Progress Illinois

Showdown Over Tax Hike Set
By vetoing a 50 percent budget plan yesterday that the General Assembly had pushed through, Gov. Pat Quinn left the state operating without a budget and set the stage for another Springfield showdown. On July 14, lawmakers are scheduled to return to the state Capitol where they'll either take up an income tax increase or try to overide the governor's veto, which would cement severe cuts in human services.

Illinois Snags New Affordable Housing Money
Illinois is scheduled to pull in $95 million worth of federal stimulus money to spur affordable housing construction that has stalled because of the recession, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced yesterday.

Cook County Education Chief's Office Raided
Cook County Supt. Charles Flowers' office and home were the targets of raids yesterday in an ongoing investigation following a recent state audit that revealed a slew of questionable expenses. Meanwhile, Cook County commissioners are expected to vote today on a resolution that demands Flowers' resignation and calls on state lawmakers to transfer the office's duties to the state board of education.

CPS Starts Mass Layoffs
Yesterday, 557 Chicago Public Schools employees were handed pink slips, marking the largest round of layoffs to hit the school district in history. The job cuts, which were largely targeted at administrative positions, are part of a cost cutting plan to save $100 million. Another round of layoffs still looms.

Chicago's Population Resurgence
Like other major cities across the nation, Chicago's population is once again on the rise -- posting a 20,000-person increase in 2008 -- according to new U.S. Census Bureau data released yesterday. Demographers attribute the increase to a flat housing market that precluded people from selling their homes. 

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user alonzoD.