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114-639: Proft was born in 1972 in Oak Park, Illinois . He was raised in Wheaton, Illinois , and attended Benet Academy in Lisle . He graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. and attended Loyola University Chicago School of Law at night and earned Juris Doctor degree. At Northwestern, Proft co-founded the Northwestern Chronicle , an independent campus newspaper. He also ran a conservative speakers bureau. Proft

228-466: A Super PAC organized "to make independent expenditures in support of liberty oriented policies and candidates." The PAC received criticism after it sent political mailings in newspaper form to voters ahead of the 2016 primary elections, publishing eight separate periodic mailings. Illinois's State Board of Elections rejected claims against Liberty PAC for alleged violations of campaign finance law, but its funding of Metric Media 's pseudo news site articles

342-539: A Unitarian-Universalist church, which was built between 1905 and 1908. Several well-known architects and artists worked in Wright's Oak Park Studio, including Richard Bock , William Eugene Drummond , Marion Mahony Griffin , and Walter Burley Griffin . Many buildings in Oak Park were built by other Prairie School architects, such as George W. Maher , John Van Bergen , and E.E. Roberts . Oak Park's housing stock reflects

456-510: A declaratory judgment action in Federal Court to affirm his action. In February 2015, Rauner proposed $ 4.1 billion in budget cuts affecting higher education , Medicaid , state employee pensions , public transit , and local government support. In April, Rauner also suspended funding for programs addressing domestic violence, homeless youth, autism , and immigrant integration. Critics called these moves "morally reprehensible" and harmful to

570-495: A fair housing ordinance in 1968 (in the same year as the federal Fair Housing Act ) to ensure equal access to housing in the community. In 1972, the Oak Park Housing Center was founded by Roberta "Bobbie" Raymond to promote integration in the community, by ensuring equal access and discouraging white flight. Part of this effort included banning "for sale" signs on houses. Although this law became unconstitutional with

684-452: A Democratic media consultant; the campaign eventually published details about the Liston's LLC sharing office space with a legally separate, long-term Democratic strategist firm, of which Liston was part-owner. The LLC was employed by a pro-Quinn PAC. McKinney says any notion of conflict of interest was untrue, a position backed up publicly by Sun-Times management. Rauner is a former investor of

798-479: A candidate forum on December 11, 2013, Rauner stated that he would favor reducing Illinois's minimum wage from $ 8.25 to the federal minimum wage of $ 7.25. The Chicago Sun-Times also uncovered video of Rauner at a campaign event in September 2013, where he said that he was "adamantly, adamantly against raising the minimum wage", and audio of an interview with Rauner from January 10, 2014, when he said: "I have said, on

912-476: A close election, Proft received no-bid contracts worth $ 578,000 a year to serve as the spokesman for the town and two local school districts. The town also agreed to pay the company another $ 308,000 a year to promote the new Municipal Complex. Cicero spent nearly double what even much larger suburban communities spend on public relations. Proft served as the Chairman and Treasurer for Illinois Liberty Principles PAC ,

1026-525: A controversial TV ad called "Thank you, Bruce Rauner" that "created a firestorm in the March Republican Primary for governor." In the ad, she attacked Governor Bruce Rauner over his policy decisions on abortion, transgender rights, and immigration. Proft defended the TV ad, saying, "Not everybody's tone or sensibility is the same, so people are going to take things differently. But in terms of the veracity of

1140-571: A controversial statement related to race. Rauner made a priority to fully fund education for the first time in years, increasing K-12 education funding by nearly $ 1 billion, and increasing early childhood education funding to historic levels. In 2017, Rauner signed Senate Bill 1947, which moved Illinois to an "evidence-based model" of education funding, taking into account each district's individual needs, as well as its local revenue sources, when appropriating state aid – prioritizing districts that are furthest from being fully funded. The new law created

1254-603: A failure by employees to stop residents from harming themselves. Also during the election, the media reported on a controversy regarding Rauner's daughter being admitted to Walter Payton Prep school in Chicago in 2008 through the "principal picks" process. The family maintains several residences, including one in downtown Chicago that enabled her to apply to the Chicago-based school. Although she had top grades, she had missed several days of school and therefore did not qualify through

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1368-466: A female householder with no husband present, and 41.14% were non-families. 35.33% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.35% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and the average family size was 2.38. The village's age distribution consisted of 23.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 27% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

1482-583: A financial supporter of projects including Chicago's Red Cross regional headquarters, the YMCA in the Little Village neighborhood, six new charter high schools, an AUSL turnaround campus, scholarship programs for disadvantaged Illinois public school students, and achievement-based compensation systems for teachers and principals in Chicago Public Schools. He provided major funding for the construction of

1596-519: A goal for "adequacy" of funding in each of the state's 852 school districts. The bill received praise from the Chicago Tribune , Daily Herald , and Chicago Sun-Times , along with numerous civic organizations. Rauner said that local governments should be allowed to pass right to work laws . Additionally, Rauner said that the state should ban some political contributions by public unions, saying, "government unions should not be allowed to influence

1710-487: A green roof and synthetic-turfed playing fields are at Ridgeland Common at the corner of Lake Street and Ridgeland Avenue, originally built in 1962. It was completely renovated from March 2013 to June 14, 2014. Founded as a public library in 1903, after electing its first board of trustees, the Oak Park Public Library has a rich and celebrated history. The library has a main campus overlooking Scoville Park at

