What should be the government’s share for the cost of getting high?

Urbana city officials — with dollar signs in their eyes — hopped aboard the marijuana bandwagon this week, setting a 3 percent sales tax rate.

First things first, eh. After all, proponents of legalization may say it’s not about the money, but it’s always about the money, particularly when it comes to cash-starved government entities.

State transportation officials say this year’s 19-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase means millions more dollars to help fix aging downstate roads.

Illinois Department of Transportation engineers broke down how the money will be distributed for an audience at the Decatur Club during the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce breakfast Wednesday. It was welcome information for business owners and city leaders, who have long struggled with how to pay for rapidly deteriorating roads despite increasing material costs and other budget pressures.

Weeks after President Donald Trump raised her hopes over a reduced prison sentence for her husband, Patti Blagojevich took to social media on Thursday to vent about the lack of “outrage” over the dropping of charges against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock.

On Facebook and on Twitter, the former first lady of Illinois wrote, “Wire fraud, mail fraud, falsifying documents, theft of government money tax evasion … 0 DAYS IN JAIL — ALL CHARGES DROPPED IN SWEETHEART DEAL WITH FEDS.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale has fewer freshmen and fewer total students again this year, though the losses are smaller than in the recent past and come alongside several positive trends that could signal early improvements or at least rock bottom.

After total enrollment declines of 7.5%, 9.8%, and 13.6% in each of the last three years, enrollment is down 8.75% over last fall, to 11,695 students, the university announced Wednesday afternoon.

A third-party evaluation of the McHenry County Coroner’s Office after the resignation of former Coroner Anne Majewski characterized the department as being in an “abhorrent and dysfunctional state.”

The report, which was conducted by Dr. Dennis Kellar, highlighted a number of deficiencies, including a lack of security and quality assurance of fluid and tissue evidence, failure to meet minimum standards of education for deputy coroners and limited operational oversight.

As Sears continues to bleed jobs at its corporate headquarters in Hoffman Estates, village officials are working to stay a step ahead of whatever fate befalls the once mighty retail chain.

Transform Holdco LLC, the company that bought Sears Holdings in a bankruptcy sale this year, confirmed reports Thursday that it was eliminating about 250 positions at the headquarters. A company spokesman said the actions were taken last week.

Carol Stream’s distinction as one of the few suburbs without a municipal property tax has been a point of pride in village government for most of its 60-year history.

But that soon may come to an end.

The Winnebago County Board has less until the end of September to adopt a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, and the proposal that’s on the table is dripping with red ink.

On Aug. 29, the board ordered Carla Paschal, the county’s former administrator and chief financial officer, to come up with a list of $4.5 million worth of spending cuts necessary to achieve a balanced budget for fiscal 2020, which begins Oct. 1.