Government Affairs Roundup
“Your Timely Roundup of Local, State, and Federal Updates”
Chamber members:
Our roundup is back after a two week break for New Orleans North prep and then clean / wrap up. Thanks to all that participated in any and all ways.
Today we’ll look at a number of items including a new parking plan for downtown Joliet and there is a survey for anyone that was impacted by the recent flooding in Will County.
Mark your calendars for October 1st as we’ll be joined by Andy Manar, Illinois Deputy Governor for Budget & Economy for a Legislative Luncheon. Also in October, Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant will be giving her State of the County address on the 29th. Sandwiched in between those two events will be our Government Affairs committee’s trip to Washington, D.C. – please share any topics and / or information that you would be interested in us sharing.
*Government Affairs Roundup brought to you by CITGO*
Joliet Offering Two-Hour Free Parking to Benefit Residents and Local Businesses
The City of Joliet is introducing a new program offering residents, visitors and local business patrons two hours of free parking in the downtown area. In mid-June, the Joliet City Council amended an ordinance to allow free street parking with the goal of improving accessibility and convenience in the downtown district. Under the updated ordinance, three parking zones will be available between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on weekdays, where drivers can park for up to two hours.
Greg Ruddy, Director of Public Works, proposed the changes and is overseeing their implementation. “This change will make downtown parking more affordable and accessible, while also helping to increase availability and reduce congestion,” explained Ruddy.
The new program has several key provisions:
- Two-Hour Parking Limit: Effective Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., in Zones A, B and C. Signage has been installed identifying parking zones and restrictions.
- Re-parking Prohibited: Re-parking within the same zone is not permitted between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
- Exclusion of Early Morning Parking: Parking restrictions will continue between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. for street cleaning on designated streets, including Jefferson Street (between Joliet Street and Mayor Art Schultz Drive), Cass Street (between Joliet Street and Eastern Avenue), and Chicago Street (between Washington Street and Jackson Street).
- Exemptions: The parking restrictions will not apply on holidays and weekends.
- Effective Date: The program takes effect on September 1, 2025.
Enforcement will be handled using a vehicle equipped with License Plate Reader (LPR) cameras to monitor parking duration and location. Public Enforcement Officers (PEOs) will issue $30 fines to vehicles found in violation. The LPR technology allows existing staff to cover a larger area more efficiently without the need for additional personnel.
“We want to do all we can to make downtown Joliet the best it can be,” said Mayor Terry D’Arcy. “Affordable parking, a new community gathering place, thriving businesses, and exciting events will help transform the heart of our city into a vibrant destination for residents, families, and visitors.”
Illinois’ Business Recruitment Arm Rebrands as Illinois Economic Development Corp.
Intersect Illinois, the state’s public-private partnership for business recruitment, is adopting a new name to better reflect its mission. The organization, which counts 56 corporate members, will now operate as the Illinois Economic Development Corp. (Illinois EDC).
While the new name may be less flashy, leaders say it delivers a clearer message to the organization’s primary audience: companies considering Illinois as a place to expand or relocate.
“Illinois EDC embodies our sharper strategy and bold vision to make Illinois a premier destination for business and innovation,” Chairman John Atkinson said in a statement.
Formed nearly a decade ago by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner to privatize the state’s economic development efforts—following models in Texas, Indiana and elsewhere—the organization struggled in its early years. Its fortunes shifted under Gov. JB Pritzker, who tied it more closely to his office and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Development to attract new investment and job growth.
Pritzker tapped Atkinson to lead a restructuring that expanded membership and drew more C-suite executives into the effort, helping open doors with business leaders nationwide. The organization also recruited Christy George, who oversaw Chicago’s hosting of last summer’s Democratic National Convention, as CEO.
Since then, Illinois EDC has scored several high-profile successes, including the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park and the recruitment of EV battery manufacturer Gotion.
“The rebranding of this vital statewide economic development organization focuses on making its identity simpler, more powerful, and more distinctive,” said Michael Fassnacht, who co-chaired the group’s marketing and communications committee.
