Connected to Chicago (04-28-2019) with Bill Cameron

Joining the show this week is Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot, and Illinois House GOP Leader Jim Durkin. Lightfoot describes how things are taking shape in assembling the new Mayoral administration, Rocky Wirtz sending a memo in hopes of revamping relations with the business community, and Jim Durkin joins the show to discuss how Governor Pritzker is being investigated. Durkin also answers the question of if there will be an elected school board in Chicago.

Bill welcomes in the Round Table to discuss the week in news, and what’s to come. Joining the show this week is Ray Long from the Chicago Tribune, Heather Cherone of The Daily Line, Fran Spielman and Lynn Sweet of The Chicago Sun-Times. The conversation kicks off with
expert analysis of “Toilet Gate”, Terrible news out of Crystal Lake, and will Lori Lightfoot’s Mayoral adminstration improve relations with the business community?

This week’s community spotlight is with Nick Gale, and focuses on Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s effort to pass legislation that will protect consumers from high-priced alternative retail electric and gas suppliers. Raoul says the companies claim to offer cheaper energy rates than traditional utility companies but are almost always more expensive.

Senate Bill 651, or the Home Energy Affordability and Transparency Act, would create transparency by equipping consumers with information so that they can understand what signing up with an alternative supplier will mean for their utility bills. The bill also protects energy assistance funds by ensuring public dollars cannot be expended on overpriced energy supplier contracts. SB 651 is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford.

Steve Bernas, president of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois tells consumers how to protect themselves when presented with such offers.