Illinois Politics
State Income Tax Range: 4.95% (flat rate)Average Combined State and Local Sales Tax Rate: 8.83%Median Property Tax Rate: $2,165 per $100,000 of assessed home value Sorry, Illinois, but you’re the least tax-friendly state in the country for middle-class families. For all three taxes we’re tracking – income, sales, and property taxes – you tax middle-income…
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Education professionals from across the state are being put on unpaid leave or fired for not complying with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. And their unions have been of no help. It’s not known how many teachers or other education professionals have been put on unpaid leave or fired for not complying with the…
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In a 7-0 vote Nov. 16, the Illinois State Board of Elections dismissed a campaign spending complaint against Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino’s old Illinois House campaign committee. Back in May, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Mautino’s campaign committee did violate Illinois campaign finance law by spending $225,109 from 1999 until 2015 on gas and repairs to vehicles the…
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SPRINGFIELD – Plaintiffs in three lawsuits challenging the new legislative district maps that Democrats pushed through the General Assembly earlier this year have submitted their proposed changes, which would create more Latino- and Black-majority districts in Cook County and the Metro East region. The latest filings, submitted to a three-judge federal court panel Wednesday night,…
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One recent death due to COVID and 30 have died from it since the inception of the pandemic. From Illinois Veterans Home-Quincy Administrator Troy Culbertson sent to staff and residents on Wednesday: Since our last COVID-19 update there have been zero additional cases of COVID-19 among residents at our home, for a total of 141…
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For calling an attorney challenging his executive orders in court a “grifter,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker faces a summons in Sangamon County Circuit Court to answer to a defamation allegation. Thomas DeVore, an attorney who has filed multiple lawsuits against the governor over COVID-19 vaccine mandates in schools and businesses, sued Pritzker late last month, claiming…
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Illinois’ sluggish labor market is driven by a record number of workers quitting their jobs at the same time there are fewer job opportunities than in nearly any other state. Even though an all-time record number of workers quit, Illinois was only No. 7 in the “Great Resignation.” Illinois’ sluggish labor market is driven by…
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If nothing is done soon to address Illinois’ unemployment trust fund debt, employer groups say the costs to do business in Illinois will continue to increase. Illinois is past due on its unemployment insurance trust fund debt and the interest continues to grow. As of Monday, the U.S. Treasury showed Illinois’ outstanding unemployment trust fund debt is…
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2020-2021 Pre-K-12 enrollment fell 3.6 percent from previous year SPRINGFIELD – The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant drops in enrollment, academic performance and the likelihood of graduating high school on time, according to the latest school report card released recently by the Illinois State Board of Education. The report card is an annual report that tracks how…
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SPRINGFIELD — Illinois lawmakers gave final approval in the early hours of Friday morning to a new congressional redistricting plan that divides the state into 17 districts, one fewer than it currently has due to its loss of population since the 2010 U.S. Census. It was the fourth draft plan that legislative Democrats had proposed over the…
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SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House late Wednesday gave final passage to a bill that repeals the state’s Parental Notice of Abortion Act, clearing the way for Gov. JB Pritzker to sign it into law. The bill narrowly passed out of the Senate on Tuesday night on a 32-22 vote, with three Democrats voting no and six…
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Senate could vote on bill Thursday; would take effect June 2022 if signed SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House passed a measure Wednesday night that would give employers greater authority to enforce COVID-19 vaccine or testing requirements. The final vote came after 10 p.m. Wednesday, passing on a 64-52 roll call with two present votes. No…
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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate advanced a measure to repeal the state’s Parental Notice of Abortion Act early Tuesday evening amid staunch opposition from Republicans and religious groups. The repeal bill passed the Senate Executive Committee on a 9-6-1 vote Tuesday shortly after 5 p.m., and passed the full Senate 32-22 shortly after 8 p.m.…
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Latest map released this weekend moves Peoria-area congressman north, pits him against Kinzinger. Rodney Davis would represent much of West-Central Illinois. Illinois Democrats are pitting Republicans against each other in a pair of potential races in the latest revised congressional map released late Saturday. The plan is likely to be voted on this week when…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced an executive order Friday that will add day care personnel to the list of professions that must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing. The governor’s office said it expects the order to affect 55,000 individuals in the state, although many of them may have already…
Read Full Article Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded to the lawsuit filed by attorney Thomas DeVore against 145 schools, Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education behalf of hundreds of parents of students over COVID-19 orders affecting school children. “Well, you know, he’s a grifter who is taking money from parents who are being taken advantage of,”…
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SPRINGFIELD, IL – Relief is coming for farmers who experienced excessive moisture and flash flooding this spring and summer in 12 Illinois counties. The United States Department of Agriculture reviewed the Loss Assessment Reports and determined there were sufficient production losses to warrant a Secretarial natural disaster designation. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has issued a…
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Parents of dozens of students are suing 145 Illinois school districts, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education over COVID-19 orders affecting school children. All Adams County school districts are part of the suit along with most Hancock County schools and several others in West Central Illinois. The case filed in Macoupin…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Monday his administration has reached agreement with multiple trade unions requiring certain state workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but it is extending the deadline for workers to get their first shot to Oct. 26 while negotiations continue with the state’s largest public employees union. Pritzker issued executive orders in late…
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SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly released a proposed set of new congressional district maps Friday, just days before lawmakers return to the Statehouse for the start of their fall veto session, which begins Oct. 19. All states redraw their congressional districts following each decennial census. The proposed new maps reflect the fact that Illinois…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign released summary documents of his 2020 tax returns Friday, which showed the first family reporting $5.14 million in adjusted gross income, all from taxable interest and dividends. The campaign released seven pages summarizing the governor’s and first lady MK Pritzker’s returns, which were prepared by Deloitte Tax LLP. It…
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Gov. J.B Pritzker said Illinois will need to show a steady decline in state COVID-19 transmissions before he considers lifting the statewide indoor mask mandate he revived in August. When asked what metrics were needed for Pritzker to rescind his executive order, the governor pointed to high hospitalization rates and new case numbers relative to metrics when Illinois “fully…
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Money is being raised in several Chicagoland school districts to join a consolidated action against Governor J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health, The Kerr Report has learned. Tom DeVore, an attorney based in downstate Greenville, plans to file the action within the next week to 10…
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To mark October as Manufacturing Month, state officials Wednesday touted the thousands of manufacturing jobs in Illinois, but an industry official paints a different picture. State officials celebrated the 40th new manufacturing announcement this year in Illinois, with news that a magnesium casting plant in Dixmoor is expanding, adding 40 jobs. Chicago Magnesium Casting Co.,…
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A judge in Effingham County has issued a temporary restraining order against the Illinois State Board of Education and reinstated the recognition status of two public schools that aren’t following the governor’s COVID-19 mask mandate. The case was brought by attorney Thomas DeVore on behalf of Red Hill, Woden-Herrick and Beecher City school districts. While…
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