5 principles to guide Illinois’ public pension reform

By LyLena Estabine

01/16/2025

With nearly $214 billion in state and local pension debt threatening both retirees and government finances, Illinois needs a new path forward. Here are five principles to guide the state, protect taxpayers and safeguard public servants.

Illinois government pensioners deserve more control over their funds

By LyLena Estabine

01/13/2025

Expanding retirement savings plans as an option for all new Illinois state employees would give them choice and likely improve the state’s pension crisis.

Exclude staff costs, Chicago spending still spiked $3.6B in just 6 years

By Ravi Mishra, Lauren Zuar

12/10/2024

Chicago’s 2025 budget is facing a nearly $1 billion gap. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to close it: increase taxes. The city’s rising non-personnel costs, now at $6.6 billion, will outpace its grant funding, squeeze taxpayers and increase regressive fees.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson, Chicago

National Education Association sees teacher exodus as political spending balloons

By Mailee Smith

12/06/2024

NEA has lost nearly 400,000 members since its peak in 2009. It could be because just 9% of the union’s spending is on representing teachers – with the rest on politics, administration and other union leader priorities.

TAGS: education, IEA-NEA: Illinois Education Association

Skokie is latest Illinois community paying pensions by borrowing

By Patrick Andriesen

01/20/2022

The village of Skokie issued $176 million in new bonds to fund shortfalls in public safety pensions. The village joins a growing list of municipalities forced to borrow to meet “unsustainable” pension obligations.

TAGS: bonds, debt, pensions, Skokie

Privacy law prevents Illinoisans from using Google app’s selfie art feature

By Amy Korte

01/23/2018

A new feature on Google's Arts & Culture app is not available to Illinois users because of the state's strict biometric privacy law.

TAGS: BIPA: Biometric Information Privacy Act, privacy

Airlines hit with class-action lawsuits under biometric privacy law

By Amy Korte

11/20/2017

American Airlines and United Airlines have become the latest Illinois employers to be sued for allegedly violating Illinois’ biometric privacy law through the use of fingerprint-operated time clocks.

TAGS: BIPA: Biometric Information Privacy Act, privacy

Lawmaker sponsors Airline Passenger Protection Act in wake of United Airlines incident

By Eric Kohn

04/19/2017

The legislation would prohibit airlines from “involuntarily removing” seated passengers, and the state from doing business with airlines that do.

TAGS: Chicago, regulations, United Airlines

Choose Chicago an epic cut for Rauner

By Austin Berg

06/26/2015

State money for city branding is nonessential.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, Choose Chicago

Illinois Corruption Watch, October 2014

By Brian Costin

11/01/2014

In October, we found 52 different stories of potential public corruption in Illinois, including a trio of stories related to the election. An Illinois Policy investigation into emails from a group of Kankakee County superintendents revealed potentially illegal activities to pass a countywide sales-tax hike for school facilities. Documents obtained suggest illegal actions by superintendents...

TAGS: good government, waste

American Airlines

5 principles to guide Illinois’ public pension reform

Illinois government pensioners deserve more control over their funds

Exclude staff costs, Chicago spending still spiked $3.6B in just 6 years

National Education Association sees teacher exodus as political spending balloons

Skokie is latest Illinois community paying pensions by borrowing

Privacy law prevents Illinoisans from using Google app’s selfie art feature

Airlines hit with class-action lawsuits under biometric privacy law

Lawmaker sponsors Airline Passenger Protection Act in wake of United Airlines incident

Choose Chicago an epic cut for Rauner

Illinois Corruption Watch, October 2014

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

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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