Institute on CBS Chicago: Unions concerned about potential Illinois right to work law
Institute on CBS Chicago: Unions concerned about potential Illinois right to work law
The governor of historically pro-union Michigan has signed
Quinn’s refusal to implement retiree health insurance legislation costs taxpayers big
Quinn’s refusal to implement retiree health insurance legislation costs taxpayers big
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...
Illinois local government headlines
Illinois local government headlines
Weekly local government headlines
Quinn
Quinn
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.
MEDIA ALERT: Michigan prepares to enact Right to Work
MEDIA ALERT: Michigan prepares to enact Right to Work
Illinois Policy Institute labor expert available to comment on controversial law
Right to Work In Michigan?
Right to Work In Michigan?
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.
No adult supervision required
No adult supervision required
Springfield has a mother-may-I culture in which major legislative initiatives are not launched without the blessing of one of the caucus leaders.
Rock Island County paid $20,489 to Swine-time Pig Racing
Rock Island County paid $20,489 to Swine-time Pig Racing
Property taxes are rising, state income taxes are higher, unemployment is nearly 9 percent and local governments are supposedly cash-strapped. Schools are cutting programs, and police and fire pensions are crowding out spending on core local services. Yet local governments continue to waste the money of hardworking Illinoisans. Each year local governments in Illinois make payments for a wide...
November unemployment: lower national unemployment rate masks increased joblessness
November unemployment: lower national unemployment rate masks increased joblessness
The national unemployment rate may have dropped to 7.7 percent in November from 7.9 percent in October, but the nation is making little progress on the road to a full economic recovery. Though a decrease may seem encouraging, the reality of these numbers is not: The rate dropped because more than 350,000 people left the...
November unemployment: lower national unemployment rate masks increased joblessness
November unemployment: lower national unemployment rate masks increased joblessness
The national unemployment rate may have dropped to 7.7 percent in November from 7.9 percent in October, but the nation is making little progress on the road to a full economic recovery.
Rock Island County paid $20,489 to Swine-time Pig Racing
Rock Island County paid $20,489 to Swine-time Pig Racing
In this shell game of government spending, much of the waste and abuse goes unnoticed. Rock Island County, for example, paid $20,489 to Swine-time Pig Racing, a company that specializes in pig racing.
Institute on FOX Chicago: Nekritz, Dabrowski discuss Illinois’ newest pension reform plan
Institute on FOX Chicago: Nekritz, Dabrowski discuss Illinois’ newest pension reform plan
Illinois is facing a $95 billion pension crisis and the number is getting bigger everyday.
Illinois legislators among highest paid in the nation
Illinois legislators among highest paid in the nation
The dust has settled from an uneventful veto session. No progress was made. The one attempt at reforming Illinois’ out-of-control pensions that legislators put forward is a step in the right direction, but ultimately would perpetuate the crisis by failing to prescribe the right medicine for the problem at hand. And the efforts to make things...
Veto session: legislative recap
Veto session: legislative recap
There was very little legislative activity during the past two weeks of veto session in Springfield. However, several bills have been further positioned to move during special session in January, when lame duck legislators will retain voting power, even though they were voted out of office in November. The following is a recap of the...