Incumbent Gov. JB Pritzker faced off with Republican challenger Darren Bailey in the first of two televised debates in Bloomington on Thursday over issues like the SAFE-T act, abortion, education and the state's budget. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
Voters, candidates and lawmakers alike are speaking out in support or opposition of the controversial SAFE-T Act and proposed constitutional amendment as early voting has already begun in Illinois. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
Another Illinois state lawmaker faces bribery charges related to the red-light camera industry. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois released a three-charge indictment of state Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago, Tuesday. The first charge states Jones accepted benefits in exchange for “opposing legislation that required the study of automated traffic enforcement systems located outside of Chicago, and would limit any legislation regarding [Illinois Department of Transportation’s] ...
In the wake of more migrants arriving in Illinois on buses from Texas, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has issued another disaster proclamation. Pritzker also activated 75 members of the Illinois National Guard to assist with the busloads of asylum seekers sent to Chicago by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
Voters can expect more political ads. The most recent ones in the race for Illinois governor seem to spell out the top issues before voters. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
Expect more foreign nationals to be bused from Texas to Chicago as the city’s “sanctuary” status is being used by Texas’ governor to highlight the nation’s porous border with Mexico. Chicago is now on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s list of bus stops for undocumented foreign nationals after flooding into the Lone Star State. Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/abbott-expect-more-foreign-nationals-to-be-bused-to-chicago-from-texas/article_2e3a4110-2a23-11ed-ba82-73bec9f09c02.html Support...
Illinois has the 7th highest student loan debt in the nation, standing at $61.6 billion for 1.6 million borrowers. President Biden on Wednesday announced taxpayers will cover up to $10,000 in student loan debt for individuals making $125,000 or less and families making $250,000 or less. An additional $10,000 will be paid for by taxpayers for those who received Pell Grants. Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/illinois-61-6-billion-in-student-loan-debt-7th-highest/article_c37a8456-...
Marking the unofficial beginning of election season, Illinois Democrats pushed for their agenda while Illinois Republicans downplayed the Pritzker administration in hopes of garnering more support in November. The Illinois gubernatorial election will be held on Nov. 8. Read More: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/illinois-republicans-rally-at-state-fair-downplay-democrats-accomplishments/article_08847366-1f45-11ed-a757-dba87a462f7e.html Read More: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/...
Illinois schools employed more teachers in 2021 than it had at any point over the past decade while student enrollment declined over the same period. Despite this, lawmakers say the state is experiencing a teacher shortage and they continue to look for solutions to the perceived problem. The most recent report from the Illinois State Board of Education on teacher supply and demand found that 99% of teaching positions were filled in 2020 and that vacancy rates were highest for bilingual and speci...
Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he doesn’t know anything other than what’s been reported by the media in the allegations of worker's compensation fraud against a former state employee that touches his office. This, as a lawsuit alleging Pritzker’s administration was complicit continues on appeal. Documents from early 2020 show former Illinois State Police Merit Board employee Jenny Thornley listed the governor’s office as her employer and Pritzker himself as her supervisor in a worker’s compensation cla...
Battle lines are being drawn over the argument on the effects of ending cash bail in Illinois. No other measure as part of the controversial criminal justice reform SAFE-T Act has drawn more attention than the Pretrial Fairness Act, which abolishes cash bail on Jan. 1. State’s attorneys contend the provision will allow violent offenders to be released with a higher burden of proof required to hold them before trial. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/...
Illinois continues to be in a state of emergency, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's continued COVID-19 declarations. Since the beginning of the pandemic over two years ago, Pritzker has exercised powers granted to him by state law to enact policies during states of emergency. The governor has issued 116 orders and declared a statewide disaster dozens of times to extend those powers. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support...
An economic storm is coming and the state of Illinois could do more to be better prepared. That’s the warning from the Illinois Chamber of Commerce after sustained historic inflation. Inflation set another 40-year record Wednesday with the consumer price index up 9.1% over the past 12 months. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
Six were killed Monday and dozens of others were injured after a man perched on the roof of a nearby building opened fire on the crowd watching the Independence Day parade in Highland Park. The seventh person died Tuesday at Evanston Hospital. The city of Chicago experienced a violent Independence Day weekend in which at least eight people were killed and 29 were injured. Mayor Lori Lightfoot says they're making improvements in public safety. In Chicago, the holiday weekend saw a total of 68 rep...
A downstate Republican farmer who sued Gov. J.B. Pritzker over COVID-19 mandates will take on the billionaire Democratic incumbent this November. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
President Donald Trump is coming to Illinois Saturday evening for a rally in Mendon. He’s making at least one endorsement, and maybe another. In an interview with The Center Square Thursday, the former Republican president said he is endorsing U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, in the newly drawn 15th Congressional District. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support...
