“Illinois must act to ensure Tier 2 benefits don’t fall below the federal guarantees of Social Security — to the extent Springfield can trust Washington — but every other sticking point is a matter of political will and available funding. Unions should absolutely fight for their members, but lawmakers stand on the firm ground of fiscal responsibility.”

The back-and-forth comes a day after Congress introduced a 1,500 page continuing resolution, part of which would allow lawmakers to receive their first pay raise since 2009. Members of Congress get $174,000 a year, while those in leadership earn more.

Chicagoland’s ample land, water, and money make the area a mecca for the booming data center industry. But, in addition to sucking up thousands of gallons of water and overloading the power grid, there are a host of other environmental concerns that come with building more data centers. According to recent research, data centers have roughly the same carbon footprint as the aviation industry.

On Nov. 13, 2024, the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois held that the amendment to the Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act applied retroactively and determined that the plaintiff’s damages were limited to a single recovery for the same BIPA violation. Nine days later, a different judge on the same court ruled that the law did not apply retroactively.

“I do not envy anybody involved in that process because it won’t be a fun time,” Eric Noggle, of the legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, told the State Board of Education. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget’s projection of a $3.2 billion state budget deficit assumed a $444 million increase in school spending, as well as a $1.1 billion increase in health care expenses and a $437 million increase in pension contributions, among other increases.

Winfield and Homer Township voters will have a chance to impact Illinois’ pension crisis in the April 1 election. They won’t directly change any laws, but voters can send a strong signal to state lawmakers about pensions causing Illinois’ property tax pain.

Retired Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel noted seven police officers have been killed in the line of duty in Illinois this year, including police Detective Allan Reddins in Oak Park.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said he is concerned about the student athletes around the country: “Problem gambling is not the only negative side of legalized sports betting, as sports betting has spread the actual games and cheering for your team have become less important for many individuals who are more focused on the point spread or player props. When a bet doesn’t hit, angry betters often take it out on the players.”

Total lottery tax revenue reached $886 million, the highest source of gaming revenue with video gaming at a close second.

“Like the kid who discovers that his shiny new toy came without batteries or a warranty, Chicago soon will figure out if it already hasn’t that Mayor Brandon Johnson’s big Christmas present is less than wonderful.”

The lawsuit also said the “egregious” polling miss in favor of Democrats came “just days before the most consequential election in memory,” and that its results were apparently “leaked” because Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker mentioned the poll’s findings during a meeting with Duke University alumni hours before the results were published.

The top priorities for those representing the Chicago area on Capitol Hill include pardons for nonviolent offenders, including former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., cracking down on Chinese trade policies and solidifying legal protections for immigrants who might otherwise get caught up in mass deportations promised by Donald Trump. Other Illinois lawmakers want Congress to deal with the so-called debt ceiling.

“In 2000, before the general election, I introduced a bipartisan resolution to amend the Constitution and abolish the Electoral College. I still believe today that it is time to retire this 18th-century invention that disenfranchises millions of Americans,” said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.