“Walk a mile in their shoes, which are sunk deep into the fetid and festering sewer of government in Illinois, and it’s a different perspective altogether.”

Statewide revenue hasn’t increased since 2012, but six new casinos could soon be added to the mix.

In prepared remarks — which she was not permitted to read at the hearing — Porter described a “shocking development” since she first went public with her concerns last year.

“Rather than having to raise the single income tax rate on everyone in Illinois at once as is now the case — a big lift politically — the Dems would quell resistance by dividing and conquering the rest of us: They could raise rates on rich people one year, on upper-middle-class families the next year, on middle-class households the third, and so on. That would be legal.”

The increase includes $52.9 million in additional construction costs and $24.8 million in new engineering expenses, according to the report. The report, prepared by the Illinois Department of Transportation, still predicts the state will finish the project by Nov. 1, 2022. There remains the possibility of more delays, depending on what crews find as they work and the fickle Chicago weather.

See our own story on this topic linked here.

“Do we want a citizen government or a professional government?” State Sen. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, said. “If we have a professional government then you look at raising pay and decreasing outside employment. I would support that. … Certainly conflicts of interest are a problem here.”

If voters don’t approve the progressive income tax this November, the governor said 15 percent cuts in state spending would be needed across the board.

It was introduced by Rep. Jesus Garcia of Illinois.

From Jan. 21 to Feb. 3 alone, 11 new class action lawsuits were filed in Cook County Circuit Court against a range of employers under Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act.

A reprint of our Wirepoints article.

Four of the five slowest-growing states during the past decade had progressive income taxes in common. The fifth state in that group was Illinois, and its political leaders are pushing for a progressive income tax.

To make sense of the sprawling case, the Tribune created a detective’s string board of key players and connections in the investigation gleaned from court filings and news reports.

The Government Technology editorial team has picked apart State of the State speeches, looking for clues about new initiatives and areas of focus that will touch technology. On a scale of 0-5, with 0 representing zero technology mentions and 5 awarded to states where a packed tech agenda is laid out, Illinois received 4 stars.

In Illinois, a FOID card is required for a resident to own, buy or handle a gun and ammunition. If an applicant is denied a card by the Illinois State Police, which administers the card program, the resident able to appeal the denial, but there is currently no timetable for addressing appeals.

“According to the latest survey results from my association, the National Federation of Independent Business, small businesses’ optimism remains at historically high levels. Here in Illinois, though, small business owners are feeling far less upbeat. Any optimism that our members feel has been throttled by a host of bills that the General Assembly passed in 2019.”

A bill to extend an expiring ban on fentonyl had passed the U.S. Senate without a dissenting vote. So it’s perplexing that nine House Democrats from Illinois voted against the bill: Sean Casten, Danny Davis, Bill Foster, Chuy Garcia, Robin Kelly, Bobby Rush, Jan Schakowsky, Brad Schneider and Lauren Underwood.

Said Sen. Dick Durbin, “In 2018 I helped to pass the authorization of the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study in the Water Resources Development Act. This study would map out a plan to manage and protect 5,200 miles of Great Lakes shoreline but the administration has not provided the funding to even start the study.”

State Rep. Tim Butler said that Sweepstakes machines operate in a very gray area of the law: “Sweepstakes machines go around the law. They are not state-regulated. They are not locally regulated. They do not pay taxes. They don’t have to go through background checks like people who operate video gaming machines. And they operate just like video gaming machines.”

The downstate region has seen some of Illinois’ largest population declines for years. As a result, it lost the 20th District after the 2000 census and the 19th a decade later. From 2013 to 2018, the population of the 15th District dropped by roughly 14,000, to 690,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. A congressional district should have roughly 710,000 residents.

It can release a hidden report that reportedly indicates serious wrongdoing by a legislator. And it can do away with a shameful system that allows lawmakers to cover up ethics complaints.