Add Illinois-based heavy machinery manufacturer Caterpillar to the list of employers that are sending their corporate headquarters out of state. Caterpillar will soon have its headquarters in Texas rather than the Land of Lincoln. It's the second major employer moving out of the state in a month. Boeing announced in May it was relocating its headquarters from Chicago to Arlington, Virginia. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support...
Illinois' five taxpayer-funded state pension systems are second worst in the nation when it comes to debt. The American Legislative Exchange Council, (ALEC) released “ Unaccountable and Unaffordable ”, which puts the total unfunded pension liability at $8.2 trillion nationwide. Illinois' liability was second worst at $533 billion. Only California, with a much larger population than Illinois, was worse. The ALEC report also shows Illinois has the second highest unfunded pension liability per capi...
A new report shows that Illinois continues to struggle with higher unemployment rates, ranking near the bottom of states most recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. The report was done by WalletHub, which ranked the 50 states from best to worst in terms of which unemployment rates are bouncing back the best. Illinois ranked 42nd out of 50 on the WalletHub list, with its unemployment rate at 4.6% in April. The national unemployment rate was 3.6% in April, a full percentage point lower than in Illi...
Cities and towns in Illinois lost more than 104,000 people in the 12 months up to July 1, 2021, according to new U.S. Census data released Thursday. Nearly half of Illinois’ losses were from Chicago. The updated report also shows Illinois’ nearly 1,300 cities and towns combined lost 104,375 people from July 1, 2020, to July 1, 2021. By total population, the top 10 gains in Illinois were in Yorkville (995), Montgomery (907), Champaign (907), Oswego (605), Plainfield (598), Romeoville (591), Manha...
Illinois gas prices have steadily climbed month by month, with last month seeing a 60-cent increase in the average cost of a gallon of regular gas. These high costs have forced many residents to pay more at the pump. On top of the state's high fuel prices, Illinois has the third-highest gas tax in the nation behind only Pennsylvania and California. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support...
As families deal with rising prices on groceries and other household items, prices at the pump are once again flirting with record highs. According to GasBuddy, gas prices in Illinois have increased nearly 20 cents a gallon in the past week. The average price in Illinois is $4.60 a gallon, but many stations in the Chicago area are well over $5 a gallon. In the latest report, the cheapest gas was priced at just under $4 a gallon, while the most expensive was $5.78 a gallon. Support this podcast: ...
A new report on the LaSalle Veterans' Home COVID-19 outbreak, pension buyouts and the state’s rankings among CEOs with commentary about abortion, disinformation, possible rolling borwnounts and more. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
The Central Illinois Gubernatorial Candidate Forum was hosted by the Tazewell County Republicans in partnership with the Peoria County and Woodford County GOP Monday night. Five of the six candidates certified for the Republican ballot attended. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
The Illinois Fuel and Retail Association plans to challenge the constitutionality of the requirement that gas stations promote a delay in the gas tax increase that Gov. J.B. Pritkzer signed into law Tuesday. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
Some question whether taxpayer-funded guaranteed income programs set to start across the state will be successful. Chicago is accepting applications later this month for the city’s $31.5 million program meant to give $500 a month to 5,000 eligible residents. The income threshold is under $57,000 a year for a family of three. As part of the state budget approved by lawmakers, there also is a $3.6 million guaranteed income pilot program for the Metro East area in East St. Louis. Support this podca...
With the final day of session scheduled Friday, Democratic lawmakers are set to approve a $45.6 billion spending plan that’s been in bill form for just a couple of days. Taxpayers still don't know how their money was spent from a state budget year that ended more than 280 days ago. Republicans in the House committee reviewing the budget Wednesday reflected on how years ago, lawmakers would be able to go through a budget line-by-line in crafting a plan in a collaborative way. Support this podcast...
As Democrats continue negotiating how to spend taxpayer dollars for the coming fiscal year, Republicans say millions of their constituents across Illinois are being snubbed. Spring session of the Illinois Legislature ends April 8. It’s expected a plan to spend taxpayer dollars for the fiscal year that starts July 1 will be approved before then. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support...
In the final weeks of session at the Illinois statehouse, there are growing demands on how to pay out tax dollars, including billions left over from federal COVID-19 relief. Both the Illinois House and Senate return Tuesday with a scheduled adjournment of April 8. It’s expected they’ll finish up business, including passing a more than $42 billion state spending plan by then. There are other issues that are expected to be tackled outside of the state budget. The ongoing unemployment debt of about...
Not only does Illinois have the second highest gas taxes in the nation, Illinois is also an outlier for tacking on a sales tax on top of the state, federal and sometimes local gas taxes. Republican state senators unveiled their plan to cap the sales tax on gas to 18 cents a gallon. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/illinois-in-focus/support
