By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Once Gov. Pritzker, House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside), and Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) sprung their budget news Thursday evening, Republicans reacted. “As our spending has continued to grow, we’re covering it up with these one-time federal revenues,” said State Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon), the House Republicans’ chief budget…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – A half hour after informing Republicans of their plans, Gov. JB Pritzker and top Democrats in the General Assembly announced an agreement on a budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. “Because of our focus on fiscal balance, this budget will provide over $1.8 billion – $1,8 billion!…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – The back-and-forth over crime continues as the Illinois General Assembly’s spring session dwindles to a close. Senate Democrats, proposing a bill to waive fines when carjacking victims’ vehicles are photographed by red light or speed cameras, brought out their own victim, Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood), who said perpetrators need…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Pretty soon, with a few days to go, it’ll be crunch time at the Capitol. Illinois House Democrats are the first to introduce a proposed budget. “Beyond what’s in the spending plan, we need to support families in our state by returning some money to them to deal with the…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Unlimited sick time for covid-related reasons, a new law Gov. JB Pritzker signed for educators, is a godsend for Angela Bulger of O’Fallon. “As a new employee, I am allotted eleven sick days,” said Bulger, an aide. “Without this legislation, any additional days missed because of covid would mean a…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – A bill to regulate how DCFS workers may use pepper spray is on its way to the governor, but not before some debate. Invoking a society-wide bias against Blacks, State Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) called it a Band-Aid. “This bill does not solve any problems of the Department of Children…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – With four days to go in the session, House and Senate Democrats now have some bills which would make it easier to be a cop. A reporter noted that the presentation featured an all-white cast. What progress is the cop community making to earn the trust of the Black community?…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Five days remain in the 2022 spring legislative session in Springfield. Lawmakers want time to campaign for the June 28 primary, later this year because of the delayed Census numbers. The main piece of business is to craft a budget, which State Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) says seems to have…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – It’s not even Easter yet, but an Illinois Senate Democratic proposal looks like Santa’s big bag, and practically all Illinoisans have been good. “The beauty of the plan is that the package benefits taxpayers. The earned income tax credit is a permanent increase,” State Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) told a…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – For those paying attention to political commercials on television, State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) has a message for you: “We’re here today to discuss Gov. (JB) Pritzker’s meddling and blatant attempt to hijack the Republican primary by having his allies at the Democrat(ic) Governors Association run false ads on Richard…… MORE
By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …
By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…
By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…
Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…