Jim Dey: “The answer is that a powerbroker is a powerbroker. These men (Ed Burke, age 78, and Mike MAdigan, age 79) may have been well into old age when indicted. But that doesn’t mean that they see themselves — or are willing to be seen by others — as has-beens.”

A Chicago Uber driver said the new surcharge won’t cover drivers’ costs, especially for food deliveries, which take longer than just picking up ride-share users. “I’ll stop doing deliveries completely now,” driver George Keske said.

Sales have fallen significantly since Illinois dispensaries unloaded a record $137 million worth of recreational cannabis products last December, raising concerns that limited supply and sky-high prices could be pushing consumers into the illicit market. Illinois’ 110 licensed pot shops tallied $117 million in sales in January and just under $114 million in February, the lowest monthly haul since last March.

Sangamon County Judge Gail Noll on Monday restored the applications of 11 applicants who had sued, challenging their disqualifications by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Another 185 dispensary licenses are held up by court orders while litigation challenging the application scoring process drags on.

Owner Mike Antonacci says the company has been in business for 89 years, passed down through three generations. But the city has control of how much the cab company can charge, and Antonacci says the rates are so low that drivers don’t feel its worth the gas money.

The PRB appointment process has come under scrutiny by Republican members of the Senate in the past year. PRB members Oreal James and Eleanor Wilson were appointed on April 2, 2019, but Gov. Pritzker pulled their appointments on March 19, 2021. They were reappointed two days later. Jeff Mears , Kenneth Tupy, LeAnn Miller and Jared Bohland also remain unconfirmed by the Senate.

House Bill 5481 would suspend the state’s sales tax on motor fuel when the rate of inflation increases more than 3% over the previous 12-month period. House Bill 5723 would cap at 18 cents per gallon the rate of the state’s sales tax that’s tacked on after federal, state and local gas taxes are applied. State Rep. Tom Demmer offered his own plan for a $400 tax credit to all Illinois resident making less than $150,000 annually.

Joe Boozell from PlayIllinois.com expects $275 million to be bet on the tournament in Illinois, a significant jump from last year’s $200 million. Last year, Illinois sportsbooks made nearly $50 million in revenue off the tournament, resulting in about $7 million in state and local tax dollars.

The main culprit behind high taxes in Illinois is pensions, which take up 26% of Illinois’ budget – the most of any state. Easing the burden on taxpayers is impossible without pension reform.

“While putting American troops on the ground in Ukraine would only increase the risk of an even more dangerous, potentially nuclear escalation between Russia and the full NATO alliance, we must pursue an approach that supports Ukraine in reasserting control of its territory, expelling Russian forces and defending its sovereignty.”

The Republican primary elections for Illinois governor and attorney general are shaping up to be competitive.

“When you look at those who do support a ban on CRT, you’ll find the vast majority of those people support an honest teaching and education, including teaching about slavery and racism,” said Kathi Griffin, the IEA President, in a presentation last week.

“The state should not experience this bump in revenue on the backs of consumers, particularly middle and lower-income consumers who are already suffering financially from inflation and high gas prices,” state Rep. Mark Batinick said.