Federal civil‑rights officials have opened directed probes into Detroit, Pontiac and Taylor after 2023‑24 federal data flagged questions about how they handled staff‑on‑student misconduct.

Chicago has put a planned extra pension payment on hold after Cook County said second‑installment property tax bills will be delayed by roughly two months, creating a cash‑flow pinch.

Cook County is placing a nonbinding "Millionaire's Tax" question on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot asking whether Illinois should add a 3% surcharge on incomes over $1M to fund schools and property-tax relief.