Tomorrow’s Schools vs. Today’s Politics
Tomorrow’s Schools vs. Today’s Politics
by Collin Hitt Reason Magazine has a great feature on online learning by Katherine Mangu Ward. As is typical with her journalism, it provides clarity to a complex issue. She sums up the unease with technology felt by teachers and bureaucrats, which has real consequences for today’s students: Adults who weren’t weaned on broadband find...
The Unemployment Chart You’ll Ever See?
The Unemployment Chart You’ll Ever See?
by Heather Wilhelm Over at The Atlantic’s blog, Derek Thompson posts “The Scariest Unemployment Graphic I’ve Seen Yet”: “The median duration of unemployment is higher today than any time in the last 50 years,” he writes. “That’s an understatement. It is more than twice as high today than any time in the last 50 years.” So what does...
Don’t Roll Your Eyes in Elmhurst
Don’t Roll Your Eyes in Elmhurst
by Brian Costin The City of Elmhurst is considering a new ordinance to combat eye-rolling and sighing at public meetings. At a June 14th committee meeting resident Darlene Heslop was asked to leave after rolling her eyes and sighing during a discussion about the city hiring a state lobbyist. Heslop opposes the hiring. The new law being considered...
Indiana: The right way to cope with declining tax revenue
Indiana: The right way to cope with declining tax revenue
by Kristina Rasmussen Budget & Tax News (one of my go-to publications for state fiscal policy news) features a great interview with Indiana Budget Director Christopher Ruhl. It’s refreshing and encouraging, and Illinois state leaders could learn a thing or two from it: Gov. Mitch Daniels (R), who took office in 2005, insists on fiscal discipline. One of his...
Oregon Raises Taxes, But Budget Situation Worsens
Oregon Raises Taxes, But Budget Situation Worsens
by Kristina Rasmussen “Oregon Raises Taxes, But Budget Situation Worsens.” There’s a lesson here for tax hikers in Illinois. Amber Gunn has the story in the August edition of Budget & Tax News: Oregon voters in January approved significant personal and corporate income tax hikes. The predicted increases in revenue have failed to materialize, however, and now the state...
What Is Texas Doing that We’re Not?
What Is Texas Doing that We’re Not?
by Ashley Muchow CNBC recently came out with their 2010 ranking of America’s Top States for Business. This year, the Lone Star State earned its title as America’s foremost state for business. Illinois managed to remain in the bottom half, dropping from #25 last year to #30. CBNC calculates the rankings based on ten categories reflective of the strain or...
Real Simpletons: problems with Obamacare
Real Simpletons: problems with Obamacare
by Kristina Rasmussen “How Health Care Reform Affects You.” Chances are you’ve seen an article along these lines pop up in your magazines of choice lately. I certainly have. Chances are the articles gloss over the major problems inherent in ObamaCare — if they’re not a straight out endorsement of the takeover. Stephen Spruiell takes the...
By Chris Andriesen
Obamacare: It Really Is a Tax!
Obamacare: It Really Is a Tax!
by Joseph O’Malley Do you remember when President Obama pledged that he wouldn’t raise taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 a year? Or his argument with George Stephanopoulos in which he claimed the individual mandate isn’t a tax? Now the Obama Administration is arguing that the individual mandate is a tax! What is the reason for this sudden flip...
Thousands Spent on Printing of Pens
Thousands Spent on Printing of Pens
by Will Compernolle The State of Illinois spent $6,795 on the “printing of pens” in fiscal year 2009 by Global Printing and Graphics. Between fiscal years 2008 and 2009, the State spent $9,294 on products and services from Global Printing and Graphics, including printing letterhead and printing of business cards. As we have blogged about before, the...
Bankrupty Could Breed Real School Reform
Bankrupty Could Breed Real School Reform
by Collin Hitt Economic high times won’t be here soon, and even when they return state governments and school districts will still find themselves in fiscal straight jackets sewn with pension fund promises. Jay Greene thinks that this could lead lawmakers to substitute meaningful school reform for the old recipe of simply spending more money (which hasn’t...
$677K to Dental Assistants
$677K to Dental Assistants
by Will Compernolle The State of Illinois hired 18 dental assistants in fiscal year 2008 for a total of $677,595 in combined total wages. The highest salary was $46,707 while the average salary was $37,644.17. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics website, the mean salary for a dental assistant in Illinois was $33,170. Nine of...
Cincinnati Vendors Get $11 Million in Illinois
Cincinnati Vendors Get $11 Million in Illinois
by Will Compernolle Over $11 million from the State of Illinois went to vendors located in Cincinnati, Ohio in fiscal years 2007 and 2008. Included in the $11,737,442 were $8,897,052 to First Transit Inc. for “Prof and Artistic Services,” $34,055 to Crowe Horwath LLP for “Expert Testimony,” and $29,479 to a Cincinnati Office Depot for...
Padded Pensions Despite Pension Deficit Problems
Padded Pensions Despite Pension Deficit Problems
by Kate Piercy Despite Illinois’s dire pension system, which includes police, fire and public-sector employees, boosting public employee salaries shortly before retirement in order to put them on a path to a bigger and better retirement package has turned into common practice among government in Illinois. Illinois has the most underfunded pension system in the nation,...