NEWS FROM THE 6th DISTRICT

Dear Neighbor,

The General Assembly is well underway for the Spring legislative session with a very full agenda. After a historic 2019, we’re ready to resolve the Chicago casino, the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) and a host of other items.

District staff has been meeting with new community groups, visiting schools, and learning about the concerns of constituents in the 6th Senate district.

Legislative Update

As the session continues to gear up, you can review my bills here. Much of this legislation is a direct result of issues concerning 6th district constituents and working collaboratively to resolve them.

Here are a few pieces of legislation that I am working on in response to the needs of the community:
Condo Deconversion: A condo deconversion trend is occurring in our community and constituents who are affected are in search of a remedy. Although the Chicago City Council passed an ordinance increasing the percentage of votes required to deconvert a building from 75-85%, there is more to do.

Our bill provides much-needed transparency to protect individual condominium unit owners, assures that they are informed and have a voice in the process. It aligns both the city and state statute but also begins to address many of the underlying triggers of deconversion like buyers offering financial incentives to influence a sale.

Affordable Housing: SB3529 is a response to the shortfall of affordable rental housing by promoting long-term affordability. This legislation incentivizes landlords of buildings with 7 units or more to commit to a period of ten years of affordability by keeping 15% of units at or below neighborhood market rate rent prices. By providing a tax reduction, the policy will promote affordability and spark investment. It is a huge step toward creating more affordable rental housing.

Clean Energy Jobs Act (SB2132): The Clean Energy Jobs Act will get Illinois to 100% renewable energy by 2050. At a time when we are seeing the drastic effect of climate change, it is more important than ever that CEJA passes. SB2132 will create jobs and economic opportunities in the renewable energy sectors.

CTA Safety – your voices were heard!
Mayor Lightfoot has responded with increasing security on trains and platforms from early March through Memorial Day weekend. We will continue to assure that our neighborhoods and public transit are safe.

Budget Address
Just last week, Governor Pritzker presented his budget address. The Governor’s new budget proposal includes increased funding for our neighborhood schools, public universities, healthcare, and public safety.

Undoubtedly the establishment of the first-ever House Adoption and Child Welfare committee has illuminated some serious issues at DCFS. The Governor’s response to the beleaguered DCFS agency is to add $147 million additional dollars to DCFS in his proposed budget. We are closely monitoring the agency that we know is desperately in need of improvement, efficiency, and reform. Kids deserve to be on a better path and out of harm’s way.

Click here to read the entire budget address. We will keep you posted as we continue to work on the FY 2021 budget and will deliver updates as they happen.

Welcome to State Rep. Jonathan ‘Yoni’ Pizer

Upon the retirement of Senate President John J. Cullerton, I was appointed to fill the 6th Senate District vacancy. With our newly elected Senate President Don Harmon, there is a lot of activity in the upper chamber and I am excited to work alongside him.

Our office would like to extend a warm welcome to Representative Jonathan ‘Yoni’ Pizer who was appointed to fill the 12th District House seat. Representative Pizer has hit the ground running with an eye on public safety, healthcare, and clean energy. We look forward to working with Rep Pizer on issues that improve the lives of our constituents.

Representative Pizer brings insight and experience to the office. We are happy to share his most recent newsletter.

We will continue to meet with residents and work on problem-solving together. Our legislative agenda is crafted around their very needs. Our office is working diligently to preserve affordability in our district while sparking investment, guaranteeing that every child has a quality education and that our neighbor’s feel safe in their homes, on the CTA and out in the community.

Warmest regards,