For the first time ever, Schaumburg has passed a property tax for residents, "adding about $252 to the tax bill for a home with an equalized assessed value of $50,000," according to the Tribune. The move by trustees has left residents angered; resident Joe Librizzi said, "It's not fair -- it's not right." Officials defended the move, saying the money will bring in around $24 million which will help cover the village's impending $17.4 million budget deficit. more ›

• With property tax bills set to arrive in mailboxes over the next several days, it looks like they're going up by double-digits, even higher than previously expected.
• John Ambrose, a deputy U.S. Marshal accused of leaking information to mob members involved in the Family Secrets investigation, has been sentenced to four years in prison. When he was convicted in April, it was reportedly the first breach of the Witness Protection program.
• Former Chicago Bear Tank Johnson testified today in the murder trial of Michael Selvie, charged with shooting and killing Johnson's boyhood friend Willie Posey at the Ice Bar in December 2006.

Mayor Daley responded yesterday to the CTA's proposed 2010 budget, calling the potential fare hikes and cuts in service, “very, very ugly" while also trying to reinforce that nothing has been approved, adding, "This is only proposed. And like anything else, that's the last resort. No one wants to see fare increases or service cuts. But they are in a very difficult position." The proposed budget includes the cutting of several express bus routes, trimming back time-tables for bus and rail service, and, most famously (or infamously), raising rail and express bus route fares by 75-cents to $3 per ride. more ›

Yes, even in Illinois - state motto: "We tax the shit out of everything" - there's always room to raise taxes. This morning, the Tribune is reporting that Governor Quinn is considering a plan that would raise Illinois' state income tax by half, from 3 percent to 4.5 percent. According to the Trib's source, such a hike would also include a hike in the corporate income tax on businesses, but would be softened by raising the standard $2,000 tax exemption to $6,000. If implemented, it would be the first income tax hike for Illinois in 20 years; the rate was raised from 2.5 percent to 3 percent in 1989. Critics suggest Quinn will have to tread carefully lest he severely damage his chances in 2010. Quinn is due to present his budget plan to the state legislature next Wednesday. more ›