Fair Maps Follow Up
A bipartisan duo is reviving the push to take redistricting power out of lawmakers’ hands in Illinois. Former White House chief of staff Bill Daley, a Chicago Democrat, and former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a Peoria Republican, unveiled their “Fair Maps Illinois” initiative at the Union League Club of Chicago. Their goal: end the current system where legislators draw their own districts — a process critics say guarantees safe seats, entrenches partisan supermajorities, and discourages compromise.
The plan would place a constitutional amendment before voters in the 2026 general election. If passed, it would create a 12-member commission appointed by legislative leaders to draw state legislative maps. The commission would be prohibited from using partisan or voter data. If members deadlock, the Illinois Supreme Court would nominate two individuals from different parties, and a random draw would decide the winner. The proposal also ties the size of the Illinois General Assembly to population counts from the U.S. Census.
LaHood acknowledged the risk of legal hurdles, noting the 5–2 Democratic tilt of the Illinois Supreme Court. “There are no guarantees the Court won’t throw this out,” he said. “But we’ve structured the language based on what the Court allowed in 2016.”
That earlier case is instructive: the state’s high court struck down a citizen-led effort to create an independent redistricting commission, ruling ballot measures must strictly address the “structure and procedure” of the legislature. To avoid the same fate, this amendment targets only state legislative maps — not congressional ones. “We’d love to, but we can’t,” explained election lawyer Michael Dorf, who helped draft the measure. Former State Board of Elections chair Bill Cadigan is also part of the effort.
Daley admitted the plan isn’t perfect but argued it would force politicians to appeal to broader swaths of voters. “We’re not looking for perfection here,” he said. “We’re working within constitutional limits to create something better than a system where the majority rigs the whole thing.”
Not all reform advocates are satisfied. CHANGE Illinois, which backed the 2016 push, said it is “troubled” that the initiative moved forward without more input from community groups most affected by racial and partisan gerrymandering.
Others, however, are lining up behind the effort. Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot endorsed the plan, criticizing decades of gerrymandered districts that have given supermajorities little incentive to compromise. “They don’t even talk to Republicans because they don’t need their votes,” she said. “What you end up doing is playing to the extremes of your caucus. We are paying for the General Assembly’s failure to be accountable to average voters.”
To make the 2026 ballot, supporters must gather at least 328,000 valid signatures — realistically closer to double that to survive legal challenges — and raise as much as $4 million to fund the campaign.
The group hopes that fairer state legislative maps would ultimately lead to fairer congressional ones, creating ripple effects well beyond Springfield.
Latest on Transit Funding Before Veto Session
Illinois lawmakers are gearing up for a high-stakes debate this fall as the state’s transit system faces a multibillion-dollar funding shortfall when federal COVID-19 relief money runs out in 2026. Without a solution, the CTA, Metra, and Pace could see service cuts of up to 40%.
The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has warned of a $700–$771 million deficit in 2026 once federal aid expires. The CTA is expected to hit the wall first, running out of funds in early 2026. To buy time, the RTA board last week approved shifting $74 million from Metra, Pace, and its own reserves to the CTA, delaying service cuts by two or three months.
“This shows legislators that agencies are working together while Springfield works on a funding bill,” said RTA board member J.D. Ross. But he and others warned that short-term patches won’t prevent a downward spiral of fare hikes, service cuts, and lost riders. “Our region may never recover if we have a 40% reduction across the board,” said board member Dennis Mondero.
The Illinois Senate passed House Bill 3438 in May, a sweeping measure that would:
- Replace the RTA with a new Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) to oversee transit operations and funding.
- Raise more than $1 billion annually through new and expanded taxes, including:
- A $1.50 fee on most online deliveries
- Extending Chicago’s real estate transfer tax to suburban Cook and the collar counties
- A 10% rideshare tax on Uber and Lyft.
It also includes governance reforms designed to create a more seamless system with universal fares. But the proposal sparked pushback from suburban leaders concerned about CTA dominance and from mayors opposing the delivery and transfer taxes.
Because the bill stalled in the House this spring, lawmakers must now consider it during the October veto session, when 71 votes are needed for measures to take immediate effect. “It would have been a lot easier in spring,” said Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines).
