Welcome to the Reader‘s weekday news briefing. Have a great weekend!
- Rauner: Congressional GOP tax plan is “punishing” for Illinois
Governor Bruce Rauner called the federal tax overhaul spearheaded by his fellow Republicans “punishing” for Illinois on Wednesday. He criticized the controversial new $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions in an interview with Joliet radio station WJOL AM. “That’s going to hurt a lot of middle-class families and higher-income families, and it’s going to push more employers out of the state,” Rauner said. “That’s going to hurt job creation, and that’s going to increase the cost of living for the people of Illinois.” He used the opportunity to push his agenda of freezing property taxes and stopping an income tax increase. “It’s punishing in that regard,” Rauner said about the deduction cap. “That’s why it’s so critical that we get the reforms done that I’ve been advocating.” [Tribune]
- Judge: Police body-camera expansion violates Illinois labor laws
A judge says that the Chicago Police Department broke Illinois labor laws when it failed to negotiate the expansion of its body-camera program with the local Fraternal Order of Police union, and has issued a recommendation order advising the city “to begin a dialogue, as required by state law, on safety and disciplinary matters surrounding the 2017 body camera expansion.” The recommendation must be adopted by the state’s Labor Relations Board to have any real impact, according to the Tribune, but FOP president Kevin Graham hailed the ruling as “an exceptional win for our members.” [Tribune]
- City fields more than 600 complaints about landlords breaking heat ordinance
The city of Chicago has received more than 600 complaints about landlords breaking the city’s heat ordinance so far this winter, and is planning to take 14 landlords to court for their noncompliance, according to NBC Chicago. The city requires landlords to keep daytime temperatures at 68 degrees or higher and overnight temperatures at 66 degrees or higher. “It’s awfully cold, and people can die from exposure and we want people to be warm and safe in their homes,” building commissioner Judy Frydland said. “Sometimes the tenants call the city and the landlord at the same time and the landlord gets to it right away. That’s great. We come out, check and make sure it’s on.” [NBC Chicago]
- How Cinespace Film Studios has becoming a booming business
The story of how Alex Pissios and his uncle, Nick Mirkopoulos, started Chicago’s Cinespace Film Studios just a decade ago is something of a Cinderella tale. Since opening in 2011, Cinespace has become the largest independent movie studio outside of Hollywood, according to CNBC. Hit shows like Empire and Chicago Fire have been filming there for years, and more TV shows and movies keep coming. “Their facility is enormous, and they are in constant communication with their customers rather than making decisions in a vacuum,” NBCUniversal senior vice president and tax counsel Brian O’Leary, said. “That gives them an advantage.” [CNBC]
- Apple blames software for the falling ice and snow on its new rooftop
Apple garnered plenty of negative publicity last week when part of Pioneer Court had to be roped off due to dangerous falling ice and snow from the roof of its new Magnificent Mile flagship store. Now the technology giant is blaming the issue of a software malfunction. “The roof has a warming system that’s built into it,” spokesman Nick Leahy told the Tribune. “It needed some fine-tuning and it got reprogrammed today. It’s hopefully a temporary problem.” [the Verge]
- The Fine Arts Building has one of the last manually operated elevators in the city
One of the last manually operated elevators left in the city is in the Loop’s historic Fine Arts building. Chicago magazine discusses why it’s wonderful that it still exists in the digital era. “The tenants like walking into an elevator where the operator knows them and doesn’t need to ask for the floor they want,” the building’s owner, Robert Berger, said. “It’s a neat experience.” [Chicago]