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Illinois Democrats wrangle over ways to pay for $1.5B legislative package to buoy mass transit

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Illinois Democrats wrangle over ways to pay for .5B legislative package to buoy mass transit


SPRINGFIELD — State lawmakers were still trying to settle on a $1.5 billion funding package to prop up public transit on the final day of the fall veto session late Thursday.

It was unclear if lawmakers would agree on a tax package to stave off a $200 million-plus fiscal cliff next year that would likely result in major cuts to bus and rail service at the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace.

The latest funding package proposed by House Democrats late Thursday included:

  • Redirecting the state’s sales tax on motor fuel to transit operations, collecting $860 million a year.
  • Dedicating all of the interest on the state’s $8 billion road fund to transit, collecting nearly $200 million a year.
  • Authorizing the Regional Transit Authority to increase its Chicago area sales tax by 0.25%.
  • No fare increases on public transit for the first year after the bill’s passage.
  • Increasing tolls by 45 cents for passenger cars, and 30% for other vehicles, to raise up to $1 billion for the Illinois Tollway.

The new bill removed earlier proposals — shot down by Gov. JB Pritzker and others — to introduce a 7% tax on streaming services like Netflix, additional fees on tickets to large concerts, sporting events and other performances. The amended bill also removed a proposed and unprecedented “billionaire tax” on unrealized capital gains for the ultra-wealthy.

“We all understand how important it is to fund transit throughout the state of Illinois, and so we’re going to attempt to try to get it done ASAP,” said Pritzker, who earlier this year said he was against any proposal that included additional “broad-based” income or sales taxes that would be felt by residents statewide.

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But he didn’t slam the door on a regional sales tax hike in Cook County and the collar counties, as called for in the bill filed earlier this week by the House’s top transit negotiators, Chicago state Reps. Eva-Dina Delgado and Kam Buckner. It was one of the only tax proposals to stay in the amended bill.

Delgado called the new transit funding mechanisms “a way we can avoid raising significant taxes on folks.” But some downstate representatives said the amended bill took them by surprise, that it doesn’t allocate enough money outside of the Chicago area, and that the bill should be held for another day.

House Democrats were largely opposed to a bill that passed the state Senate in May, which aimed to raise $1.5 billion yearly through a $1.50 package delivery fee, a higher rideshare tax and an expanded real estate transfer tax.

Transit and labor leaders just want lawmakers to settle on a package to avert major budget cuts that would hit midway through next year and result in layoffs and loss of CTA bus and rail service. Lawmakers on both sides had already mostly agreed on revamped governance under an empowered Northern Illinois Transit Authority.

If lawmakers punt on transit funding, Pritzker didn’t rule out calling a special legislative session to finally resolve the looming crisis. Otherwise, lawmakers aren’t expected back in Springfield till January.

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Lawmakers have been trying to sort out transit funding for over three years, ever since it became apparent that the transit agencies would face major service cuts to balance the books when federal COVID-19 grants run dry. The transit agencies have been struggling with lower ridership that hasn’t recovered post-pandemic.

The transit agencies recently lowered their funding gap in 2026 down to $200 million, down from an estimated $700 million, thanks to new online sales tax revenue and an expected 10% fare increase in February. Transit agencies say the budget deficit would rise to nearly $800 million in 2027 without more funding from the state.

In other late session action, lawmakers were pressing for legislation intended to curb federal immigration authorities from carrying out deportations in or near hospitals, public universities, day cares or courthouses. A bill sponsored by state Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, would also allow residents to sue federal immigration who violate their constitutional rights.

Harmon acknowledged the bill, if passed, would likely face legal challenges, “but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something, and I’m damn well willing to try.”

State Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, said the bill was about “restoring trust, protecting our neighbors, defending our rights, and reminding the world that in Illinois, we do not let fear win.

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“We meet violence with courage. We meet hate with law, and we meet intimidation with justice,” she said. “This bill is a statement on behalf of the Legislature to say that what ICE is doing is unacceptable. It’s unlawful.”



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Produce Recall Issued In Parasite Outbreak Hitting IL

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Produce Recall Issued In Parasite Outbreak Hitting IL


A number of Taco Bell locations have posted signs announcing they are “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall,” according to Detroit-area news radio outlet WWJ.

Taco Bell told the Post it would keep monitoring the situation and follow authorities’ guidance.

Taco Bell Lettuce Linked To Growing MI Parasite Outbreak: FDA

“Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer,” the company told the Post. “While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”

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In Michigan, where cases have been concentrated, media reports said notices were posted at some Detroit-area Taco Bell restaurants last week telling customers the chain was “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro-Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall.”





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Illinois GOP trails badly in midterm cash

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Illinois GOP trails badly in midterm cash


The Illinois Republican Party filed its quarterly campaign finance report on the July 15 deadline. The party reported having just $223K in the bank. The next day, the party sent a letter to the Illinois State Board of Elections saying they were “reconciling” their records after a leadership change, and then noted that their actual end balance was $101K higher than it had reported the day before.

