Get the latest news headlines from around Illinois.
New York Times: In Deeply Divided Chicago, Most Agree: City Is Off Course
The people of Chicago are deeply riven by race, class and neighborhood, distrustful of the police, fearful of the growing rate of violent crime and united chiefly in their disapproval of the mayor’s performance and their conviction that the city is headed down the wrong track.
These are among findings of a new survey by The New York Times and the Kaiser Family Foundation, which polled residents of a city that has been upended in recent months by revelations of questionable actions by the police, threats of a teachers’ strike, a school funding crisis and an uptick in violence.
The poll finds broad discontent with the police and those charged with overseeing them, particularly among African-Americans. Residents expressed concerns about racial bias in shootings by officers and many show ambivalence about whether calling the police will ease situations or not make a difference.
Chicago Tribune: Lawmakers: Act now to save Chicago police misconduct records
If the unions that represent Chicago’s police officers had their way, the records of hundreds of thousands of citizen complaints against cops would have been fed into the shredder by now.
They wouldn’t be available for the U.S. Department of Justice as it tries to determine whether police have routinely engaged in behavior that violates the civil rights of citizens. They’d be gone.
The DOJ review was launched after Officer Jason Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Laquan McDonald, 17, who was shot 16 times though he posed no apparent threat to Van Dyke or others at the scene.
Chicago Tribune: Don't over-regulate Uber, deregulate taxis
Hey, Chicago. Don’t regulate Uber drivers as though they were cabdrivers. Instead, regulate cabdrivers as though they were Uber drivers.
Problem solved. You’re welcome.
A controversial ordinance before the City Council as well as a federal lawsuit filed by taxi interests calls for those who drive for Uber, Lyft, Sidecar and other ride-hailing services to be subjected to most of the requirements to which limousine and cabdrivers are now subjected.
Forbes: How Illinois' High Property Tax Is Driving The American Dream Underground
For much of our history, a home or house was central to the American Dream. But, in Illinois, the “shouse” is fast becoming the strategy to avoid some of the highest property taxes in the nation. By downsizing to a “tiny house” dwelling – typically less than 1,000 square feet – property taxes are minimized. Put the “shouse” on wheels, and the tax burden evaporates.
Illinois has the 2nd highest property taxes in the nation, making the state a laboratory in statist economic experimentation. It’s no wonder it’s creating sad and weird creations like shouses.
Ever-escalating property tax bills are causing real pain for Illinois families. Last year, more than 10,000 DuPage County families were delinquent and faced a tax sale. Whether it’s downstate communities like Effingham or Northern Illinois villages like Addison, Villa Park, and in many areas of Cook County, a homeowner’s monthly property tax payment now rivals their mortgage payment.
Fox Illinois: Springfield Facing Lawsuit Over Firefighters' Pensions
The City of Springfield is facing a new lawsuit. This one filed by the Springfield Firefighters’ Pension Board. The board is looking for a Sangamon County judge to determine whether firefighters should be allowed to add possibly thousands of dollars to their pensions for working holidays.
Anyone who works a holiday as a firefighter gets paid double time. In 1998 the Department of Insurance said firefighters could add holiday pay to their pensions. But just a few months ago the opinion reversed, saying it violated Illinois pension code.
The board voted to stop holiday pay from applying to new firefighters’ pensions as of November.
AP: http://www.bnd.com/news/state/illinois/article75906487.html
The Illinois Senate agreed Thursday to spend an additional $454 million on struggling colleges and universities, another stopgap measure as lawmakers continue an epic standoff over a full budget.
Lawmakers approved the bill on a near unanimous vote and sent the measure to the House, which can take it up as soon as Tuesday when state representatives return to Springfield.
Democrats who control the Legislature and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner have been unable to agree on a budget since July 1, and higher education institutions have been forced to lay off staff. Chicago State University let go more than 300 employees this month, about a third of its workforce, because of the prolonged budget battle.
SJR: Heroin epidemic demands new approach, Springfield-area officials say
With deaths from drug overdoses surpassing traffic accidents as the No. 1 accidental killer of Americans, a group of community stakeholders Wednesday stressed that a different approach to fighting the problem has to be taken.
Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow said that the approach needs to be multi-faceted in dealing with the abuse of heroin and other opiates to focus on ensuring that nonviolent offenders get access to the care they need while keeping violent drug offenders behind bars.
From the law enforcement perspective, usually the only options for dealing with nonviolent addicts are emergency care or jail, Winslow said.
The Southern: Local Business Crime State/Region Education Nation World Photos Illinois voters to see road fund amendment on Nov 8 ballot
Illinois voters will get a chance to consider a constitutional amendment aimed at preventing funds collected for transportation projects being used for other purposes.
It’s the only lawmaker-generated measure that’ll be on the Nov. 8 ballot. Legislators approved the plan Thursday.
Democratic state Rep. Brandon Phelps sponsored the so-called “lockbox amendment.” He says it’ll secure more money collected from transportation-related fees like tolls for infrastructure and create jobs.
Daily Herald: Law would help schools contract with small businesses
Managing a school goes far beyond putting teachers in front of children. School districts provide a wide array of services, including busing, food prep and janitorial duties, which are not directly related to the classroom experience but are important all the same.
However, because of a poorly written state law passed in 2007, school districts across Illinois have been hampered from seeking innovative ways to provide these services. Fortunately, legislation currently under consideration in Springfield would make it easier for school administrators to bring on cost-effective help.
Daily Herald: Who wins with District 15's 10-year contract?
Palatine Elementary District 15 won’t negotiate another teachers contract until its youngest pupils are halfway through high school.
That’s because of an unprecedented 10-year contract — by far the longest among 92 suburban school districts’ contracts — that school leaders say eliminates the time and cost of frequent negotiations and keeps increases in personnel costs modest.
New York Times: 2 Big Labor Unions Share Efforts to Gain Power and Scale
The leaders of two of the nation’s biggest, most powerful labor unions — the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — are completing a plan that calls for unusually close cooperation in political campaigning, organizing and bargaining in states and cities across the United States.
The effort begins a process that could lead to a merger of the two organizations, an outcome that would create the nation’s largest labor union, with some 3.6 million members.
“While we recognize the differences in culture and structure between our respective organizations and the divisions that have hampered us in the past, the times demand that we build on our common purpose,” states a resolution the unions are expected to approve. It cites challenges like political attacks on organized labor, growing income inequality and deteriorating workplace conditions.