How to Fight Property Taxes
How to Fight Property Taxes
Get the A, B, C's on lowering your property tax bill.
Stimulus Job Count Drops by 13,000 in Illinois
Stimulus Job Count Drops by 13,000 in Illinois
As recently as November 2009, Recovery.gov claimed that over 24,000 Illinois jobs had been created or saved by the stimulus package. Recovery.gov now lists 11,375 jobs (as reported by grant recipients), less than Minnesota, Missouri, and Indiana's counts.
$35K on Meeting Facilitators
$35K on Meeting Facilitators
In 2008, the Department of Public Health spent over $35,000 on meeting facilitators.
Obama, Meet Bill Collector
Obama, Meet Bill Collector
The Obama campaign still owes the City of Springfield serious dough for a campaign rally held in the fall of 2008. Pay up, Mr. President!
Institute in the Examiner: One Nation, Indivisible
Institute in the Examiner: One Nation, Indivisible
How much trouble are we in because of the national debt? And what can be done about it? Heather Wilhelm addresses this in the Examiner.
See What They’re Saying About the Innovative Pension Funding & Fairness Act
See What They’re Saying About the Innovative Pension Funding & Fairness Act
See what people from across the state are saying about the Illinois Policy Institute's Pension Funding and Fairness Act
Conference Fees for the Department on Aging
Conference Fees for the Department on Aging
Illinois Department on Aging spent over $25,000 on conference fees in 2009.
Institute in the Daily Herald: No TIF District Needed for Navistar
Institute in the Daily Herald: No TIF District Needed for Navistar
This Navistar TIF proposal, and all TIF districts, increase government spending and necessarily cause an increase in property taxes.
$170K on Video Conferencing
$170K on Video Conferencing
The State of Illinois spent over $170,000 on video conferencing in 2008 and 2009.
I’m From the Government – I Am Here to Run Your Business
I’m From the Government – I Am Here to Run Your Business
A bill to mandate paid sick leave is up for consideration in Illinois.
Daily Must-Reads
Daily Must-Reads
CBS-2 News:Right Turn On Red Means More Green For Cities The Institute’s Director of Outreach, Brian Costin, says red light cameras are a way for local governments to make money, not promote safety. Reason: Even More on the Coming War Over Public-Sector Pensions Fairfax Virginia faces a battle over tax hikes and cuts to school...
$4.7 Million on Advertising
$4.7 Million on Advertising
More than $4.7 million was spent on advertising in 2008 and 2009, in addition to the more than $6 million spent on professional advertising and media services.
Kristina Rasmussen’s Testimony on Illinois Budget
Kristina Rasmussen’s Testimony on Illinois Budget
On February 23, Kristina Rasmussen testified before the Illinois Senate Appropriations Committee on the State Budget. Download her complete testimony here.
Purchases from Wal-Mart and Kmart
Purchases from Wal-Mart and Kmart
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson Using our transparency website, IllinoisOpenGov.org, I found that between 2008 and our FOIA request in 2009, state agencies spent $47,261.77 at Kmart and $27,135.15 at Wal-Mart. In 2008, the Department of Corrections spent the most with $3,165 at Kmart and $1,625 at Wal-Mart. In 2009, the Department of Children and Family Services...