Illinois listeners are starting the week with several major stories shaping the state’s landscape. Topping headlines, Governor JB Pritzker has signed Executive Order 2025-05, ordering state agencies to identify up to 4 percent in spending reserves for Fiscal Year 2026, a defensive move aimed at bracing Illinois’ budget against what he calls disastrous federal economic policies and tariffs enacted during the Trump administration. Pritzker argues these have undermined job growth and increased costs for working families, while also pressuring state revenues. The governor insists on maintaining critical services amid these fiscal pressures, yet critics such as Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran point out that state spending has ballooned by forty percent under Pritzker’s tenure even as Illinois’ GDP continues to trail national performance. According to Moody’s Analytics, Illinois remains the only large state besides Georgia at high risk for recession, underscoring urgent economic concerns.

On the legislative front, state lawmakers have finalized a record $55.2 billion budget, including more than $394 million in new taxes and other financial shifts. Notably, the Illinois Department of Insurance is exercising its authority to review and in many cases approve increased health insurance premiums for 2026, further impacting many families across the state. In parallel, a federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration cannot withhold disaster funding from Illinois over its refusal to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, a key legal win for the state and sanctuary policies.

In business and economic development, OPmobility is launching a new facility in Normal, Illinois, expected to create more than eighty jobs by supplying bumpers for Rivian’s electric vehicles. This investment, backed by the state’s Reimagining Energy and Vehicles program, demonstrates ongoing public-private collaboration in the clean energy and auto manufacturing sectors. Despite federal economic headwinds, some metro areas—most notably Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield—are reporting year-over-year job growth, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. However, the overall statewide jobs count saw a modest dip this August.

Community investment is making headlines as South Suburban College has broken ground on a long-awaited $52 million Allied Health and Nursing Center. The new facility, backed primarily by state capital funds, will expand high-demand programs in nursing, radiology, and allied health, aiming to address workforce shortages and educational equity. Meanwhile, in infrastructure, the state’s Rebuild Illinois program is marking another historic construction season. More than $239 million in road, bridge, and transportation improvements are underway or set to complete soon in northern Cook County and beyond, signaling continued momentum in public works.

Public safety also remains in the spotlight as Springfield city officials stand by their license plate reader systems despite a state audit raising concerns over data-sharing practices with federal agencies. Immigration enforcement is another flashpoint, with Senator Dick Durbin pressing federal officials for transparency after a series of high-profile raids in the Chicago area, which local leaders allege have swept up non-criminals and contradicted earlier federal statements.

No significant statewide weather events have disrupted the end of September, offering a reprieve amid these busy civic and political developments.

Looking ahead, listeners should watch for the completion of several major infrastructure projects, continued debate over the state’s fiscal direction, and developments in immigration enforcement discussions between Illinois officials and federal agencies. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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