Get the latest news from around Illinois.
The Center Square: Some say Illinois' high cannabis tax rate is costing state in revenue
Illinois has the second highest taxes on cannabis products in the nation, behind only Washington State, and some believe the high amount is hurting the state’s profits.
In March, Illinois generated $135 million from legal cannabis sales as the state implemented a tax rate of 25% of the purchase price of marijuana. In 2022, Illinois generated $445 million in tax revenue from legal cannabis sales.
Chicago Tribune: ‘ComEd Four’ jury asks first questions of court as it deliberates bribery case tied to ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan
A federal jury will resume deliberations Thursday in the “ComEd Four” trial alleging a group of executives and lobbyists conspired to bribe then-House Speaker Michael Madigan to win his influence over the utility’s legislative agenda in Springfield.
So far, the jury has deliberated for about 8½ hours over two days without reaching a verdict. They’re scheduled to resume discussions at 10:15 a.m. Thursday.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago drops public school ratings in favor of a less punitive system for assessing schools
The Chicago Board of Education on Wednesday voted to replace its school rating policy with one that’s intended to provide information about a range of school characteristics, from how students perform on state tests, to whether instruction is rigorous and student centered, to whether a school environment is healing.
The new accountability policy officially drops a system that labeled schools from a high of 1-plus to a low of 3. CPS stopped rating schools during the pandemic when standardized testing was paused.
Capitol News: Businesses lobby governor, Statehouse leaders in Springfield
Business leaders from throughout Illinois gathered Wednesday in Springfield to share their concerns about the state’s business climate and to discuss pending legislative issues with Gov. JB Pritzker and top legislative leaders.
The annual joint convention of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association drew hundreds of attendees from businesses big and small to the capital city just as the General Assembly is going into its final stretch before its scheduled May 19 adjournment.
NBC Chicago: Cook County Bans Reporters From Bringing Phones, Computers Into Courthouse
Reporters covering hearings and press conferences in Cook County have long been allowed to bring their computers and cellphones into the criminal courthouse at 26th and California to do their job.
No more, according to an order filed Wednesday by Circuit Court Presiding Judge Erica Reddick.
The Center Square: What it Costs to Retire Comfortably in Illinois
Most Americans are woefully underprepared for retirement. Based on analysis of Federal Reserve data by the accounting firm PwC, the typical American between the ages of 55 and 64 has just $120,000 in a retirement savings account. Though the vast majority of retirees supplement their savings with Social Security income, the average monthly Social Security payment is only $1,694 – not nearly enough to cover typical living expenses, let alone luxuries like travel and dining out.
Partially as a result, the number of Americans working past retirement age is rising fast. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that more than 26% Americans between ages 65 to 74 were still working in 2020, and that share is projected to hit 32% by 2030. In 1995, about 17.5% of Americans that age were working, and the percentage was even lower before that.
Peoria Journal Star: Peoria lays out new rules for cannabis dispensaries and where they can operate in the city
After months of debate and policy crafting, the Peoria City Council has settled on, for now, a cannabis dispensary policy that caps the number of dispensaries allowed to operate in the city at six, while also carving out areas where no cannabis dispensaries can operate.
The council voted unanimously to pass the policy that restricts cannabis dispensaries from opening in the Sheridan Triangle neighborhood center, Prospect Road neighborhood center, West Main local commerce and neighborhood center and the Warehouse District local commerce and neighborhood center.
Capitol News: Providers, unions call for pay increase for staff serving individuals with developmental disabilities
Industry advocates and unions supporting caregivers for individuals with developmental disabilities are calling on lawmakers to more than double a funding increase proposed by Gov. JB Pritzker in February.
The Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities is requesting a $4 hourly increase to the wage rate for direct service professionals in community-based settings that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Direct service professionals, or DSPs, are the individuals who provide daily personal care such as assisting individuals with eating, grooming and dressing. The requested increase is $2.50 beyond an increase proposed by Pritzker earlier this year.