Former Gov. Pat Quinn is pressing to put a 3% surcharge on income over $1M on the 2026 ballot to fund property‑tax relief for homeowners. Backers say it could raise about $4.5B; critics dispute the math.

The White House rejected Illinois' appeal for summer storm aid, affecting roughly 438,000 residents across five counties. Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the denial politically motivated.

At least eight senior prosecutors have left the Northern District of Illinois since Andrew Boutros took over, shrinking staff and prompting concern about capacity on major cases. The office says it is hiring new attorneys to rebuild leadership.

Moody’s Analytics warns Illinois may lose jobs and residents in 2026, with tariffs, migration shifts and fiscal strain dragging growth.

State Sen. Graciela Guzme1n and Rep. Will Davis introduced legislation to make Illinois' evidence-based funding actually deliver for underfunded districts across the state.

The county filing window closed Feb. 6, leaving three council districts open and setting up competitive countywide primaries, including a crowded sheriff’s race.

Woodstock's council voted 4–3 to lease six Flock cameras for the downtown Square, attaching safeguards and prompting sharp privacy concerns from residents.

Ald. Anthony Beale says Mayor Brandon Johnson’s team is working to undo the City Council’s decision to legalize video-gambling terminals, triggering a budget and Bally’s-deal fight.

A state lawmaker cites a drop in school-based dental visits and has filed legislation to give the state more control over CPS as dentists warn fewer kids are getting care.

ABC7 Chicago, the League of Women Voters and Univision will stream a live Republican Senate primary forum next Wednesday at 7 p.m. featuring three GOP candidates.

A small campaign crypto experiment by Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim has become political ammunition in the Illinois comptroller primary after filings showed the token’s value collapsed. Opponents say the purchase raises questions about fiscal judgment; Kim’s campaign calls it a learning moment.

South and West Side leaders lined up behind Pat Hynes to challenge Fritz Kaegi, centering the race on assessment errors and record tax‑bill spikes that hit homeowners. The endorsements sharpen a high‑stakes primary fight.

CHA canceled a plan to bar the daughter of Commissioner Debra Parker from agency contracts, reviving questions about oversight and family-linked payments.