For my high school newspaper, I wrote a column titled “What in the World?” in which I earnestly parroted what I’d read about global affairs in The New Republic. Later in my career, though still young, I became an editorial writer, from which post I regularly weighed in on how Nixon and Kissinger ought to […]
Opinion
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Letters to the editor 7/24/25
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. — NOTHING NEW How many variations of this article is Illinois Times going to write (“City’s Black Caucus addresses disparities,” July 10)? It starts with broad pronouncements that everyone knows and has heard a million […]
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Fights continue over RTA funding
The Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois and the Regional Transportation Authority agree that a change to Illinois’ sales tax law will net the RTA an additional $150 million this year and another $225 million next year. That money will drastically reduce the impact of the looming $770 million “fiscal cliff,” which begins in January. The extra […]
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Higher hotel taxes won’t bring more visitors
From Route 66 nostalgia and Abraham Lincoln sites to a vibrant dining scene and a new sports park that is poised to make our city a regional destination, Springfield has a lot to offer visitors. Yet, what should be our crown jewel – our beautiful and historic downtown – has become stagnant in recent years […]
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Editors note 7/17/25
National media report that some conservatives are blending, not only religion and politics, but also are including exercise and diet in the mix. “Less Prozac, more protein,” was a theme at the Young Women’s Leadership Summit hosted by conservative group Turning Point USA, reports the New York Times. The message was that women who lift […]
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Letters to the editor 7/17/25
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. — BROADER PROBLEM “Mental health is a community responsibility” is a good article (July 3). The topic deserves deeper examination, but not necessarily as a promotion for a tax increase. The problem is not unique […]
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Illinois braces for impact of federal cuts
The costs to Illinois’ government because of the new Republican congressional budget reconciliation law will be steep. However, the state has some time to prepare itself, and possible Democratic gains in the U.S. House and Senate next year might be able to reverse or mitigate some of the steepest cuts to food security and health […]
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Stop undervaluing conservation
For the second year in a row, the state of Illinois has chosen to underfund the backbone of its conservation infrastructure. This year’s state budget once again provides only $4.5 million in operational funding for the state’s 97 soil and water conservation districts – comparable to levels from the 1990s. It represents a 48% cut […]
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Letters to the editor 07-10-2025
PUBLIC SERVICE The U.S. Postal Service is a service of the government and written into the Constitution (“Congress must act to pull USPS back from the brink,” June 26). It was never supposed to make a profit and should not be privatized. It’s the only government agency that is required to pre-fund its retiree benefits […]
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Pritzker’s new running mate is “The Chosen One”
Christian Mitchell has had strong detractors ever since Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle elevated the young Black man out of obscurity and backed him for the Illinois House in 2012. Preckwinkle chose her trusted aide Mitchell over appointed Rep. Kimberly du Buclet, D-Chicago. Preckwinkle’s move upset a lot of people in that part of […]
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Revitalize Robin Roberts Stadium
On June 26, I sent the following letter to the Springfield Park District board of directors. I am writing to you with a profound sense of urgency and concern regarding the current state of Robin Roberts Stadium – a facility that should be a source of pride for the city of Springfield, especially as we […]
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Letters to the editor 07-03-2025
THANKS FOR COVERAGE Just today we received a digital copy of ReGen. It looks like a most interesting publication! I live in Madison, Wisconsin. My father was the last brewmaster of the Reisch Brewery. I am the oldest of his 10 children (“Springfield’s Reisch Beer makes a comeback,” Summer ReGen). Thank you for the feature […]
