Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: A tax on how much you drive — could it happen in Illinois?
The Illinois gas tax was last increased in 1990, from 16 cents a gallon to 19 cents.
In that year, East and West Germany reunited, Nelson Mandela left prison and Andre Dawson played for the Cubs.
Chicago Sun-Times: Teacher shortage felt across the state and curriculum
The shortage of teachers in Illinois has gotten more serious over the past year, reaching into virtually every subject area and region of the state, and forcing schools to cancel programs, enlarge class sizes or use teachers who are not fully licensed in a particular subject area.
Those are the conclusions of a new report released Monday from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, which was based on survey responses from 527 of the 858 district superintendents in Illinois.
WBEZ: Ain’t Chicago’s City Council Ready For Reform? We’ll Find Out Tuesday
Is Chicago finally ready for reform?
Maybe it ain’t. But the corruption scandal that’s ensnared Chicago’s most powerful City Council member has spurred much talk of reform at City Hall. And this week, aldermen are set to discuss several major changes to city ethics rules.
Chicago Tribune: City watchdog found shooting of disabled teen by Chicago cop unjustified but recommended only 90-day suspension
The city’s police oversight agency has found that a Chicago police sergeant unjustifiably used deadly force when he shot an unarmed teen with mental disabilities in an off-duty incident in 2017.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability concluded that Sgt. Khalil Muhammad acted in an “objectively unreasonable” fashion yet initially recommended only a suspension of 90 days without pay.
Chicago Sun-Times: Mayoral allies stall referendum for tax increase to combat homelessness
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has repeatedly shot down efforts to raise Chicago’s real estate transfer tax on high-end home sales — either to reduce homelessness or replace lead water service lines — arguing that homeowners are “not an ATM machine.”
On Monday, mayoral allies on the City Council’s Finance Committee did it again by the narrowest of margins.
Northwest Herald: Richmond-Burton District 157 board to vote on superintendent contract
The Richmond-Burton District 157 board is set to vote on a superintendent contract at Wednesday’s meeting in the Richmond-Burton High School library.
Superintendent Tom Lind serves both District 157 and Nippersink District 2, which will then vote on the same contract at its March 20 meeting at Richmond Grade School.
Rockford Register-Star: Winnebago County Board considers shrinking chairman’s authority further
A few Winnebago County Board members are crafting another measure that would alter the powers and duties of Chairman Frank Haney.
The Personnel & Policies Committee of the board was scheduled to discuss the proposal Monday evening, but the meeting was canceled a few hours before it was to begin.
Bloomington Pantagraph: Bloomington council OKs economic development department
De Urban says she is excited about the city creating a new economic development department to help small-business owners like herself.
“With the creation of an economic development department we are actually going to have a place for business owners to interact to get the services they need to make our businesses operate,” said Urban, who owns Alley Kats Arts & Antiques, 401 S. Center St.
State Journal-Register: City commission OKs $7.6 million for downtown hotel
The Springfield Economic Development Commission approved use of $7.6 million from the Central Area tax-increment financing district for a major development that would include demolishing an old parking ramp and replacing it with a 95-room hotel at Fourth and Washington streets in downtown Springfield.
The request, brought by developer DK Collection SPI, LLC., was approved unanimously and now heads to the Springfield City Council for consideration.