Illinois' cannabis sales are skyrocketing. State officials announced weed dispensaries in the state sold almost $64 million in cannabis products last month. In total, the state's cannabis shops have done more than $360 million in sales since legalization on January 1st.
College Towns Worried About Census Undercount
When the pandemic sent much of the nation’s college students home, it gave local officials concern that the decennial U.S. Census would not count them living in their dorms, thus shrinking the population of college towns across the country.
A Census official said they prepared.
When the University of Illinois and most other colleges across Illinois told students not to return to campus after spring break in March, it represented an exodus from college such as like Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal, DeKalb, Macomb, and Carbondale because a significant portion of their population is made up of college students.
Local officials were concerned about what it meant when April came and went and students weren’t there to be counted in the Census. As many Illinois municipalities are all too aware of, losing population means losing federal and state allocations that are often based on headcount.
The U.S. Census anticipated the problem and took steps to make sure those towns weren’t undercounted.
“We asked them to remind their students to please respond to where you would have been living on April 1,” Census spokeswoman Virginia Hyer said. “If you were going to be living off-campus in your college town, you needed to be counted at that location.”
Counting the students in their dorms when they were actually home also meant Census counters had to remove the occasional duplication of a resident in the university dorms and their parents’ basement.
“If they were counted at their home of record and by the school, we would count them at the school because that’s based on where they were living on April 1,” Hyer said.
As of Monday, the Census estimates that 95.1 percent of all Illinois households had been counted. The deadline to be counted is Sept. 30.
Governor Warns Of Massive Cuts With No Federal Bailout
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday the state is preparing to make budget cuts if Congress doesn’t pass another COVID-19 relief package after state lawmakers passed a budget in May that was balanced with uncertain federal bailout funds and dependent on voters passing a progressive income tax amendment in November.
The governor said he has instructed cabinet directors to prepare for cuts of at least 5 percent for the current fiscal year and to submit a 2022 spending outline with a 10 percent reduction in appropriations.
“I can promise you that for everyone and anyone who got into public service, who actually wants to serve the public, this is a nightmare scenario,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker called on President Donald Trump and Congress to work together on a relief package. Pritzker said many state and city services will feel the pain if Congress doesn't take action.
“Without that support, our nation’s schools, hospitals, universities, law enforcement, healthcare workers, and firefighters will pay the price, and it will be a heavy price,” he said.
In May, state lawmakers passed a budget for the new fiscal year that was roughly $5 billion out of balance compared to revenue estimates, but the plan was to fill in the gap by borrowing from the Federal Reserve and by voters passing a proposed constitutional amendment to allow the state to enact a graduated income tax that would impose higher tax rates on higher earners.
Although some lawmakers raised concerns about those funding sources, the budget passed. Pritzker signed the budget, which relied on billions of dollars in federal aid that had not materialized and kept spending level from the current year despite revenue losses and cost increases from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The budget frustrated Ted Dabrowski, president of financial watchdog Wirepoints.com.
"This is by far the most irresponsible budget ever passed by an Illinois legislature," Dabrowski said in June. "It spends a record amount of money in the middle of one of the worst recessions ever. The budget offers no cuts or reforms to provide relief to struggling taxpayers. Instead, it relies on an income tax hike that will burden businesses and residents while they try to recover from the government-imposed shutdown. In all, lawmakers have run up a deficit of over $6 billion and they’re counting on the federal government to bail out the state. Lawmakers continued failures are causing the words 'bankruptcy' and 'Illinois' to increasingly go hand in hand."
On Tuesday, Pritzker said Congress is only scheduled to be in session through the end of this month before lawmakers leave Washington D.C. ahead of the November elections.
“Obviously if we get to the end of September, then we are going to start seriously looking at all these cuts, and making sure that we’re implementing the beginnings of what it will take,” Pritzker said.
As negotiations between the Democratic-led U.S. House and Republican-led U.S. Senate have dragged on, some observers have said it looks less likely the next package will include aid for states.
Although the House passed a version of a relief package that included about $500 billion to help states make up for lost revenue, the latest Senate proposal does not include state aid.
Council To Discuss Fate Of Girl Scout Cabin
At their meeting Monday evening, the Mt. Carmel City Council will discuss what will happen with the Girl Scout Cabin. The building located at the top of the hill at 1st and Walnut Streets is owned by the city and most recently housed a food pantry operated by a local church. But, the building’s condition deteriorated to the point that the food pantry relocated in July of 2019. The building has been vacant since then. Mayor Joe Judge said it’s time to make a decision on the building and the decision might be different than what’s been made lately with other structures around Mt. Carmel….
