* Center Square…

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants $40 million in taxpayer funds over four years to pick up the tab for hundreds of thousands of individuals’ medical debt. […]

However, a study released this month by the National Bureau of Economic Research concluded while there is a statistical significant reduction in payment of existing medical debt, there is “no impact of debt relief on credit access, utilization, and financial distress on average” and “no effect of medical debt relief on mental health on average.”

State Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, said it may sound like a good idea, but the legislature must balance priorities especially as he said state agencies are requesting increased budgets across the board. He also warned, taxpayer subsidies to a nonprofit to liquidate select medical debt may not provide the benefits supporters are looking for.

“It does not solve your credit problems nor does it really address the mental health issues that we have,” Caulkins told The Center Square. “If the research is factual, the governor is trying to pander. I know he’s still interested in a political career outside of Illinois.”

Um, if the governor’s debt relief numbers are correct, it will eventually provide on average about $4,000 in debt relief per person. That ain’t nothing.

However, Cook County’s program hasn’t performed to that level. The county has helped more than 200,000 residents by eliminating nearly $350 million in medical debt. That’s about $1,750 per person. Even so, that ain’t nothing, either.

It won’t solve all their problems, but no program can do that. I’ve seen too many friends living in too much fear of medical debt during my lifetime. Yes, it’s not as bad as it was back when hospitals and other providers were regularly taking people to court over their debts and then having them thrown in jail if they didn’t show up for hearings. But it’s still upsetting.

* Meanwhile, in other news…

As Gov. JB Pritzker has proposed to eliminate the state’s sales tax on groceries, a new University of Illinois study suggests the idea hurts cities more than it helps families.

“I think there is a perception that the grocery tax is very regressive,” said Elizabeth Powers, an associate professor of economics at the U of I and interim associate director of its Institute of Government and Public Affairs. “That it causes very low-income people to pay more than their fair share of taxes.”

Those families, Powers says, pay roughly $3600 a year in groceries and thus would save $36 per year.

As for cities. Powers says, “It’s estimated that municipalities lost about $360 million; municipalities are perceiving this as a significant hit to their budget.”

Deputy Gov. Andy Manar was not amused…

Andy makes some very valid points. I just don’t see it passing. But the proposal has so far put the Illinois Municipal League back on their heels and prevented the IML from making a strong, coordinated push for more state money.