1824-577: A landslide. Rauner and his lieutenant Evelyn Sanguinetti remain the last Republicans to have held statewide office in Illinois. Rauner was born in Chicago and grew up in Deerfield, Illinois , a suburb 10 miles north of Chicago city limits. His mother, Ann (née Erickson) Rauner (1931–2011), was a nurse, and his father, Vincent Rauner (1927–1997), was a lawyer and senior vice president for Motorola . He has three siblings, Christopher, Mark, and Paula, and

1938-508: A lawsuit filed by Christine Kirk, the CEO of LeapSource, a firm at which Rauner served as director. The piece, written by three reporters and approved by the newspaper's editors, described Rauner using "hardball tactics" to threaten Kirk and her family. According to McKinney's attorney, the Rauner campaign requested the story include that McKinney had a conflict of interest due to his marriage to Ann Liston,

2052-408: A more substantial home a bit east on their quarter section of land. More farmers and settlers had entered the area. Their land was called by several names locally, including Oak Ridge, Harlem, and Kettlestrings Grove. When the first post office was set up, it could not use the name Oak Ridge, as another post office was using that name in Illinois, so the post office chose Oak Park, and that name became

2166-413: A number of occasions, that we could have a lower minimum wage or no minimum wage as part of increasing Illinois' competitiveness." Rauner strongly opposed Governor Pat Quinn's proposal to make the 2011 temporary income tax increase permanent, instead calling for the Illinois' income tax rate to gradually be rolled back to 3 percent. On January 1, 2015, the income tax increase automatically decreased, with

2280-517: A political defeat for Rauner, he made major changes to his staff; among others, he fired his chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, and spokesperson, and replaced them with high-ranking officials from the Illinois Policy Institute along with a former spokesperson for Wisconsin governor Scott Walker . These moves were seen by the media as a shift to the right. In August 2017, Rauner fired several of those new officials after they issued

2394-452: A position on the controversial Illiana Expressway and Peotone Airport projects advanced by Quinn. After taking office in 2015, he suspended the Illiana project, pending a cost-benefit review. In February 2015, Rauner proposed raising highway funding and slashing transit funding, which he saw as inefficient spending. Rauner stated that while he wanted laws and policies to keep guns out of

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2508-504: A push to put a constitutional amendment imposing term limits on Illinois legislators on the November 2014 ballot, gathering 591,092 signatures. However, the term limits amendment was struck down in court as unconstitutional. During his 2014 campaign, Rauner called for "billions" of dollars per year in public spending on infrastructure, but declined to detail how he would pay for the spending. Also during his campaign, Rauner declined to take

2622-440: A scholarship plan that earmarked up to $ 75 million for scholarship tax credits. Lawmakers said those credits would go to low- and middle-income parents, impacting roughly 6,000 private school students whose families make less than $ 73,000 per year. The new law created the first revision in two decades of the way general state-aid dollars to schools were distributed, establishing a multifaceted procedure for determining need and setting

2736-562: A village manager to conduct the day-to-day affairs of the administration. Oak Park also has five additional governments which levy real estate taxes . These include the Oak Park Township , the high school district (which also levies from adjacent River Forest), the elementary school district, the library district, and the park district. The United States Postal Service operates the main Oak Park Post Office at 901 Lake Street and

2850-734: A weekday show from 5 to 9 a.m. with Bruce Wolf. After his contract expired, he moved to AM 560 WIND. He has also appeared on Chicago television including ABC 7 Chicago and Fox Chicago and his commentary has been featured on national outlets including Fox News Channel , MSNBC , and CNBC . Additionally, Proft runs Upstream Ideas, a media group that runs a series of web and radio-based programs where Proft discusses regional and national politics and policy. On August 8, 2018, Proft interviewed former White House Communication Director and Press Secretary Sean Spicer about his "tempestuous time in President Trump’s White House." The interview

2964-486: A year. Rauner's services tax proposal was harshly criticized by Quinn, who said it would fall hardest on low income people. Rauner opposed a graduated income tax. Rauner received a 92 percent approval from Taxpayers United for America, the first time a sitting Illinois governor received a score of more than 70 percent from that organization. Rauner strongly favored term limits, and pledged to limit himself to no more than eight years as governor. He organized and funded

3078-545: Is a comprehensive college preparatory school, with a long list of alumni who have made major or notable contributions to their fields of endeavor. Among these are Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway , writer and author Michael Gerber , the founder and editor-in-chief of Rookie magazine Tavi Gevinson , football Hall-of-Famer George Trafton , McDonald's founder Ray Kroc , city planner Walter Burley Griffin , comedian Kathy Griffin , basketball player Iman Shumpert , mathematician and computer scientist Thomas E. Kurtz , and

3192-556: Is a radio talk show host with AM 560 The Answer in Chicago where he co-hosts the morning drive show with Amy Jacobson . He voices a political commentary, "Sixty Seconds of Sanity" on the Salem Radio Network . Dan Proft co-hosts the morning drive show from 5 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday on AM 560 The Answer in Chicago. From 2011 to 2015, Proft was a political commentator for WLS-AM 890 radio in Chicago . From 2014-2015, he shared

3306-766: Is also a frequent donor to his fraternity at Dartmouth, Theta Delta Chi. In March 2013, Rauner formed an exploratory committee to look at a run for Governor of Illinois as a Republican. Rauner said that his top priorities included streamlining government, improving education, and improving the state's business climate. He supported term limits and said he would serve no more than eight years (two terms) as governor. On June 5, 2013, Rauner officially announced his candidacy for governor, telling Chicago magazine's Carol Felsenthal that his platform would include overhauling tax policy and freezing property taxes. In October 2013, Rauner announced that his running mate would be Wheaton City Councilwoman Evelyn Sanguinetti . Rauner won

