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Chicago Tribune: Illinois exodus: Flight of the expats
y the tens of thousands each year, Illinoisans are fleeing this state’s rising taxes and mediocre jobs climate. Many no longer see Illinois as their fount of opportunity, the place worth investing their lives. They know the math of Illinois’ enormous public debts and the decadeslong soaking its taxpayers face. The next governor, whether incumbent Bruce Rauner or challenger J.B. Pritzker, will lead a shrinking constituency.
Why are people ditching Illinois? What might a governor, a legislature, do to keep them? How should voters who remain here factor this intensifying Illinois exodus into their votes on Nov. 6? We’ve been tracking down expatriates and reaching out to Illinoisans who face a wrenching choice: Do we stay or go? From now until the election, we’ll introduce you to some of these people. Today, from the expats, meet the Carpenters, the Heards and the Salvas.
Chicago Tribune: Rauner's conflict with organized labor expands to vacant lot next to governor's mansion
As a $15 million renovation of the Illinois governor’s mansion nears completion, a fight over a piece of land across the street has taken Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s long battle with organized labor to his front lawn.
At issue is nearly 2.5 acres owned by the city of Springfield that lies just north of the mansion’s gated grounds. The block has sat vacant for more than a year after the city demolished a YWCA building there. Since then, a nonprofit group backed by Rauner was picked to turn the lot into a park, featuring mounded hills, a sidewalk cafe and pools of water that could feature light shows in the summer and ice skating in the winter.
Northwest Herald: Former Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Miller lands job in Nunda Township
Bob Miller may have lost his seat as Algonquin Township highway commissioner, but that hasn’t kept him out of the road business.
He has earned $40 an hour inside the Nunda Township Road District since Aug. 15, according to records the Northwest Herald obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
Daily Herald: Elburn talking tax increase vote for parks
The Elburn village board will talk Monday about asking voters to increase property taxes or sales taxes as its parks commission looks to improve village-owned parks.
The commission submitted a “wish list” of items totaling $160,000 for the 2018-19 fiscal year, Elburn President Jeff Walter said, but the village board has only budgeted about $50,000.
Daily Herald: Gurnee sales tax revenues down three straight quarters
Sales tax revenue in Gurnee has remained down through the first nine months of the fiscal year.
The village collected $371,395 less in sales tax during the first three quarters of Fiscal Year 2018, which began May 1, 2017. That’s about 2.85 percent less than budgeted and 3 percent less than collected through the first three quarters of last year’s fiscal calendar.
Belleville News-Democrat: Eliminate regional superintendents and Illinois taxpayers save much more than $12 million
Illinois state Rep. Deb Conroy is proposing an end to the regional school superintendent system.
It’s a great idea, but maybe instead of redirecting the $12 million the state spends on the 35 offices to school mental health as the Democrat from Villa Park wants, Illinois should just cut.