Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Champaign News-Gazette: Too many governmental entities spoiling property-tax broth
The pushback was immediate.
As soon as Urbana Alderman Erik Jakobsson suggested the possibility of abolishing the city’s township government and folding it into municipal government in the name of frugality and efficiency, special pleaders stepped forward to defend the status quo.
Chicago Tribune: Ethics board fines Cook County assessor $41,000 over political donations from lawyers
Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios is facing $41,000 in fines for failing to return campaign contributions from property tax appeals lawyers whose donations exceeded legal limits, according to a pair of new rulings by the county ethics board.
The rulings raise the level of scrutiny on campaign contributions given by appeals lawyers to Berrios, who doubles as chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party and depends heavily on their donations in raising political funds. The action also ignites another high-profile showdown with the county Board of Ethics, with which he previously clashed over nepotism issues.
Chicago Tribune: A lower black jobless rate. Somebody tell Illinois.
First, the national news: According to the latest federal jobs report, the U.S. unemployment rate for black Americans is 6.8 percent. That’s the lowest level since 1972, when the government began tracking that data. More people are finding work, more households are seeing their prospects improve.
Now the news in Illinois, where over the decades politicians have sent employers an inescapable message: We like your private sector tax dollars, but have you thought about moving your business to Indiana, to Wisconsin, to Texas?
State Journal-Register: Cash-strapped schools continue to wait for state funding
Over halfway through the 2017-18 school year, the wait continues as to when Illinois’ neediest schools will receive additional funding under the new formula.
It doesn’t appear as if anything will change anytime soon.
Chicago Sun-Times: Lawmakers want plan from Rauner’s cabinet on controlling deadly Legionnaires’
Lawmakers demanded Tuesday that Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration deliver a permanent plan for controlling deadly Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy.
Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Erica Jeffries and Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, answered tough questions during a four-hour hearing of the joint House-Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in Chicago.
Crain's Chicago Business: Google eyes Chicago for up to 5,000-job office
Even while awaiting word on whether it will land Amazon’s so-called second headquarters, Chicago is on the short list for another major facility by a tech giant seeking to broaden its geographic and talent base: Google.
Sources familiar with the matter say the search engine giant is in advanced discussions with officials here and in other cities—reportedly including Boston, Atlanta and Dallas—about opening an operations center that could include administrative, research, support and other personnel for Google.
Northwest Herald: Illinois Rep. Sam Yingling sends letter supporting McHenry Township Trustee Bob Anderson's consolidation efforts
The legislator leading the state’s consolidation committee in Springfield has written an official letter supporting the efforts of McHenry Township Trustee Bob Anderson to abolish the township’s road district.
“I admire your advocacy of taxpayers in McHenry County and am grateful for your past testimony in Springfield during my past legislative committees on consolidation,” wrote state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake. “Today, I write you in support of your efforts to consolidated duplicate layers of government, like township highway departments.”
Rockford Register-Star: Auditor warns of ‘potential prohibited’ activity in Winnebago County offices
“A warning shot across the bow.”
That’s what Winnebago County Auditor Bill Crowley is calling a memo he distributed Monday to all county elected and appointed officials and department heads regarding what he calls “potentially prohibited political activity in Winnebago County offices.”
Peoria Journal-Star: Peoria council OKs ‘terrible choice’ in refinancing Pere Marquette
At-Large Councilwoman Beth Jensen called it “a terrible choice for us,” while 1st District Councilwoman Denise Moore said it was “the ugliest bill I’ve ever seen.”
But both joined a 9-2 majority on the Peoria City Council that approved a refinancing plan for the Marriott Pere Marquette hotel on Tuesday night.
Bloomington Pantagraph: Privatizing trash collection among ideas at town hall
Faced with some tough decisions about how to balance the city’s budget, Alderman Karen Schmidt asked about 30 people attending a town hall meeting Tuesday what the city should cut.
Aldermen David Sage of Ward 2, Scott Black of Ward 7 and Schmidt of Ward 6 hosted the meeting at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts that focused on the fiscal 2019 budget, which will begin May 1, 2018.
State Journal-Register: Aldermen grill developer asking for TIF dollars
Springfield aldermen on Tuesday questioned a developer who was asking for additional tax-increment financing dollars for a historic restoration project at Sixth and Monroe streets.
Rick Lawrence is asking for $1.1 million more in TIF dollars, as well as a $800,000 loan, bringing the city’s total investment in the project to $3.8 million. He originally bought the eight-story Ferguson and Booth buildings in 2012 to make them into upscale apartments and office space.