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The Center Square: Illinois’ moves up in ranking for highest state and local sales taxes
The latest Tax Foundation report on sales taxes details how Illinois is now home to the highest combined state and average local sales tax in the Midwest.
Illinois’ combined state and local sales tax rate of 8.85% placed the Land of Lincoln at No. 7 nationwide in 2024. That’s up from the No. 8 spot the prior year, also with a rate of 8.85%.
Chicago Sun-Times: Johnson promotes official found negligent in Little Village dust-cloud debacle to job overseeing building safety
A city official found negligent after an investigation into the 2020 coal plant implosion in Little Village that left the community blanketed in dust is now leading the city’s department responsible for making sure buildings are safe.
Mayor Brandon Johnson named Marlene Hopkins acting commissioner of the Department of Buildings after firing her former boss last week.
The Chicago Tribune: Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal offers mixed bag on taxes
While Illinois residents would get a break on grocery bills under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed budget, his tweak to the state income tax exemption could end up costing them on April 15 next year.
Pritzker’s proposal would lower a built-in annual increase to the standard state income tax exemption. The exemption is intended to rise each year in step with inflation, though the state paused that increase last year amid soaring inflation.
The State Journal-Register: Burglaries in the Springfield area increased more than 70% in 2023, new data shows
The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office reported higher levels of property and society crimes in 2023, according to data provided to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
The office reported 1,254 crimes against property in 2023, an increase of 12.77% over 2022. That increase was driven by a 73.78% increase in burglaries in their jurisdiction, from 164 in 2022 to 285 in 2023. Destruction of property crimes also saw an increase of nearly 19%, with fraud offenses increasing by 15%.
The Center Square: Illinois Municipal League sees negative impact in Pritzker’s budget
The Illinois Municipal League is warning that eliminating the 1% grocery tax as Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed will cost local taxpayer-funded cities hundreds of millions a year.
The next budget year begins July 1. Wednesday’s release of the governor’s proposed $52.7 billion budget keeps the Local Government Distributive Fund flat, something Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole contends keeps cities from getting their full share of state income taxes.
WCIA: City of Mattoon legalizes compact housing
The City of Mattoon is hoping to grow home ownership by shrinking house sizes.
On Tuesday, the city council changed ordinances to legalize compact homes.