Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Wirepoints: Rahm's Ramp And The Fate Of Chicago's Pensions
We now have a partial view of the new up-ramp on contributions Chicago taxpayers will be required to make to the city’s four pensions. (The Chicago teachers pension is a fifth, legally separate pension funded, at least theoretically, by the Chicago school district.)
Annually required contributions are set by state law. The ramp for the last two pensions was finalized by provisions in the state budget bills passed last month over Gov. Rauner’s veto. Those provisions went mostly unnoticed, though The Civic Federation published a nice summary, linked here. Legislation changing the ramp for the other two pensions became law earlier, also over Rauner’s veto.
Chicago Tribune: Cook County: Soda tax no longer runs afoul of food stamp rules
Cook County officials say they’ve solved a problem with the new sweetened beverage tax that put roughly $87 million in funding used to run the federal food stamp program in Illinois at risk of being withheld.
Purchases made with federal food stamp benefits are exempt from the penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened beverages, but the county’s regulation gave stores that hadn’t been able to program point-of-sale systems not to tax those purchases the option of charging the tax and then issuing a refund.
Chicago Sun-Times: Cook County retailers report beverage sales decline
As the owner of three Food Market La Chiquita stores in Cook County, Martin Sandoval has watched his usual number of sales dip over the last two weeks, a result of the county’s beverage tax.
“It’s just beginning,” Sandoval said. “People don’t realize how much the tax costs them until they get home and they look at the receipt. Then they decide not to come back, and I know that’s just going to increase.”
Chicago Sun-Times: Poll: Voters sour on Preckwinkle over sweetened beverage tax
Just two years ago, Toni Preckwinkle was so popular supporters urged her to run for mayor of Chicago.
But a new poll suggests the South Side Democrat now might have serious trouble even getting re-elected Cook County Board president — thanks to the county’s controversial tax on sweetened beverages.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois' new pharmacy rules to improve consumer safety may start today
Many Illinois consumers stopping by a drugstore to pick up a new prescription soon will be hearing a lot more from the pharmacist.
Pharmacists throughout the state are being required to counsel customers who seek to fill orders for new medications or need changes in their longtime prescriptions — a mandate that includes alerting patients to potentially dangerous drug interactions.
Crain's Chicago Business: Illinois Democrats want to spike Rauner's Medicaid reboot
While much of the attention in Springfield is focused on the school funding fight, a bill that aims to unwind Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Medicaid reboot has quietly passed through the Illinois General Assembly.
The bill—which would essentially scuttle what could be the state’s largest procurement ever—is now making its way to the governor, whose approval is a long shot. After all, back in February, Rauner called for overhauling a major Medicaid initiative known as managed care to rein in spending. The revamped program is expected to cost up to $13.5 billion a year, about 38 percent of the state budget passed in July.
Northwest Herald: Crystal Lake Park District board examines multimillion-dollar development at Sunset Meadows Park
The Crystal Lake Park District Board of Commissioners looked at plans Thursday for a $69 million development on about 90 of the 138 acres at Sunset Meadows Park, located off Route 176 and Briarwood Road on the city’s watershed, which resulted from a feasibility study on developing the land.
The budget was created for the entire development and considered costs for construction, engineering, architectural and effect associated with the project in addition to other estimated fees, such as utility connections and following the city’s watershed ordinance.
Northwest Herald: McHenry County judge grants preliminary injunction to halt Lake in the Hills Sanitary District purchase
A McHenry County judge again has halted efforts by the Lake in the Hills Sanitary District to purchase about 14 acres of Kane County farmland for more than $950,000.
Judge Thomas Meyer granted a preliminary injunction after a hearing Wednesday that prevents the deal from going through. The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office and County Board Chairman Jack Franks, D-Marengo, consider the decision a victory.
Peoria Journal-Star: TIF district could bring upscale apartments, townhomes to Peoria Heights
The boundaries of a proposed tax increment financing district have been drawn to help attract a 36-unit apartment complex to the downtown area. The newly defined area, which would be the village’s fourth TIF district, also encompasses an area where as many as 60 townhomes have been proposed.
Taken together, the projects would add a transformative, upscale residential element to a developing commercial district of restaurants, shops and offices in a mix of new construction and renovated historic structures.
Belleville News-Democrat: County prepares to spend almost $625,000 on MidAmerica upgrades
The St. Clair County Public Building Commission on Thursday approved roughly $625,000 worth of work at MidAmerica Airport’s passenger terminal.
The work is slated to be completed by R&W Builders. A schedule is still being determined, Airport Director Tim Cantwell said.
Belleville News-Democrat: Political friends, relatives, felons make best school job candidates
Cahokia and East St. Louis kind of like to distance themselves from one another, thanks to a mixture of self-identity and racial history. But it looks like Cahokia leaders are learning from the well-oiled political jobs machine of their neighbor.
Cahokia School District 187’s board just hired four folks even though they are next to destitute with the delays in school funding. Four jobs were created over the objections of a former school board member, the teachers’ union president and parents.
Belleville News-Democrat: Dupo salon’s property taxes curl up and dye
Village of Dupo leaders just offered some valuable lessons in economics, or rather some lessons in how not to do economic development.
You take $79,300 in tax dollars, invest it in a hair salon with a potential return of $4,300 a year in taxes, but then fail to get that money because you didn’t spend 49 cents on a stamp.