Illinois has second highest property taxes
With an average effective real estate tax rate of 2.27%, Illinois has the second highest property tax in the country, according to a new report from WalletHub. The Consumer Finance website puts Lincoln behind only New Jersey. While Illinois ranks # 1 for lack of vehicle property tax, the average state property tax for a home at $ 195,000 is around $ 4,400.
Calls for the Police Reform Act to be changed
The groups are already calling for lawmakers to make changes to a major police reform and overhaul of the criminal justice system, which the governor signed on Monday. The Illinois Municipal League suggested moving some provisions and repealing others. Senator John Curran said lawmakers need to clean up aspects of the bill that would have unintended consequences and harm community safety.
Madigan as Democratic Chairman
In a matter of weeks, Michael Madigan was relinquishing the titles that gave him decades of historical political and legislative power over Illinois. Madigan announced Monday that he has resigned from his position as chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, a role he has held since 1998. Last month, Madigan lost an offer for the Speaker of the House, a seat he has held since 1983 for but two years. He stepped down from the House last week.
Reactions to the controversial law on police reform are rolling in
The response came after Governor J. B. Pritzker signed House Bill 3653. The Illinois ACLU said it was excited about the changes in policing and the criminal justice system. The John Howard Association prison reform group also praised the new law. However, the Illinois Law Enforcement Coalition of Policing and Management said the law hurts law-abiding citizens the most.
Listening clock is ticking
John Lausch, the U.S. Northern District Illinois attorney who investigates and prosecutes corruption at various levels of the Illinois government, is expected to step down within a week unless the Biden administration changes heart. There is a bipartisan insistence that Lausch be carried on by the Biden government to complete its investigation. It is unclear whether their calls will be heard.
COVID-19 numbers remain low
The state continues to see low COVID-19 positive cases. In the past 24 hours, public health officials reported 1,246 positive cases, the lowest since 1,076 positive cases in a day on July 28, 2020. The 43 positive COVID-19 variants have not been updated since last week. The number of COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit is also the lowest since early October.