3420-938: Is also home to WEUR , broadcasting from the former Oak Park Arms Hotel at 1490 AM since 1950. Formerly WPNA and run by the Polish National Alliance , the station's programming serves the diverse linguistic and cultural communities in the Chicago metropolitan area (in the late-1960s, WPNA had the only "underground" disc jockey in Chicago, Scorpio). The Oak Park Art League (OPAL), a nonprofit visual arts center founded after World War I (renamed in 1970), provides classes, workshops, lectures, demonstrations, and exhibitions. Since 1921, OPAL has been providing opportunities for arts engagement and cultural enrichment. Over 4,500 artists participate in OPAL's events each year. Oak Park has been home to numerous festivals and holiday observances. The July 4 celebration featuring fireworks draws thousands to

3534-657: Is also provided by the CTA and Pace . The Eisenhower Expressway is the primary expressway between Chicago and Oak Park. The highway also provides connections to O'Hare International Airport . Major east–west streets in Oak Park continue east into Chicago. The streets are laid out in a grid pattern, occasionally with local streets ending in a cul-de-sac to maintain local character. Oak Park has its own street-numbering system that begins, for east–west streets, at Austin Boulevard (no east or west designation), and for north–south streets, at

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3648-571: Is marked by one plaque on Lake Street at Forest Avenue and another in the northwest corner of Taylor Park. According to the 2010 census, Oak Park has a total area of 4.7 sq mi (12.17 km ), all land. Oak Park is accessible from Chicago by service on the Green Line and the Blue Line at five CTA stations in Oak Park. Oak Park also has a station for Metra 's Union Pacific West Line . Bus transit service within Oak Park and to other suburbs

3762-511: Is occupied by most of the Americans who are not on television, radio or Twitter." Proft supported the candidacy of Jeanne Ives in her primary campaign against incumbent Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner . At a campaign appearance in January 2018, Ives thanked Proft and said, "By far, Dan is one of the most engaging radio host, providing a daily dose of morning entertainment." In February 2018, Ives ran

3876-440: Is of half Swedish and half German descent. His parents divorced and his father remarried to the former Carol Kopay in 1981. Through his father's second marriage, he has a stepsister, Larisa Olson. His first job was as a paperboy . Rauner graduated summa cum laude with a degree in economics from Dartmouth College , where he was a brother of Theta Delta Chi . He later received an MBA from Harvard University . Rauner

3990-642: Is one of seven secondary educational institutions in Illinois with the ability to induct students into the Cum Laude Society . The Park District of Oak Park was first organized in 1912 as the Recreation Department of the Village of Oak Park. Under the direction of Josephine Blackstock and her successor, Lilly Ruth Hanson, it embarked on a vigorous program of recreation for villagers. The playgrounds were named by Blackstock after famous children's writers. In

4104-462: Is set up to serve the politicians in power, not the people. He called for "policy revolution" to slice state personal and corporate income taxes in half and abolish the estate tax, to freeze spending and only allow it to increase based on inflation and population growth, and to implement a statewide opportunity scholarship program. Proft earned 7.78% of the vote, coming in sixth in a seven-way Republican primary race. He later told Chicago Magazine that

4218-581: The Daily Herald , and the Chicago Sun-Times . During the general election, television ads aired regarding Rauner's role in a chain of long-term care homes owned by his companies that faced lawsuits stemming from the death and alleged mistreatment of residents. Among the problems outlined in court cases, state records, and media reports were the deaths of developmentally disabled residents in bathtubs, "deplorable" living conditions, sexual assaults, and

4332-467: The Chicago Tribune published an op-ed written by Proft concerning the 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers . In the article, he criticized the media's coverage of both the Dallas shootings and the shootings of black men by police officers. He wrote that "There is plenty of intellectual room between 'cops can do no wrong' and 'cops are all racists waging war against minorities.' The reasoned room in between

4446-699: The Dominicans , affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago . Both high schools have a long history of high academic standards. Oak Park and River Forest High School bestows the Tradition of Excellence Award to distinguished alumni, including Ernest Hemingway , Ray Kroc , Dan Castellaneta , football Hall-of-Famer George Trafton , actress Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , astronomer Chad Trujillo , geochemist Wally Broecker , and environmental leader Phil Radford . Oak Park and River Forest High School

4560-493: The Green Line and Blue Line "L" train lines, as well as the Metra Union Pacific West Line Oak Park station downtown. In 1835, Joseph and Betty Kettlestrings, immigrants from Yorkshire , England , staked out a farm and built a house near Lake Street and Harlem Avenue, west of Chicago. Once their children were born, they moved to Chicago for the schools in 1843, and moved back again in 1855 to build

4674-618: The poverty line , including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over. In the 1960s, Oak Parkers began a concerted effort to avoid the destructive racial housing practices occurring in nearby communities. Racial steering and block-by-block panic peddling caused rapid racial change on Chicago's west side, including the Austin Community Area adjacent to Oak Park. Whites left west-side neighborhoods based on concerns of property value losses and crime increases, and some businesses left, as well. The Village of Oak Park passed

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4788-452: The "Loop") as well as the village's connections to international figures in the visual, literary, and performing arts such as Ernest Hemingway , Frank Lloyd Wright , Betty White , and Tymoteusz Karpowicz . This tradition continues into the present, as Oak Park is home to numerous theater, music, dance, and fine-arts professionals. The arts district on Harrison Street, bounded by Austin Avenue to

