(SPRINGFIELD) Industry experts say Governor J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal to increase the sports betting tax by 20% could cause negative ripple effects. If approved by the General Assembly, the tax for sports book operators would go from 15% to 35% and become one of the highest percentages in the nation. Estimated to generate $200 million in increased tax revenue, those with the PlayIllinois website say the huge hike could possibly prompt some operators to scale back their operations. Illinois sports bettors wagered about $10 billion in 2023, placing the state third in the country behind New York and New Jersey. Ironically, the Department of Human Services is noting March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
(CHICAGO) In recognition of this National Consumer Protection Week, the Illinois Attorney General’s office has released the Top Ten consumer complaints received over the past year. For the third year in a row, complaints related to home repairs and remodeling topped the list, while complaints about identity theft moved up to the second spot. Rounding out the top five were consumer debt (3), motor vehicle/used auto sales (4), and promotions/schemes (5). The sixth highest complaints came from internet/mail order products, followed by telecommunications (7), motor vehicle/non-warranty repair (8), motor vehicle/new auto sales (9), and government agencies (10). To look over the Top Ten list of consumer complaints or for more information, logon at illinoisattorneygeneral.gov.
(SPRINGFIELD) Statistics show that Illinois is one of the most dangerous states for crashes at high speeds. The ranking used data from the National Highway Safety Administration on vehicles involved in fatal wrecks between 2017 and 2021 where speed was recorded. Illinois was third in the nation with 16.3% of vehicles traveling at speeds of 80 miles-per-hour or more before a fatal crash occurred. Montana topped the national list among all states.
(SPRINGFIELD) Carmaker Stellantis, which is retooling it’s Illinois plant in Belvidere, now plans to invest some $6 billion in Brazil starting next year. The company says it’s aiming to introduce hybrid-flex vehicles in Latin America’s largest economy. Meanwhile, Stellantis has committed nearly $5 billion into the Belvidere Assembly Plant for new production, which includes a midsize pickup truck beginning in 2027. The Belvidere plant first opened as a Chrysler factory back in 1965, first manufacturing the Plymouth Fury.