WATCH: Chicago committee rejects proposed tax hikes; Hemp industry wants regulation

WATCH: Chicago committee rejects proposed tax hikes; Hemp industry wants regulation

November 18, 2025/
Spread the love

By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares comments from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson after a city council committee rejected a slew of proposed tax increases he says are needed to prevent layoffs in city government. Johnson vowed to veto a budget with a property tax increase, but dodged whether he’d veto a budget that didn’t include a head tax on employers.

Bishop also discusses the current status of regulations on the hemp industry after the federal government approved regulating intoxicating hemp products. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he’s looking to work with the industry on how Illinois can further regulate the industry.

Subscribe to Illinois in Focus Daily with The Center Square on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the Illinois in Focus podcast to get the entire show uninterrupted.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Ex-security officials thank Pritzker for not deploying Guard to America’s 250th

Ex-security officials thank Pritzker for not deploying Guard to America’s 250th

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A group of 19 former national security officials signed a letter to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, thanking...
Biggs: H.R. 1 tax cuts to boost Arizona’s economy

Biggs: H.R. 1 tax cuts to boost Arizona’s economy

By Zachery SchmidtThe Center Square Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump signing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which features tax cuts that an Arizona congressman says...
WATCH/EXCLUSIVE: America 250 celebrates civics education

WATCH/EXCLUSIVE: America 250 celebrates civics education

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Department of Education and a coalition of organizations launched a...
OMB says fraud losses 'in the hundreds of billions' annually

OMB says fraud losses ‘in the hundreds of billions’ annually

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The Biden administration called the government's only estimate of annual fraud losses "not plausible." Now, the Trump administration says fraud costs taxpayers hundreds of billions...
National security group report questions Environmental Law Institute's China ties

National security group report questions Environmental Law Institute’s China ties

By Tom JoyceThe Center Square A national security group wants Congress to investigate the Environmental Law Institute. The group says the nonprofit helped shape climate lawsuits against American energy companies...
America’s 250th: Fireworks, fairs and festivals planned in nation's capital

America’s 250th: Fireworks, fairs and festivals planned in nation’s capital

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square The federal government has planned a day packed with events commemorating the nation's highly anticipated 250th birthday, including an address from President Donald Trump before...
Millions under extreme heat warning for July 4th weekend

Millions under extreme heat warning for July 4th weekend

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square As Independence Day celebrations kick off, millions of Americans in much of the central and eastern United States are under extreme heat warnings. More than...
Trump to cut solar, wind subsidies on July 4th

Trump to cut solar, wind subsidies on July 4th

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The Trump administration is set to cut subsidies for new solar and wind power projects on Saturday. Estimates suggest the subsidies have cost taxpayers more...
Arizona congressman seeks to boost military hazard pay

Arizona congressman seeks to boost military hazard pay

By Zachery SchmidtThe Center Square U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Surprise, Ariz., recently introduced a bill to increase military hazard pay. The Combat Pay Protection Act would require Congress to increase...
Report: Wisconsin's $2.7B projected surplus the result of inflation

Report: Wisconsin’s $2.7B projected surplus the result of inflation

By Jon StyfThe Center Square Inflation led to roughly $2.7 billion more in Wisconsin sales tax collections over the past five years than was projected, the same amount that the...
AAA: Record July 4th travel expected as gas prices ease

AAA: Record July 4th travel expected as gas prices ease

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Drivers will get some relief at the pump this Independence Day weekend after months of high gas prices. With a record number of Americans expected...
A year after deadly floods: Foundation launches national parent pledge campaign

A year after deadly floods: Foundation launches national parent pledge campaign

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square The Safe Summers Foundation has launched a national parent pledge campaign approaching the one-year anniversary of the July 4 historic flood that swept through the...
Survey: Patriotism runs high as most Americans are achieving the American Dream

Survey: Patriotism runs high as most Americans are achieving the American Dream

By Tate RosentreterThe Center Square A majority of U.S. adults say they are living the American Dream and are proud to be Americans, while negative sentiments toward AI’s effect on...
Colorado's 50,187-acre fire tops U.S. firefighting priorities

Colorado’s 50,187-acre fire tops U.S. firefighting priorities

By Robert MattesonThe Center Square A 50,187-acre wildfire in Colorado has been declared the nation's No. 1 firefighting priority. Spanning Pueblo and Custer counties, the Aspen Acres Fire is expected...
Polling: Texas' U.S. Senate race statiscally tied

Polling: Texas’ U.S. Senate race statiscally tied

By B y Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square The Republican Party will hold its first-ever midterm national convention in Dallas in September as Texas’ U.S. Senate race is statistically tied. Political...