Mayor Craig Johnson cited the widespread availability of vaccines, small number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at Amita Health Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove (seven, as of Tuesday, compared to a daily average of 125 a year ago), and a falling statewide test positivity rate (1.8%, as of Wednesday). “Why hasn’t it been lifted again?” Johnson said of the state masking rules.

“Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has already lost his credibility on district-drawing by promising independent maps in 2018, then signing off on gerrymandered state legislative districts this year. If the Legislature approves the new Congressional map, the Democratic Governor will likely be a rubber stamp.”

During a debate in committee Tuesday, state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer and bill sponsor state Rep. Robyn Gabel went back and forth. “My goal here is to save lives,” Gabel said. “And not allow people to make their own health care decisions,” Davidsmeyer said. “I understand.”

The House Executive Committee voted 9 to 6 to advance the measure to the House floor. The Senate approved the measure Tuesday.

There was criticism that such community-based programs need to be audited and reviewed. Others questioned what happens to the program when ARPA dollars dry up. State Sen. Robert Peters said they’ll discuss that in future budgeting talks.

State officials announced over a half-billion dollars has been distributed to renters and landlords around the state. More than 57,000 households in 99 of Illinois’ 102 counties have received rental assistance.

Illinois charges combined federal/state/local rates of 34.56%; Idaho, which has the lowest taxes in the nation, charges 14.63%. The average across the nation is 23.94%, according to the report. Arkansas, Washington, Nebraska, and New York round out the top five states.

Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner, of Wirepoints: “One group that’s been conspicuously silent about the issue are Illinois politicians. That’s because they are among the biggest beneficiaries of the federal government’s printing press. They love the billions of dollars flooding into Illinois – which paper over deficits and help inflate away the nation’s highest pension shortfalls.”

“If someone is going to somewhere and gather somewhere and assume people are vaccinated, they should actually be able to feel a comfort that that is actually a fact and that nobody is falsifying their vaccination status,” said Rep. Ann Williams.

“Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who earlier this month said that Illinois would “stake out our ground in this booming industry and bring thousands of new jobs to our state,” has plenty of work remaining if he hopes to pull off this feat. Most notably, he has to bring his allies in organized labor on board in negotiating with companies that have shown an aversion to working with unions.”

Jim Dey: “This sub-circuit proposal, however, would leave Champaign County in the Sixth Circuit while subdividing it into separate districts. (State Rep. Carol Ammons) noted that Cook, Lake, McHenry, Will and Winnebago counties all have sub-circuits, saying her proposal is ‘in line with what other counties of similar size are doing.'”