$40K for Façade Improvements
$40K for Façade Improvements
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson Between September 2008 and August 2010, the Spoon River Partnership for Economic Development in Canton, Illinois received a $40,000 grant as part of the Grant Management Program. This program allows the General Assembly and the Governor to give “grants to specific local governments, units of government, educational facilities and not-for-profit organizations…for specific purposes to bolster the State’s economy,...
Taxpayers Paying for New Model of Chicago
Taxpayers Paying for New Model of Chicago
by Wesley Fox In 2008, the Chicago Architecture Foundation was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to “assist in the development of the 2008-2009 Special Exhibitions.” According to the DCEO Grant Tracker (Under “Search Grants by Organization” search Chicago Architecture Foundation, Grant #09-335008), the Special Exhibitions will feature a “state-of-the-art scale model...
Chicago Officials Circumvent Competitive Bidding Rules
Chicago Officials Circumvent Competitive Bidding Rules
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson Competitive bidding rules help governments save money, increase transparency, and avoid “pay-to-play” politics. Unfortunately, government officials don’t always play by the rules. The Chicago Tribune reports: City officials circumvented competitive bidding rules to steer a $23 million digital-radio contract to Schaumburg-based Motorola, according to City Hall’s top watchdog and documents obtained by the Tribune. Inspector General...
Judges Still Silent
Judges Still Silent
The silence continues. Illinois judges and organizations who represent the state’s judiciary are still refusing to comment about their skyrocketing salaries and perks revealed last week with the publication of the Institute’s special report:Judicial Pay and Perks in the Prairie State. Calls and e-mails seeking comment placed this week to individual jurists, the Illinois Judges...
The Freshman Four Hundred Million
The Freshman Four Hundred Million
by Collin Hitt You’ve heard of losing the Freshman Fifteen. But can Illinois colleges trim fat, too, by lowering their freshman dropout rates? The American Institutes of Research has published a new report estimating the Illinois taxpayers spent almost $400 million on college costs for students who never made it to sophomore year ($300 of that was...
Find the Government Worker
Find the Government Worker
This editorial cartoon from the USA Today in 2009 reminded me of current day Illinois. Tough times for everyone, except for those who work for the government. Recently, Gov. Quinn signed a contract handing out 7 percent pay raises, a two-year “no layoff” guarantee, a pledge to close no branches, plus another round of...
Sen. Millner and Rep. Kosel Sign Tax Pledge
Sen. Millner and Rep. Kosel Sign Tax Pledge
The Illinois Honest Tax Pledge has two more signers: Senator John Millner(R-Bloomingdale) and Representative Renee Kosel (R-Mokena). The pledge asks incumbents pledge to oppose and vote against all tax hikes through the start of the 97th Session of the General Assembly in 2011. Previously, David Vaught the Illinois Budget Director was quoted as saying, “We’re going to pass a tax...
Detroit’s Train to Nowhere?
Detroit’s Train to Nowhere?
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson According the 2010 ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index, Michigan ranks 50th for economic performance, 50th for personal income growth per capital, and 50th for job growth. Detroit has lost half of it’s population since 1950 and was the 2009 “murder capital.” Is this the time or place for new light rail construction? From Reason.tv: The Motor City...
Illinois Tax Amnesty. Will it Work?
Illinois Tax Amnesty. Will it Work?
by Ashley Muchow A five-week tax amnesty period for those behind on their taxes this year began the 1st of this month. SB377, signed into law this summer, allows those who have accumulated back taxes between June 30, 2002 and July 1, 2009, to pay without penalty from October 1st to November 8th. Those tax...
Rhee Gone
Rhee Gone
by Collin Hitt Michelle Rhee has stepped down as head of Washington D.C. Public Schools. Her departure was widely expected after her boss, D.C. mayor Adrian Fenty, was defeated in the city’s mayoral primary election. The new documentary “Waiting for Superman” is making Rhee a household name. But her bold vision for D.C. schools made...
Illinois Begging Companies Not to Leave with Tax Credits
Illinois Begging Companies Not to Leave with Tax Credits
by Wesley Fox Governor Quinn recently announced a new $7 million “business investment package” that will keep U.S. Cellular’s headquarters in Illinois. The package is part of the state’s Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Program (EDGE). The program provides tax credits to companies that promise to make capital investments within the state and create 25 new...
Rahm on TIF
Rahm on TIF
by Kate Piercy Not many people understand tax increment financing (TIF) very well, and the lack of transparency in the TIF process, particularly in Chicago, leaves many taxpayers unaware of exactly where TIF developments are located, how many tax dollars are going into these TIFs, and how the money is being spent. Mayoral candidates looking to fill...
Daley Proposes Dipping into TIF Reserves to Balance Budget
Daley Proposes Dipping into TIF Reserves to Balance Budget
by Kate Piercy Mayor Daley went forward with his plans to use TIF reserves in order to “balance” his proposed FY2011 budget, leaving it to his future replacement to tackle the inherent problems that led the city into a deficit in the first place. Balancing the budget is important, but TIFs were not created to be used...