4902-602: The 1970s and continues, with many buildings marked as historically significant, and so far, three historic districts defined. Other attractions include Ernest Hemingway 's birthplace home and his boyhood home, the Ernest Hemingway Museum, the three Oak Park homes of writer and Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs , Wright's Unity Temple , Pleasant Home , and the Oak Park-River Forest Historical Society. Oak Park and River Forest High School

5016-415: The 2012 presidential election, Oak Park had the highest voter turnout in suburban Cook County; 79.8% of registered voters cast a ballot. Municipal elections for the board of trustees and village clerk generally have much lower voter turnout, averaging around 20% and are held in spring, consistent with state law. The municipal elections are considered nonpartisan, as the national political parties do not put up

5130-636: The 42nd governor of Illinois from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party , he was the chairman of R8 Capital Partners and chairman of the Chicago -based private equity firm GTCR . Rauner announced his candidacy for governor of Illinois in June 2013. He won the Republican nomination in March 2014 and defeated Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn in the general election . Throughout Rauner's term in office, he

5244-543: The Chicago Metropolitan area. The construction of the Eisenhower Expressway cut through the southern portion of the Village in the mid 1950s. Starting in the 1960s and 1970s, Oak Park has made a conscious effort to accommodate changing demographics and social pressures while maintaining the suburban character that has long made the Village a desirable residential location. Beginning in the 1960s, Oak Park faced

5358-655: The Democrats at all levels of governance. He supported Rauner's campaign promises to "cut spending and overhaul the state's pension system, impose term limits, and weaken public employee unions". Griffin called for a show of financial support to Rauner that met with an increase in campaign donations representing tens of millions of dollars, or half the $ 65 million spent on Rauner's 2014 election campaign. Of this half, such money originated from Rauner himself along with "nine other individuals, families, or companies they control". Rauner received media attention for his political stance on

5472-609: The House Michael Madigan's demand for tax increases resulted in the Illinois Budget Impasse, with major credit agencies downgrading the state's debt to the low investment grade of triple-B by the end of 2015. On February 9, 2015, Rauner signed an executive order blocking so called "fair share" union fees from state employee paychecks. The same day, Rauner hired a legal team headed by former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb and his law firm Winston & Strawn to file

5586-472: The March 18, 2014 Republican primary with 328,934 votes (40.13 percent), defeating State Senator Kirk Dillard , who received 305,120 votes (37.22 percent), State Senator Bill Brady (123,708 votes, 15.09 percent) and Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford 's (61,848 votes, 7.55 percrent). For the general election, Rauner was endorsed by the majority of Illinois newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune ,

5700-686: The Oak Park Police Department employing roughly 118 officers, with 23 sworn officers per 10,000 residents. In 2019, Oak Park's reported violent crime rate per 100,000 residents was 298, 28% lower than that of Illinois as a whole. The reported property crime rate, at 3,047, was 50% higher. In 2020 the village experienced a ten percent increase in reported crimes, including more thefts, robberies, and aggravated assaults/batteries, but fewer burglaries, compared to 2019. Oak Park has an active arts community, resulting in part from its favorable location adjacent to Chicago (7 miles (11 km) west of

5814-475: The Oak Park South Post Office at 1116 Garfield Street. Oak Park's village board, village president, and other elected officials are elected through a two-stage election process. A primary election is used to nominate party candidates, and a general election is used to elect government officials. Oak Park's election turnout varies greatly depending on whether it is a municipal or national election. In

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5928-593: The Oak Park-River Forest High School football stadium. A Day in Our Village, held in June, allows local groups to set up tables to seek members. Born an Abomination, an act in the depressive metal genre, originated from Oak Park. It disbanded in 2018. Their album Fires in the Night Hour... from the year 2016 includes a song titled 'Oak Park' in dedication to the band's home. Frank Lloyd Wright spent

6042-662: The Rauner Special Collections Library at Dartmouth College, endowed full professor chairs at Dartmouth College , Morehouse College , University of Chicago , and Harvard Business School , and was the lead donor for the Stanley C. Golder Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurial Finance at the University of Illinois . As of 2013, Rauner served on the board of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation . Rauner

6156-464: The Sun-Times and received the newspaper's backing, marking the first time the media organization endorsed any candidate after imposing a moratorium on political endorsements three years earlier. On November 4, 2014, Rauner was elected Governor of Illinois ; Pat Quinn conceded defeat the next day. Rauner received 50.27 percent of the vote, while Quinn won 46.35 percent. Rauner carried every county in

6270-547: The Unity Temple, his own church, in the village, before he left in 1911 to settle in Wisconsin. Oak Park attracts architecture buffs and others to view the many Wright-designed homes found in the village, alongside homes reflecting other architectural styles. The largest collection of Wright-designed residential properties in the world is in Oak Park. A distinct focus on historic preservation of important architectural styles began in

6384-541: The abortion rights bill into law on September 28, 2017, earning him harsh criticism from conservative Republicans. In 2018, Rauner called for the death penalty to be revived along with imposing on people convicted of killing police officers. On August 12, 2016, Rauner vetoed a bill that would have automatically registered as a voter anyone in Illinois who sought a new or updated drivers license as well as other services, unless they chose to opt out. Rauner said that he supported automatic voter registration, but that he vetoed

6498-539: The area boomed during the 1870s, with Chicago residents resettling in Cicero following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and the expansion of railroads and streetcars to the area. "In 1872, when Oak Park received its own railroad depot on the Chicago and Northwestern Railway, its rapid emergence as a residential suburb of Chicago began. In 1877, the railroad was running thirty-nine trains daily between Oak Park and Chicago; in

