Get the latest news from around Illinois.
State Journal-Register: Senate committee approves graduated income tax rates
An Illinois Senate committee Tuesday approved tax rates that would go into effect if voters approve moving to a graduated state income tax after 2020.
The rates vary slightly from those proposed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, in part because Senate Democrats created separate sets of rates for people who file joint tax returns and those who file singly. Pritzker suggested one set of rates for everyone, which had the effect of penalizing married couples who file jointly.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago’s ‘impound racket’ is ‘unconstitutional,’ lawsuit says
Spencer Byrd’s 1996 Cadillac DeVille meant a lot to the 51-year-old carpenter and part-time mechanic.
Byrd, who lives in Harvey, kept most of his tools in the trunk and would travel to help people with car troubles to earn extra cash.
Champaign News-Gazette: Illinois' pension woes are far worse than state admits
Everyone in Illinois who’s paying attention — not close to a majority — knows the state’s public pensions are in horrendous shape. The most common estimate is the pensions for teachers, state employees, judges, legislators and university employees are underfunded by $134 billion-plus and growing.
That’s bad. Suppose it was even worse, so bad it would be a relief if it was only $134 billion?
Northwest Herald: State lawmakers consider eliminating cash bail
Two years after passing a significant bail bond reform law, some Illinois lawmakers are considering doing away with cash bail.
Supporters of that idea say it would bring greater fairness to the system, especially for low-income people charged with relatively minor offenses.
Peoria Journal-Register: Illinois starts permit process to grow industrial hemp
Applications to grow and process industrial hemp are now live as of 9 a.m. Tuesday.
“From farming to processing to sales and exports — this will have a massive impact on our state’s economy,” Gov. JB Pritzker said at a press conference. “Farmers across the state can diversify their crops and join a growing industry.”
Chicago Tribune: Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot wants teens to know they can 'engage in productive activities in neighborhoods'
Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot held her second high-level crime fighting meeting of the week Tuesday, bringing together several city department heads at City Hall to prepare for summer violence.
“I want to make sure that every single city resource that we have is focused on keeping our communities safe this summer,” Lightfoot told reporters after talking to officials from the Police Department, the Chicago Park District, the Department of Streets and Sanitation, Chicago Public Schools and other agencies.
Chicago Sun-Times: Violent crime down in Chicago through April compared to 2018: police
Murders, shootings and other violent crimes during the first four months of 2019 have decreased compared to the same period in 2018, according to data released by Chicago police.
The 136 murders reported between Jan. 1 and April 30 marked a 10 percent decline from the same period last year, while the 541 shootings marked an 8 percent drop from last year and a 41 percent drop from 2016, police said.
WBEZ: Pritzker Appointee Leaves Key Quincy Legionnaires’ Questions Unanswered
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker spent almost his entire campaign last year denigrating former Gov. Bruce Rauner for his “fatal mismanagement” of multiple, fatal Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks at the state-run Quincy veterans’ home.
But on Tuesday, with Pritzker having inherited the problems at the Illinois Veterans Home, some of his key appointees struggled to tell a legislative panel exactly what they are doing after more than 100 days in power that is any different than under the former administration.
WBEZ: 3 Chicago Public Schools Expected To Strike Wednesday Evening
Chicago may mark May Day — an international celebration of workers — with the start of several strikes.
Three privately run Chicago public schools with a combined staff of 110 could be on strike and walking the picket lines by Wednesday evening. In addition, 450 clerks and technical staff at City Colleges of Chicago are poised to strike.
Bloomington Pantagraph: McLean County officials call for gas tax hike
McLean County officials are on board with calls to raise the state’s gas tax to pay for road improvements.
As state legislators consider whether to increase the tax, assessed at 19 cents per gallon whenever motorists fuel up in Illinois, to pay for an infrastructure bill, County Board Chair John McIntyre said such a plan would be a boon for the state’s geographically largest county outside Cook.