WATCH: Debate around which tax to increase; pension enhancements, energy bills advance
October 30, 2025/
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop reviews the ongoing debate at the Illinois Statehouse about which taxes to increase during the final days of fall veto session. Among the proposals are an “amusement tax,” a retail delivery tax and decoupling Illinois tax code from the federal tax code.
Bishop also reviews several measures advancing through the legislature, including a pension reform measure that passed an Illinois House committee and an energy measure focused on renewables that passed the Illinois House. Both chambers are in session for the final day of veto session Thursday.
Subscribe to Illinois in Focus Daily with The Center Square on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the Illinois in Focus podcast to get the entire show uninterrupted.
Latest News Stories
Meeting Briefs: Library Board of Trustees for June 24, 2025
The Library Board of Trustees unanimously approved its annual working budget after amending the family programs line to $25,000. The board is also moving forward with long-term financial planning, having...
Meeting Summary: Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees for June 25, 2025
The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees met on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Key actions included the approval of the fiscal year 2026 budget after a contentious debate and hearing...
Mokena Enacts Local Grocery Tax to Avert $850,000 Revenue Loss
The Mokena Village Board has moved to preserve a crucial revenue stream, unanimously approving a new local grocery tax to replace state-collected funds that will disappear in 2026. The move...
Mokena Dissolves Two Committees to Streamline Development Process
In a bid to become more business-friendly, the Village of Mokena is dissolving two of its long-standing advisory committees to accelerate the process for new development. Mayor George J. Metanias...
Mokena Police to Get New Axon In-Car Cameras in $176K Deal
The Mokena Police Department is set to receive a significant technology upgrade after the Village Board approved a five-year, $176,526 contract with Axon Enterprise for a new in-car video system....
Mokena Targets Invasive Callery Pear Trees for Removal
The Village of Mokena is taking proactive steps to improve its urban forest by removing dozens of invasive Callery Pear trees from public parkways, funded in part by a grant...
Meeting Briefs: Mokena Village Board for June 23, 2025
The Mokena Village Board took several major actions at its June 23 meeting, including approving a new local grocery tax to head off a projected $850,000 revenue loss after the...
Mokena 159 Board Approves Amended Budget Amid Transparency, Deficit Concerns
The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education approved an amended budget for fiscal year 2025 in a contentious 6-1 vote Wednesday night, following sharp criticism from a board member...
Mokena 159 Board Signals Support for Recording Meetings After Public Push
Following requests from several residents, the Mokena School District 159 Board of Education on Wednesday discussed and expressed broad support for recording and publicly posting its meetings to increase transparency....
District 159 Adopts ‘Wayfinder’ Program to Boost Middle Schoolers’ Social-Emotional Health
Mokena Junior High School students will have a new curriculum focused on social-emotional learning (SEL) next year after the Board of Education unanimously approved the adoption of the "Wayfinder" program....
Mokena 159 Principals Report End-of-Year Academic Progress, Focus on Writing
Principals from Mokena School District 159 presented their end-of-year School Improvement Plan (SIP) updates to the Board of Education on Wednesday, highlighting student progress with a particular focus on improving...
Meeting Briefs: Mokena School District 159 for June 18, 2025
The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education met on June 18, 2025. The board approved an amended budget for the upcoming fiscal year after significant debate. It also signaled...
Will County Board Halts Transportation Plan After Contentious 143rd Street Debate
The Will County Board voted Wednesday to send its five-year, multi-million dollar transportation improvement plan back to committee, effectively pausing all projects after a lengthy and heated debate over the...