Illinoisans can take a look at their paystubs and notice the state decided to hike their income tax bill by 32 percent.
Of the three major ratings agencies, only Moody’s Investors Service has indicated that Illinois lawmakers’ lack of long-term solutions for reducing that debt is a severe problem.
An Illinois appeals court upheld a temporary restraining order on Cook County’s proposed sweetened beverage tax. The Cook County sheriff’s office has sent out 110 layoff notices, citing the soda tax holdup. These layoffs come on top of 300 county worker layoffs. Cook County officials claim at least 1,100 jobs will be lost if the tax does not go into effect.
A proposal to allow food trucks at O’Hare Airport imposes extra expenses on operators and does not grant them the right to operate at Midway Airport.
Union officials have voiced concern over contract issues such as the CTA seeking higher worker contributions toward health insurance and the elimination of “inefficient practices.”
Amazon announced plans to open another Illinois shipping facility in Crest Hill, Ill., which is expected to create up to 800 jobs.
A bill that has passed the Illinois House and Senate would provide CPS with a $215 million pension bailout and other funding carve-outs.
Even with 32 percent tax hike, Illinois State Comptroller expects only $5 billion of the state’s unpaid bills to be paid down.
Reforms in Cook County and in Illinois make pretrial release possible for nondangerous defendants with little money for bail.
Senate Bill 1294 creates the Industrial Hemp Act, which would require licensing for “any person desiring to grow, process, cultivate, harvest, process, possess, sell, or purchase industrial hemp or industrial hemp related products must be licensed by the Department of Agriculture.”
Illinois homeowners’ property taxes are among the highest in the nation. They are consuming more and more of Illinoisans’ incomes.