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Tribal advocates keep up legal pressure for fair political maps; 12-member jury sworn in for Trump's historic criminal trial; the importance of healthcare decision planning; and a debt dilemma: poll shows how many people wrestle with college costs.

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Civil rights activists say a court ruling could end the right to protest in three southern states, a federal judge lets January 6th lawsuits proceed against former President Trump, and police arrest dozens at a Columbia University Gaza protest.

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Rural Wyoming needs more vocational teachers to sustain its workforce pipeline, Ohio environmental advocates fear harm from a proposal to open 40-thousand forest acres to fracking and rural communities build bike trail systems to promote nature, boost the economy.

Impacts of Late Budget Widespread in Illinois

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Monday, October 30, 2017   

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Even though Illinois lawmakers approved a long overdue state budget over the summer, the effects of not having one for so long are still being felt across the state.

Illinois has racked up $15 billion of unpaid bills and owes $250 billion in pensions to state workers when they retire. Personal and corporate tax rates also have gone up.

AARP has been hosting a series of meetings across the state, called An Illinois Issues Forum – State Budget: The Challenges Ahead.

Ryan Gruenenfelder, director of advocacy and outreach for the group, says millions of Illinoisans of all ages have lost critical services because agencies weren't paid by the state for months upon months.

"That means that these social services agencies, many of them – maybe even most of them – nonprofits, have exhausted their lines of credit as far as they possibly can and they have had to shut their doors," he points out.

AARP's next forum is scheduled for Nov. 16 at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville.

The program will be audio and video recorded and parts of it will be rebroadcast by NPR Illinois.

Gruenenfelder says part of the focus of the forums is to let residents know what they can do about the financial crisis.

He says because there's a gubernatorial election coming up, candidates will be listening to what their constituents have to say.

"Community members are coming and they're learning what is happening with this fiscal crisis and how it is negatively impacting them, their cities, their communities and the state of Illinois," he states.

The $36 billion spending plan lawmakers approved in July is fueled by a permanent 32 percent increase in the income tax rate, raising $5 billion more annually, and it reduces spending by more than $2 billion.

Gov. Bruce Rauner opposed it, arguing it does nothing to grow jobs, reduce spending, bring property tax relief or pay down the state's debt.




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