In this issue:
- DMV facilities to open earlier
- Unemployment rate increases again
- Meeting with local leaders
- State Fair sets attendance record
DMV facilities to open earlier
Most Illinois Secretary of State driver services facilities are now open earlier each morning, starting at 7:30 a.m.
The change comes in response to increased demand for DMV services earlier in the morning. Driver services facilities will be open from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. The offices will also close a half-hour earlier than previously.
The office of the Secretary of State has implemented a number of changes to its operating procedures to try and be more customer-friendly. A study indicated that there was higher demand for services in the morning rather than the early evening, so the office hours have been adjusted to better meet that demand.
To find your nearest driver services facility, make an appointment or apply for online services, please visit https://apps.ilsos.gov/facilityfinder/facility.
Unemployment rate increases again
Illinois’ unemployment rate increased again in August, ticking up slightly to 5.3%, a 0.1% increase from the month before. July’s unemployment rate from the Illinois Department of Employment Security was revised to indicate that there were 2000 fewer jobs created in the state during July than initially thought. The unemployment rate is determined by the percentage of individuals who are out of work and seeking employment.
It was once again a mixed bag, as employment sectors like Construction and Financial Activities saw increases in jobs, while Professional and Business Services declined. The largest movement overall was in the Leisure and Hospitality sector, which lost 2900 jobs. The number of unemployed workers in Illinois stands at 343,100, which is up by more than 15% compared to one year ago.
The national unemployment rate remains in a better condition than here in Illinois, coming in at 4.2%.
Meeting with local leaders
Last week I met with City Administrators, Mayors, Village Presidents, and County Board Chairmen for our Local Government Advisory Committee Meeting.
We had fantastic discussions on projects, grants, grant writing, elimination of grocery tax, staffing and unfunded mandates. I always learn so much from this group. I appreciate everyone taking the time out of their busy schedules to attend.
State Fair sets attendance record
It was a great week to be at the state fair this summer, and it appears that a record number of Illinoisans agreed. A total of more than 773,000 people visited the State Fair in Springfield this summer, up from 708,000 last year.
Managers of the fair cited the grandstand concert lineup as a main driver of the improved numbers.
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $1,292,915,888. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $1.5 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
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