Politics
In an effort to fortify access to abortion throughout the Midwest and in Missouri, where the procedure is almost entirely banned, Planned Parenthood is launching a mobile clinic across the state line in southern Illinois. The mobile clinic will be part of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, and will provide…
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Illinoisans’ property taxes could increase 5% starting in 2023 as local governments consider raising rates by the maximum allowed level to offset losses from decades-high inflation. Truth in Accounting founder Sheila Weinberg said Illinois experienced 7% inflation in 2021, the highest level reported since the state instituted a property tax cap in 1991. The Property Tax Extension…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker is considering changes to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform to clarify provisions related to the end of cash bail in Illinois, while his Republican challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, continues to push for a full repeal. The candidates shared their thoughts Friday on those and other issues during a…
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The Missouri House on Thursday abandoned its attempt to cut corporate income taxes after Gov. Mike Parson signaled his opposition to the move. Instead, House Republican leaders put a Senate-passed tax cut plan up for a vote, but not before one Democrat called “shenanigans” because the move blocked plans to offer amendments. By a 98-32 vote, the House sent…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced a plan Tuesday to reduce a $1.8 billion Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund deficit by $450 million through an infusion of unemployment-related revenues. The trust fund is the pool of money paid into by employers to provide a social safety net for unemployed individuals. The employer’s insurance premiums are essentially…
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QUINCY — Paul Lange, the Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 15th Congressional District, has invited Republican opponent Mary Miller to a debate. A press release from Lange’s campaign team says Lange says he has expressed public enthusiasm for the opportunity to debate, even making posts about the topic on social media, but claims Miller has stayed silent…
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SPRINGFIELD – In Illinois, the role of state treasurer is that of chief investment officer. Treasurer Michael Frerichs has held that position for two full terms, winning by less than 10,000 votes in 2014 before cruising to an 18 percentage-point victory in 2018. He boasts that Illinois has topped $1.2 billion in interest gains on…
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Sens. Jones, Hastings accused of misconduct SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker called on two Democratic state senators Thursday to resign their seats amid allegations of misconduct. Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago, was charged in federal court earlier this week with soliciting a $5,000 bribe from a red light camera company. And Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort,…
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A shortage of nurses has been developing in Illinois for many years, and officials say things could get worse. The COVID-19 pandemic caused nurses to retire or leave the profession, but there were regional shortages before then, especially in downstate rural Illinois. According to the 2022 Trends in Nurse Staffing survey, more than 25% of…
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The Missouri Senate gave first-round approval Tuesday to a $335 million income tax cut over objections from liberal members who saw fiscal problems ahead and conservative members who wanted deeper cuts. The bill, which needs a final vote before it moves to the Missouri House, is a pared-down version of the $700 million tax cut…
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Republican gubernatorial candidate makes stop in Quincy on first day QUINCY — State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) kicked off a weeklong bus tour of Illinois and wrapped up the first day in the Gem City. A crowd of about 150 turned out at the Holiday Inn to hear the Republican candidate for governor. He was…
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SPRINGFIELD – Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, cash bail will be abolished in Illinois. The measure that will eliminate it has been on the books since early 2021, giving the justice system two years to plan for the major overhaul of the state’s pretrial detention system. It’s also given time for the measure to become politicized…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday that Illinois will continue to welcome migrants bused here from Texas as he blasted that state’s governor for relocating them to other cities without sharing information or providing resources. Pritzker said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and his agencies have been providing little notice for incoming migrants and has…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Monday that Illinois taxpayers will soon start receiving rebates of their income and property taxes, either in the mail or by direct bank deposits. Speaking at a news conference in Chicago where he was flanked by other state officials and Democratic leaders of the General Assembly, Pritzker said the…
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Most Illinois taxpayers will soon be getting onetime income and property tax rebates from the state. Distribution of the money to qualifying residents started Monday, but state officials say it could take eight weeks to get money to everyone who’s eligible. Here’s everything else you need to know about the rebates: Income tax rebates Who…
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A Cole County Circuit Court Judge Friday dismissed a lawsuit that sought to block an initiative petition to legalize recreational marijuana from appearing on the November ballot. A day after a three-hour hearing, Cole County Judge Cotton Walker determined Joy Sweeney, an anti-drug legalization activist who filed the lawsuit, lacked standing to sue because she…
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Students and teachers are back in school across Illinois, but teachers unions keep claiming there are not enough teachers to run classrooms. That’s wrong. State data proves it. Teachers’ unions have perpetuated the teacher shortage myth. The Illinois Education Association claimed Aug. 28, 2022, the “teacher and education employee shortage [is] getting worse.” But according to data from…
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This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capitol News Illinois and Lee Enterprises. Over a year ago, the security chief at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in southern Illinois sent an email to the head of the state agency that operates the facility, warning her of dangerous conditions inside. “What I…
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SPRINGFIELD – At least 60 migrants arrived in Chicago Wednesday on buses from Texas as part of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s ongoing policy to send undocumented immigrants to so-called “sanctuary cities.” But Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, both Democrats, say the new arrivals are welcome in Illinois, and they are vowing…
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SPRINGFIELD – Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday that abortion rights will be a central issue in the 2022 election, not just in his bid for reelection but in races up and down the ballot. That includes races for Congress and the Illinois Supreme Court as well as the governor’s race and state legislative contests.…
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QUINCY — Tom Demmers, a Republican state representative from Dixon, stopped in Quincy today to discuss his candidacy for Illinois state treasurer. Demmers was introduced by one of his colleagues in the Illinois House, State Rep. Randy Frese (R-Quincy). Frese said he and Demmers were in agreement to stop tax increases in Illinois. Earlier this…
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The legislature will not reconvene next week as previously planned to debate a $700 million tax cut proposal offered by Gov. Mike Parson, Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden said in an email to staff Wednesday. Instead, the session is now scheduled to begin the following week, when lawmakers are already planning to be in town…
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Portillo’s, a hot dog and Italian beef restaurant brand synonymous with Chicago and Illinois, is focusing their expansion on out-of-state locations that treat businesses better. For new locations, CEO Michael Osanloo said Arizona, Florida and Texas will make up “at least the majority – if not the vast majority.” One of the reasons Osanloo cited is declining population in…
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SPRINGFIELD – There was a lot to unpack at last Wednesday’s candidate forum which saw Gov. JB Pritzker and his Republican challenger state Sen. Darren Bailey appear on the same stage, albeit at different times, for the first time this campaign season. For starters, I wrote an earlier article fact-checking the governor’s claim that eminent domain language…
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Gov. Mike Parson announced Monday that state lawmakers will be returning to the Missouri Capitol after the Labor Day weekend to weigh passing a $700 million income tax cut and slate of agricultural tax incentives. Parson’s proposal would lower the state’s top income tax rate from 5.3% to 4.8% and eliminate the bottom income tax…
Read Full Article November 13, 2024
DAILY MUDDY: QUINCY HOBBY CENTER CLOSING AND EFB COFFEE TALK
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