Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s effort to shift Illinois from a constitutionally mandated flat-rate income tax to a structure where higher incomes are taxed at higher rates cleared its first legislative hurdle Wednesday.

The state Senate’s Executive Committee voted 12-5 along party lines to approve a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would allow for a federal-style graduated-rate income tax. It’s the first of many steps necessary before voters can have their say on the issue, which can’t happen until the November 2020 election at the earliest.

We never guessed that, like spring introducing crocuses to wide-eyed baby bunnies, Gov. J.B. Pritzker would introduce a novel concept called democracy to his fellow Democrats. As in, letting the people of Illinois vote their wishes.

How startling, then, to see this lead story in Wednesday’s Chicago Tribune: “ ‘Let the people vote’ on taxes — Pritzker pushes critics for their plan, says taxpayers can decide.” Boldface ours, with pleasure.

Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed documents involving a state senator from DuPage County as part of an ongoing criminal investigation that has led to charges against the former leader of Chicago’s Teamsters labor union.

A federal grand jury sent a subpoena for government records to the Illinois Senate for documents relating to Democratic Sen. Tom Cullerton, a three-term lawmaker who last year spearheaded the legislative response to fatal Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks at the state veterans’ home in downstate Quincy.

An updated version of a bill to give county board chairmen more power could go before a committee in Springfield as soon as Thursday morning.

The bill – sponsored by state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake – would do everything from allowing county board chairmen to give funds back to taxpayers to allowing them to get rid of advisory committees or commissions.

More than 60 percent of Illinois public school districts have a starting annual salary for teachers of less than $40,000.

That could change as both chambers of the General Assembly consider bills that would set $40,000 as the minimum salary for a teacher.

Still in the midst of the political honeymoon following her landslide win last week, Chicago Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot arrived at the State Capitol on Wednesday to glad-hand lawmakers and deliver a message of unity.

After four years of former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner frequently pitting Chicago against the rest of the state and eight years of outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel working to force his agenda through the legislature, Lightfoot looked to strike a conciliatory tone during a speech to the Illinois House of Representatives.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel inherited a city on the financial brink. He pushed through an avalanche of tax increases that his predecessor wouldn’t to lessen the burden on his successor.

For that and more, he is not leaving office as a beloved figure in Chicago politics. If he had run for re-election, he would likely have lost.

Presiding over his final City Council meeting before leaving office, Mayor Rahm Emanuel praised the approvals of both TIFs as crucial investments to expand the city’s tax base and help address its fiscal woes.

“These are investments in the future that are not bound by the boundary of the (TIF) space. They actually will pay dividends throughout the city of Chicago,” Emanuel said after the vote. “I know there’s a lot of hard feelings, there’s a lot of strong feelings, and that’s OK. But at the end of the day, we’ve had that debate, and it’s time to move forward . . . and make sure that we have a city that is open for business and welcomes investments.”

Another batch of unionized teachers at privately run schools has threatened to go on strike, as the Chicago Teachers Union tries to put pressure on managers of five campuses amid ongoing contract negotiations.

CTU-affiliated staff voted to authorize strikes at at the Chicago High School for the Arts, a contract school; two schools operated by the nonprofit Instituto del Progreso Latino; as well as the Latino Youth High School and the Youth Connection Leadership Academy.

Liza DiStefano stood in front of a long, crowded table at a bar in Rogers Park Monday evening. She tapped her water glass with a butter knife and welcomed the group, members of the Loyola University Chicago graduate workers union.

It was a chance to update members about the latest in their fight to get the university to recognize the union and negotiate a contract.