6612-480: The bill because he was worried that "the bill would inadvertently open the door to voter fraud and run afoul of federal election law". On August 28, 2017, Rauner signed a revised version of the automatic voter registration bill. On August 28, 2017, Rauner signed a bill into law that prohibited state and local police from arresting anyone solely due to their immigration status or due to federal detainers. Some Republicans criticized Rauner for his action, saying that

6726-477: The bill made Illinois a sanctuary state . On November 15, 2017, the United States Department of Justice announced that a preliminary conclusion had been reached that Illinois was now a sanctuary jurisdiction in violation of 8 U.S.C. 1373 and issued a warning to state authorities on the issue. Subsequently, as of June 10, 2018 , there is still no evidence that Illinois responded stating that it

6840-531: The candidates. Candidates step forward, or are found by a citizens group that works to find people to have new candidates for each election cycle, encourage participation in local issues. The public primary schools (Lincoln, Mann, Longfellow, Beye, Irving, Holmes, Whittier, and Hatch) and the middle schools , Percy Julian Middle School (formerly Nathaniel Hawthorne ) and Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School (formerly Ralph Waldo Emerson ) are operated by Oak Park Elementary School District 97 . These ten schools serve

6954-534: The city of Chicago, came to Oak Park in 2016. Oak Park's Village Board cancelled the Divvy program in 2017, after the program was determined not to be cost-effective. As of the 2020 census there were 54,583 people, 21,701 households, and 12,774 families residing in the village. The population density was 11,613.40 inhabitants per square mile (4,483.96/km ). There were 25,953 housing units at an average density of 5,521.91 per square mile (2,132.02/km ). The racial makeup of

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7068-490: The construction of almost all of the housing stock in Oak Park, and most of the village's current buildings." The village population grew quickly, and "by 1930, the village had a population of 64,000, even larger than the current population," while cherishing a reputation as the "World's Largest Village". Chicago grew rapidly in the 19th century, recording 4,470 residents in the 1840 census , reaching 1,099,850 in 1890, and 1,698,575 in 1900. Chicago surpassed Philadelphia to be

7182-731: The corner of Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street, and two branches, the Dole Branch Library (at Dole Community Center) and the Maze Branch Library. As a member of the SWAN library consortium, the Oak Park Public Library offers its cardholders access to nearly 8 million items. Providing fire protection and emergency medical services, the Oak Park Fire Department currently operates from three fire stations, located throughout

7296-420: The date of the report. Oak Park is the home of two high schools: Oak Park and River Forest High School , the sole school in educational District 200, which also serves the entire city, and Fenwick High School . Oak Park and River Forest High School is a public school with its district including both Oak Park and neighboring River Forest , and Fenwick High School is a Catholic college preparatory school run by

7410-530: The decades of its rapid growth while it was part of the town of Cicero , and since 1902, when it became a village. Historic preservation has been a priority since an ordinance passed in 1972 and since revised. There are 2,400 historic sites in Oak Park, the majority of which are homes built in the Queen Anne, Prairie School and Craftsman styles of architecture. The Village of Oak Park displays these online on an interactive website. Three historic districts recognize

7524-551: The decision in Linmark Associates, Inc. v. Township of Willingboro , use of the signs is still strongly discouraged by local realtors. An evaluation of the policy in Oak Park to promote integration, written in the early years of the 21st century, noted the gradual increase in the share of village population that is Black, at 22% in 2000, and further observed: As late as 2000, there were no resegregated census tracts, with tracts ranging from 7% black to 36% black   ... this

7638-562: The east and Ridgeland Avenue to the west, features boutique galleries, shops, and restaurants. Oak Park is home to several professional dance and theatre companies, including Circle Theatre , Oak Park Festival Theatre , Laurel Theater , and Momenta resident dance company of The Academy of Movement and Music . Oak Park, with neighboring River Forest, also plays host to the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2009. See also: Bellissima Opera Oak Park

7752-412: The elevated train tracks located just south of Lake Street, which divides the numbers, getting larger going north or south from there, and requiring north or south designation on addresses. The border streets do not follow the Oak Park numbering system; rather, they match the address system with the cities sharing those border streets. For example, addresses on Austin Boulevard match the Chicago system, with

7866-544: The entire city limits. There are also multiple private schools. Performance ratings for schools in Oak Park (as evaluated by standardized statewide tests) are released periodically, known as the school report cards. The renaming of the junior high schools, now middle schools, after prominent African-Americans rather than famous American literary figures was done in part to motivate minority students in their educational pursuits. A gap in school performance, referred to as "this intolerable and persistent inequity," remains, as of

7980-521: The first 20 years of his 70-year career in Oak Park, building numerous homes in the community, including his own and the Walter Gale House . He lived and worked in the area between 1889 and 1909. One can find Wright's earliest work here, such as the Winslow House in neighboring River Forest, Illinois . Also, examples of the first prairie-style houses are in Oak Park. He also designed Unity Temple ,

8094-435: The future village of Oak Park, this system ran east-west on Madison Street and Lake Street, with a north-south connection on Harlem Avenue. Streetcar service was discontinued in 1947, to be replaced by buses. The Lake Street Elevated Railroad (today’s CTA Green Line) was extended into Oak Park in 1899–1901, although the trains ran at ground level until the 1960s. The Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad (today's CTA Blue Line)

