State lawmakers passed into law a bill that exempts a single Chicago performance hall from a provision in Illinois state liquor law, overriding Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto. This practice of granting piecemeal exemptions is commonplace but cumbersome.
An amendment to Illinois’ longstanding Liquor Control Act creates curious guidelines that seem likely to favor a few specific Chicago businesses, while keeping the status quo intact for the rest.
A bill in the Illinois Senate would provide certain alcohol producers some freedom within the state’s three-tier system – which has been maintained through measures limiting competition and benefiting the politically connected.
Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.