Illinois Insights: An update from Cozen O’Connor (8/27)

August 27, 2025

ILLINOIS

AROUND THE STATE

Chicago doesn’t need or want federal troops, Gov. Pritzker says 

“Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker pushed back Monday on a threat by President Donald Trump to deploy federal troops in Chicago to fight crime, calling it “unconstitutional and unamerican,” and designed more for theater than public safety,” by Politico.

Former Transportation Secretary urges state taxpayer funding for Chicago transit 

“A former U.S. transportation secretary says Downstate Illinois residents should help fund Chicago transit, but a Metro East lawmaker disagrees. The Illinois General Assembly is expected to address a regional transit fiscal cliff of at least $760 million during the fall veto session scheduled in October,” by The Center Square.

Trump threatens Illinois’ federal funding for eliminating cash bail 

“President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday aimed at pushing Illinois to reverse its law that eliminated cash bail,” by Capitol News Illinois.

Attorney General Raoul Secures Full Relief For Illinois Schools In Lawsuit Challenging Withholding Of Educational Funding 

“Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced an agreement requiring the Trump administration to release, no later than Oct. 3, the full balance of around $219 million in education funds owed to Illinois,” by the RiverBender.

Aurora becomes latest Illinois municipality to keep grocery tax despite state eliminating it 

“Across the state, more than 500 cities and villages — including some in Cook, DuPage, and McHenry counties — have already voted to impose the 1% grocery tax that is set to expire statewide,” by CBS.

 

CHICAGO

MORE FROM CITY HALL

Johnson to appoint new CPS board member ahead of tight budget vote 

“Ángel Vélez, a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant with an education doctorate, will fill a board seat open since June. The mayor appears set to prevail in the CPS budget battle even without the additional vote,” by WBEZ Chicago.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wants ‘ultra rich’ to help close $1.1B budget gap 

“As Chicago leaders look for ways to shrink a massive budget deficit for next year, Mayor Brandon Johnson, on Tuesday night, took part in a South Side town hall meeting,” by FOX 32.

Days before budget vote, CPS tells school board it can borrow in the future in a ‘true emergency’ 

“In a memo obtained by Chalkbeat, Chief Financial Officer Miroslava Mejia Krug said the district’s legal counsel advised that the school board can authorize emergency borrowing after the budget is passed through a simple majority vote, even though budget amendments typically require a two-thirds vote,” by Chalkbeat Chicago.

Civil rights attorney with history of suing CPD to serve as Mayor Johnson’s strategy chief 

“A civil rights attorney with a history of suing the city over alleged police misconduct has been chosen to serve as Mayor Brandon Johnson’s director of strategy, a move that one pro-police City Council member called a ‘serious conflict of interest,’” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Chicago Latino leaders, immigrant rights groups accuse Trump of “trying to terrorize the resistance” with National Guard threat 

“Members of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus, the Resurrection Project, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and other immigrant rights activists stood together at Federal Plaza, saying deploying troops on city streets would intimidate residents and create fear, not safety,” by CBS News.

 

FEDERAL

Cozen Currents – The Battle for the Soul of the Democratic Party

The Democratic Party is searching for a path out of the political wilderness after being locked out of power on the federal level in last year’s elections.

The crypto industry notched its first major legislative victory with the passage of a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins. Now, both industry and lawmakers are turning their attention to the more expansive effort to create a regulatory framework for non-stablecoin digital assets.

Read the Cozen Currents here.

Beltway Briefing – In-Conversation with RealClearMarkets Editor John Tamny

RealClearMarkets editor John Tamny joins host Howard Schweitzer to share his counter-conventional thinking on today’s most pressing economic debates. From fiscal policy to the national debt, Tamny challenges widely held assumptions and urges business and political leaders to think differently. Featuring Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies’ CEO Howard Schweitzer and RealClearMarkets’ John Tamny.

Listen to the Beltway Briefing here.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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