Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Chicago Park District seeks to raise property taxes as part of $462 million budget
The Chicago Park District is proposing a property tax increase to help pay for an expansion of recreation programs as part of its proposed $462.3 million budget, released online late Wednesday, the afternoon before Thanksgiving.
The Park District’s budget includes a tax increase amounting to an additional $6.48 for the average homeowner, generating $7.6 million in revenue.
Chicago Tribune: On Thanksgiving eve, CTA serves up budget — including 25-cent fare hike
As many Chicagoans were traveling or baking pies in preparation for Thanksgiving and the long holiday weekend, city officials announced a proposal to raise CTA bus and train fares by 25 cents next year in what would be the first across-the-board hike since 2009.
The 2018 fare increase is intended to help fill a more than $33 million hole caused, in part, by a drop in state funding for the transit service, which provides about 1.6 million rides every weekday. Metra, the commuter rail system, and Pace, the suburban bus service, already have approved fare hikes for 2018.
Chicago Sun-Times: Rauner grants five clemency petitions, denies 97
Gov. Bruce Rauner has granted five petitions for clemency and denied 97 others.
His office announced the action Wednesday, saying it’s the twenty-first set of petitions the Republican governor has taken up since taking office in 2015.
State Journal-Register: Laura Campbell suspended from IDOT job for interviewing friend for job
Laura Campbell, the wife of Sangamon County Republican sheriff candidate Jack Campbell, served a 30-day suspension from her post at a state agency for taking part in interviewing her neighbor for a job to which he was hired.
Word of that sanction came with the release Wednesday of a report from the Executive Inspector General’s officewith findings that Laura Campbell had violated an administrative order and an IDOT conflict-of-interest policy by participating in the 2014 interview.
Northwest Herald: Hidden camera? Algonquin Township supervisor pleads the 5th
Algonquin Township Supervisor Charles Lutzow refused to testify when asked who installed a video camera that the township clerk claims was used to spy on her in a records room.
On Nov. 17, standing before McHenry County Circuit Judge Michael Caldwell, Township Clerk Karen Lukasik’s attorney, David McArdle, questioned Lutzow about his role with Algonquin Township and his knowledge of court proceedings so far.
Fox Illinois: 20-year Springfield Comprehensive Plan released
A 20-year plan for the city of Springfield has just been released and many things all around you may soon change.
The process took the city and a board of steering members about 18 months to finalize, but there are still several obstacles in the way before granting this plan.