Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss touts safety, future density, in State of the City address
Hours before announcing his bid for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky's seat in next year's election, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss touted Evanston's accomplishments and aspirations, from a proposal for greater density to more informed police responses, at a standing-room-only State of the City address on Wednesday. It was his first such address after winning about 63% of the vote in last month's mayoral election.
The address, held at Evanston Space, brought in over 100 people to the city-sponsored event. Biss said it has been two years since the city has seen a murder, a feat not accomplished since the 1970s, and pushed for more affordable housing in Evanston, while taking shots against President Donald Trump.
In his next four years as mayor–which could be curtailed if he wins the Congressional election — Biss will continue his efforts to lead and pass Envision Evanston 2045, an effort which updates the city's zoning code and serves as its comprehensive plan for the next 20 years. It has received a mix of support and criticism from Evanston residents when it comes to constructing bigger buildings and increasing density throughout Evanston. Biss will also need to balance the next year's budget without American Rescue Plan Act funding from the federal government after the Covid-era dollars ran out.
Some city leaders noted, after Biss announced his run for Congress, that campaigning will take a significant amount of the mayor's time and energy, and they wondered aloud where that would leave Evanston.
Biss touted the achievements of the Crisis Alternative Response Evanston (C.A.R.E) team, whose members have the training to respond to mental health and non-violent 911 calls. The team went through training at Oakton College last summer and has since responded to over 1,500 calls, Biss said.
'It's been a game changer in this community,' Biss said, adding it has opened lines of communication in Evanston for trust to be established.
In April, the Evanston Police Department was selected the 2025 Illinois Crisis Intervention Team Department of the Year by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board. Prior to that, Evanston Police Chief Schenita Stewart was awarded Police Chief of the Year by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.
'More important than any prize or any word or any speech is that violent crime has plummeted in the city of Evanston,' Biss said. 'These changes are making a difference.'
Biss then spoke about Trump, whose administration attempted to cut federal funds to Evanston and other municipalities, he said, but was blocked by a federal judge from doing so.
'The administration in Washington is terrifying people across Evanston… It's making the management of city government much harder — as we don't know what we're going to find out tomorrow about missing revenues.'
'In Evanston, we believe in fighting back. We believe in fighting back in any way we can. Before Donald Trump even took office on January 20, we had passed the strongest Welcoming City Ordinance in the state, possibly even in the country, to ensure that we are not doing anything to collaborate with or assist civil immigration enforcement that is counter to our community's values.'
Biss said the city must ready itself for potential threats to federal grants, but also remain on course to implement innovative programs such as the C.A.R.E. team.
'This brings me to one of the main live topics that exists in our city government right now, which is Envision Evanston 2045: A hard issue, a complicated issue, an issue that has all kinds of nuance and all kinds of tactical components and all kinds of subtlety and all kinds of intense emotional balance,' Biss said.
Biss repeated pillars of the comprehensive plan: to allow for more housing in Evanston, to create more housing in Evanston and to implement sustainable practices in Evanston in alignment with the city's Healthy Business Ordinance.
'There is a lot of good that will come in this, but it's hard work, and it's complicated and it's contentious, and there have been tough conversations.'
'My message to the community is very simple,' Biss said. 'We have to stay in these conversations. We have to welcome every voice to the table. We have to make sure that every point of view is represented and heard… We cannot accept the idea that it's too hard, it's too controversial… We're just going to ultimately back down.'
'We have to remember who we are. As Evanston, we see society's toughest challenges, we study society's toughest challenges and then we do what we can to address society's toughest challenges.'
He cited an example from Evanston's history when Connections for the Homeless was formed in 1984. With a lack of support from municipal leaders to house the homeless, Biss said faith leaders took it upon themselves to use their houses of worship as shelters.
'The city said, 'Great idea. Too bad about the zoning,'' Biss said. 'A familiar sentence, that turns out.'
