By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington council members approved a larger, $269 million dollar budget Monday for fiscal year 2023, up 7% from this year. The highlight is nearly $57 million in capitol improvement projects. It also increases public safety spending by 10%. One council member voted no, in part because she felt city staff…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – For those who may have been asleep when the Fiscal Year 2023 budget was passed in the wee hours, Gov. Pritzker and other Democrats reinforced their highlights Saturday morning at the Capitol. “Gas, grocery, and property tax relief,” Pritzker said in his office. “More support for local government than ever…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Some things about the last day of session were new – adjourning in April, not May, for one. Not new – partisan disagreement. Just before 6 a.m. Saturday, lawmakers passed a FY 23 budget of $46.5 billion, one Republicans say is salted with one-time gimmicks that will expire after a…… MORE
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 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…