Moody’s Investors Service cited Illinois’ $250 billion in pension debt and the lengthy budget impasse as reasons for its one-notch credit downgrade.

Though Illinois Democrats insist Gov. Bruce Rauner’s reform agenda has nothing to do with the state’s budget, Rauner’s original proposed spending reforms would allow the state to balance its budget without hitting up taxpayers for more revenue.

S&P cited Illinois lawmakers’ failure to pass a budget and the lengthy budget impasse as reasons for its one-notch credit downgrade. Over the years, Illinois’ state credit rating has been downgraded multiple times due to massive spending and excessive borrowing.

Illinois’ budgetary mess preceded Gov. Bruce Rauner’s tenure, with years of gimmicks, borrowing and broken promises.

With legislative session winding down and several items critical to taxpayers yet to be tackled, lawmakers passed a bill regulating the sale of catfish in restaurants.

An income tax hike to 5 percent makes a call for a progressive tax system during the 2018 gubernatorial race a much easier sell.

The village of Rosemont is moving forward on a $60 million taxpayer-funded baseball stadium.

While the Better Government Association has claimed Illinois’ budget contains no fat to trim, a deeper analysis reveals the state has many areas of expensive inefficiency to reform in state and local government costs, the Medicaid program and K-12 education.

Each Illinois household would pay an additional $1,125 in taxes each year, on average, under the Senate's tax-hike plan.

The state government owes the City Water, Light and Power of Springfield $3.5 million on past-due utility bills for state offices. The past-due utility bills are just one part of Illinois’ more than $14.3 billion bill backlog.