SPRINGFIELD — Illinoisans will obtain some modest tax aid beginning Friday when the state’s new fiscal yr begins.
That features some revenue tax rebates, property tax rebates, a suspension of the state’s 1 % tax on groceries, and a six-month pause on the scheduled inflationary improve within the state’s motor gasoline tax.
Gov. JB Pritzker and legislative Democrats held a information convention publicizing these tax breaks as shoppers grappled with 8.6 % inflation, the best price in almost 40 years.
“We’re sending $1.8 billion in tax aid to Illinois households, and we’re in a position to do this as a result of Democrats balanced the finances, eradicated the invoice backlog, and state authorities is now operating a surplus,” Pritzker mentioned at a information convention in Chicago.
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The information convention got here simply two days after the state’s major elections, marking the kick-off to the overall election cycle wherein Pritzker and Democrats, who management each chambers of the Common Meeting, will likely be touting their fiscal administration of the state.
“Fiscal duty means Illinois taxpayers are not required to pay a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in useless curiosity funds,” Pritzker mentioned. “As an alternative, we’re capable of higher fund schooling, rebuild our roads, make our neighborhoods safer, entice new companies to Illinois, and join employees with good paying jobs. And beginning tomorrow (Friday), each Illinoisan will get tax aid on necessities, gasoline, groceries and your private home.”
The tax aid measures have been included within the $46 billion finances lawmakers handed for the fiscal yr that begins Friday. They embody:
An revenue tax rebate of $50 per particular person with revenue beneath $200,000 a yr, or $100 for {couples} submitting collectively with revenue beneath $400,000 a yr, plus $100 per dependent little one, as much as three youngsters.
A suspension of the 1 % gross sales tax on groceries via June 2023.
A suspension of the scheduled inflationary improve within the motor gasoline tax via Dec. 31, which has been estimated at 2.2 cents per gallon. As an alternative, the motor gasoline tax will improve twice on the price of inflation subsequent calendar yr.
A gross sales tax vacation on back-to-school gadgets, to run from Aug. 5 to Aug. 14, when the speed will likely be imposed at 1.25 % as an alternative of the common 6.25 %.
And an extra property tax rebate of as much as $300 for owners who have been eligible to say the property tax credit score on their 2021 state tax returns. The rebate is offered to joint filers incomes $500,000 or much less and single filers incomes $250,000 or much less.
As well as, the tax aid bundle included a everlasting enlargement of the state’s earned revenue tax credit score, or EITC, to twenty % of the federal EITC whereas additionally extending eligibility for that credit score to noncitizens who file taxes utilizing an Particular person Taxpayer Identification Quantity as an alternative of a Social Safety Quantity.
Republicans criticized that bundle as an election-year gimmick, noting that the rebate checks would present up in individuals’s mailboxes or financial institution accounts earlier than Election Day, whereas motor gasoline tax suspension would disappear quickly after Election Day.
In addition they criticized a few of the tax breaks as too small or for not being everlasting; noting that the grocery tax suspension would solely save shoppers $1 on a $100 grocery invoice, and the motor gasoline tax financial savings would save solely 22 cents on a 10-gallon tank of gasoline.
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They proposed another, which might have suspended or capped the state’s 6.25-percent gross sales tax on motor fuels, which they are saying has been producing a windfall for the state as gasoline costs have soared to document ranges.
In keeping with AAA, the common value of gasoline in Illinois stood at $5.39 on Thursday. That features 37 cents of gross sales tax.
However Democrats pushed again towards that criticism, arguing that they’ve handed balanced budgets every of the final 4 years which have resulted in two credit score upgrades every from all three main score businesses and eradicated the invoice backlog whereas additionally making investments in necessary state companies.
“The truth is we’re making fiscally accountable choices,” state Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, mentioned on the information convention. “We’re investing within the points that can assist our communities develop and be stronger. We’re investing in schooling. We’re investing in well being care. We’re investing in public security. We’re investing in a brighter future for Illinoisans.”
Capitol Information Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan information service masking state authorities and distributed to greater than 400 newspapers statewide. It’s funded primarily by the Illinois Press Basis and the Robert R. McCormick Basis.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Will Riley scored his 19 points in the second half and No. 25 Illinois beat Maryland Eastern Shore 87-40 on Saturday.
Kylan Boswell added 13 points, Tomislav Ivisic had 11 and Morez Johnson Jr. finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Illini (4-1), who shot 25% (10 for 40) from 3-point range but committed just nine turnovers.
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Tre White grabbed 11 rebounds and Kasparas Jakucionis seven for Illinois, which outrebounded the Hawks 59-38.
Jalen Ware scored 10 points and Christopher Flippin had 10 rebounds for Maryland Eastern Shore (2-6), which had its lowest point total of the season. The team’s previous low came in 102-63 loss to Vanderbilt on Nov. 4.
Illinois is unbeaten in four home games. Maryland Eastern Shore is winless in six road games.
Takeaways
Illinois: Coming off a 100-87 loss Wednesday to No. 8 Alabama, the Illini had no trouble dominating the overmatched Hawks. They led 35-15 at halftime and extended the lead to as many as 52 points in the second half.
Maryland Eastern Shore: The Hawks couldn’t match Illinois’ height and depth and were slowed by 15 turnovers.
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Key moment
After struggling at the start of the game, the Illini went on a 17-0 run over a seven-minute stretch to move in front 25-8 with 5:15 to go in the first half.
