Springfield

2019 laws in review, Illinois lawmakers passed both nice and naughty bills

12/20/2019
The Illinois General Assembly passed over 600 new laws in 2019. Some helped taxpayers, but many more hurt as they spent $85 billion while doing little to fix the pension crisis.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, capital plan, consolidation, Cook County, corruption, expungement, free speech, gas tax, government unions, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, lawmakers, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, Open Illinois Checkbook, progressive income tax, record sealing, Springfield, tax hikes, taxes, transparency, vehicle registration

Chicago City Council votes to ban lobbying by elected leaders

12/20/2019
Chicago’s second round of anti-corruption rules restricts aldermen and city employees from working as lobbyists and stops other elected leaders from lobbying city government for private clients.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, Chicago City Council, ComEd, corruption, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, John Cullerton, Larry Suffredin, lawmakers, lobbying, Lori Lightfoot, Luis Arroyo, Michael Zalewski, Michele Smith, Mike Madigan, ordinance, Springfield, Terry Link

Will County board approves new $12M gas tax atop doubled state tax

By Vincent Caruso
12/20/2019
Will County became the first county to use new taxing authority under Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan, adding a new countywide gas tax of 4 cents per gallon atop state and local gas taxes.

TAGS: capital plan, collar counties, DuPage County, excise tax, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Joliet, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County, sales tax, Springfield, tax hikes, tax increase, Will County

How Illinois unions re-gifted member dues to Madigan for sexual harassment settlement

By Austin Berg
12/19/2019
So who wants to fund a highly unpopular politician’s sexual harassment settlement on behalf of a disgraced political worker under federal investigation? Executives at Illinois’ largest public-sector labor unions.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Alaina Hampton, Christmas, government unions, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Janus v. AFSCME, JB Pritzker, Kevin Quinn, Mike Madigan, PAC: political action committee, SEIU: Service Employees International Union, sexual harrassment, Springfield, unions

Feds investigating former Cook County assessor, Madigan rainmaker Joe Berrios

By Austin Berg
12/17/2019
The probe potentially opens up a new front in authorities’ investigation of House Speaker Mike Madigan: the property tax appeals game from which he has made millions.

TAGS: capital project, Chicago, conflict of interest, Cook County, Cook County assessor, Cook County Democratic Party, corruption, Ed Burke, federal investigation, house rules, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Joseph Berrios, Legislative Inspector General, legislative map, Madigan & Getzendanner, Mike Madigan, property taxes, redistricting, revolving door, Rod Blagojevich, Springfield

SEIU member dues fund Madigan campaign’s defense in sexual harassment lawsuit

By Mailee Smith
12/16/2019
SEIU’s political action committees gave $113,200 to Friends of Michael J. Madigan – the same election committee the longtime Illinois House speaker used to pay legal fees in a sexual harassment lawsuit against his organization.

TAGS: Alaina Hampton, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois State Board of Elections, Mike Madigan, SEIU: Service Employees International Union, sexual harrassment, Springfield

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Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014

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

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016