What you may have missed: Governor candidates issue tax returns, former housing officials accused of fraud

Dec. 02--Sunday, Nov. 26

Motorist, 80, dies in crash on Illinois 48

A motorist died after drifting into oncoming traffic and then off the road on Illinois 48 about halfway between Blue Mound and Boody.

The man was identified Monday as David C. Waite, 80, of Blue Mound.

Macon County Coroner Michael E. Day said the vehicle struck a field entrance that caused it to spin sideways and overturn multiple times. Waite was ejected from the car as it rolled over, Day said.

Monday, Nov. 27

Pritzker, Kennedy issue tax returns

Two wealthy businessmen running for the Democratic nomination to be Illinois governor released returns, the first day they could file to be on the ballot.

Billionaire venture capitalist J.B. Pritzker and his wife reported about $16 million in income last year, paying about $4.6 million in state and federal taxes.

Businessman Chris Kennedy released partial 2016 returns showing $1.3 million in total income for him and his wife. They paid about $216,000 in state and federal taxes.

State Sen. Daniel Biss, D-Evanston, released his returns in April. GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner made public documents last month.

Tuesday, Nov. 28

Former housing officials accused of fraud

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has filed a fraud complaint against two former officials of a troubled southern Illinois housing authority.

The complaint against former Alexander County Housing Authority executive directors James Wilson and Martha Franklin accuses them of using public housing money for personal use.

HUD says Wilson and Franklin used the money for personal travel and gifts and submitted false documentation. The agency says Wilson and Franklin overstated travel expenses and sometimes double-charged the housing authority, including for hotel stays in Las Vegas.

Wednesday, Nov. 29

Lawmaker proposes reversing measure that cost cities

Democratic Rep. Anthony DeLuca of Chicago Heights proposed a bill that would roll back one of several new fees that hurt local governments.

The fee targeted by DeLuca applied a 2 percent collection fee to sales taxes imposed on municipalities for collecting taxes above 6.25 percent. The fee generates about $60 million annually for the state. Deluca says there wasn't enough time during the July budget negotiations to fully examine the effect the fees would have on municipal budgets across the state.

Decatur officials welcomed the news, which would amount to keeping an additional $100,000, although it's nowhere near the $3.2 million that the city needs to close a projected deficit in its 2018 budget.

Thursday, Nov. 30

Plan to remove Illinois from voter database proposed

Democrats in the General Assembly plan to file legislation to prevent the State Board of Elections from taking part in a program that helps states determine if voters are registered in more than one state.

Lawmakers say the Kansas-run Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program is vulnerable to hackers. Critics of the program have raised issues about Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who is chairman of President Donald Trump's election fraud commission investigating allegations people illegally voted in 2016.

Kansas election officials say they're working on security guidelines with participating states.

Friday, Dec. 1

City to tear down dilapidated warehouse

Starting next week, the city of Decatur will work with Operating Engineers Local 965 to tear down and remove the hulking ruins of a large warehouse fire in January 2015.

The century-old building housed Aaction Equipment, a restaurant equipment business. The property was not insured, and the city took owner Robert Powell to court to force him to remove the large piles of charred bricks and other debris left behind when the structure collapsed.

City leaders view the move as a win-win situation. The union, which includes members from 15 Central Illinois counties, will be able to use the work for training. The city will shave an unknown, but significant, amount off of the estimated $300,000 price tag to clean up the eyesore.

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