Author: Rock Fusco Connelly LLC
Illinois Remains Among the Nation’s Highest Sales Tax States
Illinois continues to rank among the states with the highest combined state and local sales tax rates in the nation. According to the Tax Foundation’s Midyear Report released on July 1, 2026, Illinois has a statewide sales tax rate of 6.25% and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of approximately 8.98%, placing
Illinois Enacts Children’s Social Media Safety Act
On July 31, 2026, Governor JB Pritzker signed regulations targeting social media corporations and “addictive algorithms” that keep children glued to their devices. House Bill 5511, known as the Children’s Social Media Safety Act, imposes requirements on social media companies and how they present their applications to users under 18 years old. The Children’s Social
I-PASS Glitch Cautions Subscribers About Unpaid Tolls
There’s a big problem with the Illinois Tollway that has caused thousands of I-PASS customers to receive notices about unpaid tolls from trips taken as far back as July 2025. This all came to light when a CBS News Chicago producer discovered a warning in the I- PASS app while updating a credit card on
Chicago Public Schools Face Budget Crisis with Calls to Reject New Proposal
Chicago Board of Education faces significant financial challenges as it works to close a $732.5 million budget deficit. The board has proposed a new budget of $9.88 billion. This proposal includes an all-staff furlough, staff cuts, and a spending freeze in the middle of the upcoming school year. During recent budget hearings, teachers, staff, and
Chicago Homicide Rates Fall to a 10-Year Low
The City of Chicago experienced 440 homicides from June 2025 to May 2026. This is a sharp drop from 544 in the prior year, and the 440 homicides are the lowest since May 2014. Beyond the decline in homicides, overall crime has been decreasing since it peaked during the pandemic in 2021. Although the decline
Rebuild Illinois Collected Billions for Roads. Why Haven’t Drivers Seen Better Results?
When Illinois launched the Rebuild Illinois infrastructure program in 2019, state leaders promised major investments in roads and bridges funded by higher transportation-related taxes and fees. Seven years later, however, many drivers are still waiting to see noticeable improvements. While Road Fund revenue has grown significantly since the law took effect, spending has not kept
Chicago’s New Social Media Tax Faces Legal Challenge
Chicago has adopted a first-of-its-kind tax targeting certain large social media platforms as part of the City’s 2026 budget. Under the Social Media Amusement Tax (SMAT), qualifying platforms with more than 100,000 monthly active Chicago users are generally required to pay a tax of 50 cents per user, per month. City officials originally estimated the
Illinois Allows Lawmaker Conflicts of Interest
Illinois is one of twelve states in the United States that does not require disclosure or recusal when a lawmaker has a conflict of interest. Instead, Illinois lawmakers are on the honor system, and Illinois law merely says that when a lawmaker has a conflict created by a personal, family, or client legislative interest, they
Congratulations to RFC Senior Tax Counsel John D. Giokaris
Congratulations to RFC Senior Tax Counsel John D. Giokaris on being recognized by Leading Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Real Estate-Related Lawyers in the Chicago metro area. This distinguished honor, based on recommendations from peers in the legal profession, will be featured in the August 2026 issue. Over the past year, John has
Chicago Considers Sweeping Tenant Protection Ordinance
Chicago’s City Council will consider a new proposed ordinance entitled the Protecting Renters Ordinance. The proposed ordinance will limit a landlord’s ability to refuse to renew or terminate a lease. Under the proposed ordinance, landlords may refuse to renew or terminate leases when the landlord has ‘just cause,’ such as non-payment of rent, a lease