Gov. Bruce Rauner’s signature authorizing Belleville Township to dissolve highlights a flawed process that prevents consolidation in a state that desperately needs it.
Occupational licensing requirements present one of the steepest barriers to low-income Illinoisans starting careers in beauty services. Illinois requires anyone seeking to become a barber, cosmetologist, nail technician or hair braider to obtain a state license, essentially a permission slip to work. Unlike 45 other states, Illinois offers only one pathway to licensure for each...