Former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is pushing lawmakers to put a referendum on the ballot to have millionaires pay more.

Quinn has long been a proponent of a 3-percent surcharge for millionaires on their income taxes.

He claims it would help lower property taxes for families and businesses.

A statewide advisory referendum in 2024 showed that over 60-percent of voters in this state would support the surcharge. And, the Illinois department of revenue estimates a millionaire tax could generate $4 and a half billion per year.

The state GOP leadership strongly opposes the idea. State republican house leader Tony McCombie of Savanna says this is another push to a graduated income tax, and voters have already said they don’t want it.

Lawmakers need to approve the question by May 3^rd for an appearance on the November ballot. But, the House and Senate have only three scheduled days each before the 3^rd.

Constitutional amendments require support from at least 71 members of the House, and 36 from the senate.

The House revenue and finance committee could discuss it Thursday morning. The Illinois Senate is back in April 28^th.

The World of Outlaws race at the Jacksonville Speedway has been re-scheduled in mid May.

The HY Vee Perks 40 race has been set for Tuesday, May 19^th.

The race was postponed because of storms last Friday.

All tickets purchased for the race will be honored on the new date.

Grandstand tickets are sold out, but as of race time last week, there were pit passes available.

The series will follow the Jacksonville race with races south on Saturday and Sunday of that week.

The Jacksonville school board will look at buying a building on the north side of the square for a couple of programs tonight.

The board will be asked to consider the purchase of the building at 30 North Central Park Plaza in its list of action items.

CLC is Crossroads Learning Center, and TAP is Traditional Adult Program.

The school board may also discuss and take action on a proposal banning cell phones at Jacksonville schools.

The board will get an update on the new Murrayville-Woodson grade school at the Woodson Winchester Blacktop and Water Tower Road.

The board will set the Jacksonville High School Graduation date for May 15^th, and the last day of school May 26^th, which is actually a school improvement plan day. Memorial Day is May 25^th.

Jacksonville is actively looking to see if grant money is available for the demolition and clean up of a burned out apartment building at 342 West State.

Jacksonville mayor Andy Ezard says the building must come down as soon as possible, because engineers say the lack of structural integrity poses a threat to property and people nearby.

The Cherry Apartments burned in a fire January 15^th in a blaze investigators are considering might be suspicious.

The council gave the administration the go-ahead a week ago Monday for hire Jaren Industries in Springfield for $350-thousand. But, the project must clear legal hurdles.

Jacksonville mayor Andy Ezard is hopeful the city can find grant money.

The landfilling of the ruins of the building is challenging because of the materials in the building.

Ezard says the city has no choice but to push the project along quickly.

The building is unsafe, and must come down.

The probation department and a couple of other Morgan County offices are staying out of the building next door, until the property is cleaned up.

A tentative agreement has returned tenure and tenure tack professors to the University of Illinois at Springfield classrooms yesterday.

The State Journal Register says the groups reached an agreement with the University late Sunday night.

Members of the UIS United Faculty have been on strike since April 3^rd with salary increases at the heart of the negotiations.

Classes were expected to return to their regular schedules, though students were encouraged to check updates.

Both sides still need to approve it.

Union president Dathan Powell, who is an art, music and theatre professor at UIS, accused UIS Chancellor Janet Gooch of intentionally prolonging the strike through her..quote, callous inaction.

Powell says professors decided to head back to the classrooms for the sake of the students.

This is the first work stoppage at the university since 2017.

The promoter for the Jacksonville speedway says the World of Outlaws Jacksonville showdown is a no go tonight.

Weather has postponed one of the biggest events on the Speedway schedule here.

Dobson hoped the race could sidestep much of the rain and thunderstorm activity. But, discretion is the better part of valor, and he hopes the race will be made up within the month

He was up early this morning making the call to racers from out of state.

He says any rain is a problem, because the cars have no windshield and mud is a major problem.

Dobson says this is a very popular circuit, ranking only second to NASCAR. Dobson says the circuit will re-schedule in Jacksonville, because it’s been a popular track for racers and well received by racing fans.

We will announce the date as soon as it’s set.

The South Jacksonville board next month will look at buying a fire truck, and raising rural fire protection fees.

The trustees discussed both items last night at a committee of the whole meeting, but did not take any action.

The South Jacksonville fire department needs a new aerial truck. President Dick Samples says the department is looking around now.

He says the current aerial truck has failed inspection by the state. The truck is necessary for the hotels on the south edge of the village.

Samples says it’s time to raise the fees rural residents are charged for fire protection from the village.

He says it’s been several years since the fees were increased. He says the trustees may look at doubling the fee, to $200.

The board also talked about repairs and improvements at Godfrey Park.

The state says Morgan county property values need no increase for 2025 taxes, payable in 2026.

That means Morgan County final multiplier is 1, meaning no adjustments are needed in the state’s eyes for property values here.

The tentative multiplier released in January of this year was actually below 1. It has now been adjusted upward.

Property in Illinois should be assessed at one third of the fair market value.

Farm property is assessed differently…based on its ag economic value. It is not subject to the state multiplier.

The multiplier is based on the price of properties sold over the past three years, compared to the assessed value of the properties from the supervisor of assessments here.