Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois House overrides Rauner vetoes of income tax increase, budget
Seeking to restore stability to a state government teetering on the abyss, lawmakers on Thursday turned aside Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s opposition to a major income tax increase and a spending plan, ending a record-setting impasse.
Illinois had gone 736 days without a budget, and the final seven packed in plenty of statehouse drama. Tempers flared, threats were issued, alliances shifted. A surprise tax hike vote over a long holiday weekend was met with a quick veto by a governor who’d dug in his heels. Lawmakers, though, stood their ground, with members of both parties coming together long enough to override.
Northwest Herald: Illinois ends 3-year spending plan impasse, and raises your taxes
After more than two years without one, Illinois has a full-year budget – but your income tax went up 32 percent retroactive to the start of the month to help pay for it.
The Illinois House on Thursday mustered the necessary votes to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s vetoes of both the tax increase and the $36 billion budget that it funds. It overrode the tax hike veto with the exact 71 votes required, while the spending bill passed with 74 votes.
Peoria Journal-Star: Hazmat scare at Illinois Capitol
Authorities investigated a powdery substance that was tossed into several locations in the Capitol shortly before a vote to override the governor’s budget veto.
Chicago Tribune: Boss Madigan's Republican enablers give his minions cover
My hope of Dissolving Illinois — to save middle-class taxpayers from being stuck in this toxic wasteland of a state — hit a snag on Thursday.
It wasn’t the hazmat crews crawling over the Capitol Building in Springfield after finding some mysterious white powder tossed around the governor’s office.
Chicago Tribune: Your Illinois income tax hike? Right now. Reforms? Maybe later — maybe.
Finalizing a 32 percent income tax hike, the Illinois House on Thursday approved a budget for the fiscal year that began July 1. Illinois taxpayers will begin paying a 4.95 percent individual income rate, up from 3.75 percent, retroactive to July 1.
What are taxpayers getting for sending another $5 billion to Springfield?
Business as usual.
Crain's Chicago Business: Aetna threatens to exit Illinois Medicaid over budget crisis
Aetna Better Health, which the state of Illinois owes at least $698 million, has had enough.
The subsidiary of the national insurance giant has given the state notice that it plans to terminate its Medicaid contracts, Aetna spokesman T.J. Crawford wrote today in an email.
Aetna Better Health, which the state of Illinois owes at least $698 million, has had enough. The subsidiary of the national insurance giant has given the state notice that it plans to terminate its Medicaid contracts, Aetna spokesman T.J. Crawford wrote today in an email.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Lottery resumes selling Mega Millions, Powerball tickets
The Illinois Lottery has resumed sales of Mega Millions and Powerball tickets now that the state’s budget stalemate has concluded, lottery officials said.
The state stopped sales late last month of the popular Powerball and Mega Millions games due to its inability to contribute to the prize pool without a budget in place.
State Journal-Register: IDOT says state road projects can resume with new budget
Road construction workers across the state will begin returning to work after the Illinois Department of Transportation said construction projects can resume with Thursday’s approval of a full-year state budget.
Workers were sent home or not called it at all on Monday, the first work day of the state fiscal year amid the ongoing budget impasse that led to the state shutting down approximately 900 transportation projects totaling $3.3 billion, according to one of the state’s largest contractor associations.
News-Gazette: UI happy to get back to work, even if new budget cuts its appropration 10%
Ordinarily, a $60 million funding cut wouldn’t be terribly good news.
But Thursday’s approval of a budget deal in Springfield prompted a collective sigh of relief across the University of Illinois, where faculty departures were escalating and several major construction projects shut down July 1 — including the massive reconstruction of Green Street in front of the Illini Union.
Chicago Tribune: Wall Street agency looks at CPS finances 'for a potential downgrade'
Moody’s Investors Service said on Thursday that it may downgrade its already gloomy outlook for Chicago Public Schools finances because of the state’s “ongoing failure” to help finance the district’s operations.
The Wall Street ratings agency announcement that it would review some $5 billion worth of the district’s junk-rated bonds “for possible downgrade” came on the same day state lawmakers overrode Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s vetoes of an income tax increase and a budget plan.
Chicago Sun-Times: County Board president lists 925 for layoffs if no soda tax
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart’s office just got a letter from Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle listing 925 positions designated for layoffs — if a judge doesn’t allow a countywide sweet beverage tax to take effect by August.
• The kicker: Sneed is told 377 of those jobs, many of them held by Cook County Jail correctional officers, are held by members of the Chicago Teamsters Union.