City Clerk Rudy Witsman was instructed to get repair estimates to present to the council at next week’s meeting.
WSJD File Photo
Judge Says "100%" Rosatti's Coming To Mt. Carmel
Mt. Carmel’s newest restaurant is still on track to open this fall. During Friday’s “Ask the Mayor” segment on WSJD, Joe Judge said everything is in place for Rosatti’s to open in November in the former Hogg Heaven Bar-Be-Que location on West 9th Street….
Last weekend, an auction wasg held selling the Hogg Heaven’s equipment.
Mt. Carmel Fall Clean Up Week Set For October 5th-9th
Mt. Carmel City Commissioner Chandler Madden has announced that Fall Clean-Up Week will be the week of October 5th. Items not picked up by Republic Services on your regular trash day include electronics, paint, tires, construction materials, televisions, refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, and mattresses/box springs must be wrapped in plastic,
Shimkus Warns Workers About Payroll Tax Deferral
Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) today has a word of caution for workers and a reminder for non-tax filers related to recent federal actions.
On August 8, President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing employers to defer some Social Security payroll taxes for employees earning less than $4,000 in a biweekly pay period. While the deferral is optional for private sector employers, those working for the federal government or serving in the military will see a temporary increase in their paychecks in the pay period beginning September 1.
"What folks need to understand is that this is a tax deferral, not a tax cut,” Shimkus cautioned. “If your employer is not withholding your 6.2 percent contribution to Social Security through the end of this year, they will have to collect that from you during the first four months of 2021."
Shimkus also reminded individuals who do not typically file tax returns that they must register with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to receive their Economic Impact Payment if they have not already done so. The so-called “stimulus” payments were authorized by the bipartisan CARES Act, which was signed into law on March 27.
"In response to the economic disruption caused by the pandemic and state-imposed lockdowns, Congress authorized payments of up to $1,200 for qualifying individuals and $500 per qualifying child under age 17,” Shimkus explained. “The IRS estimates 9 million non-tax filers who may be eligible for those payments have not received them."
Beginning later this month those individuals will receive a letter from the IRS with instructions they need to claim those funds. Recipients of the letters can use the “Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info” on IRS.gov by October 15 in order to receive their payment by the end of the year. They may also wait until next year and claim it as a credit on their 2020 federal income tax return by filing in 2021.
Mayor Addresses Using City Owned Parks And Lots For Events
Many events have been held recently on city property including Merchants Park and empty city-owned lots. Mayor Joe Judge outlined the steps that need to be taken before events can held at those locations…
Judge said requirements for those hosting events on city-owned property including liability insurance. Bands recently performed on the city’s lot in the 500 block of Market Street without the city’s knowledge or permission.
Police Chief Addresses Golf Cart Safety And Response Complaints
Mt. Carmel Police Chief Ryan Turner addressed a couple of concerns at last week’s City Council meeting. The first being babies and small children riding unsafely as passengers on golf carts. He said golf cart drivers need to use common sense and protect their passengers to avoid a tragedy. Turner said there have been no accidents yet involving golf carts, but it seems those drivers are becoming lax with basic safety rules and common sense.
The second issue was recent social media posts criticizing officers’ response to barking dog complaints. Turner said officers respond to all calls, but are limited in what they can do in writing tickets…
Turner also said the animal control officer can’t be expected to respond to calls at all hours of the night.
Property Tax Prepayments Still Being Accepted
The deadline to pre-pay your Wabash County property taxes has again been extended. Treasurer Beverly McBride has announced that the new deadline is now September 30th to prepay 2019 payable in 2020 real estate taxes. So far, McBride said her office has collected just over $88,000 in pre-payments.
While there’s been no timetable as to when tax bills will be mailed, McBride is already looking ahead to the collection process and how to keep taxpayers safe. She said a flyer will be inserted in each tax bill letting taxpayers know of options to for contactless payment. According to McBride, taxpayers will be able to pay at local banks, the courthouse drop box, by mail, and online credit card payment. It’s hoped, she said, by the time tax bills are mailed, COVID-19 numbers will drop considerably…but if not, she said her office will be ready.