Get the latest news from around Illinois.
The Center Square: Legislator says ‘millionaire tax’ will make Illinois a 'business desert'
Some see the millionaire’s tax advisory question on November’s ballot as a measure that could amount to property tax relief in Illinois. Others say it’s financial recklessness.
With some Illinois homeowners facing continued property tax hikes, a plan that has the public support of former Gov. Pat Quinn is being sold as a measure that could mean as much as $4.5 billion in such relief.
Chicago Sun-Times: Mayor Brandon Johnson won’t veto ShotSpotter ordinance after all
Mayor Brandon Johnson will not veto an ordinance that directs his police superintendent to ink a contract for a controversial gunshot detection technology.
In a statement to WBEZ, a spokesperson said vetoing the ordinance passed in September that aims to keep ShotSpotter was ultimately “deemed unnecessary.” This comes after Johnson said last month he was left with “no choice” and would issue the first veto by a Chicago mayor in 18 years.
The Chicago Tribune: Property tax hikes lead to low collection rates, more delinquencies in south suburbs, report shows
Property tax collections this year in the south suburbs dropped due in part to a record spike in tax bills and economic factors such as inflation, a report by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas shows.
Overall, the collection rate of taxes this year for the whole of the Chicago area, for the 2023 tax year, was a bit more than 95%, but that was still the lowest collection rate in more than a decade, according to Pappas’ office.
The Daily Herald: Mount Prospect Park District asking voters to help fund upgrades
The Mount Prospect Park District is asking voters to take a financial plunge to fund facility improvements, including a new community pool complex at Lions Memorial Park.
The district is asking approval to issue $46.2 million in bonds. The estimated annual tax impact of the proposed $46.2 million bond referendum is $49 per $100,000 of a home’s fair market value, or about $195 for a $400,000 home.
WCIA: Champaign supports 25-year plan to improve safety, transportation, equity
Tuesday night, the Champaign City Council unanimously voted in favor of endorsing the findings of the 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).
Accepting the plan will help it to be completed in a timely manner, which will also help the City earn federal transportation dollars.