“One need not be a hopeless cynic to wonder why the governor sought unilateral control of the $2 billion fund or why Democratic legislative leaders gave it to him. Circumstances support the suspicion that they have reached private agreement as to where and how the money will be spent…The problem is that Pritzker was elected governor, not dictator.”

Three of the area’s largest school districts – Rockford Public School District 205 (67.6 percent), Freeport School District 145 (65.7 percent), and Belvidere District 100 (72.6 percent) – are all seeing their students well below the state average (82.2 percent) when it comes to 9th graders being on track to graduate. The trend of 9th graders not being on track to graduate has been an issue in the Stateline for sometime.

State Rep. Amy Grant points to a new Wirepoints special report that details how taxpayers now face a $530 billion pension shortfall that averages out to a balance of $110,000 for every one of the state’s 4.9 million households. “I think that we need lawmakers that want to actually address the situation. We need lawmakers to be sincere, and we need them to want to make a difference on this issue.”

Todd Maisch, Illinois Chamber of Commerce CEO and president, said, “Even an inflation rate of 4% is something that Illinois families are going to notice, and it’s still double the rate of what the Federal Reserve tells us they’re targeting in terms of inflation rate.”

“We hear a lot from lawmakers about reducing property taxes, and yet we continue to wait for real reform…The system is broken and those who abuse it have no incentive to fix it…Property tax reform is a complicated, immense challenge, but one that, if enacted, would change the trajectory of Illinois for future generations.”

Research by the Urban Institute shows tax credit scholarships raise high school graduation rates, college enrollment and college attainment of recipients — mostly children from low-income households. At Chicago Public Schools, 89 percent of students are minorities – mostly Black and Hispanic – and the public school system is failing them.

Jim Dey: “The Illinoize poll wasn’t all good news for Pritzker. It revealed that 61 percent of voters believe Illinois is on the wrong track. Given the state’s intractable problems, it’s a wonder the number wasn’t higher. An amazing 35 percent expressed the view that Illinois is headed in the ‘right direction.'”

The bill from state Rep. Adam Niemerg would prohibit using vaccination status to deny someone employment or even entry into a place of business.

First-term Rep. Mary Miller says she’s running for reelection, even though Democrats in the state legislature gutted her district and forced her to consider challenging two of her GOP colleagues.

Poor performance in third-grade reading is especially troubling. Nearly 3 in 4 students failed to test at the state proficiency level.

“The national economic downturn has already negatively impacted minority communities and small businesses worse than anyone else. And now, Illinois’ legal loopholes combined with tax hikes on job creators will only lead to a smaller workforce, businesses shutting down, and families struggling to get by without the goods and services they need.”

One post on Friday before the site was taken down registered criticism of District 87 schools in line with a nationwide conservative campaign against what conservatives perceive as a progressive slant in curriculum. The post focused on an altercation between parents at a school in Bloomington.