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Crain's Chicago Business: Leading contender for Senate president is a strong ally of ComEd
Sen. Kim Lightford, D-Maywood, who is believed to have the inside track on the leadership position, has in recent years also been a chief sponsor of legislation enabling the electric utility to raise delivery rates for its Chicago-area customers.
State Journal-Register: Bill would cut off lawmaker pay the day they leave office
A measure preventing lawmakers from receiving pay for days they did not hold office has remained in legislative limbo since its introduction in January. Its sponsor said the “simple, commonsense” fix is necessary to address the General Assembly’s “culture.”
Representatives and senators are paid in 12 equal disbursements on the last working day of each month. Currently, the statute allows legislators to collect a full month’s salary as long as they hold office at least part of that period, meaning a lawmaker can receive a full month’s pay for working just one day.
Chicago Tribune: Cook County Board approves $6.2 billion budget for 2020, without increases in taxes or fees
With only one sole voice of opposition, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved President Toni Preckwinkle’s $6.2 billion 2020 spending plan on Thursday afternoon.
In a special meeting that lasted less than 15 minutes, the budget soared through, in part, because it included no tax or fee increases that would be passed on to residents.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago-area Thanksgiving gas prices projected to be highest in five years
Chicago area residents will face, on average, the highest Thanksgiving Day gas prices they’ve seen in five years, experts say.
Regular, unleaded gas prices are projected to be $2.74 per gallon on Thanksgiving, up 17 cents from last year. That would be the highest figure since 2014, when the average price was just over $3, according to the American Automobile Association.
Chicago Tribune: Plan emerges to bring horse racing and casino gambling to Balmoral Park after Gov. J.B. Pritzker quashes Tinley Park racino
A south suburban developer is in the early stages of a deal that could bring horse racing back to Balmoral Park near south suburban Crete as part of a project that would include casino-style gambling.
The owner of Balmoral, New York-based horse show company HITS, is under contract to sell the property to local developer Phil Goldberg, both parties confirmed. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Chicago Sun-Times: County Board OKs limits on role of criminal history in housing decisions, but stops short of call for unanimous vote
Rules that seek to end housing discrimination based on past convictions were approved by the Cook County Board on Thursday, ending a months-long battle between landlords and real estate figures and advocates for people with criminal histories.
Troy O’Quin, who has compared having past run-ins with the law to wearing a scarlet letter, hailed the Thursday passage of the rules as a “historic day” and challenged the commissioners to “stand together and vote unanimously to accept the rules that have been filed.”
Chicago Tribune: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle says she’s not sure if she’ll ask for Commissioner Jeff Tobolski’s resignation
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Thursday said she’s not sure whether she’ll call for Commissioner Jeff Tobolski to resign from his elected position, despite his absence from three important board meetings.
Preckwinkle, who is chair of the Cook County Democratic Party, recently called on Tobolski, who is also mayor in McCook, to step down from his committee leadership posts.
Northwest Herald: McHenry County budget with permanent levy reductions approved
The McHenry County Board approved its fiscal 2020 budget, which makes property tax levy reductions from the last two fiscal years permanent, and levy ordinance on Tuesday.
Last year, the county passed a budget with more than $9.8 million in tax cuts, $7.53 million of which came from abatements and $2.3 million of which came from permanent reductions in the county’s property tax levy.
Daily Herald: Grayslake District 46 board approves raises for teachers, support staff
Weeks after a labor strike shut down Grayslake Elementary District 46 for one day, the school board has approved pay raises for teachers and support personnel.
The affected employees will receive 4% salary increases for this school year and 3.6% increases for the 2020-21 year, according to a statement posted to the district’s Facebook page.
Belleville News-Democrat: Board overwhelmingly bans sales, growth of cannabis for some areas of Madison County
When marijuana is legalized Jan. 1, it won’t be allowed to be bought, sold or grown in some areas of Madison County.
The Madison County Board overwhelmingly voted down two ordinances Wednesday night that would have allowed the processing, sale and production of cannabis outside of city limits.
Chicago Sun-Times: CPS watchdog fielding 3 complaints of adult sex misconduct per school day
The watchdog overseeing the Chicago Public Schools has received nearly three complaints per school day since last year of sexual misconduct by adults against students.
And out of all 535 cases reported since the start of October 2018, there are 239 that are still open and under investigation with 73 “substantially complete” and another 223 closed, according to the watchdog.
Chicago Tribune: Hundreds of new sex abuse or misconduct allegations involving CPS students reported since September. ‘What can we do to prevent this?’
Hundreds of new claims of sexual misconduct and gender-based harassment involving Chicago Public Schools students have been made since September, when the U.S. Department of Education announced it would oversee the district’s handling of investigations to protect students from sexual violence.
Over a recent yearlong period, 96 adults were pulled or blocked from CPS schools amid sexual misconduct allegations. Of those, 22 have been reinstated, and 57 were fired or quit, according to the inspector general.