8208-514: The governorship in 2015, although it gradually declined during his term. It stood at 33 percent in December 2016, ranking 45th of the 50 U.S. governors. In January 2019, as Rauner was leaving office, his approval rating stood at only 25 percent. In his first executive order, he halted state hiring as well as discretionary spending and called for state agencies to sell surplus property. The conflict between Rauner's demand for budget cuts and Speaker of

8322-814: The hands of criminals and the mentally ill, he would not go beyond that due to constitutional concerns. Rauner has a record of supporting abortion rights . The Rauner family has donated "thousands of dollars" to Planned Parenthood , and prior to his 2014 campaign, the Rauner Family Foundation donated $ 510,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union 's Roger Baldwin Foundation. On July 29, 2016, Rauner signed S.B. 1564 into law, which required doctors and pregnancy centers that refuse to perform abortions for religious or moral reasons to refer patients to places where they could have an abortion. The bill

8436-404: The importance of railroads and streetcars in the development of Oak Park: As suburban residential development continued in the 1880s and 1890s, streetcars and elevated trains supplemented the original main line steam railroads to connect Oak Park commuters to jobs in downtown Chicago. One of the first streetcar lines was the Chicago, Harlem, & Batavia "dummy" line, which ran approximately along

8550-409: The issue of racial integration with effective programs to maintain the character and stability of the Village, while encouraging integration on racial basis. This included passage of The Open Housing Ordinance in 1968 which has helped maintain the ethnically diverse population seen in the village still today. Oak Park has a history of alcohol prohibition . When the village was incorporated, no alcohol

8664-647: The late 1980s, the Recreation Department was dissolved, and the Park District of Oak Park was created as a separate tax-levying body. It comprises thirteen parks scattered throughout the village, for a total of 80 acres (320,000 m ) of parkland, a historic house available for functions with payment of fees, the Oak Park Conservatory , and two outdoor pools. The Park District also provides dog exercise areas where dog owners may bring their pets with payment of fees. A second outdoor pool, an official-sized ice rink,

8778-409: The minimum wage. Rauner favored either raising the national minimum wage so Illinois employers were on the same level as those in neighboring states, or unilaterally raising Illinois' minimum wage, but pairing the change with pro-business reforms to the state's tax code, workers compensation reform, and tort reform . Rauner's position on the minimum wage changed significantly during his campaign. At

8892-464: The name for the settlement as it grew, and for the town when it incorporated in 1902. By 1850, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (after that, the Chicago & Northwestern and now Union Pacific ) was constructed as far as Elgin, Illinois , and passed through the settlement area. In the 1850s the land on which Oak Park sits was part of the new Chicago suburb, the town of Cicero . The population of

9006-687: The not-for-profit that is the city's convention and tourism bureau, resigning in May 2013, and as Chairman of the Chicago Public Education Fund . Rauner has also served as the Chairman of the Education Committee of the Civic Committee of The Commercial Club of Chicago . In 2015, Rauner reported earning over $ 180 million. Prior to his 2014 run for Illinois governor, Rauner served as an advisor to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel . Rauner

9120-420: The personal income tax rate falling from 5 percent to 3.75 percent and the corporate tax rate from 7 percent to 5.25 percent. In July 2014, Rauner called for expanding Illinois' sales tax to dozens of services, such as legal services, accounting services, and computer programming, which were not subject to the sales tax in Illinois. Rauner estimated the expanded sales tax would bring in an additional $ 600 million

9234-542: The present day Lake Michigan just north of the city's Loop, the ancient Des Plaines river once emptied into glacial Lake Chicago, making prehistoric Oak Park a "Plains river Delta" system. One of North America's four continental divides runs through Oak Park. This divide, a slight rise running north–south through the village, separates the Saint Lawrence River watershed from the Mississippi River watershed, and

9348-399: The present-day route of the Eisenhower Expressway. The "dummy" trains used a miniature steam locomotive with a false cladding designed to conceal most of the moving parts and avoid startling horses. This line first began operation in 1881, but did not provide direct commuter service to downtown Chicago until June 1888. A more extensive streetcar network throughout Oak Park was opened in 1890. In

9462-458: The public officials they are lobbying, and sitting across the bargaining table from, through campaign donations and expenditures". In 2014, Rauner's election campaign was helped financially by Kenneth C. Griffin , CEO of Citadel , a successful global investment firm, who made a rare and impassioned plea to the sold-out audience at the Economic Club of Chicago (ECC) in May 2013 to replace

9576-429: The regular admissions process. It was later revealed that Rauner had sought information on this process from his personal friend Arne Duncan , then CEO of Chicago Public Schools . Rauner has said he had no recollection of speaking with Duncan directly. According to another source, she was not a "principal pick", but was let in following the phone call between Bruce Rauner and Arne Duncan. The Rauners donated $ 250,000 to

9690-402: The school during the subsequent school year; Rauner has a long history of contributing to Chicago Public Schools. On October 22, 2014, Dave McKinney, a Chicago Sun-Times political reporter and bureau chief, resigned from the paper, citing pressure brought to bear on him by Sun-Times management with regard to his coverage of Rauner. McKinney had completed an investigative news story about

9804-402: The second-largest US city, and in that year, the fifth-largest in the world. Chicago's location on the shores of Lake Michigan was good for transport; after the fire of 1871, Chicago rebuilt its center. Oak Park grew along with its neighbor to the east, having location and railroad and streetcar connections in its favor. After World War II, "Oak Park was affected by larger developmental trends in

