Mark Konkol: “Since the early days of the coronavirus crisis, Prtizker’s guided-by-politics pandemic response have mostly gotten a free pass from a dwindling state politics press corps prone to stenography during coronavirus news conferences.”

“Anytime the state of Illinois or the federal government can relieve us from the some of the taxes we pay is very encouraging,” said Kickapoo business owner Jerry Weaver.

Eighty-eight percent of responding superintendents say they have a teacher shortage problem, and 77% say they believe it will get worse. Ninety-six percent of superintendents say they have a shortage of substitutes, and 90% expect it to get worse.

Greg Harris, D-Chicago, will lead the group rounded out with Reps. Will Davis, D-Homewood; Elizabeth Hernandez, D-Cicero; Mike Zalewski, D-Riverside; and Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, during this legislative session.

“In the General Assembly, we should be in session trying to get a handle on programs that we can [enact] to address this and really we’re doing nothing about it,” Rep. Tim Butler said. “I think it does start with the Department of Employment Security coming out and being forthright with the people of Illinois with how much fraud there is and what the program is going to be to try to tackle this situation.”

SJRCA 14 would allow voters to “make more substantive changes to their constitution” through citizen-initiative amendments. Another, SJRCA 15 would allow voters to “initiate up-or-down referendums on newly passed laws.” The final proposal in the package is SJRCA 16, which would allow the recall of any elected official, including the Illinois House Speaker or Illinois Senate President and even the Auditor General of Illinois.

Peer-reviewed research shows stronger public sector unions cause the cost of government to increase, with powerful unions putting even more upward pressure on benefits than on wages. Public retirement benefits, which flow mostly to union workers, have left Illinois’ local governments with $75 billion in pension debt and are already the primary cause of rising property taxes.

“It’s more of a talking filibuster. … This is being discussed. It’s going to be solidified this evening,” Durbin told reporters.

Durbin confirmed that moving to a talking filibuster would get rid of the 60-vote hurdle currently needed to advance legislation through the Senate, adding that “you have to do that, or you don’t accomplish your goal.”

“Welch and his fellow Democrats already have been signaling a reconsideration of their approach to crime fighting, particularly in light of these brazen episodes of carjacking, which understandably terrifies many citizens, and retail thefts, which are having a visible impact on tourism and economic development in downtown Chicago. That’s wise. Lax bail reform and electronic monitoring have had some scandalous and tragic consequences…”

Illinois Retail Merchants Association President and CEO Rob Karr said lax enforcement leads to lost sales tax revenue for municipalities. What’s more, it often funds other far-reaching illegal activities, things like gun crime, illicit drugs and even human trafficking.

House Bill 3061, or the “Digital Fair Repair Act,” was introduced last year to help farmers acquire the parts they need for repairs.

To date, here are 6 of Landon’s most outrageously unethical and anti-science policy proposals and beliefs. Landon has served as an advisor to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzer and as a “primary architect” of Illinois’ COVID policies.

Daley College Professor Mike Crenshaw is far from retirement, but he constantly worries whether the State Universities Retirement System will be solvent for him. “I have 20 years until I can retire, and my biggest fear is that the money’s not going to be there,” Crenshaw said. “My question has always been, ‘How is this sustainable? How can you possibly keep this going at this rate of paying people this type of money?’”