Key stat
Maryland Eastern Shore struggled from the field, shooting 22% (15 for 68), including 5 for 20 on 3-pointers.
Up next
Illinois hosts Little Rock on Monday. Maryland Eastern Shore plays at No. 20 Arkansas on Monday.
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The women’s Illinois basketball team continued to impress on Friday night with another big win.
Coming into the game, the Illini were 4-0 and had already beaten a top-25 program in Florida State and a good team in Marquette. We were on top of the world.
It would be understandable for a letdown game to happen. Illinois didn’t let it happen, though. We came out of the gates firing, and Oregon State didn’t have answers.
Illinois played well in both halves. We took a 10-point lead into the halftime locker room and quickly expanded on that lead in the third quarter. By the game’s end, Illinois managed to secure an 85-66 win over Oregon State.
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Coming into the game on Friday night, Illinois has been able to hold their own when it comes to the rebounding department. But this wasn’t an easy matchup, as Oregon State is a good rebounding team as well.
Despite Oregon State having some great size, the Illini were tough on the boards. We were able to pull down rebounds at a rate that I was impressed with considering the opposing team had a 6-foot-7 center starting.
Illinois finished the game pulling down 36 rebounds compared to Oregon State’s 34 rebounds. Five of the 36 rebounds were on the offensive glass too, but we didn’t have a ton of opportunities considering the team shot 54.7% from the field.
The thing that impressed me the most about Illinois’ rebounding ability on Friday night was the size differential. Oregon State trotted out a 6-foot-7 center and a 6-foot-5 forward. We limited those two players to just 12 rebounds in 42 minutes of game action.
I think a big part of the great rebounding effort on the part of Illinois is the fact our frontcourt is strong and athletic. It is hard to move Kendall Bostic off her spot, and she does a great job boxing out. The same can be said for Brynn Shoup-Hill. Both players were quicker than anything Oregon State had in the frontcourt too.
Gainesville, Fla., – The No. 21 Florida Gators men’s basketball team cruised to a 93-68 win over Southern Illinois on Friday to stay undefeated in the 2024-25 season. They used a hot night offensively from senior Alijah Martin and Thomas Haugh to help ease to the finish line in this one.
Florida started this game positively compared to their previous outings. They came out the gates easily putting the ball through the net, resulting in an early 9-2 lead over Southern Illinois by the 16-minute mark.
However, things began to unravel over the next five to six minutes of the game. During this span, the Gators shot just 2-for-11 from the field, which allowed their opponents to cut the Gators’ lead to just one point.
Fortunately, they began to find their rhythm and they did it in a very loud way.
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With around eight minutes left in the half until about the last two minutes, the Gators went on a 22-2 run with some crowd-pleasing plays from Martin and Alex Condon along the way. The first one came from a steal by Martin that was dished off to Denzel Aberdeen who then lobbed it to Condon for the easy slam in transition.
Then, on the next possession for Southern Illinois, the Gators came up with another steal that quickly made its way into Martin’s hands for a high-flying slam that got the crowd on its feet.
After this big run, the Gators found themselves leading 41-17 over their opponents.
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This run really blew it wide open for Florida and by the final whistle of the first half, they were leading 46-25 over Southern Illinois.
The Gators were led in this half by Martin and Thomas Haugh. Martin contributed 18 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. He was also 4-for-7 from 3. Haugh – the more surprising standout from the first half – was having his way offensively as well. The sophomore was 4-for-7 overall and 3-for-4 from 3. He also made both of his free throw attempts in the half, which gave him 13 first-half points.
The beginning of the half was dull for the Gators. The offense didn’t make its first basket until the 18-minute mark and it was a layup from Walter Clayton Jr. This stagnant play was short lived though.
That is because Martin came alive for the Gators once again. The senior went unconscious from deep, hitting four consecutive 3’s for the Gators that included one from the logo with the shot clock expiring. By the end of his scoring tirade, the Gators led 67-38 over their opposition.
Then, not too long after this, the Gator fans got their next highlight play. This time, it came from Haugh. The wing came flying in over the defense and got big for a putback slam to extend the Gators’ lead to 30.
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From here, the Gators were on cruise control. Southern Illinois had some stretches offensively, but never really threatened to come back in this one. In the end, Florida won 93-68 over Southern Illinois.
Alijah Martin was unstoppable in this one. He ended the game with 32 points on 11-for-19 shooting and 8-for-13 from behind the arc. He also brought down 8 rebounds and dished out five assists in this one.
Also, Martin’s eight 3’s gave him a new career high in this category. Any time he let it fly, it felt like it was going in, he said after the game.
“I just felt like every one of them was going in,” Martin said.
Haugh, on the other hand, actually set a career-high in scoring against Southern Illinois. He poured in 19 points, shooting 6-for-10 overall and 3-for-5 from 3. He also was perfect from the line, hitting all four of his free throw attempts.
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His performance from behind the arc and at the charity stripe was great on the night and these were something he worked all summer on he said.
“I worked on (3-point shooting) a lot,” Haugh said. “I didn’t shoot the ball the greatest at the beginning of the year, but teammates still trusted me. And just like starting to hopefully get into a rhythm here cause all the work hopefully going to show soon.”
It’s a long break until the Gators return to action. Their next game isn’t until next Thursday when they take on Wake Forest at the ESPN Events Invitational. That game is slated for a 2:30 p.m. tipoff in Orlando and will be televised on ESPN.
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