Budget Battle Update: Borrow!
Budget Battle Update: Borrow!
The Illinois House of Representatives is considering plans to borrow our way out of the state's budget mess.
County Pay Raises during Tough Economic Times Send Taxpayers Wrong Message
County Pay Raises during Tough Economic Times Send Taxpayers Wrong Message
Illinois Policy Institute Calls on Rock Island board to rectify salary increase gaffe.
$8 Million to Market Government Healthcare
$8 Million to Market Government Healthcare
Illinois's expanded "All Kids" audit reveals high costs and operational issues.
Who Audits the Auditor?
Who Audits the Auditor?
Say hello to the Office of the Auditor General Inspector General.
$6.4 Million in Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
$6.4 Million in Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
A report from the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform found that taxpayers paid lobbyists nearly $6.4 million to influence their own state government last year.
Open to the Public: Making Public Universities Leaders in Government Transparency
Open to the Public: Making Public Universities Leaders in Government Transparency
The Problem Illinois state government recently has taken some important steps toward greater transparency. However, the common activities of Illinois institutions are still often difficult for taxpayers to observe. By posting basic financial and operational information on a single webpage, universities can give the public greater insight into how they operate—particularly how they are performing...
Open to the Public: Making Public Universities Leaders in Government Transparency REPORT
Open to the Public: Making Public Universities Leaders in Government Transparency REPORT
Illinois state government recently has taken some important steps toward greater transparency. However, the common activities of Illinois institutions are still often difficult for taxpayers to observe.
SJR: The Right to Know What State Employees Do All Day
SJR: The Right to Know What State Employees Do All Day
Great cartoon from the SJR.
Deck Hands on the State Payroll
Deck Hands on the State Payroll
The Department of Transportation spent a total of $956K on the wages for deck hands in 2008.
Two Hundred Thousand Dollars Paid to Call Taker Trainees
Two Hundred Thousand Dollars Paid to Call Taker Trainees
Call taker trainees received over $200,000 in wages in 2008.
SJ-R Correction on Public Employee FOIA
SJ-R Correction on Public Employee FOIA
The Springfield Journal-Register ran a story on May 20 that indicated the Illinois Policy Institute would post public employee performance reviews on IllinoisOpenGov.org. That is not the case, and the paper ran a correction.
Strong and Growing: A Performance Review of Charter Schools
Strong and Growing: A Performance Review of Charter Schools
Throughout Illinois, a unique kind of public school is emerging: charter schools. Begun by non-profit groups, teams of teachers, or even universities, these new schools are trying innovative approaches to public education. Most importantly, they are creating additional choices for families, often in communities where public education has failed to meet the needs of parents...
Consultants for the Illinois State Board of Education
Consultants for the Illinois State Board of Education
In 2008, the Illinois State Board of Education spent $21.8 million on 335 consultants.
How Pro-Growth is IL’s Congressional Delegation?
How Pro-Growth is IL’s Congressional Delegation?
The average 2009 score for Illinois