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Chicago Tribune: Audit slams state agency that oversees Medicaid for inadequately monitoring $7.11 billion in payments
The state agency responsible for overseeing Medicaid in Illinois failed to properly monitor $7.11 billion in payments made to and by managed care organizations, according to a report issued Tuesday by the Illinois auditor general.
The report, requested by the state legislature last May, comes as Illinois shifts hundreds of thousands more people into the Medicaid managed care program and raises questions about its ability to oversee the expanded program.
Champaign News-Gazette: War on gerrymandering raging ever louder
Legal and political momentum challenging the political legitimacy of legislative gerrymandering continues to grow in states across the country, even in Illinois.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court this week struck down the state’s congressional districts as constitutionally imbalanced and ordered they be redrawn by Feb. 9. If the governor and legislators can’t agree on a map, the justices said they’ll draw it themselves.
Chicago Tribune: Ald. Ed Burke blocks property tax appeals tied to his law firm, critics call conflict
Influential Ald. Ed Burke has sidelined an effort to increase the property taxes paid by the owners of two buildings his law firm represents on assessment appeals, a move one Chicago City Council colleague and ethics experts say could violate conflict-of-interest rules.
The issue arose last week after 22nd Ward Ald. Ricardo Munoz, joined by nearly two dozen aldermen, introduced a measure that would force Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration to take legal steps to try to increase the assessed property values of seven prime commercial buildings. Munoz contended the properties were sold for more than twice as much as Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios valued them.
Chicago Tribune: Preckwinkle, Fioretti won't rule out tax hikes, clash over Berrios
Stung by the backlash against her soda tax, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Wednesday vowed not to go that route again, but both she and Democratic primary opponent Bob Fioretti stopped short of ruling out other further tax increases.
The candidates, who face off in the March 20 primary, displayed strong differences over whether Assessor Joe Berrios should go because of questions about unfair, error-riddled assessments that shift an outsized property tax burden onto poor county homeowners. Preckwinkle continued to back Berrios, her political ally, while Fioretti said it was time for a change in the leadership of both their offices.
Chicago Tribune: Rauner's calendar has mansion meeting mentioned in lawsuit by former business partner
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s official calendar shows he scheduled a May 2015 meeting at the Executive Mansion with a former business partner who claims in a lawsuit they discussed a personal business deal.
Harreld “Kip” Kirkpatrick’s lawsuit is over a disagreement with Rauner about how to divide a $67.5 million settlement from an investment they made before Rauner became governor.
Crain's Chicago Business: How did home values do last year where you live?
Home values in the Chicago area rose at a healthy rate in 2017, according to data released this morning.
The median price of a home sold in a nine-county Chicago area last year was $235,000, up 5.6 percent from 2016, according to data from the Illinois Association of Realtors.
Chicago Tribune: School board approves new CPS CEO and ethics change to clear way for top deputy
Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson formally claimed the system’s top post Wednesday following a string of supportive testimony from an organized group of aldermen, pastors and principals at the district’s monthly school board meeting.
The board approved Jackson’s appointment by a 5-0 vote, with Board Member Mahalia Hines voting by phone. A district spokesman said Jackson has not yet finalized the details of her contract with the school system.
Chicago Tribune: Divvy to lower daily prices and add longer-ride option
Divvy, Chicago’s bike-share service that saw a dip in income in 2016 after an expansion to more city neighborhoods, is radically changing its pricing strategy in hopes of attracting more riders, the city said Wednesday.
The service is also offering options for longer rides than the half-hour cap currently in place.
Northwest Herald: McHenry Township trustees to vote again on referendum that could eliminate road district
It appears the McHenry Township Road District will land on the chopping block – again.
Less than one month after trustees voted down a referendum that would allow residents to eliminate the road district with a majority vote at the polls in November, the board will take another vote Feb. 8.
Northwest Herald: School conference costs McHenry County taxpayers $73,000, including parking
Six of McHenry County’s largest school districts sent more than 75 administrators, staff and board members to a single conference in Chicago in November at a total cost to taxpayers of more than $73,000.
Although school officials said the expenses were necessary to network and keep up to date on the latest education trends, an area lawmaker called the spending irresponsible and has filed legislation to ban the practice.
Daily Herald: West Chicago High School teachers prepare for Friday strike vote
West Chicago High School teachers will vote to authorize a strike Friday as tensions with the school board escalate after nearly two years of contract talks.
Teachers met for three hours Wednesday to discuss the possibility of striking as early as next month. Union leaders pledged to continue negotiations, but the two sides are not scheduled to return to the bargaining table until Feb. 7.
Daily Herald: District 155 approves contracts for superintendent, Central principal
The Crystal Lake High School District 155 school board recently approved new contracts for Superintendent Steve Olson through the 2020-21 school year, and Eric Ernd as Crystal Lake Central High School’s principal.
Olson was interim superintendent since the start of the school year. He previously served as Central principal for 16 years, and as vice principal, dean, athletic director and guidance counselor.
Daily Herald: DuPage incumbents discuss ways to raise money for the county
Two incumbents seeking re-election to the DuPage County Board say the county should consider new sources of revenue — including a tax on hotel and motel stays — to hold the line on property taxes.
District 6 county board members Jim Zay of Carol Stream and Kevin Wiley of West Chicago are hoping to keep their seats. They will face Carol Stream resident Sean McQuade during the GOP primary in March to determine which two advance to the November general election.
Rockford Register-Star: Rockford Chamber endorses home rule
The Rockford Area Chamber of Commerce endorsed a March 20 referendum Tuesday that, if approved, would restore home rule in Rockford — a move that would enable the city to escape Springfield dysfunction, chamber CEO Einar Forsman said.
Home rule is a set of powers that would give the City Council greater authority to tax, regulate and implement local solutions to various problems. The endorsement comes after what Forsman said was extensive consideration of arguments from both those who support the restoration of home rule and those who fear it will put too much power into the hands of local elected officials. The chamber i