Friday, May 10, 2013
Gov. Pat Quinn is pushing for 11 Illinois counties, including Lake County, to be named major disaster areas.
- GOVERNMENT
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Friday, May 10
Gov. Pat Quinn asked President Barack Obama this week to declare 11 Illinois counties major disaster areas following the storms and heavy rainfall that moved through the state in mid-April. If the governor’s request is approved, residents in those counties will be eligible to apply for grants and low-interest federal loans to help recover from the historic flooding. Counties included in the request are Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry and Will. “We must do everything possible to help families impacted by this historic flooding as they rebuild their lives,” Gov. Quinn said. “Today we are making a strong case to President Obama to help expedite the review and approval process so the people of …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Help is available for homeowners with flooded or storm damaged properties.
Did your property receive any damage from the recent storms or flooding? You may be eligible for a property tax break. Governor Quinn declared Lake County a disaster area on April 18. This allows property owners to request a reassessment of any taxable property which was substantially damaged by the disaster. This can also allow a reduction when a property is uninhabitable for a period of time as a result of this disaster event. If a property has received damage, the taxpayer must contact their township assessor and complete the PTAX- 245, Disaster Area Reassessment application
New law increases senior homestead exemption and general homestead exemption.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, April 24
Gov. Pat Quinn today signed legislation that will reduce property tax bills for seniors across Illinois. Senate Bill 1894 raises the senior homestead exemption from $4,000 to $5,000 – potentially saving seniors up to more than $200 annually. This new exemption for seniors takes effect for Cook County this year. All other counties will benefit from the increase beginning next year. “The new law will reduce property tax bills for seniors across Illinois,” Gov. Quinn said. “This boost in savings will relieve some of the financial burden faced by seniors and working families, and help ensure no one struggles to stay in their home.” Sponsored by Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields) and Rep. John Bradley (D-Marion), SB 1894 increases the …
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Tax Filing and Payment Deadlines Pushed to Oct. 31, 2013.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, April 23
Governor Pat Quinn today announced that Illinois businesses and individuals who file monthly, quarterly or annual returns and have been impacted by the flooding will have until Oct. 31 to file tax returns that were due on or after April 19. The extended deadline will provide much-needed relief for individuals and local businesses trying to file their returns or payments on time while recovering from the flood. “Families and businesses across Illinois need time to focus on rebuilding their businesses, homes and lives,” Governor Quinn said. “Once families have recovered, they can pull together the necessary paperwork to file and pay their taxes.” Taxpayers who opt to mail their deferred returns and payments should write Flood – April 2013 on…
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Gov. Quinn is looking for ways to tighten Illinois' impending conceal carry law, the Chicago Tribune reported this week.
Gov. Pat Quinn said earlier this week he thinks Illinois communities should be able to exert some local control when it comes to a state conceal carry gun law, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune. The state is working to create a concealed carry law by the June 9 deadline. A federal court ruled late last year that Illinois’ ban on conceal carry was unconstitutional. "I am not excited about this at all," the Tribune reported Quinn as saying. "If this has to happen, it has to have the proper restrictions and limitations... I think we should make sure it's very tight and I think local communities, wherever they are, should have the option to make it as tight as possible in their community." Quinn also has stated his opposition to …
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed to freeze state income taxes shared with local municipalities to generate an additional $68 million for the state budget.
Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed Illinois strengthen its troubled finances by freezing state income taxes shared with local municipalities at 2012 levels, reported the Chicago Tribune. It's a move that could cause Grayslake to lose between $111,000 and $241,000. This is based on 2010 U.S. Census numbers and state calculations showing the impact to local budgets would be $5.30 per resident, and estimations from the Illinois Municipal League that reflect the impact would be $11.50 per resident, according to the Chicago Tribune. For the full story visit: www.ChicagoTribune.com. Here's a look at how Quinn's proposal would impact neighboring Lake County communities. Town Population Based on 2010 Census Impact Based on State Calculation of $5.30/ …
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Gov. Pat Quinn give his fifth State of the State address on Wednesday afternoon. What do you think should be his top priorities over the next year? Tell us in the comments' section.
Gov. Pat Quinn voiced his support for gay marriage in Illinois, a minimum wage hike and tougher gun laws during his State of the State speech Wednesday afternoon, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Associated Press has posted the full text from Quinn's State of the State speech. Here are some of the highlights: Quinn also spent much of his speech touting his accomplishments during his term as governor, such as cuts to Medicaid and ethics laws that have been passed, according to Crain's Chicago. Quinn has said he will run for re-election in 2014. If he does, he is expected to have an opponent in the March 2014 Democratic primary. Quinn has gotten low approval ratings in recent months. A Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling survey …
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
The Democratic National Convention is set for tonight in Charlotte, N.C. Among those speaking tonight include California's Barbara Lee, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and Massachusetts' Joe Kennedy, among others.
A slew of political powerhouses are set to speak at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) today in Charlotte, N.C. at 7 p.m. Central Time. Former White House Chief of Staff and now Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will address delegates around 9 p.m. Emanuel has been under fire all summer as violence in Chicago's troubled neighborhoods reached an all-time high. The spike in criminal activity landed the mayor on CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley. Also slated to speak is Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn. The governor will be speaking between 6 and 7 p.m. Some have speculated that Quinn is responsible for the recent failure in pension reform that led to a downgraded credit rating. Quinn has also been at a stalemate with Mayor Emanuel regarding gaming …
Sunday, September 2, 2012
The state's credit rating recently was downgraded because of an unfunded pension liability of $83 billion.
Illinois' inability to deal with its pension problems led Standard & Poor to drop the state's bond rating this week, the Washington Post reported. The state's unfunded pension liability has surpassed $80 billion, WGN TV reported. The TV station reported that $12 million is added to that liability every day. The Chicago Tribune reported that Illinois has the second worst credit rating of any state in the country. Only California is worse and Standard & Poor believes that state is headed in the right direction. The Tribune reported that Illinois is not – noting that the unfunded pension liability is on track to hit $93 billion by next summer. The Tribune reported that Quinn has been pushing for reforms, but the legislature has been unable to…
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Abby Goldberg of Grayslake is now taking her environmental fight against plastic bags to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
Governor Quinn: Don't let big plastic bully me! That is how 12-year-old Abby Goldberg of Grayslake titled her online petition against plastic bags. As of June 30, the petition has collected 152,376 signatures from around the country. And the numbers keep growing. The petition states: "Once again, big corporations are trying to use big government to control the rights of citizens in towns all over America, but this time you can help me stop it!" It continues to talk about how she wanted to get a ban of plastic bags approved for her hometown, but then faced a bigger fight: "My friends and I were making great progress, until the oil and chemical industry pulled a dirty trick to kill my campaign; these lobbyists used the politicians that they…
McCloud
7:59 am on Thursday, April 25, 2013
Governor Rodent wants to show he cares. more ›