Government Wages and Benefits Are Half of State and Local Spending
Government Wages and Benefits Are Half of State and Local Spending
The Cato Institute takes a closer look at the generous wages and benefits offered by state and local governments.
State Spends More than $8,000 on Calendars
State Spends More than $8,000 on Calendars
In 2008, the state spent more than $8,000 on calendars. How much will it spend in 2010?
State Pads Local Pensions, Burden on Local Taxpayers Rises
State Pads Local Pensions, Burden on Local Taxpayers Rises
The state legislature pads local government pension benefits, and taxpayers get to pony up the money to pay for it.
Departments with the Highest Average Wages in 2008
Departments with the Highest Average Wages in 2008
Which departments had the highest average wages in 2008? Find out here.
Which Departments Spent the Most on Wages in 2008?
Which Departments Spent the Most on Wages in 2008?
Using our transparency website, IllinoisOpenGov.org, you can find out which departments spent the most on wagesvin 2008.
Contracting for Success: An Introduction to School Service Privatization
Contracting for Success: An Introduction to School Service Privatization
The Problem During these trying fiscal times, many school districts are attempting to find ways to become more efficient. Private firms are able to assist in this goal, while often improving the quality of certain services. For example, support service providers can offer more efficient busing or cafeteria services, and instructional service providers can offer...
Getting Less For More: A Report Card on Illinois State Higher Education
Getting Less For More: A Report Card on Illinois State Higher Education
The Problem Tuition at Illinois’s state universities is becoming less affordable for Illinois families. From 2002 to 2007, in-state tuition and fees jumped by an average of 56 percent, with no campus increasing rates by less than 42 percent and two campuses increasing rates by more than 70 percent [in inflation-adjusted dollars]. In just five...
Charter Schools and Changing Neighborhoods: Hispanics and English Learners in Chicago
Charter Schools and Changing Neighborhoods: Hispanics and English Learners in Chicago
The Problem Illinois’s Limited English Proficient (LEP) and Hispanic students will play a major role in determining the state’s economic future. Unfortunately, these two critical groups of students have remained among the lowest-performing in our schools. This is especially the case in Chicago Public Schools, where the problem is exacerbated by the fact that thousands...
Charting the Course: Illinois Charter Schools Offer a Proven Solution to the State’s Dropout Problem
Charting the Course: Illinois Charter Schools Offer a Proven Solution to the State’s Dropout Problem
The Problem What would you do if your children could be on a championship-level team…but they weren’t allowed to try out? Every day, kids from many of Illinois’s roughest communities prove they can compete in the classroom. All they need is the opportunity—an opportunity often provided by charter schools. Tragically, thousands of children are not...
How Does the Illinois Constitution Stand Up?
How Does the Illinois Constitution Stand Up?
Overview In an era of burgeoning federal government power, state constitutions are full of untapped potential; many provide stronger protection of individual freedoms than the federal constitution. But realizing that potential requires recognizing its existence and assessing which state constitutions offer the best opportunities for securing the principles of limited government. “50 Bright Stars: An...
Beyond “Business As Usual”: A Case Study of Glenview
Beyond “Business As Usual”: A Case Study of Glenview
The Problem Too often, local governments go about “business as usual” for years, even when they could get a better deal for the same or better level of service. Recently, many communities have started questioning their “business as usual” routine as it becomes increasingly clear that repeatedly raising taxes to generate additional revenue is not...
This Bid’s for You! How online reverse auction saves taxpayers millions
This Bid’s for You! How online reverse auction saves taxpayers millions
Problem Illinois needs more cost-efficient, quality-driven spending activity at the local and state levels of government. Illinois’s state budget has exploded from $24.7 billion in 2004 to $32.2 billion in 2009, increasing nearly 30 percent over just five years. The state needs better spending practices, more transparency in the procurement process, and a tool to...
Out Of Control: The Explosion of Illinois State Government Spending
Out Of Control: The Explosion of Illinois State Government Spending
The Problem State spending in Illinois has skyrocketed over the past decade, increasing 39 percent from 1998 to 2008 (after inflation). “Appropriated Funds Expenditures” include general, highway, special state, bond financed, debt service, federal trust, revolving funds, and state trust funds. Illinois’s population growth has been minimal, increasing just under 7 percent between 1998 and...
Not What the Doctor Ordered
Not What the Doctor Ordered
Imagine going to the doctor for a chronic headache and frequent blackouts. The doctor tells you to see a specialist – who you can’t see for another 17 weeks. After seeing the specialist, you must wait 4 weeks for an MRI. Finally, doctors discover a cyst in your brain, but the treatment you need isn’t...