Every year when the legislature arrives at mid-May, it’s always tempting to look around, see the absence of real bicameral movement on legislation and conclude that nothing’s gonna happen in time for the scheduled May 31 adjournment. Succumbing to that temptation this year may not be a bad bet, but things can change. Right now, […]
Opinion
Posted inJames Krohe Jr.
Reopening soon
Springfield was a grand hotel town in the ’20s. It was the state capital, a tourist mecca and a “good convention town” too, meaning it offered gambling, booze, women and a police force under orders to leave the customers alone as long as they didn’t do it in any of the churches or public parks. […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the editor 5/14/26
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. GREAT MAIL CARRIER I remember being a teenager and always curious about what (mail carrier) OJ Crowder did back then (“OJ Crowder interview,” April 20). Then i went to work for the post office. OJ […]
Posted inRich Miller
Bill offers little state tax relief for homeowners
Before the House passed the megaprojects bill last month, we were told that the drafters didn’t want to just do some symbolic or “token” property tax relief. After the chamber passed the bill, we were told the property tax component will provide meaningful statewide relief for homeowners. Well, the governor’s office ran the numbers on […]
Posted inOpinion
Springfield’s story isn’t decline
The recent article “Tourism is up, but downtown is hurting” (April 23) captures a reality many Springfield residents and business owners feel every day: change is underway, and not all of it has been easy. Empty storefronts, the closure of a major downtown hotel and the lingering effects of a devastating fire have created real […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the editor
NEED TO LOOK FORWARD The folks walking through the doors of Studio on 6th every week would beg to differ (“Tourism is up, but downtown is hurting,” April 23). Downtown isn’t running on just “locals popping in on a whim.” The heartbeat right now is tourism – and it’s strong. People travel here on purpose […]
Posted inRich Miller
Progressives push tax ideas
More than a year ago, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget was projecting a $3.2 billion deficit for what is now the current fiscal year. Part of the problem was that existing revenues were flat while spending was growing, according to the budget office. This is a recurring problem in Illinois. The previous fiscal […]
Posted inJames Krohe Jr.
Dr. Turner prescribes
Downtown Springfield has been slowly bleeding retailers, office tenants and cobblers-to-kitchen installers since 1951 when Sears, Roebuck & Co. moved its store from Adams Street downtown to South Grand Avenue. Weakened but tenacious, downtown has been “revitalized” more times than the Batman movie franchise thanks to tourists, state workers, apartment dwellers and visiting urbanism experts […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the editor 4/30/26
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. ADS AREN’T TRUE There has been a rash of ads vilifying a “new” law that “may” make it so tipped workers can’t get tipped in a credit card (“‘Credit card chaos’? Financial institutions bet big […]
Posted inRich Miller
Bears stadium bill advances
“We’re almost there” on a Bears stadium bill, Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) told some sports radio hosts on a Friday morning before the House returned to Springfield for three days of session last week. “We’re very close.” Asked if the rumor spread by sports business pundit Marc Ganis earlier that week was true about House […]
Posted inOpinion
Invest in residents first
Downtown Springfield is the heart of our city, but more importantly, it is a neighborhood. It belongs first to the people who live here, work here, study here, worship here and return here again and again because it feels like theirs. Tourism is a vital piece of downtown’s economy, and we’re glad to welcome visitors. […]
Posted inOpinion
A case for data center growth
This month’s CyrusOne zoning petition vote was not partisan, and the Democrats on the Sangamon County Board split evenly on this vote. The Board had to decide if a proposal meeting zoning standards should advance while demanding strong building-code enforcement, transparency and accountability. Data centers are part of the infrastructure of modern life. Our phones, […]
