Pritzker accepts IL award for leadership in innovation – WCIA (Champaign)

The Startup Ecosystem Star Award solidifies Illinois’ status as a global leader in supporting startups, driving investment and building a competitive economy for the future. “Illinois is proud to be a recognized part of this global startup community,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “With each step we grow closer to conquering our greatest challenges and in the process, we create a stronger, more connected, and more prosperous world.”

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New proposals for cuts, taxes on table with Chicago city budget deadline looming – CBS2 (Chicago)

A source close to the budget negotiations says the city has proposed $68 million in property taxes, an increase in the city’s bag tax from 7 cents to 10 cents, and adding a surge tax to rideshares taken in the city’s Central Business District seven days a week instead of five—alongside a parking tax. Also already reported to be on the table are a tax on streaming services, a tax on digital cloud storage, and a change to the city’s permit amnesty system.

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Taxpayers to cover millions in medical debt of thousands of Illinois residents – Center Square

Modeled off a Cook County program that was supported through funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, this program is using $10 million in state funding in the new fiscal year to purchase the medical debt of up to 300,000 Illinoisans. State Rep. Chris Miller said the state can’t afford it. “One thing we need to remember is that Illinois is broke and people are leaving,” said Miller.

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Gov. Pritzker’s grocery tax shuffle – Wirepoints

This week Palatine became the latest Illinois city to pass a 1% local grocery tax in anticipation of the statewide tax expiring in 2026. That’s reminded us of something that shouldn’t be left unsaid: Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s elimination of the statewide grocery tax was little more than an attention-getting stunt. He says he’s canceled the tax, but all he did was shuffle the impact to somewhere else.

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Forrest Claypool: Six-figure pensions are throttling Chicago’s ability to provide critical services – Chicago Tribune*

“Conventional wisdom says pension funds have been inadequately funded. In a seminal 2018 report, however, the conservative economic research group Wirepoints documented the real culprit: from 1987 to 2016, the Illinois General Assembly increased pension benefits an astonishing 1,061 percent, while state revenues grew 176 percent and median household income 127 percent.”

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Commentary: We must amend the Safe-T-Act and train judges on the importance of protecting the public from violent offenders – Chicago Tribune*

Special state’s attorney of Cook County Robert J. Milan: “The act encourages judges to bend over backward to release repeat offenders. I believe the act does not allow judges to consider the criminal backgrounds of most felony offenders and thus encourages judges to release offenders despite lengthy criminal backgrounds, resulting in additional violent crimes.”

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