Metro East voters dissolve underwater park district
Metro East voters dissolve underwater park district
Taxpayers voted overwhelmingly to dissolve Collinsville Area Recreation District – but the debt the district incurred will burden taxpayers for years.
By Brad Weisenstein
Godfrey voters eliminate township
Godfrey voters eliminate township
Godfrey voters decided Nov. 6 to dissolve the village’s duplicative township, a measure that officials had been weighing for nearly 20 years.
By Brad Weisenstein
Coke County: Townships overwhelmingly reject bringing back soda tax
Coke County: Townships overwhelmingly reject bringing back soda tax
Voters across seven Cook County townships strongly oppose a return of the sweetened beverage tax.
Madison County voters eliminate office of recorder of deeds
Madison County voters eliminate office of recorder of deeds
Madison County voters decided Nov. 6 that responsibilities such as recording land transfers and maintaining deeds no longer justify a separate office for an elected official.
By Brad Weisenstein
Voters want Springfield to shed a little government
Voters want Springfield to shed a little government
Voters said they don’t need a township on top of Springfield city government, but unless Sangamon County leaders act there will be no tax savings.
By Janelle Cammenga
Alton Township survives consolidation referendum
Alton Township survives consolidation referendum
Alton Township was on the chopping block Nov. 6. While neighboring communities consolidated unnecessary layers of government, Alton residents will keep their township.
By Brad Weisenstein
Springfield shopping gets pricier after voters OK school sales tax
Springfield shopping gets pricier after voters OK school sales tax
Voters decided Sangamon County school building improvements were worth boosting Springfield’s sales tax to among the highest in the nation. The 1 percent sales tax hike will take the total to 10.75 percent at some stores.
By Janelle Cammenga
Lake County village rejects sales tax referendum
Lake County village rejects sales tax referendum
A proposed 1 percent sales tax would have increased the village of Barrington’s sales tax burden to among the highest in the nation.
By Janelle Cammenga
Jackie Reed
Jackie Reed
“I’ve seen a mass exodus. I’ve been a realtor for 24 years, on average selling 40 to 50 homes a year. I usually had my sellers call me because they wanted to move to a new house [in Illinois]. Now, instead, they call and say, ‘We’re done, the taxes are too high. Too much corruption.’...
William Gee
William Gee
“My parents saw a future in this town. “For 40 years, we paid our dues in taxes, property taxes. We’ve created value. Everybody’s brother and sister has worked for us locally. For most of them, it’s their first job. “Good times, hard times, we went through it all. We actually helped the village. My parents...
Taxpayer tab totals $98M to keep southwestern Illinois airport open
Taxpayer tab totals $98M to keep southwestern Illinois airport open
Local leaders say more passengers will reduce the need for taxpayer money at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. But as traffic rises, so too has the tab for St. Clair County taxpayers.
By Brad Weisenstein
Sinkhole city: Financial watchdog again gives Chicago an ‘F’ in finances
Sinkhole city: Financial watchdog again gives Chicago an ‘F’ in finances
An annual analysis of Chicago’s finances finds the city’s debt burden continues to weigh heavily on the shoulders of taxpayers.
By Vincent Caruso
Highest paid superintendent in Illinois history fired for ‘pay padding’
Highest paid superintendent in Illinois history fired for ‘pay padding’
Following an investigation into allegations of “pay padding,” among other offenses, Calumet school district board members dismissed Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent less than a week before retirement.
By Vincent Caruso
Voters near Springfield face new property tax to pay for pensions
Voters near Springfield face new property tax to pay for pensions
Voters in the village of Jerome, on Springfield’s southwest edge, will decide whether to adopt an additional property tax to pay for public pension contributions.
By Vincent Caruso