Quick Hits: Illinois News In Brief For Sept. 11

From The Center Square:

Illinois House committee looking into patronage scandal on ‘pause’ pending contact with U.S. Attorney

The Illinois House Special Investigating Committee of House Speaker Michael Madigan for his alleged involvement in a bribery scheme is on hold.

Members of the bipartisan committee unanimously approved a motion to notify the U.S. Attorney they were investigating the ComEd deferred prosecution agreement.

Madigan hasn’t been charged with a crime. He has denied wrongdoing.

Pritzker announces $16.6 million program to create 1,300 jobs

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is touting a $16.6 million taxpayer funded federal program the state is administering to provide about 1,300 temporary jobs for COVID-19 screeners and contact tracers, among others.

Rockford Republican state Sen. Dave Syverson said instead, the focus should be on incentives to get small businesses back open.

State officials investigate Legionnaires’ Disease cases at prison

State public health officials are investigating two cases of Legionnaires at Pontiac Correctional Center.

The Illinois Department of Public Health and Department of Corrections said the two individuals are in the hospital and in stable condition and no other cases have been identified.

Ballot initiative hits mailboxes

Check the mail for the pros and cons of a proposed amendment to the Illinois constitution voters will be asked in the General Election.

The blue, four-page pamphlet includes an explanation of the amendment to change Illinois’ flat income tax to one that increases tax rates on people who make more money, and an argument for and an argument against.

The pamphleting budget was $2.5 million through the Secretary of State’s office.

Pritzker pessimistic about return of sports

Don’t expect all fall sports for youth to return to Illinois anytime soon.

While neighboring states have all fall sports, and other states are making such decisions, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday there’d have to be a dramatic decrease in COVID-19 positivity rates before allowing fall sports to begin.

He didn’t say what rate that would be.

Union membership declines in Illinois

The state’s public-sector union membership has contracted by nearly 7 percent in the past three years, according to analysis from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute.

The report suggests the U.S. Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME that freed public employees from being forced to pay union dues may have affected public-sector union membership.

The focus of the work of The Center Square Illinois is state- and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility. For more stories from The Center Square, visit TheCenterSquare.com.