Faith leaders found a loophole then, Biss said. 'The zoning did not permit a shelter. The zoning also did not prohibit an all-night prayer vigil. And how about one tomorrow night? How about the night after that? And how about the night after?'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Magazine
30 minutes ago
- Time Magazine
Trump's Public Rebuke of Tulsi Gabbard's Statement on Iran
President Donald Trump has said that his Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was "wrong" to say that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon. When asked about the claims made by his intelligence community, specifically Gabbard, Trump was clear, telling reporters on Friday: 'She's wrong.' In March, Gabbard testified in front of Congress that the intelligence community [IC] 'continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon, and Supreme Leader [Ali] Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003. The IC continues to monitor, closely, if Tehran decides to reauthorize its nuclear weapons program." The testimony has resurfaced as Trump weighs his options regarding a potential U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, as the Middle Eastern countries trade deadly missiles after Israel launched an operation against Iranian military targets and nuclear facilities on June 13. Read More: Iran Issues New Grave Warning, Says U.S. Involvement in Israel Conflict Would Be 'Very Dangerous for Everybody' Trump's latest comments echo those he made to reporters on Air Force One on June 17, when he said he did not 'care' about what Gabbard had testified earlier in the year. 'I don't care what she said, I think they were very close to having one,' Trump said of his belief that Iran was inching towards having a nuclear weapon. Central to Trump's stance regarding Israel's initial assault on Iran is his belief that Iran has been moving closer to nuclear capability. He has plainly said that 'Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.' Trump's stance, bolstered by a May 31 International Atomic Energy Agency report (that stated Iran had accumulated roughly 120 kg of uranium enriched to 60%, dangerously close to weapons-grade levels of 90%), undermines previous reports by U.S. intelligence, including that of Gabbard, a former Democrat. Read More: How Netanyahu Pushed Trump Toward War In response to Trump's new assertion that she was 'wrong' in her previous testimony, Gabbard took to social media on Friday, stating that her words had been taken out of context by "dishonest media." Gabbard maintains that she and Trump are on the same page. "The dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division," Gabbard said. "America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can't happen, and I agree." Attached to the post was a longer video of her testimony, which also included her claims that 'Iran's enriched uranium stockpile is at its highest levels and is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons.' Read More: The 5 Groups Hoping to Sway Trump on Iran Trump reportedly still has 'full confidence' in his intelligence team, according to White House communications director Steven Cheung, but the open disagreements between Trump and members of his Administration signal splinters over the Israel-Iran conflict. The President is facing questions from both within and outside the Republican party, as he weighs up his options during a self-imposed two-week deadline about whether the U.S. will intervene, despite him campaigning on staying out of wars overseas. Republican lawmakers Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky have both openly disapproved of any potential U.S. military intervention. Read More: Breaking Down the Feud Between Trump and Tucker Carlson Amid Divide Over Israel-Iran Conflict Meanwhile, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson—a long-time ally of Trump, who even hit the campaign trail with him in 2024—has also spoken out against any U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. Carlson's initial comments prompted a blistering response from Trump, and their disagreement soon took a personal turn as the feud escalated. While the situation appears to have since settled—Trump said Carlson called and apologized for his 'strong' words—it's clear that the subject of the Israel-Iran conflict and how the U.S. should move forward is proving to be a divisive one.
Chicago Tribune
40 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
How Senate Republicans want to change the tax breaks in Trump's big bill
WASHINGTON — House and Senate Republicans are taking slightly different approaches when it comes to the tax cuts that lawmakers are looking to include in their massive tax and spending cuts bill. Republicans in the two chambers don't agree on the size of a deduction for state and local taxes. And they are at odds on such things as allowing people to use their health savings accounts to help pay for their gym membership, or whether electric vehicle and hybrid owners should have to pay an annual fee. The House passed its version shortly before Memorial Day. Now the Senate is looking to pass its version. While the two bills are similar on the major tax provisions, how they work out their differences in the coming weeks will determine how quickly they can get a final product over the finish line. President Donald Trump is pushing to have the legislation on his desk by July 4th. Here's a look at some of the key differences between the two bills: The child tax credit currently stands at $2,000 per child. The House bill temporarily boosts the child tax credit to $2,500 for the 2025 through 2028 tax years, roughly the length of President Donald Trump's second term. It also indexes the credit amount for inflation beginning in 2027. The Senate bill provides a smaller, initial bump-up to $2,200, but the bump is permanent, with the credit amount indexed for inflation beginning next year. Trump promised on the campaign trail that he would seek to end income taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits. Also, he would give car buyers a new tax break by allowing them to deduct the interest paid on auto loans. The House and Senate bills incorporate those promises with temporary deductions lasting from the 2025 through 2028 tax years, but with some differences. The House bill creates a deduction on tips for those working in jobs that have customarily received tips. The House also provides for a deduction for overtime that's equal to the amount of OT a worker has earned. The Senate bill comes with more restrictions. The deduction for tips is limited to $25,000 per taxpayer and the deduction