McHenry County students Sidney Dickinson (Crystal Lake South High School), Emily Vera (Huntley High School) and Taylor Volkers (Marengo Community High School) recently joined Rep. Randy Hultgren’s (IL-14) second annual class of STEM Scholars, a student leadership program dedicated to promoting the benefits of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The recently passed public school funding measure, Senate Bill 1947, is slated to provide targeted property tax relief to certain sections of Illinois, including several school districts in McHenry County.

A new public school funding bill recently passed by the Illinois Legislature, SB1947, includes a scholarship program that would award donated funds to students in lower-income families — up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level — to provide them the opportunity to attend private schools.

McHenry County's 19 school districts will receive an extra $4 million this year if the Illinois House accepts Gov. Bruce Rauner's version of a school funding bill, according to an analysis by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Acting manager of AmeriCorps’ Illinois-based programs, the Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service (Serve Illinois), recently reported $17.5 million in federal grants for AmeriCorps members.

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A recent report indicates that 63,000 public servants across Illinois receive at least $100,000 each year as part of their taxpayer-supplied salaries.

The Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity is launching an accountability campaign targeting several state representatives, including Rep. Steve Andersson (R-Geneva), over their vote to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto on the recently passed budget.

McHenry County taxpayers will see a total of $173.7 million in state income tax increases after SB 9, a tax hike measure, passed the Democrat-controlled Illinois State Senate to become law.

In a rushed vote today, the Illinois Senate approved a set of three budget bills that raise taxes and outline $36 billion in spending.

In a move that Republican leaders say cut off negotiations, the House passed a bill on Sunday that nets $5.4 billion in revenue by raising income and corporate taxes.

Sen. Karen McConnaughay (R-Quincy) will look to Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), picked to be the next Senate Republican Leader, to take on his new responsibilities without missing a beat.

The Illinois General Assembly is looking to pass a bill that earmarks $166.5 million for various projects in lawmakers home districts across the state.

Despite Gov. Bruce Rauner’s pleas for unity on Tuesday night, Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) told the McHenry Times that he won't vote for a state budget from either party that maintains the status quo.

McHenry County taxpayers would see a total of $173.7 million in state income tax increases if a tax hike measure passed by the Democrat-controlled Illinois State Senate becomes law.

Without the help of Republicans, Senate Democrats voted Tuesday to fix the budget by raising the Illinois income tax and expanding the sales tax.

McHenry County schools would be net losers of state funding under a bill that passed the Illinois State Senate on Wednesday.

A recent analysis by Local Government Information Services (LGIS), which owns this publication, found almost 50,000 duplicate voter registration records, representing Illinois residents who are registered multiple times.