Since then, a bipartisan House working group has been meeting to hash out alternatives. Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado (D-Chicago), one of the group’s leaders, said the focus is not only funding but reform. “We want a highly functional system that delivers timely and safe service in an efficient way,” she said.
Republicans, led by Rep. Brad Stephens (R-Rosemont), are now directly involved in negotiations. “We all want the same things — safe, on-time transit that’s alive and well. The question is how we get there,” said Stephens, who has pressed for clarity on the true size of the deficit, given stronger-than-expected sales tax revenues.
Other funding ideas are also surfacing. Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) has floated a $1 to $3 event surcharge, which could double as a free transit pass for ticket holders attending concerts and festivals.
Transit advocates are pushing not only to fill the budget gap but to secure $1.5 billion in additional funding for safety, service frequency, and reliability improvements. But lawmakers say governance reforms are just as important as new money. “The suburbs don’t want the CTA controlling the checkbook,” Stephens said, warning against a lopsided board structure for the proposed NITA.
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, defended the Senate’s plan. “We must remain laser focused on a comprehensive solution that reformationally funds our public transit systems to be safe, reliable, accessible, and integrated,” he said.
The House working group is expected to meet weekly through the fall as it tries to build consensus ahead of the October veto session. In the meantime, the short-term fix approved by the RTA buys just a little more time before the clock runs out.
Cannabis leaders await Trump’s move on marijuana reclassification
Cannabis industry leaders in the Chicago area say they are cautiously optimistic after President Donald Trump signaled last week that his administration may reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.
President Trump told reporters during an Aug. 11 White House news conference that a decision could come “over the next few weeks,” a move that would mark one of the most significant federal shifts on cannabis since it was outlawed more than 50 years ago.
Currently, marijuana remains a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act—classified alongside heroin and LSD as highly addictive with no medical use. If moved to Schedule III, cannabis would still be federally illegal, but the reclassification would ease tax restrictions, potentially open doors for banking and investment, and provide new opportunities for medical cannabis and advertising.
“This could be a turning point for our industry,” said Tiffany Chappell Ingram, executive director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois. “Our hope is this administration finds the courage and leadership to act where others have failed.”
Industry experts say the most immediate benefit would be financial. Reclassification would lift federal tax rules that prevent cannabis companies from deducting standard business expenses. Jordan Tritt, CEO of cannabis market research firm BDSA, estimates large multistate operators—some headquartered in Chicago—could save as much as $1 billion annually.
The change would also carry symbolic weight for the GOP, which has historically led the push for strict prohibition and harsh drug sentencing during the War on Drugs.
But the proposal faces sharp opposition. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, warned that easing cannabis restrictions could fuel crime and harm public health. “Rescheduling will roll out a giant welcome mat to all the dangerous criminal elements this administration is trying to stop,” Sabet said. “The president should consider that no major law enforcement association supports this move.”
The debate over marijuana’s federal status has spanned administrations. In 2022, President Joe Biden directed federal agencies to review cannabis scheduling, leading the Department of Health and Human Services to recommend reclassification last year. The Biden administration formally proposed the shift, though no final action was taken.
For now, cannabis remains fully legal in 24 states, including Illinois, and medically legal in 38. Industry leaders say federal reclassification could help bridge the gap between state legalization and ongoing federal prohibitions, setting the stage for a more stable, normalized market.
Flooding Impact on Business – Survey
Following this past weekend’s flooding, the chamber is working with the Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) to identify businesses that were affected and determine what resources may be available to assist in their recovery.
Disasters put a tremendous strain on businesses, and timely information is critical for connecting them with the right aid. National studies show that up to 40% of small businesses never reopen after a disaster, and many more face lasting financial challenges. The sooner we can understand the local impact, the stronger our case will be for bringing recovery resources to our community.
To help in this effort, please complete and/or share the following survey link with your team and fellow businesses: www.willcountyema.org/storm – Ignore the text on the landing page stating that the survey is closed, you should still be able to access at least through this Friday.
Through your participation, you’ll play a key role in helping the Will County EMA gather the data needed to measure the scope of the damage and begin coordinating assistance.
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Stay well,
Mike Paone
Executive Vice President
Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry
mpaone@jolietchamber.com
815.727.5371 main
815.727.5373 direct