Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Rauner-Madigan war leads to exodus of lawmakers from Springfield
The long-running, expensive political battle between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan has resulted in a war of attrition in Springfield that’s led to a mass exodus of lawmakers and forced legislative leaders to find replacements.
House Republican leader Jim Durkin, who’s been confronted with a split among his members over supporting a major income tax increase the governor opposed, acknowledged the years of gridlock have proved unsatisfying to some at the Capitol.
Chicago Sun-Times: Emanuel invites Chicago ‘nominations’ for site of Amazon’s HQ2
Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday invited “nominations” for Chicago sites that could house Amazon’s second North American headquarters — even as behind-the-scenes competition continued to focus on a handful of downtown options, including the Old Main Post Office and the Michael Reese Hospital site.
Earlier this week, Gov. Bruce Rauner played regional politics on the same day that he and the mayor dispatched a delegation to Seattle to get a first-hand look at HQ1: Amazon’s 8.1 million square-foot, 33 building campus, which houses 40,000 employees.
Crain's Chicago Business: You're not imagining it, Cook County: Property values still lag here
In a finding many local property owners already know all too well, a new study concludes that while the Cook County real estate market is improving, the recovery from the subprime recession is proceeding at an agonizingly slow rate, with the estimated total value of all homes, factories and commercial property still well below where it was 10 years ago.
The study comes from the Civic Federation, which every year releases a “full market value” report by combining and crunching data from the Cook County Assessor and Illinois Department of Revenue. Today’s report—you can read the whole thing at the bottom of this story—covers the period through tax year 2015 (those bills were paid last year), the latest for which full data are available.
Daily Herald: No sales tax increase in Naperville, but property tax hike looms
Naperville’s sales will remain at 0.5 percent for another two years, but that decision could affect city spending and increase property taxes.
The city council voted 5-4 not to increase the tax to 1 percent as suggested by staff, despite a $5 million gap between revenue and expenditures forecast for next year by City Manager Doug Krieger.
Rockford Register-Star: Winnebago County Courthouse layoffs raise security questions
A layoff of up to 64 reserve deputies who provide security at Winnebago County courthouses would cut $960,000 from the sheriff’s budget — less than a quarter of the total reduction the County Board has proposed for the sheriff.
And it would leave metal detectors and X-ray machines at those facilities unattended. Chief Judge Joe McGraw says that the Sheriff Gary Caruana is required by law to provide courthouse security, but it’s unclear how he would do so if some or all of those deputies are laid off. Caruana told the Register Star Tuesday he was considering roving patrols by deputies through the courthouse. He wasn’t immediately available for comment today.
Decatur Herald & Review: Macon Street homes remain unfilled by Decatur Housing Authority
The Decatur Housing Authority is boosting its efforts to sell its eight new homes sitting empty in the 1000 block of West Macon Street by dipping into its $25,000 marketing budget to hire a consultant, searching for buyers weeks after officials had anticipated having buyers in place.
There has been interest from only two potential buyers who began the homeowner training program over the summer, but other than that, “there is nothing to report,” said Terri Goodman, director of finance for the housing authority.
State Journal-Register: Sangamon County employees picket amid contract negotiations
Adult and juvenile probation officers and employees from Sangamon County’s Juvenile Detention Center were picketing outside the county building earlier this week in an attempt to draw attention to their ongoing contract negotiations.
The employees, members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1936, have been working without a contract since November 2015.
Belleville News-Democrat: Lawmakers demand free feminine hygiene products in school bathrooms
Someone in Springfield is feeling pretty good about themselves. They’ve removed the potential for embarrassment to our impoverished menstruating youngsters.
No more going to the nurse’s office, finding a quarter or asking your friend to dig through her purse starting Jan. 1. The State of Illinois has come to your feminine hygiene rescue and mandated free supplies be placed in girls restrooms used by grades 6 through 12.
There may be untold good that comes out of this latest act of legislative largesse. But it is the untold costs that are the concern.