May Corruption Watch
May Corruption Watch
May’s corruption headlines show the steep cost nontransparent government can have on taxpayers.
Madigan’s rules: How one man controls Illinois
Madigan’s rules: How one man controls Illinois
Illinoisans may elect who goes to the House of Representatives, but they don’t choose their representation – at least not in any meaningful sense. The power belongs to Madigan. And he represents himself.
Auditor general: Illinois Lottery made illegal $20 million prepayment just ahead of budget stalemate
Auditor general: Illinois Lottery made illegal $20 million prepayment just ahead of budget stalemate
The Illinois auditor general found the Illinois Lottery in violation of a state finance law for paying $20 million to ensure that, even in the absence of a state budget, Illinois could continue to participate in the Mega Millions and Powerball games.
Illinois will use facial-recognition technology to create new driver’s licenses, raising privacy concerns
Illinois will use facial-recognition technology to create new driver’s licenses, raising privacy concerns
Illinois’ new program to create driver’s licenses and state ID cards with enhanced security features has generated concerns over the possibility of identity theft and government tracking of private citizens.
Madigan lawyer sues to block fair-map amendment
Madigan lawyer sues to block fair-map amendment
In Illinois, politicians pick their voters.
Illinois gets $3.5M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration
Illinois gets $3.5M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration
Illinois motorists have paid more than $6.5 million this year for failing to renew vehicle license plates on time, more than double the amount collected in the same four-month span last year.
Madigan continues to block term limits
Madigan continues to block term limits
Madigan has been in office since 1971 and has served as Illinois House speaker for 31 of the past 33 years.
Illinois House passes local-government consolidation bill
Illinois House passes local-government consolidation bill
DuPage County is projected to save millions of dollars through government-consolidation authority it has enjoyed for years. Now, the Illinois House of Representatives has voted in favor of a bill that would expand these capabilities to all counties statewide.
Local government transparency bill clears Illinois House
Local government transparency bill clears Illinois House
House Bill 5522 would require local governments and school districts in Illinois to maintain websites with links to vital public information such as budgets, expenditures and officials’ names and numbers.
3 Illinois Policy Action bills advance out of committee before April deadline
3 Illinois Policy Action bills advance out of committee before April deadline
Local government transparency, local government consolidation and criminal justice reform gain traction despite politicized legislature.
Illinois corruption watch: March 2016
Illinois corruption watch: March 2016
Several instances of corruption and mismanagement of public property and trust came to light in March and included new developments in cases involving Chicago Public Schools’ former CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
General Assembly returns to Springfield with looming deadlines
General Assembly returns to Springfield with looming deadlines
After returning from vacation, Illinois lawmakers will operate under rapidly approaching deadlines to pass legislation.
Chicago passes smokeless-tobacco ban for city ballparks
Chicago passes smokeless-tobacco ban for city ballparks
Chicago recently became the fourth city to ban smokeless tobacco at ballparks, and is home to the nation’s highest tobacco tax.
Illinois corruption watch: February 2016
Illinois corruption watch: February 2016
Illinoisans’ confidence in their state government is the lowest of residents of any state in the nation, and corruption stories from February 2016 don’t help.