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Quick Hit

by Ellyn Fortino

7:46pm

Tue May 7

1 comment

Advocates For Women’s, Workers' Rights Say Congress Must Reject The Working Families Flexibility Act

More than 150 women’s, worker and civil rights organizations sent a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives Monday urging them to reject the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013.

The measure, H.R. 1406, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Martha Roby (R, AL-2), is expected to go up for a full House vote Wednesday.

Opponents of the bill, which has 168 Republican cosponsors, say it is an empty promise that would do more harm than good for working families.

“The very fact that this is entitled the Working Families Flexibility Act is a joke,” U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards, a Democrat from Maryland, said on a conference call with reporters Monday. “It’s a lot of flexibility for employers and zero flexibility for working families. In fact, you could call it the ‘working families to death act,’ because that’s what would result.”

Quick Hit

by Ellyn Fortino

3:29pm

Mon May 6

1 comment

Englewood Residents Question TIF Program, Call For More Community Mobilization At Town Hall Meeting

Property taxpayers in Englewood were furious upon learning at a town hall meeting Saturday that their tax dollars had contributed at least $44 million to the Englewood Neighborhood Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District since it rolled out in 2001. According to data from the CivicLab's TIF Illumination Project, some $44 million of taxpayer dollars had funneled to the TIF district between 2001 and 2011.

In 2011 alone, the TIF district siphoned $5 million from property taxpayers in the area, which would have normally gone to local units of government such as schools and parks, according to the CivicLab.

“The original concept is that (TIFs are) designed to have an impact on blighted areas, and just looking out the window, we know that a blighted area is all around us,” CivicLab's Bill Drew said at the TIF discussion, held at the Chicago Public Library's Hiram Kelly Branch. Read more »

Quick Hit

by Ashlee Rezin

3:01pm

Mon May 6

Protesters On Both Sides Of Marriage Equality Issue Converge At Rep. Sandack's Office (VIDEO)

State Rep. Ron Sandack (R-Downers Grove), one of two Republicans in the Illinois House to publicly express support for same-sex marriage, defended his position Saturday in front of rival organizations demonstrating outside his office.

Activist groups from both sides of the issue gathered to condemn or cheer on Sandack, who in February declared his support for the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, SB 10.

Quick Hit

by Ellyn Fortino

2:09pm

Fri May 3

Lewis Elementary Teachers Call For Alternative Turnaround Plan At CPS Hearing

Lewis Elementary teachers agreed to have their school turned around but only if Strategic Learning Initiatives (SLI) is leading the action, they said at a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) hearing Thursday night.

Under CPS' proposal, Lewis' teachers and staff are slated to be fired and the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) would take over the school in the fall.

But teachers at Lewis say they have been used as "guinea pigs" for various programs that begin to show improvement after a few years, such as the Teacher Advancement Program, but are then abruptly ended by the district.

"We all know that when you introduce a new program it takes time for the staff and students to adjust," said Corliss Wade, a first-grade teacher at Lewis. Read more »

Quick Hit

by Ashlee Rezin

12:30pm

Fri May 3

Chalmers Elementary Academics On The Rise, Turnaround Would 'Demolish' Momentum, Advocates Say (VIDEO)

A plethora of teachers, parents and students attempted to counter Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) claim that Thomas Chalmers Specialty Elementary is “chronically underperforming” Thursday night at the school’s final public hearing.

Attributed to “low performance” and “insufficient progress”, a proposal by CPS has suggested replacing Chalmers’ entire staff with the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), a school turnaround contractor, by next year.

But since school Principal Kent Nolen was hired in 2010, Chalmers has seen significant growth, according to Thursday’s speakers. If the West Side school were permitted to continue on its current course, presenters said it would surely close achievement gaps.

“We pray that this hearing officer holds the current faculty, staff and administration accountable for the work they’ve accomplished, not penalizing them for work under the former administration,” said W. T. Harris, a parent of one Chalmers student, member of the local school council (LSC) and one of approximately 75 attendees.

Quick Hit

by Ellyn Fortino

4:08pm

Thu May 2

Duckworth, College Students & Administrators Discuss Ways To Make Higher Ed More Affordable

Certain student loan interest rates are set to double, from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, come July 1. The rate hike could potentially cost millions of people who rely on college financial assistance an additional $1,000 each school year.

The added cost is too much for some students to bear, said U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D, IL-8) at a college affordability roundtable discussion Thursday.

“I remember what that was like as a student, when I was counting down to the last five bucks that I had until my next check came,” she said at the discussion, held at the College of DuPage (COD). Read more »

Quick Hit

by Ashlee Rezin

3:51pm

Thu May 2

2 comments

Job Assistance For Veterans And Long-Term Unemployed Comes To Chicago

Upon returning home last year from serving two years in the U.S. Army, Asma Njesada said her greatest challenge was finding a job.

“I couldn’t understand what was wrong with me,” said the 25 year-old Dallas resident.

After being unemployed for more than six months, Njesada turned to Platform to Employment (P2E) for help.

P2E provides veterans and the long-term unemployed with job training and placement. The initiative launched a nationwide pilot program this year, and started accepting applications in Chicago last month.

Quick Hit

2:52pm

Thu May 2

Guest Post: Netroots Scholarship Available For Progressive Activists

This post was authored by Alex Showerman, Democracy for America's New Media Manager.

This will be my first Netroots Nation and I could not be more excited to go! Before I made the progressive movement my career and was a passionate activist in my free time, I had always wanted to go to Netroots Nation. I was drawn by the chance to attend the panels, see the big name speakers, attend the trainings, and most importantly meet fellow activists to take my involvement to the next level. Unfortunately, as a broke college student and young professional, I simply didn’t have the extra cash to go.

Here at DFA, we believe that progressive activists should not be discouraged from attending Netroots Nation because of cost, just as I was. That’s why as a major sponsor of Netroots Nation DFA will foot the bill for rising stars in the progressive movement to join us in San Jose. Developing the next generation of the progressive activists has always been a core value of DFA, and we view attending Netroots Nation as your launch pad!

Quick Hit

by Ellyn Fortino

1:36pm

Thu May 2

New Study Challenges Prominent Business Climate Rankings (UPDATED)

Prominent studies that rank states’ business climates often contradict each other and should not be used to inform public policies, according to a new “Grading Places” report published by the Washington, D.C.-based Good Jobs First.

“There’s no such thing as a state business climate,” said Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First, on a conference call with reporters. “One size can’t fit all. Things vary much too much among different kinds of business facilities and among metro areas. There are no silver bullets. There [are] no magic variables.”

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