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Chicago Tribune: Cook County pop tax likely to be repealed next week as 3 more commissioners switch sides
The controversial Cook County soda pop tax now has a likely expiration date of Dec. 1, with enough commissioners backing its repeal to override a veto by Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Twelve of the board’s 17 commissioners have now signed on to the repeal ordinance, slated for a key test vote on Tuesday. It takes 11 votes to override a veto.
Chicago Tribune: In defense of pop tax, Preckwinkle sounds like predecessor Stroger
Even as the much-reviled Cook County pop tax is likely to be repealed this week, Board President Toni Preckwinkle continues to try to make the case that losing all that money would gut vital services.
For Preckwinkle, it’s an odd place to be. Once praised for cutting taxes and streamlining the county bureaucracy, these days she finds herself in a situation eerily similar to the one that helped her vanquish her predecessor at the polls seven years ago.
Chicago Tribune: Amazon's HQ2 quest sent Chicago looking for an 'in,' Mayor Emanuel's emails show
When Amazon announced its search for a second corporate headquarters last month — launching competition so fierce a Georgia city offered to create a new town named after the company — Chicago officials realized they had a potential inside contact.
“Have you looked at the board of amazon. Jamie (Gorelick) is in there,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel emailed Deputy Mayor Robert Rivkin hours after Seattle-based Amazon announced it was seeking requests for proposals for the $5 billion project, according to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Daily Herald: Metra's doomsday budget includes fare hikes, service cuts
Metra commuters could see reduced service in 2018 on the Milwaukee North Line and the North Central Service among other routes through the suburbs as a result of the agency’s proposed doomsday budget.
Riders also could see fare increases of up to 12.6 percent, administrators said at a Friday meeting.
Chicago Sun-Times: Lawsuit over Chicago school scandal stalls, ‘mastermind’ off to prison
The last of the three figures convicted in the scandal that ensnared former Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett reports to federal prison Tuesday, but CPS is still fighting to recover money from the trio for defrauding the school system.
Cash-strapped CPS announced in March 2016 it would sue for up to $65 million in much-needed damages from Byrd-Bennett and the two owners of the SUPES Academy — the suburban firm to which she steered $23 million in no-bid contracts while she oversaw Chicago’s schools.
Daily Herald: Elk Grove Village mayor wants total tobacco sales ban
Elk Grove Village may prohibit stores from selling tobacco to residents under age 21 or even ban sales of the products altogether.
If it takes the latter step, the village would be one of the first, if not the only, local government in the country to ban tobacco sales. Chicago and some other suburbs have already raised the minimum age, including Naperville, Lincolnshire and Buffalo Grove. Lake County has increased the age in unincorporated areas.
Daily Herald: District 15 support employees allowed to strike as soon as Oct. 16
Palatine Township Elementary District 15 secretaries, nurses and other support employees have authorized their union to call a strike amid stalled contract negotiations.
An intent-to-strike notice has been filed with a state agency by the Educational Support Personnel Association union. Under state law, the 435-member local affiliated with the Illinois Education Association cannot strike until Oct. 16.
Rockford Register-Star: Winnebago County sheriff laying groundwork for suit against County Board
Nine months.
That is how long Winnebago County Chief Financial Officer Carla Paschal estimates Sheriff Gary Caruana can run his department at its current staffing levels before he is no longer able to make payroll.