Quick hits: Illinois news in brief for Friday, June 25, 2021

Police chiefs: ‘Ignorant’ scrutiny, not money, compounding Illinois recruitment problems

While President Joe Biden is allowing local police departments to use COVID-19 relief funds to hire more officers, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police says money doesn’t seem to be the issue for recruiting in Illinois.

Ed Wojcicki, the group’s executive director, said the negative sentiments against law enforcement and looming state regulations on police are compounding recruitment efforts.

Rental assistance not helping most landlords, group says

Not every landlord whose tenants haven’t paid rent for some or all of the last year-and-a-half are getting assistance through a state-facilitated program funded by federal tax dollars.

Paul Arena with the Illinois Rental Property Owners Association says he’s seen data from Winnebago County that shows about only a third of applicants are being approved while two-thirds are not because of certain eligibility caps.

Bills pile up on Pritzker’s desk

Of more than 650 bills that passed both chambers, there are now more than 270 on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk. Unless there’s a procedural hold filed on a measure that passes both chambers, lawmakers must send a bill to the governor within 30 days.

The governor then has 60 days to act on measures sent to him.

Durbin heads to the border

Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin will be traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris to the southern border.

Despite being appointed to handle the flux of migrants crossing the border illegally early in the Biden administration, this will be Harris’ first visit.

They’ll be joined in El Paso by the director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a member of Texas’ congressional delegation.

Rockford has highest metro unemployment rate in state

While all major Illinois metropolitan areas have seen drops in unemployment rates from this time last year, four of 14 metro areas still remain higher than the national average of 5.8% reported by the Biden administration.

Rockford had the highest unemployment rate at 8.4% in the month of May.

Group says no ‘Taxpayer Superhero’ in Illinois

Only four of Illinois’ 20 members of congress were considered “Taxpayer Heroes” by the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste.

The annual report reviewed votes dealing with taxes and spending and found one was considered “Friendly” for taxpayers, while the rest were classified as “Hostile,” including both of Illinois’ U.S. Senators.

No members from Illinois made the group’s “Taxpayer Superhero” category.

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