New toll transponders cut costs for agencies and drivers
Illinois is the latest state to roll out sticker tags, which are gaining popularity over the clunky boxes that drivers have been mounting on their windshields for decades.
Amid Economic Uncertainty, State Tax Revenues Decline
If there’s good news in April's numbers, though, it might be that most states were already planning for softer revenue growth in fiscal 2024 and many have robust rainy day funds to weather a potential downturn. Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.
'I Don’t Know Where I’m Going to Go': HUD Displaces Even More Residents in This Small City
HUD already closed four public housing complexes in the Cairo, Ill., area. Now the federal agency is set to demolish a high-rise, gutting the city of some of its last affordable housing.
Voters Will Decide This Fall on Whether to Add the Right to Unionize to One State's Constitution
The proposed amendment would guarantee workers in Illinois the "fundamental right" to collectively bargain over wages, hours and working conditions as well as to protect their "economic welfare."
A Local Government Plans to Pay Off Millions in Residents' Medical Debt
Cook County, Illinois, where Chicago is located, is launching the initiative using American Rescue Plan dollars and hopes to wipe out hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid bills.
Cities With the Lowest Home Prices in the US
Housing prices are soaring and interest rates are rising, but median home prices in these places are less than $185,000.
In a State Renowned for Its Budget Mess, Glimmers of a Turnaround
After decades of mismanagement, analysts say Illinois is “heading in the right direction” but still has work to do.
States Seek Waiver for $380M in Unemployment Loan Interest
The push for a break from the federal government on the borrowing costs comes as Republicans in Congress are increasingly scrutinizing aid for states.
The Indictment of the Nation’s Longest-serving Legislative Leader
The federal prosecution of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan is the latest, and biggest, development in a push to crack down on corruption in Chicago.
Legislation Seeks to Block Secrecy With Economic Development Deals
Bills put forward in at least three states aim to ensure there's transparency around tax breaks and other incentives.
Only State That Tapped Emergency Fed Program Pays Off $2B Loan
The program was set up in the early days of the pandemic to help steady the then-rattled world of municipal finance. Now, just one government agency still has debt from it outstanding.
Bills Modeled on Texas Abortion Law Target Sex Abusers, Gun Sellers
California’s governor wants to use Texas tactics to go after assault weapons sold in his state, while an Illinois state lawmaker seeks to penalize sex offenders.
As Food Banks Struggle to Feed More Families at Thanksgiving, Localities Step Up to Help
Food shortages and soaring prices have hampered many charities' ability to collect and buy enough items. Municipal governments are investing new federal funds to boost these efforts.
Tax or Treat! State Laws on Candy Taxation Vary Wildly
Whether you pay tax on your Halloween treat supply depends on which state you live in and how it defines candy.
5 Midwest States Form Electric Vehicle Pact
They plan to work together building out charging infrastructure and on other issues. The agreement comes after Ford unveiled plans for big electric vehicle investments in another region.
Two States Have Decriminalized HIV Transmission, Leaving Eight With Active Laws
Illinois became the second state to repeal a decades-old statute that allowed HIV-positive residents to be charged with a felony for failing to disclose their status before having unprotected sex.
Many New Moms Get Kicked Off Medicaid 2 Months After Giving Birth. Illinois Will Change That.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of new mothers lose Medicaid coverage after 60 days when their income exceeds limits. But deadly childbirth complications persist months longer.
States Look to Ban Police From Lying During Interrogations
Lawmakers in Illinois approved legislation that would prohibit police from lying to minors during interrogations, and similar proposals are underway in other states.
Illinois Becomes First State to Abolish Cash Bail
Judges will instead use a risk assessment tool to determine a defendant's fitness for release. The change is part of a broader criminal justice reform bill Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed this week.
An Urban Hospital on the Brink vs. the Officials Sworn to Save It
Officials fear that the facility's closure will limit hospital access for about 60,000 Chicago-area residents. Inner-city hospitals often struggle with lean Medicaid payment rates.
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies
Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link
If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.
Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.
If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.
Cookie List
A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:
Strictly Necessary Cookies
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Functional Cookies
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Performance Cookies
We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.
Sale of Personal Data
We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
Social Media Cookies
We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
Targeting Cookies
We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.
Help us tailor content specifically for you: