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The Center Square: Democrats see progress, Republicans see tax hikes in Pritzker's budget plan
Illinois lawmakers are giving mixed reviews of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.
Pritzker’s proposal includes $1 billion of new spending for preschool, K-12 and higher education programs as part of nearly $50 billion in overall state spending. Higher education would receive an additional $219 million, K-12 would receive an additional $572 million and a new early childhood education program called Smart Start would be allocated $250 million.
Chicago Teachers Union: Chicago Bears finalize deal to buy Arlington Heights site for a new stadium, but issues remain before ground is broken
The Chicago Bears embarked on a new era Wednesday with the purchase of a site in Arlington Heights where the team hopes to build a new enclosed stadium with a massive entertainment and residential development.
Despite the sale, the organization maintains the stadium and development are still big “ifs,” dependent on the team getting property tax limits and public subsidies to help build infrastructure for the project. The team issued an open letter calling the purchase “an important next step” to see if the plan is feasible — while Chicago officials responded by saying they’ll negotiate with the team to keep it in the city.
Capitol News Illinois: After Pritzker’s budget address, lawmakers jockey for their own spending priorities
Even factoring in the possibility of a “mild recession” this year, the proposed budget Gov. JB Pritzker laid out on Wednesday includes nearly $50 billion in state spending, bolstered by projections of continued near record-high tax revenues.
Without invoking partisan labels, the governor painted Democrats as the party of fiscal responsibility, contrasting the dysfunction of a two-year budget impasse under his predecessor, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, with the rosy budget outlook predicted for the coming year.