Taxes

McLean County Democrats see an opening in the race for McLean County clerk as incumbent Republican Kathy Michael has been subject to severe scrutiny about her budget and tax errors. If successful, Joshua Crockett would be the first Democrat elected to a countywide office in decades.

Clerk Kathy Michael confirmed McLean County did not apply a tax abatement to Ellsworth Fire Protection District's taxes in 2024. It was corrected in 2025 but has led to what one official describes as financial "whiplash" for the volunteer fire department.

Pritzker, who reported a $1.4 million blackjack windfall in his 2024 tax return, still enjoyed one of his strongest financial years since taking office, along with first lady MK Pritzker.

The Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District will fix the longstanding bad water situation in the Colonial Meadows subdivision on the far east side of Bloomington. The water reclamation district also will spend $2 million on a new exhibit at the Children's Discovery Museum. The district board has approved borrowing up to $65 million. And BNWRD will probably raise its property tax rate to the maximum allowed.

Property owners in rural areas of Hudson Township were incorrectly charged a Hudson Village tax on their most recent tax bills. The error affects about 600 taxpayers who were initially overcharged by about 2%.

Congressman Darin LaHood is not breaking entirely with the Trump administration on the vaccine question — even while acknowledging he now has more than just concerns.

The Fourth District Appellate Court has reversed a circuit court decision and bounced a property tax dispute between Logan County and the not-for-profit that formerly ran Lincoln College back to the lower court.

Unit 5 heard a first reading of its policy regarding law enforcement requests for student citizenship status information at Wednesday's meeting.

Some Uptown business owners are criticizing a proposal to raise food and beverage and hotel-motel taxes in Normal. They’re also not happy about an accelerated timeline to a council vote on Monday — just three business days after the proposal became public.

In a memo to the council, city staff says Bloomington will still lack sufficient shelter capacity this winter even with the addition of the shelter village that's under construction near Home Sweet Home Ministries. That’s expected to open in December.