Discuss Illinois' pension problems and solutions in Glenview Monday, April 30

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It is no secret that the State of Illinois' pension system is a major player in our state's financial woes.

Illinois State Rep. Daniel Biss (9th Dist.) has proposed two bills intended on help reform the system and offer some relief.  One bill sets up a new plan for future public employees. The second is a benefits buyout program allowing current employees to take an immediate payout now in exchange for future benefits.

How much will these bills help? What other steps are needed? What is the likelihood of his bills passing? What are the political roadblocks needing to be navigated before Illinois can be on firmer fiscal footing?

Rep. Biss invites Illinois citizens, within and outside his district, to participate in a townhall discussion to learn more and offer feedback.

Monday, April 30,  7 p.m.

Glenview Police Station
2500 W. Lake Ave.
Glenview, IL 60026
Map

More information can be found on Rep. Biss' website.

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Judicial candidate Abbey Fishman Romanek wants our votes

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Skokie native Abbey Fishman Romanek is running for Cook County judge from the 9th judicial subcircuit. Some might remember that she ran in 2010, but lost by just 48 votes. She did well in Skokie during that race, and she is looking for Skokie's support again.

Abbey is endorsed by Jan Schakowsky, Toni Preckwinkle, Daniel Biss and many officials, organizations and individuals.

The Chicago Bar Association recently noted: Ms. Romanek is experienced in both criminal and civil law and is well regarded by her peers for her legal knowledge and excellent demeanor. Ms. Romanek is also actively involved in community work.

Regarding her experience: Abbey has a rare breadth of legal experience that would make her an especially valuable asset on the bench.

Regarding her demeanor: As the youngest daughter of a Holocaust survivor and a rabbi, Abbey has long understood the importance of justice and treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Regarding her community work: Abbey is on the executive committee of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center's board of directors. She's on the board of Connections for the Homeless and is a supervisor for Beth Emet's Soup Kitchen. She's also a member of the Skokie Chamber of Commerce and numerous other organizations.

If you've not met Abbey yet, there are many opportunities to do so between now and election day. Here are some notable ones:

Abbey leads discussion on HOT COFFEE, the documentary - February 22
at Evanston Public Library

Wine and Cheese with Abbey in Wilmette - February 24
hosted by Liz Challinor and Caryn Percifield

Coffee with Abbey in Skokie - February 29
hosted by Sheila Meyer

More of Abbey's public events are listed on her campaign's website at advocatesforabbey.com.

Election for Cook County judges is March 20, during the Democratic primary.

Early voting starts February 27. 
Suburban residents voting early must vote in the suburbs.
Skokie locations include Village Hall on Oakton and the Skokie Courthouse on Old Orchard Rd.
Chicagoans voting early must vote in Chicago.

Additional information about Abbey and other judicial candidates is available here.

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Karen here: My firm, Kring Lerner Group, is the sponsor of this blog. Advocates for Abbey Fishman Romanek for Judge is a client of Kring Lerner Group.

Focusing on Mental Health Challenges and Solutions at Skokie Public Library Feb 10

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This in from Turning Point Behavioral Health Care Center...

Elected officials including State Sen. Jeff Schoenberg (D-9th Dist.), Reps. Daniel Biss and Robyn Gabel (D-17th, 18th Dists.) and staffers from the office of U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-9th Dist.) will join Turning Point staff, clients and the public Friday, February 10, to discuss mental health services in an era of financial constraints and opportunities at the 11th annual Turning Point Town Hall Meeting.

The discussion begins at 10 a.m. at the Skokie Public Library. Also expected to take part are Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, Dan Wasmer of the Illinois Department of Human Services, and Nancy Carstedt of the Cook County North Suburban chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

The past year has challenged social service agencies such as Turning Point to find new solutions. Some facilities in the Chicago metro area and statewide have been threatened with closure or significant service reductions. While Turning Point itself remains on solid financial footing, many area clients and residents are justly concerned about accessing services. Other pertinent issues include the impact of the federal Affordable Care Act, the need for affordable housing and the stigma of mental illness.

Turning Point Behavioral Health Care Center is a non-profit community mental health center that has served the mental health needs of individuals and families in the north Chicago and suburban area for more than 40 years. The agency works with more than 1,300 residents of Skokie and nearby communities annually. Without our services, as many as two-thirds of these residents (871 people) would have no access to mental health care. In September 2011, Turning Point initiated the Living Room, an innovative psychiatric respite care program expected to save taxpayers an estimated $500,000 a year in fewer emergency room visits.

Friday’s Town Hall meeting is the first in a series of events co-sponsored by Turning Point and the Skokie Public Library. The series, “Building Common Ground: Discussions of Community, Civility and Compassion,” has been made possible through a grant from the American Library Association and the Fetzer Institute.

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Skokie Voice's Community Forum on Economic Development Feb 22

This in from Skokie Voices...

Join Skokie Voice for its first community forum of 2012 as we explore
the prospects for economic development in Skokie.
• How will downtown Skokie be reinvented
• What impact will the new Skokie Swift station at Oakton Street have on that revitalization?
• How will new businesses on Dempster Street add to the mix?
• Who are the stakeholders guiding the process?

Join us and add your voice to the dialogue!

Wednesday, February 22, 7 - 9 p.m.

Oakton Community Center
4701 Oakton St.
Skokie

Confirmed panelists are:

Tom Thompson,  Economic Development Director, Village of Skokie
Ann Tennes,  Marketing/Communications Director, Village of Skokie
Howard S. Meyer,  Executive Director, Skokie Chamber of Commerce
Randy Miles, Independent Merchants of Downtown Skokie (IMODS)
Shalom Klein, Dempster Street Merchants Association
Valerie Shuman, Skokie Downtown Alliance

An open-microphone Q&A session will follow the panel discussion.

Panel topics will be based on responses to the SV economic development survey.
The survey is up at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BH93686.

More about Skokie Voice at skokievoice.org.

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Train to be a Voters Registrar January 10

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This in from the League of Women Voters Evanston...

The Cook County Clerk's office will hold a training session for people who would like to be deputy registrars. The training should take about an hour.

Tuesday, January 10 at 7:00 p.m.
at
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton Street · Skokie 

Here's your opportunity to get involved in your community in an important way.

The clerk's office needs to have the names and addresses of people who are expected to attend ASAP. Please email your information to Mary Morris, 550morris@live.com.

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