Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: More than 200 new Illinois laws take effect with the new year
It was a dramatic year under the Capitol dome, with Democratic and Republican lawmakers joining together to end the state’s historic budget impasse, raise income taxes and overhaul how money is doled out to school districts, all while clashing with Gov. Bruce Rauner along the way.
Despite the focus on state finances that consumed Illinois politics for much of the year, lawmakers in Springfield still managed to approve hundreds of other new state laws that didn’t get as much attention but will change what people can and can’t do in 2018. More than 200 will take effect Jan. 1.
Champaign News-Gazette: For the Illinois General Assembly: Find a way to tame the pension crisis.
The word “crisis” is sometimes used as hyperbole. But not when the subject is the funding of Illinois’ public pensions.
In the current fiscal year, the state is making a $7.9 billion contribution to the five state-run funds (downstate and suburban teachers, state workers, university employees, judges and lawmakers). By comparison, the state spends $15.8 billion from its general fund on K-12 education, $3.8 billion on higher education.
Chicago Tribune: New year means fare hikes, new and ongoing roadwork
In Chicago’s transportation world, the new year will start with transit fare hikes, continue with roadwork on the Jane Byrne Interchange downtown as well as Interstate 88 and could end with part of the Navy Pier Flyover bike and pedestrian path ready to use.
Nationally, the Trump administration is expected to release its long-promised infrastructure plan.
WBEZ: Illinois Tax Credits For Private Schools Expected To Be Claimed In Days
Starting Tuesday, Illinois taxpayers have a controversial new way to lower their state income tax bill — they can donate to approved private-school scholarship funds. Observers believe the new credit will be so popular that all $75 million in credits available this year could be claimed in just days.
The new credits allow Illinois individual and business taxpayers to shave 75 cents off their tax bill for every dollar they donate to the scholarship funds. That means a taxpayer could completely wipe out a $1,000 state income tax bill by donating $1,334 to the scholarship funds.
Chicago Sun-Times: Massive, maligned Medicaid managed care expansion to start
A vast remaking of subsidized Medicaid health care in Illinois, nearly a year in the making and criticized all the way, is set to debut Monday.
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration will add 800,000 low-income and disabled residents to a managed care program aimed at improving efficiency, keeping people healthier and saving money.
Associated Press: Lake County pays $5M for filing system it's scuttling
Records show that Lake County officials spent nearly $5 million on a now-abandoned court-filing system and have raised fees in part to finance a replacement.
The (Lake County) News-Sun reports that officials halted work on the program developed by Denver-based URL Integrations in 2016. They paid for e-filing for 15 different civil-case types but implemented only one. They shut that down last spring.