Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday said there’s “no question” residents will need to pay more in taxes or fees to plug a looming city budget shortfall estimated at more than $700 million.

Lightfoot made the comment, without elaborating on specifics, after her second City Council meeting, when she was asked about a campaign promise to find budget cuts before seeking a property tax increase. The city’s next budget will be presented in the fall.

When Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a $40 billion spending bill into law June 5 it was supposed to usher in a new era of good government and transparency in Illinois history. “We achieved something that has eluded state government for decades, we passed a real balanced budget,” Pritzker said at a news conference. “Just a few years ago, simply passing a budget was considered nearly impossible, and for years before that, the budget included gimmicks and tricks and was balanced in name only. Those days are over.”

In reality, taxpayers are only getting more obfuscations and dishonesty. For decades Illinois governors and legislatures have claimed balanced budgets while the state has accrued billions in bills. Despite rhetoric to the contrary, Gov. Pritzker and the current legislators are continuing the very same budget games that have gotten us into this calamity.

Unionized state workers who are owed money for step raises they didn’t receive during Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration should get the money by the end of September, AFSCME said Wednesday.

However, they may have to wait longer to collect interest on that money that the courts have said they are entitled to receive. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said the Pritzker administration has told them the interest will be calculated and distributed separately.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot was urged Tuesday to run with a political football that Rahm Emanuel punted — by yanking “core residential street resurfacing planning” out of the aldermanic menu program and turning it over to the Chicago Department of Transportation.

In a follow-up audit on CDOT’s management of the public way, Inspector General Joe Ferguson argued that a “holistic approach to core infrastructure” would help the city “realize significant savings for its taxpayers and the infrastructure they depend on.”

The alderman who succeeded Daniel Solis in representing Pilsen and other neighborhoods wants an investigation into all license and permit decisions his predecessor made for years before it came to light he was wearing a hidden wire and cooperating with federal investigators.

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, introduced a resolution to the City Council Wednesday, saying the investigation of Solis’ decisions is needed because “for over two decades the constituents of the 25th Ward have been subject to an unchecked pattern of patronageespecially with regard to licensing and zoning.” Solis, who did not seek re-election this year, was chairman of the council’s Zoning Committee until he stepped down earlier this year.

A fleet of 2,500 electric scooters is hitting the streets in Chicago this Saturday as part of a four-month pilot program.

Ten vendors will distribute 250 electric scooters each in a 50-square-mile area in west, northwest and southwest parts of the city. All vendors will provide upright scooters save for one — Wheels — which will offer 250 seated scooters.

The Algonquin Township Board decided during a special meeting Wednesday to hold off on the appointment of a deputy supervisor and Freedom of Information Act officer for another week.

The appointment of a deputy supervisor to perform ministerial duties, such as signing checks, became necessary after supervisor Charles Lutzow suffered a stroke earlier this month. Trustee Dan Shea began the meeting by wishing Lutzow a fast recovery.

Part-time Kane County Board members will keep their taxpayer-funded insurance benefits, following a vote on Wednesday. The decision comes despite a colleague labeling the perk “corruption” and campaigning to end the practice.

The board’s human services committee spent six months studying the legality and history of the health insurance board members receive. That comes on top of their $25,000 salary. Some of the longest-serving board members also receive a pension benefit. Elected board members are the only part-time employees in the county who receive such benefits. Board member Mo Iqbal pushed for the elimination of the perk after winning a seat on the board late last year.

Elk Grove Township Elementary District 59 has inked a new three-year teachers’ contract that calls for salary increases of up to 3.5%, though officials have yet to release full terms of the agreement set to take effect July 1.

District officials said the official contract language is being finalized by their attorneys, and once the review is complete, the document would be posted to the district website.