-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
“f you’re a progressive, you might think that it’s no problem identifying the right side of history. Anything that promotes “social justice” is on the right side. Any innovation that promises to conquer the limits of human nature is on the right side. Anything that expands the empire of rights is on the right side. “
“A new book by journalist Lawrence Tabak…lays out how state and local governments in Wisconsin unnecessarily used eminent domain to take homes and farms for a plant that turned out not to need all that land. Taxpayers were hit up for unneeded new roads. Thousands of acres of land now sit empty. The total cost to government is estimated at close to $1 billion.”
Longtime Austin resident Crystal Gardner wonders whether people are leaving on their own or if they are being forced to leave, pointing out decades of disinvestment. “It has, in my opinion, been a consistent, concerted effort in the decline or the purging of public health, public safety and public education. That effort comes in the form of a lack of vision from our leaders. That lack of vision to see the Black flight, to see the data, to see the decline in numbers and services and organizations providing service, and then to not have a plan or a strategy to
Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady has said the alarm bells shouldn’t go off completely unless world health officials designate a “variant of high consequence,” which hasn’t happened yet.
David Greising, of the Better Government Association: “The anniversary merits a careful appraisal. Enough time has passed to make an early assessment of the city’s objectives and efforts, as well as Lightfoot’s reliance on commercial and philanthropic resources to reach her goals…And if the Invest South/West plan works, the catalytic effects can serve as models for future efforts in broader swaths of the city.”
“It is at least somewhat reassuring that lawmakers are training such a high level of interest on tollway management now rather than waiting to respond to the kinds of scandals that led to the shakeup two years ago. Evans’ early misstep and Alvarez’ early actions to create executive-level positions and hire former associates to fill them lead naturally to the kinds of questions that seem constantly to dog tollway management.”
With the “Leveling the Playing Field for Illinois Retail Act,” the state is now requiring online retailers to charge local sales tax rates as high as 10.25%. Before this year, online retailers such as eBay and Amazon only had to charge the 6.25% state sales tax.
Rob Karr, of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said vaccinations are just part of the reason for the expected uptick in sales. “I think also there is the pent-up demand after last year and being more isolated. People have more money in their pockets as a result of both jobs and financial aid from the federal government and the like.”
Australian journalists visit Normal, Illinois to take the pulse.
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