CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich yesterday called a special session of the General Assembly for Jan. 2 in an attempt to resolve the longstanding impasse on a Chicago-area transit bailout plan that would avert deep service cuts, fare hikes, and layoffs set to take effect Jan. 20. “There will be only 18 days to work before the transit doomsday, so you should be prepared to meet as often as needed during that period,” the governor said in a letter to lawmakers. The governor and various legislative leaders have endorsed a plan to divert about $400 million in gasoline taxes collected in the Chicago area from the state general fund to transit. Action on the proposal has been stalled by the insistence of Republican leaders and downstate lawmakers that the General Assembly simultaneously adopt a new $25 billion capital budget. The state House had been scheduled to meet earlier this week on a proposal to expand gaming to finance the capital budget, but House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, who has been feuding with the governor, cancelled it due to the lack of a final agreement on the plan. He also cited as a distraction the recent indictment of Chris Kelly, Blagojevich’s former fundraiser and point person on gaming issues, on federal tax fraud charges. The governor singled out Madigan in his letter for blame on the delay. “This delay leaves millions of people waiting in uncertainty. I had hoped to receive legislation on my desk before the end of the calendar year,” he wrote.
-
Markets are "tilting to a risk-off posture as participants brace for the chance of Trump tariff-sparked turbulence in the coming hours and days," said José Torres, senior economist at Interactive Brokers.
July 7 -
The policy shift may crowd out some projects, warned Baruch Feigenbaum, senior managing director of transportation policy at Reason Foundation.
July 7 -
Housing advocates are celebrating the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill for the boost in Low Income Housing Tax Credits which is projected to boost the use of private activity bonds.
July 7 -
JP Zaptin has joined Baird where he will establish a municipal trading desk
July 7 -
Moody's expects enplanements at the facility will remain below the low end of its former projections.
July 7 -
New Hampshire Supreme Court found that the state doesn't spend enough on education, but upheld the education property tax system.
July 7