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Peoria Journal-Star: Bill would put term limits on Illinois legislative leaders
An attempt to put term limits on legislators is in the works in the Illinois General Assembly again, this time targeting the four legislative leaders.
Rep. Thomas M. Bennett, R-Gibson City, has proposed House Bill 4194, which would limit the House speaker, Senate president and the minority leader in each chamber to 10 consecutive years in those leadership roles.
Chicago Tribune: AG candidate says Speaker Madigan once thought he was 'wearing a wire'
A Democratic state lawmaker from Lake County said Sunday that he believes House Speaker Michael Madigan once thought he was “wearing a wire” during a meeting between the two.
A Madigan spokesman said he didn’t have any information to verify that state Rep. Scott Drury’s story was “accurate.” Drury has long been at odds with Madigan, who also is the state Democratic Party chairman. The former federal prosecutor was the only Democrat who did not vote for Madigan for speaker in the current General Assembly.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois college presidents want more money. What do they offer in return?
Here’s a dismal metric that came across our screen: In 2002, 29 percent of four-year Illinois high school graduates enrolled in colleges outside the state. By 2016, 46 percent of high school graduates fled Illinois for out-of-state schools. In just 14 years, the Illinois Board of Higher Education says, the out-of-state enrollment rate soared by over 57 percent.
That’s not a blip, it’s a rising vote of no confidence in this state’s higher ed leadership. It calls for a rapid response from lawmakers, college presidents, business execs and anyone else with a stake in keeping Illinois robust.
Champaign News-Gazette: Salaries rising at UI
A two-year budget crisis, a 10 percent state funding cut and the permanent loss of $463 million in state support didn’t stop salaries from creeping up at the University of Illinois.
For the first time, the 10 biggest earners at the UI’s flagship campus all make more than $500,000 — a $10 million list dominated, not surprisingly, by athletic department employees, top administrators and a new medical dean. Three other faculty-administrators make between $400,000 and $500,000.
The Southern: Lawmakers looking to find bipartisan solutions for higher ed before situation gets worse
A bipartisan working group of lawmakers is digging deep into challenges facing higher education, from declining enrollment to financial concerns, to find solutions before matters get worse.
It’s the kind of conversation state Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, and state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, were hoping for when they introduced their Higher Education Strategic Center of Excellence legislation.
Chicago Tribune: Alderman aids letter-writing campaign to Emanuel over street musicians
Ald. Brendan Reilly is trying to revive his moribund effort to further restrict downtown street musicians by helping with a letter-writing campaign directed at Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
After one condo owner who opposes quieting the musicians gave the Tribune a letter template the alderman’s office handed out, Reilly confirmed that he is acting on behalf of the people who live and work in his downtown ward.
WBEZ: Chicago Drug Arrests Reach Historic Lows, But Those Busted Could Still Fill Stadiums
The city of Chicago recently released data on all drug arrests made last year, and it shows that marijuana and narcotics arrests are down to levels not seen in decades.
Chicago police made less than 3,200 arrests for pot in 2017. That’s the fewest arrests since 1968, according to a WBEZ analysis of Chicago Police Department data.
Daily Herald: Tax, pot referendums on Northwest suburban ballots
Binding decisions on taxes and services will be on the March 20 ballot in several Northwest suburban communities, while all Cook County voters will weigh in on an advisory referendum on the legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois.
Residents of Mount Prospect School District 57, the Bartlett and Prospect Heights fire protection districts and the village of Deer Park will head to the polls to decide on proposed hikes in either property or sales taxes.
Northwest Herald: How Huntley's former fire chief spent tens of thousands in public funds on questionable items, time moonlighting as police officer
Northwest Herald: School spending per student in McHenry County ranges from $4,765 to $9,494
In 2017, Marengo-Union Elementary School District 165 ranked in the middle of McHenry County students’ readiness for the next grade level. It also has one of the lowest achievement gaps based on income.
District 165’s instructional spending a pupil was $4,765 last year.
State Journal-Register: At least half of Springfield aldermen oppose raising sales tax
If the Springfield City Council takes a vote Tuesday on whether to increase the city sales tax, at least five aldermen say they would vote “no,” while two others were undecided, according to a poll taken late last week by The State Journal-Register.
The 0.25-percentage-point increase, which would bring the city’s total sales tax to 8.75 percent, and a telecommunications tax hike from 4 percent to 6 percent — both proposed by Mayor Jim Langfelder — are on the agenda for Tuesday’s city council meeting as aldermen continue to work on finalizing a budget before the March 1 start of the next fiscal year.
State Journal-Register: A history of tax increases at Springfield city hall
Springfield aldermen are facing the same question city councils of the past have tackled several times since 1984: Is it time to raise taxes?
As early as Tuesday, the Springfield City Council could vote on the mayor’s two proposed tax increases — raising the city sales tax by 0.25 percentage points, making the total sales tax 8.75 percent, as well as raising the telecommunications tax from 4 percent to 6 percent.