Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Illinois Set to Pass $55.2 Billion Budget as Transit Reform Bill Stalls

Revenues from higher taxes on tobacco, gambling coupled with fees on big corporations aim to close a $1 billion shortfall before the deadline.

Image
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Lawmakers face a midnight June 1 deadline after which bills will need a three-fifths majority to pass.
  • The budget relies on expanded taxes, including a 45 percent hike on tobacco products and new fees on gambling, digital advertising and sports wagering.
  • To save over $300 million, the plan cuts health insurance coverage for undocumented adults aged 42 to 64.
  • It also invests in education and services, with a $307 million boost for K-12 schools and an 80-cent hourly pay raise for professionals serving individuals with developmental disabilities.
  • A standalone Chicago-area transit reform bill proposing a $1.50 delivery fee to address a $770 million funding gap has stalled in the House, leaving commuter services at risk.