Justin Laurence

3 weeks ago | chicagobusiness.com | Justin Laurence

Nearly a week after legislation to reform and fund mass transit systems at the edge of a fiscal cliff fell apart in Springfield, state lawmakers have differing takes on what happened and how to find the best path forward. The Illinois Senate approved a transit bill in a 32 to 22 vote just 20 minutes before the close of the spring session, but it was never taken up by the House. Both chambers are led by Democratic super-majorities.

3 weeks ago | chicagobusiness.com | Justin Laurence

Mayor Brandon Johnson appears poised to ask the City Council to implement a city grocery tax to replace a state-level tax that sunsets at the end of the year. Gov. JB Pritzker previously blew a hole in local budgets across the state by ending a 1% grocery tax that was administered by the state, but redirected back to local municipalities. Chicago is facing the loss of $80 million annually beginning in 2026 unless it takes the likely controversial step of voting to implement its own tax by Oct. 1.

3 weeks ago | chicagobusiness.com | Justin Laurence

The Chicago Bears seemed poised to mount an 11th hour push to move legislation in Springfield that would smooth their exit to Arlington Heights, but the play was never called. After weeks of gauging whether legislators and Gov. JB Pritzker had softened their opposition to a new stadium aided by public subsidies, the Bears and their lobbyists understood lawmakers were not seeking to add a controversial up or down vote on the team’s future home to the packed agenda.

3 weeks ago | chicagobusiness.com | Justin Laurence

A proposed overhaul to reform and provide needed funding for regional transit appears to have fallen short during the General Assembly’s spring session, postponing the conversation and nudging transit agencies to the edge of a $771 million fiscal cliff. The setback came despite Senate Democrats approving the package in a 32 to 22 vote without GOP support with less than 20 minutes before midnight, a constitutional deadline to approve the bill with a simple majority.

3 weeks ago | chicagobusiness.com | Justin Laurence

State legislation to reform and fund regional transit is in danger of collapsing due to disagreements over how to fund the effort, but the lead Senate sponsor says to stay tuned to the final hours of the General Assembly’s spring session. In a bid to get the transit reforms back on track, lawmakers have looked to tax food and package deliveries, but amid pushback from the restaurants, merchants and some in the Illinois Black Caucus, the effort is on thin ice.