Must Reads for April 6
Featured Letter to the Editor: State, Peoria taking steps to improve transparency

Also, kudos to Sen. LaHood for co-sponsoring SB 3392, which will require our local governments to post documents on their Internet sites. This bill will promote the Ten Point Transparency Checklist, which was created by the Illinois Policy Institute.

Lessons from "The Little State that Could:" '"This is about math, not politics"

Liberals fear the Court may respect its limits.

Any analysis of taxes paid in high tax-and-spend countries shows that the U.S. has the most progressive income tax system in the world.

Pantagraph: Vacation? Make sure legislators hear from you

If the Medicaid and pension reform issues aren’t addressed in a significant matter this spring, two events are virtually guaranteed to happen. First, the 67 percent income tax increase will become permanent. Second, the budget cutting for social service, education, safety and other state services will become more severe.

Scafidi analyzed public schools’ short-term variable and fixed costs. Fixed costs are overhead like buildings and heating bills. Variable costs such as books and staff can be trimmed more quickly. In the long run, he said, all costs are variable.

In essence, the president argued that our country’s future depends on allowing our government to grow uncontrollably, and that any attempt to restrain its growth and to keep the size of government in relation to the economy where it was during the fifty years preceding his election would be heartless and irresponsible.

In short, we’re all — not just newspapers but anyone wanting to talk about the issues confounding government — running out of excuses for not being able to speak knowledgeably and specifically about the state’s financial condition or the way money is spent in Illinois. Let’s start using those facts to build a better government.

Taxpayers want their governments to be fiscally sound, financially healthy institutions. But when they start banking large sums of money … that’s when people start asking for refunds. After all, it’s the public’s money, and if anyone’s going to try to come up with profitable ways to save and invest it, let it be us.

Wall Street Journal: The worst economic recovery in history

Since the second half of 2009, the U.S. economy has grown at a rate of 2.4%, a full percentage point below average long-term growth.

As a weary and frightened people sift the ruins of their economy, Greece's hardship stands as a warning to America.

In a reversal, Illinois' biggest pension fund says it may have to reduce benefits to today's retirees.

ObamaCare's popular provisions lose their appeal once Americans are confronted with the consequences.

We all know that the Illinois budget situation is a mess, but lllinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka wants us to know just how messy it really is.

The president's lawyer said 'Insurance has become the predominant means of paying for health care in this country.' But whose fault is that? Shouldn't we bring the cash market back?

America's debt is $15.6 trillion and growing. Instead of raising taxes, here's an idea: Let's try capitalism.

Village of Oak Brook taxpayers are on the hook for nearly $750,000 in funding liabilities. In essence, they are paying Sheahan, 59, for work that he did elsewhere.

Illinois has it wrong again with their comical “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a job today” mentality.

Must Reads for April 2
National Review: Yes, we can wait

The idea that federal government’s power should be limited is dismissed as a quaint relic of a bygone age. There are important national problems to be solved, and we should not be held back by a document from the past.

Mad about Quinn's budget cuts? Then demand pension and Medicaid reforms.

In a confidential memo, obtained by The State Journal-Register, the Illinois Teacher Retirement System Director said the state’s largest pension system, which has been underfunded for decades, can no longer be confident that state government will continue to pay it enough money to allow the system to keep treading water.

Among their complaints: a lack of consistent teachers, the reassignment of the school principal, educators who abuse sick time and a shortage of textbooks.