The tentative deal the two sides struck over the weekend involved significant compromise — and may have yielded the country’s most detailed, far-reaching school reopening agreement, experts say. If rank-and-file union members approve it in electronic voting Tuesday, the agreement could help set the pace for deals in districts that continue to negotiate with their teachers unions on how and when to reopen schools.

Mark Konkol: “The politicians and power brokers accused and found guilty of corruption under Lausch have at least one thing in common: Ties to the corrupt Democratic Machine that runs Illinois politics. There are still trials to be had. And there’s no telling where the federal investigation is headed. Rushing to oust Lausch as the top prosecutor at a time like this smacks of 2017.”

State Sen. Sue Rezin receive calls daily from constituents who want the coronavirus vaccine but can’t figure out how and where to access it. “The governor’s prioritizing prisoners and legislators over the sick and the vulnerable in his altered vaccine distribution plan…It’s very difficult to explain to them. It doesn’t make any sense to inoculate healthy prisoners over people who are most at risk of dying from COVID-19.”

The House Rules Committee meets Wednesday to vote on proposal.

The business community opposes the legislation since it allows Exelon to sell its energy on an alternative market, which they say would reduce competition and raise prices for consumers. The environmental and consumer advocacy community again rallied behind the measure.

National Federation of Independent Business Illinois State Director Mark Grant said he has two big concerns. One is the cost businesses are expected to cover for the historic unemployment payouts; The other is the level of unemployment fraud.

A new ranking puts Illinois’ corporate tax rates near the top. Still, Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants to extract $900 million more from corporations after failing to stop up to $1 billion in COVID-19 tax credits for small businesses.

“Making matters worse for already-struggling businesses, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is continuing to pursue new taxes, even after voters soundly rejected his progressive income tax hike Nov. 3. While the governor has, at least for the coming year, given up hopes of raising the state’s income tax, he is now promoting closing ‘loopholes’ to raise more revenue.”

“The public isn’t aware of the magnitude of this effort,” a suburban official said. “Don’t forget, we ran out of toilet paper.”

According to the most recent report issued by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, the retirement system for lawmakers is only funded at 15.9%. As of 2019, the average legislative pension was $64,408 annually, up from $47,061 in 2008.

The governor’s budget proposal also will include full funding to cover the state’s $10 billion-plus mandated pension costs.

Pritzker will propose closing $900 million in unspecified corporate tax loopholes and redirecting some dedicated revenue streams, such as the cigarette tax, to the state’s general fund, according to an overview provided by the governor’s office.

The Illinois Republican Party was also critical of Biden’s move. “Illinois has suffered mightily under the weight of corruption from it’s supposed public servants,” GOP Chairman Don Tracy said. “While Attorneys General Lisa Madigan and Kwame Raoul sat on their hands silently, the U.S. Attorney’s office under John Lausch was finally clearing out criminals in elected office, dismantling the corrupt Democratic machine one crony at a time.”

The House Rules need to be changed so all bills must be read by title on three separate days in their final form. Lawmakers need time to understand what they are voting on – as the spirit of the constitution intended.

The latest executive order from the governor means the state’s ban on most evictions will enter its 12th month.

But Republicans noted they already have a rule in their caucus limiting their leader to five terms. Minority Leader Jim Durkin is just beginning his fifth term as GOP leader.

“How does a senior in the care of both a pulmonologist and a cardiologist have to register with every pharmacy in the area for a vaccine instead of getting it from her own physicians’ group? Not only has Illinois been woefully poor at distribution, but also, Mom’s two health systems take a mystifying “don’t call us; we’ll call you” approach.”