Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Rauner, lawmakers working holiday weekend as major obstacles remain to deal
Gov. Bruce Rauner and lawmakers planned to spend at least part of the holiday weekend hunkered down at the Capitol as they continued the elusive search for a way out of a record stalemate after blowing past the latest deadline to reach a deal.
Amid the bad optics of entering a third year without a budget, House Speaker Michael Madigan tried to buy more time. The veteran Southwest Side Democrat made an unusual plea to the New York bond rating agencies on Friday, asking to hold off on downgrading the state’s credit rating to junk status as he continued closed-door negotiations with emissaries of the Republican governor, who is the speaker’s chief political nemesis.
Chicago Sun-Times: Amid impasse, Illinois House clears first hurdle toward budget plan
The Illinois House on Friday cleared a hurdle toward a Democratic spending plan — with GOP support — as lawmakers tried to put an end to a draining budget impasse described on the floor as a “nightmare.”
The stalemate’s effects include a sinking state credit rating, the loss of Powerball and Mega Millions lottery games, billions in unpaid bills, and cutbacks at the state’s public universities.
Associated Press: Illinois legislative leaders meet; no word on budget deal
Illinois’ legislative leaders met twice Thursday but surrendered few details about how close they are to a budget pact with one day remaining before the start of a third consecutive fiscal year without a spending plan
The relatively calm day in an otherwise cacophonous Capitol was interrupted by the announcement that the Senate’s minority leader, Lemont Republican Christine Radogno, would vacate her Senate seat Saturday, although she pledged to keep working until the moment of her departure.
Chicago Tribune: Are Illinois taxpayers finally waking up?
It appears there’s an awakening among Illinois voters. And it’s about time, after decades of risky borrowing, faulty promises, weak-kneed politicians.
Springfield officials predict they’ll need nearly $8 billion for the upcoming fiscal year to make a pension payment to the funds that support retired teachers, university workers, judges, politicians and state workers.
It won’t be enough.
Chicago Sun-Times: Without a budget, what Illinois faces
Tens of thousands of lost jobs. A shutdown on much-need roadwork. The possibility of filing for bankruptcy. That’s just some of the bad news for Illinois as the state limps along without a budget.
Chicago Sun-Times: City Colleges of Chicago to lay off 120 workers citing budget impasse
The City Colleges of Chicago will lay off 120 employees as the school system attempts to make up for a state funding shortfall worsened by Illinois’ lingering budget stalemate.
Chancellor Juan Salgado outlined City College’s spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, including measures that would serve as a response to an “unprecedented” $70 million state funding shortfall.
WBEZ: Judge: Illinois Must Pay At Least $586 Million Per Month Toward Medicaid
In a ruling that could have big implications for the state’s budget impasse, a federal judge late Friday ordered the state of Illinois to begin paying hundreds of millions of dollars a month toward Medicaid, even as the state braces to enter its third year with no budget.
The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lefkow calls for Illinois to to pay $586 million a month toward Medicaid for vouchers submitted starting in July. Additionally, Lefkow is forcing the state to pay down a $2 billion backlog of unpaid Medicaid bills over the next year, though she did not prescribe how much it would have to pay each month.
Chicago Tribune: Madigan, Cullerton — nothing personal, but follow Radogno's good example and step aside
In a departure that symbolized her tenure in Springfield, Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno announced in a brief news release her retirement.
She offered no self-indulgent felicitations about her work in the Senate since 1997. No hyperbolic digs at the opposing party. No soliloquy about her thoughts on Illinois government. She did what she has always done. During a 10-minute news conference, she gave a clearheaded, unselfish, uncalculated perspective: “I’ve really tried hard. It’s time for someone else to take the reins.”
State Journal-Register: Bill Brady named Illinois Senate Republican leader
Illinois Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington was chosen Friday to be the next Senate Republican leader.
The announcement came a day after Sen. Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, stunned the Statehouse by announcing she was stepping down as leader and from her seat in the Senate. Her resignation is effective at the end of the day on Saturday.
Chicago Tribune: CPS makes good on chunk of massive teacher pension fund payment
Chicago Public Schools on Friday paid off about two-thirds of a massive bill owed to the city’s teacher pension fund with help from more than $380 million the district borrowed last week at costly interest rates.
The $464 million payment settles only part of the $713 million balance due Friday to the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund. CPS plans to pay the rest later this summer, once an estimated quarter-billion dollars are collected from a new property tax devoted to CPS pension costs.
WTTW Chicago Tonight: Rauner, State Ask Judge to Toss Amended CPS Discrimination Suit
Gov. Bruce Rauner and the state of Illinois claim an amended discrimination lawsuit filed by Chicago Public Schools suffers from the same flaws that got the district’s previous suit tossed from court earlier this year.
Attorneys representing the governor – along with the state Board of Education, board Chair Rev. James Meeks, ISBE Superintendent Tony Smith and Comptroller Susana Mendoza – filed a motion Friday afternoon asking a Cook County Chancery Court judge to dismiss the CPS suit.
Chicago Tribune: Suburbs waver on minimum wage hike 1 day before it's to go into effect
One day before Cook County’s minimum wage hike was due to take effect, some suburbs were still pondering whether to let it happen.
Home-rule municipalities can opt out of the ordinance that boosts the minimum wage from $8.25 to $10 an hour starting July 1, and dozens of them have done just that since the Cook County Board passed the ordinance in October. That has left neighboring towns in a precarious state, worrying that their businesses will suffer under higher payrolls.
Oak Leaves: Oak Park sticks with county minimum wage rule hours before it takes effect, declines opt-out vote
After hearing comments from dozens of animated residents in favor of a higher minimum wage, Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb said the village would not take a vote on a short-term opt-out of the Cook County minimum wage ordinance Friday night.
The village had called the special meeting for 5 p.m. to discuss an 11-day opt-out of the Cook County minimum wage increase and paid sick leave ordinances, which were due to take effect the following day.
Peoria Journal-Star: Peoria Public Schools superintendent gets pay hike
In the final meeting of the 2016-17 school year, Peoria Public Schools board members approved a 5 percent pay increase for Superintendent Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat during a special meeting Friday, but not without a scathing comments on the evaluation process from board member Dan Walther.
Desmoulin-Kherat’s base salary will rise from $214,000 to $224,900 for the 2017-18 school year.