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Some bad proposals were weeded out of the budget package. The Local Government Distributive Fund, which Gov. JB Pritzker proposed cutting by $60 million, was left alone. Individual income tax revenues shared with localities will remain at the current 6.47 percent rather than being trimmed down to 6.23 percent and putting upward pressure on property taxes.
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch believes the legislature will tackle the stadium question “sooner than later,” but not in a special session. But in a statement released minutes later, the Bears said they have no plans to adjust their timeline for deciding on a future home.
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Federal grants to Illinois increased 75% from 2019 to 2024, the 8th highest percentage growth in the nation.
While most of Pritzker’s legislative housing package failed to make it out of the General Assembly, lawmakers did pass the governor’s proposal for about $250 million in capital funding related to housing, which will go to a mix of local infrastructure, middle and affordable housing financing and down payment assistance programs, some of it through programs previously on the books.
“We are continually picking fights with the federal government,” said Republican House Floor Leader Rep. Patrick Windhorst. Failing to “work together with the federal government to resolve the issues, particularly related to immigration and enforcement of our laws, has resulted in huge problems in our state.”
Banking associations have sued the state to fight the law. A federal judge upheld parts of the law in February, but the plaintiffs appealed. Plaintiffs include the Illinois Bankers Association, American Bankers Association, America’s Credit Unions and the Illinois Credit Union League. Last month, the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals sent the case back to a lower court.
Under the bill, massage therapists convicted of crimes including prostitution, rape, sexual misconduct, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, battery of a patient, and any crime that subjects the a licensee to comply with the Sexual Offender Registration Act will have their massage therapy license revoked immediately. In the past, it has taken months to get licenses revoked.
“I warned that there would be truly unprecedented challenges because Donald Trump and the Republican Congress are costing the state over $8 billion,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “It's hurting families and businesses alike and that puts a greater burden on our state budget.”
State lawmakers failed to reform the Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion this legislative session despite bipartisan criticism of its performance and calls to disband it. Moreover, the seven highly paid commissioners who lead it are getting raises of about $5,000 apiece, and their requested $5.6 million budget was approved.
As for the megaprojects tool nixed by the Senate: “We still need that, by the way,” Gov. JB Pritzker said, reiterating his charge that Illinois is “behind the curve” given how 38 other states have a statewide mechanism for large developers to negotiate property taxes. “It’s just in Illinois where we have had a disorganized, dysfunctional endeavor forever, and now we’re trying to organize it and make it work, so that businesses will want to come.”
The first act of the board was to buoy CTA, Metra and Pace with a quarter-percent sales tax increase.
According to the governor's office, a "back-to-school sales tax holiday" will return to Illinois Aug. 7-16 During that time, families shopping for school supplies, clothing, computers and other necessities "will not pay sales tax," at all the release said. Also included in Illinois' FY2027 budget was a six-month pause on the state's gas tax, starting July 1.
State Rep. Brad Halbrook, a member of the Illinois Freedom Caucus, said the General Assembly goes back to the same failed playbook year after year: “Spend beyond our means, refuse to tell Gov. Pritzker 'no' and create yet another budget problem, then turn around and demand taxpayers bail Springfield out once again."
Rep. Bill Hauter, a physician, called the bill “unworkable and unnecessary” during final House floor debate on Sunday. “This bill fundamentally misinterprets and mischaracterizes what the medical record is for — a private, protected communication between healthcare professionals to take care of patients,” he said.
Rideshare drivers say a union is necessary because under federal law, they’re defined as independent contractors, despite having little control over work practices while working for companies like Uber and Lyft. That makes a statewide union their only option to collectively bargain and form a labor agreement, they say.
In addition to the increase in EBF money, the budget includes increases in certain categories of transportation costs and other kinds of “mandated categorical” spending. It also nearly triples funding, to $26 million, to help fund free breakfast and lunch programs.
"Illinois lawmakers will say they gave drivers a break, but the planned suspension of an increase in the gas tax is far outweighed by a plan to use $150 million in additional sales tax revenue from high gas prices to cover the state’s budget shortfall."
Researcher Kasia Tarczynska said while Illinois does disclose some information, it doesn’t include annual incentives for local facilities. In states that do provide this information, she said revenue losses are soaring, with three states already losing $1 billion or more per year.
Illinois would ban social media companies from using addictive algorithms for youth, stop on-platform location sharing and prohibit scam financial transactions with strangers online.
Two sources close to negotiations confirmed that legislation is being crafted that would enable local governments to set up their own stadium authorities — a mechanism that would allow the Bears to escape paying property taxes altogether.
