Colin Jeffery
Weekend fire alerts city officials to new homeless camp
Tuesday, 07 May 2013 13:43 Published in Local NewsA homeless camp in downtown St. Louis stayed off the radar of city officials, until a fire last weekend.
The Post-Dispatch reports that "Camp Plum", as it is known, grew to over a dozen structures until some lit one of the tents on fire Saturday night. No one was hurt in the fire, but the city is moving everyone out of the camp.
Officials say the more than 20 residents should get housing vouchers to keep them off the street.
Illinois plans to use tax windfall to pay down bills
Tuesday, 07 May 2013 13:17 Published in Local NewsCHICAGO (AP) - Gov. Pat Quinn says income tax revenue for 2013 will top forecasts by $1.3 billion. He says he'll put the money toward the billions the state owes in unpaid bills.
The governor's office said Tuesday the money was a one-time windfall resulting from businesses and individuals selling assets or taking early dividends in anticipation of higher federal tax rates.
Quinn says the money is welcome but a one-time bump in revenue will not help fix the problem in the long run.
Illinois owes billions to businesses, charities and local governments performing some of the state's most essential services. The problem adds to the state's huge financial mess, which includes a soaring public pension crisis.
Quinn said Tuesday the focus must be on "restoring Illinois to full fiscal responsibility."
Missouri schools get more money in latest budget proposal
Tuesday, 07 May 2013 11:29 Published in Local NewsJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri public schools and universities will be getting a funding increase under an agreement by legislative budget negotiators.
A group of House and Senate members decided Tuesday to provide a $25 million funding increase to public colleges and universities based on whether they have met performance criteria such as student graduation rates. That's less than the $34 million increase sought by Gov. Jay Nixon but more than the House had approved earlier this year.
The budget also includes $10 million for the University of Missouri medical school to expand a residency program at the Cox Health system in Springfield.
Public school districts would get a $66 million increase to their $3 billion of core funding - the same amount Nixon recommended.
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