usually busy. But in my 11 years in office, this is one of the busiest ones I can recall.
I was planning on writing this note Friday, but we were on the House floor til 3am Thursday night (Friday morning!), so between catching up on sleep and catching up on work, I'm only getting around to it now.
Here are a few things we accomplished last week:
We saved transit!
Some background on this: Because of COVID changes in commuting patterns and the expiration of federal relief funds, our mass transit systems were facing a budget shortfall of around $800 million a year starting next year. That would have meant catastrophic service cuts and layoffs.
We knew we needed to stop these cuts. But we didn't want to just fund the same old CTA service. We wanted to make the kind of generational investment, coupled with governance reforms, that would transform the system. Make it better, safer, cleaner, more frequent and reliable. Maybe even make it so you could use the same card to get on CTA and Metra (gasp!).
I'm proud to say we made exactly that kind of investment. The RTA will be replaced by a new agency called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) that will bring stronger accountability, planning, and regional coordination. And that agency will get over $1 billion in new operating dollars from the state, well over what it needs to close the gap. The money's coming primarily from gas tax dollars that currently go to road construction, which is awesome — taking road money and putting it into transit! We're also authorizing the RTA to raise a 0.25% sales tax to close the gap.
That sales tax piece was the one part of this package I didn't love. The sales tax is notoriously regressive, and Chicago's is already quite high. But even if you buy $1000 of consumer goods each month (not food or medicine or services — like, shopping), you'll pay only $2.50 a month in new taxes. The benefit to lower-income folks of better transit service far outweighs those new costs.
Overall this is a hugely important piece of legislation that will not only stave off dire cuts but reinvest in a 21st century transit system that we can all be proud of. And it wouldn't have happened without the thousands of people across the state — including hundreds of you right here in the district — raising your voices, calling and emailing your legislators, and demanding that we save transit. Thank you so much for your advocacy.
We stood up to ICE.
As I wrote in a recent email, the federal invasion of our communities is real, and ongoing, and scary. Just in the past 48 hours, agents have detained restaurant workers in the heart of Logan Square.
There's only so much a state can do to curtail federal officers. But last week in session, we did everything we could.
We prohibited civil arrests at or near courthouses. We required hospitals, daycares, and universities to adopt policies protecting people in their care. And we created a "private right of action" that will allow Illinoisans to sue federal agents for violations of our constitutional rights.
Meanwhile, thanks to all of you for your advocacy and for helping to protect our neighbors. If you're interested in signing up for school watch to protect kids and families at dropoff and pickup, my colleague, State Senator Graciela Guzman is coordinating this effort and you can reach out to get involved by emailing her office at info@senatorguzman.com.
We took a big step forward on clean energy — and on lowering your power bills.
We've all seen big spikes in our utility bills lately. This has a lot to do with the increased demands for electricity in Illinois and around the country from data centers. And with the Trump administration canceling renewable energy construction, that inadequate supply of power is only going to get worse.
Here in Illinois, though, we're continuing to lead the nation. Legislation we passed last week will bring 3 gigawatts of battery storage on the grid, vital to lowering power costs as our renewable generation ramps up. We also authorized the creation of "virtual power plants" — networks of solar panels, EV and home batteries, and other distributed resources that can move power around the grid when it's needed, so we don't have to buy high-cost dirty energy at times of peak demand. And we're strengthening energy efficiency programs to help people save money on their bills right away.
There's more to do on data centers. These guys should be required to build renewable power on-site to meet their energy demands, rather than driving up costs for the rest of us. I'm optimistic that we'll get into that next spring.
There was a lot more activity, too: some tax changes to protect our budget from Trump cuts. Illinois-specific vaccine mandates so we're not tied to the latest madness from RFK. An increase to senior property tax freezes so folks don't suddenly see huge bills when their Social Security COLA kicks in.
All in all, it was a productive and powerful week. I'm proud of the work that we did, and grateful to every one of you who pushed for these wins.
More to come soon,
Will
Coffee and Conversation
Join Alderwoman Ruth Cruz and me for coffee and a chance to discuss issues that are facing our communities. We’ll be at El Capitan Snacks & Coffee, 3150 N Central Ave. on Saturday, November 22 from 10am to 12pm.
Virtual Know Your Rights for Parents and Schools
The City of Chicago Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, CPS Parent University, and several community organizations are hosting a virtual immigration information session for CPS parents and schools on Thursday, November 13 from 6 to 7:30pm. During this online event, there will be information on changes in immigration law related to new policies, updates around increased ICE activity, how to create an Emergency Family Plan, and how you can support the community. Register at bit.ly/CIRRKYR.
Pumpkin Composting
Don’t send your Halloween pumpkins to a landfill! Instead of throwing them out, give them new life as compost! Pumpkins will be accepted for free at all City of Chicago food scrap drop-off locations, and all Chicago residents are encouraged to participate. The pumpkins will be turned into nutrient-rich compost at a local composting facility. Learn more here.
Crosstown Trail Town Hall
Have you heard about the Crosstown Trail? It is a proposed multi-use walking and biking path on Chicago’s Northwest Side that would transform the Kenton Avenue rail corridor into a car-free trail.
Friends of the Crosstown Trail, Alderperson Jessie Fuentes, and Commissioner Jessica Vasquez are hosting a virtual town hall on Thursday, November 13 at 6pm. Please register here: bit.ly/CrosstownRegister to learn more about this project.
Healing Circles for Helpers
Calling all therapists, healthcare professionals, community organizers, educators, social service providers, caregivers, healers, and more! LoSAH Center of Hope hosts a series of monthly circles for those in a helping profession or role to build community with other helpers, share in the joy and struggles of this work, discover and share practices for wellness, and offer mutual support. These healing circles are on Wednesdays from 6 to 8pm at 3555 W Armitage Ave. Each week will have a different theme and general support, and food will be provided.
The dates for the fall and winter are:
November 19, 2025 (Register here)
December 17, 2025
January 28, 2026
February 25, 2026