Illinois quick hits: Chicago school board raises property tax levy
Chicago school board raises property tax levy
By a vote of 15 to 5, the Chicago Board of Education raised its property tax levy for fiscal year 2026 to generate an additional $25 million to $30 million in revenue.
Chicago Public Schools Acting Chief Financial Officer Wally Stock said the levy increase from 3.8% to 4.78% would be reduced by county calculations. Monday’s vote came just over a week after the Chicago City Council passed a $16.7 billion budget that sweeps roughly $1 billion in tax-increment financing dollars to CPS.
The Chicago Board of Education’s Office of Inspector General recently found that “severely deficient” travel expense procedures resulted in CPS spending roughly $23.6 million in overnight travel-related expenditures from 2019 to 2024.
State taxpayers dollars going to Planned Parenthood
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) says it is investing $4 million to pay for Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid “family planning” programming.
According to HFS, the funding will go toward services like contraception, sexually-transmitted infection testing and treatment, and cancer screenings in order to counteract the federal defunding of Planned Parenthood.
According to HFS, abortions are not paid for with federal dollars but are covered on state Medicaid plans with state funds.
State Fair goes digital
The Illinois State Fair is transitioning to digital ticketing for 2026. After a trial run in 2025, fair officials say the modernized process will provide guests with more convenient, secure, and streamlined entry. The 2026 Illinois State Fair is scheduled from August 13 through August 23 in Springfield.
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Latest News Stories
Executive Committee: Tension Rises as Republican Whip Removed from Panel
Ad-Hoc Committee: County Stripped of Power to Regulate Motor Races, Must Drop Solicitor Fees Due to State Statutes
Commission Overrides Staff Recommendation, Approves Manhattan Township Barn Expansion
Superintendent Warns of State Funding Gaps Despite Balanced Budget
Executive Committee Advances “Project Northwinds”: 2,475 Jobs and $346 Million Investment Proposed for Former Caterpillar, Lion Electric Sites
Land Use Committee Advances Mokena Scrap Yard and Homer Glen Landscape Business Over Local Objections
Planning Commission Backs 5-MW Peotone Solar Farm; Developer Pledges Pollinator Habitat and Community Funds
Board Approves New Early Childhood Curriculum and Technology Upgrades
Beecher Schools Review Test Data; ELA Scores Excel While Math Strategies Adjusted
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Washington Township Board for Jan. 5, 2026
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Village of Beecher for February 9, 2026
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Public Health & Safety Committee for February 5, 2026
