Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Another whack at Illinois pension spiking. Good.
Attention, Illinois school boards: If you spike pay for retiring teachers and administrators to boost their pensions, your taxpayers will get the bill. The rules just got a little tighter.
Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation last month as part of a $38.5 billion state budget agreement that further handcuffs school boards from bumping educators’ pay in the final stretch of their employment contracts. No more golden parachutes — at least, not without a price to the offending districts and their taxpayers. School districts that award end-of-career raises beyond 3 percent per year will trigger a penalty cost to the district. The previous cap was 6 percent.
State Journal-Register: Will Illinois raise the minimum salary for teachers?
Illinois last set a minimum salary for school teachers in 1980.
In the 38 years since, those salary levels have never been adjusted.
That could change if Gov. Bruce Rauner signs legislation approved by lawmakers in May that would set a minimum salary for teachers at $40,000 a year.
Daily Herald: DuPage mayors: Fight against state funding cuts not over
The newly appointed leaders of the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference say municipalities must continue working together to prevent the state from taking local tax revenue to fill gaps in its budget.
Wood Dale Mayor Annunziato “Nunzio” Pulice recently started his one-year term as president of the conference, which represents DuPage’s villages and cities. Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico serves as vice president.
Chicago Sun-Times: Emanuel wants to expand transit-oriented development policy to bus routes
Last fall, Chicago Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld argued that CTA bus service needed to be made “sexy” to reverse eroding ridership tied to ride-hailing.
What Mayor Rahm Emanuel is delivering cannot be characterized as “sexy” — but it has the potential to be groundbreaking.
WBEZ: Cook County To Hire Sexual Harassment Watchdog
Cook County workers could soon have a new way to fight sexual harassment.
County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard, an independent watchdog for the county’s 22,000 employees, is in the final stages of hiring an investigator who will focus on cases involving sexual harassment and other forms of employment discrimination.
Northwest Herald: McHenry County Board member sells home, leaves Illinois
The whereabouts of Michael Walkup have become somewhat of a mystery.
McHenry County Board members who work with Walkup and consider him a friend have revealed to the Northwest Herald that the District 3 representative and former board chairman has left the state.
Bloomington Pantagraph: City to hire Gleason as city manager, address TIF concerns
Decatur City Manager Tim Gleason is expected to become Bloomington’s next top administrator officially Monday when the City Council votes on a contract for him.
The council, which will meet at 7 p.m. at City Hall, also is expected to approve a compromise with Bloomington District 87 on the use of tax increment financing as an economic development tool.