More than half of all states have passed laws similar to that of Illinois’, with many states also including funding for school districts to enforce the bans through solutions like school-provided lockable bags. The Illinois plan does not include funding for the law’s implementation.
“The American people, regardless of the city or state in which they reside, should not live under threat of military occupation simply because they live in a jurisdiction that has fallen out of a president’s political favor,” Raoul said. “I am proud to have successfully blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to illegally deploy the National Guard in Illinois, and I join my fellow attorneys general in asking the court to uphold the injunction on the administration’s unlawful deployment in the District of Columbia.”
A legislative draft of the tax proposals wasn’t released Saturday night. But buried inside the 3,551-page document were 3.2 percent cost-of-living increases for the 177 members of the General Assembly, boosting their base salaries to $101,450 — breaking six figures for the first time. Salaries for the governor, other statewide elected officials, and the heads of state agencies also would increase by about 3.2 percent, though Gov. JB Pritzker does not take a salary.
The legislation creates a payment plan option, expands the redemption period, and creates a surplus equity fund for homeowners at risk of losing their homes. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle called the legislation a step towards equity.
This bill also states schools cannot suspend Pre-K through second graders without the principal receiving written or verbal consent from the superintendent.
A decade after Illinois became the first state in the nation to restrict its public pensions from investing in companies that boycott Israel, lawmakers are debating whether to become the first to reverse the policy.
That means pending data center projects will not be subject to guardrails proposed in the bill, like water use reporting, community benefits agreements and requirements that data centers pay for their own energy from renewable sources.
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The $21 million program is funded by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $1.25 billion housing and economic development bond that was approved by the City Council in 2024. A spokesman said it’s a one-time funding effort for HomeGrown, but the city may revisit the program if it proves successful.
"No civilized society can tolerate the incarceration of truly innocent persons for crimes they did not commit. Nonetheless, the opposite concern is equally serious: When courts vacate murder convictions and release defendants convicted of brutal killings, victims’ families and the public deserve confidence these decisions were reached only after rigorous, individualized investigations grounded in evidence — not through blanket assumptions, political expedience, or informal understandings reached behind closed doors."
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"Chicago cannot build a successful school system through permanent political combat. We also cannot build one by pretending legitimate questions about governance, spending, priorities, or accountability are attacks on public education itself. Healthy institutions welcome scrutiny because they believe in their mission."
Jim Dey: "The $30 cost of admission is the highest of these homages to former presidents, but just $1 more than former President Nixon’s library in Yorba Linda, Calif. But there’s more expenses than just admission costs, as The Wall Street Journal recently noted. There are sky-high hotel taxes for out-of-town visitors, plus sky-high parking rates and sky-high rates on anything else one can name in a city that, as the Journal described, is 'known for complex and costly urban development, steep taxes and premium cultural attractions.'"
"Since 1989 three different black representatives in Congress have introduced HR40, a bill to create a commission to explore a federal reparations programme. Five states and some cities have also launched their own commissions. Yet the scheme in Evanston, a multicultural and deeply liberal spot that is the home of Northwestern University, is the only one to have actually paid out money."
An assessment of the property shows the building does need improvements, with “deficiencies” found with the roof, HVAC, windows, and exterior doors, as well as other “deferred maintenance.” The assessment did not include an estimated cost for the repairs.
"For if the media were functioning in Chicago, wouldn’t some intrepid reporter pose an obvious question to (Judge April) Perry: While you were serving as chief ethics officer for the scandal-plagued administration of (former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim) Foxx, what did you think about her vacating the conviction of two illegals in a vicious double-murder case? What did you think about Foxx’s other dubious exonerations? Where was your moral outrage then, Judge Perry?"
"As it turns out, not only was the narrative untrue that CPS’ academic recovery after COVID outpaced other big-city school districts. NAEP data show CPS lost ground relative to many of its urban peers. As writers from the A City That Works blog put it, Chicago’s math declines put CPS on 'the worst trajectory among any of the largest cities in the country.'"
Future programming at the Center in 2026 will include throughout July and August, its “You Are America” summer series of talks, films, and community events honoring the 250th anniversary of America. To celebrate President Obama’s birthday on August 4, the center will host an all-ages celebration with a karaoke DJ set that will invite visitors to join the experience by singing classics from soul, R&B, and contemporary music.
