Gov. J.B. Pritzker touts record on pandemic, crime, climate while offering nearly $1 billion in temporary tax relief in reelection year budget proposal – Chicago Tribune*

Left unaddressed by the budget was a call for help from the business community, seeking the use of a pool of billions of dollars in federal relief funds to help pay down a portion of the state’s $4.5 billion debt to the unemployment insurance trust fund, which was used to fund jobless benefits during the pandemic. The administration says negotiations are ongoing.