Articles

Seniors Urged to Apply by June 30

Illinois Department on Aging Director John K. Holton, Ph.D., is reminding Illinois seniors about their last chance to get approved for Circuit Breaker property tax grants before the program ends July 1. The Circuit Breaker program provides grants to eligible seniors and persons with disabilities to help them reduce the costs of property taxes, license plate renewals and rides on public transit.

Walsh’s June Coffee Shop Stop

Joliet, IL – On Tuesday, June 26, Larry Walsh Jr. (D-Elwood) will host his first coffee shop stop at the Silver Spoon Restaurant in Joliet.

“Getting out and interacting with constituents is one of my top priorities,” Walsh said. “I rely on the input I receive to make decisions on issues in Springfield. It also helps me understand the concerns people have with local issues as well.”

U.S. Paying Needlessly High Cost for Crime

By Davis Turman

States are spending $52 billion a year on corrections, with one U.S. adult in 31 either incarcerated, on probation, or on parole, according to the Pew Foundation.

The U.S. incarceration rate is by far the highest in the world. Spending on corrections is now the second fastest-growing item in state budgets after Medicaid. It has quadrupled in the past two decades, many say because of a “get tough on crime” approach.

Mcguire Urges Quick Action on Bills to Cut Lawmakers’ Pay

“Every dollar saved helps balance the state’s budget. Plenty of families have had to do more with less. Elected officials from the governor on down and need to sacrifice, too.” —Senator Pat McGuire

Childcare Funding Fix

Day-care providers threatened by late state payments won support Friday, May 18 when the Illinois Senate voted 46-0 to appropriate $73.6 million to the providers. The Senate vote means monthly payments to the day-care centers, already late, should be paid before the month is out. Without today's action, centers providing day care to low-income working families would have had to wait until July to be paid. Some providers expected to be forced to close their doors.

Cigarette Tax Increase

Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka said she supports a proposed cigarette tax increase for Medicaid provided that it is tied to significant spending cuts and approval of a gaming expansion bill that includes a Chicago casino and slot machines at horse racing tracks.

The proposal offered by the state fiscal officer represents a compromise in the ongoing state budget and Medicaid negotiations.

Tougher Penalties for Fraud and Disability Parking

The Illinois State Senate approved legislation proposed by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White to crack down on fraud and abuse of the state’s disability-parking programs.   The legislation now moves to the governor’s office for his approval.

House Bill 5056, sponsored by State Representative John D’Amico (D-Chicago) and Senator Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero), will toughen penalties for those who abuse parking privileges designed to assist persons with disabilities.

Bill to Protect Property Taxpayers

Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Emily McAsey to prevent residents from being unreasonably penalized on their property taxes passed the Illinois House and now awaits the governor’s approval before it can become law.

Senate Confirms Two for Federal Judgeship

U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced that the Senate has confirmed John "Jay" Tharp for a federal judgeship in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois. The Senate approved Tharp by a vote of 86-1.

2012 Report Show Casino Gaming Revenues Continue to Recover

New polling data illustrates community leaders’ positive attitudes toward casinos

Commercial casino gaming revenues rose for the second consecutive year in 2011, continuing the recovery that began in 2010, according to a national economic impact study released by the American Gaming Association (AGA).