Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Madigan parts ways with second operative after female lawmaker alleges 'abuse of power'
For the second time in a week, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has parted ways with a top lieutenant in his Democratic political organization, this time citing “inappropriate behavior by a volunteer toward a candidate and staff” during a 2016 campaign.
While Madigan’s statement did not name the operative, sources familiar with the circumstances confirmed that it is Shaw Decremer. Democratic state Rep. Deb Conroy and several other staffers approached Madigan within the last week with complaints about Decremer’s behavior, one of the sources said.
Crain's Chicago Business: Here's what Illinois needs to avoid utter collapse
Important as this year’s state budget is, it’s a sideshow compared to the epic production we need—a multiyear, credible plan that would make Illinois competitive again.
The emphasis is on “credible” because the jig is up. Gov. Bruce Rauner, who will present his fiscal 2019 budget tomorrow, can talk all he wants about job growth during his term. Democrats can forever blame our problems on the earlier budget impasse they pin on Rauner. Others can keep quibbling about the numbers and denying even that Illinois is losing its population and tax base.
Champaign News-Gazette: Illinois-based Supreme Court making for a big Monday
Next Monday — at the nation’s highest court in Washington — lawyers will present oral arguments in the Illinois-based case of Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31.
The battle over whether public employees can be compelled to pay the equivalent of union dues to labor organizations they do not wish to join is a legal battle with a huge political subtext. Indeed, like other political battles in the Land of Lincoln, it could just as easily be renamed Rauner v. Madigan — Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner versus Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan, carrying legal water for her father, House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Champaign News-Gazette: Everything can't be top priority
There are a lot of good program ideas. Government simply can’t afford to fund them all.
A routine news story last week about a new government program helps explain why Illinois is a financial basket case with marginal prospects for recovery.
The Illinois State Board of Education is expanding a program that it began 17 years ago when it decided to pay for all public high school juniors to take college-entrance exams.
Daily Herald: Rosemont gives $1 million in TIF dollars for DHL Innovation Center
Rosemont will give $1 million in tax increment financing funds to the developer of global logistics firm DHL’s new Innovation Center, where the company plans to showcase products to clients from across North and South America.
Construction of the two-story, 27,905-square-foot building is scheduled to begin this spring on a vacant 1.4-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Higgins Road and Shafer Court, just east of the Tri-State Tollway.
Daily Herald: East Dundee suspends police body camera program without ever using them
Before they’ve even been put to use, a set of body cameras intended to be worn by East Dundee police will remain in storage after trustees agreed Monday to suspend the program.
All officers were expected to be equipped with body cameras as part of a five-year contract with Arizona-based Taser International, which included video storage and management services. The deal went into effect in January 2017, and the 20 cameras were delivered last spring, but interim Chief George Carpenter said they have yet to be taken out of their boxes.
Bloomington Pantagraph: Aldermen open to scaled-back pool, smaller tax hike for streets
A majority of Bloomington aldermen are not interested in levying a video gambling machine fee and raising the city utility tax to replace the O’Neil Park pool, nor do they want to raise fuel taxes to increase street repair work.
They did not close the door, however, on a scaled-back version of the pool replacement and a smaller fuel tax hike for more street resurfacing.
Bloomington Pantagraph: Normal approves $47K sports complex study
Normal City Council members wanted to be very clear Monday: Approving a sports complex study is not the same as approving a sports complex.
“What we’re doing tonight is voting to get some information on whether or not … there’s a real opportunity to move forward,” said council member Kevin McCarthy. “This is a pricey idea, and I think it’s well worth a small investment in good information for us to make great decisions on very expensive ideas.”
Fox Illinois: Possible natural gas tax in Springfield
Mayor Jim Langfelder is proposing a tax on natural gas and it could bring in up to $2 million.
But, the Aldermen would have to approve it first.