Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Crain's Chicago Business: Rauner goes on offense in budget standoff with televised call for 'unity'
Hoping to seize control of the state budget agenda at long last, Gov. Bruce Rauner will give an unprecedented live TV speech this evening to make the case to voters why Springfield Democrats, and not he, need to move to make a budget deal.
The address, set to be delivered shortly after 6 p.m. and likely to be picked up by outlets around the state, is designed to boost pressure on Rauner’s nemesis, House Speaker Michael Madigan, who has not proposed a budget even though Republicans and Senate Democrats have advanced their own spending plans.
Chicago Tribune: Rauner, schools play blame game as CPS takes out costly $275M loan
Chicago Public Schools closed an expensive deal on Monday to borrow some of the cash officials said the district needs to scrape through June and pay the bulk of a massive contribution to teacher pensions.
Schools officials turned to JPMorgan to purchase $275 million in “grant anticipation notes,” a short-term loan meant to be repaid with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of state education aid that’s been jammed up by the state’s continued lack of a budget.
State Journal-Register: Gill: Without state budget, no money for schools by January
The Springfield School District could open this fall, but would run out of money by January if state government fails to approve an education budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, Superintendent Jennifer Gill said Monday.
Gill’s update on state funding, which also included concerns about federal funds for professional development being slashed, was the highlight of Monday’s school board meeting.
Daily Herald: U-46 officials say schools may close without state budget
Elgin Area School District U-46 receives $150 million annually from the state, including general state aid and categorical payments.
“If they don’t pass a budget or a stopgap budget, all the funding stops,” said Jeff King, U-46 chief operations officer. “We would be out of money by wintertime. We would use all of our reserves. Our options would be a line of credit or tax anticipation warrants to get us through the rest of the (school) year.”
Fox Illinois: Could Illinois file for bankruptcy?
We are two days away from the start of a special session called by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
While many remain hopeful a deal can be brokered, some fear the state may soon reach its breaking point.
Belleville News-Democrat: Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield but will they accomplish anything?
On Wednesday state lawmakers will return to Springfield because Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner called them back for a 10-day special session before the new fiscal year begins July 1, which we might also label “last stop before the abyss.”
They left town May 31 after the Illinois House failed to even bring a budget proposal to the floor for a vote. Without a special session, Illinois would begin a third fiscal year without a budget, watch its record bill backlog of $15.1 billion grow even more and have its bonds downgraded to junk status — meaning our massive debt will cost even more in interest.
Chicago Tribune: Emanuel hits D.C. to talk up proposed high school graduation requirement
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is set to take the stage at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., at noon Chicago time on Tuesday.
His speech, being billed as “Moving Forward in Chicago,” will address his bid to require public high school seniors to provide a college or trade school acceptance letter, proof of military enlistment or a job offer in order to graduate, the announcement said. He’ll make remarks and take questions from the audience and from people who submit queries in advance online.
Chicago Tribune: Supreme Court to hear potentially landmark Wisconsin case on partisan gerrymandering
The Supreme Court declared Monday that it will consider whether gerrymandered election maps favoring one political party over another violate the Constitution, a potentially fundamental change in the way American elections are conducted.
The justices regularly are called to invalidate state electoral maps that have been illegally drawn to reduce the influence of racial minorities by depressing the impact of their votes.
News-Gazette: Lessons learned from NIU case?
Will the University of Illinois rid itself of former Gov. Pat Quinn’s patronage legacy?
Northern Illinois University President Ron Baker announced last week that he’s stepping down on June 30, about a month after a state inspector general’s report chastised him for overseeing the wholesale violation of hiring rules to get favored associates on the payroll.
So, once again, pride goeth before a fall. President Baker’s administration self-destructed because of his self-image as all-powerful and beyond any accountability, filling the top spot on the university’s organization chart.
Chicago Sun-Times: Union group led by Edwin Eisendrath submits bid to purchase Sun-Times
An investment group led by former Chicago Ald. Edwin Eisendrath has submitted a bid against Chicago Tribune parent company Tronc Inc. to buy the Chicago Sun-Times and weekly Chicago Reader.
“We have received a bid from a group led by Edwin Eisendrath and we are currently evaluating the proposal,” Sun-Times Publisher and Editor In Chief Jim Kirk said in an email.
Daily Herald: Des Plaines reverses decision, opts out of Cook County wage law
Amid intensified pressure from business owners, Des Plaines aldermen voted Monday to opt out of Cook County ordinances increasing the minimum wage and requiring paid sick days — reversing an earlier decision.
Two weeks ago, the city council narrowly voted to follow the county rules, which raise the minimum wage to $13 per hour by 2020 and require five days of sick leave a year for full-time workers.
Bloomington Pantagraph: Council questions allowing felons on police review board
Bloomington City Council members appear to favor creating a civilian oversight board for public safety services, but whether felons could serve appears to be a sticking point.
The council, which is expected to vote next month on the creation of the Public Safety and Community Relations Board, discussed the issue in a nonvoting work session Monday night that drew an audience of about 100 people, most of whom favor the concept.
Belleville News-Democrat: Belleville increases trash collections fees
Belleville aldermen on Monday voted 11-4 to raise trash collection fees $2 a month for most residents for a total of $20 and $1 a month for senior citizens for a total of $15.
The city had not increased the fees since 2010 for most residents and not since 2009 for residents 65 and older.