With Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner under attack from Democrats who say he refuses to compromise, his legislative allies on Wednesday sought to reframe stalled negotiations with a proposal they said could provide a way out of the nearly two-year stalemate.

House and Senate Republican lawmakers unveiled a seven-measure blueprint for what they said would be acceptable to Rauner in exchange for raising taxes to balance the budget. Illinois has been spending more than $6 billion beyond what it takes in for the past two years while Rauner has dug in and pressured Democrats to approve his economic agenda, which includes many of the items contained in the Republicans’ offer.

“We are trying, the governor is trying, to bring resolution to the problem we have in the state of Illinois,” said House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs. “Our business community is struggling. We are asking for reforms in the business community. I’m not sure how many opportunities down the road we’ll have the ability to have these actually completed. So this is the time to do it.”

It’s been two weeks since the Illinois General Assembly adjourned — and more than two years since lawmakers have reached a budget compromise, and Wednesday NBC 5 has learned Gov. Bruce Rauner is expected call lawmakers back to Springfield for a Special Session next week.

The governor’s office says it will not comment, however sources tell NBC 5 Rauner will announce a Special Session to begin June 21 for every day through June 30th. The new fiscal year begins July 1st.

Roadwork projects across Illinois could be on the chopping block as the state’s historic budget impasse continues.

The Illinois Department of Transportation will shut down roadwork statewide if lawmakers don’t pass a budget by the end of the month, officials announced Wednesday.

“Due to the General Assembly’s refusal to pass a balanced budget, the Illinois Department of Transportation loses its ability to pay contractors starting July 1,” IDOT communications director Guy Tridgell said in an email.

If you are one of the few people who has the stomach to read your property tax bill, I share your pain. And confusion. And frustration.

I live in suburban Cook County in a house that was built in the 1950s. It’s a modest house, but it’s home and we love it.

Bellweather Education Partners today released a national study of how horribly new and younger teachers are treated in public retirement systems around the country. Not surprisingly, Illinois is graded ‘F’ by Bellweather, though we have plenty of company.

Excess at the top is the primary reason pensions are failing, but this study is an essential reminder that it’s a different story at the bottom.

Illinois officials say the fairgrounds in Springfield and DuQuoin will be ready for summer state fairs, but that major updates await private fundraising and a state spending plan.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture said extra funds from the board that oversees state construction and repair projects are available for the department to use in an emergency, like the disruptions caused by flash flooding during the 2016 Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

Days after Mayor Rahm Emanuel backed away from a pledge to have a judge monitor efforts to reform the Chicago Police Department, a host of civil rights organizations filed a federal lawsuit seeking to spur sweeping changes in the troubled department that would be enforced by the courts.

About 15 lawyers from Chicago and New York filed the lawsuit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago on behalf of six African-American plaintiffs who allege they were victims of excessive force and other abuses at the hands of Chicago police. The plaintiffs also include groups such as Black Lives Matter Chicago.

A Community High School District 128 board member and an administrative secretary were indicted Wednesday on perjury charges related to the circulation of election nominating papers, according to Lake County state’s attorney’s office officials.

The district includes Libertyville and Vernon Hills high schools.

Although McHenry County College Board of Trustees members agreed they don’t like being required by the state to support prevailing wage requirements, they remained split on what to do about it.

At Tuesday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, the board spent more than a half-hour talking about whether the board should support a prevailing wage resolution.

A couple dozen employees from downtown businesses and students in navy-blue Illinois FFA jackets lined up Wednesday afternoon to order pulled-pork sandwiches and tacos from two food trucks outside the Bank of Springfield Convention Center.

Hungry convention attendees found the Twyford BBQ and Az-T-Ca trucks set up on Washington Street, the opposite side of the center from where they parked Tuesday.