Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Emanuel: Republican lawmakers will feel pressure to defy Rauner on education bill
Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday predicted Republican lawmakers will feel intense pressure from constituents to guarantee money for schools following Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of an education funding bill.
Democrats in the state Senate have about two weeks to decide whether to try to override the governor’s rewrite of the legislation or try to negotiate a new version. In the meantime, a key credit ratings agency Wednesday said Rauner’s veto jeopardizes funding for Illinois schools and could lead to lower credit ratings for certain districts, including Chicago Public Schools, which is already paying high interest rates.
Chicago Sun-Times: Emanuel accuses Rauner of ‘governing through anger’ on school veto
Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday accused Gov. Bruce Rauner of “governing through anger” and predicted that Republicans and Democrats alike would chose “loyalty to kids over loyalty to the governor” by overriding Rauner’s veto of a school funding bill.
One day after Rauner followed through on his threat to veto the bill, Emanuel accused his old friend of blowing a “historic opportunity” to rewrite a formula that “fundamentally harms poor kids and kids of color.”
Crain's Chicago Business: Damning new report details budget stalemate's impact on Illinois kids, seniors
Women and children who rely on state services are still feeling the effects of the Illinois budget impasse, despite the fact that legislators agreed on a new deal July 6.
Many agencies that rely on state funding and provide child care, health care, housing and other services are still reeling from two years of underfunding or no funding, said Mitch Lifson, senior policy analyst at Voices for Illinois Children, and co-author of a recent report on the budget impasse’s impact. Passing a budget is a step in the right direction, he said, but funding for many social services remains frayed.
Fox Illinois: Illinois ranks 14th for highest student loan debt
A new WalletHub survey shows Illinois ranks 14th highest in the country for student loan debt.Even though students may be graduating with higher amounts of debt, financial experts say the relatively low cost of living in the area does help balance out those numbers.
The reason for students taking out more loans could be for a variety of reasons. Financial experts point to parents who may not be helping as much. The state’s budget concerts put a lot of strain on middle-class families and tuition costs for higher education continues to rise.
WTTW Chicago Tonight: Efforts to Simplify CPS High School Application Process Draw Concern
Though the start of the school year is still a month away for Chicago Public Schools students, incoming eighth graders are already thinking ahead—all the way to next school year, when they begin high school.
This month, the district is rolling out a new process of applying for those schools, but under a new system that has some parents and counselors concerned.
Chicago Tribune: Soda tax rollout leaves Chicago-area shoppers grumbling, confused
Cook County’s long-delayed tax on sweetened beverages took effect Wednesday amid confusion, leaving retailers grumbling and shoppers plotting soda runs to neighboring counties.
The penny-per-ounce tax applies to both sugar- and artificially sweetened drinks. That goes beyond just pop — bottled and canned beverages, diet soda, ready-to-drink sweetened coffees and teas, sports and energy drinks, and juice products that aren’t 100 percent juice also are taxed.
Daily Herald: Soda tax: Amount we paid ran the gamut
On the first day of what is supposed to be a penny-per-ounce Cook County tax on sweetened beverages, the amount actually charged by restaurants and retailers for fountain drinks ran the gamut.
New taxes charged on nine 22- to 32-ounce fountain sodas ranged from zero to 32 cents on Wednesday. The drinks were bought in Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect.
Daily Herald: Former Cook County Assessor's Office employee pleads guilty in kickback scheme
A former Cook County Assessor’s Office employee pleaded guilty to taking more than $9,000 in kickbacks from property owners in exchange for helping them obtain fraudulent tax refunds.
Maria Gonzalez, 64, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of theft and one count of official misconduct in exchange for two years probation. She was also ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution and $719 in fines, court records show.
Chicago Tribune: Airbnb hosts still not registered 4 months after Chicago's new rules took effect
More than four months after Chicago’s contentious short-term rental ordinance took full effect, the city is not enforcing some penalties outlined in the new rules.
Airbnb hosts, meanwhile, have not heard from the city about the registration numbers they’re required to have under the law. Though the city says it’s working on it, hosts are wondering if they should continue booking guests’ stays.
Northwest Herald: Woodstock residents differ on proposed home rule sales tax
Property tax relief, rundown roads, tourism and a mismanaged budget were key talking points at a public hearing Tuesday on Woodstock’s proposed 1 percent home rule sales tax increase.
Some residents support the tax because they said a tax increase would be a small price to pay for improved roadways. Others said they would shop in Woodstock regardless because it is more convenient than driving to another city where taxes might be cheaper.
Decatur Herald & Review: Decatur Township rejects high cost for building exterior work
Board members halted a plan to fix up the exterior of the Decatur Township building Wednesday after experiencing sticker shock at the estimated cost of $107,405.
The expenditure would have come on top of more than $1.74 million in public money spent on the building at 1620 S. Taylorville Road in the last decade, according to a review of billing records obtained by the Herald & Review earlier this year through the Freedom of Information Act.
Fox Illinois: City council settles $60,000 lawsuit and delays power plant deal
A lot on the agenda at Wednesday’s City Council meeting, moved from Tuesday for “National Night Out”.
The city approved settling the lawsuit of Jeannie Beal-Frakes, who claims she fell and injured herself at a crossing in Springfield back in August of 2011.