Things still aren't looking up for the Teachers' Retirement System, or TRS. You'll remember that it earned a dismal 0.76 percent return on its investments in fiscal year 2012, after predicting 8.5 percent returns.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE UNION PAC DATABASE The database shows which Illinois politicians have received donations between 2002 to 2012 from PACs associated with: American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Illinois Education Association (IEA); Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT); and Service...
Ready for a weekend of entertainment? Start by cruising around a shopping festival on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Then get some exercise on the eco-friendly, customized ziplines built by Shawnee Bluffs Canopy Tour Inc. in Williamson County. If that’s not enough, hit the wrestling matches at the Dual Meet Nationals in Springfield. Won’t be able to...
Right to Work has become a reality. The two-bill package passed both houses of the state legislature, and was signed into law by Gov. Snyder. Unions are continued to cry foul and staged wild protests outside the Michigan Statehouse – at one point they tore down a tent belonging to Americans for Prosperity. In yesterday’s post we discussed what...
Union support is strongly tilted toward the Democratic Party, with GOP elected officials receiving only $0.25 for every dollar going to Democratic elected officials
Providing entertainment may seem like a far cry from an essential government service, but not in Illinois.
The governor of historically pro-union Michigan has signed
On top of the state’s massive pension debt, Illinois taxpayers are saddled with another $54 billion in debt for retiree health benefits. For years, retired state and university workers have paid little or nothing toward the cost of their health insurance premiums. With the annual cost for these benefits rapidly approaching $1 billion and crowding out other...
Weekly local government headlines
Quinn has already wasted nearly $200 million by refusing to exercise his responsibility under the law. Every day that he fails to act, he wastes another $1.2 million.
Illinois Policy Institute labor expert available to comment on controversial law
Michigan is poised to pass a Right-to-Work law in the next couple of days. Union protesters are staked out at the Capitol building making their anti-Right-to-Work opinions known.
Springfield has a mother-may-I culture in which major legislative initiatives are not launched without the blessing of one of the caucus leaders.