Forgotten Illinois: Aurora

By Joe Kaiser

12/08/2017

Two sides, one city.

TAGS: Aurora, Caterpillar, east aurora high school, forgotten illinois, manufacturing, richard irvin, small business, west aurora high school

School buses finally arrive for East Aurora students, but unfairness remains

By Mailee Smith

09/01/2017

Thousands of East Aurora students will be able to take buses to school for the first time, but the community still stands as an example of how school district decisions don’t always prioritize students.

TAGS: Aurora, education, pensions, teacher salaries

Illinois companies announce more than 2,100 mass layoffs in May

By Brendan Bakala

06/15/2017

1,120 of the jobs lost were in manufacturing and food processing.

TAGS: Aurora, jobs, manufacturing

In East Aurora, battle over busing is just the tip of the iceberg

By Mailee Smith

05/26/2017

In East Aurora, Illinois, the District 131 school board has approved a proposal to provide bus transportation for students, but the teachers union has balked at a quick implementation of the plan.

TAGS: Aurora, education, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, labor, unions

East Aurora teachers union puts brakes on school busing

By Mailee Smith

05/10/2017

Unionized teachers in East Aurora demonstrate that unions are willing to put their own agendas above the wellbeing and education of students.

TAGS: Aurora, education, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, labor, unions

Amazon received more than $112 million in EDGE tax credits in 2016

By Brendan Bakala

04/14/2017

In exchange for more than $112 million in tax breaks, Amazon promised to expand its Illinois operations and hire 7,200 new employees in Aurora, Monee and Joliet.

TAGS: Amazon, Aurora, cronyism, DCEO, jobs, Joliet, Monee, tax credits

After mass layoffs, a chilling look back at CAT’s plea for reforms

By Austin Berg

04/12/2017

In February 2012, Caterpillar’s then-CEO Doug Oberhelman outlined needed reforms to save Illinois manufacturing jobs. State lawmakers have failed to act, and the Land of Lincoln is the only state in the region to lose manufacturing jobs since.

TAGS: Aurora, Caterpillar, manufacturing, workers compensation

Pensions make Illinois property taxes among nation’s most painful

Report Archive

Michael Serrano

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students