9918-730: The state economy. On June 25, 2015, Rauner vetoed the Illinois state budget passed by the legislature, which would have created a deficit of nearly $ 4 billion but which covered what Illinois Democratic lawmakers called "vital services". He stated that he would not sign a budget until the Democratic state legislature passed his "Turnaround Agenda" to reduce trade union power and freeze property taxes. With no state budget, social service agencies cut back on services, state universities laid off staff, public transit service ceased in Monroe and Randolph Counties, and Child Care Assistance eligibility

10032-422: The state except for Cook , home to Chicago. Rauner spent a record $ 26 million of his own money on his election. Rauner was sworn in as the 42nd governor of Illinois on January 12, 2015. He governed Illinois as a moderate or liberal Republican , as evidenced by his stances on abortion , same-sex marriage , and immigration, among other issues. Rauner had a 52 percent job approval rating after assuming

10146-546: The statements in the ad and the representations, the characterizations of issues and issue positions the governor has taken, that's all factual." Proft also serves on the board of directors for USO of Illinois, a nonprofit that provides assistance to Illinois military families and Aid for Women, a Catholic pregnancy center in Chicago. He is also on the Advisory Board of the Center for Civic Leadership at Benedictine University. He

10260-446: The subsequent year, more railroads and streetcar lines, with increased service, came to link Oak Park and Chicago. As Chicago grew from a regional center to a national metropolis Oak Park expanded – from 500 residents in 1872 to 1,812 in 1890, to 9,353 in 1900, to 20,911 in 1910, to 39,585 in 1920. Oak Park thus emerged as a leading Chicago suburb." A review of Oak Park's history by Wiss, Janny, Elstner Associates in 2006 further explains

10374-658: The trailhead of the Illinois Prairie Path is less than 1-mile (1.6 km) from Oak Park. With several cycle clubs and groups, Oak Park is considered a bicycle-friendly community, and the tree-lined streets of the community, as well as its proximity to trails in nearby communities, attract cyclists to Oak Park, easily accessed by the Green Line, Blue Line, or Metra. Bicycle lanes are marked on many streets throughout Oak Park, though no fully segregated cycle facilities have been put in place. Divvy bike sharing, which serves

10488-405: The uncertainty that Illinois nonprofits faced during FY16. In July 2017, Rauner vetoed a budget that increased the state income tax from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent and the corporate tax from 5.25 percent to 7 percent, an increase of $ 5 billion in additional tax revenue. However, the Illinois legislature, with the help of several Republicans, overrode his veto. Following this action, considered

10602-464: The variety of styles often standing next door to each other. The three districts are Frank Lloyd Wright , Ridgeland-Oak Park , and Seward Gunderson, outlined on a map from the village. A fourth district is under consideration as of 2015, of 176 homes built by Thomas Henry Hulbert. Bruce Rauner Bruce Vincent Rauner ( / ˈ r aʊ n ər / ; born February 18, 1956) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as

10716-406: The village was 60.18% White , 18.69% African American , 0.05% Native American , 5.39% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.52% from other races , and 5.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.31% of the population. There were 21,701 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.56% were married couples living together, 9.89% had

10830-408: The village, Fire Station #1 (headquarters), Fire Station #2 (north), and Fire Station #3 (south) under the command of a battalion chief per shift. The Oak Park Fire Department operates three ALS engines, one ALS truck, three ALS ambulances, one ALS paramedic squad, one command unit, and several specialized MABAS divisional apparatus. Fire station locations and apparatus The village is protected by

10944-628: The voice of cartoon character Homer Simpson , Dan Castellaneta . Oak Park is located immediately west of the city of Chicago . The boundary between the two municipalities is Austin Boulevard on the east side of Oak Park and North Avenue/ Illinois Route 64 on the village's north side. Oak Park borders Cicero along its southern border, Roosevelt Road / Illinois Route 38 , from Austin to Lombard; and Berwyn from Lombard to Harlem Avenue . Harlem/ Illinois Route 43 serves as its western border, where between Roosevelt and South Boulevard, it borders Forest Park and between North Boulevard and North Avenue to

11058-459: The west it borders River Forest . The entire village of Oak Park lies on the shore of ancient Lake Chicago , which covered most of the city of Chicago during the last Ice Age, and was the forerunner to today's Lake Michigan . Ridgeland Avenue in eastern Oak Park marks the shoreline of the lake, and was once an actual ridge. As with the geographical setup of the Chicago River , which connects to

11172-507: The worst part of running for office was raising money. He self-financed his campaign for $ 125,285. Proft is a practicing Catholic. He lives in Naples, Florida. Oak Park, Illinois Oak Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois , United States, adjacent to Chicago . It is the 26th-most populous municipality in Illinois, with a population of 54,318 as of the 2020 census. Oak Park

11286-600: The years, rapid development was spurred by railroads and streetcars connecting the village to jobs in nearby Chicago. In 1968, Oak Park passed the Open Housing Ordinance, which helped devise strategies to integrate the village rather than re-segregate. Today, Oak Park remains ethnically diverse , and is known for its socially liberal politics, with 80% or higher voter turnout in every presidential election since 2000. Oak Park has several public transportation links to Chicago with Chicago Transit Authority access via

11400-550: The zero line at Madison Street, and along North Avenue, addresses match the Chicago system, with Austin Boulevard at 6000 W and Harlem at 7200 W. Additionally, Elizabeth Court, located within the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District , maintains its original numbering. The houses on that cul-de-sac start at 1 and go up to 12. Augusta Boulevard through the village is part of the Grand Illinois Trail ;

