Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Crain's Chicago Business: Cullerton: 'If not this plan, then what?'
Challenging his foes to devise something better, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton today strongly defended the huge “grand budget deal” he and Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno have put together in a bid to finally end two years of deepening Springfield budget warfare.
“If not this plan, then what?” the Chicago Democrat declared in a lunch speech to the City Club. “If not now, then when?”
Associated Press: Cullerton: Budget deal would solve worker-pay dispute
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton says the way to settle the controversy over state-employee pay is to approve a state budget.
The Chicago Democrat spoke to the City Club of Chicago Monday. He urged support for a compromise budget plan that includes appropriations for worker pay.
State Journal-Register: Gov. Rauner still staying out of 'grand bargain' discussions
As the Illinois Senate prepares to possibly vote on parts of its “grand bargain” this week, Gov. Bruce Rauner Monday again insisted he is staying out of the debate on the bills aimed at ending the state’s budget stalemate.
Appearing before The State Journal-Register editorial board, Rauner said state workers should continue to get paid even if a court rules they shouldn’t without a budget and that he has no intention to push right-to-work legislation in Illinois now that all of the surrounding states have adopted it.
WTTW Chicago Tonight: A Big Bet on a Grand Bargain
Senate leaders’ bipartisan salve to Illinois’ budget troubles is on tap for a vote in Springfield this week.
Its fate has high stakes for the state, as well as for the legislators responsible for crafting it: Senate President John Cullerton, a Democrat, and the chamber’s Republican Leader Christine Radogno.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois lawmakers to weigh schools change during budget debate
Illinois Senate leaders are poised to add a contentious issue to their already complicated attempt to break the budget stalemate in Springfield as they turn their attention this week to changing the formula used to funnel state tax money to schools.
Senate President John Cullerton said Monday that his Democratic lawmakers would be briefed Tuesday on the schools plan as part of the broader, 12-bill package that Cullerton and Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno have been pushing as a way out of the state’s 19-month budget impasse.
Chicago Sun-Times: State GOP chief slams Lisa Madigan as doing ‘father’s bidding’
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider on Monday cranked up the state GOP’s portrayal of Attorney General Lisa Madigan as a tool of her father, House Speaker Michael Madigan, for taking a position contrary to Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Schneider slammed the attorney general for her decision to challenge a court order that has allowed state workers to continue to be paid while the state goes without a budget.
Crain's Chicago Business: Rauner and Madigan—Lisa Madigan—make war
After two years of respectful if not wholly peaceful coexistence, relations between Gov. Bruce Rauner and Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan have taken an abrupt turn for the nasty.
In the last few days, the GOP governor and Democratic AG have traded barbs, allegations and pointed suggestions, echoing the toxic relationship between Rauner and Madigan’s father, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.
Reuters: Illinois faces another credit rating downgrade without budget action, S&P warns
Failure to embrace pending legislation in the Illinois Senate to address the state’s longstanding budget problems would represent a “significant missed opportunity” and risk a credit rating downgrade and hurt economic growth prospects, S&P Global Ratings said on Monday.
S&P, which rates Illinois BBB with a negative outlook, said legislation boosting revenue and ending the state’s budget impasse could improve the near-term fiscal outlook, although a rating upgrade would be at least two years away.
The Southern: Looking for a comeback: Manufacturing leaders say state pro-business reforms needed
Down a quiet street in Carbondale, millions of plastic products are rolling out of Com-Pac International’s factory every year.
The flexible packaging manufacturer turns about 6 million pounds of plastic resin into dozens of different medical and food bags and products that are shipped to locations around the world.
NBC 5 Chicago: Illinois State Rep. Looks to Eliminate Office of Lieutenant Governor
Republican state Rep. David McSweeney has filed an amendment to eliminate the office of lieutenant governor.
“Illinois is in terrible fiscal shape and we need to find real ways to reduce to cost of government,” McSweeney said in a statement Monday. “Eliminating the unnecessary office of Lieutenant Governor will save taxpayer money.”
Chicago Tribune: Emanuel to give speech on infrastructure Thursday
Here’s a sign a politician has been in office for a while: He delivers a speech timed to the anniversary of another speech.
That’s what Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to do Thursday when he gives a “major address” on the “five-year anniversary of the address I gave on infrastructure.”
Chicago Tribune: CPS freezes some school spending on nonpersonnel items
Chicago Public Schools has told principals that it is freezing half of available nonpersonnel funds for schools “until further notice,” the latest step to cover $215 million in state aid that remains in limbo.
The district’s measure means schools will have less money to spend on items such as textbooks or technology. In an email to principals Monday, CPS CEO Forrest Claypool said the freeze would “preserve approximately $46 million” in the district’s budget.
Chicago Sun-Times: Blaming Rauner, CPS freezing as much as $69M more in spending
Still trying to close a $215 million budget gap they blame on the governor, Chicago Public Schools officials are trying to chip away at that hole by freezing as much as $69 million in spending.
About $46 million of that will come by CPS halting planned expenditures on new textbooks, more technology, field trips, hourly employees and other items. No school is supposed to lose more than 5 percent of its initial budget this year, but CPS wouldn’t immediately release any school-by-school figures.
