Despite some bipartisan agreement in writing a new round of stimulus checks, McConnell has pressured negotiators to drop two major sticking points in the negotiations: Democrats’ state aid and Republican Govt’s trust protection lawsuits facing employers. “I know there are a lot of poses in Washington, D.C., but dear God, stop the nonsense,” Lightfood said. “Finish doing something. We are in pain here in the heartland and across our country. The federal government needs to move forward and do their job.” Like many cities across the country, Chicago has suffered huge losses as a result of the impact of the Covid-19 tax revenue. The Chicago City Council last month approved a $ 12.8 billion budget for 2021, which would include a $ 94 million property tax increase, increase in fees and penalties, helping to raise the $ 1.2 billion budget deficit. The city, the state of Illinois and much of the Midwest have seen an improvement in Govt-19 cases and deaths in recent weeks, triggering a new round of restrictions already in place for restaurants and other businesses. Some Republicans have been reluctant to help democratically-heavy cities, while McConnell’s closest allies have said some states do not need help, arguing an approach to focus on schools, colleges, childcare and personal relief. “When we see bloody and drastic service cuts, pushing people on the streets and turning state and local governments to your side at a time like unemployment, reducing services that can actually be a stimulus to the economy – that’s an incredibly short-sightedness,” Lightfoot said.
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