A resident told officers they heard several gunshots around 2 a.m. Saturday but did not call 911. Investigators recovered shell casings at the scene, suggesting the shooting occurred where the body was found. If the shooting occurred when the resident heard the gunshots, the victim’s body lay undiscovered for nearly 10 hours before police were notified.
"In Summer 2025, Washington’s Navy Yard neighborhood became a focal point for the D.C. version of Chicago’s teen takeover problem — repeated large gatherings that spurred violence in one of the city’s busiest dining and nightlife districts. After a particularly chaotic Independence Day weekend in 2025, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council had seen enough. Working together, they created a new tool: extended juvenile curfew zones."
"What one thing that binds the writer to the reader is giving the reader a chance to engage in dialogue."
"Reports such as UChicago Justice Project’s should be judged by their methodology, not by how well their conclusions align with a political preference. Too often the media treat such studies as authoritative without scrutinizing their sample windows, control variables, and potential selection bias."
“Markham has an extremely high effective property tax rate,” said Brian Costin, of Americans for Prosperity Illinois. “To think that taxpayers in a community with a lot of lower-income families could potentially be paying for something like a helicopter prom photo shoot is about as far away from public purpose as possible.”
“The church is still the number one organizing tool in city government, in the city of Chicago,” said Ald. William Hall, also the pastor at St. James Church. “Political candidates know that the same person that has an audience for two hours 52 weeks in a row can literally say or inspire that audience to go in a direction politically that can hurt or help them.”
In a post on social media, the president said, "Someone should explain to the Pope that the Mayor of Chicago is useless, and that Iran cannot have a Nuclear Weapon!" Johnson responded to the post, saying, in part, "Someone should explain to the president that he's only making it harder for working families to make ends meet."
A developer is building 20 new single-family homes in the village, and later this summer, a raffle will be held to determine who can purchase them. A church once occupied the site, but Elk Grove Village bought the land and tore the building down.
According to a draft of the ordinance, updates to the current landlord/tenant ordinance include a ban on hidden junk fees, such as application and processing fees charged on top of rent, and a requirement that any amounts charged to renters reflect actual, documented costs. It also establishes a Tenant Bill of Rights and requires landlords to disclose if they’re using algorithmic pricing tools.
"The Indiana deal is obviously bad for their taxpayers, so (Cook County Treasurer Maria) Pappas suggests letting them pay for it if they’re gonna be so gullible. But that seems more like advocacy than an actual study. And it ignores what a huge national spotlight on a very prominent Illinois entity moving across the border could trigger. If the Bears can do it, why not others?"
"As we enter the weekend, I am urging parents, guardians and trusted adults to help prevent unsanctioned teen gatherings, know where your children are, and talk with them about the risks of attending these events," Johnson said. "The Chicago Police Department will enforce curfew and applicable laws, and community violence intervention partners will be on the ground to help keep young people safe."
Superintendent Macquline King noted thousands of largely Black and Latino students would wrap up the school year without certainty about their schools’ future. “We’ll cause instability and concern,” an unusually emotional King said. “For us, it may seem like, ‘It’s just two weeks.’ For a child, this can be a lifetime.”
Joining Brandon Johnson in the delegation were Antonio Romanucci, who served as co-counsel to Ben Crump as attorneys for George Floyd's family in their record lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis and four Minneapolis police officers; multiple Chicago aldermen; president of the Chicago Teachers Union Stacy Davis Gates; and more than 40 other leaders. Johnson gifted the pontiff letters from families of detained immigrants, a pin from the Southwest Community ICE Watch, a sanctuary city pin and a hat reading "Immigrants Make America Greater."
Most of the fines will be donated to the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, city officials said this week.
While streaming service taxes are less common, the City of Evanston and Chicago have both introduced these fees for residents (5 percent in Evanston and 10.25 percent in Chicago). According to the finance memorandum, Riverside, East Dundee and Wheeling have also introduced a 5 percent streaming charge for residents.
Friday, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved a felony charge of possession of contraband in a penal institution Friday. Jail staff found a 6-inch sharpened piece of metal with a handle made of medical tape in his pants pocket. Medina already faces first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault and weapons charges in Sheridan Gorman's death.
"(Mayor Brandon) Johnson likes to talk about leading 'with what the data shows.' But robust data that don’t fit his prescribed views obviously aren’t worthy of the same amount of discussion as the biased report he extolled earlier this week."
Wirepoints Research and Commentary
With $162 billion more from taxpayers, couldn't you deliver a few bond upgrades, too 
Audio and summary 
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
Everybody needs a side hustle these days, and mine is Ukraine, where I am now.
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Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do. 
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