But that bit of found money was basically the end of the “good news” for the GOP last week.

Republicans no longer have a pet billionaire. Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin have fled the state. The legions of wealthy business titans who once contributed and raised money have either retired to sunnier climes or passed away. Several prominent party members have publicly shunned labor unions and their hefty political war chests, although the state GOP legislative leaders have at least tried to rebuild ties to trade unions and even the Illinois Education Association. But the heavily gerrymandered legislative map combined with the current political climate means they’ll mostly receive scraps.

And, yes, the House Democrats are struggling this month with scandals, including a state representative who resigned under pressure and another who was indicted. I’m not trying to downplay that at all. But Democrats have the national political environment, the local infrastructure and tons of cash behind them. The Republicans have little to none of that.

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The GOP’s gubernatorial candidate, Darren Bailey, raised $1.3 million in the second quarter, which ended June 30. That sounds like a lot, but he spent almost all of that on direct mail fundraising costs. The huge expenditures do give him a prospect list for future fundraising, but he ended the quarter with a mere $128K in the bank. That was still a whole lot more than the rest of the statewide ticket.

Attorney General nominee Bob Fioretti, a perennial candidate, raised $31K, spent $39K and had $28K on hand at the end of the quarter along with almost $15K in recent debt. Secretary of State candidate Diane Harris raised $6K, spent a bit over $4K and had a paltry $1,816.42 in the bank. Treasurer candidate Max Solomon, who ran as a write-in during the primary because the party failed to recruit anyone, raised less than $3K, reported no spending and ended the quarter with less than $8K. Comptroller candidate Bryan Drew raised $30K and received $47K in in-kind contributions from a company owned, ironically, by independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett, spent less than $3K, ended with $54K and had $25K in debt from earlier this year.

Man, that’s just downright pathetic.

But I suppose it doesn’t really matter anyway unless we see a massive sea-change in national opinion in the coming months or the federal government finds a way to not certify certain election results. Regardless of where individual candidates are at this moment, they’ll have the money to compete. Unlike the Republicans, the Dems do have a pet billionaire (JB Pritzker) and, I assume eventually for most of them, organized labor.

The Republican legislative leaders have tried to scrape and claw as much as they can, but they’re vastly outgunned. Senate Republican Leader John Curran raised just $75K in the second quarter. He spent $71K and reported having a bit more than $3 million in the bank. His caucus committee reported having $160K in the bank.

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Leader Curran has three Republican-held districts to defend in the Chicago media market that have all trended Democratic in the last three cycles. Depending how bad things get, he could be defending a couple, two or three more.

The Senate Democrats have a ton of money to do whatever they want. Senate President Don Harmon has about $20 million in his personal campaign account and $1.7 million in his caucus account.

Over in the House, Republican Leader Tony McCombie has at least four Democratic-trending or swingy districts to defend and just $1.3 million in her personal campaign account and another $363K in her caucus account so far.

In contrast, House Speaker Chris Welch had $11.4 million in his personal account and $1.2 million in his caucus account. Like Senate President Harmon, he has more than enough money already, but more is never enough when there’s so much out there, so those numbers will likely rise by November.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

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Hillsboro grad, Springfield golfer Alex Eickhoff 2nd at state amateur

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Hillsboro grad, Springfield golfer Alex Eickhoff 2nd at state amateur


BLOOMINGTON — Springfield’s Alex Eickhoff nearly had a magical Thursday as he tied for second place in the 95th annual Illinois State Amateur Championship at Crestwicke Country Club.  

Eickhoff, a 2020 Hillsboro High School graduate and former standout on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s men’s golf team, shot a 4-under-par 68 in Thursday’s third round and followed that with an even-par 71 to finish the three-day, four-round event 1-over 285. He tied for second with Bloomington’s Logan Stauffer.  

Eickhoff briefly took the lead through nine holes of his fourth round when he sat at 1-under par. Chicago’s Charlie Kulwin finished both of Thursday’s rounds under par and finished 2-under 282. He was the lone golfer to finish under par for the tournament.

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Eickhoff was The State Journal-Register’s Small School Boys Golfer of the year twice in his high school career: once as a freshman in 2016-17 and again as a senior in 2019-20. After high school, he golfed for the University of Minnesota for two years before transferring to SIUE.  

He began the tournament with a 3-over 74 on Tuesday and shaved off a stroke Wednesday with a 2-over 73. He closed out the event with an even-par 71 in Thursday’s final round.

Other area golfers who made the cut were Springfield’s Charles Hoogland (7-over 291, tied for 20th) and Jacksonville’s Brady Kaufmann (8-over 292, 25th). 

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The last golfer from The State Journal-Register’s coverage area to win the Illinois State Amateur was Jay Davis. Davis, a Jacksonville Routt graduate, won the 1991 and ‘92 tournaments. 

Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.





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