Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Daily Herald: When an Illinois lawmaker tries to 'win' a tax, guess who loses?
We hear a lot of talk about businesses leaving Illinois. But addressing the problems that cause them to leave? Not so much.
There is an urgency to fixing the problems that force business owners to make the difficult decision to leave. State leaders need to understand their job is to ensure employers who want to stay and invest in Illinois can do so. Apart from its uncertain tax and economic climate, Illinois is a great place to do business thanks to an educated workforce and Chicago’s position as the hub of the Midwest.
The Center Square: As neighboring states cut their income tax rates, Illinois stays put
The six states bordering Illinois have all decided to cut their income tax rates over the past two years. One economic analyst says Illinois must follow suit or risk losing more residents.
Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan all have made the decision to cut their individual income tax rates over the past two years. Iowa’s individual income tax rate dropped from 8.53% to 6.0% in 2023, and Missouri has decreased its from 5.3% to 4.95% this year. Kentucky, Michigan and Indiana also have made smaller changes of a couple of percentage points, according to data compiled by Wirepoints.
The Chicago Tribune: Chicago’s runoff election: Everything you need to know about races for mayor and aldermen
For those candidates who didn’t win outright in the Feb. 28 Chicago election by securing more than 50% of the vote, there is one more election in Chicago — the runoff on April 4 — where the top two vote-getters in the race for mayor and more than a dozen aldermanic races will face off one last time.
Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson emerged from a field of nine to be the final two candidates running for Chicago mayor. There are 14 runoffs in aldermanic elections.
Chicago Sun-Times: Madigan ruled ‘through fear and intimidation,’ ComEd bribery trial jurors told
A veteran Democratic state lawmaker who sponsored major gaming legislation in the Illinois House of Representatives told a federal jury Monday that former Speaker Michael Madigan once ruled that chamber “through fear and intimidation.”
When asked what Madigan valued most in other legislators, state Rep. Robert “Bob” Rita answered, “loyalty.”
CBS Chicago: Vallas, Johnson answer questions separately in latest mayoral forum
Early voting for Chicago’s runoff election is now officially under way – and that means the city’s two mayoral candidates are really on the clock when it comes to getting their message to voters.
The candidates had another opportunity Monday night at a forum at the Chicago History Museum.
Cook County Record: 'We can't do this anymore:' Business groups warn of economic fallout from IL biometrics lawsuits, call for reform
The recent Illinois Supreme Court rulings in the Biometric Information Privacy Act could cost businesses operating in Illinois staggering amounts of money and already are having a negative impact on Illinois’ already challenging business climate, economic development and public safety, business leaders have warned.
In recent weeks, the state’s high court handed down a pair of decisions cementing the ability of plaintiffs to use class action lawsuits to potentially demand employers pay out many millions or even billions of dollars for mistakes made in the way they require workers to scan their fingerprints to verify their identity when punching the clock at work.
State Journal-Register: Gray: Vote by mail ballots returned in county up significantly over 2019
Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray said there has been a huge increase in ballots returned by mail so far for the April 4 consolidated election.
Voters have until March 30 to request a vote by mail ballot.