Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Federal prosecutors subpoenaed State Board of Elections for Ald. Carrie Austin’s campaign committee information, records show
Federal prosecutors are looking at embattled Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin’s campaign committees as part of their ongoing investigation into City Hall corruption, records obtained by the Tribune show.
Newly released records by the State Board of Elections show that the U.S. attorney’s office served the agency a grand jury subpoena on June 27 seeking records related to the 34th Ward Regular Democratic Org., Citizens for Carrie M. Austin-Alderman 34th Ward and Friends of Carrie Austin 34th Ward Committeeman. A letter included with the subpoena notes it involves an official criminal investigation.
Chicago Tribune: Illinois state Sen. Tom Cullerton out as Labor Committee chair after feds allege he embezzled nearly $275,000 from Teamsters
Days after federal authorities released an indictment of state Sen. Tom Cullerton for allegedly embezzling almost $275,000 in salary and benefits from the Teamsters union, the Villa Park Democrat is out as chairman of the Senate Labor Committee.
Cullerton, 49, is now chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee. Because he remains a committee chairman, Cullerton will continue earning a $10,500 stipend on top of his legislative salary of nearly $69,500. Cullerton also remains a member of the Labor Committee.
Chicago Sun-Times: City looks to boost affordable housing by changing how it doles out $60M in tax credits
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration is changing the rules for how the city allocates federal low-income housing tax credits to confront an affordable housing crisis that has left Chicago 120,000 units short.
Homeless advocates and their City Council allies have been pressuring Lightfoot to deliver on her campaign promise to raise Chicago’s real estate transfer tax on high-end home sales by a whopping 160% to reduce homelessness and bankroll affordable housing.
Decatur Herald & Review: Mayor: As city weighs pension burden, no plans to cut police officers
City leaders are weighing options to handle skyrocketing costs for public safety pensions, an ongoing problem for municipalities across Illinois.
Solutions discussed by the Decatur City Council on Tuesday including shifting the clerical duties of sworn officers to civilian public safety staff who would instead qualify for pensions through the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, a less expensive option.
Decatur Herald & Review: Illinois compared favorably to other states in a report by a national advocacy group evaluating cancer reduction policies in all but one area — funding for its cessation program. After a legislative session in which the General Assembly raised the minimum age to buy tobacco products, increased the usage tax on cigarettes and implemented a tax on e-cigarettes for the first time, an analysis by the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network found Illinois does not spend enough money helping those addicted to nicotine to quit.
The Board of Education on Tuesday voted to increase property taxes to fund a building program estimated to cost at least $55 million.
Under the plan recommended by Chief Operational Officer Todd Covault and approved on Tuesday, the district’s property tax levy would rise 2 cents a year per $100 of equalized assessed valuation for the next 10 years. By the 10th year, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay $66.67 annually toward the debt, which would be paid over the next 22 years.