Get the latest news from around Illinois.
State Journal-Register: Gov. Rauner lays out ambitious goals for budget
Gov. Bruce Rauner will deliver the final budget speech of his current term Wednesday, laying out his spending priorities as he heads into his bid for another four years.
To that end, the governor has set himself a formidable set of objectives that he said will be addressed in his budget plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
Associated Press: Illinois public universities struggle with enrollment
Some Illinois lawmakers are looking to find solutions for higher education declining enrollment and financial concerns as more graduating high school students are enrolling out of state.
Figures from the Illinois State Board of Education show 46 percent of 2016 Illinois high school graduates who enrolled in a four-year university went out of state. That’s compared with 2002, when 29 percent enrolled in another state, The Bloomington Pantagraph reported.
Daily Herald: District 57 residents distribute signs to campaign for property tax hike
Volunteers with the Citizens Committee for Education delivered yard signs Saturday morning in support of the campaign for a tax hike to maintain the current level of school services in Mount Prospect Elementary District 57.
About 25 people delivered 500 signs to residents who had requested them and another 500 signs are on order, said John Krupa, chairman of the committee. About 200 people have volunteered to help with the campaign, which also includes a phone bank, a door-to-door canvass and mailings.
Daily Herald: Kane County considers how to spend extra $4.5 million
Lawsuit payments and settlements are on the rise in Kane County, accounting for nearly $4 million in expenses in 2017. The cost has put a strain on the reserves used to pay for lawsuits not covered by insurance.
But county officials have found unexpected millions to help pay for future lawsuits.
Bloomington Pantagraph: Council considers TIF district to redevelop old high school
Creating a tax increment financing district to help with redevelopment of the former Bloomington High School and several other properties near downtown could move forward if the City Council agrees to set a hearing.
“It’s great to have strong developer interest already in this newly proposed TIF district, with the proposed redevelopment of the former high school,” said Bloomington Economic Development Coordinator Austin Grammer. “City staff is hopeful to attract further development interest to the vacant and underdeveloped properties in this area.”
Champaign News-Gazette: Townships forever?
When elected leaders won’t lead, the public loses.
In the aftermath of the firing fiasco in the Cunningham Township Assessor’s Office, common sense briefly reared its head.
Urbana Alderman Eric Jakobsson wondered why the city still has an elected township supervisor and assessor, and suggested it would be wise to ask voters if they’d like to abolish these unnecessary, outdated offices that rely on property taxes to operate.
Needless to say, township supporters pushed back quickly, and it appears this promising idea is, if not dead, at least on life support.