Sen. Dick Durbin is pushing a proposal in Washington to authorize $2 billion in federal funds for cash-strapped transit agencies across the U.S. Under the bill, the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace would receive about $109 million.
On a second attempt, the Illinois House mustered the 71 votes necessary to pass a pension borrowing bill. Rep. David Miller, who initially voted nay, ultimately supported the measure.
While speaking in front of the City Club of Chicago this morning, Mayor Richard Daley made a pledge
not to raise property taxes on local homeowners in this year's city
budget. He added that he does not want to burden the taxpayers while
so many are at risk of foreclosure.
With Republicans and conservative Democrats still refusing to borrow to cover the state's annual pension contribution, lawmakers are discussing
two alternative plans to deal with it.
A second poisoning operation designed to kill Asian carp swimming in Chicago's waterways did not produce
any unwanted fish, Illinois officials said Monday. The successful
operation suggests few if any Asian carp are still near a shipping lock
where scientists found genetic material from the species last year.
This afternoon, the House Executive Committee unanimously approved legislation (HB 537) that would close a major loophole in the 2005 Payday Loan Reform Act. The same committee killed a more stringent bill last session. This compromise measure, which will cap interest rates on
installment loans at 99 percent APR, now moves to the full House.
Gov. Pat Quinn told reporters today that he expects a finalized state budget -- one that includes pension borrowing -- on his desk by the end of the week.
