Lawmakers, including 37 lame duck legislators, on Nov. 13 convened in Springfield for a veto session likely to feature political pensions and unfunded mandates.

One wonders how many times an unpopular idea must be knocked down before it rises back from the dead. Especially when it means more money for the state. And especially in Illinois.

Illinoisans already get hosed at the pump, but politicians are looking for new ways to soak drivers.

Despite claims from some state lawmakers that the fiscal year 2019 budget is balanced, official reports to bond buyers admit a deficit of more than $1 billion.

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

State senators voted to approve the 1,245-page budget just hours after it was made public.

Agreeing on how much money one has to spend is a basic first step of budgeting.

State lawmakers passed into law a bill that exempts a single Chicago performance hall from a provision in Illinois state liquor law, overriding Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto. This practice of granting piecemeal exemptions is commonplace but cumbersome.

Mandating more reasonable spending growth is the first step in a journey back to solvency for Illinois. The cap provides certainty today for a more responsible state government tomorrow.