Madigan chief pleads ‘not guilty’ as Illinois pushes for corruption fixes

By Brad Weisenstein

05/28/2021

Tim Mapes, longtime chief of staff to former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, pleaded ‘not guilty’ to federal charges he lied to a grand jury about Madigan and bribery. Strong ethics reforms can help fix Illinois’ culture of corruption.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, federal investigation, Mike Madigan, Tim Mapes

Nursing shortage during COVID-19 argues for multi-state licenses in Illinois

By Patrick Andriesen

05/12/2021

Multi-state nursing licenses would help Illinois with long-term senior care, help nurses cross state lines to fight a pandemic and help Illinois face a coming nursing shortage.

TAGS: COVID-19, emergency, Nurse Licensure Compact, regulations

Illinois faced nursing shortage before COVID-19 stressed health care

By Laura Bianchi

02/24/2021

An impending health care worker shortage argues for a bill that would allow Illinois to join a multi-state nursing license compact. Nurses could see improved job options.

TAGS: COVID-19, nurse, occupational licensing

Pritzker closes indoor dining throughout Illinois starting Nov. 4

11/02/2020

All of Illinois will be under tighter restrictions starting Wednesday, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker imposing an indoor dining ban as his answer to the spread of COVID-19.

TAGS: COVID-19, executive order, JB Pritzker, restaurants

Pritzker revenue director sponsored bill to tax retirement income

10/07/2020

Taxing retirement income is not a new idea to Illinois politicians, but denying they want to tax seniors is new since that part of the “fair tax” plan slipped out.

TAGS: fair tax, JB Pritzker, retirement tax

Where you can and can’t buy recreational marijuana in Illinois

11/15/2019

Many Illinois municipalities have voted to ban or restrict marijuana sales when it becomes legal for sale. Here’s a list of where pot will, won’t and might be legally bought.

TAGS: Arlington Heights, Bolingbrook, Buffalo Grove, cannabis, Carbondale, Carol Stream, Chicago, City of Springfield, collar counties, Collinsville, Danville, Decatur, Downers Grove, DuPage County, Edwardsville, Elmhurst, Grayslake, Highland Park, Joliet, Lake Forest, Lake Zurich, legalization, Libertyville, Lombard, marijuana, Mundelein, municipal government, Naperville, Northbrook, Oak Park, Plainfield, prohibition, Schaumburg, Urbana, Waukegan, Wheaton, Winnetka

Doubling Illinois’ gas tax, other tax hikes will go to fund more than $1.4 billion of waste and pork

By Adam Schuster, Bill Reveille, Brian Butler

07/08/2019

Lawmakers sold 20 new taxes and fees as necessary to rebuild crumbling roads and bridges and balance the budget. Instead, taxpayers will be funding dog parks, swimming pools, snowmobile paths, a vacant theater and pickleball courts.

TAGS: gas tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, taxes, waste

Per-mile driving tax proposal introduced in Illinois House

02/15/2019

New House bill would create a pilot program to test the feasibility of a per-mile driving tax.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, taxes, VMT: vehicle miles traveled

56 Illinois state lawmakers have refused to take a pension

02/08/2019

Illinois’ 101st General Assembly can be leaders in pension reform by passing a constitutional amendment that allows for changes to future, unearned benefits.

TAGS: 401(k), GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, lawmaker pay, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

Pritzker ‘fair tax’ could hike taxes on typical Arlington Heights family by up to $2,200

By Vincent Caruso

02/07/2019

While progressive tax proponents champion the measure as a “tax on the rich,” middle-income families in Arlington Heights would see a massive tax hike under the income tax models praised by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

TAGS: Arlington Heights, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Arlington Heights

Madigan chief pleads ‘not guilty’ as Illinois pushes for corruption fixes

Nursing shortage during COVID-19 argues for multi-state licenses in Illinois

Illinois faced nursing shortage before COVID-19 stressed health care

Pritzker closes indoor dining throughout Illinois starting Nov. 4

Pritzker revenue director sponsored bill to tax retirement income

Where you can and can’t buy recreational marijuana in Illinois

Doubling Illinois’ gas tax, other tax hikes will go to fund more than $1.4 billion of waste and pork

Per-mile driving tax proposal introduced in Illinois House

56 Illinois state lawmakers have refused to take a pension

Pritzker ‘fair tax’ could hike taxes on typical Arlington Heights family by up to $2,200

Fighting poverty with employment: Chicago block clubs

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