Lawsuit seeks to end Burke’s ‘political army’ in Chicago workers’ comp system

By Austin Berg

08/07/2018

Chicago’s longest-serving alderman runs the city’s workers’ comp program without any outside scrutiny. But a new lawsuit aims to change that.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago City Council, Ed Burke, patronage, workers compensation

Belleville spent more than $2.5M on workers’ comp settlements in less than 5 years

By Vincent Caruso

07/29/2018

While a few payouts were the result of severe injuries, local taxpayers were also on the hook for settlements with workers who returned to work the very next day.

TAGS: Belleville, St. Clair County, taxes, workers compensation

Coca-Cola distributor relocating facility, 143 jobs to Iowa from Rock Island

By Eddie Damstra

06/08/2018

Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Co. plans to move its Rock Island facility to Walcott, Iowa, where the company is expected to receive substantial tax incentives.

TAGS: jobs, quad cities, rock island county, workers compensation

As Macon County shrinks, property tax rates grow

By Joe Kaiser

05/01/2018

With countywide population dipping, remaining taxpayers in Macon County are being left with an ever-increasing property tax bill.

TAGS: decatur, gas tax, Macon County, outmigration, population, property taxes, taxes, workers compensation

Lake Bluff consolidation proposal could save taxpayers $500K

By Brendan Bakala

02/17/2018

A joint service agreement between two fire departments could save Lake Bluff more than $500,000 over five years, once fully implemented. The plan would be a welcome change of pace for residents, as Lake County homeowners pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation.

TAGS: collective bargaining, local government consolidation, property taxes, workers compensation

6 ways Illinois lawmakers can ease the property tax pain

By Vincent Caruso

01/26/2018

Illinoisans shoulder some of the highest property taxes in the country. This burden is key to understanding the state's outmigration problem. Despite the failure of lawmakers to reverse this crisis, there remain a number of sound reforms waiting for consideration.

TAGS: collective bargaining, consolidation, municipal pensions, pensions, prevailing wage, property taxes, school district consolidation, taxes, workers compensation

Skipping over Illinois, Toyota-Mazda plant heading to Alabama

By Brendan Bakala

01/10/2018

The $1.6 billion assembly plant will create an estimated 4,000 jobs for Alabama residents by 2021.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, right to work, taxes, workers compensation

Workers’ comp costs hit Illinois’ blue-collar industries

By Vincent Caruso

12/19/2017

Exorbitant workers’ comp costs punish small businesses and send employers dashing to Illinois’ neighboring states.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, workers compensation

Small Business Saturday: Illinois’ business climate is unkind to the little guy

By Amanda McDonald

11/22/2017

A high cost of doing business and little reason to hope for reform can be enough for Illinois’ small businesses to look elsewhere for success.

TAGS: small business, workers compensation

Founder of pharmaceutical company indicted for bribing doctors to prescribe opioids

By Amy Korte

11/01/2017

As federal and state officials sound the alarm about opioid abuse, Illinois lawmakers should take steps to root it out of the workers’ compensation system.

TAGS: opioid, physician dispensing, workers compensation