Budget

Residents concerned about potential cuts to federal Medicaid staged a protest Monday outside the office of Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, who represents parts of Bloomington-Normal.

The new vice president for finance at Illinois State University has been through several budget realignments and course corrections at other universities. Glen Nelson said he is bringing that experience in design thinking to ISU, though the process is well under way as he takes the position.

Democratic Sen. Dave Koehler started his sixth term looking to advance legislation in agriculture and environment, but says the state budget causes some uncertainty.

While the City of Bloomington will likely have to cut about 12 jobs per year for "probably at least the next three or four years" to plug a budget hole, the police and fire departments will not be part of any staff reductions, says city manager Jeff Jurgens.

Illinois State University's efforts to close a structural budget deficit include current year spending cuts of nearly $5.6 million.

In a "Dear Colleagues" email to the campus, provost Ani Yazedjian said every ISU division will cut its budget by 2% for the current budget year that began in July.

The newly formed Mental Health and Public Safety Fund Advisory Council — named after the fund Bloomington and Normal shared sales tax dollars create — had its first meeting on Monday, when members approved $1.5 million for new behavioral health initiatives in 2025.

Chestnut Health Systems and the McLean County Health Department have invested in vending machines that will freely dispense the overdose reversal medication Narcan, and the county recently started making payments to Chestnut for a contracted opioid prevention coordinator.

Restructuring of McLean County’s Behavioral Health Coordinating Council is complete, and as McLean County Board Chair Catherine Metsker promised when she suspended meetings in March, the group now has a defined — and codified — structure, with clear objectives.

State Sen. Tom Bennett of Gibson City says the state's plan to add a new tax on sportsbooks and increase taxes on gaming is the wrong approach to balancing Illinois' books.