for overtime is limited to $12,500 per taxpayer. The House and Senate bills both provide a deduction of up to $10,000 for interest paid on loans for vehicles made in the United States. And on Social Security, the bills don't directly touch the program. Instead, they grant a larger tax deduction for Americans age 65 and older. The House sets the deduction at $4,000. The Senate sets it at $6,000. Both chambers include income limits over which the new deductions begin to phase out. The caps on state and local tax deductions, known in Washington as the SALT cap, now stand at $10,000. The House bill, in a bid to win over Republicans from New York, California and New Jersey, lifts the cap to $40,000 per household with incomes of less than $500,000. The credit phases down for households earning more than $500,000. The Senate bill keeps the cap at $10,000. That's a non-starter in the House, but Republicans in the two chambers will look to negotiate a final number over the coming weeks that both sides can accept. The House bill prohibits states from establishing new provider taxes or increasing existing taxes. These are taxes that Medicaid providers, such as hospitals, pay to help states finance their share of Medicaid costs. In turn, the taxes allow states to receive increased federal matching funds while generally holding providers harmless through higher reimbursements that offset the taxes paid. Such taxes now are effectively capped at 6%. The Senate looks to gradually lower that threshold for states that have expanded their Medicaid populations under the Affordable Care Act, or 'Obamacare,' until it reaches 3.5% in 2031, with exceptions for nursing homes and intermediate care facilities. Industry groups have warned that limiting the ability of states to tax providers may lead to some states making significant cuts to their Medicaid programs as they make up for the lost revenue in other ways. The Medicaid provision could be a flashpoint in the coming House and Senate negotiations. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was highly critical of the proposed Senate changes. 'This needs a lot of work. It's really concerning and I'm really surprised by it,' he said. 'Rural hospitals are going to be in bad shape.' The House bill would allow companies for five years to fully deduct equipment purchases and domestic research and development expenses. The Senate bill includes no sunset, making the tax breaks permanent, which was a key priority of powerful trade groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Republicans in both chambers are looking to scale back the clean energy tax credits enacted through then-President Joe Biden's climate law. It aimed to boost the nation's transition away from planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions toward renewable energy such as wind and solar power. Under the Senate bill, the tax credits for clean energy and home energy efficiency would still be phased out, but less quickly than under the House bill. Still, advocacy groups fear that the final measure will threaten hundreds of thousands of jobs and drive up household energy costs. The House bill would allow millions of Americans to use their health savings accounts to pay for gym memberships, with a cap of $500 for single taxpayers and $1,000 for joint filers. The Senate bill doesn't include such a provision. The House reinstates a charitable deduction for non-itemizers of $150 per taxpayer. The Senate bill increases that deduction for donations to $1,000 per taxpayer. Republicans in the House bill included a new annual fee of $250 for EV owners and $100 for hybrid owners that would be collected by state motor vehicle departments. The Senate bill excludes the proposed fees.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump, Munir exchange praises as Pakistan rises as regional stabilizer: IRS Analysis
ISLAMABAD, June 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a closely watched meeting at the White House, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, met with U.S. President Donald J. Trump. Analysts at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in Islamabad, have characterized this as a strategic reset for Pakistan. Held over a luncheon in the Cabinet Room and followed by an extended session in the Oval Office, the meeting included Secretary of State Senator Marco Rubio, U.S. Special Representative for Middle Eastern Affairs Steve Witkoff, and Pakistan's National Security Advisor. Initially planned for an hour, the talks stretched over two hours, underscoring the depth of engagement. According to ISPR's official press release, the exchange between Field Marshal Munir and President Trump reflected a new level of mutual recognition, with both leaders exchanging commendations for each other's leadership. Munir conveyed the gratitude of Pakistan's people and government for Trump's personal role in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India during the recent regional crisis. Trump, in return, praised Pakistan's regional peacekeeping and counterterrorism efforts. IRS notes that the dialogue extended beyond security matters to encompass expansive discussions on trade, economic development, energy, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and mineral exploration—an ambitious agenda suggesting long-term strategic alignment. President Trump voiced a strong interest in developing a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan rooted in shared goals and regional convergence. Both sides also discussed escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, agreeing on the urgency of diplomatic resolution. Trump was briefed on Pakistan's position as a responsible regional stakeholder advocating for de-escalation. The IRS views this engagement as emblematic of Pakistan's evolving global posture—from reactive crisis diplomacy to proactive strategic positioning. In its analysis, the think tank highlights how Pakistan is increasingly seen by Washington as a necessary stabilizing force amid a deteriorating Middle East environment. According to the think tank's analysis, Pakistan's shared borders with Iran and its strategic position in the Middle East have the potential to catapult Pakistan into the middle of a diplomatic solution. As a symbol of warming ties, Field Marshal Munir formally invited President Trump to undertake an official visit to Pakistan. The invitation was well received, with both sides agreeing to maintain momentum on key collaborative tracks. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at CONTACT: Contact Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad Phone: +92-51-9203974 Email: Website:
