“We need to have a total rewrite of our tax policy in the state,” said state Sen. Dave Koehler. “We have a structural deficit every year. We look at what income taxes coming in with sales taxes coming in, and then we say, well, ‘we can’t fund all the things we want to.’ Like education or social services.”

Dana Incorporated announced plans to close its plant in Robinson, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The first layoffs were scheduled to begin June 15 and affect more than 80 employees.

Jim Dey: “For starters, a qroup of Democratic legislators in Springfield, including Urbana state Rep. Carol Ammons, has been publicizing its effort to pass legislation reversing state law barring its public pensions from investing in companies that support the BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) movement against Israel. So far, however, all that effort has drawn is a few headlines.”

“Every acre of ag land that was taken out of production would be assessed a fee of $67.” said Eliot Clay, of the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts, “That fee would go into an operations fund for soil and water conservation districts and basically create a sustainable funding source.” He said the fee, to be paid by developers, drew support from both sides of the political spectrum.

“For me and millions of others managing conditions ranging from thyroid disorders to severe reproductive health issues, hormonal treatment is a standard necessary medical care,” said Sen. Lakesia Collins.

“It’s a pretty straightforward tax on speech, and a discriminatory one at that,” said Adam Thierer, senior fellow at the R Street Institute. “It basically suggests that it’s alright for government to be singling out types of media or media platforms that it does not like and assessing special taxes accordingly.”

Altogether, Gov. JB Pritzker has said the plan would cost taxpayers about $1 billion. The new prisons will include design features that focus on “creating rehabilitative and gender-responsive spaces with housing, education, programming, medical and mental health, dietary, and recreational areas to support the successful re-entry of individuals into their communities,” according to the statement.

The three biggest spenders in Illinois leveraging the childcare initiative are fathers of young children. State Sen. Ram Villivalam reported more in childcare spending from his campaign account than the total amount advocacy group Vote Mama said was spent by state and local candidates in any other state: roughly $200,000 in such spending since 2021 on his two sons.