In this Issue:
Mobile Museum of Tolerance
Welcome to Our New Constituent Services Director
Climate and Environmental Legislation
October Coffee & Conversation – Evening Edition
Special November Coffee & Conversation with Naperville Fire Chief
Dear Friends,
I hope this note finds you and family well!
Over the last few months, my office and I have been preparing for veto session as well as the new 104th General Assembly, which starts in January 2025. While the agenda for veto session, which runs the weeks of November 10 and 17, is still being solidified, there are a few items that aren’t likely to come up, despite speculation from media reports: There’s been much talk about consolidating public transportation agencies – CTA, Pace, and Metra. Public transportation negotiations need more time, particularly in ensuring that suburban areas like ours have strong representation in any potential future agencies.
Talks of public stadium financing also seem to periodically surface, with Bears ownership, for instance, recently referring to veto session and commenting, “We’re going to have to have some sort of enabling legislation to allow the project to move forward.” The comments of Chicago Fire owner Joe Mansueto sum up the prevailing sentiment from me and many of my colleagues nicely: “Stadiums are not a great investment. They’re big, costly to maintain, sit empty most of the time. And so to the extent that they create value, most of that accrues to the sports team, not the municipality.”
In future newsletters, I’ll be sure to update our district with the outcomes from veto session. In the meantime, there’s plenty going on in our district, too, like new staff and a steady flow of events. I’m especially excited about a special Coffee & Conversation taking place on November 23 with Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis. I hope to see you there and at our other events in the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Janet
Mobile Museum of Tolerance
My office and I are excited to bring back the Mobile Museum of Tolerance, which will be with us this week until Wednesday, October 23 at the 95th Street Library. This traveling exhibit, which features the story of Anne Frank as well as information on the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement, is open from noon to 6 pm. I hope you’ll find some time to drop by and experience some or all of these exhibits.
What: Mobile Museum of Tolerance
Where: Naperville 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Dr., Naperville
When: October 21-23, 2024, daily from noon to 6 pm.
Welcome to Our New Constituent Services Director
We’d like to introduce the community to our new Constituent Services Director, Lindsey. She joins us with previous legislative office experience and has also worked with women in recovery and serving veterans in our community. Lindsey has her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in social work, and we’re excited to have her joining the team.
Climate and Environmental Legislation
We recently celebrated the signing of House Bill 4895, requiring the teaching of climate change in public schools. This legislation came directly from Grace and Iris, students in our district who saw an unmet need and worked with us to write and pass a law that ensures students will be prepared with science-based learning standards.
Below, pictured from left to right at the Illinois Environmental Council office: Reps. Yang Rohr and Du Buclet, plus students Grace and Iris.
This climate change education legislation was part of the Illinois Environmental Council’s 2024 Legislative Scorecard, which scores state legislators based on their voting record on legislation affecting the environment during the 2024 legislative session. I’m proud of my 100% score, which included 31 legislative measures. They included:
October Coffee & Conversation – Evening Edition
We’re slightly changing our monthly Coffee & Conversation for October, holding it this Monday evening instead of its usual Saturday afternoon time slot. I hope this time proves more convenient for community who may not have been able to participate in the past. Whether you have specific topics you’d like to discuss or want to just come and listen, please feel welcome to join us.
What: October Coffee & Conversation – Evening Edition
Where: 41st District Office, 475 River Bend Rd., Suite 500, Naperville
When: October 28, 2024, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Special November Coffee & Conversation with Naperville Fire Chief
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Naperville Fire Department, and we’re excited to have a special November Coffee & Conversation with Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis. We’ll be onsite at station #7, where we can chat about the things on your mind, veto session outcomes, and learn more about the Naperville Fire department.
What: November Coffee & Conversation with Naperville Fire Chief
Where: Fire Station 7, 1380 Aurora Ave., Naperville
When: November 23, 2024, 10:00 am – 11:00 am
