BY THE NUMBERS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NOTES — On June 5, the Illinois Office of Tourism — which is part of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) — sponsored the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series, Enjoy Illinois 300. DCEO offered a variety of interactive activities designed to highlight what Illinois has to offer, and why our…

SPRING SESSION BROUGHT A BALANCED BUDGET — The 2022 spring legislative session was unique in its brevity. Lawmakers generally wrap up spring session with an end-of-May deadline. Similar to a college student turning in a final paper online at 11:59 p.m. …

CONNECTING PUBLIC BENEFITS TO LOCAL PRODUCE VENDORS HELPS RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES — Across the state, Illinoisans enjoy over 300 vibrant farmers markets where nutritious locally grown foods are front and center. Over the years, there has been increased focus on ensuring these foods are also available to those who rely on public assistance to make ends meet. …

AN INTERVIEW WITH WILLIAM LO OF THE CARBONDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE — William Lo has a passion for putting Southern Illinois food on the map. His parents have owned a restaurant in Carbondale for three decades — New Kahala: Chinese Cuisine — which serves traditional Chinese and Taiwanese fare. While Lo has many years of experience working there, he’s relatively new to…

“A SAFE HAVEN” HELPS THOUSANDS OF ILLINOISANS STRUGGLING WITH HOMELESSNESS — When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, people facing homelessness were hit hard. The best prognosis for recovery included finding a place to live while they nursed themselves back to health. Too many of them went back to the streets, risking turning their COVID symptoms into long COVID. A Safe…

COMPTROLLER HELPS CELEBRATE THE EXPANSION OF THE CENTER WITH A NEW LOCATION Shawnique held the audience captive with her singing at a grand opening of Covenant House’s new East Garfield Park home in May. Between songs she wrote herself, she described how much she appreciated the welcoming nonprofit being there…

FISCAL YEAR 2023 STARTS WITH ZERO-DAY WAIT FOR VENDOR PAYMENTS — At the end of the day on June 30, the Illinois Office of Comptroller had no General Revenue Fund vouchers. The chart above shows how this compares to the end of the calendar year and the end of the fiscal year since Fiscal Year 2018, starting with 191 days at…

AS ECONOMY CONTINUES TO SHIFT, BUSINESSES, TRANSPORTATION AND CONSUMERS ADAPT — These days, a lot of us shop from the comfort of home. With one click, we can order an item online and expect to have it at our door within a day or two. Behind that seemingly simple approach is a vast array of systems and networks helping to get…

COMPTROLLER CONTINUES COMMITTMENT TO ILLINOIS WORKERS — “Big Steve” Sutton is stuff of union legend. He fought for the rights of others and lost his life in the battle for a fair wage in Illinois. While legendary, he was a real person, and in 1932 — as the Great Depression took hold across the country — Sutton…