Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Labor unions come out in support of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's graduated income tax plan
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s backers in organized labor are putting their weight behind his plan to shift Illinois from a flat-rate income tax to a system where higher earners pay higher rates.
Bob Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, was among union leaders who joined the Democratic governor Tuesday at a news conference at the Thompson Center in the Loop to pitch the plan, which the Pritzker administration says would generate $3.4 billion in new annual revenue by raising rates on the wealthiest 3 percent of taxpayers while cutting taxes for everyone else.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois losing even more high school graduates to out-of-state colleges
For years, Illinois colleges and universities have tried to find new ways to attract more high school graduates from within the state, while young people increasingly are choosing to pursue their degrees elsewhere.
New data show the problem is only getting worse.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois House votes — again — to raise smoking age to 21 statewide
The Illinois House on Tuesday again voted to raise the smoking age in Illinois to 21.
The General Assembly last year approved a bill that would have raised the legal age for purchasing cigarettes, other tobacco products and e-cigarettes statewide, but then-Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the measure. The new version passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 82-31.
Chicago Sun-Times: Pappas to announce deadline for Cook County property owners to pay late taxes
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas plans to announce the deadline Wednesday morning for roughly 57,000 property owners to pay their delinquent taxes ahead of the county’s looming tax sale.
Roughly 57,000 property owners in the county haven’t paid their past due taxes, including more than 20,000 whose bills were returned by the U.S. Postal Service, according to a statement from the treasurer’s office.
Chicago Tribune: Mayor Rahm Emanuel's ethics reform plan stalls in City Council committee
The bulk of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s attempt to tighten City Council ethics rules and curtail aldermen’s ability to exert control over zoning issues in their wards stalled out in a City Council committee Tuesday because some council members said the plan would mainly serve to empower big developers.
The fight over the language throws into relief the difficulty of legislating changes to aldermanic behavior that has long been baked into the traditions of the council rather than contained within its official rules. It came the same day mayoral candidates Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle differed on the way to deal with that so-called aldermanic privilege while talking to the Tribune Editorial Board.
Chicago Tribune: Divvy to get $50 million upgrade from Lyft investment in exchange for ride revenue under contract proposal
Lyft would pour $50 million into the Divvy bike share program — more than doubling the number of available bikes and putting docking stations in every ward in the city — under a 9-year contract proposed as an amendment to the ride-share company’s city contract.
The proposal would require Lyft, which took over Divvy’s operation last year, to add 175 stations and 10,500 bikes, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld announced Tuesday.
WTTW Chicago Tonight: Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi Pushes for More Reform
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi says he wants more transparency within the property tax assessment system. Under his predecessor’s watch, that system was rife with errors and ethical concerns.
Specifically, Kaegi is supporting a proposed state bill requiring some commercial and residential property owners to annually report rent and property-related income and expenses.
Peoria Journal-Star: Gary Matthews and business partner sue Peoria, blame city for Pere Marquette’s failure
The former developers of the Hotel Pere Marquette say in a lawsuit that it was the actions of city officials — not themselves — that led to a financial debacle that could cost taxpayers millions.
Gary Mathews and Monte Brannan’s suit, filed last Thursday in Peoria County Circuit Court, alleges City Hall — specifically City Manager Patrick Urich and Mayor Jim Ardis — worked against them to the detriment of the hotel and to the taxpayers. Because of Urich’s and Ardis’ actions, they claim, the hotel went into foreclosure, the developers were forced out and lost millions. Taxpayers are now on the hook for some $7 million, the suit claims.
Decatur Herald & Review: Decatur School District agrees to pay $42,500 to former teacher in settlement
A former teacher who says she was discriminated against because she took leave during her pregnancy will be paid $42,500 under a settlement agreement with the Decatur School District.
The district’s board approved the agreement with former French Academy teacher Angela Curry during its Tuesday meeting, denying any wrongdoing in the case but saying that “further litigation would be tedious and expensive for all concerned.”
State Journal-Register: TIF funds for downtown hotel, entertainment center one step closer to approval
After a few concerns were addressed, the use of $7.65 million from the Central Area tax-increment financing district for a hotel and entertainment complex at Fourth and Washington streets is one step closer to a final vote.
Springfield City Council members, after hearing a presentation from the project’s developers at Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, placed the TIF request on the consent agenda for next week’s city council meeting, basically guaranteeing that it will be approved.