THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Pritzker throws water on tax hikes...Transit reform language surfaces
May 29, 2025
Good morning, Illinois.
Paid subscribers will get an update from the Statehouse in an hour or two. You should join us as it gets wild around here. We’re even offering a deal for $10 a month through the weekend (for new subscribers.) Stay in the know.
The House and Senate are in at 11. Governor Pritzker speaks at the Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Ceremony at 1 and moderates a book event with Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon in Chicago at 6.
Let’s get to it.
YOUR THURSDAY FREE FOR ALL
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Gov. JB Pritzker vows no ‘broad-based’ taxes to address budget hole (Chicago Tribune)
As Illinois lawmakers continue to work on a spending plan in the final days of the spring legislative session, Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday offered no insight on negotiations but said he’d veto any spending plan that includes “broad-based” taxes to balance a budget that faces a shortfall estimated at $1 billion.
“I’ve been opposed to any taxes that are broad based or that would affect working families in this budget,” Pritzker said after taking part in a ceremony honoring former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar with a reading room bearing his name at the Illinois State Library. “I’ve been pretty clear with everybody that individual income taxes, corporate income taxes, sales taxes, we are not about raising those taxes at all. I would veto a bill that does that.”
Asked if he knew of any sticking points for the $55.2 billion budget proposal he presented February, Pritzker said only that he has been talking regularly to lawmakers throughout the month but offered no specifics on those talks.
Legislative leaders also have said little about where budget negotiations stand ahead of Saturday’s scheduled adjournment, but have warned about the possible need to return to Springfield because of the uncertainty over federal funding under Republican President Donald Trump’s administration.
Democrats have solid control of the General Assembly but in past years still had trouble finalizing a budget amid squabbles between progressive and moderate wings of the party. Those issues won’t be any easier to solve given Pritzker’s demand that spending be held in check during a tough financial year that was recently punctuated by a bleak report from the legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. The April report showed the state’s revenue growth has fallen $471 million short of the $55 billion in state revenues Pritzker used in his February proposal.
Related: Pritzker threatens to veto any budget containing ‘broad-based’ tax increase (Capitol News Illinois)
Opinion: Lawmakers may need extra session days this year, and that’s OK (Shaw Media)
Goodbye, RTA. Hello, NITA? Suburban lawmakers divided over new transit bill (Daily Herald)
A new plan to reform public transit that emerged Wednesday in the General Assembly would establish the Northern Illinois Transportation Authority in place of the Regional Transportation Authority and create one universal fare system.
“I think we really got a winner with this bill,” Democratic state Rep. Marty Moylan of Des Plaines said. “We’re going to have a governing board that’s actually going to be in charge and make important changes.”
Some suburban Republicans, however, raised alarms about the latest plan to fix transit.
The legislation “appears to confirm our initial fears that this is a Chicago-Cook County takeover of regional transit funding and operations because the voting thresholds appear to be heavily skewed toward Cook County and the city of Chicago,” Republican state Sen. Don DeWitte of St. Charles said.
“We will continue to fight for fairness and equity in board representation and voting power for the five collar counties.”
A supermajority will be required to approve major decisions, Moylan said. “That’s including the suburbs, so no one agency can control the whole system. We’re working toward a dedicated police force … that’s very important,” amid concerns about CTA violence, he added.
The legislation comes as the three agencies and RTA stare down a $770 million shortfall in 2026. But it does not address the budget crisis; separate proposals are expected before the session ends Saturday.
A key issue for the region is ensuring parity between the city and suburbs. The amendment would preserve the Metra, Pace and the CTA boards, with tweaks, and give NITA authority over agency budgets.
Related: Lawmakers file transit reform bill, but don’t yet address fiscal cliff (Chicago Tribune)
Illinois lawmakers drop bill to address security and governance of mass transit around Chicago (Chicago Sun-Times)
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POLITICAL POTPOURRI
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Lawmakers consider fixes to energy policy that’s been outpaced by power-hungry technology (Chicago Tribune)
Senate passes bill requiring Illinois libraries to supply opioid overdose medication (Capitol News Illinois)
Lawmakers advance bill aimed at curbing third-party restaurant reservations
A long way to go: Chicago Bears proposed move to Arlington Heights would require complicated approval (Chicago Tribune)
Bill would require police training for sexual assault, conflicts of interest (Capitol News Illinois)
Former ComEd officials on track for sentencing after judge, feds resolve legal challenges (Chicago Sun-Times)
Illinois lawmaker proposes a Pope Leo XIV statue and license plate (Chicago Sun-Times)
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider talks Trump and tariffs at town hall; ‘We can’t let this be normal’ (Chicago Tribune)
Lawmakers advance bill aimed at curbing third-party restaurant reservations (Capitol News Illinois)
Illinois lawmakers’ latest perk — continuing education credits for going to work (Chicago Tribune)
Editorial: State legislators score a quiet favor from their friends at the Illinois Supreme Court (Chicago Tribune)
Opinion: State lawmakers still have time to adopt a measured fix for Tier 2 pension problem (Chicago Tribune)
Opinion: Illinois is paying top dollar to fail its college-age young adults (Chicago Tribune)
Deering: Illinois doesn’t need a bigger budget — it needs a better one (Chicago Tribune)
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