Gov. J.B. Pritzker hailed the accomplishments of state lawmakers for checking off the major items of his “think big” agenda this spring, saying their work delivered Illinois one of the most “consequential and transformative legislative sessions in history.”

But in approving a proposed constitutional change to state income taxation, a balanced budget, a massive $45 billion capital construction plan, a statewide expansion of gambling and legalized marijuana, Pritzker also knows what his next “think big” initiative will have to be: substantive property tax relief to Illinois homeowners.

There are two ways to look at the governor’s higher tax rates in waiting.

Amid all the discussion of some 300 new laws passed by the General Assembly, the people of Illinois may have overlooked one of the most important, both in terms of substance and symbolism.

In a perfect example of putting the cart before the horse, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation establishing a new system of steadily higher tax rates on income that may — or may not — take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

Illinois’ massive gambling expansion will come with a big increase in funding to help people who become addicted to betting, as well as a study of how widespread a problem gambling has become.

The newly approved state budget sets aside $6.8 million for addiction services. That’s a more than eightfold increase over what has been spent for gambling addicts in Illinois in recent years.

There are more questions than answers when it comes to where a Chicago casino will land — and a revamped Illinois Gaming Board will be wading into uncharted territory in taking up the biggest gambling expansion the state has ever seen.

Although the measure passed by the Illinois General Assembly hasn’t yet been signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, there are plans to make changes to the Illinois Gaming Board to make the board more “pro-gaming,” according to state Sen. Terry Link, D-Vernon Hills, who sponsored the gambling legislation and has worked to expand gaming in the state for years.

McHenry County municipalities are mulling the impacts of the likely legalization of recreational marijuana.

Winnebago County may marry elements of two of its business incentive programs to create a pot of cash from which the county could provide no-interest business loans to grow the regional economy for decades to come.

Chris Dornbush floated the idea last week to the County Board Economic Development Committee, which will discuss the plan further in the coming weeks before recommending the County Board approve the plan.

City Council members will begin crafting plans for their 2020 and 2021 budgets this month, and citizens will soon be asked for input, online and in person

That will mean a return of the online “budget challenge” the city has used in some years to gather some input from residents on where the government ought to be spending its dollars.