79,000 more Illinoisans are in poverty because state can’t fix its culture of corruption

By Orphe Divounguy

05/12/2021

If Illinois could have reduced corruption to the national average, an estimated 79,000 fewer people would be living in poverty, according to an analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute. State lawmakers can help by passing ethics reforms.

TAGS: corruption, economy, ethics reform, Illinois, income inequality, poverty

Free beer with your COVID-19 shot is aim of Illinois lawmakers

By Brad Weisenstein

05/12/2021

There is no such thing as free beer in Illinois, which is why state lawmakers are considering allowing one mug or another alcoholic beverage as a reward for getting a COVID-19 shot. State lawmakers have no plans to pick up the tab.

TAGS: beer, COVID-19, Illinois, vaccine

What you need to know about Pritzker’s next set of COVID-19 rules

By Patrick Andriesen

05/10/2021

Illinois is about to reach the extra COVID-19 reopening phase Gov. J.B. Pritzker added in March. Here are the rules of the ‘Bridge’ phase expected to begin May 14 and last until June 11.

TAGS: COVID-19, Illinois, JB Pritzker, masks, reopen

Thousands of Illinoisans await calls from state unemployment agency

By Brad Weisenstein, Patrick Andriesen

05/07/2021

The Illinois Department of Employment Security had a backlog of 156K calls in February. Now, over a year into the pandemic, its offices remain closed to the public and 43K Illinoisans are still awaiting a call from IDES.

TAGS: COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois, JB Pritzker

Census estimates again confirm Illinois population loss driven by people leaving

By Bryce Hill

05/05/2021

New data showed domestic migration continued to be the only reason for Illinois’ population decline.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Pritzker fact check: Prime working-age Illinoisans leading exodus, not students

By Bryce Hill

04/30/2021

Gov. J.B. Pritzker inaccurately identified students leaving for college as the reason for Illinois’ population decline. Illinoisans between the ages of 26 and 54 made up 64.5% of the net decline in population from 2017-2018, the most recent year of available data.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois House bill seeks to end waste and corruption in infrastructure spending

By Aneesh Bafna

04/30/2021

House Bill 253 would create data-driven process for selecting future infrastructure projects in an attempt to end wasteful and politically motivated spending.

TAGS: Illinois, infrastructure, pork barrel spending, tax hikes, transportation, waste

Illinois population loss drops it to 6th-most populous state

By Bryce Hill

04/28/2021

Illinois was the nation’s fifth-largest state until 2020 census data was released. Now Pennsylvania’s population exceeds Illinois’ to take the No. 5 spot.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois lawmakers tackle balloons, pitchfork fishing, but keep residents in dark on ethics reforms

By Brad Weisenstein

04/27/2021

The Illinois General Assembly busies itself with limiting balloon releases and regulating pitchfork fishing along highways when ethics reform is the need in a state with a rich history of corruption.

TAGS: corruption, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, regulations, transparency

Illinois may become 2nd state allowing financial services run on cryptocurrency

By Patrick Andriesen

04/23/2021

The Illinois House unanimously passed a bill intended to help make Chicago and Illinois a hub for financial technology companies.

TAGS: Bitcoin, blockchain, cryptoassets, cryptocurrency, Illinois