Lawmakers consider borrowing $107B to pour into Illinois pensions

By Joe Tabor

01/31/2018

Record-breaking borrowing to fund Illinois' even more massive pension debt is no real solution to the state's pension problem.

TAGS: bonds, borrowing, credit rating, general obligation bonds, pensions

What’s a junk bond and why Illinois will be America’s first “junk” state

By Michael Lucci

06/16/2017

Illinois’ bonds are currently priced like they are junk-rated.

TAGS: bonds, budget, credit rating, general obligation bonds

Why are Illinois Democrats preparing to bail out bankers and cash-strapped local governments?

By Michael Lucci

04/03/2017

Bailout bills moving in the Illinois General Assembly would attempt to turn Illinois’ massive debt problems into guaranteed profits for banks and bondholders and a lower standard of living for other Illinoisans.

TAGS: bonds, budget, CTA: Chicago Transit Authority, general obligation bonds, grand bargain, John Cullerton, LGDF: Local Government Distributive Fund, property taxes, RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

The shockingly bad fiscal health of Chicago (and the financial engineering used to hide it)

04/02/2015

State lawmakers and the city of Chicago owe taxpayers an honest assessment. It's a sad state of affairs when we have to get that assessment from a bond guru in Kentucky.

TAGS: bonds, budget, Chicago, general obligation bonds, taxes

Chicago’s hidden housing solution: How additional dwelling unit expansion can make city more affordable

Chicago’s 2020 Additional Dwelling Unit Ordinance, while well-intentioned, has stifled development. Despite 71% of Chicagoans being in favor of putting additional dwelling units on existing residential lots – higher than the national average – restrictive and inequitable regulations have ensured very few are built.1 Only 44% of pre-approved applications have received building permits since the...

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Chicago’s hidden housing solution: How additional dwelling unit expansion can make city more affordable

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Joseph Miscimarra

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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