Constitutional Challenge to Illinois’s Campaign Finance Laws
Constitutional Challenge to Illinois’s Campaign Finance Laws
by Kristina Rasmussen The Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) is challenging Illinois’s new campaign finance laws. From CFIF’s press release: Center for Individual Freedom Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of Illinois’ Campaign Finance Law Vagueness of Illinois law and its discriminatory exemption for labor unions violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Center for...
How’d You Like a 7.25% Pay Bump?
How’d You Like a 7.25% Pay Bump?
by Kristina Rasmussen If you were amazed that the State of Illinois is handing out pay bumps to tends of thousands of state workers in the midst of a multi-billion dollar budget deficit, get ready for this. Between June 2011 and January 2012, unionized state workers are scheduled to receive a total of 7.25 percent in cost of...
Higher Ed in a ‘State’ of Perfection?
Higher Ed in a ‘State’ of Perfection?
by Kristin Nisbet Robby Stoave referred to the following quote from an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal by Columbia University President Lee Bollinger recently in a post on reason.com. There are examples of other institutions in the U.S. where state support does not translate into official control. The most compelling are our public universities and our...
TARP Watch: Local Bank Is on Timothy Geithner’s Radar
TARP Watch: Local Bank Is on Timothy Geithner’s Radar
by Joe O’Malley Contrary to the free-market principle that businesses which make reckless decisions should fail, Chicago Democrats are now petitioning Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to bail out a local community bank. Its name is ShoreBank. According to the New York Times, ShoreBank made business decisions that were very poor: “An ill-timed, overly aggressive expansion at the...
For Schools, “Three Pillars of Mediocrity”
For Schools, “Three Pillars of Mediocrity”
by Collin Hitt John Fund turns in an interesting, short piece on teacher pensions. He interviewed Bill Gates, who has sometimes been soft on education reform but is frustrated with the budget bombs created by teacher pension schemes. Joel Klein, however, turns in the money quote: “The education system is built on the three pillars of...
What ObamaCare Means for You
What ObamaCare Means for You
by Kristina Rasmussen Okay, so what will ObamaCare really mean for you? The Cato Institute’s Michael Tanner recently released a helpful guide: “Bad Medicine: A Guide to the Real Costs and Consequences of the New Health Care Law.” Among the findings: While the bill will increase the number of Americans with insurance coverage, it falls significantly...
Soda Tax Talk Bubbling Up Again
Soda Tax Talk Bubbling Up Again
by Kristina Rasmussen Talk of a soda tax is bubbling up again: CHICAGO (CBS) ― Feel like you’re taxed enough already? More could be coming. There’s an early push to explore taxing soft drinks that are sweetened with sugars – all to get you to stop buying them. CBS 2’s Kristyn Hartman reports it’s all about...
$241K to Breath Alcohol Technicians
$241K to Breath Alcohol Technicians
by Will Compernolle The State of Illinois hired four breath alcohol analysis technicians for a total of $241,878 in combined total wages in fiscal year 2008. The highest paid breath alcohol analysis technician made $60,985 and the average wage was $60,469.50. The Illinois Department of Central Management Services website says the technicians perform “regular maintenance, major servicing,...
Free or Not to Be
Free or Not to Be
Ashley Muchow Amid the financial turmoil that has inflicted most every world region in the past decade, much attention has been given to the timeless question of whether free markets work. Ultimately, are we better off in a free market economy or is this just an erroneous belief whose figureheads undeservedly became household names? Pew...
State Hires 43 Chaplains
State Hires 43 Chaplains
by Will Compernolle The State of Illinois hired 43 chaplains in fiscal year 2008 for $2,417,084.46 in combined total wages. The average chaplain was paid $56,211 while the highest paid chaplain took home a salary of $78,341. The Illinois Department of Central Management Services website distinguishes between two different chaplains: “Chaplain I” and “Chaplain II.”...
Metra Employees Taking Advantage of Overtime Pay
Metra Employees Taking Advantage of Overtime Pay
by Will Compernolle The Sun-Times reports that more than 10% of Metra employees last year made at least $20,000 in overtime pay. Total overtime pay in 2009 reached nearly $20 million. Metra says that, while it’s hardly ideal to spend so much on overtime pay, there’s not much it can do about a lot of it. Accidents, bad...
State Housekeepers Take Home $28K Salaries
State Housekeepers Take Home $28K Salaries
by Will Compernolle The State of Illinois hired two housekeepers in fiscal year 2008 for $56,309.31 in combined total wages. The average housekeeper salary was $28,154.66 with the highest being $31,488. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics website reports that the mean salary for a housekeeper in Illinois is $20,290. To find this information on our IllinoisOpenGov.org website, go...
75% Say Lack of Spending Cuts to Blame for State Budget Woes
75% Say Lack of Spending Cuts to Blame for State Budget Woes
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson A recent Rasmussen survey reveals that “most Americans report their state currently has a budget crisis, and they continue to blame politicians more than taxpayers for the problem.” How did the numbers break down? The article continues: The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Adults shows 75% say the unwillingness of politicians to reduce...