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The Center Square: Pritzker proposes billions in new spending, doesn't address unemployment debt
Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he believes in paying off the state’s debt, but he didn’t mention the state’s $4.5 billion unemployment trust fund debt that costs taxpayers tens of millions in interest during his State of the State and Budget address Wednesday.
Proposing a spending plan for the coming fiscal year that’s billions of dollars more expensive than what he proposed for the current year, Pritzker laid out his fiscal 2023 budget priorities on Groundhog Day at the Old State Capitol in Springfield.
Daily Herald: Suburban COVID-19 case positivity rate drops below 6%
The collective seven-day case positivity rate for the suburbs has dropped below 6% for the first time since mid-December 2021.
That metric is down from 12.1% a week ago, according to Illinois Department of Public Health records.
Journal Courier: Governor proposes tax cuts, but some see only temporary relief
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is proposing several tax cuts for Illinois residents. Some lawmakers, meanwhile, say that sounds nice but it only provides temporary relief and does nothing to solve any actual problems.
During his State of the State address Wednesday, Pritzker proposed several cuts to taxes, including a freeze on gas taxes and breaks on property taxes and grocery taxes in an effort to help working-class families and lessen the burden they face with inflation.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois school districts call for ‘off ramp’ from masking and quarantines, with a ‘measured return to normalcy’
As Illinois parents and educators await a Springfield judge’s ruling that could roll back Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 school mask mandate, some suburban school districts are demanding the state deliver an “off ramp” from nearly two years of required virus mitigations.
The school districts’ requests for transition guidance from the state is emerging this week as 146 school districts, including Chicago Public Schools, prepare for the impact of a pending decision by Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow, who is expected to rule soon on a request to temporarily halt the governor’s executive orders on masking and quarantining for schools.
The Center Square: Legislative leaders mixed on details of Pritzker’s proposed tax relief
Illinois legislative leaders have different takes on the governor’s proposed budget.
Whether proposed tax relief for Illinoisans who pay among the highest taxes in the nation will be temporary or permanent will be hashed out in the state legislature.
Chicago Tribune: Editorial: Pritzker’s budget offers relief, but the need for long-term fiscal stability still haunts Illinois
It’s an election year, so Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s annual State of the State/budget proposal address Wednesday had two missions. Serve as a de facto campaign ad touting his stewardship of Illinois through the pandemic, and explain, ideally in some detail, how his upcoming spending plan would make lasting strides toward wresting the state out of a long-standing financial quagmire.
Accomplishing the first mission was never in doubt. Incumbents heading into a campaign get the benefit of using their official podium as a vehicle for swaying voters. Pritzker dangled several carrots in front of Illinoisans reeling from inflation and COVID-19 fallout, including a one-year suspension of the local sales tax on groceries, a freeze on a scheduled gas-tax hike, and a modest property tax rebate that would provide relief for 2 million Illinois homeowners.
WIFR: Illinois Chamber President reacts to Pritzker’s State of the State
After attending Governor Pritzker’s State of the State and budget address on Wednesday, Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch addresses some issues that could have a major impact on Illinois business owners.
“We are encouraged with the Governor’s confidence in our fiscal future, but his current tax proposals run the risk of being viewed as a one-time election year gimmick,” says Maisch in a statement released on Wednesday.