Chicago Tribune: Redflex to pay $20 million to Chicago to settle lawsuit over red-light camera bribery
Chicago’s beleaguered former red-light camera vendor, still reeling from a $2 million bribery scandal that nearly brought down the international business, has agreed to pay $20 million to the city to settle its lawsuit over the company’s admitted fraud.
According to a 12-page settlement agreement, Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. agreed to pay the city in mostly annual installments through 2023. The first installment of $5 million is due within 45 days, according to the agreement.
Chicago Tribune: Stalled Olive-Harvey construction project on South Side a 'travesty'
At Olive-Harvey College on the Far South Side sits the half-built husk of a building Mayor Rahm Emanuel planned to make a centerpiece of his efforts to reform the city’s community colleges.
Originally scheduled to be completed in spring 2015, the Olive-Harvey Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Center was intended to prepare students for good-paying jobs as part of the city’s College to Careers program, an Emanuel initiative to make the seven community colleges more jobs-focused.
Chicago Tribune: Suburbs vs. city: Who will win the wooing contest for Caterpillar's headquarters?
It’s on: Suburbs versus the city.
That’s among the area’s oldest economic development matchups and, right now, an interesting contest is shaping up over who is going to win the headquarters of massive manufacturer Caterpillar, which last week said it was leaving longtime home Peoria for the “Chicago area.”
Chicago Sun-Times: Allegations of torture deserve closer look by Kim Foxx
For years, it’s been clear the Jaime Hauad case needs a thorough reinvestigation. It’s time to do it.
Hauad was convicted 18 years ago of killing two Maniac Latin Disciples outside an Avondale neighborhood bar. He was sentenced to life without parole.
Associated Press: New bill would let teens join Illinois organ donor registry
Legislation has been introduced in the Illinois Legislature that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to register for the state’s organ and tissue donor registry.
The legislation has the backing of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s office. It was introduced by state Sen. Mattie Hunter, of Chicago, and state Rep. Deb Conroy, of Villa Park, both Democrats.
State Journal-Register: Hold the pumpkin pie? Bill would abolish Illinois state symbols
Moderation in all things is an admonition one state senator believes also should be applied to state symbols.
Senate Bill 690, sponsored by freshman Sen. Tom Rooney, R-Rolling Meadows, proposes that Illinois get rid of symbols such as the state bird (cardinal), state flower (violet) and state animal (white-tailed deer), among many others.
Belleville News-Democrat: Former water district manager pleads not guilty to fraud charge
A former Pontoon Beach Public Water official pleaded not guilty to a federal wire fraud charge in East St. Louis Monday morning.
Brian Buske, who was a supervisor at the Pontoon Beach Public Water District, was formally charged on Jan. 18 in the Southern District of Illinois. An arraignment was scheduled Monday at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
Rockford Register-Star: Rockford aldermen approve budget plan to close deficit, increase police spending
Aldermen went ahead Monday with a plan to spend cash reserves, expand a municipal amusement tax and sell city property to close a projected $5.3 million budget shortfall and increase spending on the Rockford Police Department.
The 2017 budget plan spends down $1.3 million of the city’s general fund cash balance, $2.2 million of the sanitation fund balance and $1.1 million of health fund reserves. Money raised from the plan will pay for a gunfire detection system covering 6 square miles of the city, a web of 40 surveillance cameras, seven automated license plate readers and six civilian employees to take non-emergency reports at new police stations.
Peoria Journal-Star: East Peoria sewer customers face steep rate increases
The City Council will vote on a $46.5 million multi-phase sewer upgrade and rehabilitation project Tuesday that will increase user rates by a cumulative 66 percent over five years.
To raise the money to pay for the project, the city will increase user rates by 20 percent the first year, 15 percent the second year, 11 percent the third year and 10 percent in years four and five. A vote on the project is expected at Tuesday evening’s council meeting.
Quincy Herald-Whig: Quincy City Council votes for bond issue to cover city's share of Adams County Jail costs
Aldermen voted 9-5 Monday night to issue general obligation bonds to cover the city’s $4.2 million in costs for the Adams County Jail.
The bonds will have a 10-year repayment schedule, with a total cost of about $5 million. The city will pay interest only during the first three years of the bond repayment. Some of the city’s other debts will be paid off by the fourth year, allowing the city to keep its property taxes flat while covering principal and interest on the bonds during the final seven years of the repayment cycle.
State Journal-Register: Springfield aldermen propose cuts to avoid tax increases
Most members of the Springfield City Council have worked together to propose an alternative to higher taxes put forth by Mayor Jim Langfelder.
The aldermen’s plan released on Monday includes not filling some vacancies; having City Water, Light and Power pay back money the corporate fund gave the utility; and delaying repairs on city buildings.
Belleville News-Democrat: Baby steps for new Springfield lawmaker when track cleats are needed
State Rep. Katie Stuart was elected after saying some very Republican-sounding things about fiscal reform despite her campaign being largely bankrolled by the Madigan Machine.
Her early effort at lawmaking follows that same path, with her House Bill 643 asking to withhold her fellow lawmakers’ pay increases as well as those for top state leaders as long as there is no state budget in place. Stuart goes her own bill one better by refusing her own state pay and pension until there’s a budget.