11514-415: Was 40.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males. The median income for a household in the village was $ 96,945, and the median income for a family was $ 142,785. Males had a median income of $ 79,284 versus $ 54,639 for females. The per capita income for the village was $ 58,262. About 3.3% of families and 7.0% of the population were below

11628-476: Was allowed to be sold within its village limits. This law was relaxed in 1973, when restaurants and hotels were allowed to serve alcohol with meals, and was further loosened in 2002, when select grocery stores received governmental permission to sell packaged liquor. Today, alcohol, such as beer and wine, is easily accessible, with many bars and cocktail lounges around the village. In 1889, Frank Lloyd Wright and his wife settled in Oak Park . He built many homes and

11742-765: Was awarded the 2008 Distinguished Philanthropist award by the Chicago Association of Fundraising Professionals. In 2003, Rauner received the Daley Medal from the Illinois Venture Capital Association for extraordinary support to the Illinois economy and was given the Association for Corporate Growth's Lifetime Achievement Award. Rauner and his wife were nominated for the Golden Apple Foundation's 2011 Community Service Award. Rauner has been

11856-541: Was cut by 90 percent. On June 30, 2016, just before the beginning of the next fiscal year, Rauner signed a temporary bipartisan stopgap budget that would allow public schools to continue operating for an additional year and for necessary state services to continue for 6 months. However, the stopgap budget covered only 65 percent of social services agencies' normally allocated funds and provided $ 900,000 less for colleges and universities than FY15, while attempting to cover eighteen months' worth of expenses, all while continuing

11970-526: Was extended into Oak Park in 1905, providing local service over tracks originally placed by the Chicago Aurora & Elgin electric interurban train. The "Met" line moved onto new tracks along the Congress (Eisenhower) Expressway in 1958. The Village of Oak Park was formally established in 1902, disengaging from Cicero following a referendum . According to the local historical society, "The period 1892–1950 saw

12084-859: Was filmed for Proft's interview series Against the Current on the digital platform Upstream Ideas. On June 2nd, 2023, he interviewed the Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy. This was one day before President Biden signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act , legislation lifting the debt ceiling, that originated out of the House. Proft is a co-founder of the Illinois Opportunity Project, a 501(c)(4) organization that promotes free-market public policy solutions. After helping Cicero, Illinois ' town president win

12198-498: Was first settled in 1835 and later incorporated in 1902, when it separated from Cicero . It is closely tied to the smaller town of River Forest sharing a chamber of commerce and a high school, Oak Park and River Forest High School. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his wife settled in Oak Park in 1889, and his work heavily influenced local architecture and design, including the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio . Over

12312-532: Was not because the pattern of rapid westward resegregation had run its course, because events in neighboring suburbs showed that segregation trends were still operating. Instead, the pattern in a sense leaped over Oak Park to other suburbs farther west, including Bellwood and Maywood , which resegregated in a relatively short time. Since 1951, Oak Park has been organized under the council-manager form of municipal government. The village government includes an elected president and an elected village board, which hires

12426-454: Was on the board of disability advocacy group Envision Unlimited until he was removed after mocking the teenage son of Tim Walz and his emotional reaction to his father's speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention . On June 23, 2009, Proft announced his candidacy for Governor of Illinois on the "Don Wade & Roma Show" on WLS (AM). The tagline of Proft's campaign was "Illinois isn't broken. It's fixed," signifying Illinois' government

12540-421: Was passed on partisan lines, with no Republican legislators voting for the bill. Rauner's decision to sign the bill into law angered conservative groups. The same day, Rauner also signed a bill that extended insurance coverage for nearly all contraceptives. On August 5, Rauner was sued by a crisis pregnancy center , a Rockford, Illinois -based medical center, and a Downers Grove physician, claiming that SB 1564

12654-504: Was required to be disclosed. Proft is also on the board of Truth in Accounting, a nonprofit dedicated to accurate public sector accounting and budgeting. Prior to his campaign for Governor, Proft was a Republican consultant working on numerous political campaigns and served in various leadership capacities in state and municipal government. Proft has faced criticism for emails he sent to Tea Party groups in Illinois. On July 11, 2016,

12768-581: Was the chairman of private equity firm GTCR , where he had worked for more than 30 years, starting in 1981 after his graduation from Harvard through his retirement in October 2012. A number of state pension funds, including those of Illinois, have invested in GTCR. In 2013, Rauner opened an office for a self-financed venture firm, R8 Capital Partners. The firm planned to invest up to $ 15 million in smaller Illinois companies. Rauner served as Chairman of Choose Chicago,

12882-430: Was unable to achieve many of his legislative goals due to the state's Democratically-controlled legislature , and a standoff between Rauner and the legislature over budget cuts led to a two-year budget crisis . In the 2018 gubernatorial election , Rauner narrowly survived a challenge in the Republican primary from State Representative Jeanne Ives , but lost the general election to Democratic challenger J. B. Pritzker in

12996-719: Was unconstitutional. On December 20, 2016, a Winnebago County Circuit Judge issued a preliminary injunction, which temporarily prohibited the State of Illinois from enforcing the law after it went into effect on January 1, 2017. As a candidate in 2014, Rauner stated that he opposed the existing Illinois law that restricted abortion coverage under Medicaid and the state employee health plan. In April 2017, however, Rauner pledged to veto an abortion rights bill that would (a) remove those abortion coverage restrictions: and (b) repeal an Illinois law making abortion illegal if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned. Despite his veto pledge, Rauner signed

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