Obscure official made more than $2M off Illinois development authorities, connected side business

By Austin Berg, Eddie Damstra

07/07/2018

Andrew Hamilton and his consulting firm have collected more than $2 million from eight regional development authorities since 2010.

TAGS: Andrew Hamilton, Bruce Rauner, Illinois General Assembly, regional development authorities

Illinois General Assembly passes state budget out of balance by as much as $1.5B

By Adam Schuster

05/31/2018

Lawmakers voted to approve the 1,245-page budget less than 24 hours after it was revealed to the public.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, Bruce Rauner, budget, Illinois General Assembly, John Cullerton, Mike Madigan

Cap spending now: Illinois taxpayers need a responsible budget this year

By Adam Schuster

05/04/2018

Lawmakers should voluntarily adopt a spending cap to give taxpayers the certainty they deserve.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, bonds, budget, COGFA: Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, credit rating, Illinois General Assembly, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, Spending, spending cap, taxes

Bill restricting government promotional spending advances in General Assembly

By Vincent Caruso

03/08/2018

An investigation in December 2017 found that a convention for municipalities and public agencies ran taxpayers nearly $120,000 in exhibition and hospitality costs. A proposal making its way through the General Assembly would bar state funds from contributing to these excesses.

TAGS: David McSweeney, Illinois General Assembly, Spending

Illinois House adjourns for month-long spring break

By Austin Berg

03/08/2018

House members won't return to the Statehouse until the second week of April.

TAGS: Illinois General Assembly, lawmaker pay

Full month’s pay for a day’s work? New bill ends loophole for state lawmakers

By Brendan Bakala

01/30/2018

House Bill 4273 would eliminate a loophole in state law that allows lawmakers to receive a month's pay for a day of work.

TAGS: Illinois General Assembly, lawmaker pay, pensions

Why Illinois needs a spending cap

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Joe Tabor

01/27/2018

Spending has consistently outpaced state tax revenues in Illinois for more than a decade. To avoid future tax hikes, Illinois must impose real fiscal discipline on state lawmakers.

TAGS: debt, deficit, Illinois General Assembly, income tax, Spending, taxes

The audacity of broke

By Austin Berg

01/25/2018

Illinois is broke. But leaders don’t act like it.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, budget, collective bargaining, Illinois General Assembly, outmigration, taxes

Proposed bill would prohibit unfunded mandates, require revenue for all discretionary spending

By Vincent Caruso

01/24/2018

The Taxpayer Fiscal Charter Act would demand funding transparency before spending bills make their way out of Springfield.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, Illinois General Assembly, Spending, taxes

Hold on to your wallets, Springfield back in session for 2018

By Austin Berg

01/18/2018

With statewide elections in November, the 2018 forecast calls for gridlock.

TAGS: Illinois General Assembly, income tax, Mike Madigan, outmigration, progressive income tax